[puopg]

Hello and thanks for dropping by my 120P journal!

For my entire life, I've only had tanks under 15 gallons. As a kid, I remember starting from a good ol' fish bowl, to saving up and buying my first tank, the Marineland Eclipse 12. And even as an adult, the largest I've ever ran was my ADA 60P. For my entire life, I've been wanting to have a larger aquarium, and I finally feel like I have the time, budget, and space to have one and do it the way I want to. I'm super curious to see how my experience in the past will translate to this larger scale!

This build is definitely not a budget build. And I definitely don't know exactly what I'm doing. But I look forward to the lessons to learn and experiences coming up. I will do my best to update this journal with my successes and failures, and I hope the community can benefit from them!

With all that said, here is where things are at:

Edited: 10/15/2022
Phase: Growing and fish selection


Last updated: 01/23/2023

10/12/2022
​

Equipment:

• Cabinet - Custom built 120cm.
  • [Lighting] Armacost Ribbon Flex Pro 3000K, 120 LED's meter.
    [Lighting] Armacost 45W Driver
• Tank - ADA 120P
• Automation - Neptune APEX classic
• Filtration:
  • CPR CS102 HOB overflow box, modified to use a Herbie style drain.
  • Trigger Systems Platinum Sump 26
  • Biohome Ultimate Media
  • COR15 return pump
• Lighting:
  • Chihiros 90" WRGB2
  • FluxAqua White Light Screen
  • iQuatics stainless steel universal hanging kit
• CO2
  • Reef Octopus Essence 130 Protein skimmer (as reactor)
  • Linde SS regulator with Parker h3a metering valve.
• Above tank watering system
  • Kamoer FX-STP Continuous Duty dosing pump
• ATO
  • Tunze Osmolator 3155
• Misecellaneous equipment that I really like:
  • Colder 1/2" barb quick connect adapters.
• Monitoring Equipment
  • Pinpoint pH probe
  • Hanna KH colorimeter

Code Powering the APEX:
For anyone interested in using an APEX and would like an example, below is a link to my github repository where I will be recording stuff for this tank. For my own understanding, I try to comment what each line is doing.

GitHub - puopg/ada-120p-2022: APEX code powering my 120P. Circa 2022

APEX code powering my 120P. Circa 2022. Contribute to puopg/ada-120p-2022 development by creating an account on GitHub.

github.com

Hardscape

• Frodo Stone
• Chamise Wood

Substrate

• ADA Amazonia Ver. 1
• ADA La Plata Sand
• ADA Power Sand Advance M + Pumice blend as base layer

Flora

• Monte Carlo
• HC
• Dwarf Hairgrass
• Staurogyne Repens
• Anubias Nana
• Buce, Wavy Green
• Buce, Kedagang
• And 2 other buces
• Rotala Green
• Mayaca Fluviatilis
• Pearlweed
• Water Wisteria
• Java Fern, Trident
• Java Fern, Narrow
• Mini Pellia
• Fissidens Miroshaki
• Hydrocotyle Verticillata
• Hydrocotyle Tripartita Japan
• Weeping moss above water
• Cool plants above water

 

[puopg]

I mounted the APEX on a slide out panel I built with drawer cabinet slides and some finished wood project board from Home Depot. A little cutting, and a coat of paint and Wala! The base board is actually mounted to the side of the cabinet using strong velcro adhesives mainly in an attempt to not drill the cabinet since I think the builder did such a good job that I didn't want to drill it if possible.

Aligning that stuff was a PITA, I wish I knew how to properly do that haha.

 

[EmotionalFescue]

Interested to see what you come up with!

I did hard plumbing with a canister filtered tank recently, and I thought it came out pretty cool. I assume you're doing a canister and not drilling the tank...?

 

[puopg]

Interested to see what you come up with!

I did hard plumbing with a canister filtered tank recently, and I thought it came out pretty cool. I assume you're doing a canister and not drilling the tank...?

