The Upgrade Build... From 110 to 180

Dj City

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I have a 110 gallon mixed reef that I was in love with. It has been running for 5 years. The times with this reef have been surreal.
I've dealt with ick, flukes, a carpet anemone that has eaten thousands of dollars worth of fish along with various other issues and problems.
The one thing that has defeated me is DINOS. I've fought them for years and after a very long and hard fought battle, The dinos won. I have thrown in the towel. I have waived the white flag. I have admitted defeat.

I also purchased a brand new SCA 180 gallon PNP system!!! (Waiting for it to arrive)

It's funny...

Now that I have purchased the tank, I'm scared like a longtail cat in a room full of rocking chairs.
I have to figure out HOW to break down my current 110 gallon tank. The 180 is going where the 110 currently is. I'm getting the new tank, stand, canopy, rock and sand. The only equipment I'm going to re-use is the skimmer, lights and pumps. I'm going to run the skimmer and all pumps through a battery of bleach baths and vinegar baths.

I'm skeptical to transfer my corals over but I can't see me tossing them.
The process I'm about take is slightly overwhelming to me at the moment.

I will do my best to keep this thread updated and I hope to get guidance, advice and words of encouragement along the way and hopefully be able to help some people out along the way.
 
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jsvand5

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I have a 110 gallon mixed reef that I was in love with. It has been running for 5 years. The times with this reef have been surreal.
I've dealt with ick, flukes, a carper anemone that has eaten thousands of dollars worth of fish along with various other issues and problems.
The one thing that has defeated me is DINOS. I've fought them for years and after a very long and hard fought battle, The dinos won. I have thrown in the towel. I have waived the white flag. I have admitted defeat.

I also purchased a brand new SCA 180 gallon PNP system!!! (Waiting for it to arrive)

It's funny...

Now that I have purchased the tank, I'm scared like a longtail cat in a room full of rocking chairs.
I have to figure out HOW to break down my current 110 gallon tank. The 180 is going where the 110 currently is. I'm getting the new tank, stand, canopy, rock and sand. The only equipment I'm going to re-use is the skimmer, lights and pumps. I'm going to run the skimmer and all pumps through a battery of bleach baths and vinegar baths.

I'm skeptical to transfer my corals over but I can't see me tossing them.
The process I'm about take is slightly overwhelming to me at the moment.

I will do my best to keep this thread updated and I hope to get guidance, advice and words of encouragement along the way and hopefully be able to help some people out along the way.


For your corals I’d cut them all at the base and not transfer any rock with them. That will cut down on the risk of introducing any bad stuff to the new tank. Do you have a pic of your current tank? I’m dealing with some type of persistent algae in my new tank and I’m curious if it’s the same thing you are dealing with.
 
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Dj City

Dj City

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For your corals I’d cut them all at the base and not transfer any rock with them. That will cut down on the risk of introducing any bad stuff to the new tank. Do you have a pic of your current tank? I’m dealing with some type of persistent algae in my new tank and I’m curious if it’s the same thing you are dealing with.

20170416_104733-jpg.510189


It's pretty much like this but slightly darker in color
 
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jgvergo

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I have to ask...Did you try UV sterilization to combat the Dinos?
 
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Dj City

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I tried EVERYTHING!
I have a Pentiar Aquatics smart 40W and I used the UV as a sand vac vacuuming the dinos directly through the UV.
It did pretty much nothing.
 
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Dj City

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Hello again...

When it arrives, I think I need to reconfigure the sump but I have questions on if it will work the way I want / need it to.

The sump comes like this with these measurements...
SCA-180GPNP-5.jpg

SUMP SPEC: VOLUMES 68 GALLONS
EXTERNAL DIMENSION L x W x H 52 x 17 x 17.8 INCHES
CHAMBER #1 L x W [DRAIN] 10.20 x 16.2 INCHES
CHAMBER #2 L x W [SKIMMER] 9 x 16.2 INCHES
CHAMBER #3 L x W [REFUGIUM] 8 x 16.2 INCHES
CHAMBER #4 L x W [RETURN PUMP] 10.20 x 16.2 INCHES
CHAMBER #5 L x W [ATO REVERSOR] 10.20 x 16.2 INCHES

SCA-180GPNP-6T.jpg


I was looking at moving the baffles to give me the room I am looking for.
I want a larger fuge section and a larger ATO. I'm not looking to switch the baffles around, just simply move them over to create more space.

