The upgrade downgrade - Red Sea reefer s-850

Matt_G

New Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 18, 2021
Messages
17
Reaction score
20
Location
London
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I have been reef keeping for many years and my last tank was a Seabray (UK tank builder) 6ft x 2ft x 2.5ft 1000l tank, which I had for 13 years. It had to go as the stand was starting to warp and I was worried it would collapse on someone. This was the last picture I took before I started ripping it apart, as you can see, I kind of let nature run its course and didn't do much fragging.

IMG_6483.jpeg

I gave away quite a lot of the coral. The leather corals were so big one would just about squash into a red sea salt bucket, they have gone to a tank where they will have the room to grow to trashcan size.
The stag I tried to give away in large pieces as well as there was no way it would come out in one, here are a couple of example pieces sitting on a red sea salt bucket.
IMG_7224.jpeg

IMG_7225.jpeg


For the new tank, I had to decide on whether to get another custom system or an off the shelf one. While I was looking around Red sea announced the reefer-s range and I decided to go with an S-850. I'll add pictures of that shortly
 

dwest

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 27, 2018
Messages
4,494
Reaction score
9,451
Location
Northern KY
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I have been reef keeping for many years and my last tank was a Seabray (UK tank builder) 6ft x 2ft x 2.5ft 1000l tank, which I had for 13 years. It had to go as the stand was starting to warp and I was worried it would collapse on someone. This was the last picture I took before I started ripping it apart, as you can see, I kind of let nature run its course and didn't do much fragging.

IMG_6483.jpeg

I gave away quite a lot of the coral. The leather corals were so big one would just about squash into a red sea salt bucket, they have gone to a tank where they will have the room to grow to trashcan size.
The stag I tried to give away in large pieces as well as there was no way it would come out in one, here are a couple of example pieces sitting on a red sea salt bucket.
IMG_7224.jpeg

IMG_7225.jpeg


For the new tank, I had to decide on whether to get another custom system or an off the shelf one. While I was looking around Red sea announced the reefer-s range and I decided to go with an S-850. I'll add pictures of that shortly
Your old tank was awesome! I love seeing full colonies. Good luck with your new build.
 
OP
OP
M

Matt_G

New Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 18, 2021
Messages
17
Reaction score
20
Location
London
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
You've all seen pictures of red sea reefer containers, stand builds, etc. so I'll spare you those. Back in August, the tank was in place, salted and almost ready to go. I planned a slow move across, so I dug out some old kit from the garage, tuzne's, grotech skimmer, heaters, etc. as the plan was to use most of the kit from the old tank and use the old live rock, which is original Fiji live rock that I collect straight from the LFS many years ago and cured myself.
IMG_7013.jpeg

I invested in a pair of these as over the years when moving rock my hands have been in pain for days after due to bristle worms and anything else that cared to get me when handling the rock.
IMG_7026.jpeg


This was phase one of the move, a few bits of rock and some of the bigger colonies moved over
IMG_7254.jpeg

and one of things about letting the old tank get so overgrown, you kind of forget what you had when you can't really see it. This was a green monti cap, that basically ended up shaded out, which is why I don't want this tank to go too wild.
IMG_2721.jpeg

IMG_7232.jpeg


by December I had managed to move most things across, with the exception of the yellow tailed tamarin which was proving to be a real PITA to catch! Being able to have both tanks running did mean I could take my time with the switch so as not to overload the new tank too quickly.

IMG_8039.jpeg
 
OP
OP
M

Matt_G

New Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 18, 2021
Messages
17
Reaction score
20
Location
London
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
My captive bred majestic has come on really well, I previously had a wild caught one for 14 years and it would be hard to tell the difference between them. Anyway, this is the captive when I got it in May 2019
1be72e15-74c4-4d37-99dd-3f5c073fce40.jpg

and during the tank move in December 2021 - obviously looking a little stressed!
IMG_8026.jpeg
 
OP
OP
M

Matt_G

New Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 18, 2021
Messages
17
Reaction score
20
Location
London
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I can't deal with too much mess, so added a couple of DJ switches to do the electrics (I can't see the mess of spaghetti around the back)

IMG_8910.jpeg

So for equipment I have 2 x MP40w, 2 x Maxspect XF350, jedcod 10000 return, deltec 1500i skimmer, dastaco, red sea dosing pump (currently dosing nitrate+, Tropic Marin a-elements and k-elements plus bactobalance) tunze ATU and 3 x Radion XR30w Pro gen 4.

