"MY" Dream Tank BUILD Reefer 525XL.

[Centerline]

I have finally made up my mind to start the process of upgrading my reef tank from cheap $55 petco non drilled tank because of the money pit that it has been with minimal success because of limitations of this tank. ive added all kinds of extra equipment to make up the differnce but this setup has been fighting me night and day! lol

As a added push to build new tank and setup was how unprofessional looking the tank was with hangon overflow and tons of cables running into my tank and being that it is a office tank there needed to be a change!

The biggest part was my smart idea of putting the 55G tank on an office desk! 500Pounds and 5Months later just before closing my office i hear the legs on the desk buckling underneath itself!
i run to the tank as if i was going to catch it :| Which i kinda did and luckly had my phone on me, called my LFS & they sent someone over ASAP and helped me brace the tank until i was able to find a basic 55G stand. Thanks Carlos!

Since this ive set up the tank in the next room in my office to keep everyone alive in the 55G and now that the office desk is gone im building this Red sea Reefer 525XL in that spot!

Soooo long winded into over! on to the good stuff!

So far i have my LFS putting together a huge assortment of equipment to make this tank somewhat easier on me to maintain and enjoy to its fullest potential as a reef.

Would love some feedback from the community of R2R of any of the equipment/ setup that im planning on running to have the most successful reef i can manage.

Heres what i have down so far!

Red Sea Reefer 525XL.
Ecotech L1 Return pump.
Center light for SPS Ecotech Radion gen 4 XR30 PRO.
Each side left and right Ecotech Radion Gen 4 XR15 PRO for LPS.
Apex Gold Wifi controller.
Apex dosing pump and reservoirs.
Bubble magnus D8 protein skimmer.
300Watt heater.
2 Apex WAV pumps (rated up 4000GPH each)
120Pounds of FIJI pink Live sand.
Thinking Minimalist on rock for lots of swimming room for fish and sand dwellers but enough to place a good amount of coral on. thinkning 75-80Pounds of rock in DT.
Marine pure Block 8"x8"x4" in sump.

Needing help on deciding on how to do refugium in skimmer section of sump and also deciding what light to run over it. (also run miracle mud? sand? BB fuge?)
what type of reactors to plump into return pump via gate valve? carbon/biopellets/GFO etc...
Should i run a chiller or should i spend that money on getting AC dialed in at work...? lol AC at work just has huge fluctuation in temperature throughout the day and night. (bad insulation and old AC units)

Appreciate any comments, suggestions or just your 2cents on things to do or better not to do! I really want to do everything right the first time and have a thriving reef for many many years to come!

Thanks!!!!

I like the Radion setup! I have a 525 XL that I'm still setting up and have 3 new Gen4 XR30 Pros that are designated for a different tank but I couldn't resist dry fitting on the 525. Two of the 30s are more than enough for the 525 coverage wise. Optimal settings for SPS will be too bright for many LPS so using the 15s is pretty dam smart.

 

[Salty-Sailor]

I like the Radion setup! I have a 525 XL that I'm still setting up and have 3 new Gen4 XR30 Pros that are designated for a different tank but I couldn't resist dry fitting on the 525. Two of the 30s are more than enough for the 525 coverage wise. Optimal settings for SPS will be too bright for many LPS so using the 15s is pretty dam smart.

Thats what i thought! the more and more i research, the more im leaning towards SPS dominate :/ which means i probably will end up doing 3 gen4 xr30 pro's but technically its still up for discussion. lol

 

[Salty-Sailor]

Bubble magus KA100 automatic kalkwasser stirrer

 

[g5flier]

Here is the light over the area im thinking about putting the baffle at to section off my fuge.

Hi - did you ever put your Refugium in the sump as shown in these photos? Would really like to see an update, I have the same tank and H380 light but still debating about where to put/build the refugium. I'm leaning towards putting a baffle in main section of the sump, with a skimmer section next to the filter socks and the refugium section between the skimmer and return section. I use an external ATO so that is not in the sump anymore.

