SC Aquarium 66 gallon build

GonzoTheeGreat · Nov 26, 2016

Hi everyone,

Going to use this to document my slow build process on my new 66 gallon SC Aquariums PNP system, which I hope to have as an heavy SPS dominant tank. I choose sca over the red sea 250 because I liked the dimensions of the tank better. So far besides having to go and pick up the stand at the warehouse because the one at the reef-a-palooza display was broken while being taken apart, I have an MP40qd and radion pro gen4 with the mount.

Next big purchase I plan on getting a RO/DI system. I was looking at the BRS 6 stage water saver system, since they are having their black friday sale as well.

Will post up pics as soon as I figure out how to upload them onto the site.

Ty Hamatake · Nov 26, 2016

Welcome to R2R! This is an awesome place to be, especially for those new to the hobby. I look forward to this build!

If you're on the mobile version of the site then just click "upload a file", find the picture you want and click it, then just wait for it to upload. At least that's the process for me

GonzoTheeGreat · Dec 12, 2016

Sorry for slow updates. Have been busy with work and trying to find the time to set the tank up, but here the pics from when I first got the system and was able to make it fit in my mom's car. As well as doing a leak in the garage

GonzoTheeGreat · Dec 12, 2016

I decided on going with the wood cabinet instead of going with the mdf cabinet SCA usually offers and ran into a snag with it being unstable and when the tank was on it started to make a very loud creaking noise. So now just waiting to hear back from them

GonzoTheeGreat · Dec 12, 2016

So far here is the equipment I have so far just waiting to be put to use already

GonzoTheeGreat · Dec 12, 2016

Ty Hamatake said:
Welcome to R2R! This is an awesome place to be, especially for those new to the hobby. I look forward to this build!

If you're on the mobile version of the site then just click "upload a file", find the picture you want and click it, then just wait for it to upload. At least that's the process for me

Thank you for the welcome, so far I have been using the reef2reef app and it seems to be easier to use than tapatalk

Ty Hamatake · Dec 12, 2016

GonzoTheeGreat said:
Thank you for the welcome, so far I have been using the reef2reef app and it seems to be easier to use than tapatalk

I just go online. I don't have the app, but I read a post a while back that said it's actually even easier to navigate just going the old fashioned www. route.

GonzoTheeGreat · Dec 23, 2016

Update on the stand. I was able to exchange the wobbly stand for a more stable one and was finally able to get the tank filled

GonzoTheeGreat · Jan 12, 2017

Since the last update I did the tank has finally finished cycling. Some new equipment I am using on this build is I've upgraded the return pump to a Jebao DC6000, an ehiem jager 150 watt heater and have the radion and vortech running. Now I am just waiting for my new skimmer to arrive because the SCA skimmer was overflowing no matter what I did to try and stop the overflowing it would not work.

GonzoTheeGreat · Jan 12, 2017

I have added a Sunburst Anthia

A green birds nest

and a Mystic Sunset Monti

ludnix · Jan 13, 2017

Great live stock selection, I just started a SCA for myself and have been impressed with the quality for the price.

GonzoTheeGreat · Jan 13, 2017

ludnix said:
Great live stock selection, I just started a SCA for myself and have been impressed with the quality for the price.

I was equally impressed as well. the quality and prices are very good somebody looking to get into the hobby without having to spend an arm and a leg. Than can slowly upgrade to better equipment or even to bigger set up, as I plan on doing in the future

Jimbo662 · Jan 13, 2017

How is the MP40 working? I've got the same tank and couldn't decide on whether to go with the MP40 or two MP10's. I ended up with the 10s and put them on either side of the overflow. I've been concerned about detritus building up under the rocks and have been considering getting a 3rd that would be positioned to push a steady flow into the rocks.

GonzoTheeGreat · Jan 14, 2017

Jimbo662 said:
How is the MP40 working? I've got the same tank and couldn't decide on whether to go with the MP40 or two MP10's. I ended up with the 10s and put them on either side of the overflow. I've been concerned about detritus building up under the rocks and have been considering getting a 3rd that would be positioned to push a steady flow into the rocks.

The reason I went with the MP40 is because I plan on upgrading to a bigger tank in the future. So far the MP40 appears to be creating alot of flow. I have it set up on the right side of the tank and the way I have my rock structured I don't think detritus build up to be a problem. I have the setting on Reefcrest at 50%. I even decided to remove most of my sand because the sand was just being pushed aside too much and I can live with an almost bare bottom look.

Please excuse the dirty tank I am waiting for my mag float to arrive

GonzoTheeGreat · Jan 29, 2017

Since the last update I have added a few things to the tank and bought the red sea reef foundation test kit. The tank also went through a brown algae phase that seems to ending already.

I had another but it seemed to have just vanised.

A Garf Bonsai, in person it is starting to develop a deeper pure base with bright green polyps

Always wanted one is eating like a pig and gets along with the sunburst anthia

Also upgraded my skimmer to a Aquamaxx co-1 and is already doing a great job. This is what it skimmed after a couple of hours being in use and not broken in just yet.

GonzoTheeGreat · Jul 6, 2017

Its been awhile since I've last updated this thread. The last couple of months have been battling a cyano outbreak that I had and so far thses last two week it finally seemed to go awhile after removing all the egg create the rocks were sitting on. I also got some new equipment in that I added another mp40 and a tunze ato.

Stopped by the local store and grabbed a couple of goodies