Red Sea REEFER 450 White Tiger

nbagnardi · Sep 16, 2015

you guys and your white tanks lol. i started with radion g3 pros... couldn't get a decent program... switched to kessil 360we's and couldn't be happier, neither could my corals!

sheldonjjessup · Sep 16, 2015

Ice ice baby! All about the white tanks. Yea I was originally going to go with 3 kessils, but decided on my light, but I still think kessils have the best shimmer even right next to a metal halids, eventually I'll add another lil kessil to my light

sheldonjjessup · Sep 17, 2015

nbagnardi said:
you guys and your white tanks lol. i started with radion g3 pros... couldn't get a decent program... switched to kessil 360we's and couldn't be happier, neither could my corals!

Looks like a vertex skimmer? Which one did u get?

Reef_Junkies · Sep 17, 2015

What are those white strips with the holes in them that hide the bundled wires called? I need something like that for my tank... looks so clean.

Reef_Junkies · Sep 17, 2015

Nevermind. Just read that they're called "wire ducts"

Jeff Hunter · Sep 17, 2015

The kessils look sharp!

nbagnardi · Sep 17, 2015

thanks guys, i freaking LOVE this tank too, everything is spot on, the return would be cool if it was split to the sides but thats my only gripe. i absolutely love the kessils over the radions as well. @sheldonjjessup i went with the 150 but second guessing myself. after 2 faulty motor blocks, a bad impeller and a silencer that makes more noise than my grandmothers hoover i went skimmer shopping at MACNA... the NYOS quantum is DEAD silent and pretty sexy. might be making a switch.

Rsandry · Sep 17, 2015

Hi Sheldon, Yes - these are real reef rock I had in my previous tank. That tank (roughly same size) had an old school "Rock Wall" design so this time I am going with a more open space set up...
My previous light was a Razor and I was not happy with it in that both fans malfunctioned within a month or so and I found the controls cumbersome as best...

I love the new Radions and the wireless control makes adjustments simple and very flexible. They are a very clean look with the new rimless tank.
The Gyre is cool but I'm not sure yet if one will provide enough movement for the whole tank ..

Txdragonslayer · Sep 17, 2015

nbagnardi said:
thanks guys, i freaking LOVE this tank too, everything is spot on, the return would be cool if it was split to the sides but thats my only gripe. i absolutely love the kessils over the radions as well. @sheldonjjessup i went with the 150 but second guessing myself. after 2 faulty motor blocks, a bad impeller and a silencer that makes more noise than my grandmothers hoover i went skimmer shopping at MACNA... the NYOS quantum is DEAD silent and pretty sexy. might be making a switch.

@nbagnardi i agree my only gripe is the return too, it is a little out of place facing foreword. I with at the very least it would have a lock line, or something we can "edit" where the flow is. I do like the NYOS skimmers, i haven't seen one in person, but my vertex 150 is very quiet and with out any problems. i am sure it would be quieter with a dc pump, but my return pump is the loudest thing in my sump at the moment, which i want to replace with the new vectra, or the neptune return pump, going to wait on more info on the neptune return pump. I like the ability to measure flow too.

Txdragonslayer · Sep 17, 2015

Rsandry said:
Hi Sheldon, Yes - these are real reef rock I had in my previous tank. That tank (roughly same size) had an old school "Rock Wall" design so this time I am going with a more open space set up...
My previous light was a Razor and I was not happy with it in that both fans malfunctioned within a month or so and I found the controls cumbersome as best...

I love the new Radions and the wireless control makes adjustments simple and very flexible. They are a very clean look with the new rimless tank.
The Gyre is cool but I'm not sure yet if one will provide enough movement for the whole tank ..

@Rsandry I do like the wireless of the radians and frankly most other leds besides kessil (except for the ap700) But in my opinion the close cluster of the led's in the kessil provide a superior shimmer compared to other LED's albeit other leds have superior technology.

I like the Real Reef rock, but man its pricey, but i like how your new tank already looks years old, so my impatient side is telling me its worth it. I went with just a few "seed" live rock and i am just getting sprouts of coraline algae, so i am beginning the long wait period to grow it out.

I installed my Gyre 150 last night, and was very surprised how much quieter it is over the vortech mp40qd, Its a good amount of flow, but in this 5ft tank, i think i could use another one on the opposite side, or NEW WAV kit (hint @revhtree ) pumps on the back wall to get the flow i think is needed for a SPS dominant tank.

Txdragonslayer · Sep 17, 2015

Yo_Im_Joe said:
Nevermind. Just read that they're called "wire ducts"

@Yo_Im_Joe Yea the wire ducts can be purchased cheaper if you know someone who works at a distributor like Panduit, or Anixter. Typically they are in 6ft lengths and very on width and depth. I feel like they clean a cabinet up from the wire mess, and create a natural drip loop. i need to buy some more to clean up my wires from my light fixture.

Txdragonslayer · Sep 17, 2015

anyone know how to edit old posts? I noticed that on the first original build pictures i posted 2 of them are no longer view able, i imagine its because i moved them in photo bucket, but how do i edit them now? anyone know?

