SCA 50GAL SPS BUILD

[CHUCKB973]

I have the heater in the last chamber with the return pump. I went with an eheim heater and they're super long so with my tupperware of miracle mud in the fuge, that was the only spot for it really.

hmm idk, I think the XP Aqua ATO says something about not putting it in a section with the return pump? It seems like it's fine there, but I've been debating adding kalkwasser to my ATO and I'm not sure I'd want it dumping that water into my fuge with limited flow in there. I'm pondering the idea of removing the mud, moving heater to the fuge and just laying it on the bottom, then having the ATO in the return pump area along with dosing tubes which I'm apparently going to need soon now that I've got a few SPS corals going hard. I don't really see why the ATO couldn't be in the return pump area.

If you're going barebottom this isn't really an option, but I went with eggcrate on the bottom of my tank and then covered it with sand, iirc I read it makes the rockwork a little more stable and less likely to topple over. I wanted some wrasses so barebottom just wasn't an option. That said, if you want SPS, I totally get why people with those tanks go that route. I don't think I have super high flow in my tank, but the sand (fiji pink) does get blown around a bit and I'm rolling with: 1 tunze powehead ~450 gph, 1 sicce powerhead ~500 gph, icecap 1k at max of 40% so I guess ~400 gph, and then a simplicity return pump which is 1300 gph I think, but I run it at around half so ~650 gph. The bummer I've found is anything over that 500 gph area seems to blow sand around or feel like too much flow for the LPS.

Thanks to @Why-Me looks like I’ll be going bare bottom now. I’ll be buying the Brs 24x24 1/8 black ABS plastic sheet to protect the bottom. I have two a Atos and I have both of them in the return pump section. I just re read through the instruction booklet and the only thing I could find was that its not supposed to be placed somewhere with micro bubbles because it may affect the sensor.

 

[CHUCKB973]

LOL
I hear ya, I changed my build 2-3 times before finally staying the course and going with bare bottom and starboard.
I'm basically doing the WWC/BRS hybrid method from the BRS video series.

Just saw the video looks like I’m going bare bottom with abs plastic

 

[Why-Me]

IMO
Worst case scenario you don't like bare bottom or the first year of instability and algae is annoying, you can always throw sand in it. Now taking sand out to go bare bottom is a PITA I've seen many videos of people doing that including BRS. You're better off starting BB then add sand if you need/want.

 

[CHUCKB973]

IMO
Worst case scenario you don't like bare bottom or the first year of instability and algae is annoying, you can always throw sand in it. Now taking sand out to go bare bottom is a PITA I've seen many videos of people doing that including BRS. You're better off starting BB then add sand if you need/want.

I actually like the bare bottom look I was just scared of breaking the glass bottom but with the abs it looks like I have nothing to worry about.

 

[CHUCKB973]

IMO
Worst case scenario you don't like bare bottom or the first year of instability and algae is annoying, you can always throw sand in it. Now taking sand out to go bare bottom is a PITA I've seen many videos of people doing that including BRS. You're better off starting BB then add sand if you need/want.

The more I think about it I can’t decide :mad: I already have the sand but going bare bottom does seem to have good benefits... aghhhh!

 

[Why-Me]

I know how ya feel. I have eggcrate and sand for the bottom of mine. But it will go into my daughter's tank...it was an excuse for me to get another tank I guess?

 

[CHUCKB973]

I know how ya feel. I have eggcrate and sand for the bottom of mine. But it will go into my daughter's tank...it was an excuse for me to get another tank I guess?

I guess I have until my rock is cured to think about it .

 

[mattzang]

The more I think about it I can’t decide :mad: I already have the sand but going bare bottom does seem to have good benefits... aghhhh!

honestly if you don't want sand burying fish and you like the look.. i don't see the downside of going BB. especially if you cram that thing with corals! Jake Adams of reefbuilders has a home tank that's a 60 gallon cube (basically same dimensions as ours) and you can barely even notice it's BB because it's just filled with corals.

 

[CHUCKB973]

honestly if you don't want sand burying fish and you like the look.. i don't see the downside of going BB. especially if you cram that thing with corals! Jake Adams of reefbuilders has a home tank that's a 60 gallon cube (basically same dimensions as ours) and you can barely even notice it's BB because it's just filled with corals.

Man I just watched the whole vid. That’s one nice looking tank!!! I already ordered the abs plastic and I already have the sand so who knows what I will go with

 

[DiscGolfRob]

Following along! I have the same setup, and will be on a pretty close timeline.

 

[CHUCKB973]

Following along! I have the same setup, and will be on a pretty close timeline.

Nice I’ll be sure to follow ur thread! Are you going bare bottom?

 

[DiscGolfRob]

Nice I’ll be sure to follow ur thread! Are you going bare bottom?

No, I think I'm pretty sure I'm going to do a 2" sand bed. I like the natural look of the sand bed, even though there are definitely advantages to leaving it bare bottom.

 

[CHUCKB973]

No, I think I'm pretty sure I'm going to do a 2" sand bed. I like the natural look of the sand bed, even though there are definitely advantages to leaving it bare bottom.

I already bought the sand but now decided to go hate bottom.

 

[CHUCKB973]

ABS and silicone are here!!!!

 

[Schnizzle]

Following along. I like finding fellow SCA owners.