Red Sea Peninsula 650/500

[Joe Batt]

Hi All

After recent problems and looking at a total restart I am thinking of upgrading to the Red Sea 650 Peninsula. I am also thinking to go full Triton method.

Will the refugium in the Red Sea Peninsula sump support the Triton method, or is it too small?

 

[hijinks7]

Its too small... I think its only a 25g sump so you figure it might have an area max 8-10g for the refugium.

 

[Joe Batt]

Its too small... I think its only a 25g sump so you figure it might have an area max 8-10g for the refugium.

According to the RedSea figures, the in sump water volume is 134 L (35 Gallons) with the display volume 528 Litres (140 Gallons). For a 10% refugium it would need 52.8 litres (3.5 Gallons) minimum which is feasible since they say the sump is 134 L (35 G), the problem is they don't say the refugium volumes.

 

[jefra]

Looking to upgrade to the Peninsula 650 soon myself and have been wondering about the sump/Triton method as well. I thought Triton recommended a refugium that's 10% total water volume not 10% of sump volume?

 

[[Cameron]]

Triton "Other Method" can be run without a refugium.

I don't know about the 650 sumps directly. However every other model of sump Red Sea designs can fit a refugium in the top off container. Every sump they make in their standard line can also cut the skimmer chamber in half with some acrylic to create a properly sized refugium for Triton as well. Contact [email protected] for the sump sizes on those new units. If you post the layout of the sump, I can show you how to create a fuge in it pretty easy.

Here are some quick refugium designs inside a standard Red Sea 525 sump. I suspect the 650 is very similar.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/red-sea-triton.352652/#post-4389441

 

[litefever]

The red sea 650's refugium section is 13 US gallons if you include the area from which the filter socks and their slide holders have been removed. This increases to 17.5 gallons if you subdivide the skimmer chamber to provide additional refugium space. Have found the red colored algae thrive in the former filter sock section where they get a little less light while the chaeto and ulva love to be in the brighter light zone

 

[litefever]

The 650's refugium is 13 gallons with the divider set at the wider setting and when you include the area freed up by removal of the filter socks and their holders. This can be increased to 17+gallons by subdividing the skimmer chamber using rigid coarse filtration pad or a more complex divider.

I'm growing red algae in the former filter sock area (10" x 9") and green algae, predominantly chaeto in the 9" x 23" refugium area beyond where the filter socks would normally reside. Depth is 10.5", light is a Zedlight S200 refugium light centrered over the 9" x 23" zone. This provides strong illumination for the chaeto and bright but less strong light for the reds which are clearly loving that. Skimmer is a Icecap K2-200. Return pump is a Reef Octopus Varios 8.

The Triton system took a while to re-stabilize the formerly KZ-system tank tank but has now established stable, low nutrient conditions in our Peninsula 650. Only issues we suffered came from my impatience producing an outbreak of one of the red algae in the display tank. Like all self inflicted problems that one has taken longer to fix than cause but once the algae in the refugium reached a critical mass growth in the display tank dropped precipitously and weeding it out by hand has done the rest.

One recommendation, add the Triton reagents next to the drain, upstream of the refugium rather than in the return pump chamber. Former results in your refugium seeing the nutrients first which I think minimizes feeding of any algae you may have in the display tank.

As for the 650 itself its a fabulous setup. Great look, lots of real estate and appropriately sized, quality components.