300 gallon shallow tanked fish room build

[Joeb1983]

Since the peninsula tank and stand was built and delivered to/with the wrong dimensions, they had to re-quote and rebuild.

Seeing how my current frag tank was at and now is over capacity; I added the 36x18x10 to the quote/order as well.

Took down the 40 breeder and will utilize the stand, thus the dimensions.

Was told 3"ish" weeks... That was 2 weeks ago... We will see.

Then I made the mistake of going to one of my LFS's and saw the lowboys and all was downhill from there.

The 10' of tank in the fish room was on hold due to a bunch of medical BS I'm dealing with.

[Joeb1983]

Well, Planet delivered the tanks today...

Both where built with rims, so they are going back.

Always something with them lately.

[JonezNReef]

Wow hate to hear that.... the waiting game continues

[Joeb1983]

I don't get it nor does my LFS that's placing the orders. It's not their fault, but they are just as frustrated with them as I am.

I personally think it's a situation where a company is growing faster than they can keep up; more and more mistakes happen and like the majority of businesses out there, they want to cut costs and increase profits.


I do know their warranty (with stand) is now 5 years instead of 7.

Their "classic" stands are now come un-routered; so no more finished/rounded trim edges.

(I was fortunate to have the 36x24x15 tank's stand finished, but was told once the "rounded stock" on hand is out; their will be no more. A shame really, because it just looks cheap and on top of that, the price is still the same)

So, I guess that is pre-ordered like their glass is.

All glass is pre-cut and pre-drilled to order like mentioned above. (Heard a rumor the glass is from China, but what isn't now a days)

Basically from what I gather, Planet assembles the tanks and Coastal finishes (stains & clears) the stands.

Appearantly the major distributor DFW, Planet and Coastal are all under the same roof from what I'm told.

Who knows how long it's going to be this time around.


Another low blow was from AI. They "no longer" have or manufacture half the parts for Non-HD Hydra 52's and 26's.

They consider them "legacy" fixtures.

They did however offer me the opertunity to upgrade to HD and would graciously give me $300 in credit for two 52's and two 26's towards new HD fixtures!

Planned obsolescence and forced upgrading seems to be their business model since the merger.

Another shame if you ask me.


Guess I'll press with the lowboys in the meantime.

[Joeb1983]

So instead of sending them back yesterday, they now sit at my LFS.

They said a rep from Planet "might" come and pick them up, but in all honesty, will stay there until DFW delivers again next week and they get thrown on the truck. (What I see happening)

Also, to not be surprised if the edges of the glass are finished/polished under the trim, that Planet doesn't simply pop the caps and removes the excess silicone/RTV off in order to quick turn them. (I hope that's not the case...)

[Joeb1983]

FYI, a Rock Beauty angelfish is 100% not reed safe. (At least in my case)

Put it in a "tester" system. Usually to see if its experimental nips or choice chomps.

Everything from softies to sticks where chomps. Particularly loved the eyes of chalices.

After just one day, he's in a fowlr holding tank till I trade em in.

[Joeb1983]

Well, the word on the street is Planet is doing a complete rebuild on both the tanks.

We will see...

We will also see how long it takes this time around. (I would think think this would be a priority build) but, most likely not givin their latest track record.

In the meantime I'll focus on the lowboys more...

[Joeb1983]

Tanks are here. Got the 36x18x10 rimless fraq system up and running.

Just started a fish-less cycle with janitorial ammonia/10% ammonia hydroxide.

For the water volume w/ sump I dosed 4ml this morning.

Just tested, 4ppm.

So far so good.

Here is the breakdown of equipment.

36x18x10 rimless planet tank (Bare bottom)
Petco steel stand for a 40 breeder
Trigger 26 sapphire sump
Trigger 5 gal sapphire ATO reservoir
(They both fit PERFECTLY inside the frame rails. A 1/4" less and they wouldn't)
Plumbed with silicone
seaside aquatics c6 w sicce. (awesome skimmer for the $, I have 3)
Finnex titanium 300w heater
Finnex heater controller (The separate digital one)
2 X Marine pure blocks (8x8x4)
Jebao DCP-5000 return pump. (Believe it or not, these things are pretty decent.)
MP10
AI 48" Tank mount in black
18" EXT rail matching
Single Hydra 52, again in black.
RKE to be swapped over from old system.

[Joeb1983]

One thing to mention. I changed over from IO to Tropic Marin Pro. So far corals love it, but for some reason it makes my hands itch like crazy!

Any idea as to why? I never had this reaction to any salt so far. IO, RedSea or HW over the years.

[Joeb1983]

Peninsula up and running...

[JonezNReef]

That looks sweet! Whats going to be housed in this one? Sorry you have so many systems its hard to remember LOL

[Joeb1983]

Thanks!

I have to throw my Morrish in there for a bit as my clown tang is relentless towards it, but the plan was/is a "black" tank:

Black tang
Black Nox angel
Black combtooth blenny
Midnight clown pair

[Joeb1983]

Cycling is taking forever on this tank for some reason...

As usual, I'm using ammonia hydroxide.

Processes ammonia over night, but its the nitrites that remain sky high.

Trates are around 40ppm.

I know its only a matter of time, just thought it would be different since I have been curing that Pukani for months now.


