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SC Aquariums 50G PNP system review


RnMB1988

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Any new updates from everyone? I'm considering the 50g cube...great price on amazon and 0% for a year if I charge it!

 

 

I ordered a 112 gallon + a sump from them last month. The delivery company they used was complete crap. They delivered the sump but failed to deliver the display tank. When I called the shipping company they acknowledged that there was supposed to be two parts to the package and asked me to check inside the sump for the main tank...what? I explained to them that there was no way the main tank was going to fit inside the sump so they said they'd check the warehouse for the second part of my package. Long story short, they did indeed have my display tank and I had to go pick it up. When I got it home I realized it was cracked.

 

SC aquariums said that they shipped a new tank 7 days ago. I don't have a tracking number or an expected arrival date but I'm assuming I'll get it soon-ish.

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I had a crack in my tank due to delivery, but they replaced pretty quick. I had an issue with the plumbing parts. The original durso and return 't' did not fit the replacement tank and the bulkheads were not 'standard' size. So i couldn't just go and get plumbing from lowes. I asked and they replaced those parts no problem. I tweaked a couple of the plumbing parts to my liking, bigger durso and tweaked the return, but that's about it. I have yet to put salt water in the tank. The return pump could be have been a little stronger, but it works good, and its not that loud at all. Skimmer looks promising. Sump and stand look good and strong. Hope this helps.

 

Final Verdict - PNP does not mean PNP. But for the right price, the tank was a good buy. Glass is nice and clear. I would encourage the purchase, just not at full price.

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You can check the link in my sig. I am pretty much done transferring all livestock from my 16 over to the 66g SCA. Everything is up and running. You can check the last 2 pages of my thread for updates.

 

+1 to above, plan on doing your own plumbing. For the price IMO these tanks/ stand/ skimmers are a great deal.

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I'm downgrading from a 75g. I do plan on doing the plumbing...have done my last two tanks. Yeah, all that for under $700 seems like a great deal (especially with free shipping and 0% financing!)

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Yikes...which delivery company?

They used National Delivery System to ship the tanks. I'll be receiving the replacement display tank tomorrow and the same company will be delivering it. Hopefully it's in good shape.

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I read this thread like a bible for the last 4 months every night. I waited and waited and due to the sca 50 cube was a sparsely reviewed system i bit the bullet and bought the other night because i used my amazon card. 12months no apr. Cant beat that best of all tho they put one up for 599$ shipped i jumped on it. Now im sad the op hasnt updated on the sump refuge etc. This is my first sumped tank and im researching like crazy

 

Amyone know of a good build on these tanks on a fourm i can read and get info on. So far i bought Fiji pink like sand 60 lbs of live rock Dj power strip with 8 swich ports. Jbj ato unit and ebay pumpEvo 3 wat x10 clip on led And ovb salt etc btw limited time ebay has 160 gallon salt mix buckets from instant ocean for 32.88 shipped and for the reef crystals fpr 39.99 shipped i bought 3 in town a buclet was 54$Thanks for the help and all the info here

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Here is what I did once I got the good tank in hand.

1) I built stand and put tank on top. There is a thin Styrofoam mat provided for the tank to sit on. DO NOT REST THE TANK DIRECTLY ON THE STAND! Make sure the plumbing parts fit the way they are suppose to fit. The t for the return, the durso they provide. My t did not fit the space across the overflow box. Install the lock line parts to. Be carefull not to break any of the teeth of the overflow box. I did. Do yourself a favor and make sure that the bulkheads you receive work with plumbing from lowes/home depot. Mine did not. Had to get new.

 

2) Fresh water test. including the overflow box. be prepared for leaks. My bulk heads were not at tight as they needed to be and i had to tighten a little. if you do this on the test have the stand in position where you can access from the back. The stand has a nice size cut out for access to the bulkhead areas.

 

3) Set up the sump under the tank after the tank test ( or before) to catch excess water. I hard plumbed. To test I did not glue. I added a valve and t to the return. The drain and return were on opposite from the original tank i received. I used part of the vinyl tubing they sent to connect the return pump to the hard plumbing i added.

 

4) Once the system was running, I replaced the durso they sent with one of my own make. This helped with the noise at the top of the tank. The return line pipe no longer fit so I worked that our with a pc of vinyl tubing in the overflow connected to a t assembly.

 

5) It was sounding very loud in the sump with water slashing and bubbling. So i added a reverse durso. Helps a lot. There was a tip from someone else to add holes on the down pipe after my reverse durso. I havent tried this yet, but the space is cramped since i am running the ceramic and bioballs and filter pads they provided with the tank. But just having the reverse durso helps alot.

