ReefCowboy
New member
Awesome! Keep us posted on the build
SC Aquariums Owners Thread
- Thread starter OceanWolf
- Start date
Awesome! Keep us posted on the build
Desert Sea
Member
So after reading through this thread and based on Reef Cowboy's feedback this is what I'm thinking of having SCA build for me.
150 g partial eurobraced. 12mm low iron front and sides. 15mm rear, drilled for ghost overflow and returns. Eurobrace installed on top edge of front and sides in lieu of inside face. No eurobrace on rear panel.
I'm trying to keep the water level as high as possible. Hoping that by going rimless on the rear I can mount the overflow as high as possible. I plan on having a canopy and would like the bottom edge to just cover the waterline.
Anything you guys would do any differently?
150 g partial eurobraced. 12mm low iron front and sides. 15mm rear, drilled for ghost overflow and returns. Eurobrace installed on top edge of front and sides in lieu of inside face. No eurobrace on rear panel.
I'm trying to keep the water level as high as possible. Hoping that by going rimless on the rear I can mount the overflow as high as possible. I plan on having a canopy and would like the bottom edge to just cover the waterline.
Anything you guys would do any differently?
soulpatch
New member
I will go fully rimless on my next tank and have them seat a triangle in each corner to rest screen top on but otherwise I want rimless. Drill tank on the rear for both a coast to coast overflow and 2 returns.
I will also go 30-36" front to back for next tank. So many aquascaping ideas to be done at that point.
I will also go 30-36" front to back for next tank. So many aquascaping ideas to be done at that point.
Desert Sea
Member
I'm guessing you don't have/like a canopy on your tank?
I'm leaning toward the eurobrace to help keep critters from climbing out, something to rest the screen tops on and to help keep water from splashing and salt creep.
soulpatch
New member
Yes I have a canopy. It doesnt rest on the eurobracing though. The canopy rests on the tank itself....
Even with a ghost overflow you are going to have 1/2" to an inch of space from top of tank to water line at a minimum. You shoudl be able to move some water without much concern of splashing unless you like tidal waves in your tank. As for salt creep, I have a eurobraced tank and still get some creep on top of the bracing and around the canopy. Fish splash, returns and wavemakers ripple surface and such which all causes salt creep. I am sure my eurobrace saves me from some but it is very limited.
CK00020 - I would have them make it out of glass when they built the tank. Put the corner bracing in recessed slightly so that I would have something to rest my screen top on but keep the clean look.
The next tank will likely also be a floating canopy. Gives it a much cleaner look overall and so long as I can have a clean screen top (will get artfully acrylic tops next ) I will have my fish safe and secure while having the modern look to the tank...
ReefCowboy
New member
I like the idea. Like I stated before on this thread bracing works well also if you run wave makers, keeps the water in the tank which is nice. I have a timeless tank now and constantly have water splash out. It also works nice if you plan to have an acrylic lid, since it hides the edges better from view.
Desert Sea
Member
Steve at SCA says they can build it. Sent a drawing to him at the factory's request for pricing. Waiting on the pricing to come back.
Finally! An update on the overflow cover. I reached out to Steve with the photos I posted in this thread and he immediately sent me a new cover.
I was finally able to get to the PO to get it today and am pleased to report it fits the overflow this time.
So, for anyone that got the same ill fitting one I did, reach out.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I was finally able to get to the PO to get it today and am pleased to report it fits the overflow this time.
So, for anyone that got the same ill fitting one I did, reach out.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Desert Sea
Member
I wouldn't rest a canopy on the eurobracing either. The canopy needs to be supported by the glass panels.
I would be happy with a 1/2" of space from the top of the tank to the waterline. What I don't want is 2 1/2" to 3" of space from the top of glass to waterline because of the eurobracing forcing the overflow too low. If I can get the overflow mounted to give me 3/4" to 1" of space that would be great.
Robb/Scottsdale/AZ
New member
This thread was really helpful in getting my tank setup exactly how I envisioned. There was a lot of options I didnt know about with SCA, had it not been for this thread.
