SuncrestReef's Red Sea Reefer XL 425 build

[Bayareareefer18]

Just to give you some feedback about the cups, I switched myself because the socks just weren't doing it for me. Mine aren't the official Red Sea cups, but the premise is the same. What I've done is instead of using sponge at the bottom I put in 5-6 bio balls. This keeps the filter floss from touching the bottom and really increases the flow through the cups. I change my floss about once a week (from the pic you can see their about due) but I never have problems with the floss getting clogged. Hope this helps! Nice build btw

Been considering the cups. That's a great idea with the bio balls...since I have like 50 pounds of them new lying around lol

 

[SuncrestReef]

Just to give you some feedback about the cups, I switched myself because the socks just weren't doing it for me. Mine aren't the official Red Sea cups, but the premise is the same. What I've done is instead of using sponge at the bottom I put in 5-6 bio balls. This keeps the filter floss from touching the bottom and really increases the flow through the cups. I change my floss about once a week (from the pic you can see their about due) but I never have problems with the floss getting clogged. Hope this helps! Nice build btw

Thanks for the idea! Just this morning I was thinking I should find something different to put at the bottom of the cups.

Since switching to the cups I've noticed that my skimmer is filling up a little quicker than with the socks, so I'm assuming that the filter floss isn't as effective as a traditional socks. Have you noticed the same?

 

[nim6us]

Since switching to the cups I've noticed that my skimmer is filling up a little quicker than with the socks, so I'm assuming that the filter floss isn't as effective as a traditional socks. Have you noticed the same?

Hard to say, my current tank is only about 4 months old and I've switched skimmers since I started. But it makes sense, filter floss is for grabbing bigger chunks of waste, food, etc. The skimmer would be filtering the smaller particulates.

Worth it to me though, cleaning socks was my least favorite thing about maintenance! I dreaded it! Now I just toss the floss and put in some new. If the trade off is emptying my skimmer cup a few extra times a month it's totally worth it in my book.

 

[SuncrestReef]

Hard to say, my current tank is only about 4 months old and I've switched skimmers since I started. But it makes sense, filter floss is for grabbing bigger chunks of waste, food, etc. The skimmer would be filtering the smaller particulates.

Worth it to me though, cleaning socks was my least favorite thing about maintenance! I dreaded it! Now I just toss the floss and put in some new. If the trade off is emptying my skimmer cup a few extra times a month it's totally worth it in my book.

I agree. I hate cleaning socks, and the convenience of just tossing out the filter fiber outweighs the chore of emptying the skimmate. Since I'm collecting the skimmate in an Avast locker, it holds enough to last at least 7 - 10 days.

 

[rsumner]

@SuncrestReef have you ever considered (or researched) adding a 1" Wye to the main drain to split water down to the fuge rather than having to pump it back up using the PMUP? I'm considering doing this along with drilling a drain in the bottom of the ATO so that it drains directly into the same compartment in the sump as the main drain. I want the benefit of the filter socks catching any stray algae before entering the skimmer compartment and being able to skim all of the water exiting the fuge.

 

[SuncrestReef]

@SuncrestReef have you ever considered (or researched) adding a 1" Wye to the main drain to split water down to the fuge rather than having to pump it back up using the PMUP? I'm considering doing this along with drilling a drain in the bottom of the ATO so that it drains directly into the same compartment in the sump as the main drain. I want the benefit of the filter socks catching any stray algae before entering the skimmer compartment and being able to skim all of the water exiting the fuge.

I did not consider that option. Looking at my tank, I don't think there would be sufficient space to add a wye unless the Red Sea drain valve was removed. I'm not sure which Reefer you have, but on my XL 425 the ATO/refugium tank sits on top of the sock filter section and directly in front of the drain valve, with the bottom output of that valve below the top edge of the refugium.

Aside from the physical logistics of a wye, I also think you would have difficulty maintaining a constant water level in the refugium if you drill the drain in the bottom. Water will flow out at whatever rate that drain will allow, so you'd need to adjust the input flow to match. Doesn't sound practical to me.

On my refugium drain I simply attached a mesh filter sock to the drain pipe with a rubber band to catch any stray algae before it gets to my skimmer.

 

[rsumner]

I have a 525XL and it will definitely require getting rid of the RedSea valve. I was thinking of adding a wye immediately below the RedSea bulkhead followed by new Spears gate valves at the each of the other end of the wye. I think I can drill a second drain on the back-side of the ATO that will go back into the same sump compartment rather than drilling it on the bottom like you suggested. By doing this I can control its flow with a gate valve also and have the hole I have drilled on the left side of the ATO right now as an emergency overflow.

Hrmmm...I'll pickup a wye at the hardware store and start playing around with options.

