Reefer 250 build - Page 12

jordimex · 06/19/2017, 04:42 PM

as for the return pump i got the Vectra M1 read your thread and had to get one, the skimmer the guy at the LFS told me that i don't need one right away so i might wait a bit, unless you recommend not waiting what skimmer do you have?
also could you recommend me a good heater?

jordimex · 06/19/2017, 04:45 PM

also saving money for the ATO

tenurepro · 06/19/2017, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jordimex

as for the return pump i got the Vectra M1 read your thread and had to get one, the skimmer the guy at the LFS told me that i don't need one right away so i might wait a bit, unless you recommend not waiting what skimmer do you have?

also could you recommend me a good heater?

I think you should plan to get a skimmer soon; it's an important bit of equipment. I am running a bubble king mini 160; got one used; they are really expensive new and mine is loud! I would suggest doing a bit of research and find a good skimmer that will not break the bag. The old ac bubble magus curve 5 is supposed to be pretty good. It's important to leave some space in your sump to accommodate the skimmer.
For heaters, I ran a jager 200 but it is bulky and really only fits in one direct in the 250 sump. I swapped them out for two finnex titanium 100w heaters, which can fit in all three chambers in the sump; you can probably get away with a single 100w depending on the ambient temperature in your home. You may also want to think about getting a cheap gfo reactor; it may come in handy on the early days if you are using uncured dry rock, which will put out a lot phosphates.

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jordimex · 06/19/2017, 04:58 PM

i am buying all live rock and live sand ill definitely look into getting that heater!!

jordimex · 06/19/2017, 05:04 PM

i was looking at the Reef Octopus Classic 110INT 4” Internal Protein Skimmer what do you think about that?

jordimex · 06/19/2017, 05:09 PM

what is a GFO reactor?

tenurepro · 06/19/2017, 05:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jordimex

what is a GFO reactor?

Phosban 150 or something similar to run GFO media which absorbs phosphates in the water column

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jordimex · 06/19/2017, 05:46 PM

also what do you think about the stock socks that come with the original set up?

tenurepro · 06/19/2017, 06:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jordimex

also what do you think about the stock socks that come with the original set up?

I use them; try to buy a bunch of them if you get a chance. Check our pelphrey's thread; he uses a modified sock

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jordimex · 06/19/2017, 07:08 PM

perfect definitely will do thank you!!

pelphrey · 06/19/2017, 07:43 PM

I use a BRS felt sock, I cut the plastic ring off and it will fit. I use those in the first sock holder, the one closest to the drain since it handles the majority of the flow. I use Red Sea mesh socks in the sock holder closest to the outside of the sump. The vertex socks fit perfectly but they are longer than I like.

I also took a dremel to the black plastic on my sock holder so I can pull the socks out of the top. I don't use the Red Sea ATO. I've done a bunch of videos!

That third light par is crazy!!!!

jordimex · 06/19/2017, 07:49 PM

pelphrey!!! you and tenure pro are what got me to buy the reefer 250 lol i believe you have a video about the sock thing right? also i love the hard plumbing you did have you changed anything? did it work out? i am planning on doing something like that by any chance do you have a list of the equipment i would need as well as if you would recommend me doing that with the Vector M1 return pump?

pelphrey · 06/19/2017, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jordimex

pelphrey!!! you and tenure pro are what got me to buy the reefer 250 lol i believe you have a video about the sock thing right? also i love the hard plumbing you did have you changed anything? did it work out? i am planning on doing something like that by any chance do you have a list of the equipment i would need as well as if you would recommend me doing that with the Vector M1 return pump?

I've never run that pump, but I can say from experience that ecotech equipment is top notch! I don't want to hijack this thread, I've documented my entire build on my thread and on YouTube. I updated it today with my newest mods.

The Red Sea tanks are second to none. I wish I could have got a bigger one! Haha

tenurepro · 06/20/2017, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pelphrey

That third light par is crazy!!!!

Right? Big boost!

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tenurepro · 06/25/2017, 03:36 PM

Things are going well. Growth is good and colors are decent.

I am continuing my potassium nitrate dosing, but still maintains the levels between 1 to 2 ppm. Two interesting observations. Potassium did increase after one week of dosing but has held stable at 420 ppm since. Thanks this suggest that my tank consumes about 14 mls worth of 0.1 g/l KNO3 per week.
Second observation, the bits of cyano on the sand are declining, but GHA is definitely increasing. While it is not taking over the tank, the few patches of GHA appear to be getting thicker. I got a few more snails and will likely get a few more next week to manage the situation. Hoping the chaeto in the fuge will start growing faster.
In an effort to keep the algae under control, I picked up a small kole tang. He is in the qt. He finished two rounds of prazi and is on the first week of copper. He'll go into the DT in two weeks if all works well.
I had wanted to pump nitrates to 5 ppm, but with the GHA on the verge of going out of control, I will wait for fuge/coc/tang to manage it before ramping up KNO3 dosing.

Bought a new frag - sunset millipora. Very nice colors.

