Reefer 250 Build

[Alexreefer]

Great looking tank. sorry for your loses. hope everything goes well!

 

[jblasi]

Great looking tank. sorry for your loses. hope everything goes well!

Thank you, everything has recovered nicely and I am starting to pull better growth and color then before.

 

[jblasi]

Finally finished the float valve shut off for the R/O system. Every once in a while things will get crazy with the kids and we will forget the waters on then bam, swimming pool in the garage. Good thing I have epoxied floors. Also cleaned up the R/O hoses and fastened them to the wall. Shut off works like a charm!

 

[powers2001]

looks good B-)

 

[powers2001]

I know there is always different opinions on ranges for PAR. However, I was wondering if anyone has a successful gauge in PAR ranges for what is considered low, medium and high.

I've seen a couple BRS videos say you want an even spread of 250 PAR throughout the tank, top-to-bottom, out to the sides, as much as possible for a mixed reef.

 

[jblasi]

I've seen a couple BRS videos say you want an even spread of 250 PAR throughout the tank, top-to-bottom, out to the sides, as much as possible for a mixed reef.

I ended up setting my par at about 116 in the center sand and the top shelf is sitting at 330. I have a very nice combination of par choices all through out the tank and everything has settled in very nicely.

 

[powers2001]

@jblasi BTW, what did you use to measure PAR?

 

[Dennco2000]

Wow! Super clean layout.

 

[jblasi]

@jblasi BTW, what did you use to measure PAR?

I have the Neptune PMK module. I have it setup to where when I want to do a PAR reading I just connect the BNC cable and place the sensor in the water. It takes a few seconds to detect the light the first reading but after that it’s pretty immediate.

 

[jblasi]

It has been a little over a year since the start of this build. I wanted to give an update/overview of the current setup.

Equipment: Cobalt 300w heater, (2) Ecotech XR30g4, (2) Ecotech MP 40, (2) Ecotech MP 10, Nyos 120 skimmer, Neptune apex controller, Neptune COR-15 return pump, Neptune ATO, Neptune leak detection, Neptune PAR meter, Neptune flow sensor, (2) Neptune DOS pumps, (2) Neptune DOS reservoirs, (2) Red Sea filter cups.

Livestock: Leopard wrasse, Purple tang, Bartletts anthias, tailspot blenny, peppermint shrimp, cleaner shrimp, (2) sand sifting starfish, fighting conch.

Coral, (2) war paint scollies, LA lakers monti, Miami heat challice, highlighter acro, season greetings monti, Gatorade zoas, pink lemonade, gobstoppers, burning banana, bubblegum digi, bill murray, ding dang milli, beach bum, green slimer, rainbow milli, Christmas merabellas, chips acro, project x stylo, bizarro, apple berry monti, walt disney, Orange passion, home wrecker, pink satosa, atomic fireball.

 

[powers2001]

I have the Neptune PMK module. I have it setup to where when I want to do a PAR reading I just connect the BNC cable and place the sensor in the water. It takes a few seconds to detect the light the first reading but after that it’s pretty immediate.

@jblasi I would love to have that module with sensor but might wait to see what the Seneye CORAL version of monitor, said to be coming out, will be like.

 

[jblasi]

I have been running into buildup every so often at the end of my ALK dosing tube over the sump. It will build up over night and my parameter will drop below normal until I clear the clog. Does anyone have an idea how to resolve? It is well above the water line and there is no water contact with the supplement.

 

[jblasi]

Another little update. Added a few new pieces to the tank over the last couple months. Also came into a light used ipad for the APEX.

Pink Cadillac

Candy land

Orange Passion

Fruity Pebbles

 

[powers2001]

Is that a purple tang? How big do they get?

 

[jblasi]

Is that a purple tang? How big do they get?

Yes it is, they can get pretty big. However I have always been told that depending on tank size they will stay relatively small for quite some time.

 

[jblasi]

With the Reefer making serious progress everyday and all the coral growing beautifully. My wife and I decided it was time to part with our 25G IM that has been with us for several years and purchase a peninsula that we have always wanted. I have attached a ling to the new thread I have started for the build. Tank should be arriving any day now.
Waterbox 7226 Build
https://www.reef2reef.com/index.php?threads/Waterbox-7226-Build.563472/

 

[jblasi]

Has anyone ever had a problem with their ALK dosing line getting a lot of air in it from the sump end or have a weird build of supplement solidifying at the sump end of the tube? The tubes are well away from the water and my CAL and MAG lines are not being effected.

 

[jblasi]

Added a carbon reactor to the sump. Had something weird going on with my RO water and I think it caused a few of my pieces to start STN. Since adding the carbon the STN has stopped. I am also wondering if there is such thing as too clean of a system.
Parameters:
ALK 8.1
CAL 435
MAG 1400
PH 8.0
No detectable Phosphates or nitrates.

 

[powers2001]

@jblasi so will you continue this build thread?

 

[jblasi]

Hello everyone. I am home from being out of country on work. It is very unfortunate that I have to inform everyone that back in June while I was away, my 6 and 4 year old dumped a container full a small fish pellets into the Reefer while my wife had briefly ran upstairs to switch over laundry. After performing many immediate maintenance actions, all fish and coral were lost. It was a complete NUKE. If we had not already purchased and started cycling the peninsula we probably would have taken some time from the hobby. It was a very devastating blow. So the Reefer has been shut down and sold. All existing equipment had been moved over to the Waterbox 7226 build and is almost complete. I will continue to post on that build and progress of coral and livestock as they are added.