Soulpatch's 150 SC build

[pamlee78]

Beautiful!
I wish I had the bucks to append on one that big!


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[LowHangingFruit]

Very nice setup! How much room is the inside the stand for the sump and other equipment?

[soulpatch]

I would have to do a measurement but at worst it is 58x22. Best way to visualize it I guess is to think of what all I currently have in the stand with only the doser suspended from the top of the stand. The reactors have full access with nothing in front of them presently.

So in stand now:
Doser
Ruby elite 30 sump
2 BRS reactors
BAO ATO container
BAO dosing containers (2)
Apex mounted on slide out panel

Then add onto that I have my spare pumps, gfo/carbon/kalk containers, nets, ect in there as well and it is roomy. The amount of roominess will be tested coming soon though with the 40 inch sump I am going to throw in there. LOL


PamLee - Thanks. This is not a cheap hobby. Even my biocube 29 easily had 3+K in it (if not considerably more). I have not sat down to think about money on this tank but here is a quick rundown of stuff I can think about:

tank and stand (including paint, led lighting for stand and such) 2K
sump (now 2 though I will sell one eventually) 900
skimmer (bought used) 250
ato (used) 100
BAO containers 400
apex (only additional mondules from when on biocube) 200
powerheads 500
lighting 1400
pump and heaters 400
plumbing 200
water change station 300
rocks and sand 400
reactor 50
doser 500

so without any of the livestock I am at least 7600 into the tank right now. Add in salt, livestock, and all the small things I have forgotten to include and well into 10K at this point.

Sounds like a lot but it can be added over a long course of time. I am 2 years into this hobby now. Couple that with fact hat other hobbies are not cheap either depending on what you are into. I track motorcycles during the summer and a single weekend will run me 500 to start and that is if nothing goes wrong with the bike, tires, or me. Should it go wrong like the one year I had a nasty off and that simple weekend's cost climbs into the 10-20K to get the bike and myself operational again...

[pelphrey]

The avatar is classic!

[soulpatch]

Originally Posted by pelphrey

The avatar is classic!

It is how I feel but it misses the wife's hand pulling out my wallet while I throw that bucket of money out. lol

[LowHangingFruit]

I want to fit a 40"x18"18 sump in the stand. The only thing else that would require floor space would be ATO reservoir and dosing containers. I look forward to see how your new sump fits.

[soulpatch]

yes a 40x18x18 sump fits with no issue. My emerald is pretty much those measurements so you will be able to see shortly...

[krusieski]

awesome build so far excited to see more


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[LowHangingFruit]

Was just quoted $400 for a 48"x18"x22" glass sump with 8 baffles. Could of been an option for ya.

[soulpatch]

I dont like glass sumps for a variety of reasons but the largest being that they dont look as nice as colored acrylic. Glass is cheaper though but just doesn't look as good. Functionally they act the same so long as you have ability to adjust water level in some fashion.

But I would happily pay more money again for the acrylic sump. Hell I was oh so close to happily paying over a grand for a fully custom solution but that upgrade will wait till I have a fish room.

[soulpatch]

according to Amazon my valves and clear PVC glue/primer was delivered today. Since I am doing blue and white PVC I did not want the purple stains we normally get so I opted for the clear Oatey glue and primer.

The only thing that will look a bit out of place since I am not replacing the plumbing is my manifold. I might replace it at a later date but at this instance it will remain as is but potentially moved ever so slightly in the tank as things are rearranged.

As of now I am looking to try to tackle this on Sunday since it is Father's day and I should be able to sneak away into my basement for the day and away from the kitchen. The wife is really pushing for the backsplash to go up and the baseboard so I will have to try to get those done on Saturday. Oh and she wants to also go look for a new car. UGH women.

Also getting excited for Reefapalooza. Bought ticket today and digging out the coral cooler so I can snag some pieces up there and keep them happy till I get them home that night...

[soulpatch]

So wound up fairly sick this weekend. I started to get into the backsplash in the kitchen on Saturday after buying a new car in the morning and got a pounding migraine. So wound up in bed around 7 on Saturday. Spent the evening with hot/cold flashes and really didn't make it out of bed till around noon Sunday.

Really had no energy to get into flipping out a sump and having my head under the tank all day. I spent some time cleaning the mixing container though and it is drying now before I refill and mix up some new salt.

With Reefapalooza this weekend I am not sure I will get around to it either. I am actually getting angry at this point that it keeps slipping.

Not much of an update as my body failed me this weekend. The only promising thing I can note is that my cardinals and wrasse are still alive and well. No signs of disease any longer in the tank and been that way for at least 2 weeks. My clowns will probably be coming home this weekend to go into the tank.

[mav3rick478]

It's your body telling you to slow down, you've done quite a bit these last few weeks, rest and get better.

