My Solana Superbrite Build

[chad p]

OK so I've been planning on going from a JBJ Nano Cube 28 to a 34 gallon rimless cube since late last year. It's finally getting there. This will be primarily an SPS tank with some zoas.

At this moment I've got the following either in hand or set up:

-Current Solana Superbrite 34 gallon cube
-17"X17" cube shaped sump (Ebay purchase)
-G.H. Super Nano Con Dientes overflow
-G.H. 3/4 inch return kit
-Homemade stand
-AI Sol Blue w/ white housing
-Homemade custom mount for light
-Apex Lite controller with VDM module to control the Sol
-SCA 301 knockoff skimmer
-Eheim Jager 100W heater
-TLF 150 GFO reactor (planning to add a 2nd reactor just for carbon)
-JBJ ATO but I'll be going with the breakout box and float switches for the Apex to control top off.

Still on the "to do" list:
-Sicce Syncra 2.0 return pump
-Live sand
-Check valve for return. I've got all the other plumbing.

My current livestock from the NC 28:
-Loads of nice SPS frags including Cali tort, Oregon tort, rougue milli, sunset milli, Palmers blue milli, SD Aqua rainbow, GARF P.B., AV's orange crush, blue matrix, AV's Mellow Yellow etc etc.
-Zoas including circus, rastas and a handful of other nice ones
-Swales Swissguard basslet
-ORA snowflake clown
-ORA extreme misbar. Pretty much nearly naked. Just one small spot of white on the gill plate
-Royal Gramma
-Purple Firefish
-may add a cherub angel after the tank is up and running. I actually ordered one when I got the clowns but sadly it didn't make the trip. :sad2:

Here's my stand as it was built. Probably more support than I needed:


Here's the completed stand and tank with the custom mount for the Sol:


Here's the mount from underneath to give you some perspective. The Sol will simply bolt into the mount from underneath. The square hole in it is to run the power and controller cable down to the stand so it isn't seen:


Here's a shot of the sump:

Wouldn't mind having a little more volume in the sump but this way it allows me to run a couple reactors etc without having to place them in the sump.

So that's where I'm at right now. I just got my Apex in the other day and my G.H. overflow and return today. I'm planning on drilling the tank this weekend and painting the back. Then I'll plumb it next week. I want to add a high quality check valve on the return pipe. I've had sump overflows in years past and they're no fun.

Let me know what you guys think and if you have any suggestions.

I've seen at least 3 or 4 of these tanks set up with the G.H. Super Nano con Dientes but I've got to admit I'm having 2nd thoughts. When it came today I was surprised at how small it is. It is suggested for a flow rate of only 100 to 200 GPH which isn't turning the tank over a whole bunch. Anyone out there built up one of these tanks with this overflow? Is it working out O.K. for you?

The outlet on the Sicce 2.0 is 3/4" so that's what size return kit i got so I wasn't stepping down the plumbing. The outlet is huge and it's not going to be propelling the water back into the tank much.

I couldn't help but wonder if maybe I should have gone with a Syncra 2.5 and the 700 gallon overflow. It's not to late to return it but it seems like people have had success with this setup so I guess I'm going forward with it unless someone out there has a horror story to tell me???

I'm also debating about painting the back glass blue or black. I would normally go with standard black but I've had a tank with a royal blue background and kinda liked it. Plus I'm thinking with the white stand, light and mount the blue might have kind of a clean, slick look. l've got a couple days to ponder it before I'm done drilling it.

Anyways, let me know what you guys think and feel free to give suggestions or bash me on anything. Anyone seeing any disasters waiting to happen?

I ordered some extension tubes for my DSLR but I've been less than thrilled with the resulting photos I've gotten. Hopefully I'll get a decent macro lens at some point and provide you guys with some nice pics as this thread goes along.

Thanks for checking it out! :beer:

 

[Curtis72]

Nice looking set up! I'd go black or a light blue for the painting. I think the sky blue would make it look even cleaner and better then the dark blue.

 

[miniwhinny]

WOW !!!! Very clean. Love everything !!!!

 

[chad p]

Nice looking set up! I'd go black or a light blue for the painting. I think the sky blue would make it look even cleaner and better then the dark blue.

It's funny you mention that Curtis. I was at a fish store in So Cal a week or so ago and all of their tanks were backed with sky blue acrylic. I was thinking how it would look pretty sweet for a reef tank.

But the truth is I won't keep the back clean anyways. I'd love to say I would but it'll never happen. Pretty sure I'm going to go with black. This way the overflow and return will blend in better too.

 

[chad p]

WOW !!!! Very clean. Love everything !!!!

Thanks miniwhinny! I've really enjoyed my NC 28 but it's anything but a clean look with a skimmer and reactor hanging off the back. With this build, having a clean look was one of my biggest motivations.

Still looking for some opinions and experience folks. Anyone built one of these with the G.H. Super Nano con Dientes overflow? Any issues with it?

