Fence's Tank Build

Fence13 · Jan 8, 2018

Greetings all!

You may have seen me poking around a lot more than usual, asking odd questions and commenting in random threads. I've been trying to figure out how I wanted to go about my fish tank build. I would like to thank a lot of people for no reason other than they had some really excellent ideas at one point in time in building their tanks and posting about it for complete strangers. @Robin Haselden for their inner monologue writing style. @Broadfield for his cultivation of the Red Sea Reefer Cults. @pelphrey @dmw913 and many others whose threads I've sat in for weeks while reading all about their builds. This will be long, so if you stop reading here. So long, and thanks for all the fish!

It all began when we were having new countertops put in our kitchen (thank you, they look really nice). My wife got some other remodeling ideas of her own and through some delicate spousal negotiations (she said she wants a dining room table where my fish tank is. So I said well I'm not moving it, I'll just get a new fish tank! So she said fine. And that was that.) And this began my reverse Red Sea Reefer 250. SO what is a reverse RSR250 build? Well, we start with a tank:

Now now I know what you're thinking. That doesn't look like any Red Sea Reefer, and while I'd love to show you a picture of my RSR 250, that'd just be too hard because I don't own one yet. .... Are you still here? You didn't click away right? Well, good. Basically, I'm going to back into my RSR 250. I think buying the RSR 250 will be the middle of this build.

This current tank has seen better days (aside from the dirty glass), most of the giant SPS colonies were wiped out earlier last year due to a salinity issue (stupidity) and an alk issue (laziness). While I have frags remaining of most of them, I am growing them out again. Here's a picture of the tank during 'The Fall'. I killed a giant bulletproof green slimer colony... that takes real talent folks.

All my fish survived (yay fish!) and I really like fish so that's a plus!

Next I'll share my current equipment thoughts and I have a update that should arrive on Wednesday. Super excited about that. Thanks to everyone still reading and to those who tag along! Beers on me ;Happy

Fence13 · Jan 8, 2018

Red Sea Reefer 250 layout

Here is the culmination of my searching and reading, and reading some more. Trying to steal the best ideas from everyone and make one Frankenstein idea. (Pronounced Frank-en-steen). A Franken-reef? I digress.......

Red Sea Reefer 250 (obviously)

Sump - Someone had the great idea (and i've lost the name to credit) to put white vinyl on the outside of the standard stock sump. I'm going to give this a go!
@ArtFully Acrylic lid for the tank is on my "To Buy" list.
@Vivid Creative Aquatics has the loc line and Random Flow Generator for the RSR 250. Also on my "To Buy" list.
Vectra S1 return pump (to go with my EcoTech battery on the current tank)
Kessil 360we's are making the move to the new tank.
Along with the Apex.
Skimmer is currently a Reef Octopus 150SS but is being replaced with a NYOS 120. (@Branespikin convinced me of this).
Turbo L2 Scrubber is also making the move. Thing was a huge success in the golden era of the current tank, I removed it (pre-cursor to 'The Fall') and keeping this is a big requirement of my new sump.
Will also be using many @Aquaforest products to see if they can help speed up the growth of the coral in both the old and new setups. Really want this to help breathe some new life into the system.

Currently trying to decide on some items.
Powerheads: Gyre XF230 or 2x Tunze 6040 (I'd use 2 MP10's but I'm not rich, but if I did that, then I'd use a Varios-4 for a return pump and keep the battery backups on the powerheads)

ATO: Neptune ATK or Tunze Osmolator? Leaning towards the Neptune so I can put an extra light sensor in whatever new ATO container I buy. (Wife agreed to buy me a new container so it can go in the stand with the sump and so she'll stop tripping over the big white jugs)

Sump: There are a lot of really nice and beautiful acrylic sumps out there from SynergyReef and @Elite-Aquatics that would work well in the small space I will have. Just unsure if it is worth delaying the final setup for a month or two just to pay for it.

pelphrey · Jan 8, 2018

Be interested to hear your thoughts on the Tunze power heads. If my rock work wasn’t so tall I’d like to try them out myself! I can say that the gyre’s now that I have the advanced programming setup are even more awesome! I’m running 5-6 different flow patterns all day, and a few times a day the pumps run on constant at a high speed to suspend anything in the tank and push it down the overflow!

Can’t wait to see what you come up with!!

LadyMac · Jan 8, 2018

Following!

SashimiTurtle · Jan 8, 2018

Hey, thanks for the compliment! I'm ready to get this new Reefer 250. When do we order?

jp_75 · Jan 8, 2018

Be interested to hear your thoughts on the Tunze power heads!

