Cherub's Red Sea Reefer XXL 625

Cherub · Oct 20, 2017

It's time for my 2 month update-ish. It's actually next week but I won't be around so I am doing it early

Outside of the normal cycling stuff nothing (fuzz on the rocks)really exciting outside of adding corals but I made a video anyway lol. This was last night as the lights were dimming so hopefully it doesn't look too bad.

Shalom!

Katieandjon · Oct 20, 2017

Hey, the video won’t play on you tube - not sure if it’s just me?

Cherub · Oct 20, 2017

Katieandjon said:
Hey, the video won’t play on you tube - not sure if it’s just me?

Like on the app? It's playing in the browser for me

Katieandjon · Oct 20, 2017

Denvercherub said:
Like on the app? It's playing in the browser for me

Yeah on the you tube app it doesn’t work. Works in the browser though.

It’s looking awesome!! So jealous you’re able to start filling it! Cycling stage is so boring hey!

Cherub · Oct 20, 2017

Katieandjon said:
Yeah on the you tube app it doesn’t work. Works in the browser though.

It’s looking awesome!! So jealous you’re able to start filling it! Cycling stage is so boring hey!

I bought a lot of bacteria and instant cycle sand to help it along quickly. I basically just skipped the first cycle. I ended up using a live fish cycle and they kept the bacteria alive as well at the start. Some people say use a dead shrimp and I did for a day but I figured live fish was better. I bought the Cardinals for cycling and that helped a ton.

Kayvon · Oct 20, 2017

I agree about not wasting time on the nitrating bacteria cycle. It takes forever to wait for something you can get off the shelf or even use old rocks for.

mta_morrow · Dec 7, 2017

I am considering the 625xxl and have a question if you don't mind..........What type of lighting mounts come with the deluxe version?

screw into cabinet, rim mount?

your tank is coming along great, following!

Thanks

Cherub · Dec 8, 2017

mtamorrow said:
I am considering the 625xxl and have a question if you don't mind..........What type of lighting mounts come with the deluxe version?

screw into cabinet, rim mount?

your tank is coming along great, following!

Thanks

Hello,

Red Sea makes their own mounts if you buy the deluxe set up. They mount onto the back glass, but they do not drill the glass like before. i bought an after market AI Hydra mount as I added more lights, plus their mounts don't adjust front to back at all.

Hope that helps

mta_morrow · Dec 8, 2017

Denvercherub said:
Hello,

Red Sea makes their own mounts if you buy the deluxe set up. They mount onto the back glass, but they do not drill the glass like before. i bought an after market AI Hydra mount as I added more lights, plus their mounts don't adjust front to back at all.

Hope that helps

Helps a lot! Thanks.

DanikB · Jan 17, 2018

Cherub, very nice tank. I just setup a reefer 625 myself. I'm curious to know if you are still using a Sicce syncra 5 as your return and what you think of it?

I put one in as the return pump but I'm finding it quite loud. It's like having a small engine roaring in the background all the time. Not sure if I'm going to keep it.

P-Dub · Jan 17, 2018

Well done Cherub. Hope to start my tank in the next few weeks as well. It's always good to see how others tackle problems and find solutions. Following along.

Cherub · Jan 21, 2018

DanikB said:
Cherub, very nice tank. I just setup a reefer 625 myself. I'm curious to know if you are still using a Sicce syncra 5 as your return and what you think of it?

I put one in as the return pump but I'm finding it quite loud. It's like having a small engine roaring in the background all the time. Not sure if I'm going to keep it.

Hey there, sorry for the delay.

It's a great pump for this tank if you get the splitter. If you plan on just using the return nozzle it came with it will be way too much

Cherub · Jan 29, 2018

dealing with bryopsis... update video coming soon

P-Dub · Jan 30, 2018

Denvercherub said:
dealing with bryopsis... update video coming soon

Do you have chaeto in your sump going? I fond a robust ball of chaeto going will help with bryopsis. I'm more than positive that you know this already. If you have only a little here and there just thin regularly. It is amazing how much bryopsis exists on the reefs in nature. I see it all over the place diving. once it is there it is next to impossible to eradicate from my previous experience. Just turns out to be an ongoing maintenance issue. Hope for updates and plan of attack and ultimate results.

Cherub · Jan 30, 2018

P-Dub said:
Do you have chaeto in your sump going? I fond a robust ball of chaeto going will help with bryopsis. I'm more than positive that you know this already. If you have only a little here and there just thin regularly. It is amazing how much bryopsis exists on the reefs in nature. I see it all over the place diving. once it is there it is next to impossible to eradicate from my previous experience. Just turns out to be an ongoing maintenance issue. Hope for updates and plan of attack and ultimate results.

Hey there thanks for the suggestion. Yep I use chaeto, in fact I pull out a Weird Al look alike head sized chunk about once every other week because it grows so fast. I use a kessil H380 in the sump and it is insane for growth.

So I guess it's time for an update. I apologize for the wordy post now lol.

