Michael's Reefer 170

HolisticBear · Jun 25, 2017

Tank: Red Sea Reefer 170
Skimmer: NYOS 120
Lighting: GHL Mitras 7206
Return: Reef Octopus Varios-2
Flow: Gyre 230 + MP10
Nutrient Export: Chaeto ball
Controller: Profilux 4
ATO: Avast Marine ATO w/peristalic pump

Current FTS June 02 2018

jmp21677 · Jun 25, 2017

I'm struggling with my 170 as well with po4. Can't seem to get it below .09 and that's with GFO. If I turn that off its closer to .11. I'm going to try the chaeto reactor. Just ordered lights. Good luck with the phosphates!

HolisticBear · Jun 25, 2017

jmp21677 said:
I'm struggling with my 170 as well with po4. Can't seem to get it below .09 and that's with GFO. If I turn that off its closer to .11. I'm going to try the chaeto reactor. Just ordered lights. Good luck with the phosphates!

I'm basically replacing my phosguard every four days on the AIO. They range between 0.02 and 0.09, they bounce around quite a bit probably because of small volume of water + timing of went I test vs when i feed. I don't need to use much Phosguard (a few tablespoons), and I'm just on a routine of every 4 days, change the media bag. It works, but new media every four days feels so wrong. Good luck, hopefully chaeto is our answer. GFO absorbs PO4 slower, but has higher capacity than Phosguard. Phosguard can be done within 4 days according to the label.

Update: @jmp21677 I just tested at 0.021, so Phosguard does work. It's an import-export problem, so if you're feeding too much or things are still dying off on your rocks, that's the primary challenge. Depending on your NO3, NoPox might help. Let me know how it works out for you

GoVols · Jun 25, 2017

Micheal,
Your corals, fish and pictures are amazing and congrats on your new 170.
I'm interested on how your Macro-Algae Reactor works out. I could go that way down the line but I would really like to see the results you get before I go all in with one.

Thank you so much for starting a build thread as you have so much to offer to myself and others.

Freddie

Mattres · Jun 25, 2017

Looking forward to seeing this evolve mate!

GoVols · Jun 25, 2017

Mattres said:
Looking forward to seeing this evolve mate!

+1
He's got a wonderful mind!!!!!!!!!!

HolisticBear · Jun 25, 2017

@GoVols is too kind. Before Freddie and I met, I had this plan to hold out till August before I did anything. Welp, he went ahead and started ordering colonies from Diver's Den, someone scheduled NY RAP in June, and now I've got a Reefer in the house and a GHL Light/Controller, NYOS skimmer, and more goodies in the mail.

GoVols · Jun 25, 2017

MrMichael said:
@GoVols is too kind. Before Freddie and I met, I had this plan to hold out till August before I did anything. Welp, he went ahead and started ordering colonies from Diver's Den, someone scheduled NY RAP in June, and now I've got a Reefer in the house and a GHL Light/Controller, NYOS skimmer, and more goodies in the mail.

Did you pull the trigger on the GHL and NYOS last night?

HolisticBear · Jun 25, 2017

GoVols said:
Did you pull the trigger on the GHL and NYOS last night?

Yep! Ordered the Mitras & the Profilux from GHL USA, ordered the NYOS + KPS powerheads + plumbing parts from Premium Aquatics. I haven't ordered the reactor yet, MarineDepot is out of stock of the ever popular AquaMaxx. Aquarium Specialty has a BioTek Marine that's about the same size. I'm waiting on a replacement front door from Red Sea. So I depending on when things arrive, I may or may not get to start leak testing this week. I do want to trim the black vinyl off this week. I'm pretty sure I need to borrow some powertools from the Super to drill the stand for the Mitras mount.

GoVols · Jun 25, 2017

MrMichael said:
Yep! Ordered the Mitras & the Profilux from GHL USA, ordered the NYOS + KPS powerheads + plumbing parts from MarineDepot. I haven't ordered the reactor yet, MarineDepot is out of stock of the ever popular AquaMaxx. Aquarium Specialty has a BioTek Marine that's about the same size. I'm waiting on a replacement front door from Red Sea. So I depending on when things arrive, I may or may not get to start leak testing this week. I do want to trim the black vinyl off this week. I'm pretty sure I need to borrow some powertools from the Super to drill the stand for the Mitras mount.

