Dacian's RedSea Reefer 350

[dacianb]

Beginning of August I received my long expected RS reefer 350, but due to holidays I wasn't able to start it until end of August. Here is the story of my tank - hope you will learn from my mistakes.
As hardware, here is what I have until now:
- Skimmer - Bubble Magus Curve 7
- Return pump - Jebao DCT-4000 ECO
- 1 x ATI/Jebao Stream Pump RW-8

I added 14 kg of dried fine sand + 1 kg of live sand from my current tank.
Rocks - around 30 kg of dried rocks + 1 piece (1-1.5 kg) of rock from my existing tank.

I started from day 1 with RedSea Marine care program and today is already day 15.

So, here is my tank :) ugly brown algae everywhere, but on the right path.
For rock structure, this is the base rock only - I plan for the future to add (if I will see) beautiful pieces of rock, coral skeletons or even some artificial pillars. But for the moment I am happy with the look of it.

I am using for the moment a single LED engine (120W), but will add 2 more with some modifications on the original design.

This week-end I made a water change and added 10 snails, 2 very small ocellaris ( 2.5cm) and a green chromis at same size. After 3 days, they are doing great.

 

[dacianb]

In the sump I added a CherryAqua fixture I had around - now a lot of light there when I need.

and also find a way to organize better the right side of the furniture.

 

[dacianb]

And here is my champion... One week ago I gave away my current tank + all live stock, but after 2 hours the guy took the tank and left I found this piece of coral in a small bucket - we just forget about it.
I had 2 alternatives - to drive couple of hours and bring it to that guy, or drop it in my new tank (one week old, during cycle). I took the second choice and this is how this coral looks after one week in a fully cycling tank.

 

[steelheader.262]

Looks great, beautiful tank!!!!
Good luck.

 

[dacianb]

Looks great, beautiful tank!!!!
Good luck.

Thanks!

 

[jack89]

Looks great ...

 

[dacianb]

As for fish stocking plans...

Ocellaris clownfish 2x - already in
Royal Gramma Basslet
Kole Yellow Eye Tang
Yellow Tang
Copperband Butterflyfish (eventually, but after few months only)
Blue/Green Reef Chromis - already in
Midas Blenny
Bicolor Blenny


too much? Or can fit more?

 

[dacianb]

Looks great ...

:) thanks, it is encouraging

 

[dacianb]

I am a bit worried as tank is already almost 3 weeks old and water is still cloudy (not very cloudy as on first week due to bacteria bloom), but not crystal clear either. This is normal??

 

[joeyhatch11]

I'm on week 4 of my new tank and im having the same issue. I started skimming a bit wetter and this morning the tank appears to be clearing up.

 

[booth2010]

Looks good. You ready to take your lights to the market yet?

 

[Broadfield]

Just letting you know that I started a Reefer specific thread if you want to join in, show off your setup, give advice and ask questions there. Once we get some traffic on that thread, it should blow up with good info and be a great place to gather ideas etc.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/show-off-and-discuss-your-red-sea-reefer-series.219309/

 

[dacianb]

Long time since my last update...

So many things happened.... Shame on me to not upgrade this build thread.
I will try to catch things up and be more consistent in this.
For last 3 months didnt made too many to the tank, just adding fishes slowly-slowly.

Now I have followings (some may say overstock, some that is still place for couple of guys):
Yellow Tang
Kole Tang
Clown Fish (2x)
Blue Chromis
LireTails Anthias
Tailspot Blenny
Midas Blenny
Banggai Cardinalfish
Royal Gramma Basslet

Each is one, except clowns - pair.
It is a very peaceful community, some minor chase of kole against the tailspot blenny (similar dark color??), but the blenny is too small and slim and enter rocks fast enough to not harm him. But sometimes are next to each other munching rocks, no issues.

I tried for more than 2 months to keep a copperband butterfly, but he only eat pods on the rocks, then sometimes, fresh and very alive shrimps. He studied each and every creature for long seconds before deciding to eat it. And never made it if didnt moved as crazy. But that guy died whatever I tried to feed him - all types of frozen bugs and worms I was able to buy, fresh clams, tubes with holes, and everything I saw and red around the web.
After he died, I bought a longnose butterfly (reading that are easier than CBB) - this time my yellow tang (very peaceful otherwise, not even interested by new fishes I put in tank) became a monster and I saw for first time the "dark side" of a tang - pushing with spine, biting and harassing continuously the poor longnose until I took him out and next day returned to shop. :(

As I cannot add another fish (maybe a small goby on sand level) - OK, I would looove a flame angel, but rather afraid of bioload already and potential issues with those beautiful angels, time to look into corals (SPS).

Based on my tests, I had NO3 level around 10, but still doubted after 2 months of really heavy feeding (to convince my CBB to take a bite I had to flood the tank with food).
Anyway, I bought new tests (more reliable as I red around) - 2 types for NO3, phosphates, KH, PH, Ca, Mg and preparing my tank for lot of corals
First tests were terrible for NO3 - around 40

For 3 weeks I followed the NOPOX heavy program, now everything is back on check.

On corals, 3 different Euphyllia and some zoas doing great with the high nitrates period and NOPOX treatment too (ah and a bubble nem too, not affected by issues in the tank).
My immortal acan (was in tank since day one and survived the full cycle) lived happy until third day of NOPOX treatment - then just retracted and I dont think will recover - what you see on sand is more skeleton than coral.

Also, for Christmas I get a "great" gift - 2 beautiful acros - I had no idea what parameters are in my tank, just a vague idea about how to care of them... But I had to put them in the tank - after that I found out that I have NO3 of 40. Of course they both became brown next day.
I am the only bad guy keeping sps in this conditions??

After days of having just 2 brown sticks in the tank, reading a lot about SPS flow, light, water and making adjustments needed I see life coming back to them - polyps are out (not full, but before I saw only holes), some good area of brown change back to a light bluish... so hopefully will recover them.

Currently I am following RS reef foundation program (KH, Mg and Ca) + NOPOX to bring NO3 in low range. After this, planning to go to next programs- energy and coloration, but for the moment I want to bring water at required parameters and stabilize it

Another week-end and time for water change and chemistry...
NO3-0.75 (finally )
PO4- went to shop to buy a test and came back with 3 corals as there was not on stock PO4 tests
KH- 11- 11.2
Ca - 470 (slightly lower than last week, but still quite high)
Mg - 1420 (even higher than last week)
PH - 7.7

Nothing added to tank, except small water change. I still believe is the salt. Next week I will skip the water change and hopefully to go to another shop and buy a salt with lower levels.
Also, finally, I get into mood to take some better pictures (DSLR camera this time). I also lowered the power of light to around 35W to accommodate new corals.

Those pictures are closer than real look/feel of tank. NOTE - no special camera settings (Auto mode with flasher OFF) and light settings as normal. No Post processing either

My old euphyllias

..

 

[dacianb]

New corals I bought Saturday - Doing great after 2 days.

An older zoas with some weird, but nice things growing on ...

 

[dacianb]

And some of the fishes...

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

Looking good!

 

[stscream4187]

Everything looks great

 

[dacianb]

After some changes into lighting system and few more months on lifetime of the tank, here is how things looks today:
As parameters, everything is fine and stable, only drawback is that I am unable to rise the NO3 - since couple months I have absolute 0.00 readings and nothing works (including overfeeding) to rise it a bit at 1-2.
To compensate for lack of nutrients I am using coral food, supplements and things are OK.

 

[dacianb]

As corals... here are some pics - I dont have fancy corals, but rather cheap ones - mainly to learn how to keep them happy and not risking expensive ones. Also, will need a better macro lens for better pictures;

 

[dacianb]

and some more: