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

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Starting the framing for my canopy, that’s the back sitting in the front just for scale, I will have a split front cap.

Side note: in reference to an earlier post, I now have all my fish in and they are doing great. Bacteria is getting populated and no trace of ammonia or nitrite.

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Schnizzle

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I have a pair of xf230’s and I can’t turn them up over 30%. At 50 sand is leaving the display tank. Much higher and the fish will probably be tossed around.
 
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That probably would have been plenty for me, I thought i would have needed 250’s and was afraid i would have to turn 230s up too high and would be noisy. Hope I like the mp40
 

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Starting the framing for my canopy, that’s the back sitting in the front just for scale, I will have a split front cap.

Side note: in reference to an earlier post, I now have all my fish in and they are doing great. Bacteria is getting populated and no trace of ammonia or nitrite.

A8B15449-F396-4AD1-BEF9-F7A6A6B35A80.jpeg


25B857C1-E990-4813-ADE2-8E7FB7A9CE63.jpeg
Nice start! Thanks for detailing the build of the stand!
 
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Thanks KC. Continuing along with the canopy build. I have all of the siding and trim on it now and you can see the split hinged top allows one half of the cap on either side to open instead of the whole thing at once. Now just a little
More trim then to paint it.

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Two packages came in today, the BRS dual reactor and MP40 powerhead. Installed the reactor, it’s the first thing running off my manifold. I probably could have ran it without bumping up main pump output, but I did anyway from 2 to 3.

The reactor GFO is tumbling perfect and only used half the recommended amount. The sump area is getting crowded now. I wish I had a better solution for the return hose. It works great like that and makes it easy to have the output go to a jug for flushing but makes the sump look bad. I was trying to be as organized as I can.

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Added the MP40 yesterday on the left and still have a 1950GPH hydor in left for now. Need to learn some good modes with just one pump and can’t tell much without coral. The back of my tank makes for a good control panel area, but I will work on the cable organization once I get the lights all in.

Anyway....here some updated pics and fish are doing great and some diatom starting already.

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If you put an air stone in front of your return pump the bubbles will show you your flow pattern.
Good idea, I'll have to try that. I was just going to pollute it with broadcast reef food. LOL. Can you believe I don't have and air stone or pump since my old days of aquariums. I guess it's good to have around for some things.
 

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Nice build. The leds in the stand is a great idea! You could put them on a switch that would turn them on and off automatically when you open the door.
 
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Thanks, the switch is right by the door and it’s a dimmer so I can go full bright or just a little depending what I’m doing down there
 
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Added some Chaeto to my Refugium. This is my first refugium, so not sure what to expect from the Chaeto. It sunk to the bottom. My nitrates are about 3 ppm and pho’s .04, wanted to get the refugium going. Guess I’ll gauge it by growth, and since it isnt tumbling I’ll flip it once a week. So far everything is going good with the start up.

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I ordered the AI Prime lights today. I already had the brackets, so this is my aluminum channel with the custom brackets for AI prime. This will be screwed to the inner top of the canopy.

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I knew I needed some sort of temperature controller to handle turning both of my heaters on and off at the same time. I was a little skeptical of the inkbird controller at first but after reading up on it, I put a thin coat of silicone on the the probe to help it from going bad from being submerged. So far it’s doing what I need it to do.

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Schnizzle

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I knew I needed some sort of temperature controller to handle turning both of my heaters on and off at the same time. I was a little skeptical of the inkbird controller at first but after reading up on it, I put a thin coat of silicone on the the probe to help it from going bad from being submerged. So far it’s doing what I need it to do.

741BBCC4-878C-4EC2-90E0-E0C58D083DEC.jpeg

I have 2 Inkbirds and I like them for the most part. One runs a primary titanium finnex in my bubble trap and the other runs a backup eheim with a built in thermostat in my refugium. The silicone is a great idea. I just purchased 2 additional temp probes. I was told boiling them would “clean and reset” them when they start to drift off. My probes started drifting at about the 3 month mark. My probes are mounted so that they are in the flow of the main drain into the refugium.
 
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I have a 79 degree setpoint and the differential set a 1 deg (off at 79+ and back on at 78) because I think they only allow 1 deg increments, but my swings are about 77.7-79.2 . I'm considering a zero degree differential, because the update time it take in about 110 gallons of water, it would probably be a good 15-20 minutes before it would turn back on with a 0 differential. Do you think that's ok or do you think a relay turning on/off the heater every 20 or so minutes is too often? Just didn't want the relay to wear out early.
 

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I’m not sure, I’m like you and went with the 1 degree differential. I had planned on ReefKeepers for a tighter swing but they went out before I could get them. I work in electronics so I see how cycling works. Haha I opted for less cycling.
 
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