SCA 150 build - chinese edition

[tmnigat]

Hello everybody, this is my second tank but first real build! I'm coming from a Red Sea Max 250 that I got off craigslist and while it has been a great starter tank I wanted something more. I really wanted a system with a sump/refugium and led's. Here is what I've ended up with so far:

Tank: 150g 5' x 2' x 2'
Sump: 50" x 17" x 18"
Skimmer: SCA-302 180g
Heater: 1x Jager 300w
Pump: Jebao DCP-8000
TopOff: Tunze osmolator 3155
Controller: Maxspect ICV6
Lights: 2 Maxspect Ethereal 130w
Power Heads: 2 Maxspect Gyre 250

I'm still in the process of filling the tank. After I'm going to install the powerheads and ATO. The aquascape is also temporary, I plan on moving the live rock I have in my RSM tank over once my water params are all in check. The plumbing that came with the tank was inadequate, just 2 vinyl tubes, some clamps, and 90 degree barbs. I replaced this with PVC but don't have any pictures yet.

SCA-150 PNP system delivered and dropped off at end of driveway. Used a borrowed pallet jack from work to haul it into the garage.

Tank and stand fresh out of the box

Inspected all glass for damage before signing for the delivery. The glass is nice and thick. Silicone is black and very well done

The back of the tank is painted black. The added clear strip in the middle is a nice addition. I plan on having the tank against the wall so it won't be much use but i could see applications for it in other setups.

Tank came with 3 pieces of pvc for the overflow, a sca-302 skimmer, and 3 bulkheads with strainers. Also included were 3 90 degree elbow barb spigots and 2 pieces of 1 inch vinyl tubing about 3 feet long.

Upgraded the PNP system to include the wood stand. Only color they had left in stock was white. GF wanted black so we are going to have to paint this.

The included sump, Atman 3000 return pump, and filtration media. This sump is huge although the baffles confuse me. I want a tank with as large a refugium as I can get so this is going to be modified. Thinking of taking it from 5 chambers to just 3, overflow - refugium - return. Will place the skimmer in the overflow chamber.

Valspar spray paint job. Came out okay although definitly not as nice as a factory black paint job would of been. Left the interior white.

Same can of paint, 3 different colors. I was really disappointed in how these came out. I ended up buying a can of rustoleum gloss black and redid the middle door. All 3 match enough now.

I removed the 3 middle baffles and relocated one to create the 3 chamber sump I wanted. Refugium is going to be huge. I spaced the baffle so that it made a larger bubble trap for the return chamber. The idea is I will add a sponge or some kind of mechanical filter to keep my sump macro algae out of the return.

Will update as this comes along, please check out the build photo's and comments here: SCA 150 Build

 

[tmnigat]

More pics:

Got the friends over to help carry it into the house. Champ supervised and made sure none of us damaged the tank. The leveling pad that came with it was a pain to work with. I wish they would of oversized it slightly and let you cut off the excess. Instead you have to pick up the tank and attempt to land it on the pad exactly. Not the easiest considering the weight of the tank.

I did a leak test of all the plumbing which passed so decied to start the internal setup. I installed the plumbing, supports, cabiner doors, Marcorocks sand, reefcleaner dry rock, and started to fill. My spectrapure rodi system is only rated for 90GPD so this may take a while.

1 day's worth of water, wishing I had started making and storing water while waiting on my system to get here. It's coming along nicely though. I took the time to install the Maxspect Ethereal lights. The lights were able to mount to the back glass. If I needed to, the mounts can be turned and mount onto the bracing instead.

Woke up this morning to go to work. The Ethereals include a RGB mood light which works well as a moonlight. This is just the RGB, no led's on here.

Still need to finish water, install powerheads, install ATO, clean up electrical.

 

[Fuel Doodle]

Looking good


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[davocean]

Nice start, welcome to the SCA club.
I personally would not use sponge in fuge, I don't use sponge or any media, bioballs or anything as they tend to bump nitrates, if you do need any kind of screen to keep macro in I'd use eggcrate or the knitting screen.

 

[homer1475]

Welcome to the SCA club! I did their 80G PNP system, and also cut out the baffles in the sump and redid them with only 3 chambers just as you did( I did not do a bubble trap coming from the first chamber as you have though).

You'll find that the return pump is garbage also. While it works, it's loud, large and obtrusive. That is the first thing I replaced, and the stock pump now runs my mixing station. The skimmer though is a beast!

 

[tmnigat]

Nice start, welcome to the SCA club.
I personally would not use sponge in fuge, I don't use sponge or any media, bioballs or anything as they tend to bump nitrates, if you do need any kind of screen to keep macro in I'd use eggcrate or the knitting screen.

That was my original idea, i've seen some other setups where they had a rack made out of eggcrate right after the fuge to catch spare chaeto etc. I'll eventually set something similar up.

Thanks for the advice though!

 

[tmnigat]

Welcome to the SCA club! I did their 80G PNP system, and also cut out the baffles in the sump and redid them with only 3 chambers just as you did( I did not do a bubble trap coming from the first chamber as you have though).

You'll find that the return pump is garbage also. While it works, it's loud, large and obtrusive. That is the first thing I replaced, and the stock pump now runs my mixing station. The skimmer though is a beast!

