Brian's First Time Reef Build RSR 250 - (Pic Heavy / Detailed Walk Through)

[BPC10001]

Hi All - I'm a long time reader of reef2reef and have finally created an account and decided to give back. This is an amazing community with tons of helpful information and I hope this post can be helpful for newcomers / interesting for the rest of you experts. Apologize in advance for the long first post here...

Background on Myself & The Build

I've been a long time fish keeper (20+ years) with numerous freshwater tanks from 10 - 75 gallons set up over the years. I've always wanted to do a saltwater reef tank but unfortunately life & work has gotten in the way . Enough is enough and I've decided to re-enter the hobby. After countless hours of research and reading through the beautiful member tanks here on R2R, I finally pulled the trigger on a brand new RSR 250. I would have loved to have gone a bit bigger, but being on the 16th floor of a small NYC apartment had me worried about a few things (mainly weight, water changing capabilites, ability to move the tank around, etc.). As my first reef, i'm extremely excited to get this going and have been buying pieces and starting my build slowly but surely. Focus for the tank will be mostly starter / easy corals (LPS, Mushrooms, Softies) but hope to get into SPS down the road.

I will be posting pictures of the build as it comes together, and of course I'm open to any thoughts / suggestions / comments / encouragement as the tank comes together. Thank you all for the warm welcome and looking forward to being a part of the community!

Tank Parts / Build Specs

I've been piecing the system together and most of my parts are in the mail from BRS / Marine Depot. I should be receiving the bulk of my shipment over the next ~7 days and will continue to update here as parts come in. So far, I've purcahsed & planned the following:

Items on Hand

• Tank: RSR 250
• Sump: RSR 250 Stock Sump
• Filtration: Standard Filter Sock Provided + Ceramic BioMedia
• Plumbing: I will be forgoing the standard plumbing provided with the tank and building my own set up. More to come on this and my work around for the Metric to U.S. issues...
• Skimmer: Nyos Quantum 120
• Return Pump: Reef Octopus VarioS-4
• Lights: 2x Radion EcoTech Blue xr15

To be Purchased

• Heaters - Open to suggestions
• Power Heads - Vortech MP-40 (Likely will get 2x, though may be too much flow for a small tank)
• Chiller - Going to try to get away with my apartment Air Conditioner for now, but it does get hot on the floor. Will add a JBJ 1/15hp if need be
• Controller - Open to suggestions; I really like the GHL Profilux 4 but don't like that it's not compatiable with the Radions. I've heard horror stories about the Apex system, but may need to go this direction....
• GFO / Calcium Reactors - Not adding for now, but doing my own plumbing for flexibility in case I want to add in the future
• External fuge - The fuge space on the RSR 250 is quite small; will probably plan to stick with this for now, but thinking about ways to get more system volume...
• Test Kits - Planning to start with Ammonia / Nitrate / Nitrite / PH while tank cycles (maybe API test kit?). Want to buy a quality kit for Calcium, Magneiusm, Alkilinity once tank is up and running. Suggestions welcome

Open Questions / Thoughts

• Which sand should I get / how much should I use? I don't want to do a barebottom tank as a first reef, so will be using some covering
• Should I buy aquacultured live rock, or start my own dry rock + bacteria from scratch?
• Which salt to use?

Thanks for reading along and I'm excited to keep you updated on my build. I will be using this thread as my repository of information to keep me honest on progress

 

[Dcal]

Looks great so far and fits right into your home! super cool rug too

 

[powers2001]

@BPC10001 welcome to R2R!! This is a great tank I’ve got a Reefer 250 also, you will love it. See my build thread I’m following yours. For suggestions on equipment: first of all for JBJ Chillers, a 1/15th HP would be too small. I had one that size on a 29 USG with 7 gallon sump and it was too small. I put a big fan on that tank and it did a better job of cooling same tank. For JBJ a 1/10th HP is a big jump up from 1/15th HP believe it or not but costs quite a bit more. For controller: not necessary and a big investment for beginners but boy is it a piece of mind. Don’t believe all the negative you hear about Apex I don’t know where you’re hearing that from. I’ve been with an Apex for 8 years and they were great when I started with them and are much better now. When I first started with Apex I had occasional problems with connecting to the internet but they’ve got that down pat. And you don’t need any coding experience, they have Tasks Functions for just about everything. And getting help from a beginners to expert level is just a post away on several websites. Although I’ve spent a lot on my Apex controlled system, it makes my reefing journey a lot more enjoyable.

 

[fishybizzness]

Looking good so far!

