BouncingSoul's 50 Gallon SPS Tank

Joined
Mar 20, 2009
Messages
1,339
Likes
174
Points
48
Location
South Bay
#1
Got bored with Freshwater plants and neocaridina shrimp, them got bored with South American Cichlids. So I decided to do what I really wanted to do in the first place, which is setup a SPS dominant reef.

Based on my budget and space restrictions, bought an SCA 50 24x24x20 kit with stand, sump, skimmer. I wasn't too stoked on the quality of the tank or stand. I think the phrase "you get what you pay for" really applies. I'll just leave it at that.
For the lighting I wanted to take a decidedly old school approach. I knew I was going to go either T5 or MH. Narrowed it down to a 8 bulb T5 fixture but then they shipped the wrong one. While waiting for customer service help, I came across a great deal on a 250w halide reflector and ballast and said eff it. I've always loved the look and growth a Radium bulb gives above all else so went with it instead.
After spending a lot of time looking for a good, clean way to hang the light that would work with my vaulted ceilings, I decided to make my own out of conduit from HD. My first time making something like that and it's not perfect but I'm proud of how it came out.


Sent from my SM-J700P using Tapatalk
 
Joined
Dec 1, 2011
Messages
3,608
Likes
35
Points
48
Location
92804
#2
Nice.. A fan blowing across the surface will help with the, heat from the halides. Halides lamp are getting harder and harder to find, btw.

Sent from my SM-G935P using Tapatalk
 
Joined
Dec 1, 2011
Messages
3,608
Likes
35
Points
48
Location
92804
#3
With radiums, your going to need a specific type of ballast to fire the radiums (or atleast to bring out the 20k look)

Sent from my SM-G935P using Tapatalk
 
Joined
Mar 20, 2009
Messages
1,339
Likes
174
Points
48
Location
South Bay
#4
With radiums, your going to need a specific type of ballast to fire the radiums (or atleast to bring out the 20k look)

Sent from my SM-G935P using Tapatalk
Yes, thanks I am aware and have the correct ballast. I will be ordering a six fan unit to help with the heat and getting a chiller as well.

Sent from my SM-J700P using Tapatalk
 
Joined
Mar 20, 2009
Messages
1,339
Likes
174
Points
48
Location
South Bay
#6
I've kind of shyed away from cube-ish tanks in the past because I feel they're hard to scape nicely. I prefer a minimalist look. But without the length, the minimalist rock work in a cube looks like there is too much negative space IMO. I also wanted to maximize space to mount SPS so I ended up with this. Think it looks decent.


Sent from my SM-J700P using Tapatalk
 
Joined
May 10, 2011
Messages
13,583
Likes
93
Points
48
Location
Eastvale, Ca (Corona)
#7
looks good. i actually like the light hanger, matches the stand!! very clean.
might consider having rocks in the base that stick out past the rocks above them. that way you can place sps from top to bottom. the right side of your structure already seems to be setup that way, maybe just add a little rock sticking out past that over hang on the left side. otherwise you will be really limited with placing sps.
whats your plans with the sump? doser? reactor...etc
 
Joined
Mar 20, 2009
Messages
1,339
Likes
174
Points
48
Location
South Bay
#8
looks good. i actually like the light hanger, matches the stand!! very clean.
might consider having rocks in the base that stick out past the rocks above them. that way you can place sps from top to bottom. the right side of your structure already seems to be setup that way, maybe just add a little rock sticking out past that over hang on the left side. otherwise you will be really limited with placing sps.
whats your plans with the sump? doser? reactor...etc
Thanks. Good call on the rocks. I adjusted the top ones back a little and now have a couple more spots for sticks.
The tank came with a glass four chamber sump. I removed one of the baffles to have room for a bigger skimmer. I won't be using a sock on this setup. I traded the skimmer the kit came with, a SCA-301, for an ASM Mini G. Again, purposely old school. I love ASM almost as much as I love Radium.
I upgraded the Skimmer pump though to a Sicce PSK 200. It skims very well. Within 24 hours already got a half full cup of nasty. Since no fish must've been the gunk from the raw shrimp I used for fishless cycle? Either way, lot of foam this thing is cranking.
Return pump is a Jebao DCT-4000 running at 20%. Tunze Nano ATO for evaporation.
Future plans include cleaning up the cables, adding a MP10QD (not old school but hey I've always wanted a Vortech), replacing the stock green return/drain hoses for black ones. Dosing will be done by a Jebao 4 channel doser to start. May switch to Kalkwasser reactor or calcium reactor down the line. We'll see.



