Hokiereef - Red Sea Reefer 3xl 900 Tank Upgrade/Build

[hokiereef]

Hello fellow reefers!
I've been in the hobby for about 12 years, and have gotten out a few times too

Last year I had a Reefer 350 that sprung a leak at the bottom and after the triage work to save the fish and corals, I wanted out.
Before deciding to leave the hobby, I took my favorite corals, sold the rest along with my 350, and downsized to a Reefer 170.
A year later, hooked again on the hobby, I used the COVID vacation funds to go all in and get the tank I've always wanted. I love the Reefer series and decided to go for the big one.

I'm a couple of months in and will share the progress to date.
I have not always done the right things in my reefing past, but I'm reforming my ways and embracing all aspects of the hobby now.
That applies mostly to quarantine of new fish and corals, which I have definitely been taking chances on.

I'm looking forward to sharing my journey with the community that has already helped me.

 

[hokiereef]

First share is of my existing Reefer 170. It started off with a lot of frags in January and quickly was overgrown.

Mystery Wrasse was rehomed and Clown pair, Midas blenny, and Flame Hawk were planned to move over to the new tank.
Second recent shot has the biggest corals already removed due to growth. I started a small frag tank which is now full as well.
As you can see, I love Goniopora and Euphyllia.

 

[Zach B]

Looks great!

 

[hokiereef]

Thank you very much! It's so packed with rock to fit in what I had from the bigger tank late last year there is no sand open anywhere.

I also have to share the current state of my "small" frag tank. I highlight "small" because it was only meant to be for frag quarantine, but now houses many of my originals that no longer fit in the 170 - like my 7"x7" red goni
It's a Fiji Cube AIO 22 gallon.

Also, once I had more room, I bought more.
Seriously, I have a problem.

 

[Zach B]

We all have a problem lol

 

[hokiereef]

So in late summer I started the plan for the upgrade.
I had picked the Reefer 3xl, so knowing the weight/dimensions, I wanted to be sure my house could hold it.

I live in a newer house with a crawlspace and I-joists. Not sure if that's good or bad (have heard both) but opted not to chance anything, so I hired a structural engineer.

He said that "it might be ok as is, but I'd rather build it for 3x projected load"
So, he had me reinforce the existing footings and add a beam to decrease the joist span.

 

[NeonRabbit221B]

Following along purely for my love of VT. Excited to see this play out.

 

[hokiereef]

Go Hokies!

 

[Hokie125]

Wish you were still in Blacksburg. The hobby seems to be lacking around here unless there are a lot of closet reefers that I don’t know about!

 

[hokiereef]

I miss Blacksburg so much. This COVID nightmare was hard on everyone in so many ways.
Nothing this year hit me harder than seeing Lane Stadium empty while they played Enter Sandman with cardboard cut outs. Every other time you watch the scene on TV, you feel like you are there and get goosebumps. Not this year.

Let's get to 2021!

 

[metzer]

Go Hokies, following along with another RS 900 builder.

 

[hokiereef]

So I had put together the equipment list and tried to convince the wife it was a family expense (she bought it!):
- Reefer 3xl 900
- Red Sea RSK-900 Skimmer
- APEX EL controller (first one I have ever had)
- 2 APEX COR-20 return pumps (overkill, I know, but wanted 2 in case one failed)
- 3 Radion XR-30 G5 Blues (I wasn't sure on these, so I got the XR15 G5 Blue on the frag tank and loved the way the corals popped - I was always so jealous of other pics of corals I had in my tank looking better than mine)
- Tunze Osmolator
- Advanced Acrylics ATO reservoir (I wanted on the side to maximize cabinet room and was leery of plumbing the RODI direct - maybe someday) 7"x27"x23" ~20Gallons
- Clearview lid (i had this on both my 350 and my 170 - love them)

While I had taken delivery and set up all of my other tanks, it wasn't possible with this tank so I had the team at Fish Room in Raleigh order, deliver and set it up.
They were great! Highly recommend them for tank delivery/install.
Pic of the install and my ATO reservoir from Advanced Acrylics (delivered in 2 weeks!)

