Aquanaut's 125g pending Spring upgrade Peninsula 250DD

[Aquanaut]

You can follow me along on the Tank Design Forum for more details. Check back on my photo bucket album that will update the latest picts as I move along.

http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/f13/peninsula-250-deep-dimension-new-build-diy-60184/

Tank build Peninsula 250DD pictures by djglenn7601 - Photobucket

Equipment: 2x 250w & 1x 175w 12k reeflux+3/1 Actinic/daylight t-5 on dawn/dusk timers. 40g sump w/drawer tower, Geo612 calc reactor, ATI B200 skimmer, 300w titanium heater, 25w UV Aquanetics inline, 15g external Refuge fed by Rio 3500 and gravity drains to DT. 20g ATO Tsnami. 100gpd RODI filled 65g vertical tank. QT/frag overflow is a 29Biocube w/150w 14k
Critters: 9" Sohal Tang, 7" Foxface, 5" Purple Tang, Melanurus Wrasse, Manderine Goby, Cleaner shrimp, prawn size Cleaner shrimp, Brittle Stars 10yrs old, Tigertail cucumber, turbo & nassarus snails.
Coral Varieties up to platter size Blue torte: Cali Blue Torte, Green Hydnopora Triangularis, Branching Lobophillia, Green and Red Monti Cap., Xenia Pom, Green Palys, Blue Sponge, asst. zoa, Pocillapora, Star Pollup, Blue Crocea 6yr, Green Rhodactis, Blue Tonga mushrooms, Tricolor Vivaldi, Blue Tableing Acro, Red Planet Tableing Acro, Frag starts: Watermelon Chalice, R&B Acan, Rainbow Acan, R&G Acan., and R/G Welsophilia

This is what makes it worthwhile...my 125glast upgraded in 2005, Current pict:
125g reef since 1999-current pictures by djglenn7601 - Photobucket

2010 explosive growth since adding Geo612 Fall'09

2008

My apartment days started with 55g :baby:'99-2005
Unfortunately the LPS shrunk and dissapeared :ripver a 2 year period after phasing in halide from 6x 110w VHO.

 

[Krish]

Really nice looking tank!!! Sorry to hear about your LPS shrinking and disappearing. Other than that, looks like you are doing an outstanding job with the tank!!

 

[Aquanaut]

For more details, follow my build on the tank design forum...

 

[crazyfish253]

wow thats clean, looks good.

 

[Aquanaut]

The New 250DD has risen

:juggle:I feel that to keep particals suspended for the length of time it takes the tanks circulation to wisk it away to the overflows, only a properly timed sequence of alternating flows will agitate enough to accomplish this. REGARDLESS of CL or slow/fast flows to the turn over rate of a system. I have had all manner of flows in my system with the exception of a true closed loop. I have so far found a compromise of three methods that are not obtrusive to the eye.

Firstly, is High push rate of return to the tank (my opinion) for example on my 250DD I'm using a Gold Super Dart rated 4300gph. But propably closer to 3000gph at the return. Secondly this is emmited by a 1" branching of a 2 entering pipes. One is tee'd and ball valved for fine tunning back pressure near the surface and has a 45 degree rotating end aimed toward the center of the tank. The main pipe enters from far end and extends elevated on legs and branches to 5 tee'd 1" heads w/caged ends that disperses the flow exponentialy--my replacement for a CL system (better than conjested narrow lockline). The 90% of the pipe is hidden by coral and rock in addition to supporting and elevating everything 5" off the bottom. (Side note: perimeter corals and rock are on mobile acrylic rod support stands and transition the hight of the reef to obscure the fact it is open cavity underneath, which the fishes just love to play around.) Thirdly, and just as important for distribution of circulation 3 Koralla 4's (till I can afford Vortech) --cords are hidden by rockwork and extend from teeth in overflow box with little notice. These are powerd by a 20sec-3min timed wavemaker strip and really keeps the particulate suspension off the bottom. Especially since the currents churn around the cavities for really great flow alike an environment found on perimeter ocean tidal reefs and eddy's. My coral pollups really extend to take advantage of the particulate food that is more available now. I might also add that my high sump rate also is returning extra food sources from the internal 23g refugium/slow flow settling chamber fed from ball valve on incomming nutrient rich water from DT.

Yeah....skicker...most of this won't fit in 5g buckets anymore. It was litteraly pull and drop into the new system.

 

[Krish]

Wow! Looks great!! Came out really nice!

 

[Peppie]

I really like the equipment free look of your tank. You stated you have 3 poweheads. I only could find one in your pics. Very interesting way you have planned out your flow pattern. I am in the middle of a build and I am going to try to get max flow by trying to not stack as many rocks on top of one another as possible. I made a few acyrlic do-dads to keep rocks off the bottom and off each other.

Some taller than others

 

[Aquanaut]

Pict Heavy 250DD quarterly update

NEW link!!!
http://photobucket.com/aquanaut

I appologies ahead of the strain the server will have on this one...LOL

 

[Aquanaut]

Still more...

 

[Aquanaut]

 

[Aquanaut]

 

[nata]

Beautiful pictures!!!your tank is gorgeous ..the colors are so vibrant..your tort is my favourite!!!

 

[Krish]

Beautiful photos!! The tank looks great!

 

[TJL]

Absolutely Spectacular Reef! Love all the mature coral colonies in the aquascape.

Cheers, Todd

 

[littleangel_dawn]

Looks great!

 

[Peppie]

Very impressive. You have done a wonderful job!!

 

[Aquanaut]

6month update...finally finished the doors!

opcorn:YOUR NOT GOING TO BELEIVE THE AMAZING GROWTH DIFFERENCE IN ONLY 6MONTHS! Already need to thin my Blue Tort.

opcorn:

 

[mojoreef]

jut and out standing tank!!!

congrates once again

Mike

 

[Krish]

That FTS is really nice!! The tank looks amazing!!!

 

[eww]

Tank is looking amazing. Great growth for sure. Awesome job Deb