Show Off and Discuss Your Red Sea Reefer Series

[ktownhero]

I have the same tank and same powerheads. Running exactly the same mode and power as yours. It does seem like a lot of flow. I have one on each end of tank.
I wish I could have used the mp10, it's silly it can't go on thicker glass. I feel the 40s are overkill and I could have gotten several mp10s and placed for some great flow patterns.

The sides of the 425xl are 3/8" glass. The MP10 does work. I was just concerned about the smaller cone of flow so decided to go with the MP40s.

 

[pelphrey]

Decisions have to be made daily, but this one is going to cost!

Currently running two Kessil A160's with the A Series mounts and extensions on the reefer 250, controlled by the Apex. I think I really want to hang a fixture from the ceiling to "clean" up the look a little. The only lights I've ever ran have been Kessil and I love them, I am really thinking about getting the AP700. I'll be able to offset the costs by selling my current setup.

What would you do and why?

 

[Midrats]

It would look great with a light floating above it. I'm not allowed to make any more holes in the ceiling. Too many decommissioned halide tanks were in pretty much every room of the house

How come your skimmer has a baggie on its head?

 

[Broadfield]

Decisions have to be made daily, but this one is going to cost!

Currently running two Kessil A160's with the A Series mounts and extensions on the reefer 250, controlled by the Apex. I think I really want to hang a fixture from the ceiling to "clean" up the look a little. The only lights I've ever ran have been Kessil and I love them, I am really thinking about getting the AP700. I'll be able to offset the costs by selling my current setup.

What would you do and why?

I think the ultimate is to hang the lights you have from the ceiling.... but you would need to run the power cables up into the ceiling for that ultra clean look.

 

[pelphrey]

It would look great with a light floating above it. I'm not allowed to make any more holes in the ceiling. Too many decommissioned halide tanks were in pretty much every room of the house

How come your skimmer has a baggie on its head?

That picture is kind of old, I ran my skimmer with a gallon bag on it at first. I didn't have an overflow issue but if I did the bag would have prevent a mess inside the cabinet!

I think the ultimate is to hang the lights you have from the ceiling.... but you would need to run the power cables up into the ceiling for that ultra clean look.

I wish I could run the wires that way, I got a bathroom above the tank... I'll be pressing my luck to get a hanging kit in the ceiling let alone trying to run wires!

 

[Midrats]

Anyone notice the stock ATO having trouble keeping up with evaporation? I can see water coming out but my level slowly drops in the pump chamber. I set the dripper valve as stated in the manual but have opened it more a couple of times so far. Eventually I'll be running a line from up my Litermeter in the cellar but might leave the stock ATO in there too. I have an Osmolator lying around too if need be.

 

[blkhwkz]

Anyone notice the stock ATO having trouble keeping up with evaporation? I can see water coming out but my level slowly drops in the pump chamber. I set the dripper valve as stated in the manual but have opened it more a couple of times so far. Eventually I'll be running a line from up my Litermeter in the cellar but might leave the stock ATO in there too. I have an Osmolator lying around too if need be.

I find mine clogs with salt creep a few times a week or needs to be messed with to get it working, mostly opened more. I can't stand it, have a new ATO container and was waiting on Neptune to release their ATO for the Apex. About tired of waiting so thinking of just getting the Tunze and being done with this stock one. It was nice at first, I just think now it irritates me at least 3 days a week.

 

[pelphrey]

I find mine clogs with salt creep a few times a week or needs to be messed with to get it working, mostly opened more. I can't stand it, have a new ATO container and was waiting on Neptune to release their ATO for the Apex. About tired of waiting so thinking of just getting the Tunze and being done with this stock one. It was nice at first, I just think now it irritates me at least 3 days a week.

You got that right! I used the stock ATO when I setup the tank and cycled it, I quickly learned that I was tired of it! It is now sitting on a shelf in my garage taking up space!

 

[dragon99]

So I have 2 MP40 QDs on my Reefer 425xl... And man are they powerful. I run them at like 20% Reef Crest anti sync and it even looks like too much flow for my LPS at times.

Anyone else running 2 vortechs on the larger tanks? What is your favored settings and experience regarding flow?

