ELF's RedSea XL 300 Reeftank

[ELF1024]

I'm a new Reefer setting up a new tank.

I have some previous Marine Tank experience but it was over a decade ago, and only really consisted of Clownfish and Anemones. I had picked up some live sand from my LFS and had ended up with a horrible bristle-worm infestation (2002-ish). I had a sump with wet/dry bio-balls and a protein skimmer which I bet hadn't done anything for the tank other than gas exchange. I really had no idea what I was doing with the protein skimmer.

My biggest issue with that tank was that the carpet anemone was eating all my non-clowns. It had several fairly expensive "steak" dinners, including one dwarf lionfish.

I eventually took the tank down when I ended up PCS-ing from Alabama to New York. A divorce, a new wife, the kids moved out of the house, and lots of time later... Now I'm in Arizona.

The Red Sea XL 300 arrives tomorrow. So I don't have much in the way of photos to share just yet.

I've spent months planning this, and more than that watching BRStv and waiting for a time when I could afford to get back into the hobby. At this time, I am planning on doing a bare-bottom tank without live rock. I am very aware that this is the hard way to go.

I've already picked up a 4 Stage RODI system, and a SmartBuddie Booster pump as my water pressure wasn't sufficient.

I've also picked up the Hanna Marine Master kit for testing and the Milwaukee Digital Refractometer.

I'll be using the Red Sea Coral Pro Salt mix. I almost went with the Tropic Marin Salt, but with the issues they've been having lately, I just went with the Red Sea mix instead.

So the base system is the Red Sea Reefer XL 300 Deluxe, meaning that it comes with the lights. I'm pairing that with a Vectra S2 return pump.

For the heater, I have two 100W titanium heating elements connected to an Inkbird heater controller.

I'm planning on starting UV, so I picked up a Syncra SDC 3.0 pump to pair with a 15-Watt hang-on tank UV Sterilizer.

I've also picked up a Marinepure 8x8x1 block, which I am hoping fits in the sump, if not I will trade out for some Marinepure balls.

I've attempted to do some aquascaping... I guess we'll see how that turns out when I get the tank setup.

I'm planning on cycling with the Microbacter Dry Rock Bacteria Starter Kit. Once NH3 and NO2 are back at zero I'll add two clowns and start to work on setting up a refugium and adding the UV.

I'm planning on using a Kessil H80, and a starter package from Algaebarn to get the 'fuge started.

Once the 'fuge looks to be working, I'll start ramping up the lights and adding a fish-based clean-up-crew of a Yellow Tang, a Bristle-tooth Tang, and a Lawnmower Blenny.

From here, the plan pretty much falls apart and becomes goals depending on how the tank is behaving and what issues I run into. I'm not planning on adding corals until late this year, or the first quarter of next year.

I have a bunch of corals I have my eye on over at WorldWide, and depending on what pests I end up with I'm considering a filefish and a six-lined wrasse.

Zoanthids
WWC AOI Zoanthids
Rainbow Hornet Zoanthids
WWC Gaias Zoanthids

Green Star Polyps
WWC Blue Center Green Star Polyps

Euphyllia
WWC Rainbow Branching Hammer

Duncan
Green Duncan

Mushroom
Ultra Red Disco Mushroom
Uranium Bounce Mushroom
Blue Dot Disco Mushroom

So that's the plan, we'll see how far I have to deviate from the plan once I make contact with the tank.

 

[blaxsun]

Another Red Sea convert!

 

[ELF1024]

And so it begins...

For those of you wondering if you can fit an 8x8x1 block of MarinePure bio-media between the filter/'fuge portion of the sump and the pump area, yes you can.

 

[ELF1024]

 

[ELF1024]

I dosed the tank with the Microbacter Dry Rock Starter kit right after the first set of readings.

Date	Time	Temp	Salinity	DKH	PH	NH3/NH4	NO3
3/23/2022	14:00	78.7	1.024	12.5	8.2
3/26/2022	7:30	79.1	1.024	11.5	7.7	0.75	23

It appears that Ammonia is being changed into Nitrite, so the cycle is in progress. Looks like between the three of us who live here, plus the three dogs, the tank is acting as a CO2 sink, thus the drop in PH and DKH.

 

[ELF1024]

Another week down. It appears we have cycled the Ammonia and are now working towards killing off the Nitrite.

Date	Time	Temp	Salinity	DKH	PH	NH3/NH4	NO3	N02
3/23/2022	2:00:00 PM	78.7	1.024	12.5	8.2
3/26/2022	7:30:00 AM	79.1	1.024	11.5	7.7	0.75	23
3/30/2022	8:30:00 AM	79.3	1.024	10.3	8.2	0.75	75
4/2/2022	7:00:00 AM	79.4	1.024	9.5	8.1	0	128	2.2

Maybe in another week or two I'll get a few hardy fish.

