150G Same Size UpGrade

[asonitez]

So Like the title says. I am upgrading to the same size tank.

First off I have 3 build threads here so I won't re-iterate whose threads but my drive for my upgrade is as follows.
I traded my slightly scratched 125 for a 150gal Oceanic Starphire tank and stand in Pennsylvania. My idea was that I would
I be getting rid of 1 halide, some power heads and reclaiming some space in my dining room because of the foot print while gaining a better quality tank and Starphire. Win WIN right? While I don't think the seller meant to sell me a scratched tank after cleaning the tank I realized that I had a TON of scratches. I was already committed to the tank and continued my setup process eventually moving my entire reef over. Everything is FLOURISHING. I have huge coral colonies now and tons of frags growing their little hearts out.

I have found my balance and methods utilizing the Red Sea Coral Program (RCP) to be extremely easy to use and the results are awesome.


There are somethings I hated about my new Oceanic Tank..

#1 - It had a 12" Top brace on the inside of the tank that got dirty of ten and blocked a lot of light.
#2 - The Scratches of course.
#3 - the 2 Giant totally un-necessarily large overflows on the back wall.

Its obvious this tank was made to take advantage of a Oceanic sump that featured a overflow inlet on both sides and central skimmer and return pump area.

Towards the end of last year I started looking to upgrade and my wife seeing my distress made an executive decision and told me that the next tank I purchase must be brand new, retain the same foot print, and be a peninsula. Along with Bax I started searching for a tank but after weighing the pro's and cons of Glasscages I decided to order a custom tank from Perfecto instead.

Perfecto is now owned by Marineland and as such now carries a Lifetime warranty on their tanks and stands.

My new tank was ordered and delivered to RedSand where I was able to pick it up and keep it movin.


New tank details

Perfecto by Marineland Signature. 48" X 24" X 31"
MegaFlow 2 Corner Overflow with Custom 1.5" Drains and Bulkheads.
Black Silicon
1.5" Center Brace
Molded Frame
Majesty Series Black Stand 48.25 X 24.25 X 28.5
Custom Canopy by Arch Carpentry

E.Shine Systems 5G Solar Sim 48X3w LED (2) and 4X 54w ATI Blue+ T5's
2 Vortech MP40's Overflow End
2 Tunze 6095's Internal on Peninsula End
External Pump
2 Next Reef MR1 Reactors (1 Carbon 1 Bio-Pellets)
1 Avast Marine Ozone Reactor
Skimz SM201 Skimmer
JBJ ATO
Apex Controller

The Tank is flawless and beautiful. The stand on the other hand I don't like. It suits the purpose fine and seems well built but they definately sacrificed working space under the stand. My Oceanic stand was 32" high and carried no Back or center stand brace. It also seemed much sturdier. I could have -reused my oceanic stand but part of the Marineland warranty states I have to use their stand to ensure my warranty.

To Remedy this.. I'm building a 3.5" riser out of solid wood and adding a decorative bottom trim. We are dropping the 1/4" plywood bottom and moving it down. Inside the stand we will be gluing Vertical Support beams. The Whole kit and kaboodle will be shimmed and we will drop the tank on. Marineland is all for Reinforcing the stands as long as you do not REMOVE any of their materials used to build the stand.


Worthless without pics I know. I'll have some up tonight.

 

[Sunny]

Sounds like a great setup. Waiting to see the pics

 

[NyteGTI]

in for pics!

 

[curt]

Yea I'd say it sounds like a great build. Can't wait to see pictures.

 

[Baxreefs]

Pics are required!

My build will be going soon! I went with the Perfecto too same dims, but not RR. Since I'm building my own stand and using a GH overflow there is NO warranty. But I'll have the full 2 x 4 area wide open with no huge overflows! So Damn the torpedoes!

Can't wait to see more!!!

 

[ricwilli]

Congrats on the new tank.

 

[asonitez]

Alright lots went down this weekend. I raised the tank. Got a canopy. Put the tank on the stand cried a little.