 

[Salty-Sailor]

Hi - did you ever put your Refugium in the sump as shown in these photos? Would really like to see an update, I have the same tank and H380 light but still debating about where to put/build the refugium. I'm leaning towards putting a baffle in main section of the sump, with a skimmer section next to the filter socks and the refugium section between the skimmer and return section. I use an external ATO so that is not in the sump anymore.

Crazy enough i was about to update my build thread right now! (very far behind)

Im doing Tritton method and just felt somehow very crammed in this huge sump somehow and decided to do an external refugium display tank and I'm getting ready to plumb it in this month.

 

[g5flier]

Crazy enough i was about to update my build thread right now! (very far behind)

Im doing Tritton method and just felt somehow very crammed in this huge sump somehow and decided to do an external refugium display tank and I'm getting ready to plumb it in this month.

Hey thanks! Glad to hear your build is coming along...! Looking forward to an update.

 

[Salty-Sailor]

I’ve made a BUNCH of changes along this journey but overall I’m happy with it so far and glad I took my time. Did away with the kalkwasser stirrer and fuge in sump. Going with external refugium (photos coming soon!)

How about these ****** return randomized flow generators!?!? Dig the look and actually work better then expected.

 

[Salty-Sailor]

Cycling a ton of pukani rock from BRS a few months back in two brute trashcans. Seeding them with water change water from my frag tank.

 

[mta_morrow]

Awesome looking build and equipment. My 525 is scheduled for delivery this Thursday. I do have a question if you don’t mind. What is the OD of the return line? I need to order plastic clamps. From what I can figure out they are 1” ID. So I’m guessing a 1” clamp is what I will need. Thanks!

 

[Clayton Jessup]

The tank looks like it’s making great progress, you are going to love the VCA RFG nozzles! I love mine on my 75g .

 

[zhen pan]

excuse me, I want to what is the name and size that I circle the red color? Thanks.

 

[Eric Smith]

union for pvc removal. Think it is 1 inch

 

[wowkingjames]

Following....

 

[redpine42]

Interesting build. I get my Red Sea 525 this week. I think I'll start with a refugium first and then figure out the skimmer.

Is the tank as heavy as I read. Can two guys move it?

 

[ksfulk]

Interesting build. I get my Red Sea 525 this week. I think I'll start with a refugium first and then figure out the skimmer.

Is the tank as heavy as I read. Can two guys move it?

The pallet that the tank comes on is just over 750lbs. If you take the stand, sump and other peripherials out of there, the tank is managable with two people. Hell, I got it into the house and down in the basement using a furniture dolly. My wife and I were able to get it up and onto the stand from there. I wouldnt walk around the neighborhood or carry it up three flights of stairs though

 

[redpine42]

The pallet that the tank comes on is just over 750lbs. If you take the stand, sump and other peripherials out of there, the tank is managable with two people. Hell, I got it into the house and down in the basement using a furniture dolly. My wife and I were able to get it up and onto the stand from there. I wouldnt walk around the neighborhood or carry it up three flights of stairs though

I assume you actually mean a hand truck and not a furniture dolly. I'll be using a hand truck to move it up few steps and into the house. I have a adult son, but an old back, so lifting will be only to put it on the cabinet. I also assume you used moving blankets to slide it on the hand truck?

 

[ksfulk]

I assume you actually mean a hand truck and not a furniture dolly. I'll be using a hand truck to move it up few steps and into the house. I have a adult son, but an old back, so lifting will be only to put it on the cabinet. I also assume you used moving blankets to slide it on the hand truck?

Not sure what the difference is, but yeah, a hand truck. I used two large padded moving blankets for the underside of the tank against the long end of the tank, and another against the end of the tank/bottom lip of the hand truck. Two straps to keep it stable and away I went. Just be careful with moving the tank, as the bottom has a plastic housing for the plumbing, so if you "slide" it instead of picking it up, you can crack the plastic and it will be a sad sad day. Also worth mentioning that the top of the stand has a neoprene top (at least mine did) and the tank doesnt slide well either.