Show Off and Discuss Your Red Sea Reefer Series

[fredjr]

What lights are those? Also which grain sand did you go with? Looks awesome!!!

It's the hydra 26 HD that comes with the reefer deluxe. I have 2 grades of sand one is the Tropic Eden Live reeflakes and the Mini flakes two bags each. I have a lot of flow in the tank and no sand storms at all. It's really great stuff.

 

[pelphrey]

Nice!!! I'll have to checkout that sand! Lights look great!

 

[jasonamyers]

Is it a pain if you start out with the Red Sea plumbing then switch to a hard plumbed setup? I'm ready to get some water in the tank, but I'm waiting in the Apex FMKs for my hard plumbing.

 

[fredjr]

Is it a pain if you start out with the Red Sea plumbing then switch to a hard plumbed setup? I'm ready to get some water in the tank, but I'm waiting in the Apex FMKs for my hard plumbing.

Well I hope not because that's my plan also.

 

[fredjr]

Is it a pain if you start out with the Red Sea plumbing then switch to a hard plumbed setup? I'm ready to get some water in the tank, but I'm waiting in the Apex FMKs for my hard plumbi

 

[fredjr]

Nice!!! I'll have to checkout that sand! Lights look great!

Thanks,
https://premiumaquatics.com/category/live-substrate.html

 

[Reefer525XL]

Nice!!! I'll have to checkout that sand! Lights look great!

Yes tropic eden is definitely worth it! Im using it on mine and I couldn't be happier. I've use other brands in the past and this is far better.

I rinsed it in a bucket and when I filled the tank with water it barely got cloudy.


Reefer 525XL -2-18-2017-10 by Reefer525XL, on Flickr


Reefer 525XL -2-18-2017-11 by Reefer525XL, on Flickr

 

[fredjr]

Yes tropic eden is definitely worth it! Im using it on mine and I couldn't be happier. I've use other brands in the past and this is far better.

I rinsed it in a bucket and when I filled the tank with water it barely got cloudy.


I didn't rinsed at all. straight in the tank and let the protein do its thing. with in 2 hour tank was clear.


Reefer 525XL -2-18-2017-10 by Reefer525XL, on Flickr


Reefer 525XL -2-18-2017-11 by Reefer525XL, on Flickr

 

[Reefer525XL]

I didn't rinsed at all. straight in the tank and let the protein do its thing. with in 2 hour tank was clear.

Protein?

 

[jasonamyers]

Hmm so I went to check the plumbing I received with my tank. Was I supposed to get the flexible tubing for the return pump, or do I need to get that on my own?

 

[Reefer525XL]

Hmm so I went to check the plumbing I received with my tank. Was I supposed to get the flexible tubing for the return pump, or do I need to get that on my own?

I didn't get one with my 525xl

 

[jasonamyers]

I didn't get one with my 525xl

perfect thanks!

 

[fredjr]

I have used other stu

Hmm so I went to check the plumbing I received with my tank. Was I supposed to get the flexible tubing for the return pump, or do I need to get that on my own?

Yes you do. It was the first thing I upgraded. But not by choice.

 

[fredjr]

Protein?

LOL I meant the skimmer.

 

[blkhwkz]

Hmm so I went to check the plumbing I received with my tank. Was I supposed to get the flexible tubing for the return pump, or do I need to get that on my own?

That tubing only comes with the smaller tanks (or at least did, Red Sea had told me they were considering not including it with any of them anymore since most people replace it.) In my XL425 I used PVC braided tubing from Menard's. Lowe's had it too but they were way more than Menards.

Got the Tunze ATO all hooked up quickly. Going to monitor it for a few days and if there are no issues, out comes the stock reservoir and into a box it goes. Might still get the Neptune ATO when they finally release it since I can use the Tunze on another tank.

 

[NealH]

I just got my 350 up and running didn't have any problems with the overflow so far.