For fish it's a potters wrasse, yellow tailed tamarin, blue spot tamarin, pair of clowns, 2 x blue chromis, majestic angel, yellow tang and a purple tang
 
Last edited:
OP
OP
M

Matt_G

New Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 18, 2021
Messages
17
Reaction score
20
Location
London
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
and this is the tank now, it is still going through the ugly stage and I am leaving the algea back glass to burn itself out

IMG_9592.jpeg

IMG_9593.jpeg

IMG_9598.jpeg

IMG_9600.jpeg

IMG_9604.jpeg


IMG_9607.jpeg

IMG_9609.jpeg

IMG_9613.jpeg


IMG_9620.jpeg

IMG_9622.jpeg
IMG_9623.jpeg

and a little blue shot
IMG_9659.jpeg


and a rubbish video
 
OP
OP
M

Matt_G

New Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 18, 2021
Messages
17
Reaction score
20
Location
London
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Nice choice of tank :) I'm using a single Jecod DCP-10000 running at about 35% and it has been great so far. I could run it higher, but I prefer a slower flow through the sump to let detritus drop out as I don't run a filter roller or socks.
 

jfm3

New Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 16, 2019
Messages
12
Reaction score
17
Location
70435
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Very Nice!

In March, I migrated from a Reefer 350 to the S-850 b/c I wanted to increase my Tang gang. On this new build, I'm trying bare bottom and a combo of refugium and dosing, but maybe going dosing-only and changing out the refugium with a frag tank, especially after trading out filter socks with a Red Sea ReefMat 1200 Filter Roller.

Here are my current components:
  • Red Sea Reefer RSK-900 Protein Skimmer
  • Red Sea ReefWave 45 x2
  • Red Sea ReefDose 4
  • Sicce Syncra SDC 9.0 WIFI Return Pump (800 - 2500 gph)
  • Inkbird ITC-306A Dual Digital Aquarium Heater Controller WiFi
  • Finnex TH-0800 Deluxe Titanium Tube Heater 800W x2
  • Coralife Turbo-Twist 12X UV
  • AI Prime 16HD FUGE Aquarium LED
  • AquaFX Barracuda RO/DI 100 GPD
  • Avast Marine Barrel Tender
  • Avast Marine ATO & Diaphram Pump
Instead of splitting the return between return pump and UV (I wanted a uniform flow into the display), I half submerged the UV in a front chamber right after the socks and output to the chamber with the skimmer just before the return pump. Seems to be working well, but when I get down to installing the ReefMat, I will probably run the output directly to the return pump chamber.

So far, so good. I have a little algae and some dinos still on the back glass, but not too bad. Fish and CUC are keeping it under control. I'm vacuuming the bottom about once a month, but in the future, I'll try ramping up the ReefWaves to 100% (currently running at 50%) for a couple of hours every week to stir up the detritus on the bottom. As a backup plan, I have two spare MP-40s that could be added near the bottom if need be.

Current fish:
  • Purple Tang
  • Powder Blue Tang
  • Bristletooth Tomini Tang
  • Yellow Tang
  • Flame Angelfish
  • Pajama Cardinals
IMG_2314.jpeg


IMG_2316.jpeg



IMG-2319.jpg



IMG_2318.jpg
 
OP
OP
M

Matt_G

New Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 18, 2021
Messages
17
Reaction score
20
Location
London
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Looks good, nice and tidy cabinet which seems to be a struggle in most cases. Nice and high aquascape with some interesting shapes as well. It will be interesting to see how it grows out.
 
OP
OP
M

Matt_G

New Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 18, 2021
Messages
17
Reaction score
20
Location
London
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
How to instantly increase your PO4.....
IMG_98251.jpeg

It had been in my LFS for a few months and came from a tank breakdown, in the end, I couldn't resist. Now working to slowly reduce PO4 as I didn't take any measures when I added it, and it eats like a pig!
 
Back
Top