80 gallon SC Aquarium build

[davocean]

Looks like your are off to good start.

I know back when I got mt SCA, it came w/ weak plumbing, but I guess that has changed now, nice that they have made some improvements since then, but I'm not complaining, the tank itself is really clean.

I did actually swap to flex line on mine, my overflow was pretty tight and the flex both in overflow and at return gave me some nice wiggle room, and it made everything really quiet, but yours looks great w/ that clean plumb job!

 

[dreaddinit]

Spectrapure arrived today! I got this bad boy for a great deal and they packed in the box very well. I got her up and running when its time to fill the tank. Last thing is my power strips and live rock then I am well on my way!

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[pelphrey]

Nice!! I'm using the spectrapure 90gpd unit and its worked out great. Really need to get my booster pump hooked up, Jeremy is a great help!

 

[homer1475]

How is your flow homer? To much? I went with the PP-8 and a PP-4 just to be sure it wasnt to much. That little PP-4 rocked my current 30 gallon quite a bit.

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Flow is great in my tank. I have my mp10's on opposing walls on reefcrest mode at 60%, and my pp8's on either side of the overflow firing off at 5 second intervals at 45%.

FWIW the gate valve is used to fine tune the overflow speed to the speed of your return pump. You won't get a fine enough adjustment from a ball valve and you'll be constantly fiddling with it. The gate valve offers very minute adjustments, where as the ball valve does not offer very minute adjustments. Also a ball valve tends to get tuff to turn after a while in use, the gate valve never gets "sticky" to turn the valve.


EDIT:
Forgot to mention, my mp10's and PP8's are hooked up to an apex which offer me much greater control over the pp8's then the controller they offer with the pumps.

 

[dreaddinit]

Started to fill her up! Watching the RO/DI unit is like watching paint dry.

My wife was trying to help me fill it faster and this is the sump now. Is it to full or is it fine at the level it is now? Im not sure how full is to full besides when the pump turns off, making sure there is enough room to let it drain.

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[pelphrey]

Id probably have 5-10 gallons of water in buckets once the system starts up. You may need to add water to the sump once the pump is running. As long as it can handle back flow that's the important thing!!

 

[rosterv]

Good looking tank, a fun stage setting up the rocks etc next

 

[dreaddinit]

Got some new friends today! Not for this tank....yet! Scored a hammer, two favias, something I cant remember, and some snails as my population have depleted.

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[dreaddinit]

It's a Alviopora I think...

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[dreaddinit]

Thank you guys for looking and giving advice so far. My "A purple reef" rock should have been here by now but after an issue on Paypals side, it is not. However, Chris and I talked and got it worked out. I should receive it this week maybe Thursday. He even asked what I was looking for so he could pick out some nice pieces for me. Great guy to deal with so far. I will post pics when I receive it to show you guys.

I think im going for the two pillars with a canyon type aquascape seen in the thread on how to create great aquascapes.

We have been thinking about our stocking list as well. So far we have a pair of O. Clowns, a blue/green chromis, a green bubble tip, and coral. We had a fire shrimp but out of the blue he disappeared We for sure know we want another fire shrimp and some anthias. My wife is dying for a yellow tang but very reluctant as she should be (trying to teach her well).

I would like a goby/shrimp pair and a clam. What else do you guys think we could do safely? I would like at least one bigger fish possibly. Bristle tooth tang maybe? Let's hear your ideas.

What

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[rkrimple]

Dreaddinit,
Yo, tank is shaping up, great job. The setup is the most time consuming but one of the most rewarding parts of the process. I have an 80 gal SC also, started in March. Love the tank and size is appropriate for a beginner like me. I made a few minor tweaks along the way but I would second the replacement of all the bulkheads, piping and utilize 45's and gate valves on return and main drain lines (a bit late I apologize but just saw this thread). It really comes into play by regulating the flow and levels in the overflow box. I run a slight trickle down the Emergency drain and it is super quiet. I kept a small piece of flex tubing on my return to cut down on vibration and get it into position a bit easier. See attached photo. This is by no means the correct way of plumbing but worked in my scenario. I did however build an matching ATO stand to accommodate a Tunze osmolator and a 5 gal bucket which saved me a trip to the basement each day. I can send you plans to build that if you'd like.

