SuncrestReef's Red Sea Reefer XL 425 build

[SuncrestReef]

Update on my refugium design:

I originally used a threaded strainer on the overflow for my refugium drain, but I've found that the chaeto gets snagged on the strainer and stops rotating.

To solve this problem, I replaced the regular strainer with a low-profile strainer:

Since this one doesn't stick out into the path of the rotating chaeto, it doesn't snag anything. A simple fix for $2.55 at https://www.aquariumspecialty.com.

 

[Joe G]

Awesome build thread. Very detailed and informative.

 

[SuncrestReef]

One thing I have always wanted in an aquarium is a beautiful shrimp. Today I finally got one of my own!

 

[NY_Caveman]

My favorite marine critter, Cleaner Shrimp.

 

[MikeC1408]

Just set up the Version 3 425XL and have a couple of questions.
1. How do you find having the locker in the right hand cabinet? does it still drain ok?
2. How are you finding the radions with the diffusers? get enough light/coverage for an SPS dominated tank? I current have 2 XR15's from old tank so looking to upgrade.
Thanks

 

[SuncrestReef]

Just set up the Version 3 425XL and have a couple of questions.
1. How do you find having the locker in the right hand cabinet? does it still drain ok?
2. How are you finding the radions with the diffusers? get enough light/coverage for an SPS dominated tank? I current have 2 XR15's from old tank so looking to upgrade.
Thanks

Yes, the skimmate locker in the right-side cabinet has no problem draining from the skimmer. I used a couple of zip ties to hold the drain tube in place by tucking the trimmed tail of the zip tie in between the sump glass and the ATO/Refugium tank above it. This is primarily to keep the drain tube close to the sump so the cabinet doors close without being held open by the drain hose.

I can't give any specifics on the Radion diffuser effect on SPS because my tank is new and does not yet have any corals. From everything I've read the diffusers have about a 10% decrease on PAR, but what I can tell you is that when I'm looking at the tank from across the room the diffusers make it much more pleasant than staring at harsh LED lights, and there is very little disco effect when looking at the tank bottom.

 

[SuncrestReef]

I'm sad to report I had my first loss in my new aquarium. Last Saturday I bought a beautiful yellow & purple wrasse (photos in post #138 in this thread), and for the first two days the wrasse seemed fine, was swimming and eating normally. Each night the wrasse would bury itself in the sand as wrasses normally do. But on Monday the wrasse went into hiding in the middle of the day. I had read that wrasses sometimes will bury in the sand for days or weeks, but eventually come out like nothing ever happened. This morning I found the wrasse laying motionless on the sand bottom under a rock, but still breathing. I assumed it was maybe still waking up from sleeping in the sand, so I left it alone. Later today I bought a few more snails and a skunk cleaner shrimp. When I came home from dinner this evening, I found the new shrimp eating what was left of the wrasse. I don't know if the shrimp killed the sleeping wrasse, or if the wrasse was already dead and the shrimp just took advantage of the situation. In any event, I'm really sad about losing my new wrasse. I'm not sure if I will replace it with another wrasse or if I'll get a different kind of fish that doesn't go into hiding in the sand.

 

[SuncrestReef]

Somebody bit off a mouthful...

 

[MikeC1408]

Yes, the skimmate locker in the right-side cabinet has no problem draining from the skimmer. I used a couple of zip ties to hold the drain tube in place by tucking the trimmed tail of the zip tie in between the sump glass and the ATO/Refugium tank above it. This is primarily to keep the drain tube close to the sump so the cabinet doors close without being held open by the drain hose.

I can't give any specifics on the Radion diffuser effect on SPS because my tank is new and does not yet have any corals. From everything I've read the diffusers have about a 10% decrease on PAR, but what I can tell you as that when I'm looking at the tank from across the room the diffusers make it much more pleasant than staring at harsh LED lights, and there is very little disco effect when looking at the tank bottom.

Thanks for the reply. Hadn't noticed there was a gap between the doors and the middle piece of wood that separated the cabinets ;Facepalm time to buy a locker and bob.

Only had the tank set up a couple of weeks, but great tanks, will be watching this thread with interested.

 

[SuncrestReef]

Neptune Systems recently posted a video demonstrating an inexpensive Windows 10 tablet being used as an Apex console. For $67 on Amazon, I decided to give it a try. I mounted it on the inside door of my Reefer cabinet, and routed the power cord inside the cabinet so it remains powered at all times. I also used some mounting brackets from Amazon to hold it neatly in place. I have to say this worked out pretty well and will be a pretty convenient addition to my Apex setup.

 

[offtropic]

Neptune Systems recently posted a video demonstrating an inexpensive Windows 10 tablet being used as an Apex console. For $67 on Amazon, I decided to give it a try. I mounted it on the inside door of my Reefer cabinet, and routed the power cord inside the cabinet so it remains powered at all times. I also used some mounting brackets from Amazon for to hold it neatly in place. I have to say this worked out pretty well and will be a pretty convenient addition to my Apex setup.

Nice find on the tablet. If I can't get one of my old nonfunctional ipads functioning again I might go this route. Thinking I'll probably mount it on the wall next to the tank. BTW, I have been closely taking notes on how you have arranged your water purification and mixing area and how it is tied into your DT. It has inspired me to do something similar...so Thanks!