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[soulpatch]

Well kitchen should be "finished" this week. The crown moulding I can wait for a buddy to come help with but the remainder should all be done...

Just have to finish backsplash and some trim and she is finished for what I will be doing. Probably a few places to touch up paint. This has been a very long month and a half of chugging though it though

[JonezNReef]

Wow I applaud you on your accomplishments!!! Sucks you haven't felt good but you have been working like a mad man!! Wish I had the same drive as you so I could get that much done. At least your on the home stretch with the kitchen and it's good you might be able to get some fish in the tank! I just got my fish back in the tank but Mine was a all or nothing move since the fish almost died in the holding tank when the pooped them selves to death and spiked the tank with ammonia over night! Now I'm stuck observing them for a few weeks since I didn't get the full 72 days with no fish like I had hoped.
You will have to post some pics of the kitchen when your done!

[soulpatch]

BACKSPLASH IS DONE!!!. Now just to lay some trim and kitchen is done.

But let's be real you don't care about the kitchen you want to know about the tank. Well sump and AWC still are a no go BUT I was at reefapalooza yesterday and got some new toys and corals. So I took some shots of said items and most of the corals in the tank. So sit back and enjoy the next few posts as there are a ton of pics....And don't ask what many of the items are as I have no idea on a few. I got them since I liked the look and while I knew the name at time of purchase I forgot already...

Very cool glass cleaner with built in magnifying glass for awesome views of corals. This was one of my fav buys:


DR. Tims freeze tray which I wil use to make some of my own food. I already have blended some items and this will allow me to make the small cubes for feeding:


THIS was the star of the show equipment wise. This is the new aquamaxx light and it basically brings out the color in the corals for both the eye and for camera shots. All pics shown below were shot with this light on them...

I had to beg Marine Depot to sell this as they were not to be released yet and were not able to be sold. That said my friend Jason and I both got one after begging enough and are in need of writing reviews for them since they gave them to us.



Bansea coral viewer. I was VERY impressed with this as well as their sumps. I had seen pics online but in person they are really something to be in awe of. Had I not bought the Trigger I would have gone with them instead after seeing them in person. That said a coral viewer is the same thing no matter where you go but the Bansea one comes in colors and just looked better then the rest for the same or cheaper at the show.



Yes I need to remove the coverings from the acrylic but I will do that once I put the hanger in the door of the stand to hold this.



Finally bought a frag rack. I don't like the chincy eshopps ones or such. I wanted one I could leave in the tank and it would not look out of place. I do need to move this off my front glass but it was late when I got in last night and as such this is where it is for now. It is molded and not ceramic which means it should be easier to clean and lighter.

[soulpatch]

My black ice clowns who have finally been introduced to the tank.





So corals!!!!!

Again all shot with the wonderful aquamax light on them. This allows one to see the colors as I can see them in the tank and allows them to pop even more for the camera. Best $30 I have spent in a long time.





New acan:




Forest Fire Digita (THis one was from my LFS and needs colored up but the price was right with that in mind)





Best pic of this gorg as it is like a neon blue trunk with browninsh purple polyps.

[soulpatch]

And yet there is more!!!

One of my favorite acans. I call it the Halloween latern:


More acans:


THe new heads on this one are really bringing out the colors:


Iron man acans:


Different acans:

[soulpatch]

hammer and acan:


crazy mouth acan:






crazy flower nem:

[soulpatch]

My BTA:


green and orange enchilada:




open brain:



tile star:


mille:


ultra rainbow acan:


green goblin acan:


random acan:


crazy hammer:

[soulpatch]

rics:


bonsai from reefwreak and ric:

[soulpatch]

total tank shots:



left:


Middle:


Right:

[pelphrey]

A lot of great pickups! Look forward to hearing more about that light! I have a drag rack similar to yours and it is awesome!

[soulpatch]

Water change night tonight. I will take some final pics of the sump layout as it currently sits and perhaps some more of the livestock with the new coral viewers I got.

I would change out the sump tonight BUT I am leaving for the weekend tomorrow and I NEVER change something out before leaving. I might do it when I return on Monday though. My biggest concern is that my Fluval SP6 will not fit in the new Trigger so I might just have to take the base off of that tonight to test out and if needed order in another return pump.

I need a pump regardless so this will just tell me which one to get. If the SP6 does not fit it will be moved to the 75 gallon drum for the water changes. If it DOES fit I need to make a decision. I either leave it on the 150 and buy a big external pump like the pan world that will move a ton of water from room to room as needed OR I buy an Apex controllable pump for the 150.

I am leaning towards the pan world and waiting on apex DC pump till the COR comes out but curious of your guys opinions.

[Chibils]

Love the acans! 👍

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