SC Aquariums Owners Thread

[andrek787]

Nope, I ordered just the tank. I am having a steel stand built for it.

Was yours a 150 or a larger 210/240?

I found low profile corner dollies, rated for 1300 pounds as a set. My plan was to have him set the pallet on to the dollies placed at each corner. I am just not sure that a pallet can be supported from just 4 corners.

[GoGo98102]

I had to google it to know what a low profile corner dolly was. Wow, they are expensive! LOL

Mine was a 150g. It took about 4 people move it "safely" up the stand. I did it with 2 but one of us almost got buried. Never again. Unless you have those glass moving suction cups.

[Boltline]

You could do what my buddy did to get us to help him move. He called us all over on sat for day drinking. Of course we were all down! So when we all showed up at 10 am he said "k moving started at 10am and day drinking at 3pm"

Smh.... We clearly didn't have a choice once we where at his house.

[GoGo98102]

Originally Posted by Boltline

You could do what my buddy did to get us to help him move. He called us all over on sat for day drinking. Of course we were all down! So when we all showed up at 10 am he said "k moving started at 10am and day drinking at 3pm"

Smh.... We clearly didn't have a choice once we where at his house.

Oh hell no! Hahaha

1. Why would anyone wanna drink at 10am? I would've said I would come by in the afternoon in the first place.

2. If any of my friends pulled this on me, they would not be my friends anymore.

3. I don't help people move and I don't ask friends to help me move. I would hire some of those guys from homedepot and drop them off at my friend's house and pay them later.

[andrek787]

Originally Posted by GoGo98102

I had to google it to know what a low profile corner dolly was. Wow, they are expensive! LOL

Mine was a 150g. It took about 4 people move it "safely" up the stand. I did it with 2 but one of us almost got buried. Never again. Unless you have those glass moving suction cups.

The tank really weighs 350 pounds?

The ones I found are $114 for a set of 4 on Amazon.

[jayball]

For all those having an issue with it flushing, build this


The only tricky piece is where the flex hits the pipe, it was a cpvc to PVC adapter. Just bring an inch of the flex to test fit it. All slip fit, super easy.

Edit: cut the bottom on a 45 degree angle to let the water out.

[Boltline]

I'm planing on redesigning my sump! Check out the thread below. Any input will help!

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...8#post23875228

[deaddat]

Just got my tank today, why have so many people changed their plumbing from the one it comes with?

[deaddat]

I can't figure out these bulkheads and plumbing what so ever, any help would be greatly appreciated.

It feels like I need to buy a couple of o-rings and the external side of the bulkhead, what is that even called?

Do the bulkhead connectors they gave me go inside of the tank? They provided the worst instructions and I can't wait to get started on that stand...

[RingingEars]

Originally Posted by deaddat

Just got my tank today, why have so many people changed their plumbing from the one it comes with?

The plumbing that comes with it is metric so depending on where you are from, if you want to hard plumb your system, you have to swap out the parts for SAE.
I ended up dumping all the plumbing that came with mine because I need SAE and also the parts it comes with are pretty cheap. The cheap loc-line(read knock off) style returns are junk. mine all cracked trying to take them apart so I ordered real "loc-line".

[Spikewire]

Originally Posted by RingingEars

The plumbing that comes with it is metric so depending on where you are from, if you want to hard plumb your system, you have to swap out the parts for SAE.
I ended up dumping all the plumbing that came with mine because I need SAE and also the parts it comes with are pretty cheap. The cheap loc-line(read knock off) style returns are junk. mine all cracked trying to take them apart so I ordered real "loc-line".

Yes I've been wondering why so many folks have to change out the stock plumbing. I've been comparing SC and CAD Lights for some time now. We're moving into a new home and now is the (almost) perfect time to pull the trigger. I just can't seem to decide between the two systems. I will say that having to gut the plumbing on a "system" does put a damper on SC?

Thoughts?

[deaddat]

Originally Posted by Spikewire

Yes I've been wondering why so many folks have to change out the stock plumbing. I've been comparing SC and CAD Lights for some time now. We're moving into a new home and now is the (almost) perfect time to pull the trigger. I just can't seem to decide between the two systems. I will say that having to gut the plumbing on a "system" does put a damper on SC?

Thoughts?

I went with SCA because they had an amazing deal which they seem to have often on their website. I think I saved about $300 on my PNP. They come with a bubble magus clone; same pump for the skimmer which are great. I really like the sump having a separate skimmer section. The tank and sump seem really well made.

I plan on setting up my stand and tank today...not excited to put the stand together. I would just suggest putting a ball valve on the return.

[Spikewire]

Originally Posted by deaddat

I went with SCA because they had an amazing deal which they seem to have often on their website. I think I saved about $300 on my PNP. They come with a bubble magus clone; same pump for the skimmer which are great. I really like the sump having a separate skimmer section. The tank and sump seem really well made.

I plan on setting up my stand and tank today...not excited to put the stand together. I would just suggest putting a ball valve on the return.