(lol)
Your going to have the best lighting on a 170 reefer known to man.

I'd like to pull the trigger on the Pax Bellum ARID N18 reactor but I'm scared that my phos. and nitrates will go wacko ;Wacky if I shut down the other reactors.

So, I'm following your lead on this one.

HolisticBear · Jun 28, 2017

Box from Premium Aquatics, GHL should arrive end of the week.

GoVols · Jun 28, 2017

MrMichael said:
Box from Premium Aquatics, GHL should arrive end of the week.

GoVols · Jun 28, 2017

MrMichael said:
Box from Premium Aquatics, GHL should arrive end of the week.

Micheal,
How did you find out about the Aqamai pumps? (never seen them) but looks you can control then with a smart phone.
Do they have more the one mode, like a pulse mode?

Thanks, Freddie

HolisticBear · Jun 28, 2017

GoVols said:
Micheal,
How did you find out about the Aqamai pumps? (never seen them)

A bit of an impulse buy, they were at NY Reefapoolza and I talked with the rep. It's much smaller than an MP10, plenty of power for a small tank (1000gph) and the app was very slick.

You can program in any custom mode you want like % power for time, but they have a slew of built in programs like SPS high flow, grye, etc so similar to Ecotech modes. It connects to your local Wifi.

You can do it all thru your phone and it's like $105 at premium aquatics. Given Ecotech is pushing Reeflink, gyres need maintenance & too big for a 170, I could buy two for less than another mp10.

For the 170, I thought have two powerheads on the back wall doing random patterns would be better than one.

HolisticBear · Jun 28, 2017

Oh, it's a DC pump so you have complete control over the output, you have a 0..100% power control in the app. If that wasn't clear.

GoVols · Jun 28, 2017

MrMichael said:
A bit of an impulse buy, they were at NY Reefapoolza and I talked with the rep. It's much smaller than an MP10, plenty of power for a small tank (1000gph) and the app was very slick.

You can program in any custom mode you want like % power for time, but they have a slew of built in programs like SPS high flow, grye, etc so similar to Ecotech modes. It connects to your local Wifi.

You can do it all thru your phone and it's like $105 at premium aquatics. Given Ecotech is pushing Reeflink, gyres need maintenance & too big for a 170, I could buy two for less than another mp10.

For the 170, I thought have two powerheads on the back wall doing random patterns would be better than one.

They look very nice and looks like you made a good call.

I was just price checking. I bought the small Gyre about 1.5 years ago with the first controller but it already had the heavy duty blade upgrade in it but the bigger Gyre's did not. They're are priced a lot higher now with the new controller and I have no complaints with the old controller.

Back then a lot of reefers were complaining about breaking them while pulling them apart and putting them back together while servicing them. So, just dunk it in Heinz cleaning vinegar overnight. So, I've never tore it down and still works like a champ.

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Is the Sicce going to feed your Macro-Algae Reactor?
Our am I way off base?

GoVols · Jun 28, 2017

MrMichael said:
Oh, it's a DC pump so you have complete control over the output, you have a 0..100% power control in the app. If that wasn't clear.

Thank You

HolisticBear · Jun 28, 2017

GoVols said:
Is the Sicce going to feed your Macro-Algae Reactor?
Our am I way off base?

Yes. The majority of Reefers seem to build fancy manifolds and I'm chickening out. Partly I don't want the extra complexity, the additional failure points, and the NYOS includes it's own pump, so I can't run that off the return.

So I went with add one to two sicce instead of building a manifold.

Rather than float reactors in the air, I intend to add a shelf in the cabinet for the Profilux.

I will use a small Ikea cabinet next door to handle the power bricks and all the connections.

There will be a custom made ~4 gallon ATO on the left of the sump. If I need dosing container in the future, they can live in the Ikea cabinet.