Kirbys Reefer 450 build
- Thread starter KirbyBTF
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KirbyBTF
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Some more pics cause I literally have nothing else to do to the tank until it cycles.
FTS. It's cleared up and salinity is stable, a bit high but I'll bring it down.
Full sump
Return pump and heater/probe section
Heater controller mounted. I wish the cord was longer so it could be mounted with the other controllers.
Red Sea forgot to pack the return pump tube with the tank, so I got this in the mail as a sorry gift! What a gift! Red Sea, we'll done. Amazing customer service.
Not happy with this... But I've redone it like 5 times and can't get it to look cleaner. Will probably redo it again soon.
Mounted the photon controller to the door along with my favorite piece of equipment, the octopus net hanger.
And closeups of the rock. So many spots for frags! I love this rock, the aqua scape came out exactly how I wanted it. When viewed from the side you can see everything, no hiding spots. (which can be a downside for fish, I'll have to keep an eye on the fish when they go in).
I have marine pure balls coming in today and those will go in a small rimless tank in the sump. Not sure if they will get enough flow so the in sump tank idea may not work.
The only thing I DONT have is power heads. I'm trying to get my hands on a Jebao Crossflow, but apparently they're like unicorns in the USA.
FTS. It's cleared up and salinity is stable, a bit high but I'll bring it down.
Full sump
Return pump and heater/probe section
Heater controller mounted. I wish the cord was longer so it could be mounted with the other controllers.
Red Sea forgot to pack the return pump tube with the tank, so I got this in the mail as a sorry gift! What a gift! Red Sea, we'll done. Amazing customer service.
Not happy with this... But I've redone it like 5 times and can't get it to look cleaner. Will probably redo it again soon.
Mounted the photon controller to the door along with my favorite piece of equipment, the octopus net hanger.
And closeups of the rock. So many spots for frags! I love this rock, the aqua scape came out exactly how I wanted it. When viewed from the side you can see everything, no hiding spots. (which can be a downside for fish, I'll have to keep an eye on the fish when they go in).
I have marine pure balls coming in today and those will go in a small rimless tank in the sump. Not sure if they will get enough flow so the in sump tank idea may not work.
The only thing I DONT have is power heads. I'm trying to get my hands on a Jebao Crossflow, but apparently they're like unicorns in the USA.
KirbyBTF
New member
Not much to add, cycle is working it's magic. Seeing some nitrites and nitrates already which is crazy. I guess that cycle stuff from tetra really works.
Added a Finnex Stingray clip on LED made for planted nano tanks, gonna use that for chaeto obviously.
Fired up the skimmer and its already working awesome, no break in apparently. Not skimming anything yet but it's good to see that it works.
Also programmed my sunrise/sunset on the photon, which was surprisingly easy. I'm switching from T5 to LED so the max power setting at mid day is only 17% Blue and 15% White. Looks pretty dim, guess I'll just have to wait it out and acclimate everything to the LED over time. As soon as I see a huge Nitrate spike, I'll let it dip and do a water change. Then put the first fish in and see how it goes. Did the last ever water change on my 80g. Woo! I hate to see you go, but I love to watch you leave.
Added a Finnex Stingray clip on LED made for planted nano tanks, gonna use that for chaeto obviously.
Fired up the skimmer and its already working awesome, no break in apparently. Not skimming anything yet but it's good to see that it works.
Also programmed my sunrise/sunset on the photon, which was surprisingly easy. I'm switching from T5 to LED so the max power setting at mid day is only 17% Blue and 15% White. Looks pretty dim, guess I'll just have to wait it out and acclimate everything to the LED over time. As soon as I see a huge Nitrate spike, I'll let it dip and do a water change. Then put the first fish in and see how it goes. Did the last ever water change on my 80g. Woo! I hate to see you go, but I love to watch you leave.
KirbyBTF
New member
Yea I got really lucky with that rock. I like yours though, lots of spaces for the fish to swim around.Looking great so far, wish i could find rock like yours, sooooo many places for frags its amazing.
here is a video of my new rock setup with added corals, this video does not have the two new corals i added recently. the pillar LR is weird shaped
Off topic, have you had any issues with that porcupine puffer nipping at corals?
I had puffers before and that was one of my main reasons i only did fish only tanks, this is my first reef tank.
He has been really good thus far, he was getting krill shrimp at first and got bored and wouldn't eat or he would eat and then spit it completely out, he would then look at my star polyps and i was afraid he would nip on those but didn't, i did notice he will nip at the hermits and i am fine with that, i tried other foods and i finally found that he loveeeees scallops. So much that he will not spit out.
By far my favorite fish. Lets me pet him even tho he nips at my fingers thinking i have food for him since i hand feed him.
