SCA 94 Gal (60 x 18 x 20) Build Log

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LMDAVE

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Thanks guys. I just got the tank moved on the stand. Still weird having it reversed on the stand but that’s the look I wanted from the living room. Now the real journey begins.

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davocean

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Nice to see another SCA build. Looking good!
To answer a question you had on Facebook, I have a 90 48x18x24 with butted eurobracing and I stressed that thing beyond belief before filling it. I'm overly paranoid (if you can be) about a leak or buckling stand.

I have not heard any issues at all on butted euro bracing, all my tanks have been that way including my Leemars.
 

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Thanks guys. I just got the tank moved on the stand. Still weird having it reversed on the stand but that’s the look I wanted from the living room. Now the real journey begins.

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I would probably just screen off the back side w/ something, even a pic of some kind, or acrylic sheet maybe.
 
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Plumbed the sump today. Bought nice colorful pipe but the piping is so concealed under the stand you don’t see much of it, had to lie on the floor to take these pictures. Have the tank filled and water circulating. No leaks. This is my first sump system so learning the ins and outs of this Herbie system

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davocean

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Cool, so if it's your first sump and if you have not done it yet, make sure you check where water level goes if power fails, and keep your return lines/locklines up high for early siphon break.
Lots of people forget or don't realize to do this new to sumps.
 

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I’m good there. Though after switching from the flat return nozzles to the VCA random flow generators I had to push them a good bit lower. I still have about 3-4” available in the sump. I even went so far as to pull the drain to see if it would hold all that and it did.
 
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I’ve been enjoying seeing the balance of the tank circulating through the sump and temp finally reached it level. My tank is still cloudy from the sand storm, so I don’t have a Good display pic yet.

But yes I need to do the power outage test, and test the main drain clog. I’ll be doing that test within a few days. Hard to believe where I am now from just having a vision of having this tank where it is in the beginning of Nov 2018 to actually havig a stand built and tank running now. Loving it so far.
 
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Here are a couple of shots of the aquascape, I'm still contemplating bringing some live rock from my other tank. One interesting this about one of my live rocks is when I started my 38 gal last year I picked up 2 live rocks from the LFS, one of them had a pistol shrimp with the rock that I found out later. Its been one year and I've never seen him. I always hear him, but I wanted that rock since it is the most established rock I've had with sponges etc...I took the rock out yesterday and transferred it to a QT tank I have (because I need to clean up the rock before I use it, see pic below). I was expecting the shrimp to be under it, but I never seen him. But now he's doing his pistol click in the QT tank, so he obviously lives in one of the cave in the rock. Having never seen him I still treat him as one of my inhabitants. So, instead on putting this rock in my refugium, I'm thinking about adding it to my DT, to help seed the tank and to allow the pistol to make residence in the main tank. Maybe one day I'll have a goby to pair with him.

But, back to the main tank. I'm designing the canopy right now and will probably start building it this week. I want it to look nice and match the stand but also open in a manner that it allows me good access to the tank. Since my tank is shallower than I originally planned and the water line is about 1-2" below the actual top of the tank, I don't think I'm going to have the canopy cover the water line. I hope this doesn't end up looking stupid, but I just don't want the tank looking that much more shallower.

EDIT: And yes, that's temporary lighting on top until I make my last major purchase of new LED's coming soon.

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tank_sofa.jpg


QT.jpg
 
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I have question about my return flow and turnover through the sump. I have a Varios 6, which is rated for 1700+ GPH, however I understand with 90's and head height the number is going to go lower. When I was setting up my system I was asked if I was going to increase the stock loc lines from 1/2" to 3/4", which would require me drilling the overflow outlet at the weir bigger, so I stayed with 1/2". There's a 1" line leaving the pump and tee's off to two 1/2" loc lines. I was curious what my "actual" flow was so the only thing I could think to do was stick the outlet of the loc line into a gallon jug and time it.

