My ULM Fully Connected Red Sea Reefer 170

[Jboulerice]

So they are still in business and you are getting communication from them? Their website makes it seem like they haven’t done anything since 2017.

The release is expected In September; they’re really close to a launch version but they’ve been making a bunch of improvements. The site is probably not updated because they switched from kick starter to another backing site indiegogo
Progress is only reported to the backers of the product.

Here’s the latest update https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/moai-robot-for-your-aquarium

I have faith this will come to fruitition... for the sake of me being to lazy to clean the glass every day...

 

[Jboulerice]

Careful. Just had a mishap with mine and it ran for 18 hours, dumping every 30 seconds. Fortunately it was already low on food. But it’s great for vacations, just wish it didn’t have the Same decibel level as fighter jets.

Dude it’s so loud and so ratchet with the movement I just hope it’s designed for mad cycles... I have mine tested and verified to only come on once a day for now until the bioload increases... i didn’t think my fish would go for the pellets but they lost their mind and frenzied.

I have a nest cam I check ever once and a while so I’ll probablly catch this if it ever does happen. Was this just a incorrect setting in fusion?

 

[Jboulerice]

90 degree usb to temporarily rout the cable until I move the tank away from the wall

 

[RavenSF]

Here's some catch up on the early build photos; you can see the older tank in the foreground at times

My vectra S1 didn’t come with a barb attachment, where did you get that one? My 170’s return line doesn’t feel tight.

 

[NoWaiAma]

This is a sneak peak of my attempt to conciel all the equipment and electronics into an ikea storage system:

Before birds nest:

To be concealed here:

The red box will contain a 10 Gallon reservoir for the R/O system to run and fill then fill the internal R/O tank for a total of 12 gallons.
The orange box will contain all the Neptune modules, power bar and controller.
The white box will contain the Echotech power adapters and controller.
The grey box will be used for assorted Aquarium supplies and storage.

I'm using my laser cutter and some scrap acrylic to create internal boxes with custom cutouts for everything... Here's some R&D shots:

What a great idea on the storage cabinets...
Ordered
Lol

 

[Jboulerice]

What a great idea on the storage cabinets...
Ordered
Lol

When I finish the internal boxes I’ll have the plans saved; if you’re interested in something similar to what I’m doing. This Saturday I’m going to try and get them done and wired up cleanly with some orange cable tubes

 

[Jboulerice]

My vectra S1 didn’t come with a barb attachment, where did you get that one? My 170’s return line doesn’t feel tight.

I got my kit from BRS; they sell the fittings here:

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/vectra-m1-barb-screen-kit-ecotech-marine.html

You can’t get the hose off if you wanted too now after boiling water and getting the hose down over most of the barbs... you’ll also need to cement in the fittings into the bushing that come with the pump. Let me know if you need any more photos or info.

 

[RavenSF]

I got my kit from BRS; they sell the fittings here:

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/vectra-m1-barb-screen-kit-ecotech-marine.html

You can’t get the hose off if you wanted too now after boiling water and getting the hose down over most of the barbs... you’ll also need to cement in the fittings into the bushing that come with the pump. Let me know if you need any more photos or info.

Thanks I ordered them from BRS.

 

[Jboulerice]

Finally got around to cutting the Red Sea screen kit; I need to use my harbor freight disc belt sander unit to get everything perfect tomorrow but it’s coming along...

 

[NoWaiAma]

Build me one next . I can’t even manage to do a cardboard outline of what I need on the JBJ nano :/

 

[Jboulerice]

Build me one next . I can’t even manage to do a cardboard outline of what I need on the JBJ nano :/

LOL Luckily the redsea kit gives you the exact dimensions. I have to clean up all the edges tomorrow but if you have a bandsaw its super quick!

As far as a template; Use mm for your dimensioning its super easy to get pretty precise. I would mess around with even cardboard and just start larger and eventually cut your way down.

 

[NoWaiAma]

Problem is the bowed front

 

[Jboulerice]

Just added this one

 

[Jboulerice]

My clowns are all free today minding their own sides of the tank; it appears the golden nugget and smallest lightning maroon are getting along somewhat well.

I removed the stubs from all my zoa frags and epoxied everything into their own separate rubble rock to create a zoa garden. I didn’t realize how little room I’ll have eventually given the size I plan to grow out my current collection. At this point I’m waiting to sell off all my old frags

 

[NY_Caveman]

Nice! I love the branch-scape! Especially for that size tank.

 

[444rich]

Awesome build, following along... I'm starting up a reefer as well and heavily invested in apex stuff too - the integration is amazing, I got the dos, ddr, atk, wav, and waiting on the feeder, I'm concerned as well about the feeder sticking out to far back, there is no way I'm moving my tank further away from the wall just for a feeder - I saw on youtube -I think reefdudes installed it in his sump in the chamber where the return pump is and added a small power head to circulate the food till it goes into the DT. Also, Miami / South Florida is really one of the best places to be for this hobby - there are so many great lfs'

 

[Jboulerice]

Looks like these two are pairing out of fear of my larger lightning maroon clown; good news for me because I really love both golden nuggets and the lightning maroon; would be amazing to get them to pair for real!

I have faith these two will be inseparable judging by all the other attempts that failed; I’ve yet see two clowns tolerate each other for more than 15 minutes because the death spirals and jaw locking begins.

I’ve been way more aggressive about removing excessive algae I have until I get an R/0 auto top off running; my frags have really started to show; it’ll be amazing when the rubble rock is fully covered.

I’m going to consider putting all my frags on rubble rock

in order to facilitate natural colongy sizes vs most people who want every single color morph possible... which all end up competing for space... I’m looking for a long term system of growing out colony’s and being able to manage growth with fragging. It’s come to my conclusion permanently attaching more than one coral in a 2x2 inch space is not going to work in the end.

I’ve also made a pact with myself no frags under 100$ per polyp; I’m trying to really ball out with the colors this time around... especially with whats invested in equipment...

 

[Jboulerice]

Well 48 hours and the small lightning and golden nugget have been loose in the tank; their fins are already healing so fast from the battle royal...

On the update front I finished trimming and assembling the screen top kit from Red Sea; let me tell you it’s a PIA to get the screen around the cutouts; currently I ripped a corner but I’m not in a hurry to pull the spline out and give it another go

 

[Jboulerice]

I went ahead and pushed forward with removing my 10 year old aquascape to my new 3 piece branch rock...

I call it the tree of life because the rockwork will be encrusted in corals as the branches and then sps will take the roll of the branches...

I plan to color coordinate the reef in the color spectrum of the rainbow... red on the left and ends in purple to the right...

There will be rock anemones in the cave area as they don't really need much light and seemed to migrate under there... I'll be growing out my frags and experimenting with their coloration based on tank depth before I commit anything that I haven't already figured out over the years...

Levels

TOP (Canopy) > branching or tabling SPS
MID LEVEL > Blasto's, monti's
SUBSTRATE > Zoa Paly Garden, Rock anemone garden, collector chalice's

I have a bunch of frags for sale on the top rack I'm temporarily holding up there for now.

 

[Jboulerice]

The tank is doing amazing... To reward the progress; I'm investing in more equipment...

IceProbe Thermoelectric Aquarium Chiller - Nova Tec
Calcium Colorimeter HI758 Hanna Checker - Marine Water
Phosphorus Ultra Low Range Colorimeter HI736 Hanna Checker - Marine Water

The temps don't fluctuate much until today (83 max record; outside temps in the 90's) but I feel like one of these drop in chillers will do well with a custom laser cut bracket I have in the works...

Its been busy trying to tear the old reef down and start new. but both myself and the fish love the new aquascaping.

I also have automatic shades coming in tomorrow to prevent algae build up on the tank as part of my smart home automation... I also read on the neptune forums they will be pushing hard to support alexa soon... I cant wait for all the new tech innovations coming soon... but most importantly 3 months more to wait for my glass to clean itself...

When that day comes I'll have quite the celebratory howl.....

I lost my red scooter blenny... He jumped when I neglected to cover the screen top.

On a positive note... My two lightning maroon clowns have paired up for over 4 days... swimming together at night... demonstrating the submissive shake and eating healthy.

Tomorrow I'll be returning the golden maroon and hoping they don't change their opinions about each other once the one fish they both picked on is gone.