 

At this point im just cycling. All is well so far. The glass is really clear, waiting for my lights to come in and get the cycle done. I need to work on my stocking list next. Big difference from my 90gal in terms of what fish I can put in. We can work on that part together....lol. I hope all this helps.

 

10836456_876076935736317_967581733_n.jpg

 

10833900_876120635731947_588917479_n.jpg

 

10833603_876068609070483_2123176089_n.jp

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That helped me so much now i understand what im doing. Question whats that branch off over the fuge area . when i get my tank in im going to mod the sump and run the fuge bigger. My tank is stick in port. They have to call me for an apptment to drop it off.. Grrrr i called them today they said it was on trailer. Hasnt been opened yet once they split the trailer it will be on its way.

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The branch of is for future addons, Maybe a fuge, definelty a carbon/gfo reactor. There really isn't much room to make the fuge area bigger, unless you make the return area smaller and until i get an ato set up, i wont do that.

 

Another tip i followed, and didnt mention above.

 

I ran a bead of silicon along the inside edge of the stand around the sump. This was with the idea that any water that spills inside the stand will stay inside the stand and not spill out the sides.

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Delivery was this afternoon. Everything was in perfect condition. I see what someone means when they mention having to know how to put Ikea furniture together. The instruction basically show the entire assembly process in one step.

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Really. Well i cannot wait to set mine up then also how heavy was just the tank easy to lift my bf wknt be out of work till 9 and i get it from 12 to 3 i wana set it up lol

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Needed a dolly to get the tank box into the apartment. I emptied everything out except the tank and it'spretty heavy. I've got a friend coming over tomorrow to help get it upstairs on the stand.

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Here is what I did once I got the good tank in hand.

1) I built stand and put tank on top. There is a thin Styrofoam mat provided for the tank to sit on. DO NOT REST THE TANK DIRECTLY ON THE STAND! Make sure the plumbing parts fit the way they are suppose to fit. The t for the return, the durso they provide. My t did not fit the space across the overflow box. Install the lock line parts to. Be carefull not to break any of the teeth of the overflow box. I did. Do yourself a favor and make sure that the bulkheads you receive work with plumbing from lowes/home depot. Mine did not. Had to get new.

 

2) Fresh water test. including the overflow box. be prepared for leaks. My bulk heads were not at tight as they needed to be and i had to tighten a little. if you do this on the test have the stand in position where you can access from the back. The stand has a nice size cut out for access to the bulkhead areas.

 

3) Set up the sump under the tank after the tank test ( or before) to catch excess water. I hard plumbed. To test I did not glue. I added a valve and t to the return. The drain and return were on opposite from the original tank i received. I used part of the vinyl tubing they sent to connect the return pump to the hard plumbing i added.

 

4) Once the system was running, I replaced the durso they sent with one of my own make. This helped with the noise at the top of the tank. The return line pipe no longer fit so I worked that our with a pc of vinyl tubing in the overflow connected to a t assembly.

 

5) It was sounding very loud in the sump with water slashing and bubbling. So i added a reverse durso. Helps a lot. There was a tip from someone else to add holes on the down pipe after my reverse durso. I havent tried this yet, but the space is cramped since i am running the ceramic and bioballs and filter pads they provided with the tank. But just having the reverse durso helps alot.

 

At this point im just cycling. All is well so far. The glass is really clear, waiting for my lights to come in and get the cycle done. I need to work on my stocking list next. Big difference from my 90gal in terms of what fish I can put in. We can work on that part together....lol. I hope all this helps.

 

10836456_876076935736317_967581733_n.jpg

 

10833900_876120635731947_588917479_n.jpg

 

10833603_876068609070483_2123176089_n.jp

 

This was my bible i took the bulk heads straight to home depot and tryed they out they gave me 2 big and 2 small seem to be different sizes hmmm

 

Thanks for the heads up on the foam pad its thin and black. My bf wanted to kill me he lifted the tank in place to put on the stand. I was reading this post screamed stop and ran upstairs to get it.. He had to hold it while i grabbed it haha. But its all together i have a ton of pics ima get her wet tonight befor i add sand etc..

 

Hows the system running how is your sump setup.. Like a lil fuge or all mechanical

 

 

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Upbstairs would suck down is better we slid the box slow down the stairs haha .its all setup now minus plumbing. We are working on it now. But im going to do a build tonight i took pics of thw stand build etc

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post-86646-0-19515100-1418940850_thumb.jpg

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