I'm planning on going forward with it but debating between it and the 700 GPH overflow. The 34 gallon size is kind of an inbetweener. Once I drill it for the SNCD it's a done deal.

 

[chad p]

Finally got a couple hours to get some things done.

I got my gaming adapter to get the Apex online wirelessly so I installed it in the stand and tried to tidy things up the best I could.


I mounted my display on the inside of the door with double sided tape.


I drilled the tank and painted the back black. Got the overflow and return installed as well.


It's finally starting to look like a tank. I decided to stick with the G.H. Super Nano con Dientes overflow. I got a Sicce Syncra 2.5 on ebay for a pretty good price. I figure by the time I plumb it with 2 90 degree elbows and probably a 45, check valve etc it should pair up fine with the Dientes overflow. Otherwise, it's adjustable so I can tone it down a bit if need be.

The 3/4" return looks so huge to me for only 200 GPH or so but the outlet on the pump is 3/4" so.... I prefer to have a little propulsion out of the return and I don't think this will have much but oh well.



I'll be dry plumbing the tank tomorrow minus the check valve which I still need to order for the return. I guess at this point I just need to get the check valve and finish the plumbing. Then I can fill her up and add sand and it should be ready to go.

It's going to be nerve wracking transferring all of my corals over to the new system. I plan on using as much of my old tank's water as possible to keep from shocking anything.

Unless anyone has any questions or suggestions my next update will probably be when I make the switch. If I end up having any plumbing issues I'll update as well. My goal with the build thread is to detail some of the things I go through and decisions I make whether they work out well or not. It may be boring or tedious for some but I'm sure most of us have searched through threads wishing for more details to help us in our own systems.

 

[fltt]

Don't use a check valve the flapper tends to stick.
Just drill a small hole in the top of your return and when the water level gets to the top of the return it will suck air and stop the back flow.
Make sure your sump can handle the extra water.

Just my .02
Let us know how much noise the overflow makes.
The build looks awesome can't wait to see it up and running.

 

[Dr. Fish]

Looking good.

I have the same overflow I believe. The only problems I had with it were that I could not for the life of me get it to not leak out the back of the tank. It would drip every couple of minutes, extremely slow leak. I followed someone else advise and eliminated the extra rubber gasket in between the tank and the overflow box. I simply covered the entire back of the box with silicon and clamped it down to the tank. Hopefully it works.

As for noise, the overflow for me was dead silent. All my noise was coming from the drain pipe halfway down the stand.

 

[chad p]

Thanks for the input guys.

Fitt: I'll look into other options like drilling a hole in the top of the return to break the syphon etc. I would love to leave out the check valve because it would be cheaper that way and less hassle. I planned on using the George Fisher type check valve. They're kinda pricy at $45 but supposedly very reliable and easy to keep clean. I'm going to google other options though. Maybe I'll just hold off and see if it overflows the sump. If it wants to overflow I can always cut the PVC and add a check valve.

Dr. Fish, thanks for the input. I'm hoping for a leak free overflow but I appreciate the advice with the overflow box.

I think I'm going to dry fit the plumbing today and then I'll post pics to see if anyone sees any issues. I've been without a sump for years and last time I had one it was just simple vinyl tubing for the overflow and return.

 

[SeanPrice]

Nice build so far!

If you do not mind me asking, where/who on eBay did you get the sump from? I am limited on cabinet space of length of 20".

 

[fltt]

Fitt: I'll look into other options like drilling a hole in the top of the return to break the syphon etc. I would love to leave out the check valve because it would be cheaper that way and less hassle. I planned on using the George Fisher type check valve. They're kinda pricy at $45 but supposedly very reliable and easy to keep clean. I'm going to google other options though. Maybe I'll just hold off and see if it overflows the sump. If it wants to overflow I can always cut the PVC and add a check valve.

I have a 210 FOWLR running with 3 returns and they all have a small hole in the top near the surface works like a charm and I never worry about power outage or over flowing my sump. Good luck.

 

[chad p]

OK, I dry fitted my plumbing. It's a pretty simple setup. I'm going to take Fltt's advice and just go with a small hole or two drilled in the locline return near the surface. Saves me some money anyways.

I'm going to run 6" or so of vinyl tubing from the return pump to the PVC pipe for flexibility and reduced vibration. Hadn't thought of it but I've got to order the 3/4" PVC to 3/4" nipple for the tubing. Doh!! It never ends!!

Here's the plumbing. With all the years I've been in and out of this hobby this is actually my first time plumbing a tank with PVC.



I'm off to the hardware store in just a bit to get a couple 1" unions...one for the back and one to go in the stand above the filter sock holder. I thought I had already bought some but of course...you can't do a job like this without at least ONE extra trip to the store.

