kinetic RSR 170

[kinetic]

Officially back in the hobby. Hopefully for a good long time. I haven't really used Reef2Reef before, but I'm going to give it a shot!

I've had a few tanks, my last setup was terribly expensive and, in my opinion, way too complicated. It was so complicated and automated I lost touch with the tank and everything kept dying. Spending tens of thousands of dollars just wasn't worth it. Now I'm back, but keeping things extremely simple and small.

(past tanks: elos 120, 32 finnex)

Latest update: (January 9, 2018)

Installed my Neptune DOS, modified to use RO tubing in this latest post.

Current FTS (November 5, 2017):

Start FTS (August, 2017):

System Equipment Details:

• Red Sea Reefer 170 (white)
• Hydra 52 HD LED light (white) w/ hanging kit
• NYOS Quantum 120 skimmer
• Reef Octopus VarioS S-4 return pump
• Reef Octopus VarioS S-2 chiller + reactor pump
• TECO 1/10 hp chiller
• Eheim Jager 125 watt heater
• Neptune Apex Jr. controller
• Neptune ATK for topoff from LPDE 5 gallon reservoir (Araven colorclip airtight food container, bpa free)
• American DJ power strip
• MaxSpec XF130 Gyre w/ Advanced Controller + Icecap battery backup
• BRS Mini Reactor (will fill it with carbon, and maybe GFO if I need it)
• AirWaterIce Typhoon III RO/DI
• AquaMaxx XL Reactor for Algae Reactor
• AquaUV 8 watt UV Sterilizer
• OctoAquatics Custom Acrylic Lid

System Contents:

• 10 lbs dead key largo rock from marcorocks
• 30 lbs of tropic eden mesoflakes (might run bare bottom, we'll see)
• AquaForest Reef Salt

Livestock:

• H. Magnifica (Ritteri) Anemone (8")
• Rainbow BTA (5")
• Neon Green w/ purple tips BTA (7")
• Mocha Gladiator pair (Sustainable Aquatics)
• Fancy White Extreme Ocellaris (Sustainable Aquatics)
• ORA Orchid Dottyback
• Golden Sailfin Blenny
• Chromis Viridis (5)
• Porcelain Crab

Coral:

• Walt Disney
• ORA Pearlberry
• Bubblegum Digitata
• Orange w/ Green Polyps Monti

Clean up crew:

• ORA Trochus Snail (6)
• Nassarius Snail - Tonga (3)
• Fighting Conch - Tonga (1)
• ORA Nano Cerith (8)
• Scarlet Hermit (3)
• Black and Orange Hermit (2)
• Dwarf Zebra Hermit (1)

Updates

• Custom OctoAquatics acrylic lid review in the latest post.
  
• A review of my 2 week old NYOS Quantum 120 skimmer in the latest post.
  
• Made some PAR readings on my lighting. See the results in my post.
  
• My H. Magnifica has arrived! Made it through the evening and inflated. See the photos and read about it in the latest post.
  
• Neptune AFS, VDM, and NYOS Quantum 120 arrived! Read it in the latest post.
  
• Bacteria bloom! Solved with UV. Read about it here.
• The clowns are here! What a circus. Read about them in the latest post here.
  
• Anemone is out of it's cave, added geometric hawkfish: Read it here.
  
• Full system photo, plus algae reactor build is up on my latest post. Read it here.
• Anemone added, new Simplicity 120 DC skimmer impeller.
• Cycling done, lights on!
• Tank is setup and wet, full tank shots and sump details.
• Cabinet and lights setup.
• Light is hung, sump is being put together slowly.
• Skimmer in the sump, and sump setup updates.
• Breaking in skimmer in vinegar bath.
• Red Sea Reefer 170 arrived, cracked.

 

[kinetic]

Unfortunately, when I unpacked the tank, I found two cracks on the internal overflow. I contacted Red Sea but no response, mostly because Harvey the hurricane is probably terrorizing them at the moment.

In the meantime, I'm cycling all the rock with Dr.Tim's Ammonium Chloride and One and Only bacteria in a 18 gallon tub. Currently on day 5 at, what I think is 2ppm of Ammonia?

Still enjoying my betta tank while I wait...

 

[Broadfield]

Sweet! I look forward to seeing this progress.... well, once Red Sea takes care of that tank for you.

 

[Tahoe61]

That Beta tank is so much awesome.

Following

 

[kinetic]

Here are some photos from today with the display tank empty. The tank came with a cracked overflow like I mentioned before, and just heard back from Red Sea USA (in Houston!) that they will be sending me a replacement. They were closed for awhile due to Harvey Hurricane, but just got back into the office today. Amazing that they're right back into it. The shipping for the replacement will probably take awhile because of the hurricane. I'll probably get an update at some point. I'll continue to cycle my rock in a tub for now.

