A New Dawn

[madweazl]

10 June 2019

Equipment list:

 

SCAquariums 150g w/starfire glass (19 Oct 2017) Source: SCA

Custom stand and canopy (26 May 2018) Source: WAMAS member BenA

Synergy Reef TS-44 (18 Jul 2019) Source: Synergy Reef

Avast MR5 reactors x2 (11 June 2019) Source: Avast Marine

Deltec SC1455 skimmer (20 Nov 2017) Source: Battlecorals

Eheim Jager 200w x2 (9 Jun 2019) Source: Amazon

Reeflo Snapper/Dart (22 Nov 2017) Source: Marine Depot

Kessil A360WE x3 (26 Oct 2017) Source: used; various sources

LET 48" T5 dimmable retrofit x3 (11 Jun 2019) Source: BRS

T5s 3 Blue+, 2 Aquablue Specials, and a Purple+ (2 May 2019) Source: BRS

Vortech MP40QD x2 (28 Feb 2018) Source: IAAN Aquatics

BRS dosing pumps x3 (14 Jul 2017) Source: BRS

Skimz DLC3 dosing res (3 May 2019) Source: BRS

GHL Profilux 4 (23 Sep 2019) Source: Marine Depot

 

Fish

Pajama cardinal (24 Sep 2019) Source: Azalea aquariums

Firefish (24 Jan 2020) Source: BRK

Lyretail anthias x (5 Oct 2019) Source: BRK

Diamond Goby (9 Nov 2019) Source: BRK

Hi-fin goby (24 Jan 2020) Source: BRK

Carpenter's wrasse (24 Jan 2020) Source: BRK

Lubbock's wrasse (24 Jan 2020) Source: BRK

Chalk bass (24 Jan 2020) Source: BRK

Blue/green chromis (24 Jan 2020) Source: BRK

Royal gramma (24 Jan 2020) Source: BRK

 

Inverts

Fire shrimp (9 Nov 2019) Source: BRK

Tiger pistol (9 Nov 2019) Source: BRK

 

Rock & substrate:

 

100lbs Marco dry rock (30 Nov 2017) Source: WAMAS member Larry Footer

120lbs Caribsea Fiji/Special grade mix (2 May 2019) Source: BR

 

Original post begins here

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I've been wanting to step up to a larger tank, specifically longer and wider than the current 75 gallon but not too big as to become cumbersome. After flip flopping on the length aspect for the last few months, I decided 60" was probably the best option for me. While I was hoping for something 27-30" wide, it was just too cost prohibitive at this point in time. Last week I stumbled across SCAquariums website and noticed their 150 gallon (60x24x24). It was a decent compromise in regard to what I wanted and what I could afford. After sitting on it for a week (that is unheard of self control for me), I went ahead and placed the order this morning and should take delivery in the next two weeks. While I'm beyond excited, the though of all the support equipment I still need makes me nauseous! 

 

I don't really want to maintain two tanks so the 75g will probably come down. I'll need a new sump and skimmer to support the increased volume but everything else can be migrated over to the 150. I'll need at least two more Kessil A360s, a larger return pump (or maybe another Waveline DC6000 to supplement the one I have now), and a new stand/canopy. 

 

 

Edited January 25, 2020 by madweazl

[madweazl]

Projected delivery date is the 27th  SCAquariums has been exceptionally responsive to questions; certainly too early to comment on long term customer service but they've been great thus far. 

Edited October 20, 2017 by madweazl

[D805]

I've read very good things about their tanks. I was originally going to order one of their cube tanks (50,60) but ending up finding something off Craigslist. Looking forward to seeing your build. 

[madweazl]

I hadn't planned on changing lighting (currently running Kessil) but I stumbled across a good deal for a pair of XR15 Pros (Gen 3) that I couldn't pass up. Now I have to decide if I should get three more Radions or do some type of hybrid with the Kessils. 

[madweazl]

 

[Origami]

^^ Love it! Great picture.

[madweazl]

The Radions (XR15 Gen 3s) showed up yesterday but not without a little drama. They were packed up in the original boxes which was nice but once I opened them, eek, talk about dirty! After looking them over I noticed the lenses were in rough shape with what appeared to be melted areas. After a quick google search I found a post that indicated this could happen if you placed the array light side down on a surface with them on. I plugged them in and they seemed to operate normally so I contacted the seller who promptly stated he would make it right (always refreshing to hear). Not that big of a deal as I wanted to run the wide angle lenses (original owner may still have these lying around the house somewhere) and they're fairly cheap. I tore the lights down and gave everything a thorough cleaning and with some replacement lenses, they'll look good as new. 

 

Cant say what the actual cause was but for you potential Radion users out there, avoid setting them down (e.g. LEDs against a surface) while powered on just in case. 

 

 

Edit: original owner just contacted me and stated some replacements are coming from Ecotech and he'll forward them on to me once they arrive. 

Edited November 1, 2017 by madweazl

[YHSublime]

 

 

This is fantastic. The pug on the left looks terrified. 

