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

CODE3EMT · Nov 29, 2016

Ok being an Apex owner myself............I can't say that iPad screen looks at all familiar to me. Last time I saw a screen like that was in the back of the ambulance while transporting a 550 lbs. cardiac patient to the ER. He was in Atrial Fib. Where is your Neptune DOS pump? Broadfield, You Sir have done the Red Sea Reefer community proud. Your tank, sump, and all components are truly amazing. Now I'm prepared to send you a check so you can make an APEX station for me! Thank You for all you have shared with us, from your "Broadfield Return Mod" "Elite Aquatics Sump" "Custom Neptune APEX Suite" WELL DONE!

Broadfield · Nov 29, 2016

CODE3EMT said:
Ok being an Apex owner myself............I can't say that iPad screen looks at all familiar to me. Last time I saw a screen like that was in the back of the ambulance while transporting a 550 lbs. cardiac patient to the ER. He was in Atrial Fib. Where is your Neptune DOS pump? Broadfield, You Sir have done the Red Sea Reefer community proud. Your tank, sump, and all components are truly amazing. Now I'm prepared to send you a check so you can make an APEX station for me! Thank You for all you have shared with us, from your "Broadfield Return Mod" "Elite Aquatics Sump" "Custom Neptune APEX Suite" WELL DONE!

Well thanks man, I really appreciate the compliments. Once it's all said and done, I'll probably have 30 hours or so in the fabrication and installation of the "Custom Neptune APEX Suite". The time is takes to design, plan, setup, route, fit and finish those panels is mind boggling. But the precision that can be had, without using a CNC, water jet etc, is rewarding.

The iPad screen is simply the Neptune Apex app... not Fusion. Once you open the app and connect to your Apex, there's a little heartbeat looking icon in the top right. Click that and it will display what you see on mine.

My Neptune DOS is in the basement. I use to have it behind the lower panel on my old control center. But now that I have the DDR centered down there for display purposes, it didn't really leave a comfortable amount of room for the DOS. It makes more sense in the basement anyway... I don't really need access to it for any reason. I have a mini "control center" down there that I have another PM2, 1Link, EB4, RO/DI and now the DOS, all mounted on. Nothing too fancy... just a large painted black board that is mounted high on the wall, above my 65 gallon storage containers.

Jstn · Nov 29, 2016

Broadfield said:
My Neptune DOS is in the basement. I use to have it behind the lower panel on my old control center. But now that I have the DDR centered down there for display purposes, it didn't really leave a comfortable amount of room for the DOS. It makes more sense in the basement anyway... I don't really need access to it for any reason. I have a mini "control center" down there that I have another PM2, 1Link, EB4, RO/DI and now the DOS, all mounted on. Nothing too fancy... just a large painted black board that is mounted high on the wall, above my 65 gallon storage containers.

I like this idea and currently thinking of doing it my self. My lab bench is below my tank and it would make so much more sense to send equipment to the basement.

Broadfield · Nov 29, 2016

Jstn said:
I like this idea and currently thinking of doing it my self. My lab bench is below my tank and it would make so much more sense to send equipment to the basement.

Yeah, I'm not really sure why I didn't just put it down in the basement in the first place.... but I really like having it down there and out of the way.

Jstn · Nov 29, 2016

Broadfield said:
Yeah, I'm not really sure why I didn't just put it down in the basement in the first place.... but I really like having it down there and out of the way.

It makes so much sense, you can show it off in the basement and yet not try to stuff it up
In the stand, good stuff, i need to start planing now...

revhtree · Nov 29, 2016

Broadfield said:
Got my modules mounted tonight. I modified the PM2 and 1-Link case so I could flip them and have the cables come out the top... but not have the sticker upside down. Also finished the white background for the DDR on the lower panel. Only thing left is to get my LEDs installed for the edge lighting. I actually have white here, but want to try amber first before I make the final decision.

IMG_7102 by Toby Broadfield, on Flickr

IMG_7108 by Toby Broadfield, on Flickr

Wow bro you stink this is so awesome! LOL!

re76 · Nov 29, 2016

Do you have any good pictures that show the placement (orientation, angle) of your return lines in the tank? I am once again stealing ideas from you and I am curious where you have the returns pointed and how they interact with the flow from your WAV's. The FTS in the first post of this image doesn't really show them well due to the reflection of the water.

I picked up 2xWAV's from BRS during the black Friday sale and am hoping to get them set up tonight.

As always your work is an inspiration to all of us who own Reefers!

Fin · Nov 29, 2016

Jaw dropping! Really neat work.

