SC Aquariums Owners Thread

[d0ughb0y]

nice.
I am building a simple plywood stand similar to your ato cabinet.
what is the dimension of your door?
I am just wondering for a larger plywood panel door (size same as your tank stand), if 2 hinges is still ok to hold the 3/4" plywood. 2 hinges look fine on your ato cabinet.

I was thinking of making the bottom shelf on the floor, but I changed it so it is raised, since it will be impractical to move the tank and stand in case water goes under the stand. But should be fine for ATO.

I can't tell from your picture if pocket hole screws were used for the butt joints to join the plywood panels together.

you can buy iron on plywood edging to cover up the plywood edges.

just noticed your tank stand uses 3 hinges for the door. is the door 3/4" plywood? seems not as thick as your ATO stand door. maybe 1/2" plywood for the door of your tank stand? can you measure ?

[curryb15]

Hey Everyone Just started my SCA 50 Gal build thread. As you know the stand that it comes with is tight on the Inside so I came up with this to keep my electronics.
http://imgur.com/a/4j66V

[curryb15]

Some better pics of the slide out electronics shelf

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

[ReefCowboy]

Originally Posted by curryb15

Some better pics of the slide out electronics shelf

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

Nice! Keep the pics coming!

[RogueGrown]

Originally Posted by d0ughb0y

nice.
I am building a simple plywood stand similar to your ato cabinet.
what is the dimension of your door?
I am just wondering for a larger plywood panel door (size same as your tank stand), if 2 hinges is still ok to hold the 3/4" plywood. 2 hinges look fine on your ato cabinet.

I was thinking of making the bottom shelf on the floor, but I changed it so it is raised, since it will be impractical to move the tank and stand in case water goes under the stand. But should be fine for ATO.

I can't tell from your picture if pocket hole screws were used for the butt joints to join the plywood panels together.

you can buy iron on plywood edging to cover up the plywood edges.

just noticed your tank stand uses 3 hinges for the door. is the door 3/4" plywood? seems not as thick as your ATO stand door. maybe 1/2" plywood for the door of your tank stand? can you measure ?

The door is 22.5h and 24 wide, it could be another inch taller to really match the stand but I ran out of wood and The door was actually just a scrap peice that somehow fit. The concealed hinges are pretty strong honestly,

The cabinet was clamped and glued then I made brackets from wood and screwed it together from the inside so I have not screws or holes on the exterior.

The original stand door is 3/4 plywood. I think the black and white makes it look a bit smaller than the wood color door. I literally copied the design from the stand as I wanted it all to match. Hence why I may be making a new door but I love the grain in the peice I got.

Sent from my SM-N920P using Tapatalk

[curryb15]

Originally Posted by ReefCowboy

Nice! Keep the pics coming!

Thanks! There will be a lot more pics to comes esp in my build thread which is linked below in my signature if you want to check it out

[edolan]

Finally got my tank cycling. Spent all day making water. It is running real quiet except for the sca-302 skimmer is a bit loud. The reviews I have seen says it is real quiet. I haven't owned any other skimmer so don't really have anything to compare it to. I used a sound meter app and it jumps about 10 decibels when I fire up the skimmer. I do have a silicone mat under the skimmer. Do they get quieter after they break in?

I am also getting bubbles escaping from beneath the blue adjustment tube. Not sure if that is normal.

Thx

[curryb15]

Need some help with lighting. Due to the gohst overflow i cannot but the AI lighting Bracket in the back wall. So i have it on the right side wall and want to but a hydra 52 on top of the tank. Do you think im going to have enough lighting? I wanna do primarily soft and lps coral. What would you suggest if i should change anything?

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

[RogueGrown]

The hydra 52 should be more than enough light for the corals you want to keep. can you suspend the light from a custom stand or the ceiling?

[curryb15]

Originally Posted by RogueGrown

The hydra 52 should be more than enough light for the corals you want to keep. can you suspend the light from a custom stand or the ceiling?

Unfortunately I dont have that option. They way its set up now it appears tne light is for the most part centered over the tank

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

[RogueGrown]

Originally Posted by curryb15

Unfortunately I dont have that option. They way its set up now it appears tne light is for the most part centered over the tank

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

If it's centered I wouldn't worry to much about it being off the side. Yeah it's an eye sore at the rim but that's not where your focus is going to be on the tank when you look at it. I can however see it being a nuisance when your working in the tank.

Sent from my SM-N920P using Tapatalk

[d0ughb0y]

Originally Posted by curryb15

Need some help with lighting. Due to the gohst overflow i cannot but the AI lighting Bracket in the back wall. So i have it on the right side wall and want to but a hydra 52 on top of the tank. Do you think im going to have enough lighting? I wanna do primarily soft and lps coral. What would you suggest if i should change anything?

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

That looks fine.
Now I have to reconsider getting a hydra 52. I was only thinking of getting the hydra 26 for the 50 I am setting up and I plan to have all sps. I was thinking the hydra 26 maybe set at 6-8" high (instead of 12") will be enough.

I saw your build thread. Did you make the round hole in the back of the stand yourself? I take it that is for running power cords?

I am still thinking how to best mount a 120mm fan to blow in air from the back of the stand.

[curryb15]

Originally Posted by d0ughb0y

That looks fine.

Now I have to reconsider getting a hydra 52. I was only thinking of getting the hydra 26 for the 50 I am setting up and I plan to have all sps. I was thinking the hydra 26 maybe set at 6-8" high (instead of 12") will be enough.



I saw your build thread. Did you make the round hole in the back of the stand yourself? I take it that is for running power cords?



I am still thinking how to best mount a 120mm fan to blow in air from the back of the stand.

Thanks for checking out my build thread ! I did drill out the hole myself. It's a 2" hole saw with a plastic desk grommet used for running wires on desks. I will be using it to run power cords over to my electrical sliding shelf.

As far you fan you want to mount, I don't have much experience but maybe some how you can incorporate it into the plumbing cutout of the stand?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[bbhs23]

I'm researching the 66 gallon PNP setup and had a quick question about the overflow.

Has anyone done a beananimal overflow using the 3 1" bulkheads? I wasn't sure if all of the elbows would fit inside the overflow box. I would then just run the return over the top. I was looking into having the back drilled for the Synergy overflow, but I would be able to get the tank a lot closer to the wall doing it this way.

Thanks!

[Reef Dude]

Originally Posted by bbhs23

I'm researching the 66 gallon PNP setup and had a quick question about the overflow.

Has anyone done a beananimal overflow using the 3 1" bulkheads? I wasn't sure if all of the elbows would fit inside the overflow box. I would then just run the return over the top. I was looking into having the back drilled for the Synergy overflow, but I would be able to get the tank a lot closer to the wall doing it this way.

Thanks!

Yes, 3 1" drain lines will fit. This is exactly how I have mine set up - 3 lines for a bean animal inside the overflow bow with the return line coming over the back of the tank.

[strat1960s]

I've been running the water level in the skimmer chamber of my sump around 7.5. I think I may be running it too deep for my SC-301 skimmer. Any suggestions??
Thank you
Ted

[gurumasta]

I just filled my new 100 last night from SC Aquariums and the water level seems a bit low to me. It is 2" below the rim of the tank. The tank is eurobraced. I am feeding the tank with a reeflo barracuda/hammerhead hybrid with about 14 ft of head.

Is the 2" gab at the top normal?

Thanks!

[gurumasta]

Originally Posted by soulpatch

So long as your water level is not so high that your weir teeth are submerged you are fine. The higher up the weir teeth you go the less you will pull from the surface as you also pull in water up to 1/4 inch deep or so but you are still surface skimming. I feed oily foods and have never had an issue. Couple the fact that most are putting close to 5-10x an hour through their tank and you good. You should have some surface agitation as well from your returns or powerheads. Not enough persay to break the surface causing bubbles but enough to help keep things in the water column for easier removal.



No. Raising the water level in the tank results in it being higher on the teeth. Before raising the water level when you killed power you would drain your overflow box and a slight trickle from the tank. After raising the water level you do that still PLUS all the water you have added to raise the water level. Raising the main drain will negate a small portion of that but not enough to negate it completly. My system is able to handle a power loss AND pulling a pipe in the overflow so the entire overflow drains into the sump. You want the capacity for when you need to clean or fish something out of the overflow. If you are right on the cusp of sump overflow then you need to rejigger your setup or live with the lower water level.

