Show Off and Discuss Your Red Sea Reefer Series

Cherub · Oct 3, 2017

Hello all, I 3D printed an object (wasn't sure what to call it) for the ATO to make it easier to fill. You clip the RO/DI hose to it and it slides onto the glass. I kinda redesigned it since I printed it sio it looks different now form this pic but should work better. I wanted to share it with everyone here and see if it is something you would use? I am not selling it or anything but would share the link to the design so you can print one yourself. I am really at a loss how people fill their ATO? At least on the new XXL series there's really no way to pour water into it. It's not a very great design by Red Sea...

Hope this can help some of you though!

Katieandjon · Oct 3, 2017

Looks like a great bit of kit. I'm planning on getting a 2 float ATO system, putting the 2 floats in the top up reservoir and a 20L container in the right hand cupboard so all I have to do is replace the container when it's low which is easy as no pouring into that reservoir. Agree it's not the best design!

kinetic · Oct 3, 2017

powers2001 said:
If you go for reef octopus, wait for these new models coming out. See in this video:

Yes, I saw that! I was talking to Premium Aquatics and they also said it would be interesting to look at, but the pump isn't a VarioS, and is actually probably not rated to perform as well as the VarioS. More of an entry level pump. It's too bad. Wish they would've stuck a VarioS-1 or S-2 into it.

So I just measured the decibels in my stand. It is just an iPhone app, but I guess it's pretty accurate?

Everything off, my ambient room decibel was 46 dB. I measured inside the stand, somewhere between the sump and cabinet ceiling, same, 46 dB. It's about midnight, so it's really quiet everywhere.

I turned on my VarioS-2 pump, 46 dB! I then turned on my VarioS-4 pump, flickered from 46 to 47 dB. Guys, these pumps are basically silent. OK, so I'm only running them about half power, but still. This is incredible.

Then I turned on my Simplicity 120 DC skimmer. Even at 50% power, dB rose to 57 dB. Yeah I guess there's air sound, but I can really hear the DC pump over the air. I turned on the pump full blast, and the sound rose to 63 dB.

Let's address air noise vs. pump noise for a second. I know, a lot of people say the air noise is impossible to avoid. But the air is pretty dang quiet, especially with the silencer. It's really the pump sound.

I emailed Simplicity (their customer service is really great, by the way), and trying to see if they can measure their copy of the 120 DC skimmer to see if I just have a wack pump.

If you guys have a good skimmer for a Reefer 170, and have a chance, could you measure your skimmer decibels for me? I'd love to get one that's a bit quieter if possible.

1bitereefer · Oct 4, 2017

Looking for a return pump recommendation for my reefer 250. Do you think the varioS will be enough or Vecctra S1 or should I go with the larger pumps.

kinetic · Oct 5, 2017

1bitereefer said:
Looking for a return pump recommendation for my reefer 250. Do you think the varioS will be enough or Vecctra S1 or should I go with the larger pumps.

A VarioS-4 would be good. You could even get a 6 and use it at a lower power. VarioS pumps are really quiet. My ambient noise in my sump with nothing on is 46 decibels. With the VarioS-4 on at 80% flickers the decibels from 46 - 47. Barely any noise. I don't know much about the Vectra sound, but should be comparable.

kinetic · Oct 5, 2017

A few updates on my Reefer 170, including a shot of my equipment closet next to the tank, and my algae reactor build:

kinetic Red Sea Reefer 170

New photos as teasers from the thread:

Clayton Jessup · Oct 5, 2017

Loving the look of that algae reactor

smokin'reefer · Oct 5, 2017

Denvercherub said:
Hello all, I 3D printed an object (wasn't sure what to call it) for the ATO to make it easier to fill. You clip the RO/DI hose to it and it slides onto the glass. I kinda redesigned it since I printed it sio it looks different now form this pic but should work better. I wanted to share it with everyone here and see if it is something you would use? I am not selling it or anything but would share the link to the design so you can print one yourself. I am really at a loss how people fill their ATO? At least on the new XXL series there's really no way to pour water into it. It's not a very great design by Red Sea...

Hope this can help some of you though!

Nice set up. I cut the angle piece off of a plastic coat hanger to use. I kept the end of the hose out of the water for fear of starting a siphon. Learned habit from other catastrophes.

SlvrZ · Oct 5, 2017

kinetic said:
A few updates on my Reefer 170, including a shot of my equipment closet next to the tank, and my algae reactor build:

kinetic Red Sea Reefer 170

New photos as teasers from the thread:

really digging your fish closet! i'm thinking of doing mine exactly like yours. funny thing, my layout is JUST like yours!

Yokahammy · Oct 5, 2017

I’m setting up my reefer 450 and have the ATI 48 Inch 8x54W Dimmable SunPower T5 High-Output Fixture w/ Controller and the last thing I need to get are the bulbs. I’m looking for some advise on what bulbs I should purchase to use. I plan on having a mix of SPS and LPS corals in the tank.

SlvrZ · Oct 5, 2017

https://www.atinorthamerica.com/faq.php

I myself go for the 20k combo and will put some sBar's on the ends for the actinic

Slowpoke · Oct 5, 2017

whatchamacallit said:
Following. Would like to know what other filter socks everyone is using. The Red Sea ones suck pretty bad, gets clogged in one day now

If it is getting clogged that means it's working. I get 3 days before I need to change them. Keep using it and they will start lasting longer

Cherub · Oct 5, 2017

XXL 625, almost 2 months old

kinetic · Oct 6, 2017

Clayton Jessup said:
Loving the look of that algae reactor

Thanks! I'm glad it turned out OK looking. If I did anything different the second time around, I would probably figure out how to polish the edges and surface a bit.

SlvrZ said:
really digging your fish closet! i'm thinking of doing mine exactly like yours. funny thing, my layout is JUST like yours!

Thanks, and that's amazing that we have the same layout! I ended up drilling my plumbing through the floors. I wanted to do the same with the electrical, but the chords just weren't long enough. I could have spliced it to make extensions, but I decided to just get those chord hider things and it looked good enough.

The closet is great. So much space, don't have to really worry about how things will fit as much.

Bastray · Oct 6, 2017

Finally got my electric work complete. I finished the rock scape last night and the sand and the water are going in tonight! Almost time to start the cycle!

kinetic · Oct 7, 2017

What do you guys do to quiet down your filter sock waterfall noise?

I temporarily stuck an extra AquaMaxx XL reactor sponge over the hole, which diffuses the waterfall noise completely. Not a great permanent solution, as the sponge will eventually fall through. I'm now using a filter sock cup instead of a sock, but it doesn't really change anything.

I saw this, will it fit?
https://advancedacrylics.com/collections/other-products/products/filter-sock-silencer

I saw this thread by @Elite-Aquatics :
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/filter-sock-silencers.281114/

@Broadfield was testing the socks, but he also said it probably won't work for Red Sea users:
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/filter-sock-silencers.281114/#post-3455944

But there was never any definite answer to whether they work or not.

I'm thinking of just finding a tupperware top and drilling holes through it to see if that works

Rick Krejci · Oct 7, 2017

I found the main source of the high pitched trickle noise wasn't from the water going into the sock, but the water going around the sock holders edge and dripping in from there. usually I can adjust the sock/drawer until it's minimized to just an occasional drip. All depends on your flow rate as well. The silencers aren't going to help that noise at all and, in fact, might make it worse since it pushed more water to the edges.

BTW, I haven't seen much info on these, but I just got these sock replacement cups and they fit and work great. I throw a little floss in and change every few days...much easier than socks for sure and don't have to move my skimmer around to remove the drawers and clean socks. May throw a bag of carbon in one.
http://the-mold-shop.com/en/#filter-media-cup
They are the same ones sold by Marine Depot

Broadfield · Oct 7, 2017

kinetic said:
What do you guys do to quiet down your filter sock waterfall noise?

I temporarily stuck an extra AquaMaxx XL reactor sponge over the hole, which diffuses the waterfall noise completely. Not a great permanent solution, as the sponge will eventually fall through. I'm now using a filter sock cup instead of a sock, but it doesn't really change anything.

I saw this, will it fit?
https://advancedacrylics.com/collections/other-products/products/filter-sock-silencer

I saw this thread by @Elite-Aquatics :
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/filter-sock-silencers.281114/

@Broadfield was testing the socks, but he also said it probably won't work for Red Sea users:
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/filter-sock-silencers.281114/#post-3455944

But there was never any definite answer to whether they work or not.

I'm thinking of just finding a tupperware top and drilling holes through it to see if that works

I tested two designs for Elite Aquatics. My findings were that one design worked best when I had a higher flow through the sump. While the other design worked better when there was a slower flow through the sump. I still use them and they work pretty good on quieting down the trickle. However, they will not work on the Red Sea sized socks... they need to be used with standard 4" socks.