Saluki’s Red Sea Reefer 170

[Saluki2003]

I got approval from the wife to upgrade the reef tank. So I’ll be moving up from an IM Nuvo 20 to a Red Sea Reefer 170.

I found a used RSR 170 and will start on the aquascape this week. And I’ll get some pictures up soon.

Equipment:
Tank: RSR 170
Stand: Red Sea
Sump: Red Sea
Light: AI Hydra 32
Pump: Red Sea ReefRun 5500
Flow: Red Sea ReefWave 25
Skimmer: Bubble Magus Curve 5
Heater: IM Helios 2x 100W titanium heaters
ATO: JBJ Nano ATO (probably gonna grab the Red Sea ATO but the jbj is coming over from the IM)

Rock/Substrate:
CaribSea Life Rock
- Ring
- Arch
- Flats — make up a base under all the rock and a cave/tunnel support system for future goby/pistol shrimp.

Florida Gulf Live Rock

CaribSea Bimini Pink sand - should give the pistol shrimp plenty of building material to work with.

Future Equipment:
Red Sea ReefDose 4

Planned DIY
Red Sea ATO to Fuge Mod
Red Sea plumbing conversion to standard

Current Livestock
2 x Mocha Clowns (Marshmello & Steve)
Royal Gramma (C Weezy)
Yellow Watchman Goby (Usher)
Tiger Pistol Shrimp (Lil John)
Clown Goby
Cleaner Shrimp
Assorted CUC

Planned Livestock
Not sure if these will go with the current inhabitants but are fish I’d be interested in getting.

Pink Streaked Wrasse ??
Rainford Goby ??
Pom Pom crab

Corals
Current - Hammer, Frogspawn, Duncan, 4x Ricordia, Pink Goni, white Alveopora

Future - mostly Euphyllia


I’m open to any advice and suggestions.

 

[TangerineSpeedo]

If you don't want to run socks you can get a Aquamaxx 170 roller filter. slides right in, plug and play. You can also use the new Red Sea 250 filter rolls for this filter. Red Sea uses 200 micron material whereas the others use 50. I feel that is an advantage.

 

[Saluki2003]

If you don't want to run socks you can get a Aquamaxx 170 roller filter. slides right in, plug and play. You can also use the new Red Sea 250 filter rolls for this filter. Red Sea uses 200 micron material whereas the others use 50. I feel that is an advantage.

I might add one later on but I’m planning to use the filter media cup instead of socks. And I’ll run a bag of carbon under filter floss.

 

[exnisstech]

If you don't want to run socks you can get a Aquamaxx 170 roller filter. slides right in, plug and play. You can also use the new Red Sea 250 filter rolls for this filter. Red Sea uses 200 micron material whereas the others use 50. I feel that is an advantage.

Depends on the gen tank. I have a older 170 and would have to modified the sump by removing baffles. I may be wrong but I think the G2s are reefmat ready. My 300 G2 was.

I’m open to any advice and suggestions

Looks like you have everything covered. I ended up adding and external ATO container. I love my JBJ ato units. I sure wish they still made them, they just work.
I have the curve 5 also and it has been working well. I didn't have a skimmer for the first few years and the entire front chamber was a fuge. I used a piece of egg crate to seperate the chamber and now just have a smaller fuge. I add a pic of my sump just to show you. I'm.
I'm interested how the ATO reservoir can be used as a fuge?
Nothing fancy but it works.

 

[TangerineSpeedo]

Depends on the gen tank. I have an older 170 and would have to modified the sump by removing baffles.

I was referring to the AquaMaxx version for the RS170 which also happens to use the new RS 250 filter roller media if you want

 

[Gumbies R Us]

I got approval from the wife to upgrade the reef tank. So I’ll be moving up from an IM Nuvo 20 to a Red Sea Reefer 170.

I found a used RSR 170 and will start on the aquascape this week. And I’ll get some pictures up soon.