Sent from my SM-J700P using Tapatalk
 
Joined
Mar 20, 2009
Messages
1,339
Likes
174
Points
48
Location
South Bay
#10
Looks like skimmer is working well. Might want to spend a little more money and get the Bubble Magus doser. I've heard bad things about the Jebao doser. :/
I've seen a lot of issues with the Bubble Magus as well, both are cheap Chinese junk but one is cheaper. Haha. After selling Jebao junk for two years I actually trust their stuff for the most part. I've had very very few defective product returns during that time and offer a 6 month to one year warranty on it with no regrets.

Sent from my SM-J700P using Tapatalk
 

theMerchant

Premium Member
Supporter
Joined
Dec 12, 2015
Messages
1,262
Likes
10
Points
38
Location
Pomona
#11
Looking good.
I have a aqua medic doser im going to list soon.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
 
Joined
Mar 20, 2009
Messages
1,339
Likes
174
Points
48
Location
South Bay
#12
DIY'd this plastic mesh netting top tonight. Not bad for an old fart. There will be no carpet surfing this time around. Picked up a small Royal Gramma at Tongs along with a Bangaii Cardinal.
Next up will be the six fan unit on it's way from eBay, Vortech MP10, some CuC.


Sent from my SM-J700P using Tapatalk
 
Joined
Mar 20, 2009
Messages
1,339
Likes
174
Points
48
Location
South Bay
#14
Picked up some CuC last night. Added:
4 Astrea Snails
2 Nassaruis Snails
1 Cerith Snail
2 Scarlet Leg Hermits
1 Blue Leg Hermit
There is no longer a decent salt water fish store within like several miles of me so I had to resort to Petco and their paltry selection for this one. I'll probably make a run to Tongs this weekend for some more. New chiller was ordered from Amazon today along with a new wet side for the Vortech MP10 I bought from a fellow member here for $20.
 
Joined
Mar 20, 2009
Messages
1,339
Likes
174
Points
48
Location
South Bay
#15
How's the placement? Should go higher or lower? My first Vortech kind of exciting. I need it on the right side since I'm mostly viewing from the left. Running at Reef Crest mode 50% power while no corals are there.


Sent from my SM-J700P using Tapatalk
 
Joined
Mar 20, 2009
Messages
1,339
Likes
174
Points
48
Location
South Bay
#16
This $22 six fan thing from eBay is working great at cooling the tank. Brought down from 84 to 78 blowing at 100% power. Wondering if I will still really needed the chiller with this fan?


Sent from my SM-J700P using Tapatalk
 
Joined
Mar 20, 2009
Messages
1,339
Likes
174
Points
48
Location
South Bay
#19
Aquatic Fantasy had a sale over the weekend. Picked up a couple pounds of purple Coraline encrusted live Rock to seed the tank with and happy to see it has some other life on it too. Some sponge and tunicates, micro brittle stars.
Also picked up a few nice striped trochus and astrea snails.


Sent from my SM-J700P using Tapatalk
 
Joined
Mar 20, 2009
Messages
1,339
Likes
174
Points
48
Location
South Bay
#20
Got some test kits together though still need nitrate and phos.
Parameters:
pH 8.3
Mag 1350
Calcium 350
KH 12
Ammonia 0
Since I want to keep calcium between 420-450 I've started dosing the calcium part of ESV B-ionic.
Added the foam guard to the MP10 w/s today. Don't want to chance losing anybody. Hoping to add my first LPS by this weekend.

Sent from my SM-J700P using Tapatalk
 

Latest posts

Top