Fence13 · Jan 8, 2018

pelphrey said:
Be interested to hear your thoughts on the Tunze power heads. If my rock work wasn’t so tall I’d like to try them out myself! I can say that the gyre’s now that I have the advanced programming setup are even more awesome! I’m running 5-6 different flow patterns all day, and a few times a day the pumps run on constant at a high speed to suspend anything in the tank and push it down the overflow!

Can’t wait to see what you come up with!!

My master plan with the Tunze powerheads is to utilize their small footprint for the looks but also to hook them up to the Apex and have the Apex perhaps ramp them up and down? There is a small click which I'm sure would bother me when they turn on or off, but if you just ramp up and down, you should avoid that.

Not going to lie. I really like the Gyre for the whole tank flow, and with the return lines in the middle of the tank, I think that also helps break up some flow and give you some variance. I used to run a gyre on a 5 second strong pulse because every time I went diving, I always felt that was about the strength of the current. (unless the weather was choppy!). What 5 patterns are you running? Is there a reason for all 5?

Fence13 · Jan 8, 2018

Robin Haselden said:
Hey, thanks for the compliment! I'm ready to get this new Reefer 250. When do we order?

Any time! Your thread always makes for a great read!

The wife wants new carpet in the bedroom (because that's where the tank is going) so I'm thinking that's next month, and then after that it's tank time! In the meantime, I'm ordering all sorts of shiny things...except coral. Not allowed to order that....yet

SashimiTurtle · Jan 8, 2018

Ahh, I'd like a tank in the bedroom... but I work swing shift. The little 10g fresh water is already too much light, need to find another place to put it.

Fence13 · Jan 9, 2018

Robin Haselden said:
Ahh, I'd like a tank in the bedroom... but I work swing shift. The little 10g fresh water is already too much light, need to find another place to put it.

I know the feeling, when the lights come on you wake up. I used to run the lights starting at 6:30am so now I think it'll start later in the day.

But my only other option isn't near any electrical plugs.

kevyg · Jan 9, 2018

Fence13 said:
I know the feeling, when the lights come on you wake up. I used to run the lights starting at 6:30am so now I think it'll start later in the day.

But my only other option isn't near any electrical plugs.

If you can run a water line you can extend an outlet circuit and install a new wall outlet (I've done this many times since installing fish tanks, also did it for my trash compactor so the plug wasn't showing.) If you need to run electrical wire, a coat hanger attached to some string works well. To maneuver it through the walls. You may have to run it to the attic, then across the crawl space and down the internals of a wall, but it is all doable. Can't beat having that kind of versatility when you need it. If later you don't want one there, just do a drywall repair kit and remove the wiring.

https://www.familyhandyman.com/electrical/wiring-outlets/add-electrical-outlet/view-all/

Fence13 · Jan 9, 2018

kevyg said:
If you can run a water line you can extend an outlet circuit and install a new wall outlet (I've done this many times since installing fish tanks, also did it for my trash compactor so the plug wasn't showing.) If you need to run electrical wire, a coat hanger attached to some string works well. To maneuver it through the walls. You may have to run it to the attic, then across the crawl space and down the internals of a wall, but it is all doable. Can't beat having that kind of versatility when you need it. If later you don't want one there, just do a drywall repair kit and remove the wiring.

https://www.familyhandyman.com/electrical/wiring-outlets/add-electrical-outlet/view-all/

Here is that nice spot for a small skinny tank. Unfortunately it's in the middle of a stone tile floor. We could run electricity through our crawl space.....but I hate crawl spaces (yes I realize that I own a house with a crawl space and I don't like dark cramped places...the irony is not lost of me). I'd treat you to all the beer you want to run me electricity here

PS. Do you like the wife's new countertops? I got to pick them out....any pay for them.

kevyg · Jan 10, 2018

Honestly, if I was close enough I would totally do that for ya. I could run an outlet right up through the floor into the back of the cabinet. No tile underneath of it I'm assuming. Drill a small hole run the cord through. Cut a small spot for the receptacle and poof! New perfect outlet. Unfortunately I live in the middle of nowhere in northern CA (actual northern CA with the trees, not what LA thinks north is)

And yes, I actually really like those countertops, I've always been a fan of the darker marble with the white through it.

Fence13 · Jan 10, 2018

So a new present arrived today! I had this big dramatic reveal all planned out with balloons and everything but the box says it all so I'm sure you can guess what it is.

I was really excited about this because I found it open box sale listed as "damaged". Was about to grab it for just over $300 with free 2 day shipping. And the only part damaged....well a little super glue and good as new.

I got so excited to put it on the tank that I forgot to take a picture of it fully assembled. So here is one where it's already plugged in and in the sump.