Got LifeReef ??? Show us your LifeReef Sumps, Skimmers, and Anything else you may have by LifeReef.

[RobertP]

I ran a Sicce 5 on my SVS3-24 and my Apex says it was pulling about 55 watts consistently. I assume those Sicce pumps are rated at max head pressure but just guessing.

 

[Don Lidtke]

My setup is as follows:

SVS3-36 External
The Mazzei Venturis (upgrade)
BlueLine 40HDX - 1270 GPH

This setup is running at 71w (0.5 amps) on a 250 gallon tank with 45 gallon sump. The tank is currently lightly stocked but one things are loaded this should be a great match.

 

[sergifed91]

I ordered the lifereef CLF1 Compact Berlin System, SVS3-24/Mag9.5 skimmer, Mag18 return/refugium supply. i'm thinking the mag18 will be to much flow for the return. since my new tank is only rated up to 700 gph. "This unit is engineered to maximize water flow to the main filter system by drawing water from the top and bottom levels of the aquarium for flow rates up to 700 GPH, while keeping all components protected and hidden by Corner-Flo walls. Includes: Pre-Drilled Aquarium, factory-installed back-corner walls which are siliconed into the aquarium & complete plumbing kit. " Jeff recommended the mag18 for the return pipe. to much flow for the return? it's a marine land 75 gallon reef ready tank.

 

[Chad3407]

I ordered the lifereef CLF1 Compact Berlin System, SVS3-24/Mag9.5 skimmer, Mag18 return/refugium supply. i'm thinking the mag18 will be to much flow for the return. since my new tank is only rated up to 700 gph. "This unit is engineered to maximize water flow to the main filter system by drawing water from the top and bottom levels of the aquarium for flow rates up to 700 GPH, while keeping all components protected and hidden by Corner-Flo walls. Includes: Pre-Drilled Aquarium, factory-installed back-corner walls which are siliconed into the aquarium & complete plumbing kit. " Jeff recommended the mag18 for the return pipe. to much flow for the return? it's a marine land 75 gallon reef ready tank.

Personally I would run the mag18 on the skimmer and mag9.5 on return. I use the mag18 wide open on my 24" skimmer and it's great.

 

[Millimylilly]

I have a skimmer and calcium reactor by lifereef. Next will be a sump!

 

[rmchoi]

This is my Lifereef set up with several of their components on a 135 gallon system. It’s made up of 75 gallon DT, a cheato refugium and a mangrove refugium. They are all filtered through a Lifereef LF1-300 sump and SVS2-2 in-sump skimmer.

--
From my experience, simple is how I would sum up the Lifereef system. Each component is designed for basic, long term functionality with minimal maintenance. Time for this hobby varies, so the easier the work, the better for keeping corals alive. The sump has a dedicated spots for their skimmer, mechanical filters and media reactors. The skimmer runs on a Mag 9.5 pump with the large skimmer cup upgrade. I stopped using the foam filters as the tank matured. The media reactors have carbon + purigen, which I change out every quarter and bio-media stones, which is rinsed out once a year.

--
In the adjacent room is a refugium stand. On top, the display refugium hosts a mangrove plant in a 40 gal breeder. This uses a Lifereef overflow box for the return. Though it works well, coralline algae tends to grow in the clear return tube.

--
In the cabinet below is a stock 20 gal Lifereef refugium and Lifereef LCR2 Calcium Reactor. The CR is sized up to 600 gal, which seems right for the corals I have. The media is 75/25 Reborn/Remag. I refill this about three times yearly. It comes with the quick release hose fittings the makes for simple media change and easy to clean.

--
The chaeto refugium is lit by two Kessil H80 flora. It is surprising these small lights work with a deep refugium. I let it grow dense and harvest about 6 gal of cheato every 2 months and clean the refugium twice a year. The chaeto and mangrove handle the phosphate, but I have to dose nitrate.

About six months ago, I stopped using additives like amino acid, iron and iodine. Now I just do 15% weekly water changes. This renews all the water every 6 1/2 weeks, keeping the water quality very stable. The skimmer produces less skim mate over time and now runs mostly for aeration. The cup is emptied and cleaned about every 4-5 weeks.

--
I found Lifereeef to be an all-in-one system, where the components are straight forward, fit nicely together and functions efficiently. It will work configured as complicated or as simple as desired. Having tried everything, I landed on the natural filtration method. I’m seeing good coral growth and stable water, while shortening areas of maintenance. The build quality seems as good as any. So far, so good.

