Jared’s sca 50g reef (1 year update 5-17/24)
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Ef4life
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So may 17th is the 1 year anniversary of the 50g, I cleaned it really well over the weekend and took some photos.
We can start with the sump area, it hasn’t changed too much, but it’s certainly not as clean as it once was.
Day 1
Now - overall it hasn’t changed much. I added the skimmer, sandbed container, mangroves and the filter sock holder. I need to tidy up the wires a bit. But it’s been functioning well for me. The 10g is borderline too small now as it’s packed full so I do want to go bigger down here.
You can see the small fan and kamoer dozers mounted
The mangroves are doing very well, both have the second set of leaves, I trimmed the growth bud so now the new growth should start to branch out.
We can start with the sump area, it hasn’t changed too much, but it’s certainly not as clean as it once was.
Day 1
Now - overall it hasn’t changed much. I added the skimmer, sandbed container, mangroves and the filter sock holder. I need to tidy up the wires a bit. But it’s been functioning well for me. The 10g is borderline too small now as it’s packed full so I do want to go bigger down here.
You can see the small fan and kamoer dozers mounted
The mangroves are doing very well, both have the second set of leaves, I trimmed the growth bud so now the new growth should start to branch out.
OP
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Ef4life
Valuable Member
Today is may 17th - it’s the 1 year anniversary of the sca50g.
Overall I’m very happy with how this tank is starting to progress. Algae issues are seemingly starting to get better as I added a few turbo snails from my other tanks temporarily to help out.
But the reality of the situation is it’s getting getting close to summer and getting hot. Inside my house today is 102* f and I have 2 fans running on the tank and sump to keep it cool. So far the tanks surviving for now, but its only may, and it’s going to only get hotter as we get closer to summer. afternoon temps on the tank are
Reaching 82-83*, So that leads me to a difficult choice - try and keep this tank cool, or take it down until construction is done. Also since I’m running the fans, evaporation is like an extra 1-1.5g a day I’m having to add manually since I don’t use a traditional ato.
So I’m really leaning towards taking it down, there is a mess of drywall and paint work that needs to be done, and it’s going to be rough keeping it out of the system, I will have to temporarily set up a tank in my bedroom with my other system (omg I have like no room left in my room) . My bedroom has a small window ac I bought to keep me and the reef system in my room cool. But it’s barely adequate for the room as is with 2 tanks, so adding a 3rd constant 78* heat source will mean getting a bigger window unit to keep up.
Overall I’m very happy with how this tank is starting to progress. Algae issues are seemingly starting to get better as I added a few turbo snails from my other tanks temporarily to help out.
But the reality of the situation is it’s getting getting close to summer and getting hot. Inside my house today is 102* f and I have 2 fans running on the tank and sump to keep it cool. So far the tanks surviving for now, but its only may, and it’s going to only get hotter as we get closer to summer. afternoon temps on the tank are
Reaching 82-83*, So that leads me to a difficult choice - try and keep this tank cool, or take it down until construction is done. Also since I’m running the fans, evaporation is like an extra 1-1.5g a day I’m having to add manually since I don’t use a traditional ato.
So I’m really leaning towards taking it down, there is a mess of drywall and paint work that needs to be done, and it’s going to be rough keeping it out of the system, I will have to temporarily set up a tank in my bedroom with my other system (omg I have like no room left in my room) . My bedroom has a small window ac I bought to keep me and the reef system in my room cool. But it’s barely adequate for the room as is with 2 tanks, so adding a 3rd constant 78* heat source will mean getting a bigger window unit to keep up.
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Ef4life
Valuable Member
Not much to update, tank is doing well. I’m still on the lookout for a new tank so I can tank it down temporarily, but no luck yet. I got a new lego set, I’ve wanted this one for a while - and being a limited edition set - it was hard to find cheap.
It’s fairly top heavy since the sails are brick build vs cloth, but I plan on buying a set of cloth sails and modifying the mast to work with them. Imo it will look a lot better, and having less weight, I can put the boat on a slight angle to show it leaning over giving it a more dynamic look
It’s fairly top heavy since the sails are brick build vs cloth, but I plan on buying a set of cloth sails and modifying the mast to work with them. Imo it will look a lot better, and having less weight, I can put the boat on a slight angle to show it leaning over giving it a more dynamic look
ESABOE
2500 Club Member
Hello EF4Life!
I’m so glad R2R shared this in their community email newsletter! I love how you combined two passions that really go well together.
Following and looking forward to the unexpected!
I’m so glad R2R shared this in their community email newsletter! I love how you combined two passions that really go well together.
Following and looking forward to the unexpected!