 

[BPC10001]

@BPC10001 welcome to R2R!! This is a great tank I’ve got a Reefer 250 also, you will love it. See my build thread I’m following yours. For suggestions on equipment: first of all for JBJ Chillers, a 1/15th HP would be too small. I had one that size on a 29 USG with 7 gallon sump and it was too small. I put a big fan on that tank and it did a better job of cooling same tank. For JBJ a 1/10th HP is a big jump up from 1/15th HP believe it or not but costs quite a bit more. For controller: not necessary and a big investment for beginners but boy is it a piece of mind. Don’t believe all the negative you hear about Apex I don’t know where you’re hearing that from. I’ve been with an Apex for 8 years and they were great when I started with them and are much better now. When I first started with Apex I had occasional problems with connecting to the internet but they’ve got that down pat. And you don’t need any coding experience, they have Tasks Functions for just about everything. And getting help from a beginners to expert level is just a post away on several websites. Although I’ve spent a lot on my Apex controlled system, it makes my reefing journey a lot more enjoyable.

Thanks so much @powers2001! I actually came across your tank in my research and have been following your rebuild.

In terms of the Apex, while I love all the expert advice on the forums, there are so many varying opinions and it all makes my head spin. I could read for hours and find just as many posts from people that hate the apex system as people (such as yourself) who wouldn't be caught dead without it! For now, I'm taking it all one day at a time. I try not to order or build anything until i'm 100% comfortable and sure that the components i'm getting are exactly what I want. I'm in no rush and want to make sure everything is perfect (though that is probably my OCD speaking...). Appreciate the heads up on the chiller. I'm definitely starting with fans / regular old AC in the apartment and will revist down the line if needed.

 

[powers2001]

Don’t get me wrong @BPC10001 I totally respect your opinion and just to set the record straight I was very overwhelmed by my Apex when I first got it and I didn’t get it until I was 10 years into the hobby. But if you have the money to burn, are ready to for the intermediate level of the hobby, and aren’t intimidated too much by technology, I would highly recommend it. ;-)

 

[BPC10001]

The controller is certainly on my "research" list. I've been saving up for this tank and certainly want to do things the right way so cost is less of a concern. With that being said, I won't have automated dosing / reactors from the start and i'm trying to figure out if its worth it to have the controller for essentially the lights + heater only. I don't have too many other components to control (maybe the powerheads as well???), but would love some opinions here.

 

[BPC10001]

Update Time!

I received my first few shipments of parts & equipment at the end of last week and spent the weekend assembling. Going to do my best to recap here:

What I Received

• 2x Ecotech Radion XR15 Blue G5s
• 2x Radion Mounting Arms
• 1x Nyos Quantum 120 Skimmer
• 1x VarioS-4 Return Pump
• 1x BRS 5 Stage 100GPD RO/DI
• Assorted Plumbing (pipes / connectors / glue / tools)

Just like Christmas in June!!!

My goal was to get all the plumbing done this weekend and then fill the tank with water and get things moving. Unfortunately, the RO/DI was damaged during shipping and one of the connecting elbows came smashed.

You'd think it would be pretty easy to find a 1/4" NPT x 1/4" Push connect elbow at any hardware store / Home Depot.....boy was I wrong. After going to 4 different stores, I could not find the proper sized fitting. I did contact BRS and they are shipping a replacement piece out, but will have to wait few days for that.

Fortunately, everything else came in great shape and I was able to get to work assembling / unboxing.

Unboxing / Assembling

I couldn't wait to get the Radions out of the box. While researching my equipment, I went back and forth between these, the Mitras and the AI Hydras. From a fit and finish perspective, these are absolutely gorgeous. I opened these up and checked the face plates as some people had mentioned they came from the factory overtightened and cracked. I was lucky I guess in that mine were in perfect condition

I couldn't help but rush to put these together and get them up on the tank. I will say, the sliding RMS bracket that is provided with the lights is quite a tight fit and it is a bit difficult to get them mounted on the rail. Once they are on, they feel extremely sturdy and look amazing. Couldn't help myself and had to power them up just to see them (even on my depressingly empty tank...). Please don't judge me on the cord management. I am working on building two side cabinents + an entire cable management system. More to come on that later.

I cannot believe how bright these lights are. The Mobius App was easy to install and extremely user friendly. I like that Ecotech provides several pre-configured light programs and they are easy to switch between and edit. Will certainly be playing with those once I get the tank filled.

Next up was the Skimmer. I was really torn on getting the Nyos. When I started this project, I was leaning towards the Reef Octopus Regal 150. I ultimately decided that that skimmer was probably a bit overkill for this tank + the regular version would not fit in the RSR sump with the refugium divider in. Even with the Regal 150INT, it was still a tightfit. I'm not a big fan of the smaller Reef Octopus 110s so decided I'd give the Nyos a try.

The Nyos is a nice looking skimmer right out of the box. I started to assemble the unit and immediately ran into issues. The tolerances on are extremely tight and I had a number of problems trying to get the pump screwed down. Once I forced the pump into place, there was still an issue trying to bend the cord to get it through the slot so the skimmer body could lock into the base plate. After I posted on the forum (Nyos 120 Issues) and contacted Ecotech (great customer support by the way!), I was able to conclude that the fit is indeed tight, but there was nothing wrong with the unit. I'll chalk this up to over-excitment and me trying to assemble the unit late at night when tired.

Lastly, we have the Reef Octopus VarioS-4 which i'm going to be using as my return pump. The pump is solid construction and I like the controller on it. It is a bit bigger than I was expecting and with this intake cage on, it is a tight fit into the sump.

The pump fits a bit better on the diagnol, but I think i'm going to keep it front to back as pictured.

Slowly but surely, it's all coming together. Outstanding items to get this up and running include heaters, rock, sand and salt. Sorry again for the long-winded post. I'll be doing a detailed write up on the plumbing shortly. As always, thanks for following and any comments, questions or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

 

[powers2001]

@BPC10001 nice update !!! Funny how that push connect fitting was smashed. Sounds like you’re anxious to get your build going. A word of CAUTION: slow way down and do your plumbing right or you could pay a high price and have leaks. Have you done much plumbing in the past? There is clear primer available and whatever color of primer you choose, purple or clear, be sure and use an ample amount. Personally I use purple and don’t care if it shows because I’m more concerned about getting an even coat all over the connection. On the previous build on the same tank before the rebuild, I slapped on PVC cement without primer before hand and even tried to limit the amount of cement I used. To say the least it was a disaster.

 

[BPC10001]

Thanks for reading along, @powers2001! Definitely anxious to get this running, but unfortunately it's going to be a couple weeks now as I have to do some traveling and wont be back until early July.

In terms of the plumbing, I have a fair amount of experience doing so and actually completed it all over the weekend. It took me several hours of careful planning and cutting to get everything perfect, but I think it should be OK. I'm going to do a detailed post here shortly along with plenty of pictures walking through my process.

I'm not a big fan of the two-step primer + PVC cements, especially working in a cramped, small NYC appartment. I went with the Oatey 1-step clear which I've had good luck with in the past.

 

[Jeffcb]

RSR 250 is a really nice tank. Congratulations. I have enjoyed mine! Looking forward to following you build.

 

[powers2001]

Thanks for reading along, @powers2001! Definitely anxious to get this running, but unfortunately it's going to be a couple weeks now as I have to do some traveling and wont be back until early July.

In terms of the plumbing, I have a fair amount of experience doing so and actually completed it all over the weekend. It took me several hours of careful planning and cutting to get everything perfect, but I think it should be OK. I'm going to do a detailed post here shortly along with plenty of pictures walking through my process.

I'm not a big fan of the two-step primer + PVC cements, especially working in a cramped, small NYC appartment. I went with the Oatey 1-step clear which I've had good luck with in the past.

@BPC10001 wow !!! Single step it says. That’ll save a lot of effort. Looks like you’re all set. Can’t wait to to see your plumbing job as it progressed.

 

[BPC10001]

Time for a plumbing update. As mentioned in the start of the build thread, I decided I was going to do my own plumbing. This was really for two reasons:

1. I had heard bad things about the RSR plumbing (specifically the siphon valve on the overflow) and I wanted to replace that with a started spears gate
2. Being my first reef tank, I didnt know what I would want to add to the system overtime. I didn't want to be in a position where I was trying to figure out how to switch from Metric to Standard down the line should I want to add UV, reactors, etc. Therefore, I figured I would get ahead of the problem and clean up the plumbing before I put the first drop of water in the tank.