As far as stocking ideas, I don't see any issues with your proposal. I do have a yellow tang (wifey made me do it), Eilbli Angel (debated a coral beauty) and they are the showman of the tank, along with 1 O.clowns, foxface and a sailfin algae blenny (the jokster of the tank). One item, which you are probably already planning to do is quarantine everything, even corals to some degree. I added coral I bought off craigslist and had some pests enter my tank. Not a huge issue yet, but could have been avoided with proper QT and dip.

Good luck with everything and hit me up if you have any additional questions or any good advice.

 

[homer1475]

Dreaddinit,
Yo, tank is shaping up, great job. The setup is the most time consuming but one of the most rewarding parts of the process. I have an 80 gal SC also, started in March. Love the tank and size is appropriate for a beginner like me. I made a few minor tweaks along the way but I would second the replacement of all the bulkheads, piping and utilize 45’s and gate valves on return and main drain lines (a bit late I apologize but just saw this thread). It really comes into play by regulating the flow and levels in the overflow box. I run a slight trickle down the Emergency drain and it is super quiet. I kept a small piece of flex tubing on my return to cut down on vibration and get it into position a bit easier. See attached photo. This is by no means the correct way of plumbing but worked in my scenario. I did however build an matching ATO stand to accommodate a Tunze osmolator and a 5 gal bucket which saved me a trip to the basement each day. I can send you plans to build that if you’d like.

Good luck with everything and hit me up if you have any additional questions or any good advice.

Your setup is very similar to mine, with the exception that I cut the stock baffles out, made my own, and dump the emergency into the return section.

I started my SCA 80G right around February - Marchish also. Do you have a build thread?

 

[dreaddinit]

Thanks rkrimple!
Update
Live rock from Apurplereef.com came in! Chris the owner was awesome and gelped me pick out some nice rock for the style I was going for.
Here it is all layed out just before going into the tank. Each piece was wrapped in a damp packing paper with plenty of bubble wrap.

Playing with my scape to get it the way I wanted it.

After the dust storm settled after adding the ocean direct sand. I also added the little packet that came with it. The sand clouded up the tank a ton but it settled down very quickly. Around 2 hours and the tank had went from it being a solid beige to slightly murky.

Individual shots of each side

Let me know what you think!


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[dreaddinit]

A little update on the reef...
I have used Seachem seed for the past 7 days to Kickstart the cycle. So far the ammonia has spiked and subsided and the nitrites have kicked into gear at a 1.0ppm with no nitrates at all.

I am still trying to figure out the best placement for my pumps as the PP-8 on the left side blows sand everywhere when turned up.

I had an issue with my refractometer which I believe is corrected now. This was causing my salinity to be low and my calcium and alk was off as well. I have dosed to correct that. Lets hope soon I will be able to start stocking.

I still have 30 lbs of live rock from the other tank as well as coral and a GBTA along with a pair of clown and a chromis to add into this 80. Trying to decide the order I want to do it in as I also need to treat 1 rock from the 30 gallon system for some aptasia before it goes into the new one (maybe in the sump)

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[dreaddinit]

Starting to take shape. Just before gluing frags down where we wanted them. About to do my first water change so we will see how that goes. My alk, pH, and calcium are all low so I won't be doing any dosing just yet. Gonna try a ten gallon water change and see where that gets me.

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[dreaddinit]

This is my bleached "green bubble tip anemone" since its gaining its zooxanthellae back pretty good I'm not to certain of its kind. Doesn't look green at all to me but rather a RBTA instead. What would you say?

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[Oeste]

Any updates?
I'm considering the sca 80gl atm