Oldcabin's Reefer 525 XL

[Oldcabin]

Hi all,
Excited to announce that after moving around for many years, I've finally got the opportunity to stay put long enough to start another build (in Alaska of all places)!

Just took delivery of a Red Sea Reefer 525XL (~110 gallons) that I plan to make an SPS dominant minimalist reef.

I'm still fairly new to the hobby, but have learned some along the way and hope to continue learning from the forum community as well.

So far, I've gotten the stand put together and the tank plumbed.
Extremely pleased with the ease and quality of construction of this tank. So far, only minor hiccups throughout the process!

Also, thanks to member "neiltus" for the tips in tricks on the plumbing process. They were spot on and saved me the time of troubleshooting myself!

Next step will be mounting the lights and aquascaping.

Lots of equipment on order and should be arriving through the next week or so.
Equipment list thus far:
(3) AI Hydra 26 HD (white)
(2) Ecotech MP40's
(1) Ecotech M1 return pump
APEX Gold
Aquamaxx CO-2 skimmer

Future:
Tunze ATO
Doser
APEX modules

Pictures (to avoid a worthless thread):

The beginning:
http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x110/oldcabin/IMG_0607_zpskjggas1e.jpg (http://s180.photobucket.com/user/oldcabin/media/IMG_0607_zpskjggas1e.jpg.html)

Getting closer:
http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x110/oldcabin/IMG_0611_zpsw67vkint.jpg (http://s180.photobucket.com/user/oldcabin/media/IMG_0611_zpsw67vkint.jpg.html)

http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x110/oldcabin/IMG_0616_zps3mjuspr5.jpg (http://s180.photobucket.com/user/oldcabin/media/IMG_0616_zps3mjuspr5.jpg.html)


How it looks today (8/11/16):
http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x110/oldcabin/IMG_0615_zpsitedmaxb.jpg (http://s180.photobucket.com/user/oldcabin/media/IMG_0615_zpsitedmaxb.jpg.html)

[Brieninsac]

I have sump envy. How many gallons is it?

[Oldcabin]

Thanks. According to Red Sea the sump is 31 gallons.
Seems plenty large enough for what I'll need, but it's a tight fit in the cabinet.
Hoping it won't cause issues with wire/equipment management.

[jmiotke]

So awesome. I'm building along with you Brieninsac. Im just a few steps ahead of where you are at now.

[neiltus]

Nice!!! Excited for you.

In our PMs I said same footprint as 350...I was thinking of the 425, not the 525.

I too have sump envy. Also, the inside of your cabinet is black...did you do that or did it come that way?

[Oldcabin]

Thanks guys.

jmiotke - I've been following your build as well, can't wait to see your progress!

neiltus - Thanks again for the help thus far. The cabinet came with a black interior. I also thought this was very odd (and I almost called Red Sea to tell them they sent me the wrong color), but then I saw pictures online where other 525's had the same. So I guess for some reason they didn't both to paint them. I was bummed at first, but now kind of like it. Hoping it'll help hide my mess of wires, etc. Will just need a really good light so I can see while working down there.

[Oldcabin]

Let there be light!
What a PITA this was.....too much measuring for this simple man! The center light was the worst as the plumbing interfered with the adjustment knobs. Small shim for clearance and back in business.

Very pleased with the the lights on initial setup. The AI interface is nice and basic, just the way I like it.

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160812/c388ff65734eaf5a42c1a8bf30ba4e25.jpghttp://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160812/c63a7cb2a756933b01025428c7730f67.jpghttp://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160812/baeb3914b1abbf8e07243e487acddf51.jpg


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[Brieninsac]

Those lights look sharp!

[SCARYBO]

Nice tank

[Oldcabin]

Thanks all!
So I need some help.
Trying to figure out the best way to handle the wire management for a clean/organized cabinet.
I'm trying to wire an Apex Gold along with all the other standard equipment. Seems the most challenging aspect is that I've got so much excess in the cords there isn't a good place to hide or route it. I'd also like to have a nice display board for the Ecotech drivers and Apex screen while leaving room for future dosers/ATO, etc.
What's the easiest way to build a simple mounting rack?
TIA.



