My first saltwater aquarium - Reefer 250

[y4ngel]

Hey there everyone,

I've been doing freshwater on and off for most of my life but I have always wanted to start a reef aquarium, after recently moving I decided to give it a go. To be honest setting it up and turning on the lights it looks even better than I imagined it would, really different looking at it in your home versus looking at the awesome tanks at the LFS.

Below is my equipment list and my future stocking wishlist:

Tank: Reefer 250
Lighting: Kessil AP700
Controller: Apex classic
Powerhead: Ecotech MP10 wqd (Will be adding a second one)
Skimmer: Reef Octopus 110-SSS
Return Pump: Jebao DCS-4000
ATO: Tunze Osmolator 3155 + custom made 9.5 gallon ATO container
RO/DI: BRS 4 stage
Rock: Reefscleaners Dry Florida Reef Rock ~45 pounds
Sand: Caribsea Special Grade Arag-Alive! 40lbs
Salt: Red Sea Coral Pro

Stocking wishlist:
2x Frostbite Frozen Clowns
1x Yellow Tang
1x Yellow Eye Kole Tang
1x Starry Blenny
1x Leopard Wrasse

Few pictures:

Rock in the tank



After adding the sand



Finally, water in the tank!



The cycle officially started 3-15-17, I'm using the Red Sea Mature Pro Kit and following along with it's directions as well as testing daily. I tried to google this, but couldn't find a clear answer. Is it okay to stir up the sand bed every day or so, I find that a lot of fine white powdery stuff collect on the top of the sand bed and when I use at turkey baster to stir up the sand bed it makes the water cloudy.

Thanks for looking!

 

[Andrekaae]

Looks awesome! Following along

 

[Cscultho]

Looks GREAT! My 250 should be here this week. Also i purchased the ap700 as well. This will be a fun journey....

How high did you mount the ap700 above your tank? Is it at the height Kessil recommends for a 36" tank?

 

[y4ngel]

Looks GREAT! My 250 should be here this week. Also i purchased the ap700 as well. This will be a fun journey....

How high did you mount the ap700 above your tank? Is it at the height Kessil recommends for a 36" tank?

I mounted it about 10 inches above the water line, I think Kessil recommended about 8 inches above the water line for SPS tanks, which is what I am planning on doing later on. It's an absolute fantastic light, the shimmer is amazing in person.

Got a custom made ATO from Blue Tide Aquatics, it has special holders for the Tunze ATO. Fits perfect

 

[Cscultho]

I mounted it about 10 inches above the water line, I think Kessil recommended about 8 inches above the water line for SPS tanks, which is what I am planning on doing later on. It's an absolute fantastic light, the shimmer is amazing in person.

Got a custom made ATO from Blue Tide Aquatics, it has special holders for the Tunze ATO. Fits perfect

What's the website for blue tide aquatics?

 

[Mike O.]

What's the website for blue tide aquatics?

I think you mean blue tide acrylics. He is out of Texas. If you look the business up on Facebook, you can order right from there. Mine should be here Thursday. [emoji41]

 

[Mike O.]

 

[y4ngel]

I think you mean blue tide acrylics. He is out of Texas. If you look the business up on Facebook, you can order right from there. Mine should be here Thursday. [emoji41]

Yes, that's what I meant. Haha, you can find them on Facebook. Great product, very well made.

 

[y4ngel]

Finally converted my Red Sea ATO into a small little refuge.

 

[y4ngel]

Some updates, added some corals and fish to the tank. Current stocking is as follows.

Fish:

Pair of Frostbite Subzero Clowns

Corals:

Tyree Rainbow Stylo
Tyree Aequituberculata
WWC Rainbow Monti
WWC Pink Polyp Monti Cap
WWC Starburst Grafted Monti Cap
Utter Chaos Zoa (4 Polyps)
BBEB Zoa (2 Polyps)
Hallucination Zoa (1 Polyp)
Aussie Gold Torch (3 heads)

Inverts:

Dwarf Cerith Snails ~20
Florida Cerith Snails ~5
Nassarius Snails ~5
Nerite Snails ~5
Astrea Snails ~5
Trochus Snails ~5

Pictures:

 

[Cscultho]

Some updates, added some corals and fish to the tank. Current stocking is as follows.

Fish:

Pair of Frostbite Subzero Clowns

Corals:

Tyree Rainbow Stylo
Tyree Aequituberculata
WWC Rainbow Monti
WWC Pink Polyp Monti Cap
WWC Starburst Grafted Monti Cap
Utter Chaos Zoa (4 Polyps)
BBEB Zoa (2 Polyps)
Hallucination Zoa (1 Polyp)
Aussie Gold Torch (3 heads)

Inverts:

Dwarf Cerith Snails ~20
Florida Cerith Snails ~5
Nassarius Snails ~5
Nerite Snails ~5
Astrea Snails ~5
Trochus Snails ~5

Pictures:

Very nice!! Did you dip your corals before you added them to your tank? Just curious...I have the exact setup.

 

[y4ngel]

Very nice!! Did you dip your corals before you added them to your tank? Just curious...I have the exact setup.

Yes, I dip all my corals in CoralRX per their instructions. Only thing I've killed so far are pods that were on the plugs, lol.