But in the meantime, I'll take some photos of it and probably list the display tank for sale.

The Crack:

 

[kinetic]

Dry rock cycle: Started August 26, 2017

• 15 lbs Key Largo from marcorocks
  
• 1x MarinePure BioMedia Plate
• Aquaforest Reef Salt (probably could have used something even more basic)
• RO/DI from my AirWaterIce Typhoon III
• Dr. Tim's Ammonium Chloride (40 drops) and 4 oz. of Dr. Tim's One and Only (added over the course of 3 days)
  
• This is all in a 18 gallon Rubbermaide Roughneck tub

I'm testing with a Salifert and Red Sea kit (for comparison). After 3 days, total ammonia levels were completely off the charts. Free ammonia registered at 0. I thought I may have overdosed, even though it was 4 drops per gallon, and I only dosed for 10 gallons (out of the ~16 gallons in the tub). So I did a 80% water change yesterday in case I overdosed. I believe the ammonia is now down to 2ppm (it's hard to tell with these colors, they're not the same). The color is pretty blue on Red Sea, whereas 2ppm is just green. I think it's a bit greener than before so that's a good sign. The Salifert test just shows major purple black colors lol.

 

[Broadfield]

Here are some photos from today with the display tank empty. The tank came with a cracked overflow like I mentioned before, and just heard back from Red Sea USA (in Houston!) that they will be sending me a replacement. They were closed for awhile due to Harvey Hurricane, but just got back into the office today. Amazing that they're right back into it. The shipping for the replacement will probably take awhile because of the hurricane. I'll probably get an update at some point. I'll continue to cycle my rock in a tub for now.

But in the meantime, I'll take some photos of it and probably list the display tank for sale.

The Crack:

Nice!... I knew @Red Sea would take care of you!

 

[kinetic]

Nice!... I knew @Red Sea would take care of you!

Yes, they were really great. I had high hopes, and now I'm convinced they're really great people who really care.

 

[kinetic]

Got my Simplicity 120 DC skimmer today. Doing a 24 hour vinegar bath just to test it out.

 

[ricenoodle]

Good looking build so far, too bad about the display. Glad they are replacing it. My recently started a Reefer 170 also, next update will be big as everything finished acclimating.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/ricenoodle-red-sea-reefer-170-build.319395/

 

[kinetic]

Good looking build so far, too bad about the display. Glad they are replacing it. My recently started a Reefer 170 also, next update will be big as everything finished acclimating.

Yup! I've been following along your thread (even asked about your skimmer a little ways back). Your tank is all cycled!? Jealous! I'm trying to catch up (cycling all my rock in a tub right now).

I love your idea of mounting all the electric stuff onto a panel that you slide behind the tank! I mounted a ADJ powerstrip thing to the "ceiling" of my stand, and it looks kind of hidden, but having all the power plugs going straight up might be weird. I think I'm going to go buy a piece of wood and do the same as you and mount it all up and slide it behind the tank. I have plenty of room to pull the tank out away from the wall.

 

[kinetic]

After a couple of hours in a vinegar bath, I rinsed off the chiller and test fit it into the sump:

Build quality is pretty nice, though rough around the edges. The acrylic / plastic feels sturdy.

The cheesy sticker sucks. Photographs badly. Simplicity needs laser etching or something:

Also received my Neptune ATK last night. Got it during the MACNA Neptune 10% off deal everyone was having. I was going to wait on it, but 10% off was too good to pass up. Not sure exactly how to mount it. I removed the float valve the tank came with. Unfortunately, without razor blading off the triangle piece, I'll have to tuck it underneath. Hopefully there will still be enough space for the return pump. I might just razor blade off that triangle anyway?

The original ATO float valve hole almost looks perfect for a temp probe... but flow might not be good here:

I put the ATO reservoir into the skimmer chamber. I'm probably going to just plumb the drain of my GFO/Carbon reactor into this little 1.5 gallon area and let it overflow. I'll use it as a refugium, and maybe put a little angler fish in there and spot feed him daily =)

Lastly I added a LED strip into my cabinet (Eshine 12" LED):

Should be getting the reactor/chiller pump today and the mini BRS reactor. More photos when that's getting setup!

 

[ricenoodle]

I think you'll be ok with the float valve there, i set my water level to be just right under the triangle piece for my Tunze ATO so you should be ok. I wouldn't razor it off, could be useful to put a hose through for something one day. As far as the controller board, yeah i love it, i know my OCD self wouldn't be ok with just a rats nest of cords everywhere under the stand, i spend too much time down there to deal with all that.