 

[SuncrestReef]

I posted about this in the General Aquarium Discussion forum, but I'm going to re-post it here for those of you who have been following my build thread.

I'm creating an Aquarium Operations Guide for my system in case I need someone to take care of it while I'm on vacation, or just in case anything ever happens to me. It will cover everything from how to turn on the RO/DI system to fill my mixing station tanks, mixing up new salt water, testing water parameters, feeding, cleaning/replacing filters, emptying & cleaning the skimmer, replacing reactor media, maintaining the UV sterilizer, cleaning the refugium, and monitoring and controlling the Apex.

Here's a rough draft of the document outline:

• 1) System Overview
  • a) Display tank
    • i) Pumps
    • ii) Lighting
    • iii) Lid
    • iv) Corals
    • v) Fish
    • vi) Inverts
    • vii) Rock
    • viii)Sand
  • b) Cabinet
    • i) Sump area
    • ii) Control area
    • iii) Interior lighting
    • iv) Door release and hinges
  • c) Sump
    • i) Filter chamber
    • ii) Skimmer chamber
    • iii) Return chamber
  • d) Plumbing
    • i) Return pump
    • ii) Manifold
    • iii) Reactors
    • iv) Valves
    • v) UV sterilizer
    • vi) Flow sensors
    • vii) Refugium
  • e) Electrical
    • i) Aquarium dedicated circuit
    • ii) UPS
    • iii) Generator
  • f) APEX
    • ii) Probes
      • (1) Temperature
      • (2) Salinity
      • (3) pH
      • (4) ORP
      • (5) Leak detectors
    • iii) Modules
      • (1) EB832
      • (2) FMM_Leak
      • (3) FMM_Flow
      • (4) FMM_ATO
      • (5) WXM
      • (6) COR
      • (7) DOS
      • (8) PMK
      • (9) PM2
      • (10) DOS_AWC
      • (11) AFS
      • (12) WAV
      • (13) Icecap
      • (14) Breakout box
  • g) Skimmer
    • (1) Skimmate locker
    • (2) Swabbie
  • h) Mixing Station
    • i) Conduit between tank & mixing station
      • (1) Water tubing
      • (2) Electronics
    • ii) RO/DI
      • (1) Water supply valve
      • (2) Filters
      • (3) Automatic flush unit
    • iii) Water storage tanks
      • (1) RO/DI storage
        • (a) Float valve
        • (b) Optical sensors
      • (2) Saltwater tank
        • (a) Optical sensor
        • (b) Heater
        • (c) Salinity probe
    • iv) Mixing pump
    • v) Valves
    • vi) Automatic water change
  • i) Accessories
    • i) Refractometer
    • ii) Water test kits
  • j) Vendors & warranty information
    • i) Red Sea
    • ii) Neptune Systems
    • iii) Bulk Reef Supply
    • iv) Premium Aquatics
• 2) Operations
  • a) Apex monitoring
    • i) Apex Interface
      • (1) Fusion
      • (2) Apex.local
      • (3) Browser access
      • (4) Smartphone app
      • (5) Tablet in cabinet
    • ii) Inputs
    • iii) Outputs
    • iv) Logs
    • v) Alerts
  • b) Feeding
    • i) Feed Mode
    • ii) Fish
    • iii) Corals
    • iv) Automatic feeder
  • c) Routine Maintenance
    • i) Water testing
      • (1) Salinity
      • (2) Alkalinity
      • (3) Calcium
      • (4) Magnesium
      • (5) Nitrates
      • (6) Phosphates
      • (7) ICP testing
      • (8) Nitrites
      • (9) Ammonia
      • (10) Recording test results in Fusion
    • ii) Water changes
      • (1) Auto water changes
      • (2) Manual water changes
    • iii) Automatic Top Off
      • (1) Optical sensors
      • (2) Float valve
    • iv) Tank cleaning
      • (1) Flipper glass cleaner
      • (2) Sand vacuuming
    • v) Filter cleaning
      • (1) Filter cups
      • (2) Pump filter covers
      • (3) Refugium drain screen
      • (4) Refugium and reactor drain filter socks
    • vi) Skimmer maintenance
      • (1) Emptying skimmate locker
      • (2) Cleaning skimmer neck
      • (3) Cleaning skimmer cup
      • (4) Skimmer cleaning
    • vii) Mixing new saltwater
      • (1) Pump operation
      • (2) Transfer RO/DI water to saltwater tank
      • (3) Adding salt
      • (4) Testing salinity
    • viii)Dosing
      • (1) Mixing soda ash
      • (2) Mixing calcium chloride
      • (3) Mixing Magnesium
      • (4) Monitoring and filling dosing containers
      • (5) Adjusting dosing quantities
    • ix) Reactor maintenance
      • (1) Replacing reactor media
      • (2) Adjusting reactor flow
    • x) UV maintenance
      • (1) Diverting return flow for UV maintenance
      • (2) Cleaning UV tube
      • (3) Replacing UV bulb
    • xi) Refugium maintenance
      • (1) Drain cleaning
      • (2) Refugium cleaning
    • xii) RO/DI filter replacement
    • xiii)Pump maintenance
      • (1) Powerheads
      • (2) Return pump
      • (3) Refugium pump
      • (4) ATO pump
      • (5) Mixing station pump
  • d) Lighting
    • i) Lighting schedules
    • ii) PAR monitoring
• 3) Troubleshooting
  • a) Apex alerts
    • i) ATO
    • ii) Leaks
    • iii) Power
    • iv) Skimmer
    • v) Refugium
    • vi) RO/DI tank
  • b) Salinity
  • c) Water level
  • d) Water temperature
  • e) Water pH
  • f) Lights disconnected
  • g) UPS beeping
  • h) Flow meters
  • i) Apex backup/restore
• 4) Supplies
  • a) Salt
  • b) Dosing additives
  • c) Fish/coral food
  • d) Test kit reagents
  • e) Filters
    • i) Filter socks
    • ii) Filter cup fiber
    • iii) Powerhead protective covers
    • iv) RO/DI filters
• 5) Online resources
  • a) PNWMAS
  • b) Reef2Reef
  • c) Neptune forums
  • d) Facebook groups
• 6) Local resources

