Newb w/ a 425 XL Red Sea Reefer

[count krunk]

The good ol way to cycle a tank is to simply place a single raw deli shrimp in the tank to decompose.

Let it sit in the tank for a few weeks or until it disappears.

One large one should do the trick in this system.

And ghost feeding is simply feeding the tank with fish food even though it's just rock, sand, and water.

 

[ShaneO]

Well it's been a little while since I posted. Figured I would give an update. Finally hitting zero on my ammonia, but still showing fairly high nitrites. Just waiting for those to fall and we'll be in business. Today I completed my canopy setup. I'm getting excited to finally put some fish. Thinking I wanna stick to mostly utilitarian fish. Any suggestions?

 

[Magellan]

Build looks amazing!!

for some great workers:

-lawnmower blenny
-Sand sifting goby (did you add rock first, then sand?)
-Pink streak wrasse
-cleaner shrimp
-tuxedo urchin or 2

 

[Crabby48]

Nice work! Stand cane out great and your off to a great start. Love my 425.

 

[ShaneO]

Build looks amazing!!

for some great workers:

-lawnmower blenny
-Sand sifting goby (did you add rock first, then sand?)
-Pink streak wrasse
-cleaner shrimp
-tuxedo urchin or 2

Yeah rock was in first before the sand. So the stability should be good to go.

Thanks for the advice. I'll check into those guys.

 

[ShaneO]

Got the lights in the canopy. Just got a little wire hiding to do on the left side and then she'll be dialed. Gotta find which program/setting I'm gonna run the lights at. Planning on keeping the lights off for majority of the day for a month or so. Hoping to by pass the ugly phase.

Also the tank has finally cycled!! Still ghost feeding until I transfer over some livestock. Overall super stoked with the way things are looking! As always anything you see or would suggest I'm all ears. Thanks for looking!!

 

[Magellan]

My only suggestion would be that the left side of your scape might be too close to the waterline. As someone with a very tall scape, I have unfortunately discovered that corals are more than capable of growing right up out of the water!

there is an unofficial “Rule of thirds” that suggests you should stop the scape 1/3 of the way from the top. However: depending on what sort of coral you want to place up there, that might not matter, and personally I really like the look!

 

[SuncrestReef]

Looks great! If you want other ideas or inspiration, in particular with Apex automation, check out my detailed Reefer XL 425 build thread: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/suncrestreefs-red-sea-reefer-xl-425-build.358990/

 

[ShaneO]

Thanks for the suggestions! @SuncrestReef I have definitely reviewed your build and have used it for a ton of inspiration. I wanna thank you for having such detailed build thread, its helped tremendously.

 

[sp1187]

looking good.
let's see an update.

 

[ShaneO]

looking good.
let's see an update.

Funny I was just thinking I hadn't posted an update in a while.
So here she is. Kinda going through the ugly phase.
Stocking consists of 3 anthias, lawnmower bleeny, kole tang, cleaner shrimp, flamehawk. Overall happy just wishing all the coral would grow faster.

 

[sp1187]

Funny I was just thinkingbi hadn't posted an update in a while.
So here she is. Kinda going through the ugly phase.
Stocking consists of 3 anthias, lawnmower bleeny, kole tang, cleaner shrimp, flamehawk. Overall happy just wishing all the coral would grow faster.

patience grasshopper.

 

[ShaneO]

 

[sp1187]

GSP in the lower right?

 

[ShaneO]

Also over the past few months I started a nem tank. Using a 20g nuvo tank. Thought the addiction thing was a joke,but its definitely the real deal.
Here are some photos:

 

[ShaneO]

GSP in the lower right?

Yes thats GSP on the dome cave

 

[ShaneO]

Also I apologize in advance for the picture taking. Its just a Galaxy S10 and no fancy filter or photography capabilities coming from me. Ha

 

[sp1187]

might want to move the zoa frag. the GSP will over run it.

 

[sp1187]

Also I apologize in advance for the picture taking. Its just a Galaxy S10 and no fancy filter or photography capabilities coming from me. Ha

pics are better than mine when I first started.
check out the Ice Cap color filter from CoralVue..... or use a piece of orange cellophane over the lense.

 

[ShaneO]

Views from the tanks today. Haven't posted in while. Thanks for lookin!