My idea is to shrink the drain section to 8 inches
expand the 2nd section to 12 inches and use it for the fuge
move the 3rd section over and leave it at 8 inches and use it for skimmer
Shrink the 4th section to 6 inches for the return
expand the 5th section to 14 inches for the ATO

This would give me 13.5 gallons for the fuge in the 2nd section and 15.8 gallons in the ATO

Does anyone see why this would NOT work?

Would the skimmer section remain a constant water level?
Would there be enough space for the drain water to not overflow?
would there be enough water in the return section?

The drain pipe is 1.5 inches and the return line is 1 inch.
I will be using a Jecod DCP-15000: 19x12.6x15.9cm/7.5x5x6.3inch return pump
AquaMaxx ConeS CO-2 In-Sump Protein Skimmer 22.1" 7.1" x 14.2”

Advice will be VERY helpful as I should be getting the tank sometime next week.

Thanks...
 
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Dj City

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This is what I have in mind.
The top drawing is the stock configuration.
The bottom drawing is my idea of how I think I would like it configured.
upload_2019-2-12_13-45-35-png.975504


Will this work?
Will the section I have designated for the skimmer get a constant water height?
Will there be enough water in the return section?
 
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Dj City

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I like this idea too.
If I can make a manifold and have a large enough container on top of the sump, I may leave the sump close to stock. I would still expand the ATO section but probably leave the rest alone.

494e6b10-3b92-4aa3-9b18-abd77758207d-jpeg.772378


I would use Seachem Matrix or Marinepure in the fuge section on the sump.
 

wangspeed

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This is what I have in mind.
The top drawing is the stock configuration.
The bottom drawing is my idea of how I think I would like it configured.
upload_2019-2-12_13-45-35-png.975504


Will this work?
Will the section I have designated for the skimmer get a constant water height?
Will there be enough water in the return section?

In this drawing, the water will pass over your skimmer instead of going down and circulating through that chamber. You want it to go from under to over in the skimmer chamber, IMO.
 

RJ Murphy

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Following along. I'm upgrading from a 90 to a SCA150 in the near future. Floor Bracing must be done first.
 

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Dj City

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I'm thinking about the manifold I want to build.
I don't know if I want to run my external fuge from the manifold of the return pump or if I simply want to tee off the drain from the display.
I have a pretty powerful return pump. I have the Jecod DCP-15000
  • Power: 105-watt, max flow: 3962 gph, max-head: 16.4 foot

Thoughts and opinions are most welcome!

Edit...
Scrapping external fuge. Not enough space in cabinet.
 
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Dj City

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1st draft of idea for the external fuge

refugium 1.jpg
refugium 3.jpg
refugium 2.jpg


This is 7" x 22" x 30" with a baffle to force the water down and then up through the algae.

I can also raise the bottom baffle a few inches if I want to add fuge mud. Have not decided if i will go that route yet but the more I think on it, the higher baffle may be the way to go so i'm ready if I decide the mud is the right thing for me.

Edit...
Scrapping external fuge. Not enough space in cabinet.
 
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Dj City

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I believe I will be using my existing lights.
I have 3 OceanRevive T-247's over my 110 gallon tank which is a 4ft tank. I get GREAT coverage. I'm thinking I will still get great coverage with the same lights over a 5ft tank.

I use the UFO Growstar 150w over my existing fuge. I would think that should still be good for the new fuge.
If not, I can go with the 600w version.
 
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Dj City

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I think I've settled on the Clarisea SK-5000. I think it has the best flow rating and the best performer of the one's I've looked at.

I know this build thread is kinda scattered right now. Without the tank in hand, all I've really got are ideas.
I put my ideas down in this thread and hope to get some insight from other referees before making a concrete plan.

Once I get the tank, this build thread will start to come together.
 
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Dj City

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I had a thought that I've never really had before.

Bare bottom.

I've never run a tank bare bottom before. I never really liked the look of bare bottom but I can't deny the benifits.

It's an idea I need to explore a lot more before I decide.
 

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: 75 37.7%
  • Not currently, but I have had feather dusters in my tank in the past.

    Votes: 68 34.2%
  • I have not had feather dusters, but I hope to in the future.

    Votes: 25 12.6%
  • I have no plans to have feather dusters in my tank.

    Votes: 29 14.6%
  • Other.

    Votes: 2 1.0%
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