Red Sea Reefer 250 Deluxe - Full Triton Build

[PiscesPower]

After a mere 5 months with my 24g cube I have pulled the trigger and ordered a RSR 250 Deluxe.

I agonized over what brand to get, should I go custom, etc, etc. Once I decided on the Red Sea, then it was 250 or 350...I went with the 250 since I'm in a rental house, with 2 years on the lease, and think the 250 will be easier to move.

I ordered it from my LFS, http://www.barrierreefaquariums.com/. They have a great sale going on and I really like to support this great store. I decided to spoil myself a wee bit more and they are delivering and doing a dry set up next Thursday.

I'll be moving equipment from my current tank which is/was an Aquatop 24g cube system. I had already replaced everything in the tank except the sump. I knew I wouldn't be able to resist upsizing so I bought things that would take me up to about 75g.

So here is my current/future equipment list:

1. Red Sea Reefer 250 Deluxe which includes the 2 AI Hydra 26 LED lights
2. Skimz SN123 Monzter Mini Protein Skimmer - Love, Love, Love this skimmer.
3. Current eFlux 1050gph return pump - Love this too, dead silent...Wish it had a feed mode, I do find myself not quite dialing it back to the exact setting and often trigger my ATO.
4. Current eFlux Wave Pump x 2 - Super for a great price in my opinion. Nice feed mode, locking, surge. Love it!
5. Cobalt 200W heater - coming new with system
6. Inkbird heater/fan controller. I have a single heater controller that I will use with the RSR
7. generic 4 fan cooling, I think it came on once this summer - Not going to set this up at this time.
8. Fusion controllable Air Pump - I likes to bubblescrub overnight.

I am currently using the Red Sea Reef Care program and have had good success with it but ironically, if I can get a decent sized fuge in this sump, I'm going Triton.

My plan is a mixed reef, not sps focused. I love Acans and Zoas so they will definitely figure prominently, as well as my growing BTA addiction. I love to get a carpet but going to wait and choose carefully.

Here are some of my favorite things.





Gotta include the cat.

Going to try and do a real build thread (even though I'm not really building anything).

See you next week!!

 

[LatinKing]

Look forward to see more. Congrats on the new upgrade.

 

[pelphrey]

Congrats on the upgrade! The Red Sea tanks are extremely nice, can't wait to see the progress!

 

[nautical_nathaniel]

I've been looking at the RSR line of tanks too so I'll be following to see how things go for you! Good luck!

 

[ryboy707]

Congrats on the upgrade. I got a rsr250 and still gathering equipment myself. The fuge is also my goal, gonna drill the ato. Looking forward to comparing notes with you

 

[PiscesPower]

Congrats on the upgrade! The Red Sea tanks are extremely nice, can't wait to see the progress!

A big part of my decision to go with the Red Sea is your Youtube videos!! Thanks so much, they have been great to watch.

 

[PiscesPower]

As I said above I was going to try and do Triton, however, after giving it more thought the Red Sea Reef Care Program has been really successful for me. Today, I did parameters and everything is great. In truth, I had 0 nitrates and .12 phosphates last week so I put a bit of GFO in a bag and turned down my Nopox. This week Phosphates and nitrates are both zero. I'm going to pull the gfo and turn the Nopox off (it was only @ 1 ml / day). My corals, fish and inverts are incredibly healthy so I think I will stick with the RCP. Why mess with success...

On another note, we did some rearranging in the living room to make space for the tank. I did a scale cut out of the tank and the sump to be sure everything will go where I want and will fit. I went ahead and ordered a holding bracket for my eFlux components and my BF is going to get me set up with all my other manifolds and such on some plywood later on in the week.

Sump cut out with my current equipment in red dotted lines.



I am including the different views in the room. I can see it from the treadmill too, but that's probably never going to happen LOL.

From the front door:


Walking past the couch to kitchen and family room


Sitting and staring view



I would love to be able to put that ceramic fish into the tank....Not sure what its made of but it would be a great hiding place.

Counting down the days now.

 

[pelphrey]

Is that the new invisible model?!?! Hahaha joking joking! It's going to look great there!

 

[Giraffe0621]

Counting down the days now.

[/QUOTE]

Love the tape-outline in preparation for tank arrival -- reminds me of a crime scene outline!

Looks like a great build -- except for the fact that the photo on the right (an Escher drawing I believe) was the cover of my 9th grade geometry textbook. I'm not sure I'll ever be able to look at your tank build again without experiencing horrible flashbacks. Not cool dude, not cool

 

[PiscesPower]

Ordered some additional 'accessories' for the build.

Got the mounting bracket for the eFlux return and wave pumps, much smaller than I anticipated but that's a good thing.
A Tripp Lite 8 Outlet Bench & Cabinet Power Strip, 24 in. Length, 15ft Cord with 5-15P Plug
Loc Line Y fitting, tubing and flanges to split the outlet

I'm trying to talk myself out of keeping the 24g for some species tank. I do love me some Toby Puffer fish...
Got delivery /set-up confirmation today from Barrier Reef Aquariums Service Tech. Getting real now!

 

[PiscesPower]

Today is the big day, tank delivery and set up.