It was about 30 sec to fill the jug. So, that's 2 gal/min, or 120 GPH * 2 loc lines = 240 GPH. My tank's actual gallons is probably in the 80 something range so I'm looking at 3x turnover. My Various 6 pump is on 4 out of 5 on speed. When I raise it to 5, there is no change, so my guess is the restriction is the loc lines? Or maybe the Flare fitting on the end of the lines.

I feel my return pump probably has a lot of power and pressure, which will run my future manifold with no problem. But, I would like to have the option of have a little more tank turnover than 3x.

Any ideas where the issue is?

Pump?
Loc line size?
or flare fitting on the end?
 
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After doing a test when I got home
From work it was definitely the flare fittings. I took them off and my flow almost tripled, i have to reduce the pump down to 2. Much better rate now. As you can see from these flare fitting the area of for water to flow is much smaller than 1/2 round, and the burrs didn’t help

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davocean

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Wow, yeah 1/2 is fine but that's a pretty significant restriction, but good way to figure out the flow issue.
All looks good so far!
 
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I know this isn’t everyone preferred system. But i seeded the tank with fritz Turbostrt 900 for 100 gallons a few days ago, a few pieces of live rock and my ammonia and nitrite are staying at zero with shrimp and other feedings. They suggest adding inhabitants then to help feed the cultures. So my clown pair went in this morning. I will eventually move the others over but these are doing fine now and exploring their new tank.

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Added on my manifold today. I could have found the valves with red handle but dont have a problem mixing it up a litthe since my skimmer is red white and blue. The valve on the left with be directed straight toward the BRS dual reactor for GfO/carbon I have coming in.

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davocean

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I know this isn’t everyone preferred system. But i seeded the tank with fritz Turbostrt 900 for 100 gallons a few days ago, a few pieces of live rock and my ammonia and nitrite are staying at zero with shrimp and other feedings. They suggest adding inhabitants then to help feed the cultures. So my clown pair went in this morning. I will eventually move the others over but these are doing fine now and exploring their new tank.

D68BC075-F1F9-42AB-BBE7-7B5C3B0480E3.jpeg

You set up 2 or 3 days ago and have a pair of clowns already?
Sure hope that works out for you, but it's like 10x faster than I would have done.
 
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I put in turbo start bacteria and some of my old rocks. They suggest cycling with fish and this is the same pair i had from last year and started up that way. There is zero ammonia and nitrite so they are doing fine and helping me feed the bacteria.
 
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The last two major purchases I need to make for this reef is Flow and Lights. I'm using a stock Hydor 1950 GPH powerhead that was in the box with the tank (ok for a freebee) and just the return lines, and I'm using two exisiting Fluval Marine LED strips for the tank currently. They're actual not bad lights, but not for SPS on their own.

I've been waiting forever for the new gen Gyre XF300 series to come out, now I'm hearing April. I'm not even sure that was what I really would want, so I went ahead and purchased the ole reliable MP40. I feel this will give me all the flexibility I need, and I'll decide later if I want need to add a second one (for now it'll just complement the Hydor). But this will definitely get me started.

The other major purchase will be the lights. I'll be going with 4 AI primes across the top, and I'm going mount the Fluval strips inside my canopy cover towards the front and it'll be my supplemental light for front shadowing at peak parts of the day. I was going to go with a Florescent hybrid module, but felt that was overdoing it a bit giving what I'll be spending on the AI primes.

I will start building my canopy today. I came up with a design that will fit my needs and ease of access. I'll show progress pics on that coming soon.
 
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A worm with high fashion and practical utility: Have you ever kept feather dusters in your reef aquarium?

  • I currently have feather dusters in my tank.

    Votes: 63 36.6%
  • Not currently, but I have had feather dusters in my tank in the past.

    Votes: 59 34.3%
  • I have not had feather dusters, but I hope to in the future.

    Votes: 24 14.0%
  • I have no plans to have feather dusters in my tank.

    Votes: 26 15.1%
  • Other.

    Votes: 0 0.0%
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