 

[Don Lidtke]

This is my Lifereef set up with several of their components on a 135 gallon system. It’s made up of 75 gallon DT, a cheato refugium and a mangrove refugium. They are all filtered through a Lifereef LF1-300 sump and SVS2-2 in-sump skimmer.

--
From my experience, simple is how I would sum up the Lifereef system. Each component is designed for basic, long term functionality with minimal maintenance. Time for this hobby varies, so the easier the work, the better for keeping corals alive. The sump has a dedicated spots for their skimmer, mechanical filters and media reactors. The skimmer runs on a Mag 9.5 pump with the large skimmer cup upgrade. I stopped using the foam filters as the tank matured. The media reactors have carbon + purigen, which I change out every quarter and bio-media stones, which is rinsed out once a year.

--
In the adjacent room is a refugium stand. On top, the display refugium hosts a mangrove plant in a 40 gal breeder. This uses a Lifereef overflow box for the return. Though it works well, coralline algae tends to grow in the clear return tube.

--
In the cabinet below is a stock 20 gal Lifereef refugium and Lifereef LCR2 Calcium Reactor. The CR is sized up to 600 gal, which seems right for the corals I have. The media is 75/25 Reborn/Remag. I refill this about three times yearly. It comes with the quick release hose fittings the makes for simple media change and easy to clean.

--
The chaeto refugium is lit by two Kessil H80 flora. It is surprising these small lights work with a deep refugium. I let it grow dense and harvest about 6 gal of cheato every 2 months and clean the refugium twice a year. The chaeto and mangrove handle the phosphate, but I have to dose nitrate.

About six months ago, I stopped using additives like amino acid, iron and iodine. Now I just do 15% weekly water changes. This renews all the water every 6 1/2 weeks, keeping the water quality very stable. The skimmer produces less skim mate over time and now runs mostly for aeration. The cup is emptied and cleaned about every 4-5 weeks.

--
I found Lifereeef to be an all-in-one system, where the components are straight forward, fit nicely together and functions efficiently. It will work configured as complicated or as simple as desired. Having tried everything, I landed on the natural filtration method. I’m seeing good coral growth and stable water, while shortening areas of maintenance. The build quality seems as good as any. So far, so good.

Man, that’s a clean setup. The system looks amazing!

 

[piranhaman00]

I just bought two double overflow boxes from lifereef! I had to use the silencers because I was getting the gurgling sounds, they are however dramatically cutting the flow rate down to the sump. Is there anyway to stop the gurgling sounds without disrupting the flow?

 

[rmchoi]

Man, that’s a clean setup. The system looks amazing!

Thanks - My DT stand would be packed like sardines, if it were not for the separate room for the refugiums.

 

[Acuario]

Just picked up a new refugium from Jeff when we were out in Colorado over Christmas. Immaculate work and stunning! My wife said she wants it to go in the kitchen. It's about 23 gallons. Will be able to control with separate flow, rather than those small in-sump things.

 

[Mjl714]

This is my Lifereef set up with several of their components on a 135 gallon system. It’s made up of 75 gallon DT, a cheato refugium and a mangrove refugium. They are all filtered through a Lifereef LF1-300 sump and SVS2-2 in-sump skimmer.

--
From my experience, simple is how I would sum up the Lifereef system. Each component is designed for basic, long term functionality with minimal maintenance. Time for this hobby varies, so the easier the work, the better for keeping corals alive. The sump has a dedicated spots for their skimmer, mechanical filters and media reactors. The skimmer runs on a Mag 9.5 pump with the large skimmer cup upgrade. I stopped using the foam filters as the tank matured. The media reactors have carbon + purigen, which I change out every quarter and bio-media stones, which is rinsed out once a year.

--
In the adjacent room is a refugium stand. On top, the display refugium hosts a mangrove plant in a 40 gal breeder. This uses a Lifereef overflow box for the return. Though it works well, coralline algae tends to grow in the clear return tube.

--
In the cabinet below is a stock 20 gal Lifereef refugium and Lifereef LCR2 Calcium Reactor. The CR is sized up to 600 gal, which seems right for the corals I have. The media is 75/25 Reborn/Remag. I refill this about three times yearly. It comes with the quick release hose fittings the makes for simple media change and easy to clean.

--
The chaeto refugium is lit by two Kessil H80 flora. It is surprising these small lights work with a deep refugium. I let it grow dense and harvest about 6 gal of cheato every 2 months and clean the refugium twice a year. The chaeto and mangrove handle the phosphate, but I have to dose nitrate.

About six months ago, I stopped using additives like amino acid, iron and iodine. Now I just do 15% weekly water changes. This renews all the water every 6 1/2 weeks, keeping the water quality very stable. The skimmer produces less skim mate over time and now runs mostly for aeration. The cup is emptied and cleaned about every 4-5 weeks.

--
I found Lifereeef to be an all-in-one system, where the components are straight forward, fit nicely together and functions efficiently. It will work configured as complicated or as simple as desired. Having tried everything, I landed on the natural filtration method. I’m seeing good coral growth and stable water, while shortening areas of maintenance. The build quality seems as good as any. So far, so good.

why stop using sponges?

 

[RobertP]

30" Lifereef installed and started letting it run. Trying out a different pump for a month or two before I go with a more powerful pump. Almost no load on the system so will be a little while before it picks up much.

 

[DS204]

Looking good @RobertP!

 

[diemaker]

hey guy's I'm new to the Life reef game I bought a VS3-60, 60" tall skimmer I have a few questions

1. Can this skimmer be run in sump? I'm terrified of the unit overflowing and draining my tank

2. I also got the Blueline 40x HD pump external I know I'm wondering if this pump sits out side my sump is it able to pull water up over the edge of my sump and down to the skimmer in feed or does it really need to be setup with a bulk head at the bottom edge of my sump?

i'm thinking which every I run it that I would feed the skimmer with a core 15 pump which puts out more then the blueline

 

[JoshH]

Personally... I wouldn't worry about it overflowing if you have the airline from the cup running to the venturi. Once water reaches the top of the air line it kills bubble production in the skimmer so it's just water that flows into the bottom of the skimmer and then out the outlet back into the sump.

 

[Water Dog]

i'm thinking which every I run it that I would feed the skimmer with a core 15 pump which puts out more then the blueline

The Pan World Blueline 40x HD would absolutely crush the COR15 in performance. It’s a pressure rated pump. In fact, I’m not even a fan of the COR15 on the 24” Lifereef, though some have used it with okay results.

 

[diemaker]

The Pan World Blueline 40x HD would absolutely crush the COR15 in performance. It’s a pressure rated pump. In fact, I’m not even a fan of the COR15 on the 24” Lifereef, though some have used it with okay results.

According to the ratings the blue line is rated at 1270 GPH at 13feet of head and the core pump is rated for 1500 GPH at 15 feet of head no doubt the blueline is probably a much better built pump

 

[Water Dog]

According to the ratings the blue line is rated at 1270 GPH at 13feet of head and the core pump is rated for 1500 GPH at 15 feet of head no doubt the blueline is probably a much better built pump

Again, it’s about being a pressure rated pump. Modern DC pumps cannot compare to pressure rated external AC pumps. They are very weak in comparison when it comes to pressure applications. I recall a discussion over on the big Lifereef thread on RC where someone tried a 600gph Iwaki MD 30 on a 24” Lifereef and it was waaaay too much pump for it, meanwhile, people have used the Vectra M1 and Cor 20 rated at 2000 gph on the 24” miodel with success.

Please test your COR 15 vs the Blueline 40 on the 48 incher and let us know how they do. I’ve got my money on the Blueline all day!

 

[diemaker]

Again, it’s about being a pressure rated pump. Modern DC pumps cannot compare to pressure rated external AC pumps. They are very weak in comparison when it comes to pressure applications. I recall a discussion over on the big Lifereef thread on RC where someone tried a 600gph Iwaki MD 30 on a 24” Lifereef and it was waaaay too much pump for it, meanwhile, people have used the Vectra M1 and Cor 20 rated at 2000 gph on the 24” miodel with success.

Please test your COR 15 vs the Blueline 40 on the 48 incher and let us know how it does. I’ve got my money on the Blueline all day!

I hear you loud and clear i'm just debating if I want to try and drill a hole in my sump to feed the blueline pump

 

[Water Dog]

I think you’d be fine with running the skimmer externally. Do you run an Apex? Perhaps you could run a float switch in the cup in combination with a few leak detectors at the base of the skimmer to shut down the skimmer if any issues arise.