I'm also going to get some tiny zip fasteners to tidy up all the controller wiring. If anyone sees anything sketchy with the plumbing feel free to let me know before I cement it. I figure I probably don't need the ball valve. The pump will be a small step up for the overflow but the pump is also adjustable. I'm just putting it in there in case I need to dial it back a little

 

[Hentz]

Setup is looking very clean brother! Love how neat it is inside the stand. Very well put together. Also the back plumbing looks super simple. Amazing build. Something to be proud of. Can't wait to see the finishing results. I'm following along!

 

[Derbird]

Your build is looking great, very clean

Do you have a fan in the stand to ventilate it? It might be a good idea to look in to with all the electronics down there. Long term they won't like the humidity.

 

[fltt]

You won't reget it.
Looks awesome! Makes me want to order a solana right now.

 

[chad p]

Your build is looking great, very clean

Do you have a fan in the stand to ventilate it? It might be a good idea to look in to with all the electronics down there. Long term they won't like the humidity.

Thanks Derbird. That's a good point about the fan. I've never had a controller, let alone a Netgear gaming adapter in my stand and it would only make sense that humidity wouldn't be kind to all that stuff.

I'm planning on adding a small fan to mount above the sump but it would only be turned on by the Apex if my temp reaches a certain level. I may have to consider adding a small fan just to keep things circulating as well.

You won't reget it.
Looks awesome! Makes me want to order a solana right now.

Thanks again fltt. This build isn't going to break any new boundaries or anything but it's been a long time coming for me. My main goals were to create a super clean, simple looking system that is eventually loaded with color. That's why I had a guy from work build the 90 degree light mount. I didn't want any hanging kits or anything like that. The mount isn't fancy, isn't especially functional because the hight can't be easily adjusted, but it's simple and clean looking.

I've been really happy with my Nano Cube 28 and enjoying the heck out of it. However, as I started adding some really nice frags I realized that I didn't want any equipment distracting from what was going on inside the tank. I figured a rimless cube with only a light over it and a small overflow that blends into the background is about as close to a 180* as I could get from all the stuff hanging on the back.

This was also the motivation for going with all the white. I saw a Solana for sale in the Bay Area section that had a really simple homemade white stand and I really dug how clean it looked. After that I was set on going with a white stand, white light mount. For a split second I actually considered painting the back of the tank white but then I got my senses back. After reading a lot of good things I said I might as well just keep it going with the white AI Sol. I considered a Radion but in the end I went with the Sol...and no...the housing color wasn't the deciding factor. So far I'm really happy with it. I may consider going with a Vega, Hydra or Radion down the road but we'll see.

I used to have a Kessil A350 and I was really happy with everything about it other than the spread. After 3 weeks or so under the Sol my coral seem just as happy but with less shading.

Anyways, almost done with the plumbing. Just need to get a joint tomorrow as I came up short on one piece that's already glued on one end into a union. Hopefully my next update will be a leak-test unless anything semi-exciting happens in the meantime.

 

[chad p]

Setup is looking very clean brother! Love how neat it is inside the stand. Very well put together. Also the back plumbing looks super simple. Amazing build. Something to be proud of. Can't wait to see the finishing results. I'm following along!

Thanks Hentz. I actually cleaned up the inside of the stand a bit more after picking up some zip ties just now. I'll enjoy it while I can until it's a rat's nest again after I add power cables for my skimmer, return pump, MP10, reactor pump, light etc etc.

 

[chad p]

Nice build so far!

If you do not mind me asking, where/who on eBay did you get the sump from? I am limited on cabinet space of length of 20".

Hey Sean. Sorry man I don't remember the seller and after searching the bay I don't see them anywhere. I bought it before the holidays and it'll only let me search my purchases 60 days back. Looks like they may not sell there anymore. I think I just searched "cube sump" and found several sizes that they made.

They were in So Cal. If I remember right it was either Corona or Riverside to be exact. They were a good seller and cut me a deal on the sump after I contacted them about picking it up rather than shipping.

If I ever figure out who they were I'll update here. Sorry I couldn't be more help.

 

[Hentz]

Dude looks even cleaner. I just set up a new tank, but god damn. You are making me want to start another..... Lol too sick dude. Keep up the good work

 

[cody6766]

I know neat cables are a desire for everyone, but don't let your OCD override the need to remove items. Plan your powerhead, pump, heater, etc. wiring so it's out of the way, but is easy to take out for cleanings and the like. I'd make use of velcro wire ties fastened to the inside of the stand. It's neat, but you don't have to cut zip ties everytime you need to work on something.

You have a very nice build going. It's simple, but clean and should fit the look of the Solana nicely. When moving tanks, you may want to let the new one run for a few weeks. I know you're basically just switching containers, but I'd let the new tank run for a bit unless you're going BB and pulling all of the rock/coral over at once. If you're adding sand, let it run with a scoop of your old sand in the new tank for a while, just to let it establish and go through its diatom blooms and the like.