GoVols: Red Sea S-400

GoVols · Jun 3, 2017

Purchased this tank in 2013 and have done a lot mods.
Used to be almost all SPS but missed the swaying of LPS. (After dino damage)
Don't have pictures from start until now.
But this is our family's joy. :)

................Built in Power Center :)

Specs:
110 Gallon / Bare Bottom / Mixed Reef

Lighting - Kessil a80 Led/T5 - Hybird (retired June 2018)
Skimmer - Bubble King Mini 160 / Air intake piped to garage
Chiller / Heater - Teco TK1000
Controller - Apex JR W/PM1 Module
Phosphate and Nitrate Control - GFO (Rowaphos) and Purigen Reactors
Main Pump - 1,850 gph / Sicce - (using as backup Aug, 2019)
Recirculation - (2) 500 gph Eheim pumps inside S-Series overflow / Gyre 130
ATO - Built in 6 gallon reservoir

Testing:
Vee Gee STX-3 Refractometer
Two Little Fishes .35 Natural Seawater Solution
Cal - Salifert or API
Alk - Hanna Alk Checker
Mag - Salifert
Nitrates - Salifert
Phosphates - Hanna ULR Checker

October 2017 / Migrated over to a 2 Stage GEO cal reactor with a dual stage GLA regulator.

August 2018 / Used the S-Series led bar / Modded in one Kessil AP700 with three a80's

Kessil... "Stealth Bomber" / Maiden fight / 8-18-18

Upgrades:
Spring 2109 installed a Gen III Alkatronic

Summer 2019 pushing a Abyzz A100, for the main re-circ. pump

Enjoy the ride :)

Regards, GoVols

Havoks · Jun 3, 2017

Beautiful tank , grats.

jsker · Jun 3, 2017

That is one nice setup Freddie. The corals are nice, thick, and health. Great work:)

GoVols · Jun 3, 2017

Thanks Guys!!!!!!!

I guess that I just "jinx" the reef... and will be fighting Dinos tomorrow. :eek:

bif24701 · Jun 4, 2017

Very nice system. I like the Kessil/T5 combo, best in feeding.

That urchin intrigues me, any trouble with knocked over corals?

How do you feel about Purigen? I've done reading on it and from the literature seems ideal but I know of no one that uses it, until today.

GoVols · Jun 4, 2017

bif24701 said:
Very nice system. I like the Kessil/T5 combo, best in feeding.

That urchin intrigues me, any trouble with knocked over corals?

How do you feel about Purigen? I've done reading on it and from the literature seems ideal but I know of no one that uses it, until today.

My corals are big enough or encrusted so the urchin does not knock them over. He likes to stay camouflaged so he keeps a patch of my zoa's on his back. Royal urchins are the best part of a cleanup crew that I've ever had.

I run the Purigen reactor to work with my skimmer to capture organics before they hit the nitrogen cycle.
It is one piece of a puzzle that keeps the reef very close to an (ULNS) without carbon dosing.
I always loved purigen but hated how water goes around "The Bag" (after it gets dirty) so I made a purigen reactor.
Unlike carbon: Purigen last longer, Changes color so you know when it's full and does not released organics back in the water column like carbon does when it's exhausted. I re-charge the reactor every six weeks to make sure the purigen has not become fully exhausted. I'd say ROX polishes the water a little more but I want to keep some organics in the water column at all times for my corals and the Purigen does that for my reef.

fabutahoun · Jun 4, 2017

Very Nice Tank, I like what you are doing with Purigen, have you thought to add a little bit of carbon after the Purigen to just give a little polish to the water ?

bif24701 · Jun 4, 2017

GoVols said:
My corals are big enough or encrusted so the urchin does not knock them over. He likes to stay camouflaged so he keeps a patch of my zoa's on his back. Royal urchins are the best part of a cleanup crew that I've ever had.

I run the Purigen reactor to work with my skimmer to capture organics before they hit the nitrogen cycle.
It is one piece of a puzzle that keeps the reef very close to an (ULNS) without carbon dosing.
I always loved purigen but hated how water goes around "The Bag" (after it gets dirty) so I made a purigen reactor.
Unlike carbon: Purigen last longer, Changes color so you know when it's full and does not released organics back in the water column like carbon does when it's exhausted. I re-charge the reactor every six weeks to make sure the purigen has not become fully exhausted. I'd say ROX polishes the water a little more but I want to keep some organics in the water column at all times for my corals and the Purigen does that for my reef.

I love my ROX, it does an super job. I use only about half the suggested amount for the same reason as you. How where you able to build the reactor, I mean keep the stuff from escaping it's so small? My wife uses it on her 125 Discus tank. How much do you use?

GoVols · Jun 4, 2017

@fabutahoun @bif24701
I love ROX too but if I run it with the Purigen reactor then all my organics get stripped out of the water column and then my nitrates will bottom out. The Purigen still keeps my water clear and shimmering at the surface.

bif,
I looked and researched a lot of reactors (including the Spyglass) but I went with this one https://www.marinedepot.com/AquaMax...ntent=UJ5113&gclid=CNf05czXpNQCFUQ2gQodkiwB0A

I liked how it has no sponges and swirls media at the bottom like a tornado.
Your right Purigen is very light and some of the beads are super tiny. So if you look at the picture very close, I keep "The Bag" strapped to the output in the sump.

When I re-charge, I set the reactor to a higher flow rate for a few hours to capture the smallest beads in "The Bag". Then I reduce the flow and the rest of the beads settle back down to a tumble.