I'm running 1 QD, and 1 ES on my 350. I have them wayyy higher than you. I do mostly have SPS though. The ES runs mostly anti-sync to the profile below.

 

[andrew james]

Have you guys noticed the silicon in the corners kind of peeling inside the tank from using an algae scrapper?

 

[pelphrey]

Have you guys noticed the silicon in the corners kind of peeling inside the tank from using an algae scrapper?

I use the flipper on my tank, but don't go close to the silicone. I bought a big filter pad and cut small pieces off and clean the seams with the filter media manually often.

 

[dragon99]

Anyone notice the stock ATO having trouble keeping up with evaporation? I can see water coming out but my level slowly drops in the pump chamber. I set the dripper valve as stated in the manual but have opened it more a couple of times so far. Eventually I'll be running a line from up my Litermeter in the cellar but might leave the stock ATO in there too. I have an Osmolator lying around too if need be.

Never had trouble with mine keeping up. I just got tired of filling it every 2-3 days.

 

[Midrats]

I'm on my way home from work. We'll see if the ATO worked. I just need to drill a pencil-sized hole in the floor so I can run up some tubing but I have to wait til the wife's not around it's a neat idea but I'm afraid the execution is a little lacking.

 

[jazzmik]

this plumbing is a pain in the...


Question.

Got a few replacement fittings for the drain and return lines which I removed the barb fittings and replaced with MPT fittings.

Wrapped about 12 or so times with teflon but I think I saw some other posts that said they won't fit 100% straight.

Any worries with that for leaks?

 

[alan j t]

Wow co thread. I'm about to read the whole thing now. I got the go to install a reefer xl at work

 

[blkhwkz]

I got a week out of the 2nd canister of soda lime on the CO2 scrubber. Better than the first week when it was only 4.5 days. Still considering grabbing a bottle of the BRS soda lime before this runs out and just see if there is any difference in how long it lasts. With the stuff from shopmedvet, got about 2.5 canisters out of a 3lb bag, which puts it in line with the BRS stuff. They say about 7 weeks for their 9 pound container.

 

[SlvrZ]

NICE!!!!!!!!!!! I am about to add a ATS to my system. Do you have more pictures and details? What is your ATS sitting on?

Honestly, lol, it's sitting on a old over flow that I cut to size. I was making a video for it on youtube but man I suck at editing haha.
basically you know how the old ATO is suspended with some glass along the edge of it's bottom? I used that same idea on mine for the left wall and rear wall.
the front I had done like that too but it just looked way more uglier than i was ok with so i ended up just putting a little "lip" on the acrylic sheet that i had to suspend it.
It was all done with scraps that I had laying around. Even the glass was from an old 55g tank that I took apart to use it for its glass.
The ATS I bought about 2 years ago as it was going to go into the 180 but sold that tank and just kept it. With the Reefer, I would have just used the ATO instead.

 

[Broadfield]

this plumbing is a pain in the...


Question.

Got a few replacement fittings for the drain and return lines which I removed the barb fittings and replaced with MPT fittings.

Wrapped about 12 or so times with teflon but I think I saw some other posts that said they won't fit 100% straight.

Any worries with that for leaks?

I'm not sure about the straight comment... mine are perfect.

 

[Rory's Reef]

So I have 2 MP40 QDs on my Reefer 425xl... And man are they powerful. I run them at like 20% Reef Crest anti sync and it even looks like too much flow for my LPS at times.

Anyone else running 2 vortechs on the larger tanks? What is your favored settings and experience regarding flow?

I'm running 1 QD, and 1 ES on my 350. I have them wayyy higher than you. I do mostly have SPS though. The ES runs mostly anti-sync to the profile below.

I have 2 MP40's on my 250 and run them higher than 20% as well. My tank will be filled with mostly SPS as well, but the LPS in my tank currently seem to be happy so far. Granted, my powerheads are place on the back wall pointing forward and I have the rock structure blocking some flow to shelter some of the coral that I want at lower flow. I'm still messing around with my settings, but heres what I have set up so far...

 

[Diamond Jack]

Finally online with my 525xl. I love the build quality of the tank and stand and how quiet it is. Thanks to everyone for this thread. It really motivated me to get a reefer tank. Lots more planned for my tank. Just glad it is running now.