Equipment:
Tank: RSR 170
Stand: Red Sea
Sump: Red Sea
Light: AI Hydra 32
Pump: Red Sea ReefRun 5500
Flow: Red Sea ReefWave 25
Skimmer: Bubble Magus Curve 5
ATO: JBJ Nano ATO (probably gonna grab the Red Sea ATO but the jbj is coming over from the IM)

Future Equipment:
Red Sea ReefDose 4

Planned DIY
Red Sea ATO to Fuge Mod
Red Sea plumbing conversion to standard

Planned Livestock
2 x Clowns
Anemone
Citron Goby
Neon Goby
Watchman Goby + Shrimp pair
Assorted CUC

Corals
Current - Hammer, Frogspawn, Duncan, 4x Ricordia, Pink Goni

Future - mostly Euphyllia


I’m open to any advice and suggestions.

Following along!

 

[exnisstech]

I was referring to the AquaMaxx version for the RS170 which also happens to use the new RS 250 filter roller media if you want

I'm pretty sure the sump would still have to have the baffles cut out out if it's not a gen 2 tank. Mine are siliconed in and would have to be cut out to install any type of roller mat unless you were to place it in the skimmer chamber and plumb over to it. Just didn't want the OP thinking a roller would be plug and play inless they have a gen 2 which they did not state. The baffles on gen 2 can be removed without any cutting of silicone as they are in plastic channels.
Sorry if I'm misunderstanding. Owning a 1st gen reefer no roller mat slides in and is plug and play without cutting out baffles. Just didn't want the OP to think it would be but is sounds like they are not interested in a roller at this time. But maybe I'm just missing something, it sure wouldn't be the first time

 

[Saluki2003]

I'm pretty sure the sump would still have to have the baffles cut out out if it's not a gen 2 tank. Mine are siliconed in and would have to be cut out to install any type of roller mat unless you were to place it in the skimmer chamber and plumb over to it. Just didn't want the OP thinking a roller would be plug and play inless they have a gen 2 which they did not state. The baffles on gen 2 can be removed without any cutting of silicone as they are in plastic channels.
Sorry if I'm misunderstanding. Owning a 1st gen reefer no roller mat slides in and is plug and play without cutting out baffles. Just didn't want the OP to think it would be but is sounds like they are not interested in a roller at this time. But maybe I'm just missing something, it sure wouldn't be the first time

You’re right it’s not a gen 2 and for right now I’m not going to use a roller mat…maybe in the future if I upgrade sumps or upgrade to the 300.

 

[Saluki2003]

I'm interested how the ATO reservoir can be used as a fuge?

I’ve seen a couple DIY threads where the ATO container was drilled and plumbed for a fuge.

 

[TangerineSpeedo]

I'm pretty sure the sump would still have to have the baffles cut out out if it's not a gen 2 tank. Mine are siliconed in and would have to be cut out to install any type of roller mat unless you were to place it in the skimmer chamber and plumb over to it. Just didn't want the OP thinking a roller would be plug and play inless they have a gen 2 which they did not state. The baffles on gen 2 can be removed without any cutting of silicone as they are in plastic channels.
Sorry if I'm misunderstanding. Owning a 1st gen reefer no roller mat slides in and is plug and play without cutting out baffles. Just didn't want the OP to think it would be but is sounds like they are not interested in a roller at this time. But maybe I'm just missing something, it sure wouldn't be the first time

This is the same sump you have correct?
No cutting. But you lose the ATO tank

AF-RS170 Automatic Filter Roller for RedSea 170

Designed for use with the Red Sea REEFER 170*, the Red Sea REEFER 170 Deluxe*, and similar sumps*, the AF-RS170 Automatic Filter Roller by AquaMaxx allows you to enjoy your aquarium with less maintenance by removing the need to constantly change your own filter socks or sponges. Leaving clogged...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

 

[exnisstech]

This is the same sump you have correct?
No cutting. But you lose the ATO tank

AF-RS170 Automatic Filter Roller for RedSea 170

Designed for use with the Red Sea REEFER 170*, the Red Sea REEFER 170 Deluxe*, and similar sumps*, the AF-RS170 Automatic Filter Roller by AquaMaxx allows you to enjoy your aquarium with less maintenance by removing the need to constantly change your own filter socks or sponges. Leaving clogged...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

Nice. I was not aware of these. I may have to look into one I have a reefmat in my 300 and am digging not having to change socks. Thanks for the info.

