Shawn's Reefer 170 build

kasso187

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Hey everyone, my name is Shawn. I started this hobby about 2 years ago with a Fluval Evo 13.5. I'm glad that it got me started in this wonderful hobby, but a small AIO tank like that is way too much headache than its worth. It's difficult to have proper filtration, flow, and water chemistry, etc. Also, living in a small apartment, I don't have space for a 100+ gallon tank. As a result, I went with a Red Sea Reefer 170 that I got off a member here.

Here's my Evo at its prime:
423n2ht.jpg


785hTi9.jpg


RKqNiZK.jpg


I wish it only got better from that, but currently, I only have the fish, anemones (it split), the zoas, and various snails/hermits. Rather than reset that tank, i'll just move all the inhabitants to a new tank.


Equipment that I already have:
Apex neptune Classic controller
AI Prime HD
Sicce 2.0
Eshopps X120 Skimmer
Icecap Gyre 1k
Cobalt Neotherm 75w (will be used a backup)
Kessil H380 fuge light
cheap amazon grow light 9w
Reefer ATO refugium mod
Innovative Marine Hydrofill Ti
Jebao SW2 (will be put in the sump)
Aquatic life Hanging kit x2

Equipment to buy:
Aquatic life T5 hybrid
Cobalt Neotherm 150w
Possibly 1 more AI Prime HD or 1 Radion XR15 Pro (total 2 AI or 1 Radion)
upgrade to Apex Neptune 2016
1 more Icecap 1k gyre
Icecap battery backup
Clear Polycarbonate lid
Apex auto feeder
Apex COR 15
Apex ATK v2
4-8 head dosing setup
5lbs Miracle Mud

The goal of this build is to have a stable Mixed Reef with some easy to keep SPS. I plan to eventuallly run BRS 2 part, Tropic Marin part c, Red Sea NoPox, Red Sea Reef Energy A+B.


I let all the old organics build up for a couple of days and removed it all thru the skimmer/manual removal.

C32boeQ.jpg


This time around I wanted to start absolutely fresh, so I bought 40lbs Marco dry rock and 30lbs Tropic Eden dry sand. I used E-marco 400 to cement the reefscape.

Wlkt4iP.jpg


x4E3DCM.jpg


I3QL8J6.jpg


SiEJCxK.jpg


6YkSsVy.jpg


eDThggi.jpg


7pll6Y1.jpg


After the cloudiness cleared up:

s3dqEHw.jpg


mkeB8N1.jpg


dzkPeUK.jpg


x0gcH6M.jpg


Here's the sump. I know its small, but I think it will be infinitely better than my old AIO in terms of filtration.

itQIjLw.jpg



So far its been cycling for 14 days with a mixture of Microbacter7, Dr. Tim's 1 and only, and the one that did the trick...Bio Spira...I finally got ammonia reduction today and measurable Nitrite. The biggest lesson I've learned in the hobby is to have patience and that's exactly how i'll approach this build. I plan to wait until the tank can completely convert 2ppm Ammonium Chloride to 0 ppm in 24 hours or less before anything goes in the tank. And even at that point, I plan to move my current Evo inhabitants in stages spanning a couple of weeks to a month.
 
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Waynerock

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Hey everyone, my name is Shawn. I started this hobby about 2 years ago with a Fluval Evo 13.5. I'm glad that it got me started in this wonderful hobby, but a small AIO tank like that is way too much headache than its worth. It's difficult to have proper filtration, flow, and water chemistry, etc. Also, living in a small apartment, I don't have space for a 100+ gallon tank. As a result, I went with a Red Sea Reefer 170 that I got off a member here.

Here's my Evo at its prime:
423n2ht.jpg


785hTi9.jpg


RKqNiZK.jpg


I wish it only got better from that, but currently, I only have the fish, anemones (it split), the zoas, and various snails/hermits. Rather than reset that tank, i'll just move all the inhabitants to a new tank.


Equipment that I already have:
Apex neptune Classic controller
AI Prime HD
Sicce 2.0
Eshopps X120 Skimmer
Icecap Gyre 1k
Cobalt Neotherm 75w (will be used a backup)
Kessil H380 fuge light
cheap amazon grow light 9w
Reefer ATO refugium mod
Innovative Marine Hydrofill Ti
Jebao SW2 (will be put in the sump)
Aquatic life Hanging kit x2

Equipment to buy:
Aquatic life T5 hybrid
Cobalt Neotherm 150w
Possibly 1 more AI Prime HD or 1 Radion XR15 Pro (total 2 AI or 1 Radion)
upgrade to Apex Neptune 2016
1 more Icecap 1k gyre
Icecap battery backup
Clear Polycarbonate lid
Apex auto feeder
Apex COR 15
Apex ATK v2
4-8 head dosing setup
5lbs Miracle Mud

The goal of this build is to have a stable Mixed Reef with some easy to keep SPS. I plan to eventuallly run BRS 2 part, Tropic Marin part c, Red Sea NoPox, Red Sea Reef Energy A+B.


I let all the old organics build up for a couple of days and removed it all thru the skimmer/manual removal.

C32boeQ.jpg


This time around I wanted to start absolutely fresh, so I bought 40lbs Marco dry rock and 30lbs Tropic Eden dry sand. I used E-marco 400 to cement the reefscape.

Wlkt4iP.jpg


x4E3DCM.jpg


I3QL8J6.jpg


SiEJCxK.jpg


6YkSsVy.jpg


eDThggi.jpg


7pll6Y1.jpg


After the cloudiness cleared up:

s3dqEHw.jpg


mkeB8N1.jpg


dzkPeUK.jpg


x0gcH6M.jpg


Here's the sump. I know its small, but I think it will be infinitely better than my old AIO in terms of filtration.

itQIjLw.jpg



So far its been cycling for 14 days with a mixture of Microbacter7, Dr. Tim's 1 and only, and the one that did the trick...Bio Spira...I finally got ammonia reduction today and measurable Nitrite. The biggest lesson I've learned in the hobby is to have patience and that's exactly how i'll approach this build. I plan to wait until the tank can completely convert 2ppm Ammonium Chloride to 0 ppm in 24 hours or less before anything goes in the tank. And even at that point, I plan to move my current Evo inhabitants in stages spanning a couple of weeks to a month.

Awesome start! Your going to love the 170! I have one running since last December and They are just about perfect. I enjoy watching people get mesmerized by it the second they walk in my house. Can’t wait to see what you do with yours
 

NanoMike

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Nice set up...... looks like we are on similar paths, I’m going from an evo 12 and my reefer 170 should be ready for the transfer next weekend
 

NanoMike

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Here’s a pic of my evo and the scape I have on my 170..... got to figure how I’m going to transfer the 2 rocks into the 170 from the EVO. I am nervous about the transfer and hope everything stays healthy
7132C22B-99E3-4C2E-A5BA-E3DB16E14411.jpeg
EF146273-A25B-4DD0-8B41-25DD7AC97DFF.jpeg
 
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kasso187

kasso187

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Here’s a pic of my evo and the scape I have on my 170..... got to figure how I’m going to transfer the 2 rocks into the 170 from the EVO. I am nervous about the transfer and hope everything stays healthy

Looks nice! I would make sure the 170 is fully cycled, then move inverts/fish from evo to 170, then I'd do 1 rock at a time. Make sure to do it over several weeks so the bacteria has time to adjust.
 
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kasso187

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Some updates:

Got a barely used Aquatic Life T5 hybrid (including 3 blue plus, and 1 purple plus brand new bulbs) locally. I immediately ordered the end caps and got to rewiring the fixture so that I could independently turn on/off the middle 2 bulbs and outer 2 bulbs with my apex.

9mJqZmW.jpg


Milled out notches at work

H77y7sa.jpg


Painted exposed edges to prevent corrosion

FjyH4xU.jpg


1e9o4O0.jpg


3cnnr9L.jpg


WYJKrVI.jpg


rYgeW60.jpg


Also received a super nice looking lid from @Top Lids

NBGzx52.jpg




While I'm still waiting for the cycle to complete, decided to design and print a refugium dam with probe holder. This will add approximately 0.5 gallons making the total refugium volume ~ 19.4% of the display volume.

WjiVgbh.jpg


7m2P4hM.jpg


9004eHh.jpg


OFgJ26l.jpg


I also designed and printed an adaptor for my old AI Prime gooseneck

g5Bj3AM.jpg


Which will find its new home under the sump holding up my Kessil H380

s0Dq7hs.jpg
 
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kasso187

kasso187

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Quick update:

So I had a tiny bit of an impulse buy today....

I pulled the trigger on one of the 30 WWC Platinum 3 month subscriptions!!

First box should arrive in a couple of weeks and I'll update this thread.
 
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kasso187

kasso187

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How’s the tank? I just picked up an aquatic life t5 hybrid to pair with my kessil 360x on my reefer 170

The tank is doing great so far. Let me know how the Kessil turns out. I am really interested in getting an a360 NE or possibly the a360x with narrow filter to pair with my t5s.
 

The_Harris_co

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The tank is doing great so far. Let me know how the Kessil turns out. I am really interested in getting an a360 NE or possibly the a360x with narrow filter to pair with my t5s.
I love the 360x. I have no complaints in any way. I recently posted it for sale/trade because I think the t5s will deliver enough light for growing sps that something like an ai prime would be perfect. We will see what happens in the next week or so when i check the par with the 360 and the ai prime paired with the t5. Aiming for at least 450 at the middle of the tank
 
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kasso187

kasso187

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I love the 360x. I have no complaints in any way. I recently posted it for sale/trade because I think the t5s will deliver enough light for growing sps that something like an ai prime would be perfect. We will see what happens in the next week or so when i check the par with the 360 and the ai prime paired with the t5. Aiming for at least 450 at the middle of the tank

Awesome keep me posted. I currently have an ai prime hd running pirates of the Caribbean with the t5s
 

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