 

[kinetic]

I think you'll be ok with the float valve there, i set my water level to be just right under the triangle piece for my Tunze ATO so you should be ok. I wouldn't razor it off, could be useful to put a hose through for something one day. As far as the controller board, yeah i love it, i know my OCD self wouldn't be ok with just a rats nest of cords everywhere under the stand, i spend too much time down there to deal with all that.

I ended up razoring it off completely. Pretty easy! Looks way better now, and I have a lot more space and room to change up the water level.

 

[d_adler]

what camera do you use to take pictures? the pictures are well done! cant wait to see how this build plays out

 

[kinetic]

what camera do you use to take pictures? the pictures are well done! cant wait to see how this build plays out

Thanks! Just line up all the angles, make sure the light is good, and a quick edit in the Priime iPhone app. I use a Sony camera, and sometimes my iPhone.

Build is coming along, slowly. Nothing worthy of photos yet. I pulled my ADJ power panel out of the stand. I mounted that, plus all the pump controllers and Apex Jr. onto a 24" x 27" MDF(sp?) board. So all the cables will all come straight out of the sump and be fairly hidden behind the stand. Controllers look nice and clean.

I also ran my RO/DI line under the house, and an ethernet cable. So now the Apex Jr. is hooked up to the ethernet (I'll set that all up later) and I am ready to start filling my RO/DI reservoir when it arrives this week. The crawlspace under my house is pretty tight and it was hitting 90 degrees yesterday. It wasn't pleasant.

I'm going to hang my AI Hydra 52 HD tonight. All that'll be left is plumbing the chiller/reactor... and of course the display tank that still hasn't shown up on tracking yet. By the end of the week, all my plumbing should be here and I'll basically be completely setup as soon as the display gets here.

 

[kinetic]

Still waiting on even a tracking number for my replacement display tank. Reached out to Red Sea to see if they had any updates on the tank being shipped, but haven't heard back yet. I'm guessing Harvey aftermath is still fully problematic (as I would assume).

From the last update, I finally hung the AI Hydra 52 HD. Took a few tries to find the right hanging kit. I happened to need to drill right up into some ceiling joists, so I didn't need the alligator anchors and just used some strong wood screws. I was able to almost put 30% of my body weight on it and it didn't budge, so I think I'm good. The power cable is black and looks ultra ugly. I ordered a braided sleeve in white (1/4") that I'm going to fit over the cable. Hopefully it will look good. I'll also attach the cable to the wall so it's out of the way. Also ignore the PMUP black cable and chiller power cable coming out of the wall to the back of the tank. I'm going to use white neoprene sleeve to give those the same treatments.

Sump is now in the stand. I connected most of the power cables / controller cables, but waiting for the plumbing to go in before doing a nice wire clean up. I don't have my return pump in there because I'm using it to cycle the rock / marinepure plate in a tub at the moment.

Used a neat bungee chord thing that quick releases from a round adhesive piece that I stuck to the top. It doesn't hold too much weight, but works for these cables. I'll clean them up later once plumbing is in. Those two "L" brackets used to hold my ADJ power strip, but I took that out of the cabinet and mounted it behind the tank. I just left those brackets there just in case I needed them for something else.

And here's a shot of the sump without the triangular ATO mount:

And I had to actually mount the dang thing on the opposite wall against the baffle because the magnet couldn't fit with the sump in the cabinet:

 

[pugcrush]

Very nice! Going to have to follow. I have a 170 up for my wife in her office. It's a great tank. I kind of want to set up another.

Sorry about the initial tank, but glad they're getting a new one out soon. The overflow now glass? That looks great! I guess I'm that far behind on the reefer series thread.

 

[kinetic]

Very nice! Going to have to follow. I have a 170 up for my wife in her office. It's a great tank. I kind of want to set up another.

Sorry about the initial tank, but glad they're getting a new one out soon. The overflow now glass? That looks great! I guess I'm that far behind on the reefer series thread.

Thanks. I hope the tank comes soon, though because it's taking awhile, I've had A LOT of time to sit and tinker with the setup. Taking my time on it feels pretty good.

Was the overflow not glass before? I probably would have preferred that (in this cracked case at least haha).

 

[pugcrush]

Thanks. I hope the tank comes soon, though because it's taking awhile, I've had A LOT of time to sit and tinker with the setup. Taking my time on it feels pretty good.

Was the overflow not glass before? I probably would have preferred that (in this cracked case at least haha).

Ha, yea mine is that plastic/acrylic material. I was thinking that would be the only downfall of it being glass. With glass, I like that you could see through it so you could see the water level. Every once in a while, I have to fine tune the flow with their gate valve. Plus, it's easier to scrape coraline off glass.