 

[SuncrestReef]

Nice find on the tablet. If I can't get one of my old nonfunctional ipads functioning again I might go this route. Thinking I'll probably mount it on the wall next to the tank. BTW, I have been closely taking notes on how you have arranged your water purification and mixing area and how it is tied into your DT. It has inspired me to do something similar...so Thanks!

I can't over emphasize how happy I am with how the mixing station, auto top off, and automatic water change systems have worked out! I highly recommend setting up something similar. It took a lot of work getting the hole drilled through the baseboard (ran into several nails) in order to run conduit from the display tank to the garage mixing station, but it was well worth the effort.

@offtropic Do you have a build thread?

 

[offtropic]

I can't over emphasize how happy I am with how the mixing station, auto top off, and automatic water change systems have worked out! I highly recommend setting up something similar. It took a lot of work getting the hole drilled through the baseboard (ran into several nails) in order to run conduit from the display tank to the garage mixing station, but it was well worth the effort.

@offtropic Do you have a build thread?

Not yet but I might start one around the time I add water (still probably almost a month out) - I would include some retrospective pictures so people can see how I got there. I feel you on some of the struggles getting the water area set up as I am basically cutting through all sorts of parts of my house with a reciprocating saw to try and access the main water line with no success. Hope my wife doesn't notice haha.

I noticed in one of the pictures that you added another powerhead in addition to the Gyre - are you happy with that configuration? Choosing a powerhead(s) is the remaining big purchase decision I think I have to make. Might go dual Gyre but haven't fully committed to that path yet.

 

[SuncrestReef]

Not yet but I might start one around the time I add water (still probably almost a month out) - I would include some retrospective pictures so people can see how I got there. I feel you on some of the struggles getting the water area set up as I am basically cutting through all sorts of parts of my house with a reciprocating saw to try and access the main water line with no success. Hope my wife doesn't notice haha.

I noticed in one of the pictures that you added another powerhead in addition to the Gyre - are you happy with that configuration? Choosing a powerhead(s) is the remaining big purchase decision I think I have to make. Might go dual Gyre but haven't fully committed to that path yet.

With the Gyre at one end of the tank, I had to have it running close to 100% to get good flow at the other end, but that made it a pretty strong blast at the Gyre end of the tank. I added a Neptune WAV at the back wall on the other end of the tank and have both the Gyre and the WAV running around 30-40% with really nice flow patterns throughout the tank without having any one area completely blasted. The WAV has a nice way to angle the powerhead so even though it's on the back wall I have it aimed back towards the other end of the tank at about a 45 degree angle.

I hope you don't cut through any load-bearing walls with that saw!

 

[SuncrestReef]

Added a couple of blue chromis today:

 

[SuncrestReef]

Here's the whole happy family. Please excuse the algae; still going through the ugly phase. It's funny how all the fish and the shrimp like to hang out at one end of the tank, closest to the Blenny's rock.

 

[CDavmd]

How are you liking they gyre? How's the noise from it?

Also wondering what kind of flow you are getting from the C0r-20 given the manifold and reactors.

 

[SuncrestReef]

How are you liking they gyre? How's the noise from it?

Also wondering what kind of flow you are getting from the C0r-20 given the manifold and reactors.

The gyre is great! I have it running between 15% at night to 50% during the day, and it's pretty quiet. I also have a WAV on the back wall at the other end of the tank running at about the same percentages. The WAV and gyre are about the same noise level.

The COR-20 is only providing about 450 gph to the display tank when I have two of my reactors in use, so if I were to do anything different I would either get a stronger pump or use a separate pump for the manifold. I'm thinking about replacing the 1/2" loc-line return nozzles with 3/4" to see if that improves the return flow.

 

[CDavmd]

The gyre is great! I have it running between 15% at night to 50% during the day, and it's pretty quiet. I also have a WAV on the back wall at the other end of the tank running at about the same percentages. The WAV and gyre are about the same noise level.

The COR-20 is only providing about 450 gph to the display tank when I have two of my reactors in use, so if I were to do anything different I would either get a stronger pump or use a separate pump for the manifold. I'm thinking about replacing the 1/2" loc-line return nozzles with 3/4" to see if that improves the return flow.

Thanks for the Info-
I picked up a gyre for my build as well. I have an old MP40 but not sure I want to go that route. Considering mounting the Gyre230 vertically on the back wall next to the overflow box (hidden) and picking up two waves to put on the upper back corners aimed at the front wall to create a large area of turbulence and get some laminar flow going around the tank from the gyre.

I tested my manifold the other night with the Cor-20. I had it feeding my two Aquamax XS canisters and the Pax Bellum that is in series with the outflow of one of the canisters. I had the flow going back into the sump and not the DT which is not ready for water, the recirculating flow steps down from 1 inch to 1/2 inch pipe and I was able to get it to max out at 980 gph and feed my canisters at 150gph which is what the pax bellum needs. I'm hoping I can achieve similar or better when the flow is going from 1 inch to 3/4 inch upto the display. Albeit there will be some loss due to the 2-3 feet of vertical head.

Thanks again

 

[SuncrestReef]

I thought this was funny. It looks like one snail went to wake up another snail because it was late for work.