Gumbies R Us
Certified Noob
I went to eBay almost immediately after seeing your post about the sailboat and almost bought it, but I thought I probably should wait until I have more money hahaNot much to update, tank is doing well. I’m still on the lookout for a new tank so I can tank it down temporarily, but no luck yet. I got a new lego set, I’ve wanted this one for a while - and being a limited edition set - it was hard to find cheap.
It’s fairly top heavy since the sails are brick build vs cloth, but I plan on buying a set of cloth sails and modifying the mast to work with them. Imo it will look a lot better, and having less weight, I can put the boat on a slight angle to show it leaning over giving it a more dynamic look
OP
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Ef4life
Valuable Member
Definitely watch out to find one cheap, I bought a mine with a damaged box for $17 + fees and shipping. Mercari and offer up are both good options to find lego besides eBay.
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Ef4life
Valuable Member
This beast was too heavy to even lift by myself, I had to get creative using some ramps and leverage to unload it and move it around, absolutely no way a window could support this thing, so I built a quick frame out of some 2x4s and framed in the window around the unit with some 3/4” pine I had leftover from another project. Closed the gaps with some leftover paneling.
now the electrical part - I need to run a 20amp 240v circuit, it’s only temporary so I’m thinking of making some type of extension cord to power it up from the main panel vs running a proper circuit in the house I’ll never use again (hopefully)
now the electrical part - I need to run a 20amp 240v circuit, it’s only temporary so I’m thinking of making some type of extension cord to power it up from the main panel vs running a proper circuit in the house I’ll never use again (hopefully)
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Ef4life
Valuable Member
The new monster ac unit is cooling the house, but it’s still heating up during the day, just not as hot. Peak temps are low 90s vs low 100s. Tank is staying cool enough for now.
Aperture being anti competition is my gain today - clearance on hydros - I bought a x2 controller and a wave entire with 2k gyre. I’ve wanted to try both a gyre and the hydros system for a long time, so this is a nice upgrade I hope. I plan on adding the hydros stuff to the 40b system And using the hydros ports to upgrade the ato to something that isn’t in a constant of alarm 87% of the time like my duetto. The prices shown also had another 25% taken off so it was a great deal and I also needed some more tm balling part c.
Not super great photos here, but I added a penguin hob filter to the sump, 2 reasons, the waterfall effect will cool the water as the tank heats up, and the mesh screen will hopefully become a passive turf scrubber like I have on the 40b. I also plopped the secondary heater in the hob, it fits perfect in there and there isn’t much room in the sump at all now.
And a new lego set just was announced for preorder - legend of Zelda - I’m excited but it’s priced pretty high. Hopefully it will go on a good 20% off sale soon after release.
Aperture being anti competition is my gain today - clearance on hydros - I bought a x2 controller and a wave entire with 2k gyre. I’ve wanted to try both a gyre and the hydros system for a long time, so this is a nice upgrade I hope. I plan on adding the hydros stuff to the 40b system And using the hydros ports to upgrade the ato to something that isn’t in a constant of alarm 87% of the time like my duetto. The prices shown also had another 25% taken off so it was a great deal and I also needed some more tm balling part c.
Not super great photos here, but I added a penguin hob filter to the sump, 2 reasons, the waterfall effect will cool the water as the tank heats up, and the mesh screen will hopefully become a passive turf scrubber like I have on the 40b. I also plopped the secondary heater in the hob, it fits perfect in there and there isn’t much room in the sump at all now.
And a new lego set just was announced for preorder - legend of Zelda - I’m excited but it’s priced pretty high. Hopefully it will go on a good 20% off sale soon after release.
Gumbies R Us
Certified Noob
I was wanting to get that set as well until I saw the price of it! at 25% off I would be tempted on itThe new monster ac unit is cooling the house, but it’s still heating up during the day, just not as hot. Peak temps are low 90s vs low 100s. Tank is staying cool enough for now.
Aperture being anti competition is my gain today - clearance on hydros - I bought a x2 controller and a wave entire with 2k gyre. I’ve wanted to try both a gyre and the hydros system for a long time, so this is a nice upgrade I hope. I plan on adding the hydros stuff to the 40b system And using the hydros ports to upgrade the ato to something that isn’t in a constant of alarm 87% of the time like my duetto. The prices shown also had another 25% taken off so it was a great deal and I also needed some more tm balling part c.
Not super great photos here, but I added a penguin hob filter to the sump, 2 reasons, the waterfall effect will cool the water as the tank heats up, and the mesh screen will hopefully become a passive turf scrubber like I have on the 40b. I also plopped the secondary heater in the hob, it fits perfect in there and there isn’t much room in the sump at all now.
And a new lego set just was announced for preorder - legend of Zelda - I’m excited but it’s priced pretty high. Hopefully it will go on a good 20% off sale soon after release.