Txdragonslayer · Sep 17, 2015

Sabellafella said:
Wow that is awesome i threw a ati 8 bulb dimmable , going to throw a reef brite on but have 3 a160s laying around that ive never took out of the box was maybe trying to figure out a way to strip it out but didnt want to risk it

@Sabellafella I know what you mean. I was very hesitant in taking the Kessil apart, but once i decided i was going to do it the biggest challenge was finding the right size torch wrench. It is so small that i had to go to several places to try and find a kit that would fit the light. I even email kessil to find out what size it was, but no one told me.

I do like the dimmable ATI fixtures, I also thought about reefbright, but i have never seen one in person so i was hesitant on purchasing them. I am glad i was able to make the Kessil work.

d2mini · Sep 17, 2015

Nice light mod! That's awesome.
Real clean build so far!

Salty_Box_Reef · Sep 17, 2015

Awesome setup and love the lighting. Kessils look better than anything to my eye, but youll never see anyone keep true deep reds and oranges with them, so using them to supplement is perfect. Im kicking around the same tank with two 360's and some T5's.

Txdragonslayer · Sep 17, 2015

d2mini said:
Nice light mod! That's awesome.
Real clean build so far!

@d2mini Thank you i appreciate the compliment! As you know this hobby is always a work in progress. Once i get some corals going I'll work on more kessils in my light.

Txdragonslayer · Sep 17, 2015

Ssteve said:
Awesome setup and love the lighting. Kessils look better than anything to my eye, but youll never see anyone keep true deep reds and oranges with them, so using them to supplement is perfect. Im kicking around the same tank with two 360's and some T5's.

@Ssteve I like the 360's too! I would have got a 360 but i was really scared of taking apart a $400 light vs a $200 (which is still a lot for me) one. The 160 covers more than half my tank though, so i am happy with it. I think its perfect for a supplemental (filler) light. i think that is the beauty of combining all the lighting technologies.

Salty_Box_Reef · Sep 17, 2015

Sheldon Jessup said:
@Ssteve I like the 360's too! I would have got a 360 but i was really scared of taking apart a $400 light vs a $200 (which is still a lot for me) one. The 160 covers more than half my tank though, so i am happy with it. I think its perfect for a supplemental (filler) light. i think that is the beauty of combining all the lighting technologies.

Completely agree. I had two 350w's mounted between 4 t5's on a 60g and loved it, perfect blends of lighting imo. Seems to be the way a large majority of the better looking mixed reefs are going.

WilRams · Sep 17, 2015

Sweet build! I did the same mod with an a360we in the middle of my Spectra. Although you put a little more thought into yours and I'll try taking apart my kessil next time.

Txdragonslayer · Sep 17, 2015

GYRE & Apex...a love hate relationship

I sometimes feel like I am alone, when i am trying to program my Apex to do certain things. I almost refuse to work on my system from the actual "little black' box that Neptune considers a controller. I like my apex don't get me wrong, but why is making a pump, or a kessil work so (to use a word from my 6 year old) "cody?" Why do i have to type code? I paid a lot of money for this to work, why can't i get what i want by pushing radio buttons or having pre-set flow patterns. I think if Neptune were to take a few pointers from APPLE (apple fan) I think we would be looking at a completely different product.

I purchased the ice cap module for my gyre 150. Which I am glad I waited till there was a controllable option for this pump.

So I had been watching the youtube videos from @Carlos@CoralVue
and they were good to set up the original code. I would not have been able to figure it out on my own. (Neptune flaw)

HERE

So my question is why do i need to write all this code? I consider my self a tech savy person, I can build my own gaming computers I have taken masters level programming classes at USC (FIGHT ON!) however with my hobby, I do not want to have to "think" it should be plug and play.

So, Apex has a nice little wizard function.
ok, so some of you are thinking that i should use the Wizard function....(the little wand icon under the word HERE, above the first pict)

That wizard brings me to what you would think is a nice configurable menu. However, all i can do is edit dots. If i want a pulse mode, i cant, if i want a ramp up time I CAN! i just move the dots, but there is no drop down menu with preset actions. For example why can't Neptune, have a "low tide" high tide setting, or night time setting. 'lagoon setting" that we can then customize to our own likes. I know that i am rambling on here, but i wish Neptune would truly polish their system a lot more. Give me a color touch screen controller, and make it easy to control and manipulate my aquarium products.

"That's not all Folks!"
"But wait there is more!"

I took this as a screen grab from Neptune systems with the New WAV that i am sure we all want. My point in bringing this up is not to "suck up to Neptune" but to highlight some consumer, user flaws that I see.

You notice that for the wave there are set profiles i can choose from. i.e. Constant, malibu, etc.) Why is there no wizard guiding me through each product I need to set up within my apex.

I would appreciate all your comments, am I alone, in feeling this way? If so, that's ok i am strong and independent, but if not i would like to hear how others feel.