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[GXPKY]

Coil em up and zip tie, wire staples help as well...can always hang the coils under the tank

- Dennis

[Defiant Arms]

Let there be light!
What a PITA this was.....too much measuring for this simple man! The center light was the worst as the plumbing interfered with the adjustment knobs. Small shim for clearance and back in business.

Are those the 6061 mounts? thinking of going with them for my GHL Mitras.

[368]

Your setup looks beautiful. It's so clean.

[Aslam Abraham]

Coming along really nice.

[neiltus]

I used zip ties to keep the hot mess from getting worse. It's all contained in the cabinet. I would love a nice 3-4" hole in the partition, but don't want to drill it as it's load bearing. It's probably fine, but don't want to be the tester.

Some people build mounting boards for electronics...there are a couple examples in the reefer thread.

[Oldcabin]

Appreciate the wiring suggestions. I have a tentative plan to build a simple mounting board....we'll see how it pans out this weekend. Even though failure is highly likely, I'll post the results for your entertainment!

Are those the 6061 mounts? thinking of going with them for my GHL Mitras.

Yes they are. I have nothing but great things to say about them. They're really well designed and of high quality. For the Hydra's, I love that I can run them "parallel" to the tank and completely hide the wiring. Well worth the $$$.

Your setup looks beautiful. It's so clean.

Thanks!

Coming along really nice.

Thanks. This is the fun part for me. I'm sure progress will slow as I'm forced into aquascaping and hauling water:)

[Ron Reefman]

Oldcabin, I'm just starting the process with a 125g CadLight Artisan that is very similar to the RS Reefer 525, so I'm following along.

I was surprised at the black inside to your stand as well. It made me go look for images of mine to see if it was black or white! Mine is white, we'll see if it's the gloss white like outside or a flat or matte white inside.

I love your light mounts. They are so clean looking. I want something similar for the Reef Breeder Photon 50 V2 I just got. I'm going to ask 6061 if they are willing to do a custom fabrication.

As I said, I'm just getting started as I had to do a lot of cleanup and repairs while I have been waiting for my tank to arrive on Tuesday. So I'm looking over other people's Red Sea and 125g system designs and builds. Yours is one I will certainly be following! My build thread here is "Downsizing??? Really???".

[Oldcabin]

Thanks Ron. I've been following your progress as well. I was deciding between those two tanks myself, but availability here in Alaska made the RSR easier. Can't go wrong either way, they're both gorgeous tanks.

I hope 6061 can accommodate you, I'm certainly more than impressed with their products and craftsmanship.

Can't wait to see your progress. You'll soon be way ahead of me with all your existing livestock and equipment to move over.

I'll be following!


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[brad65ford]

Sub'd love the nice always wanted one ;)

[Oldcabin]

Okay everybody....last update for a bit as I'm heading out of town at the end of this week. I'd hate to complete the initial fill and then let my wife deal with any hiccups (which I'm sure there will be plenty!).

Accomplished a lot of the little things.
1) Built simple control panel (don't laugh!)
2) Cleaned up with wiring the best I could
3) Built and installed skimmer
4) Hung motion sensing LED's in cabinets
5) Initial APEX setup complete and probes in place (temporary)
6) Heater installed
7) MP40's and M1 installed
8) Aquascaped

I tried the KISS method of aquascaping. I've done the rock wall in the past and grew tired of it. Figured I can always add more later if needed!
Since I plan to keep mostly SPS, I'm hoping they'll fill in the negative space (since I'm such a fantastic reefer it shouldn't take long :|)
Still playing with it and will probably change it slightly, but overall happy with the result. Especially since I was able to reuse all my old rock without having to purchase more.

Aside from being out of town, I'm waiting on a few final parts before I can finish up. One of the downsides to living in Alaska -- shipping takes forever.