OP
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Ef4life
Valuable Member
So I’m about done with the kalkwasser I think, I don’t even dose that much and it turns my sand to bricks and seizes up my pumps every month or so. I had to remove a bunch of hardened sand from the sump, and free up the mangroves to root. The mangroves are moved a bit and I used a smaller container for the one, so I now have a tiny bit more room in the sump.
Then I bought the lego set I had to have to since the moment I seen it for the first time. A Minifigure tribute 40504 Captain Redbeard. I plan to build him a parrot and treasure chest eventually
Then I bought the lego set I had to have to since the moment I seen it for the first time. A Minifigure tribute 40504 Captain Redbeard. I plan to build him a parrot and treasure chest eventually
OP
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Ef4life
Valuable Member
I forgot to mention, I went to the Phoenix coral farmers market last weekend, I didn’t have much spending money since I was busy buying expensive stuff days before. But I ended up with this really nice Goni - he called it cotton candy goniopora
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Ef4life
Valuable Member
I forgot to update my trees - most the seeds never turned out, but I have 2 of the sophora japonica that have been doing well, one has really taken off and I put some heavy bends in The trunk and wired it to hold the shape. The smaller one I plan to keep more upright. I have a single Japanese black pine sprout, and then my little juniper that I’ve had for a while.
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Ef4life
Valuable Member
So there is this awesome thing called the bricklink designer program, where lego fan builders can submit there own designs and have a chance at being produced as a real set, limited to a max of 30,000 copies. Voting for sets is going on right now,
And there is an epic set I want everyone that reads this to vote for, it’s called deep
Sea discovery- I did not design it, I just want the chance to buy one and I need you to go vote
www.bricklink.com
And there is an epic set I want everyone that reads this to vote for, it’s called deep
Sea discovery- I did not design it, I just want the chance to buy one and I need you to go vote
Deep Sea Discovery from BrickLink
www.bricklink.com
Gumbies R Us
Certified Noob
Say no more; I will vote for that! I always love going there and seeing the sets that might officially come out! Lego just showed some of the bricklink series 2 sets that look awesome.So there is this awesome thing called the bricklink designer program, where lego fan builders can submit there own designs and have a chance at being produced as a real set, limited to a max of 30,000 copies. Voting for sets is going on right now,
And there is an epic set I want everyone that reads this to vote for, it’s called deep
Sea discovery- I did not design it, I just want the chance to buy one and I need you to go vote
Deep Sea Discovery from BrickLink
OP
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Ef4life
Valuable Member
Update - the sca 50 is doing well, I haven’t done much in the form of maintenance for the past few weeks. Mangroves opened up the next set of leaves, corals are growing. But the tank is heating up still in the afternoons, phoenix summer is in full swing now 110* plus outside, nearly 100* outside at night, the ac with no insulation in the house just can’t stay cool enough during the day. I have some battery power fans I’ve been using, but I’m going to add a smart plug I have laying around and another larger fan to kick on automatically at noon and off at 8pm, because if the fan stays on overnight it overcools the tank down into the low 70s which is a pretty major swing to go through everyday.
3rd set of leaves on the mangroves
The 40b system has went through some changes also, it seems my ato decided to unalive itself, so that was causing issues with running low on water at night when I was gone the past few weeks, it turn the sump and display into separate systems at that point. When water stopped pumping up to the frag tank, the frag tank was getting cooked as that’s where the heater is, but the heater temp probe is seperate and in the display, which allowed it to get cold. So I had to move my secondary heater into the display and add an inkbird to control it as it’s old and the thermostat doesn’t work so it’s always on (but too small to actually heat up the tank to dangerous temps though), this tank has been heating up in the adternoons, but not as bad as it’s more isolated in a colder area, so I just added a fan to this tank - controlled by the inkbird. So now this tank is staying properly in range. As long as I top off the water every day anyways. The corals and fish are all doing well, even with me slacking on maintenance lately
Evening blues
Frag tank blues
New fan
Control panel and the new inkbird
3rd set of leaves on the mangroves
The 40b system has went through some changes also, it seems my ato decided to unalive itself, so that was causing issues with running low on water at night when I was gone the past few weeks, it turn the sump and display into separate systems at that point. When water stopped pumping up to the frag tank, the frag tank was getting cooked as that’s where the heater is, but the heater temp probe is seperate and in the display, which allowed it to get cold. So I had to move my secondary heater into the display and add an inkbird to control it as it’s old and the thermostat doesn’t work so it’s always on (but too small to actually heat up the tank to dangerous temps though), this tank has been heating up in the adternoons, but not as bad as it’s more isolated in a colder area, so I just added a fan to this tank - controlled by the inkbird. So now this tank is staying properly in range. As long as I top off the water every day anyways. The corals and fish are all doing well, even with me slacking on maintenance lately
Evening blues
Frag tank blues
New fan
Control panel and the new inkbird
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