New build, upgrading from 65 to 150!

Monney00 · Jan 21, 2021

Starting a new build after diving into the hobby around 1.5 years ago.

I had been a planted freshwater guy, and when I moved to a new home I decided to tear down the freshwater tank and go salt. As such, I have been nursing a 65 gallon petco special tank, with a siphon based over tank overflow. The overflow’s reliability is getting dicey, so I used it as an excuse to upgrade.

I have a SC Aquariums 150 gallon coming next week (hopefully). I have begun the stand build, and the poor UPS man will be delivering a ton of stuff from BulkReefSupply tomorrow.

I figure I will document the build as we go!

Current tank, dirty as I am curing a bryopsis problem and have not done a water change lately.

New stand build underway.

Monney00 · Jan 21, 2021

Stand build ongoing, I overbuild. Don’t judge me.

Lilmatty5dimes · Jan 23, 2021

Looks great so far. I love the sca tanks.

Sqwertyl · Feb 21, 2021

Looking good so far. I'm in the middle of the same transition, 65 to a SCA 150. It looks like there is actually quite a few people building SCA 150s right now. Are you treating Fluconazole?

benapilot · Feb 22, 2021

Looks great.

Welcome to the SCA 150 club!

I just finished my 150 build (upgraded from a 75).
Build Thread in my signature

Monney00 · Feb 23, 2021

Continuing the build, tank showed up today! Tank was heavily delayed due to weather, spent a lot of time sitting in snowy sections of the country.

I got the tank to the basement and set, with minimal assistance from my pregnant wife. Hoping to wet test in the next couple days and have “moving day” sometime next week!

40g Nano · Feb 25, 2021

Lookin good!

Nelsons_reef · Feb 25, 2021

Also from Illinois (central) gonna be setting up a 150sca probably around summer this year looking forward to the progress

Monney00 · Mar 2, 2021

So I had a few days free from work so went for the change over. It was quite a day, lasting about 12 hours from the moment I turned off the pump to the old tank to the moment I turned it on for the new one.

I started the day fixing the leaking connections I had found in the new tank during the wet test. A combo of me not paying attention and a cross thread had led to 2 very minor leaks. After fixing the leaks and draining the freshwater from the new tank, I cut all the plumbing lines from the old tank to the sump and emptied the sump for cleanup. All the rock/rubble from the sump went into a bucket with a heater, as they would likely be out of the sump for some time. I cleaned up the sump, skimmer, and return pump before I went to the other side of the wall to deal with the business side.

On the display side of the wall, I laid out 6 large Rubbermaid tubs and filled them with water from the old tank. As I drained the tank down, the rock work was pulled apart, given a shake to get off the obvious detritus, and placed in the tubs. I organized the tubs based on if the rock had coral affixed, frag racks, and livestock. It was at this point my wife came downstairs, shook her head, and went back upstairs .

I drained the old tank, and realized I couldn’t find my six line wrasse. I found him buried in the sand in the old tank and got him into his Rubbermaid temporary home. Following the advise of many on the board, I left the sand and would be using new for the new tank.

This is gospel... DO NOT USE YOUR OLD SAND. The stench was overpowering as was the amount of gross detritus. Any positive benefit from bacteria would have been quickly negated. I then spent some time gathering snails who I wished to move, and then moved the entire old tank and stand out of the way.

I slid the new stand and stand into position, and had my daughter come help spread the heavily rinsed new sand. I began filling the tank with water and moved the rock, coral, and fish back as soon as the depth was appropriate. I plumbed in the new tank, and off we went!

Lots of aquascaping to do, as I just threw everything in the tank. But photos of progress to date are below.

Chris Spaulding · Mar 2, 2021

Welcome to the SCA 150 club. There are a few that have been started this year.

acrum222 · Mar 6, 2021

Looking good! Getting my sca 150 up and running, been sitting in the garage for a year now lol. Same transition too 65 to the 150. Hoping to have it wet in a couple weeks!

Lost in the Sauce · Mar 10, 2021

Ooh man. This is giving me flashbacks of doing the same thing last Monday. 12 hour pumps off to pumps on. Finished adding fish 2 hours later after heaters had a chance to warm it up.