Need a new RO membrane (on the way). I've been struggling to get my old RODI functioning properly. Then I can start making water when I get back.

http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x110/oldcabin/IMG_0654_zpstomktj6q.jpg (http://s180.photobucket.com/user/oldcabin/media/IMG_0654_zpstomktj6q.jpg.html)

http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x110/oldcabin/IMG_0652_zpsl5edqaqz.jpg (http://s180.photobucket.com/user/oldcabin/media/IMG_0652_zpsl5edqaqz.jpg.html)

http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x110/oldcabin/IMG_0642_zpscly06hrz.jpg (http://s180.photobucket.com/user/oldcabin/media/IMG_0642_zpscly06hrz.jpg.html)

http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x110/oldcabin/IMG_0637_zpsrhm4e7v0.jpg (http://s180.photobucket.com/user/oldcabin/media/IMG_0637_zpsrhm4e7v0.jpg.html)

Left side.
http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x110/oldcabin/IMG_0656_zpso4qqrrdl.jpg (http://s180.photobucket.com/user/oldcabin/media/IMG_0656_zpso4qqrrdl.jpg.html)

Right side.
http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x110/oldcabin/IMG_0655_zpsjgahjvv2.jpg (http://s180.photobucket.com/user/oldcabin/media/IMG_0655_zpsjgahjvv2.jpg.html)

[neiltus]

Looks very very neat!

How long does it take ground to get up there from the 48?

[Oldcabin]

Thanks.

Very little comes by ground, almost exclusively air or barge.
For reference, it takes about 5 days to drive from Seattle to here!

[spearofthor]

Awesome! I'm getting my 525 tomorrow.

[Oldcabin]

OK guys. I need help again!
I'm firing up my return pump for the first time (Ecotech M1).
No leaks or any issues that I can see, but the pump simply drains the return section of my sump. The herbie drain is wide open, but it doesn't seem to keep up with the pump even on it's lowest setting. What am I missing here? I've probably overfilled the sump a bit trying to figure this out, but can't troubleshoot very long before I risk running the pump dry.

Any thoughts?
Thanks!

[neiltus]

What is your water height in your overflow? It should be an 1" or 2" below the emergency drain. To me it sounds like there is not enough water in the system if it is pumping dry and not draining down.

Also check that your not pumping too fast. That is a DC pump...what are you running it at...I run mine at about half speed, if I crank it up too much it will over pump the sump...

[Ron Reefman]

If it's not what Neil suggested, how about this:

Some kind of an airlock in the drain line? No, your's is almost just a straight drop. But what about the ball valve in the drain line? Maybe the indicator on the outside of that box isn't in sync with the ball valve itself? Does it come apart? Maybe the indicator shows full open but in reality the ball valve is partially closed?I still don't understand why both Red Sea and CadLight want to put ball valves in the drain line.

Just guessing on my part. I changed out all the plumbing in my CadLight 125. No valve in the drain line.

[Oldcabin]

Thanks so much guys.
Neil nailed it it!
It's embarrassing, but somehow the display didn't have enough water (I swore it was good when I started). A few extra gallons and good to go!
She's purring pretty well right now and working through all my Apex setup. I'm sure it'll need some tweaking, but I'm patient.

Appreciate the help and quick responses.


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[neiltus]

In my tank, the overflow section is watertight. In the instructions it tells you to fill the overflow section up first to check fittings.

So 'naturally' after doing that, you fill the tank up then the sump and viola, you have water at the right level.

FWIW, I keep my water height in the pump section of the sump about 2" below the glass divider.

Post photos....and be sure to set an alarm on your tank to text your SO with fallback = On. (kidding)

[Ron Reefman]

Glad to read that it was something simple.

Congrats on getting it wet! I'm so jealous!

[Oldcabin]

Ha! Yes, I've already warned her that the tank may "talk to her". She's not amused:)
I filled the overflow with a few inches, but never went back and topped it off. I was filling with an MJ1200 from the garage and was struggling with head height. Once full, I moved down and filled the sump separately rather than letting it drain through the overflow. Rookie mistake I guess!

Ron,
I've been following your plumbing and drip tray, very nicely done. You'll be wet in no time.

I'll post some pic shortly, although we all know this stage is rather ugly.

Thanks again.


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[Ron Reefman]

Thanks. It's been a long time since I really set up a new tank and cared about what it looks like. The 65g shallow reef and the 25g frag tank back in the 'reef room' don't count as they are mostly work tanks. Being able to see your set up and Neils set up helped me see better what I want to do.

It's pretty cool that you are in the far northwestern part of the country and I'm in the far southeastern part and we get to share builds like this. One of the top things on my Bucket List is to get to Alaska and see the Northern Lights, and I don't care how long I have to stay, I won't leave until I get a good view of them!

[Oldcabin]

A small update!

Hit a few speed bumps in the process of filling and getting everything up and running -- but it's done!

Over the course of 3 days I managed to make, mix and pump 140 gallons of water from the garage to the tank via an OLD MJ1200. It took awhile, but better than hauling buckets.

I also spent some time in the crawl space adding reinforcement to the floor just for peace of mind.

Got the basic functions of the Apex up and running, but found out that one of my MP40's has a bad power supply. Ecotech is sending a replacement no questions asked.

I also noticed that one of my AI Hydra 26HD's seems to have a different hue to it than the others (green), despite identical settings across all 3 lights. It's difficult to see in pictures, but what do y'all think? Worth sending a ticket to AI? It's kind of bothering me, but thought I'd wait for the water to clear before making a final judgment. It's not the angle or any sort of illusion. If I move the light to a different mount, the color shifts with it.....odd.

http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x110/oldcabin/IMG_07321_zpsjzaas25u.jpg (http://s180.photobucket.com/user/oldcabin/media/IMG_07321_zpsjzaas25u.jpg.html)

http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x110/oldcabin/IMG_07331_zpsrnrov6dn.jpg (http://s180.photobucket.com/user/oldcabin/media/IMG_07331_zpsrnrov6dn.jpg.html)

http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x110/oldcabin/IMG_07371_zpsbv3wwyz4.jpg (http://s180.photobucket.com/user/oldcabin/media/IMG_07371_zpsbv3wwyz4.jpg.html)

Zoomed from across the room - can clearly see color difference from left to right:
http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x110/oldcabin/IMG_07401_zpsdpxqi28i.jpg (http://s180.photobucket.com/user/oldcabin/media/IMG_07401_zpsdpxqi28i.jpg.html)

[spearofthor]

What size hoses did you need for the return pump? 1" ?

[Ron Reefman]

If the fixture is new, you paid good money for it, tell AI you want to swap out the fixture.

Just hope it's not the other two that are wrong! LOL!

[neiltus]

You could always put the different fixture in the middle and call it a day.

[Oldcabin]

You guys are cracking me up, I've thought through both suggestions already!

Moving the green one to the center helped - but still can't kick the nagging feeling.

I may contact AI for a swap, but you're right Ron, what if....?!

Oh well, I've got some time to decide before the warranty is up (they are brand new) and plenty of other projects to keep me occupied for now.

[neiltus]

I would probably call AI for a swap. The call the fedex barge to pickup the package and wait. ; ) Going on two lights for the next 6 weeks is not going to affect cycle or stocking.

[GXPKY]

If anyone local has a par meter do some testing

-Dennis

[Fuel Doodle]

Nice tank!


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[Oldcabin]

What size hoses did you need for the return pump? 1" ?

Sorry I missed this post, otherwise would have replied sooner. I think I used 3/4" ID tubing. I bought the barb fitting kit and it worked great.

If anyone local has a par meter do some testing

-Dennis

Good idea, but don't know anyone off hand with one just yet. No local clubs here either.

Nice tank!

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Thanks!

[Ron Reefman]

OC, I have a PAR meter.

If I jump in my car (a low riding hot rod Miata) right now and head your way, I could probably be there in what... a month? It's 4900 miles and google earth says it 78 hours drive time!

Of course that's assuming the road from Cape Coral, Florida to Anchorage, Alaska is passable in a car that has about 6" ground clearance!

But I bet you get to see the aurora borealis don't you? I'm jealous.

[Oldcabin]

OC, I have a PAR meter.

If I jump in my car (a low riding hot rod Miata) right now and head your way, I could probably be there in what... a month? It's 4900 miles and google earth says it 78 hours drive time!

Of course that's assuming the road from Cape Coral, Florida to Anchorage, Alaska is passable in a car that has about 6" ground clearance!

But I bet you get to see the aurora borealis don't you? I'm jealous.

HA! Might be easier to meet halfway somewhere.....say Japan? :)

I'd love to make that drive someday myself, but my jacked up 4x4 making 12 mpg is probably just as impractical as your Miata.

We saw the borealis from our front porch last night. Quite the treat this early in the season. It's just beginning to feel like Fall around here.

I'm sure Cape Coral is finally seeing a break from the heat as well? You may be jealous of our skies, but I'm jealous of your waters!

A quick shot from our porch (8/31/16)
http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x110/oldcabin/Borealis_zpsxupbvkfq.jpg (http://s180.photobucket.com/user/oldcabin/media/Borealis_zpsxupbvkfq.jpg.html)

[Ron Reefman]

HA! Might be easier to meet halfway somewhere.....say Japan? :)

I'd love to make that drive someday myself, but my jacked up 4x4 making 12 mpg is probably just as impractical as your Miata.

We saw the borealis from our front porch last night. Quite the treat this early in the season. It's just beginning to feel like Fall around here.

I'm sure Cape Coral is finally seeing a break from the heat as well? You may be jealous of our skies, but I'm jealous of your waters!


Maybe shoot for Hawaii instead? But how about after the hurricane season?

Weather here stays pretty summer like until October. Then the afternoon rains stop and the humidity goes way down. The last couple of days we've been on the outskirts of Hermine. So hot, humid south winds in the 20 to 30mph range and very overcast and occasional heavy rains for very short intervals of 15 to 30 minutes.

I'd be at the beach today looking for porcelain crabs, pistol shrimp, peppermint shrimp and the odd anemone, sponge or mussel that is alive on the beach after the storm. But I'm consumed with getting on with my tank build done. I have 4 small, overcrowded tanks, 2 with no filtration (I am doing water changes) and I'm losing some nice corals. Getting the new 125g up and running is THE priority for now.

BTW, I loved the photo. So here is my water shot. It's not off my front porch, but it's my favorite beach shot at Bahia Honda State Park in the Middle Keys.

http://i395.photobucket.com/albums/pp37/RonReefman/A%20wide%20angle%20palmsR4_zpsvhnmuebb.jpg (http://s395.photobucket.com/user/RonReefman/media/A%20wide%20angle%20palmsR4_zpsvhnmuebb.jpg.html)

[Oldcabin]

Gorgeous Ron.

So tonight I had two simple tasks. The first, fire up the skimmer to start break in. The second to calibrate my salinity probe.

So, started up the skimmer and immediately watched a bubble volcano erupt in my sump despite any adjustments to height or air intake.....I'll let it run Like this for awhile I guess. I know it takes some time and I didn't vinegar soak.

Next, I think to myself, why did I put the Apex probes behind the ATO? Because I'll just recalibrate whenever I'm doing water changes, no biggie. Well, I tried to move my ATO aside to reach the probe and CRACK! Put a nice split in the sump baffle. Son0f$@"):@""!!!!

My wife says this is why I can't have nice things.

I think I'll just silicone it when I do my next water change, as it doesn't look structural and isn't leaking even now.

So much for a pristine setup, I guess now I can focus on finishing the cycle and putting something pretty in it to distract me........why do I love this hobby again?


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[neiltus]

So you cracked the baffle between the socks and the dump area for the downpipes?

[Fuel Doodle]

HA! Might be easier to meet halfway somewhere.....say Japan? :)



I'd love to make that drive someday myself, but my jacked up 4x4 making 12 mpg is probably just as impractical as your Miata.



We saw the borealis from our front porch last night. Quite the treat this early in the season. It's just beginning to feel like Fall around here.



I'm sure Cape Coral is finally seeing a break from the heat as well? You may be jealous of our skies, but I'm jealous of your waters!



A quick shot from our porch (8/31/16)

http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x110/oldcabin/Borealis_zpsxupbvkfq.jpg (http://s180.photobucket.com/user/oldcabin/media/Borealis_zpsxupbvkfq.jpg.html)



Did the death eaters visit your house???http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160904/8a4e54a907cc36f78e37d3b192b89291.jpg friends from Japan bright this back for me :)


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[Oldcabin]

I cracked the baffle between the dump pipe section and the skimmer section.


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[Oldcabin]

I ward off the death eaters with multi layer tin foil hats. Works every time!

I've yet to visit Japan, but it's on the list. Not sure how they crammed a whole banana in that package:)


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[NATCAP_Reefer]

Sexy build going there !!!

[Oldcabin]

Not much happening with the build over the last few weeks.
Just letting it cycle. I've had some cloudiness with the water that I assume is just standard bacterial blooms as it cycles, but getting impatient.

Last night I added 3L of siporax to the sump and my first coral frags as a test.

[Oldcabin]

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160920/40771d2e21ea819ba9a5c72975e7964f.jpg

Hey guys,
I'm probably guilty of not understanding the obvious, but hoping someone can help.

Ecotech sent me a replacement dry side for a noisy MP40QD under warranty. Great!
However, it came with a 10 pin connector and I have no idea how to utilize this.

How do I connect this thing to my driver?
I don't see anywhere for this to work.
Do I have to DIY it? Seems odd.

TIA.


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[Ron Reefman]

OC, I can't help at all with the Eco Tech pump as I've never owned one.

However, I'd love to share a few of those Black Butte Porter beers with you. When I lived in Detroit I used to go across the river to Windsor, Ontario, Canada to buy beer. They had such a great selection of porter as well as bock and stout beers. :beer:

[jduck]

Take the black box controller apart and you will see how it goes in

[Fuel Doodle]

Man that is weird. Thought taking it apart voids the warranty...


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[bizacon]

Man that is weird. Thought taking it apart voids the warranty...


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Nope.. when upgrading drivers. Ecotech makes you take take out the pinned plug and upgrade.. they must trust us reefers not to mess it up:p

[Oldcabin]

Thanks guys. I'll have a look tonight and see if I can figure it out!

[Oldcabin]

Sure enough, simple swap once you crack open the driver. Thanks guys!


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[Fuel Doodle]

Glad everything went well


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[Oldcabin]

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20161002/b18d22ba8c3169b5f16e04e0d9c2e952.jpghttp://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20161002/0a3444849fcf1fbd82b0f8fae40e7b19.jpg

Small update. A few SPS frags have been doing well, but losing color slightly. I'll work on that once the tank matures a bit more.

I used some loc line to fix the return and now have no issues with a blowing sand bed and it allowed me to crank up the return pump a few clicks.

I also jumped in a bit deep and am trying my hand at a Regal angel as a first fish. Picked up a baby (1-2") who is doing well. Picking at the rocks and occasionally taking mysis from the water column. Still a bit nervous though.

Other than that, still struggling to get my skimmer to calm down. It's been overflowing for weeks regardless of what depth I use.....

Always something!



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[asrpdoc]

I am planning of buying the Red sea Reefer 525XL. I visited the LFS and looked at the custom aquarium tanks and stands too. Your Red sea Reefer 525XL looks amazing. Please advise and your experience with the 525XL would be very helpful to make a decision.

[Oldcabin]

Thanks. I really like it thus far, no complaints!

A little help folks. I can't get my skimmer to break in. I've been running it since start up and it hasn't calmed down one bit. I'm getting film algae, so hopeful that there is a least something to skim...

Here's a quick video. If I raise it, it helps but not enough to prevent overflow. The air outlet is wide open. Thoughts?

https://vimeo.com/185898984


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[Brieninsac]

I think it's because you have very little bio-load. Mine did that for the first couple of months too. Once I added more fish it started to work properly.

[ncaldwell]

Make sure you go visit Matt at regal reef to get some fish for this beauty. I'm in anchorage too, I might have to pick your brain about this tank and shipping.

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[Oldcabin]

Thanks Brein, hoping that's my issue too.

Ncaldwell, yes Matt knows me well! He ordered the tank for me through the shop so shipping was extremely reasonable. He's already got me on the hook for the Regal angel and a few others to come I'm sure.

Happy to chat anytime.



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[dabob79]

By the looks of it I would say that skimmer needs to be raised up quite a bit, like several inches. That's just a guess looking at how it's acting and how deep the water is. What skimmer is that? Awesome build btw!

[Oldcabin]

Thanks dabob!
Yes, I've had it raised at least 2-3" the majority of the time I've run it.
It helps some, but still overflows constantly (just a bit slower than the video).
It's an Aquamaxx CO-2.

[Teecz]

I had the same issue with my reef octopus skimmer.... I ran it in vinegar for 24 hours then it started working normally

[neiltus]

wow, you beat me to fish in the DT by a good two months.

Did you not QT that angel?

[Hooloovoo]

Just ordered my Reefer 525 XL last night along with the APEX Wi-Fi Controller system w/ 2 WAV controllable powerheads. I really appreciate you sharing your experiences so others can learn from them. I will try to do the same. I'm still making up my mind on other components like lighting and return pump. I was kind of leaning toward the Ecotech Marine Radions mounted on a rail across the tank, but you made a good point about being able to conceal the wires the way you mounted your AI Hydras. Good food for thought. I look forward to following your progress.

[Oldcabin]

Thanks Hooloovoo -- look forward to seeing your build!

A quick update:
Finally got the skimmer dialed in - took running it into a 5 gallon bucket for a day, but now its working great.

Neiltus - I did not QT as he was the only fish and I didn't plan on adding others until he was eating and fully settled in. Unfortunately, I could never get him to eat (other than picking at Mysis) and he died.

Not much too look at these days, but I'll post a pic soon.
Coral frags are settling in and fish list is quite bare (hi fin goby & shrimp).

Hope to be adding much more stock soon!

[ncaldwell]

Glad you got the skimmer working

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[Oldcabin]

A long overdue update.
Been a calm period for the most part, just letting the tank run and doing normal maintenance.
I did pick up a nice all purple mag and a pair of clowns (one Wyoming white and one domino). Too early to tell, but mag has settled in well thus far.
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20161204/1eec71a5cfa8afa728a186c50c945966.jpg


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[ncaldwell]

Nice dude, finally some livestock pics. I picked my 525 from Matt 2 weeks ago and now it's cycling. Hoping to join you with corals and fish soon. Waiting is hard work

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[Oldcabin]

Sweet! Yea, patience has never been my strong suit. I saw your stuff Matts holding at the shop, new tank will be looking stellar in no time!


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[nate16]

I love the 525, such an awesome setup. I'm staying away from larger tanks for now until I actually buy a house.

[neiltus]

Nice updates.

I want a 625...lol

[Teecz]

Seems like everyone in AK is getting the 525...

[ncaldwell]

3 people that I know of now

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[Teecz]

I'm buying the tank you returned....I just have to build my own stand. which is not to bad cause I don't like the layout of the 525. I do love the sleek look of it though.

[Oldcabin]

3 people out of about a dozen refers, lol!


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[ncaldwell]

Oh nice, glad it went to someone active here so we can see what happens to it

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[Teecz]

Yeah, I tried to get the Alaska club thing going but not a lot of active people on there oh well

[Teecz]

Update I need some inspiration 😁

[ncaldwell]

UPDATES!

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