Idaho Mojo
Active Member
Hello everyone! For all who's willing to read my story this far, here it is!
I finally took the plunge and ordered a new tank to replace my second hand setup that I've been nursing since I got it.
Before deciding to upgrade, I had a very bad ich and brook outbreak along with bacterial infections and discovering my LFS(the same LFS that didnt know what a black molly was, and charges $50 for brown zoas) had been selling me whelk snails as nassarius! [emoji36]
I lost most of my fish and inverts with only a few remaining.
I let my tank run fallow and picked out all the whelks I could find.
During this time I noticed aiptaisia starting to spread, both colonial and digitate hydroids come and go, pod population explode, bubble algae spread and receed, and plenty of other things.
About 1 week before the end of my fallow period, I noticed salt creep sticking out from the bottom back corner like a salt fountain. I searched and searched for the cause of the build up and finally decided it was from the seam itself starting to leak.
It was time to order a new setup, I used this as a good excuse to upgrade to a larger system.
During the tear down, I found the top plastic frame for the tank was cracked right in the center (see pic) and the glass was bowing.
After getting everything out of the stand, I found that one structural side wall of the stand had been separating from the rest of the stand and was breaking away!
I was running this system on borrowed time!
The old setup:
-Used(previously neglected) custom 90 gallon 48×18x24 with a single off center overflow box
-Rear exit bulkhead, no e-drain, return line hanging on back of tank.
-30 gallon sump/refugium with way too much crushed coral/sand, caulerpa peltata for nutrient export
-Old noisy AC return pump
-Eshoppes 120 skimmer
-2 jebao pp8's
-300 watt fluval heater w/digital display
-2 Viparspectra 165w lights over display
-1 small t5 and Ebay led bulb for refugium
-100+lbs live rock
-Mixed crushed coral/DSB
-5 gallon home depot bucket ATO reservoir
-icecap ATO
-kalkwasser and vinegar mixed into ATO res
I have decided to make the new setup mainly anemones, euphyllia, zoas, and some other softies.
I plan to stock clowns, a tang or two, firefish, and I'm undecided on other fish and open to suggestions since I have never ran an anemone dominated tank.
The NEW tank setup (things are still being bought and added to list)
-SCA Rimless 150 Gallon PnP
-maple stand, black finish from SCA
-No canopy
-SCA 302 skimmer
-Jebao DCP13000 return pump
-58.5 gallon rimless sump from SCA 120 PnP (to allow more room in the stand for reservoirs, reactors, equipment, etc)
-2 crossflow/gyre style pumps (undecided on brand yet, either icecap or jebao if they ever become available)
-2 jebao pp8 (recycled)
-3 Viparspectra 165w lights (2 recycled)
-Jebao 4 channel doser
-Coralbox powercell battery backup
-2fishes kalk reactor from BRS
-2 finnex 300 watt titanium heaters
-BRS GFO and Carbon reactors
-Possibly recycle eshoppes skimmer and run 2 if needed.
I will be hard plumbing this system with schedule 80, black PVC, and purple schedule 40 pipe.
I also have decided to dive into building a Reef-Pi controlled system to monitor temp, PH, leaks, and water level in return chamber of sump.
I will also use it to control lighting ramp up/down, skimmer operation, powerheads (if possible) return pump (if possible), ato system including top off pump and refilling reservoir from RODI system via solenoid, temperature control, and doser control (I will be using the slave doser unit, not the one with controls)
Here is the parts list for the Reef-Pi build so far:
-Raspberry Pi B+
-x2 Temp Sensors DS18B20
-16ch Breakout board
-Perma Proto Bonnet
-16ch Servo HAT
-ADJ SRP8 8ch relay pack
-LBS-10 Leak detector solenoid
-Icecap ATO system (uses dual optical sensors)(recycled)
-Icecap ATO solenoid valve
-Adjustable float valve (for redundancy)
-Atlas Scientific Probe Kit
-2ch 5v Relay
-Poly NEMA 4x project box
-analog liquid level sensor
-5amp DC-DC converter
I ordered the new system early May, and recieved it a couple weeks later, mainly delayed because of scheduling a delivery date/time.
I will not be reviewing my experience with SCA in this forum, as I would like to keep this strictly build related and I am still getting things ironed out with Steve.
I decided to swap around my entertainment system to where the old tank was, and dedicate the wall where the TV was, to the fish tank, equipment, storage, etc.
I painted the wall matte black to help cut down on light reflection since I will not be using a canopy. I will continue the black paint over to the adjacent wall where the TV is now to encompass it all together.
Luckily I found out that the outlets near the tank are only sharing a circuit with a ceiling fan and other outlets not being used in the master bedroom, so i dont feel its necessary to add a dedicated circuit. I will be upgrading them to GFCI outlets before getting the tank wet.
I currently have boxes full of equipment and parts and pieces, I still have quite a few items to purchase, roughly $1,000 worth.
With the help of 4 of my friends, we unboxed and moved the tanks and stand into the house and they helped me set everything up nice and square on the foam pad.
I am currently waiting on plumbing parts to be delivered, and then I will be starting to fill this thing up for the first time!
I will continue to add pictures and updates as thing come together, I am excited to share this experience with you all!