;Woot;Woot;Woot

I have every vessel I have full of RO/DI water.
Tank should arrive and get set up in the early afternoon. I need to go the my LFS and get some more live rock and a new bucket of salt.
I just ordered an Avast Marine Spyglass media reactor kit. My BF doesn't know it yet, but he'll be putting it together. Was hard to pass up the price different of kit vs assembled. There is some sale going on.
As soon as the tank is set up I plan to measure the top and order a lid from ArtfullyAcryllic.com so I can add a Flasher Wrasse.

Foolishly we went and adopted a new cat yesterday. I would post a picture but we have not seen her since she arrived. LOL. A wee bit skittish. I found her collar on the kitchen island and I'm hoping my boyfriend put it there and she didn't drop it off on a counter excursion. My big, boy cat, is being catered to in the master bedroom like he's at a resort, to give her time to settle in.

 

[PiscesPower]

It's here and set up, thanks to Stephanie from Barrier Reef Aquariums in Renton, Washington. www.barrierreefaquariums.com.

Now the fun begins... Hopefully I can get it all wet and get the livestock transferred before I have to go back to work on Monday.

 

[Handegard]

Great to see!

I agonized over the best way to do a refugium on my 350 but settled on drilling the ATO. I've now seen a few chaeto reactors and I'm leaning that way for my next build.

Good luck!
CB (Chris)

 

[PiscesPower]

The tank is in position, and leak tested in the overflow and dumped 5 gallons into the tank. ;Happy

Made a mistake and ordered 3/4" loc line to make the Y connection. Have to reorder that.

This is how I want to try and accomplish filling, salt, sand, rock, old water & old rock, livestock.

1. Fill with 30g RO/DI water and then mix Red Sea Coral Pro salt in the DT portion of the tank. Take the salinity a bit high, 1.026.
2. Add sand and new base rock ( heading to get that this morning); fill with more water to get to the overflow and into the sump. Take water from sump and add to new tank. That's only about 5g
3. Move pump and skimmer to new tank
4. Run system to help clear water
5. Once everything is settled I'll start moving livestock over and say some little prayers to the god Neptune. I have an a rock with 5 BTA on it.
6. Finally go mining in my old sand for all my sand critters. I really hope I don't find some insanely big bristle worms or something creepy.

If it wasn't 0453 in the morning I'd start hauling buckets down from the laundry room where I make my water. I'm sure that would make me the star of the household.
I also tried to get my lights set up for forgot that my Master's in Cybersecurity boyfriend, has our wifi locked down and he has to have the mac address of each of the lights to let it access our network. dang insecure internet of things!!!

Well nothing else to do but shop...Ordered my Artfully Acrylic Clearview Top just now.

'I think I have everything I need...' ;Joyful;Joyful;Joyful Said no reefer EVER.

 

[dima]

Beautiful tank!

 

[PiscesPower]

30 gallons of water in, 4 kg of Red Sea Coral Pro salt added. 2 Hydor Nano's mixing it up. 200w heater in DT for now, and it Blue Friday so here's the tank shot!

I'm off to LFS for some more rock.

 

[USMC4Life]

Wish my wife was as excited about this stuff as we all are. lol [emoji23]

 

[pelphrey]

The tank is in position, and leak tested in the overflow and dumped 5 gallons into the tank. ;Happy

Made a mistake and ordered 3/4" loc line to make the Y connection. Have to reorder that.

This is how I want to try and accomplish filling, salt, sand, rock, old water & old rock, livestock.

1. Fill with 30g RO/DI water and then mix Red Sea Coral Pro salt in the DT portion of the tank. Take the salinity a bit high, 1.026.
2. Add sand and new base rock ( heading to get that this morning); fill with more water to get to the overflow and into the sump. Take water from sump and add to new tank. That's only about 5g
3. Move pump and skimmer to new tank
4. Run system to help clear water
5. Once everything is settled I'll start moving livestock over and say some little prayers to the god Neptune. I have an a rock with 5 BTA on it.
6. Finally go mining in my old sand for all my sand critters. I really hope I don't find some insanely big bristle worms or something creepy.

If it wasn't 0453 in the morning I'd start hauling buckets down from the laundry room where I make my water. I'm sure that would make me the star of the household.
I also tried to get my lights set up for forgot that my Master's in Cybersecurity boyfriend, has our wifi locked down and he has to have the mac address of each of the lights to let it access our network. dang insecure internet of things!!!

Well nothing else to do but shop...Ordered my Artfully Acrylic Clearview Top just now.

'I think I have everything I need...' ;Joyful;Joyful;Joyful Said no reefer EVER.

VCA makes a loc-line adapter that works perfect on the reefer tanks! https://vividcreativeaquatics.com/

 

[Micksfish]

Nice Setup!! Barrier is an awesome store. Where ya located in the PNW? Im up in Kirkland. Trying to find more local reefers to trade with and what not. looking forward to seeing your progression.

 

[PiscesPower]

Nice Setup!! Barrier is an awesome store. Where ya located in the PNW? Im up in Kirkland. Trying to find more local reefers to trade with and what not. looking forward to seeing your progression.

I'm in Renton, so I can give my paycheck directly to BRA .