Jacob's Red Sea Reefer 350 Build

[Viking_Reefing]

Thanks for the heads up on this, I had no clue!

You’re welcome! I have the maxspect bio-spheres, they are apparently safe based on isp tests.

 

[clabern]

You’re welcome! I have the maxspect bio-spheres, they are apparently safe based on isp tests.

I hadn't heard this of the MarinePure products until now. I had purchased a small box for my new Reefer 250. I've always used Seachem Matrix in the past, but wanted something a big larger/easier to manage in the sump.

I've read up some of the reports on MarinePure, and it still seems wishy-washy to me, but where did you find reports of the Maxspect Bio-Spheres being safe? Have you had good luck with them? I may return my MarinePure balls and order some Bio-Sphere's now that I'm scared!

 

[Viking_Reefing]

I hadn't heard this of the MarinePure products until now. I had purchased a small box for my new Reefer 250. I've always used Seachem Matrix in the past, but wanted something a big larger/easier to manage in the sump.

I've read up some of the reports on MarinePure, and it still seems wishy-washy to me, but where did you find reports of the Maxspect Bio-Spheres being safe? Have you had good luck with them? I may return my MarinePure balls and order some Bio-Sphere's now that I'm scared!

I’m not 100% sure that the marine pure leeches anything either but I’ve seen enough reports of it happening to make me stay away.

This would be a couple of the sources of them not leeching anything (granted, a rather small sample size):

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/nano-tech-bio-sphere.360398/

https://reefs.com/2018/03/07/reefs-com-review-maxspect-nanotech-bio-sphere/

 

[clabern]

I’m not 100% sure that the marine pure leeches anything either but I’ve seen enough reports of it happening to make me stay away.

This would be a couple of the sources of them not leeching anything (granted, a rather small sample size):

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/nano-tech-bio-sphere.360398/

https://reefs.com/2018/03/07/reefs-com-review-maxspect-nanotech-bio-sphere/

Awesome - thanks for your help! I'll be returning the MarinePure if I can and picking up some of the Bio-Spheres now. Glad I found this out before starting the tank up!

 

[jvalentine]

Alright.....tank finished cycling about 2 1/2 weeks ago and I've begun to slowly stock the tank!!

Current inhabitants are as follows....

Fish and Inverts:
(2) DaVinci Clownfish

(2) Banggai Cardinalfish

(1) Sand Sifting Starfish

(1) Cleaner Shrimp

(10) Snails

(7) Hermit Crabs

(1) Christmas Hermit

Coral:

Hammer

Torch

GSP

Green/Orange Ricordea Mushroom

Blue Rhodactis Mushroom

Nirvana Palys

Duncans

Red Gonoporia

Teal and Red Acan Lord

Frogspawn

Green Chalice

 

[dantimdad]

Nice setup!

 

[jvalentine]

Been a little while since my last update, lot of new corals!

 

[dantimdad]

Looking good!

 

[jvalentine]

Stocking Update:

Fish/Inverts:
Purple Tang
Powder Blue Tang
DaVinci Clownfish (2)
Bangaii Cardinalfish (2)
Yellow Watchman Goby
Sand Sifting Starfish
Skunk Cleaner Shrimp
Christmas Hermit
Snails and Hermits (10)

Corals:
From WWC:
WWC Purpleicious Acan
WWC Lime in the Sky Chalice
WWC Cherry Garcia Chalice
WWC Chickenpox Mushroom
WWC Copper Interstellar Mushroom
WWC Rainbow Riccordea
WWC Vivid Rainbow Zoas
WWC Bloodsucker Zoas
Jason Fox Outerspace Psammocora
Jason Fox High Voltage Platy

From Austin Aqua Farms:
Fruit Loop Zoas
Green Ricordea
Orange Ricordea
Duncan Colony
Torch (2)
Frogspawn
Hammer
Australian Ultra Red Goniopora
Green Chalice Colony (Large)
Teal with Pink Eye Chalice
Australian Ultra Red Mushroom
Red/Pink Acan
Green/Purple Acan
Purple/Red/Yellow Acan
Pearl/Mint Green Alevopora
Pink Alevopora
Zoa Combo Rock (orange, green, pink, purple)
Blue Acro
Orange Chalice
Blue Mushroom
Orange Goniopora

From other LFS:
Neon Green Toadstool Leather
Nirvana Palys
Blue Zoas
Blue Stylopora
Green Birdnest
Purple Mushroom
Green Star Polyps
Pulsating Xenia

 

[Twodogsnnc]

I created a very simple cord management/controller board, painted it white and put in the cabinet

Then reworked my Aquascape a bit

How did you attach the controller board?
Thanks

 

[Westside Guy]

How are the Bangaii Cardinalfish doing, do they simply hang out in one section of the tank? I have read that you are better off getting a odd number than a pair and then they tend to swim in a school and are more active.

 

[jvalentine]

How did you attach the controller board?
Thanks

What do you mean?