 

[Cscultho]

Yes, I dip all my corals in CoralRX per their instructions. Only thing I've killed so far are pods that were on the plugs, lol.

You dip the plug and coral or do you remove the frag and put it on a new plug?

 

[y4ngel]

I've just been dipping the coral and the plug, light acclimate them on the sand bed. Then when I think they are ready I cut as much of the plug off as I can and glue them where I like them to be.

 

[Joe Johnson]

This is a beautiful setup. Any new updates in the past 6 weeks? Do you do plan to incorporate calcium or GFO reactor eventually? Are you able to maintain stable enough parameters for SPS colonies without? What is your maintenance schedule like? Do you notice any shading with the AP700? I can't decide between two 160WEs or a single AP700.

I am new to the hobby and currently planning my first system. I am split between a 250 and 350 Reefer system but I am now leaning more towards the 250.

 

[y4ngel]

This is a beautiful setup. Any new updates in the past 6 weeks? Do you do plan to incorporate calcium or GFO reactor eventually? Are you able to maintain stable enough parameters for SPS colonies without? What is your maintenance schedule like? Do you notice any shading with the AP700? I can't decide between two 160WEs or a single AP700.

I am new to the hobby and currently planning my first system. I am split between a 250 and 350 Reefer system but I am now leaning more towards the 250.

Hey there, if you're split between the 350 and 250 and you have the room, going bigger is always better. I kind of wish I went with the 350 at this point. I have set up a Kamoer X4 dosing pump and have been dosing Aquaforest 1 2 3 for the past 3 weeks and my acros have colored up a bit, I have also bought an Icecap 3k and the Vivid Random Flow Generator to add some more flow.

AP700 is amazing, it's going to be much better than 2x 160WEs or even 2x 360WEs. I have a bunch of frags coming in next week and also bought an AquariClip so I'll be taking a lot of pictures next week.

 

[HeulittSalmi]

Everything looks great so far and I am absolutely in love with those clowns. Here to follow along!

 

[Joe Johnson]

Hey there, if you're split between the 350 and 250 and you have the room, going bigger is always better. I kind of wish I went with the 350 at this point. I have set up a Kamoer X4 dosing pump and have been dosing Aquaforest 1 2 3 for the past 3 weeks and my acros have colored up a bit, I have also bought an Icecap 3k and the Vivid Random Flow Generator to add some more flow.

AP700 is amazing, it's going to be much better than 2x 160WEs or even 2x 360WEs. I have a bunch of frags coming in next week and also bought an AquariClip so I'll be taking a lot of pictures next week.

I'm definitely looking seriously at the 350, more so than the 250. My problem is I would go huge and spend all kinds of $$$. I am trying to be reasonable for my first foray into the hobby. The 350 seems like a good starter size to get my feet wet. Would 2 AP700s be overkill on the 350? For SPS they recommend a single AP700 for a 24"x24" space - considering the 350 is 47" I thought 2 would make sense. I can't wait for your new photos. I will have to start my own thread once I finally start setting up my system.

 

[y4ngel]

I'm definitely looking seriously at the 350, more so than the 250. My problem is I would go huge and spend all kinds of $$$. I am trying to be reasonable for my first foray into the hobby. The 350 seems like a good starter size to get my feet wet. Would 2 AP700s be overkill on the 350? For SPS they recommend a single AP700 for a 24"x24" space - considering the 350 is 47" I thought 2 would make sense. I can't wait for your new photos. I will have to start my own thread once I finally start setting up my system.

TBH, I think 2 AP700 on a 350 is over kill. Even if you're planning on running a tank full of SPS/Acros you're not going to be needing the power of 2 AP700s for another 5-8 months, if I were to buy a 350 right now I would get a single AP700. This light would be enough to get me started in the hobby as there sure as hell are a lot of other ways to spend the extra ~$800. If some time down the line you feel the need to get more light, you can then decide if you want to add T5 or even 2 160WEs. There are Reefer 250s that are mostly SPS which have been successfully been ran on just 2 160WEs. By that time it will be close to Black Friday/Christmas and you can pick up whatever extra light you need for cheaper, new or used.

 

[Joe Johnson]

Smart thinking with deal shopping. I also read something about group buys. Do those happen frequently? I was definitely on the verge of thinking 2 was overkill, especially to start. Haha I am trying [really hard] to be reasonable with this first system but I keep pushing myself to the likes of a Reefer 625 or 750 (my other half would never allow it). My other equipment ideas so far:

• Vectra or COR return pump (Vector does not support Apex - open to suggestions of over quiet return pumps that will work with this system)
• Apex Controller and ATK
• 2 DOS dosers
• Deltech SC 1351 DC skimmer
• 2 Gyre 200 series or 2 Vortech MP40 QD flow pumps
• Aquamaxx biopellet reactor
• Aquamaxx GFO reactor
• Apex auto feeder
• Seneye reef monitor and par meter
• I plan to hard plumb all of the skimmer elements

I make short trips frequently and long trips (3-4 weeks at a time) maybe once a year so I want to have a system that is as automated as possible. I would love to hear thoughts on the preliminary list. I have taken the lighting advice to heart and have settled on Kessil. The look and feel of the shimmer (after seeing it in person at the LFS) sold me. Also, I think the advanced customization of the Radions are probably above my ability at this point.