When I do my next water change then I clean "The Bag" and discard the captured micro beads. After that I rinse "The Bag" once a week and there is no more beads inside it but I keep it on the outlet for "just in case" :eek:

If I put a micro mesh filter inside of the reactor then I'd have to shut down and open the reactor every time that I needed to clean or replace the micro mesh filter. :(

I re-charge the reactor every six weeks with 500ml of Purigen. That dose is a happy # for my reef and tumbles very well inside that 22" tall reactor.

For Purigen I'd recommend a 22" or taller reactor because the Purigen is so light.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Purigen reactor works for my reef and I just loathe carbon dosing.
"Many ways to skin a cat" :)

bif24701 · Jun 4, 2017

GoVols said:
@fabutahoun @bif24701
I love ROX too but if I run it with the Purigen reactor then all my organics get stripped out of the water column and then my nitrates will bottom out. The Purigen still keeps my water clear and shimmering at the surface.

bif,
I looked and researched a lot of reactors (including the Spyglass) but I went with this one https://www.marinedepot.com/AquaMax...ntent=UJ5113&gclid=CNf05czXpNQCFUQ2gQodkiwB0A

I liked how it has no sponges and swirls media at the bottom like a tornado.
Your right Purigen is very light and some of the beads are super tiny. So if you look at the picture very close, I keep "The Bag" strapped to the output in the sump.

When I re-charge, I set the reactor to a higher flow rate for a few hours to capture the smallest beads in "The Bag". Then I reduce the flow and the rest of the beads settle back down to a tumble.

When I do my next water change then I clean "The Bag" and discard the captured micro beads. After that I rinse "The Bag" once a week and there is no more beads inside it but I keep it on the outlet for "just in case" :eek:

If I put a micro mesh filter inside of the reactor then I'd have to shut down and open the reactor every time that I needed to clean or replace the micro mesh filter. :(

I re-charge the reactor every six weeks with 500ml of Purigen. That dose is a happy # for my reef and tumbles very well inside that 22" tall reactor.

For Purigen I'd recommend a 22" or taller reactor because the Purigen is so light.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Purigen reactor works for my reef and I just loathe carbon dosing.
"Many ways to skin a cat" :)

Seems like a lot of work, but it must be worth it.

SPR1968 · Jun 6, 2017

Nice tank Freddie!

I have just added a bag of Purigen for the second time, just 100g, as my nitrates have crept up a bit and I believe this gets the 'stuff' out before it turns to Nitrate. I might get a bigger bag but I had this around as tried it before. I'm also dosing NoPox but cant seem to get below 10ppm.

I have had a slight hair algea battle over the last 6 months or so which I've finally won and I'm thinking the die back may be the reason for the higher than normal nitrate levels. The skimmate has also gone from dark tea colour to green as the hair algea had been dying off. The final battle to quickly clear the stubborn remains I believe was win using Vibrant which in my tank worked immediately and the last bits are gradually being skimmed out.

So now I have a combination of NoPox, Rhowaphos and a little bit of Purigen

Infact having said all of the above I've just read 'Tank of the Masters' again and most of their nitrates are above mine so.... I wanted to have another go with SPS which was my initial reason to go lower.

GoVols · Jun 6, 2017

SPR1968 said:
Nice tank Freddie!

I have just added a bag of Purigen for the second time, just 100g, as my nitrates have crept up a bit and I believe this gets the 'stuff' out before it turns to Nitrate. I might get a bigger bag but I had this around as tried it before. I'm also dosing NoPox but cant seem to get below 10ppm.

I have had a slight hair algea battle over the last 6 months or so which I've finally won and I'm thinking the die back may be the reason for the higher than normal nitrate levels. The skimmate has also gone from dark tea colour to green as the hair algea had been dying off. The final battle to quickly clear the stubborn remains I believe was win using Vibrant which in my tank worked immediately and the last bits are gradually being skimmed out.

So now I have a combination of NoPox, Rhowaphos and a little bit of Purigen

Infact having said all of the above I've just read 'Tank of the Masters' again and most of their nitrates are above mine so.... I wanted to have another go with SPS which was my initial reason to go lower.

Shaun,
Are you still happy with your NYOS skimmer?

Freddie

SPR1968 · Jun 6, 2017

GoVols said:
Shaun,
Are you still happy with your NYOS skimmer?

Freddie

Yes. It's a delight to use and very beautiful. Well it was before is got filled with fish poo!!! Lol

GoVols · Jun 6, 2017

SPR1968 said:
Yes. It's a delight to use and very beautiful. Well it was before is got filled with fish poo!!! Lol

Those NYOS are hot skimmers right now. :D
I'm sorry that you've battling algae issues :( and I'm still plugging away with the ABC+ with Colors C & D. :)

Is your Regal Angel still all good?

GoVols · Jun 6, 2017

OK,
One point of this thread is about how does the Kessil a80 / t5 hybird preform with sps???????????
First shot took on April 13th and second shot on June 6th.

1)

2)

AlyciaMarieee · Jun 6, 2017

Looks amazing!

GoVols · Jun 6, 2017

Since last Fall I've been running the Red Sea ABC+ powder with "Colors" C & D.
This picture shows the health and colors that my corals have been displaying with the above.

Hopefully you can see the: Reds/Blues/Greens/Purples/Yellows and Oranges

hybridazn · Jun 6, 2017

GoVols said:
Since last Fall I've been running the Red Sea ABC+ powder with "Colors" C & D.
This picture shows the health and colors that my corals have been displaying with the above.

Hopefully you can see the: Reds/Blues/Greens/Purples/Yellows and Oranges

That echinata looks awesome! Great job