 

[ELF1024]

Nitrates are super high, but it is being turned into Nitrate.

Date	Time	Temp	Salinity	DKH	PH	NH3/NH4	NO3	N02	PO			Notes
3/23/2022	2:00:00 PM	78.7	1.024	12.5	8.2							Cycle Starts 15:30
3/26/2022	7:30:00 AM	79.1	1.024	11.5	7.7	0.75	23
3/30/2022	8:30:00 AM	79.3	1.024	10.3	8.2	0.75	75
4/2/2022	7:00:00 AM	79.4	1.024	9.5	8.1	0	128	2.2
4/6/2022	7:15:00 AM	78.7	1.024	9.6	7.9		200	8.3				added bicarbonate
4/7/2022	5:00:00 AM	78.9		11.9			200					added Coraline Algae

I raised the DHK on the tank this week by dosing bicarbonate. Since I don't have anything in the tank other than bacteria, I just went ahead and dosed the whole amount instead of spreading it out over a few days. After the first water change, I'll start dosing bicarbonate (since PH seems mostly fine) at least weekly for the Coraline Algae growth.

I added Coraline Algae in a bottle to the tank this morning. Hopefully, we'll see some results in a few weeks.

Nitrites are super-high so, I've ordered more Microbacter Start XLM to add additional bacteria to the tank to complete cycling.

I'm thinking I should start the refugium up. I need to purchase a Kessil H80, and gooseneck, as well as some clean Chaeto, and live pods.

 

[pghreeferteam]

Looks like you’re having good progress. Thanks for the posts. Interested in some more pics of the sump setup if you have time

 

[Jeffcb]

Nothing like a new Red Sea tank! Congrats. Following.

 

[ELF1024]

Another test day...

Date	Time	Temp	Salinity	DKH	PH	NH3/NH4	NO3	N02	PO			Notes
4/2/2022	7:00:00 AM	79.4	1.024	9.5	8.1	0	128	2.2
4/6/2022	7:15:00 AM	78.7	1.024	9.6	7.9		200	8.3				added bicarbonate
4/7/2022	5:00:00 AM	78.9		11.9			200					added Coraline Algae
4/9/2022	7:00:00 AM	79.1	1.023	11.2	8.3		200	5.7				dosed 10g bicarbonate added 1/2 cup of seawater mix

I find it interesting that the Nitrates dropped from 8.3 to 5.7... I assume that must be due to the introduction of Coraline Algae. I guess I must have been on the edge of 1.024 and 1.023. I've been getting then 1.023 reading a few times, but on cleaning my refractometer and re-testing I came out with 1.024. Today it decided it wasn't having any of my re-testing and stayed at 1.023. So I added a half-cup of the Red Sea Coral Pro Salt. I also added 10g of Bicarbonate to get my DKH back up to 12.3.

Nitrites are still too ***'ing high. High enough where the test kit is maxed out. I get the additional batch of Microbacter Start XLM on Monday. I'll add that and hopefully, we'll make some more progress.

I haven't ordered the refugium items yet, I might get to that this next weekend. At the same time, I need to pick up an additional cheap heater for my seawater change setup. When I do set the 'fuge up I'll likely move one of the 100w heaters I have to the overflow in the main tank.

Of course, no sign of the coralline algae in the tank yet... but it is interesting that it may have dropped the Nitrates.

One item of interest, I end up having to top off the ATO every morning. It will go from almost completely full to less than half to a quarter (full) in a day. The provided Red Sea ATO is 3.2 gallons. Of course I guess that is to be expected considering I'm in Arizona, and the humidity in the house, even with the aquarium running for a few weeks now is averaging under 20%. (23% for the room with the aquarium) Outside humidity is 13% at the moment.

 

[ELF1024]

Date

Time

Temp

Salinity

DKH

PH

NH3/NH4

NO3

N02

PO

Notes

4/9/2022

7:00:00 AM

79.1

1.023

11.2

8.3

200

5.7

dosed 10g bicarbonate Added 1/2 cup of Saltwater mix

4/10/2022

7:30:00 AM

dosed Microbacter Start XLM

4/11/20222

2:00:00 PM

79.1

1.024

200

4/11/2022

7:20:00 PM

79.1

1.024

11.3

200

6.3

~10 gallon Water Change Dosed 10g bicarbonate

I ended up finding the Microbacter Start XLM in my mailbox Sunday. Not a good sign, lord knows how long it was out there. So I went ahead and dosed the tank with all of it.

Tested again today, and... Nitrites are still over the limit, reading 200. I would have assumed that 24+ hours would have made at least some difference.

So I'm getting impatient, which is never a good thing in this hobby. and did a 10-gallon water change this evening. Tested the water again, and once again... 200 "over the limit" of the tester. I was hoping it would at least bring it down to measurable, but no luck.

I am going to assume that the Microbacter Start XLM I got was DOA. I am testing on RODI water for Nitrites at the moment looking for a logical reason for why this is happening; other than... bare-bottom tank, "we warned you this was going to suck".

Nope, that's not it, Nitrites came back 0 on the RODI water, as they should be. At least the universe isn't totally screwing with me.

Ok, so what are Nitrates doing? Testing... 6.3... so on 4/6 we were at 8.3, then we went to 5.7 on the 9th (After Coraline Algae dose on the 7th), and we are 6.3 now. At least something is happening... however slower than I would like.

For reference, I'm using the Hanna Marine Master test equipment and reagents.

I'll likely do another 10% water change this weekend; because water changes fix most everything, right?

Tank: "You must learn patience..."
Me: "Yeah yeah, how long will that take?"

Oh, in other news, I went up to Tucson, Arizona to recon LFS. I went to both Shark's Reef and Fishy Business. Sharks Reef seemed to have a lot of brown jelly on their corals, so that eliminated them right off the bat. It was also claustrophobic and not well kept after.

Fishy Business on the other hand looked good. The staff was friendly and let my special needs son feed their mascot fish a sheet of Nori. Their corals looked healthy and everything was much better cared for. So unless I mail order something, I'll likely be using Fishy Business as my LFS.

 

[ELF1024]

Date	Time	Temp	Salinity	DKH	PH	NH3/NH4	NO3	N02	PO			Notes
4/2/2022	7:00:00 AM	79.4	1.024	9.5	8.1	0	128	2.2
4/6/2022	7:15:00 AM	78.7	1.024	9.6	7.9		200	8.3				added bicarbonate
4/7/2022	5:00:00 AM	78.9		11.9			200					added Coraline Algae
4/9/2022	7:00:00 AM	79.1	1.023	11.2	8.3		200	5.7				dosed 10g bicarbonate, Added 1/2 of Saltwater mix
4/10/2022	7:30:00 AM											dosed Microbacter Start XLM
4/11/20222	2:00:00 PM	79.1	1.024				200
4/11/2022	7:20:00 PM	79.1	1.024	11.3			200	6.3				~10 gallon Water Change, Dosed 10g of bicarbonate
4/13/2022	7:00:00 AM	79.2	1.024	12	8.2		200	9.3				dosed 3g bicarbonate

Ugly Brown is starting to show up...

I've been running the light in acclimation mode, but I went ahead and reset them to the lowest acclimation setting to try and starve the bad algae. A tang of some sort is definitely on the purchase list.

Nitrites are still too high to get an accurate read. Nitrates are up to 9.3. Still looking like a 10 gallon water change this weekend.

I really need to get that 'fuge going.

 

[ELF1024]

Date	Time	Temp	Salinity	DKH	PH	NH3/NH4	NO3 ppb	N02 ppm	PO₄³⁻ ppm			Notes
4/11/2022	7:20:00 PM	79.1	1.024	11.3			200	6.3				~10 gallon Water Change Dosed 10g of bicarbonate
4/13/2022	7:00:00 AM	79.2	1.024	12	8.2		200	9.3				dosed 3g bicarbonate
4/16/2022	6:30:00 AM	79.3	1.024	11.7	8		200	14.1
4/16/2022	7:45:00 AM	78.9	1.024	11.8			200					after 10 gallon w/c dosed 5g of bicarb
4/20/2022	11:59:00 AM											Added Pods
4/20/2022	4:00:00 PM	79.1	1.023 1.024	11.2	8		200	23.8	0.23			add 1/4 cup salt mix dosed 8g bicarb

I've done two 10-gallon water changes (80-gallon system) and the nitrites have not fallen to a readable level. I'm getting frustrated with that.

So I have the light for the refugium installed. I picked up the Kessil H80 with the gooseneck. I also picked up some Marinepure Balls, as I am thinking I don't have enough surface area for biological filtration. I have one floater MarinePure ball, not sure if that's normal or just an outlier. Now I need to order some clean Chaeto.

I also ordered two 5280 pods from Algaebarn and added them to the main tank today. Hopefully, they will eat some of the ugly brown algae? on the rocks. My first steps towards a clean-up crew.

The brown stuff is getting pretty widespread on the tank. I don't blame it, there are a lot of dissolved organics in the tank to feed off of (see table above). One video I watched said it was dinos, but I'm skeptical of that. It doesn't seem to go away at night. So I suspect it's just ugly brown algae.