BreazMoney · Nov 30, 2016

Broadfield said:
Yeah, I think it was just a fluke. Because I haven't heard of one single issue with them from anyone else.

I know this is kinda old, but i just wanted to chime in that my Vectra M1 did almost the exact same thing your did. Before it died completely it seemed to behave the same way yours did. Ramping up and down, acting "strange", then one night, shut it down for a water change and it never came back. Driver looked fine, but pump was unresponsive.

Ecotech took care of me, just like you mentioned, 2 days and i had a new M1 kit at my door!

shadow1013 · Nov 30, 2016

Dude this is sick! I'm off of here for like a month and I come back to this! Actually it was on R2R Facebook feed and it made me come back! Sending you a PM!

Wilsoni · Nov 30, 2016

Man the level of precision and finesse in this build is truly inspiring. The internals alone have the same aesthetically pleasant, visual appeal as an Apple product when encased in your build. I've looked through all of your other work as well and I'm rather impressed.

You better believe once the S15 becomes recognized as a classic, I'll be on the hunt for one and will need to have you build me a custom cluster.

Broadfield · Nov 30, 2016

re76 said:
Do you have any good pictures that show the placement (orientation, angle) of your return lines in the tank? I am once again stealing ideas from you and I am curious where you have the returns pointed and how they interact with the flow from your WAV's. The FTS in the first post of this image doesn't really show them well due to the reflection of the water.

I picked up 2xWAV's from BRS during the black Friday sale and am hoping to get them set up tonight.

As always your work is an inspiration to all of us who own Reefers!

Honestly, I'm always slightly adjusting them. But I'll take a couple of pics and PM to you. I will say though, I'm running the L1 at full tilt... which adds significantly to my flow in the tank. So I have them aimed differently than when I had the M1.

BreazMoney said:
I know this is kinda old, but i just wanted to chime in that my Vectra M1 did almost the exact same thing your did. Before it died completely it seemed to behave the same way yours did. Ramping up and down, acting "strange", then one night, shut it down for a water change and it never came back. Driver looked fine, but pump was unresponsive.

Ecotech took care of me, just like you mentioned, 2 days and i had a new M1 kit at my door!

Thanks for the info. I have seen a couple of users have the issue now.

shadow1013 said:
Dude this is sick! I'm off of here for like a month and I come back to this! Actually it was on R2R Facebook feed and it made me come back! Sending you a PM!

That's what you get for being away for a month... what were you thinking lol!?!

Wilsoni said:
Man the level of precision and finesse in this build is truly inspiring. The internals alone have the same aesthetically pleasant, visual appeal as an Apple product when encased in your build. I've looked through all of your other work as well and I'm rather impressed.

You better believe once the S15 becomes recognized as a classic, I'll be on the hunt for one and will need to have you build me a custom cluster.

Thanks for the high appraise! S15 would be nice... I use to have the S15 SR and 6-speed trans in my S13 coupe.

shadow1013 · Nov 30, 2016

I know right! Two months actually! In my defense I got married lol

Broadfield said:
That's what you get for being away for a month... what were you thinking lol!?!

adestafi · Nov 30, 2016

@Broadfield thank you for taking the time to document your upgrades- Youve helped the Reefer450 community out more than you will ever know

T-Bucket · Nov 30, 2016

adestafi said:
@Broadfield thank you for taking the time to document your upgrades- Youve helped the Reefer450 community out more than you will ever know

I agree 100%. Now if only I could get my 450 to look even half as good as @Broadfield I'd be stoked lol.

adestafi · Nov 30, 2016

T-Bucket said:
I agree 100%. Now if only I could get my 450 to look even half as good as @Broadfield I'd be stoked lol.

Im with you- i took the vinyl off the back and did the upgrade to the return and that's just a drop in the bucket compared to his.

T-Bucket · Nov 30, 2016

adestafi said:
Im with you- i took the vinyl off the back and did the upgrade to the return and that's just a drop in the bucket compared to his.

Yeah I hear ya. I'm still trying to figure out what I'm gunna do with mine to make it somewhat impressive lol.

ws6kid · Dec 1, 2016

Just when I thought what I was doing looked good, you had to go and make it look like childs play. This is awesome

Nicely done.

Broadfield · Dec 1, 2016

shadow1013 said:
I know right! Two months actually! In my defense I got married lol

I'll let you off the hook this time... family comes first!

adestafi said:
@Broadfield thank you for taking the time to document your upgrades- Youve helped the Reefer450 community out more than you will ever know

That means a lot to me! If my detailed posts can help others or give them the courage to try something that they originally didn't think they could do, then I'm a happy man!