Show Off and Discuss Your Red Sea Reefer Series

[ecyoung]

Been almost 9 months since I last posted. Didn't get around to adding much stuff (read:anything) until the new year due to grad school starting and consuming all my free time... But now I'm back and more excited than ever! Currently building a 9gal custom acrylic refugium that will get installed this weekend probably once I'm satisfied that it doesn't leak. Gonna make a trip to LA in the near future to pick up a bunch new corals.

 

[1bitereefer]

Upgrading my 250 to a 425xl. Question is, to go with gyre or mp 40? I’m currently running Jabeos on the 250 but want something a little different with this build. Anyone using either or both what do you prefer and why. I have heard complaints about noise with gyre though others say they are silent

 

[kinetic]

I've had both MP40s (on my old 90 gallon) and the Gyre XF130 (on my reefer 170, running at max 30%).

The XF130 is quieter, has a more even flow (less stream), and I definitely need less flow to get rid of dead spots.

If I had to do it all over again, I'd still get the gyre.

 

[jwt1603]

Each valve seems to be a little bit different than the next...On my 250 that I had set up, spent about an hour playing around with it on initial set up, and I swear, probably didnt have to touch the thing but a handful of time over 2 years. On my 525XL I just set up, valve is harder to turn and the water level flucuates a lot more in the overflow. I am attempting to keep mine just a few mm below the emergency drain in the 525XL and have gotten the best results in terms of quietness.

I also got a tip that if you're having issues turning the valve (and therefor over compensating your turns clockwise/counterclockwise) to loosen the 4 allen wrench bolts under the rubber grommets. Haven't tried yet as mine has been behaving the last 2 weeks, but may give it a try.

My 525 is very, very touchy to any adjustment in water level or even flow it seems. It was very quiet until I added the return splitter with the random flow outlets last night. It took a couple of hours to get it back to silent with just a little overflow. I may try the allen screw thing. Do you leave them loose or back them out and then just snug them up?

 

[jwt1603]

Upgrading my 250 to a 425xl. Question is, to go with gyre or mp 40? I’m currently running Jabeos on the 250 but want something a little different with this build. Anyone using either or both what do you prefer and why. I have heard complaints about noise with gyre though others say they are silent

I was running two Maxspect Gyre 250's on my 525. No real noise to speak of, I just ended up switching to two MP40's because I wanted to standardize on EcoTech products. I will say that two of the 250's moved a LOT of water even at a very low setting.

 

[1bitereefer]

I was running two Maxspect Gyre 250's on my 525. No real noise to speak of, I just ended up switching to two MP40's because I wanted to standardize on EcoTech products. I will say that two of the 250's moved a LOT of water even at a very low setting.

Awesome! Do you think one 250 could have handled it or 2 230’s?

 

[jwt1603]

Looking back I would have done two smaller units. I had the 250's turned down very, very low. Kind of a waste of capacity. I used one on either end to get better coverage.

 

[mjlash22]

My 525 is very, very touchy to any adjustment in water level or even flow it seems. It was very quiet until I added the return splitter with the random flow outlets last night. It took a couple of hours to get it back to silent with just a little overflow. I may try the allen screw thing. Do you leave them loose or back them out and then just snug them up?

I just loosened then up a tad and the valve turns a lot easier now. Easier to make small adjustments without accidentally cranking the valve due to it being stuck.

 

[jwt1603]

I just loosened then up a tad and the valve turns a lot easier now. Easier to make small adjustments without accidentally cranking the valve due to it being stuck.

Cool. I'll try that. You're right about it being tight and hard to make minor adjustments without going too far. Thanks.

 

[ScottsTot]

Is anyone using an SCA 301 or 302 skimmer for the Nano, 170, or 250? I see them recommended for 40 gallon DT and 20 gallon sump setups quite often.

Most seem to use the Bubble Magnus Curve 5 or Reef Octopus (which seems to be problematic for some but wonderful for others) or a Nyos (which is way to pricey for me) for the RSR.

Also, has anyone moved with the Reefer 170 or 250? I live in NYC which means I move from one apartment to another quite often and am wondering how difficult disassembling, moving, and getting everything back together is.

 

[kinetic]

Looking back I would have done two smaller units. I had the 250's turned down very, very low. Kind of a waste of capacity. I used one on either end to get better coverage.

That might be a good thing, because even though these things are quiet, they are still audible when over 30%. If you turn it down A LOT then you're going to be able to operate at a much quieter noise level.

 

[pwilliaml]

Is anyone using an SCA 301 or 302 skimmer for the Nano, 170, or 250? I see them recommended for 40 gallon DT and 20 gallon sump setups quite often.

Most seem to use the Bubble Magnus Curve 5 or Reef Octopus (which seems to be problematic for some but wonderful for others) or a Nyos (which is way to pricey for me) for the RSR.

Also, has anyone moved with the Reefer 170 or 250? I live in NYC which means I move from one apartment to another quite often and am wondering how difficult disassembling, moving, and getting everything back together is.

I've got a 250 and I moved it from San Diego to Monterey, CA and it wasn't too bad. You have to drain it to move it which I did by putting all the rock and water into buckets from Home Depot and coolers to prevent too much heat loss and then just threw a pump in the main cooler with all the coral and a heater until the tank was set back up. I kept the box as it's nice to transport the glass in and the stand can be transported as is. Don't let anything fall on the glass sump as it can chip. I would take that out too and put it in it's box to move it.

I have the Reef Octopus Classic 110SSS Space Saver in my tank which works pretty well, but if you plan on heavily stocking it, I would get the larger 150SSS as I don't think the 110 was enough so I put a Algae Turf Scrubber from Turbo on there which helped a ton. Hope that helps.

 

[ScottsTot]

I've got a 250 and I moved it from San Diego to Monterey, CA and it wasn't too bad. You have to drain it to move it which I did by putting all the rock and water into buckets from Home Depot and coolers to prevent too much heat loss and then just threw a pump in the main cooler with all the coral and a heater until the tank was set back up. I kept the box as it's nice to transport the glass in and the stand can be transported as is. Don't let anything fall on the glass sump as it can chip. I would take that out too and put it in it's box to move it.

I have the Reef Octopus Classic 110SSS Space Saver in my tank which works pretty well, but if you plan on heavily stocking it, I would get the larger 150SSS as I don't think the 110 was enough so I put a Algae Turf Scrubber from Turbo on there which helped a ton. Hope that helps.

Awesome! I did that drive a few years ago and that is a long but beautiful drive. Now I have more reason for the 250

 

[mjlash22]

Is anyone using an SCA 301 or 302 skimmer for the Nano, 170, or 250? I see them recommended for 40 gallon DT and 20 gallon sump setups quite often.

Most seem to use the Bubble Magnus Curve 5 or Reef Octopus (which seems to be problematic for some but wonderful for others) or a Nyos (which is way to pricey for me) for the RSR.

Also, has anyone moved with the Reefer 170 or 250? I live in NYC which means I move from one apartment to another quite often and am wondering how difficult disassembling, moving, and getting everything back together is.

My old tank was a 250. Took me about half a day to dissasemble and get to the new house. Another half day to get everything back up and running. Used my quarantine tank with water from the DT to house the fish/inverts in the between time.

 

[sil40sx]

Was bored today.

 

[Clayton Jessup]

Was bored today.

What a beautiful little Red Sea Reefer ! Great job @sil40sx

 

[Whispers]

Was bored today.

Awesome tank ! What kind of dosing containers do you have ?

 

[jwt1603]

Was bored today.

Wow. Wish I was that bored! Next time you need something to do you can help me make mine look that good. Very nice looking.

 

[sil40sx]

Awesome tank ! What kind of dosing containers do you have ?

Thanks. Those are my old DI resin from my RO Buddy RODI system.

Wow. Wish I was that bored! Next time you need something to do you can help me make mine look that good. Very nice looking.

Hahaha - Thank you!

What a beautiful little Red Sea Reefer ! Great job @sil40sx

Thanks!

 

[Whispers]

Thanks. Those are my old DI resin from my RO Buddy RODI system.




Hahaha - Thank you!




Thanks!

Cool!! can you take a pic of them thanks