My Fluval Vicenza 180 converted salt water tank

gtbarsi · Aug 9, 2013

This is my first salt water tank and originally it was to be a freshwater tank. I feel that I have probably done myself a disservice by not selecting a much larger tank, so the next couple of paragraphs explains how I ended up with the tank I have...

This all started with a trip to the LFS with my wife and daughter to get some supplies for my 3 year old's 5 gallon fresh water planted tank. My Wife was looking around the store and saw the Fluval bow front tank and decided she liked it. I had been trying to get her approve a larger replacement for the 5 gallon tank, it was expensive for a 40 gallon tank, but it was nice looking and came with almost everything. So we bought it and I started picking out everything that was going to go in to it. The next weekend we were waiting for the 3D background to come in so we went to a different LFS to look at fish to stock it with.

That is when she could not stop looking at all of the salt water fish and asked me what it would take to setup our tank for salt water. I did not have any experience with salt water tanks but I did have some idea. I told her we would have to return everything I bought for the fresh water setup and then spend at least another $350. I figured that that would scare her off, God I am stupid!

Next thing I know she has by daughter all excited for the salt water fish and the "Nemo Fish". I spoke to the LFS people about what I had and what I needed but I got a real sense that they were not giving me the best advise. One guy actually told me I did not need a protein skimmer, I could just add a 2nd canister filter and I would be OK. It was clear that this store was 99% about just selling animals.

So we went home and I started researching...

Next post will be Tank mods and all of the pieces and parts...

gtbarsi · Aug 12, 2013

To start with anyone not already familiar with this tank here are some general pictures (not my actual tank):

As you can see it is a drilled tank, the 2nd picture (back view) shows it with the stand pipes and the canister filter that comes with it and is probably great for freshwater. This setup will not do for salt water and is potentially dangerous as, it does not have any type of overflow box.

My plan was to add an overflow box around the stand pipes, and switch the drain and return. Then route the drain from the overflow box through the canister filter (as a media reactor, no bio media), then from the canister filter in to the sump. From the sump a return pump push water up the standard return.

After doing a little (too little now that I am 2 months post cycle) research I settled on a Hydor Slim Skim as my skimmer, the reason for this selection is that the stand for the Vicenza has a structural wall dividing the space under the tank. The largest tank I could put in for a sump was a 15 tall (20x10x18), and I had to remove the top of the stand to get it in. The Hydor Slim Skim nano had gotten a really good review by Mr. Salt Water Tank, and I assumed the larger version would be great for my setup.

I mocked up the sump in a 3D modeling tool and came up with what you see below.

Water enters the sump through the bulkhead and 90 fitting on the front, way under the water line insuring that there is no water noise. There is a 3 baffle bubble trap, then a decent size fuge where my heater also lives, then another baffle and finally the return pump.

I cut glass pieces for the sump and for an overflow box (pictures to come) and installed them. Install went relatively well for a first timer and I setup the tank.

Next Post will include pictures of the finished product as it stands now. Review tweaks I have made from the base plan and the issues I am currently having.