Lance’s SCA 120 Build Thread

[lanceinhuntsville]

After just shy of 1 year of running a 40 Breeder with HOB equipment, we have decided to go with a larger system and do it the way I said “I wish I had done it this way” throughout the last year.

40B HOB setup:

40B is running a Kessil AP700, Octo Reef Classic 100 HOB Skimmer, Tunze Comline 3168 filter, and two IceCap 2K Gyres. Running a Hydros setup with two Hydros power strips and a Tunze ATO pulling from a 10gal aqueon.

New tank arrived today, an SCA 120 (48x24x24) drilled for 16” Synergy Shadow overflow. Now waiting on the Synergy CL-34 sump (probably 6 weeks or so) and some other stuff to trickle in.

Drum set pictured for scale

We’re excited to set this up and get some floorspace back

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UPDATED Tank Info Below

Last update: Nov 23, 2021

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System info:

Tank: SC Aquariums 120 Gallon 48x24x24
Stand: SC Aquariums Wood Stand 36”
Overflow: Synergy Shadow V2
Sump: Synergy CL-34
ATO: Synergy 5-Gallon reservoir with Tunze ATO
Skimmer: Red Sea RSK 300 Reefer
Return Pump: Sicce Syncra SDC 7.0
UV: Aqua Ultraviolet 25W Classic
Water Treatment: BRS Carbon/GFO Dual Reactor w/ MightyJet 8501 Pump (running ROX and Purigen)
Lighting: Kessil AP700 (x2)
Control: CoralVue Hydros XS and X2
Flow: IceCap 2K Gyre (x2)

Fish:
2 Ocellaris Clowns
Flame Angel
Green Chromis
Orchid Dottyback
Banggai Cardinalfish
Melanurus Wrasse

Corals:
3 Torches
Hammer
Duncan colony (~30 polyps)
Duncan frag (1 polyp)
Aussie Crown Leather
Sinularia
Alveopora
3 Ricordea Mushrooms
Candy Cane
Platygyra
Branching GSP (and encrusting)
Pandora zoas
Sunny D zoas
Bam Bam zoas
Dragon Eye zoas
AOG zoas
Gator Eye zoas
Blue Eyes Barbie zoas
Radioactive Dragon Eye zoas
Eagle Eye zoas
Rasta zoas

Inverts:
Bubble-Tip Anemone
Blue legged hermit crabs (~15)
Astrea snails (~15)
Nassarius snails (~15)
GIant turbo snails (2)
Friendly bristleworms (who really knows)

 

[aws2266]

Will be following you. I'm bringing home my 120g at the end of Oct. Nothing fancy, just a used setup from LFS. Looking for aquascaping ideas.

 

[lanceinhuntsville]

I’m doing the same on other threads. We tried an NSA style for the 40B and I think the fish like all the hidey-holes but it’s hard to get light to hit some of the angles for coral growth. I think I’m going to break that scape into two pieces for this one and keep some of the NSA stuff but have a few simple rock piles for coral placement. I’m planning to reuse all of that rock plus 60 lbs of new rock.

 

[lanceinhuntsville]

Yesterday I inched the 40B away from the wall so we can paint this room BEFORE we set up the 120, because that beast is not going anywhere once it is full. Once the walls are painted this week we will move the 40 to another wall so we can put the new tank here. Baby steps, I guess.

Looking forward to covering the spackling from where I decided command tape strips would be so much better for the walls than screws to hang controllers/power strips

 

[lanceinhuntsville]

Bonus content: We figured upgrading from a 40 to 120 will be so easy and stress-free that this was the best time to start a nano for our oldest daughter’s room.

Just got the Fuji Cube AIO kit for a 10 Gallon Aqueon and siliconed it in. Got some rocks from a local reefer ready and waiting for it. We’ll probably get it going this weekend.

In hindsight, I wish we had gone this route with the 40B instead of all the HOB stuff. Oh well.

Edit: In even more hindsight I should not have used gorilla silicone as it has non reef-safe (mold resistant) additives. Looks like I’m buying a new tank for her. Oof…

Edit 2: She ended up with a nicer aquarium than my 40B… IM Nuvo 10

 

[X-37B]

Will be following you. I'm bringing home my 120g at the end of Oct. Nothing fancy, just a used setup from LFS. Looking for aquascaping ideas.

Checky build thread if your into minimalist scapes.

 

[lanceinhuntsville]

Checky build thread if your into minimalist scapes.

I like that a lot. Plenty of room for the fish!

 

[Rob K]

Following along as I have an SCA 120 sitting in the garage waiting to be set up.

 

[Pedal Dangit]

I'm doing the exact same upgrade at the moment. trying to keep my overgrown 40 alive in the other room while setting up SCA 150 in the office.

 

[lanceinhuntsville]

Build is going slow and steady… but got the first coat of Topside in the cabinet

 

[lanceinhuntsville]

Got the tank on the stand today. Now just waiting on the Synergy Reef sump to arrive and start the plumbing adventure.

 

[Rob K]

Got the tank on the stand today. Now just waiting on the Synergy Reef sump to arrive and start the plumbing adventure.

Looks great!

 

[lanceinhuntsville]

Just got an email that the sump has shipped! Time to start getting ready.

Mortared the new portion of the aquascape. I’m going to be breaking the existing aquascape up for the new tank and might stack it on some of these when I add it all in later. But the line represents the space that the majority of the existing scape will go.

 

[lanceinhuntsville]

The sump arrived! And it’s an absolute work of art!

 

[Rob K]

It is. Is that the 44” model?

 

[lanceinhuntsville]

It is. Is that the 44” model?

No, this is the 34”. Leaves me just enough room for the matching ATO and some bottles for dosing.

 

[Rob K]

No, this is the 34”. Leaves me just enough room for the matching ATO and some bottles for dosing.

Do you know what you will be using as an ATO container and what you plan on dosing?

The area where I will be putting the tank is 54” wide and I have a 39” sump. After seeing your sump in the stand, I’m going to build my stand out to 54” to try to gain more space.

 

[lanceinhuntsville]

Do you know what you will be using as an ATO container and what you plan on dosing?

The area where I will be putting the tank is 54” wide and I have a 39” sump. After seeing your sump in the stand, I’m going to build my stand out to 54” to try to gain more space.

The ATO reservoir is in that picture (on the right), it just matches so it looks like it’s part of the sump. It’s the 5 gallon Synergy ATO reservoir

 

[lanceinhuntsville]

Got the plumbing dry fit last night. Might add a few unions on the return lines.

 

[lanceinhuntsville]

Got the plumbing cemented! More sump stuff to set up… skimmer, controller board, doser, then still have to hang the lights, add sand, and add rocks… eventually we’ll actually add water to this thing