Red Sea Reefer 170 Build

[schapps1664]

Embarking on first marine tank after keeping tropical fish for many years. My son kept a fish only marine nano for a couple of years and has convinced me to change. RSR 170 arrives this week as do a number of other items we ordered after reading tips/advice on R2R. We’ll try and post updates and news as we progress...

 

[lapin]

Nice

 

[schapps1664]

Build underway...shopping list almost complete (!!!)...will start water filteration this evening.

I got the Osmotics 4 stage 150gal. Just tested my indoor tap water and is it 52ppm. I’m going to be running of my garden hose point so be interesting to see what the TDS inline monitor readings are.

 

[Daniel@R2R]

Following along! This is gonna be great!

 

[SPR1968]

Very nice and keep the pictures coming!

 

[schapps1664]

Some work on a sump mod to create a small refugium. Piece arrived today and was 2mm longer than ordered (grr) so not a perfect square fit; although at an angle I have managed to squeeze in a little more space. Flow holes drilled - enough we hope!

Built a small eggcrate for holding some MarinePure spheres after the filter sock. This may be further developed to form a platform for the skimmer if I need to raise it.

Radion XR15 Pro arrived today and now fitted - the mount attaching screw is very long and difficult to open the weir cover so need to remove and cut the screw down a little. I noticed the light is very bright when sat down on the sofa as you are looking up to the light as the tank/cabinet/light are tall. Temp measure I’ve attached some cardboard as it was quite distracting light pollution. I’ve seen a diffuser is available maybe this will solve the glare issue? Seen some other comments about making a canopy? Any advice????

 

[schapps1664]

Finally started the cycle...

Tech Specs (and comments)
General progress:

• total water volume 135ltr. Took water from garden hose and processed 135ltr in around 6 hours. We are using an Osmotics 4 Stage 150 Gal RO/DI. Good video for setting up and tweaks is https://youtu.be/XPdzLJWb4R8. Delay as I ordered the wrong hose tap fittings (duh!)
• Using Red Sea Salt (maybe we should have used Red Sea Coral Pro ??). Mixed using the guidance and found the parameters overly high so adjusted to get 1.026.
• Will start tomorrow with Day 2 of the Red Sea 21 day Reef Mature program and dosing according to the schedule

Kit installed
Sump:

• In the sump added a Perspex screen to divide the second chamber to create a refugium in due course. Planning on putting in some cheato. Tunze Led Marine Eco Chic 8811 for lighting.
• Added some MarinePure spheres to an eggcrate box and placed after media socks.
• We got a Red Sea Media Filter Cup which we’ll change with the sock after the cycle and plan to upgrade to an auto roller filter (if we find the cup is a chore?).
• Bubble Max Curve 5 Skimmer running; well its on and lots of overflow. Have the overflow pipe opened and will let it run in (??).
• 150w heater in the final chamber with the return pump.
• TMC Reef Pump 2000 running on setting 15. May upgrade to Vectra in time (??£££).
• Aqua Medic Multi Reactor S (12V) mounted in refugium - not used yet, but ready if we do need to ?
• Have some fittings to change the drain pipe valve to a gate valve. Awaiting a coupling and then will do the mod -
• Dosing cable mount fitted to last chamber and different coloured tubing purchased. Not sure what doser to purchase yet (???).
• ATI Essentials ready to use after cycling.
• Need a cabinet general light (???).
• Door to be fitted after 21day cycle (!).

Display Tank

• 1 x TMC Reef Tide Wavemaker 8000 and 1 x TMC Reef Tide Wavemaker 4000.
• Live rock aquascaped with Seachem Reef Glue (very good) and Aquascape Construction Epoxy (not so effective).
• Hung bubble warp inside tank when adding sand and rock to avoid scratches on tank glass.
• 2 x bags of Red Sea Live Reef Base Sand Pink (10kg)
• 1 x Radion XR15 and mount. Lots of light pollution when sat on sofa as tank:light is so high. Temp measure is some cardboard and tape. Will make a black plastic screen to fit on. Screw fitting for stand is very long and when the screw cover is on the weir cover can’t be removed. Need to cut the screw shorter. App set on template ‘Radiant Colour’.
• Display tank cover from swelluk.com

Cabinet

• IKEA Ivar cabinet. Metal (so fire safe?) and has meshed front so added ventilation. When fitting I let the rear bottom half back off to provide space for cabling to come on from the back.
• Transcension PC 08 Effects Switch Panel and 8 x kettle plug to UK plug lead (1/2m).
• Elitech STC-1000Pro Digital Temperature Controller. No chiller yet but option to add if required.
• TP-Link Kasa WiFi Power Strip for lighting.
• Device controllers mounted on rear wall using Velcro strips
• Making wooden shelf cover to slide over cables.
• Bottom shelf for other tank stuff.
• Auto LED fitted to top.
  
  
  

 

[melanotaenia]

Looking good so far. They are great tanks.

 

[schapps1664]

Looking good so far. They are great tanks.

Thanks. Was a bit daunting at the start as our first time with marine and a steep learning curve. Bit more relaxed now the water is flowing .

 

[BaysEndReef]

Looks great! Love those tanks!

 

[schapps1664]

Boxed in the plugs and attached a magnetic wipe board. Day 5 of RS Reef Mature Starter all seems to be going ok.

Skimmer still bubbling away and overflowing.

Added a second heater in the sump as a back up on advice.

 

[schapps1664]

Sump coming along. Fitted UV steriliser to a removals peg board, space next to it for doser. Skimmer finally appears to be skimming. Clean up crew added to the DT

 

[schapps1664]

Refugium light (Tunze eco chic refugium) added and ready for after cycling. Wired up to the main control panel.

 

[schapps1664]

H2Ocean Pro doser fitted, will finish making the bottle containers on Monday when other lets arrive - planning on using ATI Essentials (comments?).

Temporarily fitted a H2Ocean Compact ATO from an external container to the standard 170 reservoir (I was topping up every 3-4 days!!). Once I’ve reviewed options for my external ATO setup I’ll remove the standard ATO.

 

[schapps1664]

External water reservoir now in - 20L container fitted perfectly. Using H2Ocean ATO into the RSR170 reservoir tank. Happy to leave it in at the moment as dont need the space.

 

[schapps1664]

Valve swapped out today

• 1 x 32mm spears gate valve, £45.00 - eBay
• 1 x R422221 Red Sea Sump Pipe Return Connector 16mm, £13.00 - Charterhouse Aquatics
• 1 x 32mm Socket/coupler pipe fitting, £3.25 - eBay
•1 x 32mm PVC pipe, 1.3m @ £3.80 - Burscough Aquatics
• 2 x 32mm 45 degree PVC bend, £2.76 - Burscough Aquatics
• Plumbers PVC pipe cement, £6.20 - Amazon
• Small hacksaw

 

[moosefingers]

Nice! Can I ask where you for the plastic box for your external ATO? Looking to do something similar and have the same cupboard!

 

[schapps1664]

Nice! Can I ask where you for the plastic box for your external ATO? Looking to do something similar and have the same cupboard!

ebay the size i used is the 20 litre.

 

[moosefingers]

Awesome, thank you

 

[schapps1664]

Awesome, thank you

I trimmed of the back edge of one side of the lid using some pliers so that it can slide on/off as it fits very snug height wise