 

[asonitez]

 

[asonitez]

 

[wienerdog]

Beautiful tank..congrats! Cant wait for water in it.

 

[scooter1010]

Are you keeping the canopy and the stand different colors or will you be refinishing them? Good luck with the new tank!

 

[Baxreefs]

Looking good!

Are planning to vent the hood to the outside? And are you going to run a chiller?

 

[asonitez]

@scooter1010

The Canopy is made of MDF which will be sealed with KILZ oil based primer and then get a layer of rustoleom semi gloss black which matches the stand perfectly. The inside of the canopy will be painted a highly reflective gloss white. I did this to a test piece of MDF and then weighed it down in saltwater bucket for a week. Took it out and wiped it off and it was not harmed.

@Baxreefs


I won't be able to vent the hood outside. But I will be able to push/pull air into the canopy usin 4 120mm Fans that are ultra quiet. I have sexy black guards grilles and filters for them that I got at a steal from newegg.
The TOP of the canopy is open top to further vent air.

RE: Chiller
Since getting my tank a lot of things have made a difference. 1 has always been a chiller that's controlled by my APEX to literally become a hail-mary if my temp gets out of wack. As such I tend to always have one plumbed into my tank.
My Family is never home from almost 6 to 5:30 so with no one there to enjoy the cool air we don't run the AC's all day. The chiller then becomes my 3 line of defense. The first being the temperature controlled fans, the second being a large box fan on the top, and the third and final one is the chiller.

 

[asonitez]

Update


Well all of the tank related activities are soon coming to an end.

The tank is successfully raised and Secured. The base board was glued and screwed. Inside has been reinforced. Tonight I will begin the ardkous process of priming the canopy and Kilzing the inside of the stand with white. The reason for is is because once a light in installed inside of the stand it will make working under there incredibly easier because of how bright it is. Its so dark in there sometimes that its like working in the dark. I will be installing bright white daylight fluorescent daylight bulbs like the kind you find in hospitals.


I am contemplating if to REUSE my rock or go with all new rock and sell my old rock to cover the cost. My rocks been with me for years but in that Time I've had Ich before and I don't want to risk it. At the same time ICH hasn't shown its face on my fish for at least a year. ReefRocks has a good deal going 87 shipped for 50lbs of rock and i'm tempted to drop the few bucks and get new rock and cycle it with dr. tims

 

[NyteGTI]

if the ich hasn't shown in a year I doubt it's still there man. I wouldn't go changing your plans just yet. unless you're just wanting to change the scape then go for it.. but i'd keep that tower that your nem is attached to, he seems to like it lol

 

[asonitez]

WOOO What a weekend. I am sore as all h e Double Hockey Sticks..... So my buddy rob came over to give me a hand this weekend painting and prepping the stand.

Let me tell you... no one understands the pain that goes into painting the INSIDE of something in a small confined space. After painting the inside of the stand WHITE with Kilz Oilbased paint rob and I left the confines of the house with the birds to escape the fumes.

Returning a few hours later we got around to the task of taking my sump offline. Now HERE is where it gets scary.

My Sump is my lifeline. It has my skimmer, heaters, probes, chiller. My taking my sump offline for the next 2 weeks or so I will have to do water changes inside the tank, and I have also set in motion a ticking time bomb. I am now committed to this move by the end of the month. Some might say well you can always just put the sump back online if things start looking bad.

No, NO I can't lol. In a fit of super human strength my BFF and I removed the tank from the stand. (Same tank that took 3 grown men to maneuver). We Slid my now dismantled sump into the stand and then placed the tank back onto the stand pinching my finger in the process. Hehe.. Bloodshot finger now..









I have a weeks worth of challenges ahead of me.

#1 - Determine if to use a External pressure rated pump or put my MAG 18 Back online Externally.

- Pros of the external pump
* They use less electricity for the one that I'm looking at and are pressure rated ensuring that I will be able to run EVERYTHING off of my return Manifold.
* They are easy to take off line with unions for cleanings or even swapping out for a new pump
True 1" Inlet and outlet ensuring less restrictive plumbing and maximum water flow.
* Less Heat added to the water.

-Cons
* BIG
* Might be an issue fitting it under the stand
* I will have to dig in my pocket to PURCHASE a new one if a suitable used one cannot be found
* Could delay my tank fill because a suitable pump can't be found.


-Pro's of the Mag 18
* I wont have to change my plumbing at all except for 1 elbow.
* Reliable and proven to work
* Can probably power everything due to me moving down from 2 returns to 1 return.
* Very Small and Very compact.
* Parts are cheap, available, and super easy to replace.

-Cons
*Runs very hot and has to be plumbed outside
*When plumbed outside the seal will fail from time to time and will need to be supplemented with some Silicone to ensure that he volute does not leak.
* Plumbing is difficult due to the pipe sizes needed. Intake from sump is 1" which must be reduced to 1/2" or 3/4" and then output has to be upgraded from 1/2" or 3/4" to 1" - Part of me is thinking I should Plumb the entire return out of 3/4" To reduce the # Of Unions and Adapters.
* Pain in the butt to remove silicone every time some stupid snail or fish or macro algae or something gets out and into the return


Anyone got some tips for this decision?

 

[Baxreefs]

What external pump are you considering?

 

[asonitez]

I am considering the Reeflo Dart Its Shot Compact and very Quiet. I shouldn't have Problem with the Intake Even Though its 2"

• 3,600 GPH Max
  
• 12ft Max Head
• Quiet operation
• Designed for low to medium pressure flow applications
• Less than half the watt draw of comparable submersible pumps
• Ports are 2" FNPT suction and 1.5" FNPT discharge
• Units are pre-wired with an 8' cord and molded 115V plug
• 160 Watts Max
• Housing is molded of GLASS REINFORCED POLYPROPHELENE
• 3 year warranty

Description​

 

[asonitez]

In other news my LIGHTS arrived along with 20 Other lights!!!!!!!

SO first stop today was to pickup the latest shipment of lights from e.Shine.... 20 Boxes... This was an adventure.

1st Off - Eshine shipped these bad boys in a WODDEN CRATE! It too me like 20 minutes just to break them out of the wooden crate at DHL

Crappy picture but its off to the right my Crate.


That trunk IS JAM PACKED with lights. Most of the guys were there to pickup. Some of the lights Were picked up and moved to Central Jersey. Trenton to be exact. But Everything was inspected to physical damage and I made sure that all the warranty cards were included. Here are some of the improvements to these lights.


4G

2011 Cree Bin LED's
No Brass Hanging Kit
No Adjustable Hanging Kit (with John Guest Fittings and Slide Levels)
Controller 1" Larger
Controller will turn fans on at different set temperatures
Older style Optics (Large Bulky Optics Glued On)



5G

2012 Bin Cree Leds w/ Quad Core diodes running at higher watts per LED
for more Lumens
Computer Cad Designed Optical lenses that engulf the LED and does not
add any BULK
Brass Hanging Kit
Adjustable John Guest Hanging Kit (Same one Radion charges 40+ bucks for)
Controller 1" Smaller.
Controller 15mm Thinner
Controller buttons with Rubber Backing to prevent salt creep
Controllers Power/Paint Coated Stainless to Prevent Rust.
Single Cable from LEDS to controller instead of DUAL Cables
Controller now has temperature controlled Fans that ONLY turn on at
certain intervals
Controller fans will not run at night when Blue LED's are @ 10% unless
led's exceed temperature threshold
Tighter faster programming for the controller to reduce lag
Introduced Ramping Programming
Introduced Multiple Timer Programming

 

[Baxreefs]

That's the same pump I'm using, good choice. I considered a few internal pumps. As in a few - Tunze Silence & Ehiem pumps to feed everything and return to the DT. Combined they would be less watts and heat to the tank than a Mag 18 or the Dart. But, the Dart will run everything, absolutely everything, through a manifold and with a slight restriction draw less then the 160 watt max rating.