Im actually planning to go sump with HOB overflow from CPR aquatics. I'm definitely not drilling the tank since its too nice to drill haha

 

[EmotionalFescue]

Im actually planning to go sump with HOB overflow from CPR aquatics. I'm definitely not drilling the tank since its too nice to drill haha

Nice. I've got a hang on back Refugium of theirs seems like they make good stuff.

 

[puopg]

Nice. I've got a hang on back Refugium of theirs seems like they make good stuff.

Yea I had one before and I liked it. Only bad thing is the Tom Aqualifter is discontinued which is kinda required to maintain the siphon so replacing that sucks. But I have some stuff I've been playing with as backups hehe.

 

[minorhero]

Very fun build! I'm excited to see where this goes. As someone getting ready to install an electrical/control station on a tank I am truly envious of your install in that department.

I seriously considered a hang on back overflow for my 120P, but videos I saw online made it sound quite noisy. Please let me know how you like it.

 

[puopg]

The tank has been lifted onto the stand!

My plan for the next few weeks is to test plumbing. Things I will be looking into:

• Noise: Herbie style drain hopefully will be enough to keep the tank silent.
• How to hard plumb this thing.
• CO2 degasssing and efficiency with the sump. Gonna see if the inline diffuser is enough or if i need another dissolution method for this setup.

 

[JayLok]

It looks beautiful. Can I ask where did you buy the tank and stand from? I saw it available from a couple website, but the shipping alone for 120p seems outrageously expensive compared to the 60p I brought.

 

[somewhatshocked]

It looks beautiful. Can I ask where did you buy the tank and stand from? I saw it available from a couple website, but the shipping alone for 120p seems outrageously expensive compared to the 60p I brought.

They told you in their first post. The cabinet was custom built and the tank is from ADA.

 

[JayLok]

They told you in their first post. The cabinet was custom built and the tank is from ADA.

Thank you. I meant what vendor and custom build company it was brought it from, not manufacture.

 

[puopg]

Thank you. I meant what vendor and custom build company it was brought it from, not manufacture.

Being local to SF, tank is from Aqua Forest Aquarium, and they had some relationship with a guy who had experience building stands. We worked together to design what I was looking for.

And yes, to shipping, this is a big heavy tank. Absolutely shipping is gonna cost a fortune. For me it wasn't that bad since Im local so it was hand delivered by AFA.

 

[puopg]

Started to do some plumbing tests this week. Today marks the first day water has touched the glass! And also the first day that my floors got flooded hahaha.

Since this tank is in a living space, I really am not looking for something noisy. At the same time, the 120P is such a nice tank, I really have no desire to drill it. So I went with the CPR CS102 hang on overflow box. What's great about this is that I can use a herbie style drain to minimize the noise. Today I can confirm, the herbie itself is basically silent, which makes total sense since its pulling a full siphon.

But during this process, as i was testing if I could pump water back into the tank with my old pump, I totally forgot about backsiphoning. I shut the pump off after I confirmed it had enough head pressure to pump back into the tank for my test, but I left the tube inside the partially filled tank. Suddenly, I started hearing water spilling out and I was like "OMG what?? Is the tank leaking?". I see the pot is totally overflowing and I was confused as to where the water was draining from since the tank wasnt even filled all the way yet. And then it donned on me. Immediately took the hose and took it outta the water, but then there was still so much water in the tube, it kept going and going, so I pulled the pump out and rushed out to the yard.

Good news is things are all dried up, and I was able to test the overflow box herbie plumbing is working! I also ran into an issue with the bulkheads that were included with the CS102, these bulkheads dont have the stopper in the middle of the bulkhead and a pipe just slides all the way through. So when I cemented it down, and tested it, the bulkhead leaked. I also wasnt using ABS to PVC transition cement, and I could feel that the bond wasnt as secure.

Luckily I had 2 extra bulkheads, both with the normal stopper/step thing in between, and after getting some cement for ABS and PVC, no leaks so far!

Herbie style drain modification to overflow box

Testing the overflow box and tubing position

​

In an effort to not need to mount and drill the cabinet, my current design/idea is to use a hybrid hard and soft plumbing. I attached unions to the overflow drains so that I can detach the overflow box for cleaning later on. The drains output to barbs so that I can use soft tubing behind the tank to the sump eventually. The main reason for the soft tubing outside the stand is since I dont like the idea of plumbing moving across all the electronics, which are all on the right side of the stand. So routing the water outside the stand avoids that.