Black Nox angel and midnight clowns be here today to start QT.

They did not have the blenny or black tang.

I did come across a "midnight dottyback"... Have no idea where I would get that thing though.

[Devaji108]

nice build there man!

[Joeb1983]

Originally Posted by Devaji108

nice build there man!

Thank you! It's definitely taken over that's for sure...

Hooked up the RKE. Still need to cal the PH probe.

I have to say, I prefer DA over Neptune as far as user interface goes.

The peninsula looks amazing. Really stands apart from all the other tanks and has become my favorite over the big tank and the twins (that I still need to get up and running.)

Still waiting for these darn nitrites to drop... Story of our lives right.

The onyx angle and midnight clowns are in and in QT.

I did find on my Trigger 26 sumps, the built in probe holders won't work.
They come with o-rings to go around the probe and press into the holder... there's no way. On my 39 sump they have a inlay and it works just fine, the 26's don't. I have to call them about that.

On a lighter note I added a lunar wrasse to the big tank and a small purple tank in my frag (for now) and got it eating off a clip.

Also picked up some 3" square ceramic frag plates. (Love them)

I'll update when the trites drop and I do a WC.

Thanks again!

[JonezNReef]

Moving on along as always I see. You will have to update with some pictures one day. Can't wait to wait is what I tell my wife LOL

[Joeb1983]

Originally Posted by JonezNReef

Moving on along as always I see. You will have to update with some pictures one day. Can't wait to wait is what I tell my wife LOL

Yessir! I will post pics. Trying to get better at taking then rather than the cell phone through yellow eye protection glasses. Lol!

[JonezNReef]

Originally Posted by Joeb1983

Yessir! I will post pics. Trying to get better at taking then rather than the cell phone through yellow eye protection glasses. Lol!

LOL I take all of photos on my iphone and some of them through yellow eye safety glasses too but I don't like the green color they cause. I need a real camera is what I need.

[Joeb1983]

Me as well... I bought a DSLR and all the goddies for the wife and signed her up for a class while I was deployed, well she went to take apart the camera to put it in the bag and dropped it on the tile floor.

Broke the lense, flash, lense mirror/sensor thing and cracked the body...

And I still had to pay for the class she never went to even though she called and explained.

Anyways, nitrites are not as cool aid purple now and the diatoms have arrived.

[Joeb1983]

UV, carbon and MP controllers mounted.

[Joeb1983]

Manifold of return with gate valves. (Arrange in an order to balance the pump)

[Joeb1983]

And the electronics.

Don't ask about the sideways and upside down pics... lol

[Joeb1983]

Well, as usual, catching was an EPIC PITA; but the Moorish is now in the peninsula.

Now it can chill and heal. (Streamer and a cut)

Since I had 75% of my rock out I decided to clean and level my sand bed.

To my surprise there was a lot of cement like large clumps of sand.

Now my fish are going nuts making new caves under the rocks, blowing sand everywhere.

The onyx angel is BEA-utiful!

My midnight clowns on the other hand will be finding a new home... Theyre more like washed out dominos or mis-bars...

[premilove]

Hey- really enjoyed your builds. I just finishing reading both of your build threads. I'm actually thinking about setting up a similar tank as your display. My friend is getting out of the hobby and he has a 72x24x16 peninsula. Is there anything you would change? For water flow, do you find the 4 mp40s to be sufficient? Would two 60s cover the tank? I'm probably going to go with 4 radion G4 pros.

[Joeb1983]

Originally Posted by premilove

Hey- really enjoyed your builds. I just finishing reading both of your build threads. I'm actually thinking about setting up a similar tank as your display. My friend is getting out of the hobby and he has a 72x24x16 peninsula. Is there anything you would change? For water flow, do you find the 4 mp40s to be sufficient? Would two 60s cover the tank? I'm probably going to go with 4 radion G4 pros.

Late on the reply I know.

Thanks for the kind words.

Things I would change: Not going so crazy for one. I'm very impulsive and OCD. Honestly spent WAY too much money and it is getting very difficult to keep up; especially after getting sick.

If I could do it all over again, at this point I would have just did a single 8' tank.

I dont use my APEX for anything other than a fancy, overpriced power strips.

I am VERY happy with the AI's, although I hate the planned obsolescence and lack of support for "LEGACY" fixtures that honestly, to me, aren't that old.

The 4 MP40's are more than enough flow. I also added two MP10's on the back wall, however I cant turn them up too much as they fall off the 1/2" glass. With the tanks being 15" tall, I cant turn them up too high though.

Two MP60's are pretty large i generally, especially for a shallow tank, maybe if it was bare bottom, but obviously you can turn them down.

The Vectra's, I feel, are WAY overpriced for what they are.

I would definitely add a float switch cutoff to the skimmer(s) or a similar setup. Nothing more PITA to empty the cup and the next morning finding out it was overflowing the entire time you where sleeping getting s**t everywhere under the stand, no matter how big your sump is.

I'm honestly thinking of breaking down the majority of my tanks and parting them out, loosing my a** on $. Lol! (Like I said, its getting to be too much).

I have an aptasia outbreak in the big tank. They are EVERYWHERE. Gardens of them, to the point I want to do something drastic...