Great info deadat. So can I assume you got the SC Stand bit it didn't come assembled? Also other than the ball valve on the return (excellent idea) have you kept the rest of the plumbing? Also had you considered CAD Lights? I can understand the great deal. I'm just trying to figure out if the product and quality is at an equal level and the right deal at the right time is what to be looking for. For some reason I feel that CAD Lights systems are better quality (especially the stands) but the SC customer service is far better.

[andrek787]

Guys, could any tell me the length and width dimensions of the newer 150g tank? Steve said its exactly 60" by 24", but I really want to double check.

I asked SCA not to ship the tank until the stand is built, so it not just taking up space.

I am still messing with the design of the steel stand for the tank and decided to add a 1/4" steel plate for the tank to sit on, so I can do the ELOS\Red Sea Reefer design, where the tank appears to hang over the doors.

[sk8elenex92]

Here is my SCA 120. About to fill her up. Really nervous about filling it in the house. Hopefully there are no leaks. I will update you guys once its filled. Hoping for Friday.
The plumbing is the worst thing about the tank. Why not just use standard bulkheads! The service is top notch thats for sure.. Wish me luck guys.

[deaddat]

Originally Posted by Spikewire

Great info deadat. So can I assume you got the SC Stand bit it didn't come assembled? Also other than the ball valve on the return (excellent idea) have you kept the rest of the plumbing? Also had you considered CAD Lights? I can understand the great deal. I'm just trying to figure out if the product and quality is at an equal level and the right deal at the right time is what to be looking for. For some reason I feel that CAD Lights systems are better quality (especially the stands) but the SC customer service is far better.

No my stand didn't come assembled. When I saw the SC Aquariums I thought the tank was perfect since I really wanted a cube and first thing I googled I saw negativity, but it was only because they were built in China. This thread really persuaded me and when I mentioned it to a friend he said SC Aquariums is a great "clone" company and they make great products.

I will be using the plumbing that it came with since I hate hard plumbing and I have no reason to change it. If the knock off loc-line does break down the road I can easily swap it out.

Forgive me as I'm a total idiot when it comes to working with my hands and measurements, but why does everyone hate the metric plumbing and why exactly does it effect you so much? On the site it specifically says my drain is 1" and the return is 1/2". I have the 50g.

Oh yea, that rimless cover on the CAD is pretty sweet!!!! I'm going to get started on my stand, wish me luck.

[andrek787]

sk8elenex92, how did you move the pallet into the garage (i assume)?

[deaddat]

I just e-mailed SCA, but hopefully I can get a response asap! My stand is different than the diagram in the "instructions" so I was wondering is the U shape cut out on the back piece suppose to be at the top or the bottom?

[sk8elenex92]

Hey Andrek, couple guys and I carried the sucker off the truck. wasn't bad at all. I didn't have much help getting the tank onto the stand, me and one other guy carried it into the house. It was a little scary, but everything turned out. Just so nervous the tank is either going to leak or explode hah.. I talked with the insurance company, and any damage to the house due to the tank is covered, just not the tank, livestock and equipment.

[deaddat]

Originally Posted by deaddat

I just e-mailed SCA, but hopefully I can get a response asap! My stand is different than the diagram in the "instructions" so I was wondering is the U shape cut out on the back piece suppose to be at the top or the bottom?

Oh well, I just built it with the hole at the top. I will put the tank on it and plumb it later tonight.

[davocean]

The SCA tank itself is awesome and a great deal for starfire, and very well made, nice silicone and seams.
I wish they did the overflow and drain different, but it's workable w/ some tweaks.
I just made my plumbing and drain virtually silent and stupidly simple.
I'm a carpenter not a plumber, so I faked my way through this, but hey it works great for me, maybe it will help others.
Because the overflow is tight, and holes are fairly close, I chose to do flex line.
Home depot right now has these cool flex line pieces that are pretty much perfect for the drain section in the box(The only thing I don't have a pic of, I'll try to get one later, but they have an orange stripe and about 16" long w/ a coupling at each end)
So this is what I rigged up w/ what I had laying around.
This is extremely quiet and my water level is perfect.
I just mocked this up, I'll hit what shows w/ black krylon fusion later to hide all the ugly.

[davocean]

Here's what I used for drain insert in overflow box, it's flexible tubing w/ already glued on couplings.

[sk8elenex92]

Thanks for the pics. Davocean. Are you using the drain bulkhead that came with the tank?

[davocean]

Originally Posted by sk8elenex92

Thanks for the pics. Davocean. Are you using the drain bulkhead that came with the tank?

Yes but I picked up my tank from their Rancho Cucamunga location, and they grabbed the right bulkheads for me.
I'm also using their original locklines, for now anyway, I'll see how they hold up.
The hardest for me was originally hard plumbing inside overflow, just not much clearance, the flex lines made all the difference.
Their original durso had my water level a good inch and a half below top, it kind of had to because it couldn't go higher in overflow w/out hitting the return T.
Now my drain is raised, water level about half to 3/4 inch from top as it should be.

[sk8elenex92]

Thanks. Steve from sca is sending me new bulkhead for drain since I can't it to stop leaking. Should be here today. Planning on filling the tank today we'll see. Nervous ! The original lockline would never catch the thread all the way so he also send new ones that now hold perfect. P