New 150 Gallon SCA Tank And Custom Stand Build

OP
OP
vpierce3

vpierce3

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 1, 2022
Messages
401
Reaction score
518
Location
Placerville
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
And I finished the light bar. I just have to touch up a small nick I put in the paint as I was bringing it up. Ugh.
 

Attachments

  • 4F9E446F-A4C9-4D61-87C5-DC2B43DF4BAC.jpeg
    4F9E446F-A4C9-4D61-87C5-DC2B43DF4BAC.jpeg
    189.3 KB · Views: 151
OP
OP
vpierce3

vpierce3

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 1, 2022
Messages
401
Reaction score
518
Location
Placerville
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
This morning I saw a very small leak between the tank and overflow. So i emptied some of the water and reinstalled the two large bulkheads, but this time I put some fish-safe silicon in between the tank and overflow for good measure. I waited a few hours for the silicon to dry (it’s fast-setting) and refilled with water. If all is good tomorrow, I will empty and start refilling with RODI.
 
OP
OP
vpierce3

vpierce3

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 1, 2022
Messages
401
Reaction score
518
Location
Placerville
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I thought I would give an update. The tank is mostly full of RODI now (long process) and today I put a heater and a pump in so I can start mixing in the salt. The tank will have mostly new water and the rest will be water from existing tank. I’m most ready to buy a couple of Hydra 32 hd lights to supplement the two primes hds I already have. Progress!
 
OP
OP
vpierce3

vpierce3

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 1, 2022
Messages
401
Reaction score
518
Location
Placerville
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
How much weight can that hold?
I like the design!
At least 20 pounds or so. Way more than enough for lighting. It’s made from 5/8” solid alum bar. The nice thing about it is it has rubber pads and sits right on the eurobracing (it’s light). Easy to move around or take off.
 
OP
OP
vpierce3

vpierce3

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 1, 2022
Messages
401
Reaction score
518
Location
Placerville
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I made lots of progress today: the tank is RUNNING!
Yesterday I put the sand in the water and it cleared enough that this morning I decided to move everything over to the new tank.
I started by finishing the plumbing and sump equipment. I tried to make things as easy as possible to service.

D43D687D-0226-45EF-A14E-DBF9EB3FF5C3.jpeg
 
OP
OP
vpierce3

vpierce3

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 1, 2022
Messages
401
Reaction score
518
Location
Placerville
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I mounted two Hydra 32 HDs on the light bar. I will be adding one or two more after I sell my two primes.

Edit: I just wanted to let you all know the screw size for the Hydras is 10-32. You have to be gentle; sometimes their can be some anodizing in the treads. If you have to, you can use a tap to clean them up. But the screws will easily screw totally in….don’t force it.
0802806C-FBCB-47E8-95A6-2BCB7EA38249.jpeg 056A1F60-18EA-43AA-80BD-70B0A3824A23.jpeg
 
Last edited:
OP
OP
vpierce3

vpierce3

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 1, 2022
Messages
401
Reaction score
518
Location
Placerville
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
And here’s a full front picture. The water is still clearing and the fish are still freaked out and hiding.
The rocks were in my original tank in the 90s when I was living in Europe. They were live rock from the Indian Ocean. But were dried out and reseeded when I moved back to the US in 2001.
 

Attachments

  • 5B71126A-9438-4FAA-A14C-56A11EA5E901.jpeg
    5B71126A-9438-4FAA-A14C-56A11EA5E901.jpeg
    103.5 KB · Views: 135

NowGlazeIT

Happy to help, Ask away.
View Badges
Joined
Oct 28, 2017
Messages
6,119
Reaction score
11,438
Location
Coachella Valley
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I also made the lighting bar to mount my fixtures to. I bought a length of 5/8” solid 6160 aluminum bar from Metalmart for $22. The bar will be painted black and have thin rubber on the bottom struts so it can just sit on the eurobracing.
I would be concerned that the weight sitting on the brace will increase the likelihood of those silicone joints failing. Terrific craftsmanship here you got a hand for this no doubt about it
 
OP
OP
vpierce3

vpierce3

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 1, 2022
Messages
401
Reaction score
518
Location
Placerville
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I would be concerned that the weight sitting on the brace will increase the likelihood of those silicone joints failing. Terrific craftsmanship here you got a hand for this no doubt about it
I thought about that too. But then I considered the hundreds of pounds of pressure on those joints from the water and I figured another 20 pounds won’t make a difference. Remember, that aluminum is really light.
And thank you for the compliment on my craftsmanship.
 
OP
OP
vpierce3

vpierce3

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 1, 2022
Messages
401
Reaction score
518
Location
Placerville
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
One more important thing I did today. I added a bottle of Dr Tim’s One And Only bacteria to the tank. Even though my rocks and bio-media are 20 years matured, I’ve noticed over the years that whenever I move to a new tank, theres still a mini ugly stage. So hopefully the bacteria supplement will minimize it.
 
Back
Top