Perry's 90 Gallon SCA Acro Upgrade

[Perry]

Hello,
I wanted to start a thread/journal for my upgrade. I currently have a 60 gallon system running, 95% acros. This will be a brand new tank, something my fiance said I deserve, that and she is tired of my current tank, as the stand isn't finished, and it's an eye sore. So today, I completed my order for their 90 cube PNP system. I will be transferring my existing livestock, sand, and corals over, SLOWLY
Fortunately, I will be able to have both tanks running, making the transition smooth, at least that's the plan
I will be documenting this process all the way through, as I receive, build, then transfer.
Here's a few pics of the 60 gallon tank to get this thread in gear

And some acro top downs

 

[Anirban]

I am here...

 

[Perry]

I am here...

Awesome!
Glad you will be with me What can I say, Cindy(fiance) just ordered today, she bought it because she wants me to have something I am happy to look at, despite what's happening inside the current tank, lol.

 

[Perry]

Alright,
So some progress, I finalized the order with Steve from SCA today. I opted to upgrade the stand, as they have a wooden pre-assembled. I am not a fan of MDF, and prefer not to hassle with assembly. The tank should arrive in 10 days or so, so the excitement builds.
I have decided to simply use my 6 bulb ATI with 2 sb reefbars mounted on either side. I think it should do the job
I will be upgrading and getting a new skimmer and return pump.

 

[ShepherdReefer]

Looking super great, thanks for sharing.

 

[Lazydayz]

Following along! Can't wait to see it setup

 

[Perry]

Looking super great, thanks for sharing.

Thank you very much!
I am excited to get my tank transferred over, but I am in no real desperate situation. I will be able to get the new system going while my current one is still running, should alliw me to do things right

 

[Perry]

Following along! Can't wait to see it setup

Thank you for looking over the new build, I will be setting this system to continue my acro obsession I am going to personalize the system, re-inforce the stand/waterproof it, update hardware, and make this system as clean/neat as possible. Simply put, this is a great opportunity to really think things through with minimal errors.
Thanks again

 

[Perry]

With the tank 10 days out, I am already contemplating upgrades. I will most definitely be doing the following:
A. Reinforce stand/ waterproof
B. Modify plumbing/ manifold
C. Update return pump(Sicce 4)
D. Update skimmer (Simplicity 240DC)
E. Update fuge light(something low profile)

I won't make any final decisions until tank arrives and I see the sump to ensure that everything fits. Side note: frequent pics will follow as progress made, even as the tank arrives and is unboxed. My current system is humming along, so again, there is no need to rush....
Let the fun begin

 

[najer]

Nice upgrade, following.

 

[ScottB]

I am woke now to Perry's 90!

 

[Perry]

Nice upgrade, following.

Thanks for following najer!!!
Cheers

 

[Perry]

I am woke now to Perry's 90!

Glad you found it Scott!
Let the fun begin!

 

[Zach B]

Excited to see your upgrade! Following along

 

[DeL]

nice !! let's see more of those pink acros!!

 

[Perry]

Excited to see your upgrade! Following along

Thank you for following along, should be fun
Cheers,

nice !! let's see more of those pink acros!!

Ahh, those pinks, yes indeed, but for the time being, here is my PC Rainbow
Cheers!

 

[Perry]

@ScottB
Let's continue the po4 conversation here
So this morning, I tested po4 @ 0.06. That was Tues pm test @ 0.12 no dose Wednesday, and this am 0.06.
Keep in mind that I have suspended carbon/bacteria dosing, at least until an eyebrow raises, but nothing lost in colors and growth seems improved.
So, I dosed 1ml flourish this am, and will repeat tomorrow. I am nearly convinced that 1ml is the setpoint to sustain 0.06-0.12
Now, either my Mexican Turbos, Lingspine Urchin, or rouge fish is taking bites and grazing on encrusted tissue. I believe it starts accidentally, but the grazer is probably seeing symbiotic algae in corals as a food, hmmm... No real harm, but a couple have actual tissue and skeletal loss, like a bite, not aefw bite, like a parror fish bite, a somewhat clean bite. Corals just self repair, and heal, but weird nonetheless.
Perhaps I will re-home my urchin, as it's really huge, and I have a hunch that's my culprit for some damage.
Well that's enough for now

 

[ScottB]