If you do get one, get ones thats very small, bigger ones tend to go after corals more often.
LakersReef
New member
Really nice setup. Following along.
KirbyBTF
New member
Thank you!
KirbyBTF
New member
That's pretty cool, I think you got lucky. I've always wanted one but I don't think I'm brave enough to try it..
KirbyBTF
New member
Well my new gyre apparently had a piece of metal on the outside of the magnet... Which rusted and scratched my new reefer 450. It's a small scratch but rather upsetting. I expect great quality control when I pay money for the best... Maybe @Carlos@CoralVue can chime in? I left a voice mail with coralvue a few ago. Will hopefully hear back soon.
KirbyBTF
New member
Well I sent in a ticket for it, we'll see what happens. Meanwhile I'll keep moving ahead.
Tested yesterday and got:
.25 ammonia
.50 nitrites
0-10 nitrates
I give it a week or so until it's ready. We're having guests over this weekend so I really wanted to have everything moved into the reefer, so I could move the old 80 out. But doesn't seem like that's going to be possible. Oh well! Also upgrading my wife's 34g AIO Solana to a 36g corner bowfront with sump, but that's a whole separate build thread lol.
Not sure if I showed y'all this picture already, but I got this awesome Welso for a steal. My wife says it's staying in her tank... But guess where her corals are going while we upgrade her tank... My tank! And the Welso isn't going back.
Tested yesterday and got:
.25 ammonia
.50 nitrites
0-10 nitrates
I give it a week or so until it's ready. We're having guests over this weekend so I really wanted to have everything moved into the reefer, so I could move the old 80 out. But doesn't seem like that's going to be possible. Oh well! Also upgrading my wife's 34g AIO Solana to a 36g corner bowfront with sump, but that's a whole separate build thread lol.
Not sure if I showed y'all this picture already, but I got this awesome Welso for a steal. My wife says it's staying in her tank... But guess where her corals are going while we upgrade her tank... My tank! And the Welso isn't going back.
KirbyBTF
New member
Big update! I saw the spike I was waiting for, and it dropped. Everything tested zero even after ammonia was introduced, so I went ahead and added everything to the tank. I apologize in advance for the terrible pictures. I wish I had a real camera.
This weekend I'll be picking up a lavender tang, and a tomini tang. I'm hoping the yellow is still new enough to the tank that there's no aggression issues over territory.
This weekend I'll be picking up a lavender tang, and a tomini tang. I'm hoping the yellow is still new enough to the tank that there's no aggression issues over territory.
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KirbyBTF
New member
My anemones are very mad, it s quite a task removing all of them. Took a few hours. My large h. Malu still isn't attached, but fully open.
The biggest issue right now is the one line bubble tip in the old tank... Or should I say two...
This is the old tank as it sits. Almost completely empty, far from its former glory
Anyways I came home today and saw this. I guess trying to get the bubble tip off the rock caused it to stress split, pretty cool to watch! Here's the process.
Took about 9 hours total.
Anyways, so now I'm having to move a freshly split, unhealed nem into another tank. It was going to go into my wife's tank but we're in the process of upgrading hers too. New tank should be here tomorrow and we'll just do a straight swap of water/rock/sand. But I'm going to have to keep this guy in a bucket for the time being incase of a mini cycle. Not fun. Oh well, still pretty cool to watch.
The biggest issue right now is the one line bubble tip in the old tank... Or should I say two...
This is the old tank as it sits. Almost completely empty, far from its former glory
Anyways I came home today and saw this. I guess trying to get the bubble tip off the rock caused it to stress split, pretty cool to watch! Here's the process.
Took about 9 hours total.
Anyways, so now I'm having to move a freshly split, unhealed nem into another tank. It was going to go into my wife's tank but we're in the process of upgrading hers too. New tank should be here tomorrow and we'll just do a straight swap of water/rock/sand. But I'm going to have to keep this guy in a bucket for the time being incase of a mini cycle. Not fun. Oh well, still pretty cool to watch.
KirbyBTF
New member
I think I'm going to go ahead and treat my anemones with Cipro. Ever since the petco haddoni I got died they have been mad. I've been trying to convince myself it's not bacterial infection but it's time to bite the bullet and just do it. Now to find something big enough to treat three 12" anemones in...
KirbyBTF
New member
This haddoni is easily 15" when open. Shrunk down to nothing right now. When I got it he had a hole in his foot. He's been very slowly recovering, hole is gone and he attaches now. But the new tank was a shock.
12" haddoni. Looked worse earlier. Looks like it's on the move looking for a better spot now.
12" h. Malu not attaching (worrysome) but open and happy otherwise.
Ill keep this updated with conditions.
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