Also, soft tubing is so easy to work with haha.

 

[puopg]

Ok so, change of plans haha.

Turns out I didn't account for the force that gravity had on the soft tubing without any sort of anchoring. Basically I noticed that since the tubing is behind the tank, moving from right to left, the tubing exerts a horizontal force on the overflow box and causes it to pivot/rise up on one side while on the edge of the tank. The overflow at the end of this, does not sit flat without either some form of adhesion or weight to keep the thing from pivoting at all.

So as it stands, I guess im going hard plumbing all the way! Sucks that I have to drill the cabinet a bit, but peace of mind with my plumbing I'd gladly pay for so, this is where we are at. Oh and it really sucks to get another gate valve since this one is already bonded with a barbbed fitting since those things are like $50. Well, the nice ones from SPEARS are at least.

 

[minorhero]

Intensely interested in your experiences with this overflow box! I would love to switch over my 120p to a sump, and maybe my newt tank as well. BUT I do not want to drill either tank because I don't want the plumbing looking inelegant ;P

I watched every video I could find on this overflow box months ago but all the ones I found had the box being pretty noisy as the water entered the back compartment and I frankly was highly intolerant to the gurgling noise. If that is not the case I will have to seriously reconsider my filtration.

 

[puopg]

Intensely interested in your experiences with this overflow box! I would love to switch over my 120p to a sump, and maybe my newt tank as well. BUT I do not want to drill either tank because I don't want the plumbing looking inelegant ;P

I watched every video I could find on this overflow box months ago but all the ones I found had the box being pretty noisy as the water entered the back compartment and I frankly was highly intolerant to the gurgling noise. If that is not the case I will have to seriously reconsider my filtration.

Ask and you shall receive, the Herbie setup was dead silent, the only hum is coming from the aqualifter pump which when water is going thru it is pretty quiet. Im pretty sure I can dampen the vibrations even more with some silicone, but gurgling shouldnt happen since the Herbie pulls a full siphon. I'll take a more updated and full flow video once I get around to finishing the plumbing to verify this further. I think the flow is a tad too low for this test to be considered a success but for the time being, itll demonstrate the approach.

 

[minorhero]

Ask and you shall receive, the Herbie setup was dead silent, the only hum is coming from the aqualifter pump which when water is going thru it is pretty quiet. Im pretty sure I can dampen the vibrations even more with some silicone, but gurgling shouldnt happen since the Herbie pulls a full siphon. I'll take a more updated and full flow video once I get around to finishing the plumbing to verify this further. I think the flow is a tad too low for this test to be considered a success but for the time being, itll demonstrate the approach.

Thank you for the video! Is that full power for the flow? I think the tanks I saw this on previously were for saltwater and they use a lot more flow which probably created more noise.

 

[EmotionalFescue]

I've never used a hang on back overflow before - do you have to have your return pump on a float switch?

 

[puopg]

Thank you for the video! Is that full power for the flow? I think the tanks I saw this on previously were for saltwater and they use a lot more flow which probably created more noise.

Well technically for this test pump yes, but also my 3/4 tubing is like 20 feet long since I was just testing stuff and i wasnt ready to cut it. Ill make another video in a week or so when I can finish all the plumbing work, but ima be out of town a week so I wont be able to test it soon enough. With more flow, I imagine I would want to have the water level higher in the overflow box to minimize splashing on the back side of it. Im HOPING i can keep it pretty quiet, or else my intuition tells me I need to run the water level higher.

The good news is that I can not only adjust the flow rate with the gate valve, but I can also control the speed of the DC pump so that gives me some room to figure out a good combo.

 

[puopg]

I've never used a hang on back overflow before - do you have to have your return pump on a float switch?

As the build isnt complete yet, no, but I dont know why i would need the return pump on a float switch? It should be on always. I gotta get the water back up to the tank haha.