Broadfield's Red Sea Reefer 450 Build - OCD Inspired... Going Back To a Reef

[Broadfield]

Toby, how do you keep the water so clear? I’ve been having issues for like a week now with cloudy water. Do you run Carbon or GFO? I need secrets! TIA

I use 200 micron felt filter socks to remove debris. As for cloudy water, you could have any number of issues... algae or bacteria bloom etc. I only run Xport-PO4(basically GFO) and skim fairly heavily.

 

[ReeferMadness80G]

I use 200 micron felt filter socks to remove debris. As for cloudy water, you could have any number of issues... algae or bacteria bloom etc. I only run Xport-PO4(basically GFO) and skim fairly heavily.

Thanks for answering my question. I think it ended up being a bacteria bloom from heavy feeding. I was trying to feed everyday to keep nitrates up instead of dosing nitrates. In the process I polluted my tank, I guess I need more fish instead of feeding more.

 

[JDowns]

Love those smoked glass doors!

Won't be long before that's a manufacturer option. Or it should be!

 

[jazzmik]

@Broadfield any new full view pics of sump area?

How are you using the xport-po4... placement? Also how much are you using and how often do you replace?

 

[Broadfield]

Love those smoked glass doors!

Won't be long before that's a manufacturer option. Or it should be!

Hahaha, thanks man! I'm still wishing I could get on with Red Sea in some form or fashion.

@Broadfield any new full view pics of sump area?

How are you using the xport-po4... placement? Also how much are you using and how often do you replace?

Nothing has changed in the stand... aside from swapping the Puratek Auto Level Controller out for the Neptune ATK. I'm using virtually an entire reactor full of the Xport-PO4. I haven't been using it long enough to really know how often I need to replace it though... it can last months on end. The amount you use depends on how much PO4 you need to remove per gallon of water volume... so the same size tanks may use drastically different amounts.

 

[jazzmik]

Hahaha, thanks man! I'm still wishing I could get on with Red Sea in some form or fashion.

Why don't you do some custom work/products for folks? Your rep and quality of work speaks for itself so I'm sure there's a business in it.

 

[Broadfield]

Why don't you do some custom work/products for folks? Your rep and quality of work speaks for itself so I'm sure there's a business in it.

I'm not against it all... custom work is what I do for a living. However, I really need to be able to go to the customer's house... and there is zero demand for that type of thing in my area. And since it requires a lot of tools, table saw, band saw, router table etc, it would be tough to do something where a plane ride is required or off-site in general.

I have tossed around the idea of making a modular insert for the Reefer series tanks... where it would have a setup similar to mine for the right side of the cabinet. So when the customer receives it from me, they could literally just slide it into place... no mounting, no nothing. It would be self supporting and no mounting would be required. This could obviously be ordered in various setups... something like my basic original panel setup or super custom like what I currently have. With all of that being said, I don't think most people have any idea how much labor is involved to make something like what I have. So they say they want it, until I tell them that it's going to cost as much as their tank lol.

 

[CDavmd]

I'm not against it all... custom work is what I do for a living. However, I really need to be able to go to the customer's house... and there is zero demand for that type of thing in my area. And since it requires a lot of tools, table saw, band saw, router table etc, it would be tough to do something where a plane ride is required or off-site in general.

I have tossed around the idea of making a modular insert for the Reefer series tanks... where it would have a setup similar to mine for the right side of the cabinet. So when the customer receives it from me, they could literally just slide it into place... no mounting, no nothing. It would be self supporting and no mounting would be required. This could obviously be ordered in various setups... something like my basic original panel setup or super custom like what I currently have. With all of that being said, I don't think most people have any idea how much labor is involved to make something like what I have. So they say they want it, until I tell them that it's going to cost as much as their tank lol.

Well I'd be all over the smoke glass doors for sure!

Just buy a few reefer setups and create your inventory a....425xl, 350, 250, 525xl.....you have room in your living room right ha ha ha

 

[Broadfield]

Also how much rodi topoff would you say per week?

I just got through one week of calculations and it was 8.176 gallons in exactly one week. I'm sure this varies throughout the year a little... as it can get up to 100 in the summer here and down to -10 in the winter here.

 

[schaNYC]

I just got through one week of calculations and it was 8.176 gallons in exactly one week. I'm sure this varies throughout the year a little... as it can get up to 100 in the summer here and down to -10 in the winter here.

Appreciate the follow up. I’m trying to consider how big of an ATO container I would need to avoid having to make water weekly. Thinking maybe do a 10-15 gallon ATO reservoir and another 5-10 gallon stored in closet. Apartment life in the city means no water storage tanks and I try to make the hobby’s maintenance hidden from the easily irritated wife. Also this is assuming triton method is a success and I’m mostly filtering water for top off.

 

[Broadfield]

Appreciate the follow up. I’m trying to consider how big of an ATO container I would need to avoid having to make water weekly. Thinking maybe do a 10-15 gallon ATO reservoir and another 5-10 gallon stored in closet. Apartment life in the city means no water storage tanks and I try to make the hobby’s maintenance hidden from the easily irritated wife. Also this is assuming triton method is a success and I’m mostly filtering water for top off.

Yeah, that has to be tough to get around the whole apartment thing. I would think that even getting a week out of an ATO would be acceptable... only having to refill it on Sundays or something.

 

[*HOVA*]

Did you decide to get rid of the screen or do you just take it off for pics?

 

[Broadfield]

Did you decide to get rid of the screen or do you just take it off for pics?

I typically take it off when I get home from work and then pop it back on before I go to sleep.

 

[klondike4001]

I typically take it off when I get home from work and then pop it back on before I go to sleep.

What? You mean you DON'T want to come home from work to fish jerky?

 

[*HOVA*]

I typically take it off when I get home from work and then pop it back on before I go to sleep.

Oh gotcha. Just curious if you changed your mind on it all together or decided you didn’t like it. I’m trying to decide on one myself. Such a same to put a cover on these beautiful tanks!!!

 

[johnnyk731]

I'm not against it all... custom work is what I do for a living. However, I really need to be able to go to the customer's house... and there is zero demand for that type of thing in my area. And since it requires a lot of tools, table saw, band saw, router table etc, it would be tough to do something where a plane ride is required or off-site in general.

I have tossed around the idea of making a modular insert for the Reefer series tanks... where it would have a setup similar to mine for the right side of the cabinet. So when the customer receives it from me, they could literally just slide it into place... no mounting, no nothing. It would be self supporting and no mounting would be required. This could obviously be ordered in various setups... something like my basic original panel setup or super custom like what I currently have. With all of that being said, I don't think most people have any idea how much labor is involved to make something like what I have. So they say they want it, until I tell them that it's going to cost as much as their tank lol.

Take my money [emoji383]

 

[Broadfield]

Oh gotcha. Just curious if you changed your mind on it all together or decided you didn’t like it. I’m trying to decide on one myself. Such a same to put a cover on these beautiful tanks!!!

No, I still like it a lot! Don't forget that Red Sea will soon be releasing their lids... so maybe check those out. My only complaint about the clear frame lids is that you obviously see all of the moisture, water drops etc collecting on the underside of the frame. The frame of the Red Sea kit is a very dark grey/black, so it will not show any of that. And since the Red Sea frame is fairly narrow, it shouldn't really block any light.

 

[amnesiac]

@Broadfield question: would you say it was safe to drill the back wall of the stand??? I already have a couple of bulkheads in the divider (hey good ideas need to be stolen ) but now I'm toying around with the idea of a collection cup for my skimmer and the easiest setup I can think of is to run the drain line out the back of the sump area through that back wall. It be about 1"/30mm hole for a 1/2" bulkhead. I'm scared to death though that I'd be seriously compromising the integrity of a load bearing wall. What do ya think???

 

[Broadfield]

@Broadfield question: would you say it was safe to drill the back wall of the stand??? I already have a couple of bulkheads in the divider (hey good ideas need to be stolen ) but now I'm toying around with the idea of a collection cup for my skimmer and the easiest setup I can think of is to run the drain line out the back of the sump area through that back wall. It be about 1"/30mm hole for a 1/2" bulkhead. I'm scared to death though that I'd be seriously compromising the integrity of a load bearing wall. What do ya think???

It makes absolutely no difference if you put holes in the stand. I have degrees in physics and mathematics and do a lot structural type fabrication for a living. Keep in mind, Red Sea puts a MUCH larger hole in the stand from the factory...

 

[amnesiac]

Man, I never even considered that giant gaping hole right freakin next to it. Guess I'll be putting my new Xmas Dewalt to use Thanks so much!!!!