[madweazl]

That is Opie, he hates shiny surfaces (glass, tile, freshly waxed wood floors, etc.). Oh, and manhole covers... Penelope on the other hand, she is the brave one. We were in the hot tub a couple days ago and she jumped off the platform we set her on right into the hot tub. She'll jump in the bath tub with you too; crazy dog. 

[madweazl]

With all the great sales going on, I was forced to grab a Deltec 1455 for the new tank. Trying to restrain myself but may have to grab a return pump too. 

Edited November 20, 2017 by madweazl

[madweazl]

Reeflow dart and magnetic probe holder too; slowly but surely...

[khh27]

The Radions (XR15 Gen 3s) showed up yesterday but not without a little drama. They were packed up in the original boxes which was nice but once I opened them, eek, talk about dirty! After looking them over I noticed the lenses were in rough shape with what appeared to be melted areas. After a quick google search I found a post that indicated this could happen if you placed the array light side down on a surface with them on. I plugged them in and they seemed to operate normally so I contacted the seller who promptly stated he would make it right (always refreshing to hear). Not that big of a deal as I wanted to run the wide angle lenses (original owner may still have these lying around the house somewhere) and they're fairly cheap. I tore the lights down and gave everything a thorough cleaning and with some replacement lenses, they'll look good as new.

 

Cant say what the actual cause was but for you potential Radion users out there, avoid setting them down (e.g. LEDs against a surface) while powered on just in case.

 

 

Edit: original owner just contacted me and stated some replacements are coming from Ecotech and he'll forward them on to me once they arrive.

I had accidentally done the same thing to an xr15 I had bought a few years ago i had set it on something with it on and the heat from the leds melt the lenses.

 

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

[madweazl]

Skimmer arrived today which was quicker than anticipated but the body of the skimmer is cracked.

 

At first I just thought it was packed poorly because the volute comes installed on the motor block; I figured the box got squished or dropped, hitting the volute, and pushing it into the motor which hit the back of the drain tube.

 

When I looked in the box there was an indent where the volute would be which made it seem pretty clear but after I placed the internal cardboard to the skimmer in the box, that just isn't possible.

 

 

Other than this, the box is in pretty good shape. This is the end that holds the skimmer cup.

 

 

It looks like the motor definitely hit the tube and popped the tube out, whatever the cause.

 

[YHSublime]

Bummer. They taking care of it?

[madweazl]

Bummer. They taking care of it?

Yea, new body on the way from Germany apparently

[YHSublime]

Yea, new body on the way from Germany apparently

 

Das good.

[madweazl]

Years ago I was giving my wife a hard time about buying things on sale and told her, "you'd buy a rock if it were on sale!" Guess she gets the last laugh now...

 

[madweazl]

Despite purchasing a new truck last weekend and Christmas getting in the way, I was able to scrape enough pennies together to get the stand and canopy builds under way (special thanks to Ben A). 

 

 

Trim pieces

 

Crown molding for the top of the canopy

 

Chair board

 

Door trim 

 

Base board

Edited December 24, 2017 by madweazl

[madweazl]

Some progress on the stand; the builder (BenA) takes a lot of pride in his work. He's been awesome about sending progress pictures! 

 

 

 

 

[madweazl]

I'm looking at things a bit different with this build. While I've been in the hobby 20+ years, I'd never had an SPS dominant system until recently and I went a bit willy nilly in the 75g with regard to placement. Because of this, I've spent a considerable amount of time moving things around to create a more homogeneous look across the tank. Complicating things, I didn't know the species of the vast majority of acropora frags I was getting so it was hard to know what they'd look like as they matured. 

 

In a bit of a departure from the more vibrant all-in-one "named" corals that are center stage these days, I want contrasting colonies next to one another; I want yellow acroporas next to blues, greens next to reds, deep purples next to whites, etc.. 

 

Other major considerations were placement based on species. Taller growth patterns will be at the back of the tank, tabling species will be low down and toward the front and/or side so they don't shade the corals below them, and encrusting montis/leptos will get their own rock structures on the sand bed so they cant grow onto the main structures (reducing husbandry) but they will all come together to provide that one-two, knock-out punch! 

 

Of course, this is all just the plan...

[YHSublime]

Stand is going to be really nice, Ben does good work. 

 

As for placement, best laid plans of mice and men I've found. Looking forward to watching it pull together. 

[D805]

Got to agree, that stand is going to be nice. I'm liking the crown molding trim. 

[flooddc]

following along! looking sweet thus far.

[madweazl]

Got to agree, that stand is going to be nice. I'm liking the crown molding trim. 

 

It was done to match the fireplace mantle but we might be changing the fireplace now LOL. Ahh, goes back to YHSublime's comment...

[madweazl]

The stand has a floor and the doors are under construction. So exciting to see this come together! 

 

 

In other news, I've picked up a couple of Kessil A360WEs to replace the Radions I was originally going to use for the build and have a couple more on the way. As it stands, I'm planning on using four Kessil A360WEs and three 80w actinic T5s but I may switch to five Kessils and two T5s.