@ScottB
Let's continue the po4 conversation here
So this morning, I tested po4 @ 0.06. That was Tues pm test @ 0.12 no dose Wednesday, and this am 0.06.
Keep in mind that I have suspended carbon/bacteria dosing, at least until an eyebrow raises, but nothing lost in colors and growth seems improved.
So, I dosed 1ml flourish this am, and will repeat tomorrow. I am nearly convinced that 1ml is the setpoint to sustain 0.06-0.12
Now, either my Mexican Turbos, Lingspine Urchin, or rouge fish is taking bites and grazing on encrusted tissue. I believe it starts accidentally, but the grazer is probably seeing symbiotic algae in corals as a food, hmmm... No real harm, but a couple have actual tissue and skeletal loss, like a bite, not aefw bite, like a parror fish bite, a somewhat clean bite. Corals just self repair, and heal, but weird nonetheless.
Perhaps I will re-home my urchin, as it's really huge, and I have a hunch that's my culprit for some damage.
Well that's enough for now

Left alone, my systems keep .1 of PO4 pretty steadily. I suspect that once the biome fully accounts for the new sand and reduced carbon it will settle in to a comfortable range for weekly testing. I was daily testing for months and months following some changes in rock, ceramic media, and new water volume. Since then, weekly has been enough. I chum the water with a big fish load. Nitrates are the noisy nutrient for me, with 5 parts just as common as 20 parts. Some of the noise I can account for, but a lot I cannot, except for test error.

I blame urchins for everything. Love/hate with those guys dragging frags to/fro.

 

[Perry]

Left alone, my systems keep .1 of PO4 pretty steadily. I suspect that once the biome fully accounts for the new sand and reduced carbon it will settle in to a comfortable range for weekly testing. I was daily testing for months and months following some changes in rock, ceramic media, and new water volume. Since then, weekly has been enough. I chum the water with a big fish load. Nitrates are the noisy nutrient for me, with 5 parts just as common as 20 parts. Some of the noise I can account for, but a lot I cannot, except for test error.

I blame urchins for everything. Love/hate with those guys dragging frags to/fro.

Urchin my suspicion as well Scott, I am going to put the guy in it's own tank for a minute and see what happens

Yesterday I received my Reefcleaners order, and all in all pretty impressed. Pretty much everything made it, minus a snail or 2, but nothing worth getting upset over. This was a $100 CUC order, so not bad at all, and I suspect they too will play a role in the biome changes. Definitely have the brown uglies right now, corals ill affected.

Now, I haven't shared this idea, most importantly with my other half, but I am thinking of keeping the 60 going, just in our playroom, which is supposed to be my man cave. I may cut a hole in the wall, and butt these tanks up to the same wall, and use the 60 as a massive fuge, and keeping sump, skimmer, and return pump in the playroom, giving Cindy the clean brand new tank in the main room, and the uglt stuff in the playroom. I am thinking a 60 gallin fuge would probably be the only filter I need to run my acro display...hmmm

I will be subtlety asking the question later today, this would be so cool, and not too hard to accomplish. The hole would only be large enough for return piping, so hopefully an easy sell

More fun to come

 

[ScottB]

Urchin my suspicion as well Scott, I am going to put the guy in it's own tank for a minute and see what happens

Yesterday I received my Reefcleaners order, and all in all pretty impressed. Pretty much everything made it, minus a snail or 2, but nothing worth getting upset over. This was a $100 CUC order, so not bad at all, and I suspect they too will play a role in the biome changes. Definitely have the brown uglies right now, corals ill affected.

Now, I haven't shared this idea, most importantly with my other half, but I am thinking of keeping the 60 going, just in our playroom, which is supposed to be my man cave. I may cut a hole in the wall, and butt these tanks up to the same wall, and use the 60 as a massive fuge, and keeping sump, skimmer, and return pump in the playroom, giving Cindy the clean brand new tank in the main room, and the uglt stuff in the playroom. I am thinking a 60 gallin fuge would probably be the only filter I need to run my acro display...hmmm

I will be subtlety asking the question later today, this would be so cool, and not too hard to accomplish. The hole would only be large enough for return piping, so hopefully an easy sell

More fun to come

I am all in for connecting tanks. My basement system is:
80 frag + 80 frag + 40B + 44 sump + 44 sump + 20sump
All linked together.

Practice the sales pitch and GLWS!