P.s. excuse the clusterf**k of a garage in the picture, it became a catch all over the winter and needs purged [emoji23] and yes, those are zebra pattern door beads by the tank [emoji41]
I finally took the plunge and ordered a new tank to replace my second hand setup that I've been nursing since I got it.
Before deciding to upgrade, I had a very bad ich and brook outbreak along with bacterial infections and discovering my LFS(the same LFS that didnt know what a black molly was, and charges $50 for brown zoas) had been selling me whelk snails as nassarius! [emoji36]
I lost most of my fish and inverts with only a few remaining.
I let my tank run fallow and picked out all the whelks I could find.
During this time I noticed aiptaisia starting to spread, both colonial and digitate hydroids come and go, pod population explode, bubble algae spread and receed, and plenty of other things.
About 1 week before the end of my fallow period, I noticed salt creep sticking out from the bottom back corner like a salt fountain. I searched and searched for the cause of the build up and finally decided it was from the seam itself starting to leak.
It was time to order a new setup, I used this as a good excuse to upgrade to a larger system.
During the tear down, I found the top plastic frame for the tank was cracked right in the center (see pic) and the glass was bowing.
After getting everything out of the stand, I found that one structural side wall of the stand had been separating from the rest of the stand and was breaking away!
I was running this system on borrowed time!
The old setup:
-Used(previously neglected) custom 90 gallon 48×18x24 with a single off center overflow box
-Rear exit bulkhead, no e-drain, return line hanging on back of tank.
-30 gallon sump/refugium with way too much crushed coral/sand, caulerpa peltata for nutrient export
-Old noisy AC return pump
-Eshoppes 120 skimmer
-2 jebao pp8's
-300 watt fluval heater w/digital display
-2 Viparspectra 165w lights over display
-1 small t5 and Ebay led bulb for refugium
-100+lbs live rock
-Mixed crushed coral/DSB
-5 gallon home depot bucket ATO reservoir
-icecap ATO
-kalkwasser and vinegar mixed into ATO res
I have decided to make the new setup mainly anemones, euphyllia, zoas, and some other softies.
I plan to stock clowns, a tang or two, firefish, and I'm undecided on other fish and open to suggestions since I have never ran an anemone dominated tank.
The NEW tank setup (things are still being bought and added to list)
-SCA Rimless 150 Gallon PnP
-maple stand, black finish from SCA
-No canopy
-SCA 302 skimmer
-Jebao DCP13000 return pump
-58.5 gallon rimless sump from SCA 120 PnP (to allow more room in the stand for reservoirs, reactors, equipment, etc)
-2 crossflow/gyre style pumps (undecided on brand yet, either icecap or jebao if they ever become available)
-2 jebao pp8 (recycled)
-3 Viparspectra 165w lights (2 recycled)
-Jebao 4 channel doser
-Coralbox powercell battery backup
-2fishes kalk reactor from BRS
-2 finnex 300 watt titanium heaters
-BRS GFO and Carbon reactors
-Possibly recycle eshoppes skimmer and run 2 if needed.
I will be hard plumbing this system with schedule 80, black PVC, and purple schedule 40 pipe.
I also have decided to dive into building a Reef-Pi controlled system to monitor temp, PH, leaks, and water level in return chamber of sump.
I will also use it to control lighting ramp up/down, skimmer operation, powerheads (if possible) return pump (if possible), ato system including top off pump and refilling reservoir from RODI system via solenoid, temperature control, and doser control (I will be using the slave doser unit, not the one with controls)
Here is the parts list for the Reef-Pi build so far:
-Raspberry Pi B+
-x2 Temp Sensors DS18B20
-16ch Breakout board
-Perma Proto Bonnet
-16ch Servo HAT
-ADJ SRP8 8ch relay pack
-LBS-10 Leak detector solenoid
-Icecap ATO system (uses dual optical sensors)(recycled)
-Icecap ATO solenoid valve
-Adjustable float valve (for redundancy)
-Atlas Scientific Probe Kit
-2ch 5v Relay
-Poly NEMA 4x project box
-analog liquid level sensor
-5amp DC-DC converter
I ordered the new system early May, and recieved it a couple weeks later, mainly delayed because of scheduling a delivery date/time.
I will not be reviewing my experience with SCA in this forum, as I would like to keep this strictly build related and I am still getting things ironed out with Steve.
I decided to swap around my entertainment system to where the old tank was, and dedicate the wall where the TV was, to the fish tank, equipment, storage, etc.
I painted the wall matte black to help cut down on light reflection since I will not be using a canopy. I will continue the black paint over to the adjacent wall where the TV is now to encompass it all together.
Luckily I found out that the outlets near the tank are only sharing a circuit with a ceiling fan and other outlets not being used in the master bedroom, so i dont feel its necessary to add a dedicated circuit. I will be upgrading them to GFCI outlets before getting the tank wet.
I currently have boxes full of equipment and parts and pieces, I still have quite a few items to purchase, roughly $1,000 worth.
With the help of 4 of my friends, we unboxed and moved the tanks and stand into the house and they helped me set everything up nice and square on the foam pad.
I am currently waiting on plumbing parts to be delivered, and then I will be starting to fill this thing up for the first time!
I will continue to add pictures and updates as thing come together, I am excited to share this experience with you all!
P.s. excuse the clusterf**k of a garage in the picture, it became a catch all over the winter and needs purged [emoji23] and yes, those are zebra pattern door beads by the tank [emoji41]
Last edited:
