Whip’s Red Sea Reefer XXL 750 Hybrid Bare Bottom Build

Whip · May 3, 2020

ThatDPTguy said:
Nice. I appreciate the reply. I over engineer everything so I understand. My long term plans are to automate water changes but this is the first step. Forgive me if you already posted it but where did you get the RODI tanks? I like that they're square and fit well with your organization in your garage. Thanks!

Back when I bought them, they had free shipping. Nowadays, it costs more to ship them then the cost of the vessel.

Try a local farm and ranch store or tractor supply store.

If you can’t find them there, try online. If you wish to duplicate my setup, you’re looking for “55 gallon plastic tank”. Google that and you can see if you can one with free shipping.

DS204 · May 4, 2020

Whip said:
OCDean,

Your idea is pretty slick. I see what you mean.

What chamber are you planning on feeding your UV from? I am asking, because I like your idea!

Maybe one of these days, they will make a reef-safe dye that is UV sensitive. You put the dye in your DT and see how long it takes to go through the UV. Until then...

Hi Whip,

I was going to feed my UV from the skimmer chamber, near the back of the sump. Right now my RS sump is open, and I am not using that refugium divider. I do intend to add that refugium divider to the first section immediately after the filter cups/socks, and then put my skimmer in the rear chamber towards the back wall. Would then feed my UV from that section where the skimmer is, and output into the sponge filter section. I am not running that sponge although a lot of people probably do.

@DesertReefer51's idea is actually much smarter, so once I hard plumb my return that is something that I'll consider adopting. Perhaps adding a backup valve in there to further prevent back siphon from the return line would improve that setup even more. Smart idea @DesertReefer51, thanks for sharing!

Alberta79 · May 4, 2020

I have also started my reefer 525xl build and have come to a crossroad regarding the uv. My UV will be installed in the fish room behind the tank. What are your thoughts
Option 1. Run my return pump directly to the Uv and to the tank @ 700GPH. Then run a separate pump to a manifold that runs algae scrubber and possible media reactor.
Option 2. Run the uv off the manifold. Pump would be in skimmer chamber and the the UV would return to return chamber.

Whip · May 9, 2020

Alberta79 said:
I have also started my reefer 525xl build and have come to a crossroad regarding the uv. My UV will be installed in the fish room behind the tank. What are your thoughts
Option 1. Run my return pump directly to the Uv and to the tank @ 700GPH. Then run a separate pump to a manifold that runs algae scrubber and possible media reactor.
Option 2. Run the uv off the manifold. Pump would be in skimmer chamber and the the UV would return to return chamber.

Both options sound great. Option 1 will take a meaty pump. Depending on what you want to push to your UV, your pump will need to push enough to your tank to keep it balanced. Head and loses add up quick and quickly reduce your pumps capacity. The pump curve for the VarioS 8 drops like a rock... and it only includes head. Add your k’s (loses from 90’s, tees, flowmeters, etc.) and you will quickly find yourself unable to balance your tank.

I like Option 2 and am actually debating doing that myself

Alberta79 · May 9, 2020

I bought 2 core 20 pumps. 1 for the return and 1 for the manifold. Hope to have water in the tank by june 1st to start the cycle.

Blammomike · May 29, 2020

Whip said:
ATO (clear tubing) and Fresh Saltwater In (white tubing) downspout installed. It is the one furthest to the right.

In the corner is Dirty Saltwater Out (black tubing).

So close to auto-waterchanges!!!

What type/size screws did you use to mount the pipe holders? And what sire did you get the PVC fittings?

Whip · May 29, 2020

Whip said:
LBCobra,

Thanks for following along on my build.

I got the pipe holders from some crazy place called Farmer Boy Ag... they were great!

https://www.farmerboyag.com/Quick-Latch-Pipe-Hangers?updatecartitemid=0

They were like $1.18 each. They are very similar to the ones sold at BRS for $5.99 each.

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/sm-clamp-for-pvc-pipe.html

Whip said:
I secured them by drilling a starter hole and installing a stainless steel screw. It took a while to find the right screw. I ended up getting some stainless, pan-head screws from Amazon. They were a little pricey, but I wanted stainless to reduce the chance of rusting. They are 1/16” too long, so I had to grind off the very tip of the screw, but because I drilled a starter hole, the tip of the screw wasn’t needed anyway.

Phillips Pancake Head Sheet Metal...

@Blammomike

Please see the above two quotes. They should answer your questions.

IamLeE · Aug 2, 2020

Awesome build! Every clean and thought out!!

Whip · Aug 2, 2020

IamLeE said:
Awesome build! Every clean and thought out!!

THANKS! It’s been a slow go, but it is still coming along day by day.

Your post (and another thread I posted) has inspired me to post some updates of my sump with the UV installed!

IamLeE · Aug 2, 2020

I like your heater holder! Where did you get it if I may ask?

Devaji · Aug 2, 2020

Whip said:
THANKS! It’s been a slow go, but it is still coming along day by day.

Your post (and another thread I posted) has inspired me to post some updates of my sump with the UV installed!

amazing as always.

Whip · Aug 2, 2020

IamLeE said:
I like your heater holder! Where did you get it if I may ask?

Octo Aquatics

The guy makes pretty good stuff.

Octo Aquatics – Est. 2004, Accept No Substitute

octoaquatics.com

Blutspitze · Aug 21, 2020

Oof... every time I see pics of your sump if makes the jealously rise, @Whip

. Beautiful as always!

Whip · Aug 23, 2020

Blutspitze said:
Oof... every time I see pics of your sump if makes the jealously rise, @Whip . Beautiful as always!

Thank you and thanks for always stopping by my build thread here and there. I appreciate it.

Anyway, as many of you know, I converted my RSR ATO Reservoir into a shelf to hold an ATS, but I just haven’t needed one. I have zero nutrient problems and algae is a non-concern, so I figured this was an opportunity to NOT add something to my system. With that said, I decided to use my shelf to raise brine shrimp and, eventually, copepod and phytoplankton cultures. The brine shrimp thing has been of fun (and stupid easy). I’ll post pics of the copepod/phytoplankton after I get it up and running.

I already have a ton of pods, but this big guy (almost 3” long) has been hammering them...

Whip · Sep 2, 2020

Phyto, pods, and brine shrimp!

PS - My Mandarin found love...

Whip · Sep 12, 2020

Well... I have been having problems with my new SPS bleaching and I wasn’t sure why. Yes, it’s a newer tank, but I was still perplexed. Anyway, I got a PAR meter and found out why... 500+ at the top and 350+ at the bottom!

My lights are 16” off of the surface of the water, but I am still pushing high PAR. Needless to say, I quickly learned how to build my own light program and toned it down a bit.

Whip · Sep 20, 2020

Ok... I ran a version of what BRS recommended to do in one of their videos and ended up with something a little more reasonable:

Whip · Nov 1, 2020

It’s been a while. Things have been going well, but it is time to deal with a CO2 problem!

Long-Story-Short:

I Like to run my pH between 8.0 and 8.3. In the early days, I tried to feed my skimmer outdoor air via 3/8” tubing; that never really worked. I found that opening a window worked and life was good.

(I do dose one gallon of 2t/gal kalk per night for 10 hours AND run chaeto on a reverse light cycle. I also run ozone for four hours per night)

With the cooler weather, I had to close the window and my ph dropped (no surprise).

To combat this, I had to install a closed-loop recirculating CO2 scrubber.

To do this, I had to disable to coolest thing about my skimmer... it had built in mechanical overflow protection. Because I disabled that (and I hate skimmer overflows), I ran a float switch off of a breakout box to shut it down incase if an overflow event.

As many if you may already know, I run ozone. This added just a touch if complexity as everything had to be ozone resistant.

My Deltec already had two breather holes, so I just needed to drill them both larger...