Once I complete this document, I will publish it here as a template so others can take and modify it for their systems.

 

[SuncrestReef]

I'm really excited about my newest tank inhabitant! I'd like to introduce you to my new 5" Maxima clam:

 

[SuncrestReef]

Here’s a time-lapse video of my clam opening and closing. It’s pretty sensitive any time I walk near the tank.

 

[SuncrestReef]

About two months ago I began dosing BRS 2-part using my Neptune DOS and DDR canisters. Last week the DDR disappeared from my Apex Fusion dashboard. The dosing still worked as normal, but I couldn't check my fluid levels in the reservoirs in Fusion and had to manually look inside my Reefer cabinet at the canisters. I opened a ticket with Neptune Support, shipped my DDR back to them, and they are now sending me a replacement DDR. It's disappointing that it failed so quickly, but nice to see Neptune replacing it.

 

[Hulley]

Love the clam, I'm wanting to add one but I don't think my set-up is ready yet. Are you dosing anything other than the BRS 2 part?

 

[SuncrestReef]

Love the clam, I'm wanting to add one but I don't think my set-up is ready yet. Are you dosing anything other than the BRS 2 part?

No, just doing daily dosing of BRS 2-part and adding magnesium monthly.

 

[408Dartfish]

Awesome looking clam. Where did you get one that big at?

 

[SuncrestReef]

Awesome looking clam. Where did you get one that big at?

There are a couple of local shops here near Portland, OR that have a good selection of larger clams in the 5" - 6" range. I didn't want to risk ordering one online and hope it arrives healthy, and didn't want one sight unseen.

 

[408Dartfish]

There are a couple of local shops here near Portland, OR that have a good selection of larger clams in the 5" - 6" range. I didn't want to risk ordering one online and hope it arrives healthy, and didn't want one sight unseen.

Cool I live down here in Springfield. Still haven’t made my way to Portland to the reef shops yet. Dustin

 

[SuncrestReef]

Cool I live down here in Springfield. Still haven’t made my way to Portland to the reef shops yet. Dustin

When you get a chance to drive north, check out All Things Aquarium in Wilsonville, Upscales in Tualatin, and Cuttlefish in Portland. There are a few others I haven't been to yet.

 

[408Dartfish]

When you get a chance to drive north, check out All Things Aquarium in Wilsonville, Upscales in Tualatin, and Cuttlefish in Portland. There are a few others I haven't been to yet.

I do need to. I’ve made it to the premium aquarium in Salem so far. I’ll ad the others to my list. Thanks

 

[SuncrestReef]

I found the first set of snail eggs on the back wall of my tank today. I have 5 different varieties of snails, but I'm not sure which type the eggs are from.



Notice the pods and vermetids also near the eggs. This is another situation where I'm glad I have a good macro lens!

 

[SuncrestReef]

I spent several hours today on the Jason Fox Live Sale, fighting it out with 700 other reefers to score some new frags. I managed to get these 5:

WWC Yellow Tips

JF Barney Acro

RR Tropic Thunder Monti

JF Blue Summit Monti

JF Super Sonic Milli


This is my first time ordering corals online. Everything else in my tank so far has been purchased locally. The shipment should arrive on Tuesday (9/25), so I'll post some photos of the actual corals once they're in my tank.