If I raise the main drain will that raise the water level in the display? I understand I will also have to adjust the emergency drain accordingly. I don't believe I would be able to do this and still use the T return setup that comes with the kit.

I have a ball valve on the main drain line and that doesn't seem to adjust the water level either.

How do I get the water level higher on the teeth thus creating a higher display water level?

Thanks!

[d0ughb0y]

Originally Posted by ReefCowboy

I got the regular 150 also, but didn't like the water level being too low due to euro bracing. I ended up selling it.
This rimless tank is not a "custom" tank, Steve is stocking them as a 150 "Version 2 " tank. As you can see it comes pre-drilled to fit a 20" Synergy reef overflow (I hated the center tower from the other tank) and two returns.

The water level on this tank is 1.5" from the top so it looks sharp with the rimless look.

Originally Posted by gurumasta

I just filled my new 100 last night from SC Aquariums and the water level seems a bit low to me. It is 2" below the rim of the tank. The tank is eurobraced. I am feeding the tank with a reeflo barracuda/hammerhead hybrid with about 14 ft of head.

Is the 2" gab at the top normal?

Thanks!

I thought all SCA tanks were rimless (like all Elos tanks are rimless) until someone pointed out there is plenty of room in DT to take ATO water in case the return gets clogged due to the euro brace :0

only then I realized why all the pictures in SCA shows euro braced tanks with a hood.

I guess you can positively think of it that way.

euro braced tanks don't do it for some people.

[soulpatch]

Originally Posted by gurumasta

If I raise the main drain will that raise the water level in the display? I understand I will also have to adjust the emergency drain accordingly. I don't believe I would be able to do this and still use the T return setup that comes with the kit.

I have a ball valve on the main drain line and that doesn't seem to adjust the water level either.

How do I get the water level higher on the teeth thus creating a higher display water level?

Thanks!

You don't need to raise the main drain. Mine is all of perhaps 3 inches from bottom of overflow. You need to raise you emergency and you can get behind the return T by utilizing 2 45 fititings.

If you have your system balanced then you can add water to your DT to raise the level. Your return should match your drain. Just be aware that once you add water that should you have a power outage you need to be able to handle it in the sump. SO test and ensure added volume does not cause issues.

[KJoFan]

Anyone else have trouble with microbubbles from the SCA-302 skimmer? I just started mine up this weekend on a new tank so there will be a break in period I realize but the microbubbles coming out of the bottom of the adjustment tube are insane. I've never had a skimmer produce this many.

So, is this normal and I wait it out or could something be wrong?

[gurumasta]

Originally Posted by soulpatch

You don't need to raise the main drain. Mine is all of perhaps 3 inches from bottom of overflow. You need to raise you emergency and you can get behind the return T by utilizing 2 45 fititings.

If you have your system balanced then you can add water to your DT to raise the level. Your return should match your drain. Just be aware that once you add water that should you have a power outage you need to be able to handle it in the sump. SO test and ensure added volume does not cause issues.

Perfect info thank you. I researched the herbie drain system and I understand it better now. I will have to use the 45's to get around the return tee and set the emergency drain to the desired water height.

I have a stock tank in my basement for my sump so I will just be conservative and leave space for the overflow box to drain out.

Thanks again!

[soulpatch]

Its not just the return box but also the level your tank back drains for the return lines. By lifting the water line you increase the amount that backflows. Just do a power outage test with you standing there to plug back in your return pump as needed to avoid overflow and make any needed adjustments.

I have a small hole drilled into the bottom of my locline so when water level drops it breaks the siphon and limits backflow.

[gurumasta]

Originally Posted by soulpatch

Its not just the return box but also the level your tank back drains for the return lines. By lifting the water line you increase the amount that backflows. Just do a power outage test with you standing there to plug back in your return pump as needed to avoid overflow and make any needed adjustments.

I have a small hole drilled into the bottom of my locline so when water level drops it breaks the siphon and limits backflow.

Awesome thanks once again. I have plenty of sump space (like 40 gallons of wiggle room) so I will tune it in.

Appreciate it!

[RogueGrown]

Does anyone that has a 50 PNP have a good estimate of how much room is in the sump when the tank is running and when it's off? I ask cause I'm trying to determine if I add a shallow reef/frag tank to the system will the stock sump support it, or should I go with an AIO system?

Sent from my SM-N920P using Tapatalk