Thanks homer! I just had my jebao dcp-8000 arrive today and am going to install it. The atman return pump that came with it has been hard at work pumping/mixing my trashcans of water

 

[kuzko]

pardon my ignorance but what exactly is Chinese about this.......

 

[tmnigat]

pardon my ignorance but what exactly is Chinese about this.......

SCA tanks are imported from china, maxspect lighting and powerheads = hong kong/chinese, jebao pumps chinese. I can change the title but It's just what I've been calling my setup since its all chinese parts.

 

[dmarkham]

I think almost all of the equipment from this hobby either is partly or fully made in China. I was thinking the tittle implied a special edition or something. Cool set up and for the most part mine is a Chinese edition to lol.

 

[rlhanks]

SCA tanks are imported from china, maxspect lighting and powerheads = hong kong/chinese, jebao pumps chinese. I can change the title but It's just what I've been calling my setup since its all chinese parts.

I'm pretty sure you are correct on this. You can find these 150 starfires on Alibaba for as low as $100 in bulk buy. Either way, I'm still ordering one today at the sale price they have right now

 

[Idoc]

1 day's worth of water, wishing I had started making and storing water while waiting on my system to get here. It's coming along nicely though. I took the time to install the Maxspect Ethereal lights. The lights were able to mount to the back glass. If I needed to, the mounts can be turned and mount onto the bracing instead.

Good idea...I think I will start making my SW ahead of time for my build.

 

[tmnigat]

I'm pretty sure you are correct on this. You can find these 150 starfires on Alibaba for as low as $100 in bulk buy. Either way, I'm still ordering one today at the sale price they have right now

You will be happy with the purchase. I'm very pleased with the quality of the tank itself. The plumbing and return pump in the PNP system i'd be ready to replace. Also the leveling "mat" that comes with it is very frustrating. It's the exact dimensions of the tank and me and my buddies had a hell of a time sitting the tank down even on it.

Either way Steve from SCA will do you right. He's answered all my questions and helped with the few problems (user error) I had.

 

[tmnigat]

Tank took 3 days to fill, was a lot of work mixing one trashcan at a time. Added powerheads and replacement ethereal light. I originally had two lights and the icv6 controller but one of the lights refused to join the grouped setting. Coralvue support sent me out a replacement unit and the new fixture works perfectly.

I found some pure ammonium hydroxide at the Tractor supply here and am going to try cycling my tank. About 1 cup of Austin's Clear Ammonia got my systemto 5ppm ammonia. Going to wait a few days and see if the cycle starts. I added a few pieces of established rock from my RSM 250 system and a few scoops of sand to help kick start the cycle.

 

[tmnigat]

Updates: Controllers and ATO installed:

Aquascape and corals added:

Had an issue with the first batch of fish I put in. Sloppy QT on my part and ich broke out. 3 fish died and i had a very bad week. So now its just coral and FTS for the next month or two

I do have this to look forward to:

 

[tmnigat]

Apex installed. Found an old tablet I had laying around and set it up as a display. Not sure if I like it above the tank or to the side. Currently sticking with it to the side so it's not so visible.

 

[JUNBUG361]

Nice set up.

 

[tmnigat]

Update: Reactor issues

So My SpectraPure Dual Media reactor was constantly clogging. Looking around the interwebs I found a number of other users having the same issues. I reached out to SpectraPure support and they notified me that they have recently redesigned the shell and pad assembly and that they could send me out a replacement for my clogging one. Couple days later I received these:

I put some new gfo and carbon in these shells, put them in my reactor and I'm happy to say the flow is much better with the new shells. 1 week running and they are flowing at the same rate as when I put them in. Hopefully they hold up.

 

[homer1475]

I ended up just replacing both my spectrapure cartridges with BRS ones. They fit just fine and the flow through them never slows down.

I think the spectrapure ones are a seriously flawed. The tiny little filter the water has to be forced through eventually starts to get clogged up, even after cleaning them. The BRS cartridges are far superior, as they are clear plastic so you can actually see how the GFO is tumbling, and no screens or filter material to hold the media in.

Edit:

I didn't notice they are now clear, and design changed. Are they still cheap flexible plastic though? The BRS ones are hard clear plastic.

My comment about flow through them still stands as they still have that floss material the water has to be forced through.

 

[tmnigat]

I ended up just replacing both my spectrapure cartridges with BRS ones. They fit just fine and the flow through them never slows down.

I think the spectrapure ones are a seriously flawed. The tiny little filter the water has to be forced through eventually starts to get clogged up, even after cleaning them. The BRS cartridges are far superior, as they are clear plastic so you can actually see how the GFO is tumbling, and no screens or filter material to hold the media in.

Edit:

I didn't notice they are now clear, and design changed. Are they still cheap flexible plastic though? The BRS ones are hard clear plastic.

My comment about flow through them still stands as they still have that floss material the water has to be forced through.

Good to know the BRS ones fit the spectrapure reactor. If these don't end up working out I may give them a try. So far they are running great though. I noticed on spectrapure's website they have the new media shells labeled as High Flow Media Shells and I think the original's just said Media Shell. http://spectrapure.com/Media-Reactor-10-inch-Media-Shell

Doesn't look like they have the old shells even listed anymore, they looked like this: