Some fun, some experimentation, lots of learning! Redsea reefer 425xl build

[BiCoastal]

Hello Community!

Getting back into the hobby after many a years and cross continent moves, because why not I got a redsea 425xl a couple of years ago and then the pandemic hit. Plans were put on hold. Finally getting to it two years later! I have been browsing through the forum and what a wealth of knowledge! I am so grateful to everyone who has, and continue to share their expertise and experiences - you are all an inspiration.

So here's the plan.

Kind of Ecosystem -
I keep going back and forth between a mixed reef and a SPS dominated one. we will see. that's why I haven't decided on some equipment like lights and reactors etc.

Display Tank -
RedSea reefer 425XL - its roughly 90G DT and about 25G sump. Dimensions are 47"L, 22"h, 22"W.
Lights - haven't decided yet - leaning Radion XR15 (2 if mixed reef and 4 if SPS) but Neptune Sky is looking interesting as well.
Powerhead - Maxspect FX330 - I bought one two years ago so might as well use it. will decide others based on the kind of corals I end up with
Rock - Real reef rock - have never used this but looks interesting. this will be my first non live Rock tank (eeee!)
Substrate - Tropic Eden reef flakes (can't remember the grain size as bought it a while ago and its been sitting in the basement)

Coral QT tank
Waterbox Cube10 - i have been meaning to try out waterbox and thought this is a good opportunity. Might do a separate build thread for this.

Fish QT - still trying to wrap my head around it

Sump -
Plumbing - reconfigure redsea to include a manifold and move to standard sizes
Clarissa 3000 v3 - will need to take out the sock holder and a couple of baffles. Don't want to deal with changing socks
Skimmer - Maxspect Aeraqua duo - its an overkill for 90G but it can be dialled down.
Return pump - Neptune COR20 - this will run the return and the manifold
Algae Scrubber - haven't decided which one yet. but I like scrubbers better than Chaeto
UV - got a 15W but might not use it at all. and if I down it will be temporary and closed loop from the DT

Controller and stuff
Neptune Apex El
Flow metering kit - bought it long ago so might as well use somewhere. in hindsight probably not needed.
ATO - neptune ATK v2 - debated between this and tunze (which I have used before) but decided to give Neptune a try, we will see.
ATO reservoir - IM Hydrofoil 15G
Adaptive Reef controller board
Dosing - will decide later

RODI water
AquaFx 5Stage RODI - 100GPD
Aquatic life booster pump - hopefully it will reduce water waste, we will see
XP flood guardian - interested in the included solenoid


I will be adding to this thread as I move along the process. I am excited to be back and freaked out as well! the hobby has changed so much in the last 15 years! Ah well, the goal is to experiment, have fun and learn

Once again, thanks for everyone who makes this hobby so rewarding!

 

[Reeferjunkie]

Welcome to r2r look forward to your updates. Great start

 

[BiCoastal]

Sump modification:

OK, this was a little scary but let's do this! I do want to give credit to @SuncrestReef and his build thread, I learned a lot from there!!! thank you!

So there are two different ways to change the sump pluming.


option1 - use the metric union and then transition coupling from 32mm to 1" This is shown in the picture below . I bought these items a couple of years ago so can't recall where I got these from but I have these. eventually I decided to not use this method as it takes up too much space. by the time you add the union and the coupling etc it is about 6" and the sump doesn't have that much room.


option 2 - this is the one I got from @SuncrestReef and his build thread.
This requires two item as seen below a 3/4" to 1" coupling and redsea item 42222.




The setup is pretty easy.
Step 1: remove the barb fitting from part 42222. add a lot of teflon tape on the 3/4"- 1 inch coupling.


step 2: use the gasket from the barb fitting (42222 part, the one you just removed) and the screw in the two parts - 3/4" to 1 in coupling and the remaining portion of part 42222

next step taking out the existing sock holders and the baffles!

 

[BiCoastal]

Removing the redsea sock holder and opening up the refugium area so I can install Clarissa sk3000. there is no good way to explain how to do this but I will try

I found that the best tools is a set of X-acto knives with various different kinds of blade. you will probably use 3-4 different blades and handles to get a good grip. this is the set I used.


Step :

remove the plastic pieces. They are easiest to remove - simply slides the X-acto blade over the silicone and use a little force to "peel away" the plastic pieces away from the glass.




Step 2:
Remove the two smaller glass dividers at the bottom. these are the ones that are dividing the sock area from the refugium area. Use the sharpest blade in your tool kit. Try to slide the blade between the two panes of glass. you are trying to slice the silicon. Take it slow. it will take time. take as many passes as needed but do not use force on the glass itself. it will feel like nothing is happening but keep at it. once you get the blade through the silicon bead once, it will go faster after that




Step 3:
Now tackle the glass pane that divides the the area between two sock holders. Now that you have removed the small pieces at the bottom, you have more room to slide the blade length wise on both side of the glass. Go slow at first, once the glass pane develops a little give, you can put a consistent pressure on the glass as you keep trying to get the X-acto blade between this vertical pane and the Botton horizontal glass.
eventually it will come lose and you will feel awesome!



Step 4:
Now tackle the other divider - the one that divides the (now much larger) refugium section vertically. The method is the same but this one is the toughest piece as it is glued on both sides. This will take time. but stick to the same strategy - try to get the blade between glass panes and slice the silicon. some pressure on the pane is fine but apply it in progressively but for short durations. You are trying to feel where the glass gives (if that makes sense). Once this baffle comes out, you will be tired but elated! take a swig of the beer and enjoy your handy work! you just modified the sump without breaking anything!



Now its cleanup time!

 

[BiCoastal]

Plumbing the sump.

I was considering the following

1- Need gate valve for the main drain
2- main drain goes to the Clarisea
3- for the return pipe, do I need a manifold or not. hmmmmm. that's the tricky one. The things I want to run (ones that could benefit from a manifold) are algae scrubber and media reactor (only sometimes and only for carbon). I could easily run those with their own small pumps and avoid the whole manifold. But then, who knows what I will end up running and I wonder if I will regret not having one later

Here's configuration # 1



The main drain pipe in plumbed into Clarisea through a gate valve
the return pump is in the front left corner (yep, this is a very different configuration from stock 425XL.) which goes into a T and the manifold splits away

The two extra outlets on the manifold have their own gate valves. The manifold doesn't return to the main return line. I couldn't think of a use case for that other than UV.


If I don't end up using the manifold, I might rotate the sump and put the return pump section right underneath the overflow. I can't make up my mind

 

[Bent17]

Very nice build! Do you have updates on your build?

 

[BiCoastal]

@Bent17 Thanks for the reminder. I haven't updated the build.


since my last update

Sump-

Completed the Sump. Added the Clarisea roller. Added Maxspect aeroduo skimmer and the Clearwater algae scrubber (CW-50)


Finished the controller board, still messing with the cabling part



So far so good.

 

[BiCoastal]

Aquascape-
wanted something minimalist-ish.

 

[BiCoastal]

Flow.-
I have two masxpect xf330 on either side. Great flow but they are a bit loud for my taste (have this high pitched turbine sound when they rev up). I sit a few feet from the tank in my home office I have a Vortech mp40 in the box, will try that over the weekend and if it is quieter, I will replace the gyres.

lights -
Went with Radion xr15 G5 pro. but I haven't turned on the lights yet. Will probably do it at the 2 month anniversary of starting the tank

Cycle-

Used the real reef rocks, fritz turbostart and PNS substrate sauce. Added a marinepure brick and a Brightwell brick, in the sump.
the cycle went quick, and painless.



livestock-

Added a couple of clowns and a purple firefish
they are doing great and have settled in.
feeding frozen food only.



parameters-
have been dealing in the numbers and currently running stable at 12pp, nitrates and .12 phosphate. just turned on the algae scrubber and the plan is to bring these down to a 5ppm nitrate and .05ppm phosphate range before turning on the lights.

the project is moving slow but I am in no hurry

 

[Smoke-Town]

Awesome sump build. Everything looks great. I tried starting minimalist myself... but I wanted too many fish... needed more real estate for them.

 

[BiCoastal]

Awesome sump build. Everything looks great. I tried starting minimalist myself... but I wanted too many fish... needed more real estate for them.

Ha! I hear ya. I have a feeling I will be adding more rock over time. I have about 40 lbs of it sitting in the basement, just in case