Filtration Tour & Coralline Seeding of the 525-GALLON PENINSULA REEF AQUARIUM Part 4 by RAD

In Part 4 of our 525-gallon peninsula reef aquarium build in Highland Beach, Florida, Jeff Turner returns ~14 weeks into the cycle to give a full filtration tour and seed new coralline algae. We add aquacultured corals (incl. Sprung’s Stunner chalice) and coralline-covered keystone rock to accelerate maturation while keeping the system quiet, clean, and stable.


About this project:
Location: Highland Beach, Florida
Aquarium Size: 525 gallons
Style: Peninsula / Island reef aquarium (3-sided viewing)
Features: Marco Rock plates, Aquaroche branching rock, live aragonite sand, saltwater fill, custom sump filtration, coralline seeding
Gear referenced: Deltec skimmer/reactors, Ecotech Vectra L2 return pumps (x3), MP60 flow, Sea Swirls, UV, RO/DI, Clearwater scrubber, chiller (~77°F), DSR dosing, 6-ft custom sump, ~50-gal water-change tank
Status: ~11–14 weeks since prior update; crystal-clear water, stable parameters


Watch as we:
0:00 Drive-in & context (return visit)
0:25 First look: crystal-clear display, long peninsula sightlines
1:20 Early coralline signs & plan to seed growth
2:00 Soft-coral zone progress (GSP, leathers, Euphyllia)
2:08 Sump tour (6-ft custom sump, floss, skimmer, reactors)
2:41 Upstairs gear: chiller, scrubber; water-change tank (~50 gal)
3:03 UV, DSR dosing, ventilation & access planning
3:45 Coralline-seed rocks & aquacultured corals preview
4:54 Placing Sprung’s Stunner chalice (two-room visibility)
5:32 Hydnophora placement & growth notes
5:57 Keystone rock with live coralline — seeding strategy
6:30 Livestock roll-call & feeding routine
7:31 Near-term plan: expand branching corals in higher-flow zones
8:00 Wrap-up: textbook progression at ~14 weeks


Notes:
New additions
• Corals: Sprung’s Stunner chalice (Echinophyllia), Hydnophora, additional aquacultured pieces
• Rock: Keystone with purple coralline algae for faster seeding

Fish & husbandry highlights
• Schooling anthias, Blue Reef Chromis, Green Chromis, Blue Tang, Yellow Tangs, Royal Gramma
• Feeding: Frozen brine (5–6x/week) + autofeeder
• Strategy: Patient ramp-up; softies “island” vs. stony-coral zones; open rockwork for growth & maintenance

Follow the full series to see how a peninsula-style reef aquarium comes to life
Watch Episode 3:    • Adding The First Set of Fish & Corals Into...  


Ready to build your own custom reef aquarium
Call us: 800-596-0862
Visit us: 3510 NW 53rd St, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309
(https://maps.app.goo.gl/kyixsZCEcvYsZ... )
Website: https://reefaquariadesign.com

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