Mike's Reefer 625 XXL

[PCguy21]

Oh i see lol

 

[wrxreefer823]

Got my return today! Decided to go with the Vectra M2. The store set me up with a check valve and ball valve, which ends up being pretty tall with the hose, so I have going in a loop for now. Any suggestions?

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[bshow24]

You won't need either of those valves. The ball valve controls how much water flow is going, which isn't necessary because you can simply adjust the Vectra %. The check valve is supposed to be there to prevent a back siphon in case of power outage but 1) the reefer sumps have plenty of space in case of an outage and 2) check valves often fail anyways.

 

[wrxreefer823]

You won't need either of those valves. The ball valve controls how much water flow is going, which isn't necessary because you can simply adjust the Vectra %. The check valve is supposed to be there to prevent a back siphon in case of power outage but 1) the reefer sumps have plenty of space in case of an outage and 2) check valves often fail anyways.

Yeah after thinking about it I don't know why I let them put them both on. I did want a ball valve in case I ever had to service the pump but like you said, it won't overflow the sump in the event of a siphon.


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[ducati1212]

Lol thanks. I like your profile picture, are you a Duc fan?


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I was until I had kids then decided to take a break. When younger I had about 6 Ducati's with my last 2 a 748 track bike and a Monster.

Following along because im about to order the same tank.

 

[wrxreefer823]

I was until I had kids then decided to take a break. When younger I had about 6 Ducati's with my last 2 a 748 track bike and a Monster.



Following along because im about to order the same tank.

Very nice! I've been eyeing up the Monster 1200 recently. I originally wanted a Panigale until I took a short ride on one. It's an impressive bike but uncomfortable as hell... lol. I'm out of the track bike phase of my life and I want something more upright and practical.

As for the tank, I have ZERO regrets. The attention Red Sea pays to the small details is what makes it such a masterpiece. The glass is beveled very nicely, the sump/plumbing are engineered to just plain work. Sort of like the Ducati of tanks if you will lol


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[ducati1212]

Monster was my favorite bike ever great mix of sporty and comfort and that great ducati sound. I only liked the air cooled ones though.

So my only concern with RedSea reefer line was the sump. I wanted a triton sump and a large refugium. It looks like the sump for the reefer has a refugium section. How do you find the sump layout? It looks like they have redone the sumps to be "Refugium ready"

I like the gadgets and science of the hobby so I will be in the sump more than the tank so its important to me its a good fit.

 

[wrxreefer823]

Monster was my favorite bike ever great mix of sporty and comfort and that great ducati sound. I only liked the air cooled ones though.



So my only concern with RedSea reefer line was the sump. I wanted a triton sump and a large refugium. It looks like the sump for the reefer has a refugium section. How do you find the sump layout? It looks like they have redone the sumps to be "Refugium ready"



I like the gadgets and science of the hobby so I will be in the sump more than the tank so its important to me its a good fit.

Well the refugium section, if you wish to use it, has a baffle that separates it from the skimmer and can be moved depending on how big you want the "˜fuge to be. By some very quick and conservative calculations, the the sump can be either 3.7 or 7 gallons depending on where the baffle is. This isn't including the area where the filter socks sit so you're probably looking at adding an additional 5 gallons or so to that volume. I think they did a great job on the sump, but this is also my first "œreal" sump. My last few were DIY projects with a breeder tank and glass baffles that I cut to size.

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[wrxreefer823]

I'll probably be ordering my lights early next week, decided to go with two Radion XR30 Gen4 Pro's and add a XR15 in the middle if I feel I need it. I plan on scaping the tank two have an island of rock on either side, so the middle of the tank is not really a concern and if I do add a light to it, it'll be purely for aesthetic purposes. I also plan on picking up two MP40's next week as well so all I should really need is sand, rock, and a heater then I can really start to get things moving. I'm in the process of planning out a RO water system, I'll most likely "t" off our cold water supply for the laundry room and set up a mixing station in the garage.

For my fish list I think I've got it narrowed down to;

A pair of Ocellaris Clowns
Yellow Tang
Powder Blue Tang
Blue Hippo Tang
Juvenile Emperor Angel if I can find one that is small and healthy that I'll be able to enjoy for a while until it would need rehoming
Orange Linckia Starfish
Mandarin Dragonette

I've been toying with the idea of doing a small harem of Dispar Anthias but I have a feeling that the tank might be a little overstocked at that point.
I've also really been eyeing up Desjardini Tangs as well, but I might be playing with fire by having that in there with a Yellow.

For a clean up crew I'll start with a healthy supply of hermits, nassarius and astrea snails, then I'll add a shrimp or two and a few other critters as the tank matures.

 

[bshow24]

I think the list is good. Just pay attention to the Hippo as it grows up. Although I think this tank can be more than enough room, especially with an open rockscape, people typically suggest a 6-foot tank and 180+ gallons.

I did a lot of tang research as this was my first tank where I was able to actually have one, so just things I came across!

 

[wrxreefer823]

I think the list is good. Just pay attention to the Hippo as it grows up. Although I think this tank can be more than enough room, especially with an open rockscape, people typically suggest a 6-foot tank and 180+ gallons.

I did a lot of tang research as this was my first tank where I was able to actually have one, so just things I came across!

Oh yeah, I've learned my lesson with tangs. Waaaaay back in the stone ages when I had my first tank, a29 gallon high, I thought I'd be okay with a hippo and a naso. They didn't last more than a week or so. I want to get all the fish relatively small before I have to think about any rehoming. The tangs will surely be the last to go in so they're not already dominating the tank before peaceful fish go in.


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[Tastee]

Yes I've been on the fence about the ATO. I have a couple of food grade water containers that I've been using for water changes, I might just use one of those as the reservoir and get an ATO, or use the factory ATO tank and utilize a float switch/pump instead of relying on the drip system. I've heard that they can get clogged with junk on a regular basis.

Thanks for the thread, I'm following as I want to install a second larger Reefer so are interested in how you set yours up. