Ultimate Red Sea Reefer 250 Build

[MrTang13]

So three months in and after a few road bumps, I’m deciding to reinvest in my tanks equipment and build.

Within the coming week I’m having a pro come to my home and help me redo the build, down to the plumbing, into a custom job.

I want to make sure I never do this again, so I’m listing my equipment and asking for advice if there’s anything else I’m missing. I don’t want to cut any corners and want to keep all equipment best in class. I learned with my last tank, it’s better to do it right the first time.

Here is what I’m working with:
Reefer Deluxe
AI 26 HD x 2
Pentair 25 Watt UV Sterlizer
MP 40 x 2
Tunez Osmollotar and 5 gallon ATO (will use as Kalk resovoir)
Apex Fusion
Neptune DOS (I will be dosing just NoPox, I’m unsure what else I should dose, since I’ll have Kalk running)
NYOS Torq fluidized reactor running activated carbon
NYOS quantum 120 skimmer
Reef Octopus Vario 6 S Return Pump

Is there anything else you’d recommend to maximize ROI? My goal is a crystal clear mixed reef.

 

[Ron Reefman]

Good luck.

 

[MrTang13]

Follow along all that are interested, this is going to be the most amazing sump you have ever seen.

 

[MrTang13]

Good luck.

Indeed.

 

[Guttersnipe]

You don’t need all that equipment to have a successful reef tank.
Buying equipment does not make you a good reefer. You need patience.
I know all tanks are different but I don’t use carbon, gfo, filter socks, uv sterilizer. If you have that doser than you will need to dose alk and calcium once corals start to grow if you ever let them. Not nopox.
Here is a picture of some of the corals in my tank.

 

[Flameback Pair]

@MrTang13 Looks like you're off to a good start !!! I have a RSR 250 too.

 

[MrTang13]

You don’t need all that equipment to have a successful reef tank.
Buying equipment does not make you a good reefer. You need patience.
I know all tanks are different but I don’t use carbon, gfo, filter socks, uv sterilizer. If you have that doser than you will need to dose alk and calcium once corals start to grow if you ever let them. Not nopox.
Here is a picture of some of the corals in my tank.

At this point it’s become a competition to pack as much filtration as possible into this small 55 gallon tank.

The equipment I’m running could easily be used on a 120.

I’m hoping this translates to near zero nutrients and extremely consistent water parameters. My goal is 2 nitrate, 0 phosphate, 480 calcium, 9-10 dKH, 8.3 ph, and 390 ORP.

Right now I’m able to control my temperature to a .5 degree variatiation.

I never thought I’d be a filter junky.

 

[MrTang13]

@MrTang13 Looks like you're off to a good start !!! I have a RSR 250 too.

Thank you, friend and supporter! I hope Red Sea serves us both well.

Red Sea for life!

 

[Guttersnipe]

At this point it’s become a competition to pack as much filtration as possible into this small 55 gallon tank.

The equipment I’m running could easily be used on a 120.

I’m hoping this translates to near zero nutrients and extremely consistent water parameters. My goal is 2 nitrate, 0 phosphate, 480 calcium, 9-10 dKH, 8.3 ph, and 390 ORP.

Right now I’m able to control my temperature to a .5 degree variatiation.

I never thought I’d be a filter junky.

Your corals will starve if you strip the water of nutrients.
I have never tested for nitrates and stopped testing for phosphates for about two years now.

 

[Guttersnipe]

Any updates on this tank?

 

[MrTang13]

Any updates on this tank?

My Dino problem seems to be gone. I have a hair algae slowly glowing on glass, but it’s extremely manageable.

On Sunday I have a local pro coming into to install all the new equipment and hard plumb my rig.

Will post pictures when done.

Thanks,

 

[Flameback Pair]

I’m hoping this translates to near zero nutrients and extremely consistent water parameters.

Your corals will starve if you strip the water of nutrients.
I have never tested for nitrates and stopped testing for phosphates for about two years now.

This isn't true a lot of people running Zeovit tanks and other forms of ULNS tanks have undetectable nutrients. Corals can get all their non-photosynthetic based foods from whole foods like packaged foods from aquarium supply stores. Corals can get all of their Nitrogen and Phosphorus from macro-nutrients like proteins and carbohydrates. It is believed they don't need nitrates or phosphates in the water column if they can get the right macro-nutrients.

 

[MrTang13]

Behold:

 

[Flameback Pair]

Awesome. Even got your UVS in there !!!

 

[Tastee]

Very neat!

 

[Flameback Pair]

@MrTang13 Do you have a picture of the display? How's the tank coming along?

 

[MrTang13]

@MrTang13 Do you have a picture of the display? How's the tank coming along?

3 months in. I was able to do this by researching all the wonderful advice on this forum and then separating fact from fiction.

That, and the incredibly helpful and premium products from Red Sea.

 

[Westside Guy]

I recently installed a Reefer 250 Deluxe and am following this thread with great interest.

I have a few questions, what type and how many pounds of sand and rock did you use.

Also I see you placed one of the MP40’s on the back wall instead of the other side wall. Most tanks have em on opposite side walls, wh was your reason for this placement?

 

[MrTang13]

I recently installed a Reefer 250 Deluxe and am following this thread with great interest.

I have a few questions, what type and how many pounds of sand and rock did you use.

Also I see you placed one of the MP40’s on the back wall instead of the other side wall. Most tanks have em on opposite side walls, wh was your reason for this placement?

I originally had them on opposing sides but it was creating too much turbulence and my corals were closing up.

I instead moved the left one to the back, and now the flow pattern is more like a whirpool. I find this gyre to be way less turbulent and the corals opened up within 12 hours.

I see no reason to go back, especially considering it’s less visually obstructing.

 

[MrTang13]

I recently installed a Reefer 250 Deluxe and am following this thread with great interest.

I have a few questions, what type and how many pounds of sand and rock did you use.

Live rock was my most expensive investment and I strongly believe quality rock provides the best filtration.

I used 65 pounds of live rock from Jakarta (if I remember the island correctly). The rock was already cured for 4 months+ after being collected from ocean. This is to avoid bringing in a nutrient battery.

As for live sand, it’s about 2 inches of carib sea Fiji pink.