Ugh where to begin, the past few months have been a nightmare, a very expensive nightmare... I made my video in October, rushed it out since I was going on vacation. I asked a friend who I thought knew how to care for a tank to watch it for me. I paid him, gave him a frag of chuckys bride, even tipped him but he did the bare minimum still. Honestly the biggest issue was I used an auto feeder with pellets in it and the feeder was dumping too much in. If my friend had checked the filter socks instead of ignoring them it would have been fine but there was way too much food getting dumped in and as a result my nutrients spiked. My friend was also dumping a cube of PE Mysis in every other day too trying to be kind to the fish. Filter socks ahem... I was gone for a total of 10 days. My friend telling me an algae bloom was starting, why can't he check the socks >.< I came home to my blond naso dead at the bottom of the tank and bleached SPS and melting zoas. I did a huge water change, removed the socks and ran lots of carbon. The next day one of my wrasses was dead and the algae bloom was looking more like brown snot. It looked like my tank had the flu... Actually it looked like dinos. I had to keep blowing the stuff off my corals and catching it with a net. I was taking huge losses.

My frag tank down stairs I literally just had a feeder on and an ATO set up. My friend didn’t check on it once and that thing was a disaster! All the coral was dead, the layer of food at the bottom of the tank was thick and the whole room smelled bad. I am surprised the clowns survived! Poor things.. That took 3 30% water changes over three days to stabalize.

I was home a total of three days and had to leave town again for my brothers wedding. This time my better half stayed home and continued blowing off the corals about 4 times a day and doing water changes. I was gone a total of 10 days again and in that time I lost my tri colored wrasse, and that one hurt. He was my buddy. He would come to my hand and hang out any time I was doing anything with the tank. He would watch my goby digging through the sand and would mimic it getting a mouth full of sand and spitting it out lol. It was adorable. I lost one of my bangaii cardinals but that was due to the jerk purple tang attacking it. When I got home the brown algae was almost gone, I ran GFO instead of carbon for a week and everything was settling back to normal. Finally…

I decided to start acquiring more corals again, ordered stuff from a couple of live sales on here plus stuff from individuals. The tank was looking great! I dip all my stuff in iodine then coral RX. I didn’t trust my frag tank enough to QT the frags, I wish I had… I ended up with acro eating flatworms and bryopsis… Unbelievable!! Can’t a guy get a break?? The flatworms I caught early enough and got rid of them with flatworm exit. I did lose a lot of acros from that though, I don’t know if it was the poison or the toxins released from the flatworms. I mean it wasn’t infested but a lot of stuff died after I dosed the exit. I did a 30% water change, ran carbon. I don’t know what else I could have done. That stuff is supposed to be safe. I am pretty sure I know which vendor they came from, I won’t shoot them down here but I will never order from them again! Between that and the bryopsis I am about ready to throw in the towel..

I have a reactor set up now that I use with a mix of GFO and BRS Rox carbon and still have the algae issues. I got my Reef Flux(fluconazole) in the mail today though it looks like it will treat only 100 gallons, I miscalculated... Hopefully this does the trick since I need another 2-3 pills for the full dose for my 160 gallons. I ordered more, took out my carbon reactor and took my skimmer cup out. I also spent about 2 hours scraping and ripping algae out and there's still a ton in there! Now it's waiting time. I am hoping this will get rid of the algae since nothing else I do seems to work. I am tired, like really tired. I have been busting my hump on this tank almost daily. Between this and cryptocurrency crashing I am at my wits end!!

I scheduled another vacation, I am going to Hawaii at the end of February and I am terrified about what will happen next. I recruited a different friend to watch the tank. He and his wife will both feed my fish daily, no auto feeders this time and I am not leaving any filter socks in. I am done with pellets forever. No matter how little I use it seems to feed the algae beast!

I made a short video tonight of what my tank looks like right now. I meant to shoot it before I dumped the fluconazole in but forgot. So you will see some of the med floating around. This is day 1. I will update in a week or so to show any or lack of progress.

Here is a pic of my fuge, I literally pulled half the algae out 4 days ago and it looks full already. Phosphates at 0 so idk... Video below

P-Dub · Jan 31, 2018

Oh My Lord. I feel your pain. Speechless. Don't give up yet. You are too vested. This will pass, but so do kidney stones...

JTwinning · Jan 31, 2018

Denver - Sorry to hear about the disaster. My XXL 625 should be here Tuesday or Wednesday of next week and I am working on the equipment. Do you recommend the H380 Halo sump light for this cabinet/sump area? Any other equipment you suggest? Or suggest adding to minimize the possibility of what you are going through? I am completely new to the hobby. Thank you in advance.

Cherub · Jan 31, 2018

JTwinning said:
Denver - Sorry to hear about the disaster. My XXL 625 should be here Tuesday or Wednesday of next week and I am working on the equipment. Do you recommend the H380 Halo sump light for this cabinet/sump area? Any other equipment you suggest? Or suggest adding to minimize the possibility of what you are going through? I am completely new to the hobby. Thank you in advance.

The H380 is a great light for the sump. I bought the gooseneck mount and I have it mounted directly on the sump. The cabinet is tight and there's not really a spot in there to hang it. As far as the issues I'm having not much can be helped as I made a choice to use a friend over a professional to watch the tank lol, and the reef herpes could come from any vendor. Try to have a qt tank if at all possible is all I can suggest.

The reefer itself is a great set up and you will love it. It offers so many conveniences as I'm sure you're aware. Congrats on the tank and welcome to the hobby! What protein skimmer will you use? I do recommend getting the locline splitter for the return as well to help with flow plus 2 MP40s or similar circulation pumps