I was able to place my order with Steve to get a 90 "cube" and a stand. I custom ordered my tank to handle a Synergy Shadow overflow and I ordered the stand to be built 36" tall (6" taller than normal). Took a little under 2 months to arrive due to the holidays.
Not done yet, still have wire management to work on and to display the pump controls, light controller and my "timed and throttled" dosers. And waiting for the tank to settle in before I do any more stocking of course. Lots of other finishing touches here and there still needed.
This tank is going to be focused on anemones, with a few soft corals and a few fish. I wanted everything contained in the stand, everything accessible and easy to clean, and I wanted to have my rock arrangement simple and functional and easy to clean around. I wanted to have a lot more open water, with a single source-point of light and to "shadow" the glass sides and back as well as the equipment in the tank. This left a light focusing on the rock work (and eventual anemone home base) in a sort of "art gallery" lighting approach.
When I got started years ago, the Berlin method was all the rage. One of the things about the Berlin method that I always liked was how clean things looked and were easy to keep that way. I wanted to go back in that direction again, but not a full-on Berlin.
I chose not to use rock or sand from my existing system. The rock I used was ex-live rock I had sitting around for close to 10 years, that 2 months ago I picked out the ideal pieces then I rinsed them, put them in a tub with a couple small pieces of new live rock from the LFS, so that I could start seeding and cycling it in preparation for this new tank. I only wanted a light covering of sand, and I still had a 1/2 bag of old Southdown Play Sand that had never been used so, it got used.
Its currently creating a "dusting" effect where its drifting in around the rock and allowing some of the bottom glass to be exposed and Im kinda digging the effect. I have more used SD sand in a bucket that I can cook and clean if I need more sand later.
I transferred as little as possible from my old tank (a 110 gallon tall) with the exception of 1 flame angel, 1 wall hammer coral and a scarlet hermit crab that has to be over 10 years old, I was really shocked to find him when I was taking the old tank down. These guys will hold down the fort as the tank settles in.
Plumbed the overflow with 1-1/2" pipe all the way to the sump for all 3 drain lines, I was able to tuck them back and up, and keep them from touching each other. The siphon line has the gate valve on it that is easily accessible, and out of the way. I used spa-flex tube for the last 1 ft that goes into the sump so that I can easily pull those out and the entire sump can easily slide out of the stand, without disassembling any drain pipes.
I used a 20 gallon high tank as my sump, with a Water blaster 5000 return pump. The return line has a no-metal check valve for when the return pump goes off. Even if the check valve were to fail the sump still holds all the drain back from the tank. I painted the back and side of the 20 gallon tank so that it still looks like its transparent, but I can hide wires behind it and not have to look at them or any water spots that might get back there.
Skimmer was originally a big Octopus 200 with bubble blaster 3000 but that pump kept giving me troubles and the skimmer was bigger than I needed. I ended up just getting a new skimmer that was better sized and gave me more room in the sump, Octo 152. Ill be putting in some bubble trap panels in the sump, but I wont be doing anything "refugium" related this time.
Im using a 7 gallon rubbermaid "recycle" waste can for my topoff water chamber so that I can easily pull it out and put the ATO pump in a bigger tub outside of the tank if I plan to be away for a while. You can see the reaction chambers, one for carbon and the other for phosphate absorber (later on). These are plumbed off of the return line.
I have the DJ switches mounted on the upper rear, all of the power cords are routed through there. I still need to mount my 2 Ecotech MP40 controllers and the Kessil 360W light controller so they can be seen and accessed, I am limited by the cord length but I kind of want to mount them on the inside of the door. I aim to cover as much wiring as I can.
The sump is lit by a hidden single ultraslim flat-panel LED counter-top light 24" by 6" that is mounted on the inside top and angled for maximum effect. Its just right. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M3NKQOP/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Thanks again for this thread guys !
I was able to place my order with Steve to get a 90 "cube" and a stand. I custom ordered my tank to handle a Synergy Shadow overflow and I ordered the stand to be built 36" tall (6" taller than normal). Took a little under 2 months to arrive due to the holidays.
Not done yet, still have wire management to work on and to display the pump controls, light controller and my "timed and throttled" dosers. And waiting for the tank to settle in before I do any more stocking of course. Lots of other finishing touches here and there still needed.
This tank is going to be focused on anemones, with a few soft corals and a few fish. I wanted everything contained in the stand, everything accessible and easy to clean, and I wanted to have my rock arrangement simple and functional and easy to clean around. I wanted to have a lot more open water, with a single source-point of light and to "shadow" the glass sides and back as well as the equipment in the tank. This left a light focusing on the rock work (and eventual anemone home base) in a sort of "art gallery" lighting approach.
When I got started years ago, the Berlin method was all the rage. One of the things about the Berlin method that I always liked was how clean things looked and were easy to keep that way. I wanted to go back in that direction again, but not a full-on Berlin.
I chose not to use rock or sand from my existing system. The rock I used was ex-live rock I had sitting around for close to 10 years, that 2 months ago I picked out the ideal pieces then I rinsed them, put them in a tub with a couple small pieces of new live rock from the LFS, so that I could start seeding and cycling it in preparation for this new tank. I only wanted a light covering of sand, and I still had a 1/2 bag of old Southdown Play Sand that had never been used so, it got used.
Its currently creating a "dusting" effect where its drifting in around the rock and allowing some of the bottom glass to be exposed and Im kinda digging the effect. I have more used SD sand in a bucket that I can cook and clean if I need more sand later.I transferred as little as possible from my old tank (a 110 gallon tall) with the exception of 1 flame angel, 1 wall hammer coral and a scarlet hermit crab that has to be over 10 years old, I was really shocked to find him when I was taking the old tank down. These guys will hold down the fort as the tank settles in.
Plumbed the overflow with 1-1/2" pipe all the way to the sump for all 3 drain lines, I was able to tuck them back and up, and keep them from touching each other. The siphon line has the gate valve on it that is easily accessible, and out of the way. I used spa-flex tube for the last 1 ft that goes into the sump so that I can easily pull those out and the entire sump can easily slide out of the stand, without disassembling any drain pipes.
I used a 20 gallon high tank as my sump, with a Water blaster 5000 return pump. The return line has a no-metal check valve for when the return pump goes off. Even if the check valve were to fail the sump still holds all the drain back from the tank. I painted the back and side of the 20 gallon tank so that it still looks like its transparent, but I can hide wires behind it and not have to look at them or any water spots that might get back there.
Skimmer was originally a big Octopus 200 with bubble blaster 3000 but that pump kept giving me troubles and the skimmer was bigger than I needed. I ended up just getting a new skimmer that was better sized and gave me more room in the sump, Octo 152. Ill be putting in some bubble trap panels in the sump, but I wont be doing anything "refugium" related this time.
Im using a 7 gallon rubbermaid "recycle" waste can for my topoff water chamber so that I can easily pull it out and put the ATO pump in a bigger tub outside of the tank if I plan to be away for a while. You can see the reaction chambers, one for carbon and the other for phosphate absorber (later on). These are plumbed off of the return line.
I have the DJ switches mounted on the upper rear, all of the power cords are routed through there. I still need to mount my 2 Ecotech MP40 controllers and the Kessil 360W light controller so they can be seen and accessed, I am limited by the cord length but I kind of want to mount them on the inside of the door. I aim to cover as much wiring as I can.
The sump is lit by a hidden single ultraslim flat-panel LED counter-top light 24" by 6" that is mounted on the inside top and angled for maximum effect. Its just right. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M3NKQOP/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Thanks again for this thread guys !
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Hello all! I just received my 50 gall this morning. I unpacked the plywood stand and noticed this separation in the wood. Difficult to describe (see picture). I am still excited but should I complain about this? Did anyone else experience this. FYI The actually stand is level.
Thoughts?
Thoughts?
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Wow!!! It worked! Awesome.
This is a picture of the skimmer. What is the tube coming out of the collection area for?
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