If you're asking how did I attach the controller board to the cabinet? I didn't, its free standing and can be removed easily if I need to add anything

If you're asking how did I attach the Gyre Controller to the board? I screwed the mounting bracket into the wood, then attached the controller to the mounting bracket

 

[jvalentine]

How are the Bangaii Cardinalfish doing, do they simply hang out in one section of the tank? I have read that you are better off getting a odd number than a pair and then they tend to swim in a school and are more active.

They are doing great! They usually hang out on the left side of the tank, but will venture around from time to time. I too have heard its better to keep odd numbers, but the LFS only had the two I got, and they had been together for a few months.

 

[DoctaReef]

I'm impressed at how quickly you've been able to stock your tank! I set my RSR 425XL up about a month before yours and I've been slow to add much more than a pair of clowns, a few zoas and a hammer.

Did you ever have an ugly phase and have you had any algae or other issues?

 

[jvalentine]

I'm impressed at how quickly you've been able to stock your tank! I set my RSR 425XL up about a month before yours and I've been slow to add much more than a pair of clowns, a few zoas and a hammer.

Did you ever have an ugly phase and have you had any algae or other issues?

@DoctaReef I did stock up pretty fast, but living 10 mins away from Austin Aqua Farms will do that. My wallet has been crying for months.

Also, all of the WWC stuff came from two months of their Gold Coral Club. I am lucky to live in Austin, so many great LFS here that have great deals that are hard to pass up. (got the purple tang for $170 rather than the $250+ prices I see online)

As far as ugly stages go, I am in it right now actually. About two weeks ago I noticed a small patch of Cyanobacteria forming near the back wall, siphoned it out and did a water change. By the next morning the bulk of my sandbed was covered in Cyano....tested everything and realized my issue. My phosphates were at 0.28ppm, which is really high for a new tank. I have since added GFO and am seeing my ppm drop by .02 a day. I have also dosed NOPOX since my cycle completed so I have avoided green hair algae, bubble algae, and the others. I am hoping once my phosphates are back to a reasonable level the Cyano will go away.

Right after the cycle I did have some diatom blooms, but they were all reasonably quick to go away (a week or less)

Here is a current picture with the Cyano for reference (luckily its not on the rocks):

 

[Twodogsnnc]

Yes meant attach the board to the stand. Can you show me how it stands? Really like your set up? Thanks.

What do you mean?

If you're asking how did I attach the controller board to the cabinet? I didn't, its free standing and can be removed easily if I need to add anything

If you're asking how did I attach the Gyre Controller to the board? I screwed the mounting bracket into the wood, then attached the controller to the mounting bracket

s

 

[lterna]

sorry to jump on this so late, but i too have a reefer 350 with 2 gyre 330s. Are you running them both? They move around a lot of the fiji pink sand that I have, and I have been constantly tweaking to find the right settings. I was wondering where you have them placed and what you have them running on?

 

[jvalentine]

Wow, its been almost a year since I've updated this. Tons of changes and growth. Some coral and fish additions and subtractions. Added a Neptune Apex to my aquarium, then added a DOS, DDR, and LDK. Redid my controller board to accommodate all my new equipment:

 

[jvalentine]

Stocking Update April 2020:

Fish/Inverts:
Purple Tang
Foxface Rabbitfish
Green Chromis
(2) Black Snowflake Clownfish
(4) Lyretail Anthias
Cleaner Shrimp
Sand Sifting Starfish
ORA Blue Maxima Clam
Hermits/Snails
Emerald Crab

Corals:
From WWC:
WWC Purpleicious Acan
WWC Lime in the Sky Chalice
WWC Cherry Garcia Chalice
WWC Copper Interstellar Mushroom
WWC Rainbow Riccordea
WWC Vivid Rainbow Zoas
WWC Bloodsucker Zoas
WWC LA Lakers Zoas
WWC Ahhhmazing Echinata
WWC Fifth Element Blasto
WWC Aussie Aqua Velvet Acropora
Jason Fox Outerspace Psammocora
Jason Fox High Voltage Platy

From Austin Aqua Farms:
Australian Premium Gold Torch
Strawberry Shortcake Acropora
Hawkins Echinata
Bubblegum Digitata
Green Montipora
Fruit Loop Zoas
Green Ricordea
Duncan Colony
Torch
Frogspawn
Green and Purple Hammer
Teal with Pink Eye Chalice
Australian Ultra Red Mushroom
Red/Pink Acan
Green/Purple Acan
Purple/Red/Yellow Acan
Pearl/Mint Green Alevopora
Zoa Combo Rock (orange, green, pink, purple)
Blue Acro
Blue Mushroom
Orange Goniopora
Red and Blue Blasto
White and Green Blasto
Orange Acan
Green Bubble Coral
Indo Pink Milli

From other LFS:
PC Rainbow Acropora
Rose Rainbow Bubble Tip
Neon Green Toadstool Leather
Nirvana Palys
Blue Stylopora
Green Birdnest
Purple Mushroom

 

[Keen4]

Skimmer finally came in! Red Sea Reefer RSK-300!

Very nice! I have the same exact sump set up- did you add a refugium at all? I wasn't sure to but I put my refugium in that first chamber after the filter socks.