 

[metzer]

So I had put together the equipment list and tried to convince the wife it was a family expense (she bought it!):
- Reefer 3xl 900
- Red Sea RSK-900 Skimmer
- APEX EL controller (first one I have ever had)
- 2 APEX COR-20 return pumps (overkill, I know, but wanted 2 in case one failed)
- 3 Radion XR-30 G5 Blues (I wasn't sure on these, so I got the XR15 G5 Blue on the frag tank and loved the way the corals popped - I was always so jealous of other pics of corals I had in my tank looking better than mine)
- Tunze Osmolator
- Advanced Acrylics ATO reservoir (I wanted on the side to maximize cabinet room and was leery of plumbing the RODI direct - maybe someday) 7"x27"x23" ~20Gallons
- Clearview lid (i had this on both my 350 and my 170 - love them)

While I had taken delivery and set up all of my other tanks, it wasn't possible with this tank so I had the team at Fish Room in Raleigh order, deliver and set it up.
They were great! Highly recommend them for tank delivery/install.
Pic of the install and my ATO reservoir from Advanced Acrylics (delivered in 2 weeks!)

I used the Fish Room guys too. Great install.

 

[hokiereef]

Still catching up on my progress to date - almost there

I moved my fish to quarantine and started the fallow period for on my old tank.
I wanted to get new live rock to add to my existing live rock, and I wanted it to be fishes for 6 weeks. I had some isopods on my last aquacultured order, so i wanted to let it sit awhile,
I went with 2 suppliers - Gulfliverock and KP Aquatics.

Much of the rock i had in my current tank was from Tampa Bay Saltwater and I had planned to go with them again, but Richard was way backed up from hurricanes, so I went with Gulfliverock - and the rock was great!

I had KP aquatics rock in the past, and Philipp and team are phenomenal.
I had it shipped in water and it looks great! Lots of life.. Kids loved the 10 starfish we found. No mantis seen, some snapping sounds like pistol shrimp.

 

[hokiereef]

Rock was stacked in the front... still working aquascape which won't be finished until I move over my existing rock going fallow.

Other changes are moving from David Saxby's AI settings for my AI Hydra26 to the Corallab AB+ for the Radions. I've moved corals to the frag tank and really like it, it will take some time to maximize the light after the big move

 

[hokiereef]

So time to share the fish stocking list plan and see if anyone thinks I'm making big mistakes or vastly overstocking

My dream fish have always been (in this order):
Yellow Tang, Mandarin Goby, Hippo Tang, Powder Blue Tang
So, given that this is my dream tank, I'd really like to have them all if possible.

My current fish (in QT now):
- Clownfish pair - False Percula
- Midas Blenny
- Flame Hawk

Other smaller fish
- Royal gramma basslet
- Watchman goby with Tiger pistol shrimp
- 3 Bangai Cardinals (wife loves them)
- McCosker’s Flasher Wrasse (I've never had a flasher wrasse and don't want competition for pods with the mandarin down the road)

Damsels (one each and all Christepera damsels)
- Azure Damsel (in qt now)
- Rollands damsel
- Starki Damsel (my favorite damsel; also in qt now)

Medium size fish
- Swallowtail/ Spotbreast angel - female (in qt now)
- Pyramid Butterfly (in qt now)


Tangs (added at same time)
- Yellow Tang
- Powder Blue Tang
- Hippo Tang
- Squaretail Bristletooth Tang

Others added later in the year
-Mandarin goby

Last one I wanted but will wait and see/ a little nervous on stocking and temperament:
-Bluethroat Trigger

 

[hokiereef]

Some of my live rock hitchhikers...
Sponges
Feather duster worms
Giant Oyster
GIANT bristle worm - like Dune in the tank!
Urchin - think it's a longspine have a few small pencil urchins as well

 

[hokiereef]

Got my fuge up and running. H160 on a gooseneck. Some live rock in there, will have more after the 170 move in.
Ordered macro from IPSF Indo-Pacific Sea Farms
Gerald is the best!

 

[hokiereef]

Anyone with a Reefer 3XL 900 have tips on maximizing flow for the split sump? I have a small powerhead in the refugium to mix things up... but the flow isn't what I'd like it to be.

 

[hokiereef]

Going mostly old schol live rock formations (i like the look and the cover it provides for the livestock) but I am going to incorporate some newer looking negative space structures.
Made a few from liferock shapes and eMarco-400

Can't wait until the fallow period is over to get everything in the new tank!