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Solana 34 Gallon Build


Geoff Southworth

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Geoff Southworth

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This journey into the reef keeping hobby has been a blast this far and i hope to make it even better. I have been in the hobby for a little over 2 years when i started a 24 gallon nano-cube. I wanted something awesome to look at while i was in school and i figured a salt water tank would do. I have kept freshwater tanks for a few years but i wanted a bigger challenge, not to mention the beautiful colors of fish and corals. Well, despite my research i still ran into many problems that newbies tend to have and in the process i have learned a tremendous amount about reef keeping. I have been able to keep most soft corals such as mushrooms, zoos and toadstools. However i have not been able to keep any sps, clams, or even an anemone due to the compact lighting on my nano-cube.

 

After long discussion with the wife she has allowed me to acquire a bigger tank. We argued over size and placement and have decided to buy a 34 gallon Solana!

 

Equipment as of now

-20 x 20 x 20 inch Solana

-Current USA 150 watt MH with PC actenics

-Neptune Apex Controller

-Stock protein skimmer

-Tunze Osmolator

-JBJ nano glo fuge LED

-5 gallon fish tank used with ATO

- BRS dosing pumps x2

 

Equipment to come

-Ecotech Vortech mp10

-Hydor slim skim

-Ecotech battery backup

- GFO Reactor

Edited by .5150.
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Geoff Southworth

Sweet! Pukani rock coming from BRS on Thursday! Can't wait to start the cycle!

 

Hey I use to be in that club before I upgraded. Good luck with your build.

 

Thank you!

Edited by .5150.
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Geoff Southworth
I like it so far. Where did you find a solana 34? I though nobody was selling them anymore.

 

Thanks, I had my eye on one at my lfs where it was on layaway for over about a year. Every time I walked in I told the guy I would give him cash for it on the spot but with no success. Finally, one day I noticed that the sold sign was gone and I took it home same day. Couldn't be happier! skimmer and pump work great so far and he also threw in a free heater because he gave me the wrong price quote. $400 out the door.

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Geoff Southworth
Nice! I've yet to set up my ATO...I'm interested in what pump you're using, type of tubing and how/where you secured it?

 

 

I'm using the Tunze Osmolator 3155. The kit was $202.07 from BRS.

 

Metering pump; Operating on low-voltage 3 to 12 VDC for Osmolator, performance with 4 mm (.15 in.) hose at 11 V: 0.9 m (35.4 in.) - 100 l/h (26.4 USgal./h)

 

PVC hose; internal .15 x external .27 x length 118.1 inches

 

The back of the Solana has 3 chambers. Looking from the front: Left chamber is where the skimmer sits. Heater is between left and middle. Middle chamber is mechanical filtration as well as bio balls or whatever you want to run. Right chamber is the return chamber with pump as well as the gravity top off. I removed the gravity top off and placed both operating sensors here along with the magnetic mounting bracket. The 5 gallon fresh water tank is in the bottom of the stand with the metering pump. Metering pump is connected to the return hose which leads back into chamber number 2. The return hose comes with a clamp that fits nicely on the back of the Solana. The controller portion is on the second shelf above the freshwater tank and alarms when it senses an overfill, something that i hope to never hear. The metering pump also turns off after 10 minutes of consecutive running. This is ok since I only have a 34 gallon but someone who has a 100 gallon tank or so may run into issues. Hope this helps!

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Edited by .5150.
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Geoff Southworth
why do you have mess with peolpe that have 100 gallons tanks. This tank is gonna be sweet.

 

Sorry, I didn't mean that to sound rude. I was going off of what the manufacture says. Because of the 10 minute stop/run time on the motor, it may not be able to fill to the proper level in bigger tanks. So, they recommend switching to a bigger motor.

 

Thank you for the compliment.

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Geoff Southworth

Shipment from BRS has arrived!

 

28 lbs of pukani dry rock

Two part calcium, alkalinity, magnesium

Nano-glo fuge light

Hanna phosphate checker

GFO

 

Cant wait to start the rock scape! pictures to follow

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Geoff Southworth

So after a few days of chipping, hack sawing and positioning I am finally happy with my rock scape!

 

(light is a loaner for now)

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Edited by .5150.
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  • 2 weeks later...
Geoff Southworth
I'm going to be restating a solan a 34 anytime niw I like your equipment choices so far. I lie the scape on the right better.

 

Thank you and good luck with your Solana build! mine has been awesome so far, and i cant wait to see how yours turns out!

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