Items Bought / Used

• Blue 1" PVC Pipe (got it onsale from BRS). This is the standard FormuFit pipe you see advertised elsewhere
• 3 Red Sea Reefer Replacement Parts (Part #42221)
• 3 Coralvue 32mm to 1" standard Unions
• 1 Spears Gate Value
• 2 Union Couplers (One for the return plumbing, one to remove the spears gate valve in case there are any issues)
• Assorted elbows (90 + 45 degree)
• PVC Pipe Cutter (definitely recommend over a hacksaw. If you have access to a band saw or table saw, that will work as well, though make sure you debur after cutting)
• PVC Glue (I used Oatey 1-step. Didn't want to fuss with primer)

The idea was for a minimalist design and to follow a similar route as the stock plumbing. I wanted to leave plenty of room on the right side of the cabinent as I'm going to look for a larger ATO system (i'm thinking the Innovative Marine 10 or 15 gallon system which will fit nicely next to the sump)

Pipes + Random Fittings (I ordered extras in case there were any issues / I decide to change stuff in the future)

PVC Cutters - $10 on Amazon

Oatey 1-Step PVC Glue

Coralvue 32mm to 1" standard Union on top, Red Sea Return Part Kit #42221

The Process

For those of you who may be tackling this project for the first time, there are actually two different ways to modify your plumbing.

The first is to buy the Red Sea Part (pictured above, bottom of picture...it comes with the 16mm barb which just uncrews from the bottom) and attach a 3/4" to 1" PVC reducer. This involves using teflon tape which if you have ever done any PVC / Plastic plumbing, you know you should never do. The other issue with this is the threads on the standard 3/4" reducer do not match exactly with the metric threading on the inside of the Red Sea Part. When trying to fit the piece together, it's clear it does not seat properly + you are greatly reducing the flow by forcing it from 32mm to 3/4" and then back to 1". I decided to not go this route.

The second approach is what I ultimately ended up doing. The first thing I did was attach the Red Sea Return Parts (#42221) to the Metric Side of the Coral Vue Union. Simply slip the Red Sea Part inside the Metric side. While this isn't a "perfect" solution, I think this will work better and looks more professional. This will give you the threads needed to connect to the overflow box on oneside and a 1" slipcup on the other end all without reducing the flow. (To me, it doesn't make sense to run 1" plumbing throughout your system if you ultimately have to force it down to 3/4" to put it back to 1"....). The finished product looks something like this:

Once those pieces are complete, you can attach them directly to your overflow / return pipes below the tank and you are ready to get started with the plumbing.

A word of caution at this point. As I'm sure many people on this forum can attest to, if you are not plumbing or working with PVC everyday, TAKE YOUR TIME. It is extremely easy to mess up a measurement and once you have glued everything together, there is no going back. I highly suggest trying to dry fit as much as possible. Remember, when dry fitting PVC, the pipe will not fit all the way into the component. If it does, you should not use that section of pipe as the tolerances are too much and you run the risk of leaks. You should need the glue to make the pipes / connections fit securely as it creates a chemical process melting the pipes into eachother and completing the "weld". With that being said, if you think your dry fit is perfect, remeber you will still have 1/2" - 3/4" movement when you actually begin your gluing, so factor that in accordingly or your project will not work.

For my plumbing, I wanted to follow the same general run as what was provided with the tank. I knew I wanted to hard plumb my return pipe vs. use the flexible hose, and I knew I wanted to add a spears gate valve to the overflow for better control. My three pipes ended up as follows

Return Plumbing

Emergency Overflow

Main Overflow

All pipes were left to dry for 24 hours and then individually tested to make sure there were no leaks. I forced quite a bit of water through them and didn't see any issues, but the real test will be when I fill the tank.

The final product

This was a good weekend project and took ~4-5 hours to complete. The most difficult part was planning each pipe out and making sure the connections were all lined up appropriately. I will be using some pipe straps & hangers to secure these in place, but otherwise, the tank is one step closer to getting running!

As always, feel free to reach out with any questions, comments or suggestions.

 

[powers2001]

@BPC10001 you did yourself a good turn with those ratchet-type PVC cutters. Slices through pipe like butter. I’ve used mine so much the blade needs sharpened. I had conversion unions on my RS parts 42221 and felt the RS part didn’t seat up into the downpipes all the way because the top edge of the unions were prohibitive. I redid them all with standard thread fittings inside parts 42221 and sealed them with pipe goop and not the kind with lead. Much better than tape. I felt the fittings going inside the Red Sea parts wasn’t restrictive enough to make much of a difference since I will only push around a comfortable 660 GPH through the overflow box as this is what RS recommends.

 

[BPC10001]

@BPC10001 you did yourself a good turn with those ratchet-type PVC cutters. Slices through pipe like butter. I’ve used mine so much the blade needs sharpened. I had conversion unions on my RS parts 42221 and felt the RS part didn’t seat up into the downpipes all the way because the top edge of the unions were prohibitive. I redid them all with standard thread fittings inside parts 42221 and sealed them with pipe goop and not the kind with lead. Much better than tape. I felt the fittings going inside the Red Sea parts wasn’t restrictive enough to make much of a difference since I will only push around a comfortable 660 GPH through the overflow box as this is what RS recommends.