Gave the sump a good cleanup; cleaned up vectra and bubble king mini 160. Oddly, the skimmer got considerably quieter - about 10 to 15 dbs! I must have had something not connected well!

One last thing - I am trying out the new seachem salt. I used to use instant ocean. No major complains with IO you really need to mix the buckets well and the sand is very fine and gets into the air when mixing. The seachem salt has large crystals which don't generate any dust and dissolve really well which is a plus

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tenurepro · 07/04/2017, 06:18 AM

A little problem...
Was away on a little vacation; noted that my skimmer was filling up to fast on Sat so turned it off via apex.
Come home Monday to a bleached strawberry shortcake frag

Tested parameters and all looked good
Today woke up to this

All my black footed snails are spawning turning the water very cloudy.

I wonder if that is the cause of the frag RTNing and dying. Mass spawn -> high organic load, bacteria, low oxygen (turning off the skimmer didn't help) > frag dying

Any tips on how to deal with this would be great. I did a couple of little water changes, will plan to do a few more

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tenurepro · 07/08/2017, 10:25 AM

The star of the tank

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alshayazoo · 07/08/2017, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tenurepro

A little problem...
Was away on a little vacation; noted that my skimmer was filling up to fast on Sat so turned it off via apex.
Come home Monday to a bleached strawberry shortcake frag

Tested parameters and all looked good
Today woke up to this

All my black footed snails are spawning turning the water very cloudy.

I wonder if that is the cause of the frag RTNing and dying. Mass spawn -> high organic load, bacteria, low oxygen (turning off the skimmer didn't help) > frag dying

Any tips on how to deal with this would be great. I did a couple of little water changes, will plan to do a few more

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My snails do that from time to time as well. It lasts for one night and I believe it also coincides with the phase of the moon. I just run my skimmer and my chromis get a good meal. It clears up over night. The spawn did not have any effect on my corals so I suspect your issue was lack of oxygen or possibly a change in PH from a change in oxygen exchange?

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tenurepro · 07/14/2017, 09:42 PM

Ok results of nitrate dosing experiments are in, with before and after pics; I saw improvement in some but not all sps; see for yourself in the video.
Also, 13 month updates and new kole tang.

https://youtu.be/CysuZ77UasY

tenurepro · 07/30/2017, 05:54 PM

13.5 month brief update: things going well. Kole tang is getting along with all fish, his hlle is healing a bit. Sold one of my two ornate leopard wrasses. Bringing down Alk to around 8, after a few large water changes with new seachem salt raised it to 9.6; ca around 460, mg 1320. Dosing KNO3 on and off to keep nitrates at 5 ppm; phosphates undetectable.
I did up then radions sps ab+ by 1% at max intensity (69%). Sps colors are looking pretty good and the polyp extension is pretty impressive. Really like where the tank is at right now. Will send out some water for ICP testing to get a better idea of my trace elements.

Some pics
RR orange passion

The blue voodoo is looking good

Pink lemonade is looking better and better, here is what it looked like a month ago and now

Pink caddie looking mean in pink

And 1 month growth pics of the mystery tort

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tenurepro · 08/18/2017, 08:20 AM

14 month update! Chugging along
https://youtu.be/AZh9FZYPhaA

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Sam2832 · 08/18/2017, 09:31 PM

Wow!Nice acro collection.Your tank will be awesome once they get some growth.

tenurepro · 08/19/2017, 05:00 PM

Thanks! I am looking forward to some acro growth too!

mystikal · 08/20/2017, 12:45 PM

Looks good! I like the aluminum foil idea. I need to get something for the same light spillage issue.

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tenurepro · 08/20/2017, 07:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mystikal

Looks good! I like the aluminum foil idea. I need to get something for the same light spillage issue.

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Thanks man... yeah the aluminum foil works well; otherwise, I have to clean algae from the skimmer every week which is a pain

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06/19/2017, 07:43 PM	#286
pelphrey Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Kentucky Posts: 463	I use a BRS felt sock, I cut the plastic ring off and it will fit. I use those in the first sock holder, the one closest to the drain since it handles the majority of the flow. I use Red Sea mesh socks in the sock holder closest to the outside of the sump. The vertex socks fit perfectly but they are longer than I like. I also took a dremel to the black plastic on my sock holder so I can pull the socks out of the top. I don't use the Red Sea ATO. I've done a bunch of videos! That third light par is crazy!!!! __________________ Devoted Reefer 250 - http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2597291 http://www.youtube.com/pelphrey Last edited by pelphrey; 06/19/2017 at 08:08 PM.

07/14/2017, 09:42 PM	#294
tenurepro Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2015 Posts: 227	Reefer 250 build Ok results of nitrate dosing experiments are in, with before and after pics; I saw improvement in some but not all sps; see for yourself in the video. Also, 13 month updates and new kole tang. https://youtu.be/CysuZ77UasY

08/20/2017, 12:45 PM	#299
mystikal Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Apopka-Orlando, Florida Posts: 611	Looks good! I like the aluminum foil idea. I need to get something for the same light spillage issue. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk __________________ IM 40 -> Reefer 250 Transition :) My Tank Journal http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2582745

06/19/2017, 04:42 PM	#276
jordimex Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Miami Posts: 2	as for the return pump i got the Vectra M1 read your thread and had to get one, the skimmer the guy at the LFS told me that i don't need one right away so i might wait a bit, unless you recommend not waiting what skimmer do you have? also could you recommend me a good heater?