 

[Quintin]

I’ve seen a couple DIY threads where the ATO container was drilled and plumbed for a fuge.

Make yourself a plexiglass divider to split the sump for a refuge and skimmer. Don’t glue it, just make sure it fits snug enough without any supports, that way you can slide it to make it as big as you need.

Here is what I did to mine.

 

[TangerineSpeedo]

Nice. I was not aware of these. I may have to look into one I have a reefmat in my 300 and am digging not having to change socks. Thanks for the info.

Also the new Reefmat 250 MAY fit in with out cutting also. But I haven’t done the research. But the Aquamaxx is a heck of a lot cheaper. Changing the rolls is not as easy as the Reefmat but not terrible either. I have been running the AF-RS170 filter on one tank for a couple years and about a year on the other. I would cut down the RS500 filter roll about 3/4 of an inch because the Red Sea roll was 200 microns and the stock Aquamaxx roll is 50 microns which is unnecessary IMO. At every RAP I would talk to the Red Sea guys and suggest since they are the only ones using a 200 micron roll they should make it in different sizes for other filters. They would Ba-Humbug me every time. Then the RS250 Reefmat came out and interestingly enough the roll is exactly the same width as the AF-RS170 filter roll.

 

[Mullin22]

Nice. I was not aware of these. I may have to look into one I have a reefmat in my 300 and am digging not having to change socks. Thanks for the info.

Other than price, why not just get the reef mat 250?

 

[exnisstech]

Other than price, why not just get the reef mat 250?

Price one thing but also my reefer 170 is not a G2 so I would have to modify the sump. At least from what I have read thats the case. The G2 have removable baffles, at least my G2 reefer 300 does.

 

[Saluki2003]

Make yourself a plexiglass divider to split the sump for a refuge and skimmer. Don’t glue it, just make sure it fits snug enough without any supports, that way you can slide it to make it as big as you need.

Here is what I did to mine.

That looks pretty good! Would you be able to have the fuge on the left hand side and skimmer on the right? To make pods go directly to the return pump to the display.

 

[Saluki2003]

Make yourself a plexiglass divider to split the sump for a refuge and skimmer. Don’t glue it, just make sure it fits snug enough without any supports, that way you can slide it to make it as big as you need.

Here is what I did to mine.

Also, how do you like the slide out control board?

I'm thinking of getting one or building my own slim pullout cabinet to tuck in between the stand and wall.

 

[Quintin]

That looks pretty good! Would you be able to have the fuge on the left hand side and skimmer on the right? To make pods go directly to the return pump to the display.

You probably could but I had an issue with my skimmer fitting with the filter sock gadget.

But there is more than enough flow direct into the return baffle to export any pods breeding in there.

For now it’s just a ball of cheato but have some live rock arriving from TBS mid January, so that may help with pods and loads of different critters.

 

[Quintin]

Also, how do you like the slide out control board?

I'm thinking of getting one or building my own slim pullout cabinet to tuck in between the stand and wall.

It’s not bad, gives you a place to mount all the controls and stuff but way easy to make something like this, getting board and shelving sliders from home depot.

This is the back of the cabinet, all wires are wrapped and power bricks mounted on easy to pull out board.

 

[Saluki2003]

I’ve got my aquascape in but not 100% happy with it. I’ll play around with it this week and get some pictures posted.