Interesting - and no leaks? I have a friend that has a plastic shop ... i'm working on making some custom fittings that will have the 32mm threaded end on one end and standard 1" slip cup on the other. Going to start with the tank this way, but will ultimately swap those out if i'm able to get a good match.

I also got the elbow today so my RO/DI is back in business. Only issue is I'm leaving for a trip early tomorrow morning so won't be able to continue with this project until I get back

 

[powers2001]

Interesting - and no leaks? I have a friend that has a plastic shop ... i'm working on making some custom fittings that will have the 32mm threaded end on one end and standard 1" slip cup on the other. Going to start with the tank this way, but will ultimately swap those out if i'm able to get a good match.

I also got the elbow today so my RO/DI is back in business. Only issue is I'm leaving for a trip early tomorrow morning so won't be able to continue with this project until I get back

@BPC10001 don’t know about leaks don’t have system up and running yet. The thread sealant sets like tar so I have my fingers crossed. On your plastic fittings is Broadfield doing that? He’s a guy on here that started the RS show off thread. He has talked about making fittings like that but I heard he left the hobby for awhile.

PS have a safe trip.

Mitch

 

[BPC10001]

Nope! Not Broadfield. This is someone who actually owns a plastic manufacturing business (maybe Broadfield does too?) I've seen his build thread and i'm insanely envious of his tank(s). They are beautiful!

 

[revhtree]

Congrats on the new build!

 

[BPC10001]

Well, it's been a month and time for me to post a quick update. I unfortunately had to put the project on hold due to some personal travel, but got back last week and of course, immediately filled the tank .

I've got 60lbs of fiji pink carib-sea live sand, ~50lbs of dry base rock, salt & started my tank with a Dr. Tim's live cycle + ammonia yesterday. Hoping for some good results with this and will look to add some basic fish in the next week or two.

I admittedly got a little lazy with the aquascape and didn't think my small NYC apartment would be the place to start smashing up and mortaring rock together, so please don't judge me here!!! I'm not thrilled with the rock layout as I'm not sure there is enough flat surfaces to add corals, so I may rearrange at some point before the fish go in.

Things outstanding on the tank / build

• Add powerheads / wave makers: I have an MP40 which I haven't installed yet ... will wait for the cycle to finish and may add a smaller MP10. Have a feeling the MP40 is going to be overkill
• Boost the salinity: I intentionally left the salinty low due to Dr. Tim's advice
• Lower the temperature: i'm running the tank at 83-84 right now to help with the bateria development during the cycle
• Add a lid: If you can't tell by now, I love DIY challenges so will be building my own. Suggestions welcome here.
• Set up side cabinets: I have two side cabinets on order to store all of my supplies. Will be doing a write up on this and the build / mods I make to those when they arrive
• Set up a quarantine tank: everything is pristine right now and i'd like to keep it that way...
• Set up an ATO: The stock ATO is way too small and sort of a pain to use. I'm going to use the IM 20 gallon which i'll add in the stand to the right of the sump. For now, I am the ATO and do this manually
• Pick fish: Also open to suggestions - I really want to have a ton of color in the tank, so i'm thinking some royal basslets, Azure Damsels, I love Flame Angels but hear they are an absolute PIA......
• Pick Coral: Again, optomizing for color here. Love Frogspawn, torches, zoa's etc. As this is my first reef, i'm going to err on the side of caution and pick easier species until I figure everything out

As always, appreciate you all following along and open to any comments or suggestions. This community is awesome! Hoping to be more active here now that i'm back and working on this full time.

 

[BPC10001]

We are a week into a fishless cycle. Ammonia spiked up to 4-5PPM after the 2nd day and has since dropped down to ~1PPM. I'm getting my first spike in nitrites and am hopeful that i'll be able to add some very hardy fish within the next couple days as that level subsides. Getting very excited here!

In the meantime, I continued on my tank build project. I've added two side cabinets, and decided to build in some electric panels to control the tank. Left hand cabinent controls all of my pumps (VarioS-4 return pump, Nyos 120 skimmer, EcoTech MP40 powerhead). Right hand cabinet controls all of my peripheral systems (2x EcoTech XR15s, 2x 100W jager heaters, one of which is controlled by a Rancor unit).

I've kept my stand under the DT mostly open as i'm planning to add a large ATO. I unfortunately travel quite a bit so the 3 gallon ATO provided by RSR just won't cut it. I'm finding I have to top off my tank every ~1.5-2 days right now. Hoping the Innovative Marine 15 gallon ATO will last me 2 weeks, but we will see.