The nitrates are now over 20ppm and the Phosphates (first test) are 0.23 ppm; which is high. Go figure as to why it's growing algae. Hopefully, once I get the Chaeto, it will help to reduce those levels. Algaebarn is out of clean Chaeto and has been for a least a week or two.

Still trying to remember to be patient.

 

[Lavey29]

I have the same tank at one year old. The fuge will not have a significant impact on your numbers. Running chemipure blue and a bag of phosguard in the media cup will bring them in line. The banshee 10g ATO fits nicely in the cabinet and the Red Sea doser fits nicely on top of it for future consideration.

 

[Lavey29]

Date	Time	Temp	Salinity	DKH	PH	NH3/NH4	NO3 ppb	N02 ppm	PO₄³⁻ ppm			Notes
4/11/2022	7:20:00 PM	79.1	1.024	11.3			200	6.3				~10 gallon Water Change Dosed 10g of bicarbonate
4/13/2022	7:00:00 AM	79.2	1.024	12	8.2		200	9.3				dosed 3g bicarbonate
4/16/2022	6:30:00 AM	79.3	1.024	11.7	8		200	14.1
4/16/2022	7:45:00 AM	78.9	1.024	11.8			200					after 10 gallon w/c dosed 5g of bicarb
4/20/2022	11:59:00 AM											Added Pods
4/20/2022	4:00:00 PM	79.1	1.023 1.024	11.2	8		200	23.8	0.23			add 1/4 cup salt mix dosed 8g bicarb

I've done two 10-gallon water changes (80-gallon system) and the nitrites have not fallen to a readable level. I'm getting frustrated with that.

So I have the light for the refugium installed. I picked up the Kessil H80 with the gooseneck. I also picked up some Marinepure Balls, as I am thinking I don't have enough surface area for biological filtration. I have one floater MarinePure ball, not sure if that's normal or just an outlier. Now I need to order some clean Chaeto.

I also ordered two 5280 pods from Algaebarn and added them to the main tank today. Hopefully, they will eat some of the ugly brown algae? on the rocks. My first steps towards a clean-up crew.

The brown stuff is getting pretty widespread on the tank. I don't blame it, there are a lot of dissolved organics in the tank to feed off of (see table above). One video I watched said it was dinos, but I'm skeptical of that. It doesn't seem to go away at night. So I suspect it's just ugly brown algae.


The nitrates are now over 20ppm and the Phosphates (first test) are 0.23 ppm; which is high. Go figure as to why it's growing algae. Hopefully, once I get the Chaeto, it will help to reduce those levels. Algaebarn is out of clean Chaeto and has been for a least a week or two.

Still trying to remember to be patient.

No sock, media cup or skimmer? What is your nutrients export filtration then?

 

[ELF1024]

No sock, media cup or skimmer? What is your nutrients export filtration then?

Nothing yet, still cycling, no fish in the tank just the MicrobacterXLM Dry Rock Starter. Added Coraline a few weeks ago, and today some pods.

 

[Lavey29]

Nothing yet, still cycling, no fish in the tank just the MicrobacterXLM Dry Rock Starter. Added Coraline a few weeks ago, and today some pods.

Oh ok, seemed like you were discussing nitrate increases and decreases and then I saw no export filtration so was curious.

Another thing you mention tangs for the tank. They don't do well in 36 inch tank. I tried a bristletooth and the tank was to small for him and stressed him to much.

 

[ELF1024]

Oh ok, seemed like you were discussing nitrate increases and decreases and then I saw no export filtration so was curious.

Correct, just starting the process, as soon as the Nitrites hit zero, the socks will go in. In the meantime, I'm thinking Chaeto as a start to decrease Nitrates and Phosphates.

 

[Lavey29]

Correct, just starting the process, as soon as the Nitrites hit zero, the socks will go in. In the meantime, I'm thinking Chaeto as a start to decrease Nitrates and Phosphates.

I'm not sure why you even check nitrites. They are meaningless if your tank is producing nitrates which is the end result of the nitrogen cycle. With no nutrients export in place how do you think your 20ppm nitrate reading will go to zero? Maybe a 50% water change will bring it to 10.

 

[ELF1024]

I'm not sure why you even check nitrites. They are meaningless if your tank is producing nitrates which is the end result of the nitrogen cycle. With no nutrients export in place how do you think your 20ppm nitrate reading will go to zero? Maybe a 50% water change will bring it to 10.

I'm checking nitrites because the tank was started about a month ago and it's going through its first cycle. Nitrites should be zero before I can add fish. There shouldn't be anything additional needed to change the nitrites to nitrate, as the bacteria are working, as the nitrate levels are rising.

I wasn't expecting the nitrates to go to zero without something to export, which is why I was looking to add chaeto. The high nitrates and phosphates are clearly fueling the ugly brown algae on the rocks.