Raxnar's Red Sea Reefer 250 Deluxe - Vancouver Island Build

powers2001 · Mar 24, 2019

@Raxnar Thanks for the full tank shot. Now how about a picture of the cabinet with all the equipment?

I see you're using AquaForest products? How about the probiotic salt and zeolites? Once my sps are through their growth stage I will look into AquaForest probiotic method.

Raxnar · Mar 27, 2019

powers2001 said:
@Raxnar Thanks for the full tank shot. Now how about a picture of the cabinet with all the equipment?

I see you're using AquaForest products? How about the probiotic salt and zeolites? Once my sps are through their growth stage I will look into AquaForest probiotic method.

I'll post an updated sump/equipment picture soon™.

My SPS Corals have been struggling quite a bit. Tank is pretty stable, but yet I've had several sps die. Possibly light related, PAR meter shows strong light where they are living. I've tried numerous light programs for the Hydra 26's and the tank looks great under them. Just not sure. I am looking at getting the AI Hybrid fixture once they release the new model.

My Zoa's, duncan's and Nem's are doing fantastic. One Nem has even split twice.

Do the Aqua Forest Products work? I would like to say emphatically yes but since I've been loosing my SPS' and even some LPS I'm not sure. I've lost 3 heads of Frogspawn, 3 Candy cane's lately.

I did do a Prazi Pro treatment last summer as I wasn't able to capture a fish who I thought had worms. I didn't want to tear apart all the rock work so took a chance. This may have likely damaged my corals and they have been unable to recover.

I know my tank is just over a year old and I am new to Salt water tanks (had fresh before) and it is a learning experience.

Raxnar · Mar 28, 2019

@powers2001 Here are the Tank/Sump and 2 Side Cabinets.

As you can see I am prepping water for a water change

So its a bit of a mess lol.

Just finished up a Chemi Clean treatment to rid the tank of Cyano. Stuff works amazing!

I also have my stuff out to setup my refugium with the Blue Tide Acrylics kit that should fit nicely in the sump, using the outflow from the filter cup area to move the water. May add a small power head below the cups to stir a few times a day.

Water is a bit hazy at due to Chemi Clean treatment and running no skimmer cup.

Bunch of new corals arriving next week including a rock flower Nem! Hopefully my coral wows are turning a corner.

That's it for now!

Happy Reefing

powers2001 · May 11, 2019

How's the Blue Tide Acrylics refugium coming along?

Raxnar · May 12, 2019

powers2001 said:
How's the Blue Tide Acrylics refugium coming along?

Ha, yea I should get around to installing it hey?

Looks great! maybe tomorrow.

Raxnar · Jan 12, 2020

Been a Long time since I posted an update.

Firstly a FTS to have a peak.

Using the Orange filter for this, looks pretty good.

Lots hasn't happened and lots of direction changes since the last update.

Still Dosing AF products but every other day vs every day.

As you can see I am battling some Algae, yes it is byropsis... I have Fluconazole on its way to deal with it. For now I pluck it weekly and its keeping it at bay somewhat.

You'll notice a few new family members.
1- very small Yellow tang, Our LFS finally was able to get in some very young ones! She'll need re-homing one day, or perhaps I'll have a bigger tank by then but she is doing great!
1 - Tomini Tang, you can't see her in this pic as she is hiding. She is fairly shy.
1 - Was able to snag a rare Purple Firefish! stuning
2 - 2 "regular" firefish as well.
2 - new as of 2 days ago beautiful orange Anthias.
2 - New Fungi Coral that doing great.
1 - New 4 polyp acan, doing well.

As you can see our other residents are doing good.
2 snowflake clowns who ignore our nems...
2 Cardinals
2 Azure Damsels
3 Blue/Green Chromis
1 Ornate Leopard Wrasse who is 2 years old this month!
2 Fighting Conch snails
assorted hermit crabs and 2 small green emerald crabs.
1 Lawnmower blenny
2 Fire Shrimp
2 Cleaner Shirp
2 Peppermint shrimp which we rarely see

I have ordered the V2 Aquatic Life Hybrid light fixture to augment my Hydra 26's. I've tried dozens of programs and just cannot keep SPS corals no matter what I try... a Friend who has a Reefer 170 and the same LED's also struggled until he got his V1 Aquatic Life Hybrid fixture and now SPS are thriving.

That's it for now.

EvilVOG · Feb 21, 2020

Stopped by to see how you fit that ATK in there. Thanks! nice tank, I just started my 250 build

Raxnar · Feb 21, 2020

EvilVOG said:
Stopped by to see how you fit that ATK in there. Thanks! nice tank, I just started my 250 build

I just use the magnet the Neptune ATK came with and then use some filter block foam under the smaller side in the baffle slot between the return chamber and the main chamber of the refugium. That's just to help prevent the ATK module from slipping.

You likely have the re-designed sump if you just purchased a new Reefer 250. I have not seen these new sumps in close up detail but I'm sure it would be easy.

Raxnar · Mar 8, 2020

Big Day!

The AI T5 Hybrid V2 Fixture is now alive!

Have it running at 50% as well as the LED's in Acclimation mode for a few days.

Just showing after we finished getting it mounted and leveled.

Here we are up and running. You can see the reflection of the den window even with the blinds closed completely.

Really like how the 4x4 Cedar beams turned out as well. The cantilever mounting system is wonderful!

Raxnar · Feb 7, 2021

It's been far too long since I've posted. Partly because I've had to sadly slightly neglect my tank while dealing with a herniated L5 disc....

Doing better now so I've been getting back on track.

We recently added a yellow Headed Sleeper Goby and he has been working his tail off cleaning the sand. We once again have clean white sand after having a lot of algae build up despite crabs and snails. Very happy but he does make a mess in some areas...

I've been struggling with SPS staying alive in our tank. I cannot figure it out.

This is our lighting schedule.

Hybrid T5 and AI Hydra 26 x 2.

Parameters are pretty good.
alk - 8-8.5
Phos - normally .05 ish, had a spike so doing a water change today, spiked to .16 since we got the goby, perhaps stirring up the sand?
Calc - 350-400
Mag - 1300-1400
Temp 25.6C
PH - 7.5 to 8.2
no ammonia
Nitrates/nitrates only trace amounts.

Soft Corals seem to thrive for the most part but I've also struggled with keeping duncans which are supposed to be fairly hardy.

Tanks just passed 2 years now and it has had its ups and downs.

Here's a pic of a coral I got recently, Pink Cadillac, My back was bad that day so didn't try and get another one.

My hand wasn't super steady but it had tons of colour.

Here's now a short video clip of the new coral I got today, name escapes me. It is sliming after acclimating. The particulate is from the water change before introducing the coral.