Super Lazy Reefer 250

[backbayreef]

This build thread is to document my laziness (pls don’t tell my wife) and to prove to myself that I can have a successful reef with minimal effort. I’ve put this together using gear from the previouss build. Since this tank is located in the garage, I would like to minimize the maintenance tasks.

Tank: Red Sea Reefer 250
Light: 2xRadion G5 Pro with Reef-Brites
Circulation: Ecotech MP40
Dosing: manually every weekend (in search of a small CaRx)
Parameters: 8-8.5 Alk, 440 Ca, 1400 Mg - N&P (N: 21, P:0.12)
ATO: Tunze ATO, rock solid
Skimmer: none, lots of rock

So far, my routine has been cleaning the glass every 2-3 days. The rest has been automated & keeping the KISS principle.

 

[backbayreef]

Latest tank pics are here.

The plan is to propagate and move all softies and LPS from the primary display to this tank. The “Super Lazy Reefer 250” will be a mixed reef..

So far, the Cali Tort, Blue Iris, and misc corals are doing fine.

 

[backbayreef]

Flow: 2xMP40s facing each other on Reef Crest mode. I’ve found that this is the best flow pattern. However, I might move them both to the back wall for looks. :)

 

[Tuan’s Reef]

Your going to need the reefmat to make it lazy. Goodbye dirty filter socks! lol

 

[backbayreef]

Your going to need the reefmat to make it lazy. Goodbye dirty filter socks! lol

What filter socks? I don’t even use them! :)

I put filter floss inside the provided nylon socks and throw out the floss every month, if I remember.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Any updates?

 

[backbayreef]

Any updates?

thanks for checking in — I was “lazy” and didn’t send updates. Anyway, I had an accident where the ATO failed while hooked up to RODI unit. Well, came home from work and it already flooded the garage. I managed to save all the softies but the SPS frags didn’t make it! I’m restarting & balancing params now and will get it back online soon. Actually put some test frags in this week and they’re fine.
Will send more updates soon

 

[Gumbies R Us]

thanks for checking in — I was “lazy” and didn’t send updates. Anyway, I had an accident where the ATO failed while hooked up to RODI unit. Well, came home from work and it already flooded the garage. I managed to save all the softies but the SPS frags didn’t make it! I’m restarting & balancing params now and will get it back online soon. Actually put some test frags in this week and they’re fine.
Will send more updates soon

Sorry about that happening!! hopefully, you can get everything fixed, and look better than it ever did!!

 

[backbayreef]

Update — things have recovered nicely and I’ve populated with SPS frags from the main tank. Still no WC, no skimmer, no fuge, no issues! :cool:

 

[backbayreef]

Sticks in the RSR250:
ORA Blue Voodoo
ORA Blue Iris
Cali Tort
Bali Green Slimer
Purple Stylo

 

[backbayreef]

Latest update — got more frags and mini colonies from the main tank.
Also, got a pair of fluffy oscellaris to add some movement to the tank. I just have 4 fish in total now: 2 oscellaris, a blue tang, and a powder brown tang.

 

[backbayreef]

The tank is now infested with aiptasia so bought 3 peppermint shrimps over the weekend. Let’s hope they will decimate these nasty aiptasia boogers!

 

[backbayreef]

Lighting upgrade: I’ve replaced one XR30 Pro G4 with 2 XR15 Pro G5 + 4 ReefBrites! Overkill? Perhaps. Awesome? YES!

 

[backbayreef]

I’m going to plumb a frag tank to this in a few weeks — the XR30 will go there! Stay tuned…

 

[backbayreef]

Actually, I have 2 options:
1. Plumb a frag tank + 40g sump into this tank
2. Separate frag tank (self contained)

#1 sounds very appealing to me for several reasons: bigger combined water volume, less equipment, similar water parameters (just diff flow), etc. However, I’m not sure how to re-plumb a Red Sea Reefer though. I don’t want to cut the existing pipes….hmmm

If you guys have any ideas, do tell! Thanks

 

[backbayreef]

Spent a big portion of today cleaning and installing an Apex and Trident.

Still not done yet - I need to do cable management!

 

[backbayreef]

Things are stabilizing and the Trident is working out great. The plan is to have similar params as the main tank but 1dkH higher since we’ll be plumbing in a small frag tank.

Another side project is the hook up the CaRx. New pH probes arrived today so hoping to get it up & running in a week. Too many other family obligations atm.

 

[backbayreef]

I bought 2xPinPoint pH probes and they were reporting whacky numbers, even after calibration. I've returned them and ordered 2xNeptune pH probes to see...I just hate spending $80/each though - ugh

 

[backbayreef]

Stupid Neptune probes are still off!$$&

8.04 vs 8.44 — both probes were calibrated!

 

[backbayreef]

Super boring mixed reef. I’m just cleaning the glass — zero maintenance, really! Things are still happy.