06/19/2017, 04:45 PM	#277
jordimex Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Miami Posts: 2	also saving money for the ATO

06/19/2017, 04:58 PM	#279
jordimex Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Miami Posts: 2	i am buying all live rock and live sand ill definitely look into getting that heater!!

06/19/2017, 05:04 PM	#280
jordimex Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Miami Posts: 2	i was looking at the Reef Octopus Classic 110INT 4” Internal Protein Skimmer what do you think about that?

06/19/2017, 05:09 PM	#281
jordimex Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Miami Posts: 2	what is a GFO reactor?

06/19/2017, 05:46 PM	#283
jordimex Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Miami Posts: 2	also what do you think about the stock socks that come with the original set up?

06/19/2017, 07:08 PM	#285
jordimex Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Miami Posts: 2	perfect definitely will do thank you!!

06/19/2017, 07:49 PM	#287
jordimex Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Miami Posts: 2	pelphrey!!! you and tenure pro are what got me to buy the reefer 250 lol i believe you have a video about the sock thing right? also i love the hard plumbing you did have you changed anything? did it work out? i am planning on doing something like that by any chance do you have a list of the equipment i would need as well as if you would recommend me doing that with the Vector M1 return pump?

06/25/2017, 03:36 PM	#290
tenurepro Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2015 Posts: 227	Things are going well. Growth is good and colors are decent. I am continuing my potassium nitrate dosing, but still maintains the levels between 1 to 2 ppm. Two interesting observations. Potassium did increase after one week of dosing but has held stable at 420 ppm since. Thanks this suggest that my tank consumes about 14 mls worth of 0.1 g/l KNO3 per week. Second observation, the bits of cyano on the sand are declining, but GHA is definitely increasing. While it is not taking over the tank, the few patches of GHA appear to be getting thicker. I got a few more snails and will likely get a few more next week to manage the situation. Hoping the chaeto in the fuge will start growing faster. In an effort to keep the algae under control, I picked up a small kole tang. He is in the qt. He finished two rounds of prazi and is on the first week of copper. He'll go into the DT in two weeks if all works well. I had wanted to pump nitrates to 5 ppm, but with the GHA on the verge of going out of control, I will wait for fuge/coc/tang to manage it before ramping up KNO3 dosing. Bought a new frag - sunset millipora. Very nice colors. Gave the sump a good cleanup; cleaned up vectra and bubble king mini 160. Oddly, the skimmer got considerably quieter - about 10 to 15 dbs! I must have had something not connected well! One last thing - I am trying out the new seachem salt. I used to use instant ocean. No major complains with IO you really need to mix the buckets well and the sand is very fine and gets into the air when mixing. The seachem salt has large crystals which don't generate any dust and dissolve really well which is a plus Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

07/04/2017, 06:18 AM	#291
tenurepro Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2015 Posts: 227	A little problem... Was away on a little vacation; noted that my skimmer was filling up to fast on Sat so turned it off via apex. Come home Monday to a bleached strawberry shortcake frag Tested parameters and all looked good Today woke up to this All my black footed snails are spawning turning the water very cloudy. I wonder if that is the cause of the frag RTNing and dying. Mass spawn -> high organic load, bacteria, low oxygen (turning off the skimmer didn't help) > frag dying Any tips on how to deal with this would be great. I did a couple of little water changes, will plan to do a few more Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

07/08/2017, 10:25 AM	#292
tenurepro Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2015 Posts: 227	The star of the tank Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

07/30/2017, 05:54 PM	#295
tenurepro Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2015 Posts: 227	13.5 month brief update: things going well. Kole tang is getting along with all fish, his hlle is healing a bit. Sold one of my two ornate leopard wrasses. Bringing down Alk to around 8, after a few large water changes with new seachem salt raised it to 9.6; ca around 460, mg 1320. Dosing KNO3 on and off to keep nitrates at 5 ppm; phosphates undetectable. I did up then radions sps ab+ by 1% at max intensity (69%). Sps colors are looking pretty good and the polyp extension is pretty impressive. Really like where the tank is at right now. Will send out some water for ICP testing to get a better idea of my trace elements. Some pics RR orange passion The blue voodoo is looking good Pink lemonade is looking better and better, here is what it looked like a month ago and now Pink caddie looking mean in pink And 1 month growth pics of the mystery tort Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

08/18/2017, 08:20 AM	#296
tenurepro Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2015 Posts: 227	14 month update! Chugging along https://youtu.be/AZh9FZYPhaA Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

08/18/2017, 09:31 PM	#297
Sam2832 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Montréal Posts: 79	Wow!Nice acro collection.Your tank will be awesome once they get some growth.

08/19/2017, 05:00 PM	#298
tenurepro Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2015 Posts: 227	Thanks! I am looking forward to some acro growth too!