I've emailed them so many times and they just keep saying be patient with it and only make small adjustments to it and it will stabilize. Two years later and it will be stable for a couple of days, then for no apparent reason it will either go too low, or it will move up to the emergency overflow. It's annoying because it is always causing fluctuations in salinity.

I haven't hooked up mines yet, but why do you say that?

Is it loud?

Not loud, just always unstable. It will be stable for a few days, then for no apparent reason it will get out of whack. Also, any time you do a water change or even make a change in your flow, it will get all screwed up. I bet if you asked 90% of reefer owners to see what the water level is in the overflow box, it will be going into the emergency pipe. That seems to be the default with their system.

 

[jasonamyers]

Just an FYI Red Sea has those return barbs in stock again if you are hard plumbing other drains.

 

[Trey302]

I've emailed them so many times and they just keep saying be patient with it and only make small adjustments to it and it will stabilize. Two years later and it will be stable for a couple of days, then for no apparent reason it will either go too low, or it will move up to the emergency overflow. It's annoying because it is always causing fluctuations in salinity.



Not loud, just always unstable. It will be stable for a few days, then for no apparent reason it will get out of whack. Also, any time you do a water change or even make a change in your flow, it will get all screwed up. I bet if you asked 90% of reefer owners to see what the water level is in the overflow box, it will be going into the emergency pipe. That seems to be the default with their system.

That's exactly what mine does. When it's right it's completely quiet, but it just won't stay that way for longer than a couple days. Earlier in this thread someone told me theirs finally seemed to break in after 5 or 6 months so I was holding out hope mine would do the same, but almost a year into it and mine isn't any better. Red Sea actually emailed me back this morning and asked me if I had tried cleaning the drain valve. I haven't actually tried that yet but I don't think that would help because it's been like this since it was brand new. I really think the valve on mine just doesn't hold well enough to keep the water level stable. They did offer to send me another drain valve so I'm going to try and see if that will fix it.

 

[NealH]

That's exactly what mine does. When it's right it's completely quiet, but it just won't stay that way for longer than a couple days. Earlier in this thread someone told me theirs finally seemed to break in after 5 or 6 months so I was holding out hope mine would do the same, but almost a year into it and mine isn't any better. Red Sea actually emailed me back this morning and asked me if I had tried cleaning the drain valve. I haven't actually tried that yet but I don't think that would help because it's been like this since it was brand new. I really think the valve on mine just doesn't hold well enough to keep the water level stable. They did offer to send me another drain valve so I'm going to try and see if that will fix it.

It's sad that they won't just admit that the thing is garbage and redesign it. They sent me a new valve about six months after I got mine, but it made no difference. I think that from a physics standpoint, it's just not possible to adjust the flow and get it stable. There's no way change the height of the water in the overflow box by restricting or increasing flow, and not have it ultimately be too low, or too high. The outflow has to equal the inflow for it to be stable. You could theoretically somehow get those two exactly equal (unlikely by dumb luck) or one will be even minutely off which will ultimately end up making the level too low or too high. If you've made this difference small enough, this will take days or possibly even weeks, but it will happen. There's no way to ever get it exactly stable.

 

[spiraling]

It's sad that they won't just admit that the thing is garbage and redesign it. They sent me a new valve about six months after I got mine, but it made no difference. I think that from a physics standpoint, it's just not possible to adjust the flow and get it stable. There's no way change the height of the water in the overflow box by restricting or increasing flow, and not have it ultimately be too low, or too high. The outflow has to equal the inflow for it to be stable. You could theoretically somehow get those two exactly equal (unlikely by dumb luck) or one will be even minutely off which will ultimately end up making the level too low or too high. If you've made this difference small enough, this will take days or possibly even weeks, but it will happen. There's no way to ever get it exactly stable.

Are you running a manifold (like so many people are?) They aren't recommended for the Herbie style overflows. As the canisters get a little clogged they change the amount of water they have running through them, so more or less goes to the tank. Changes in flow will make the level go up and down in the overflow box.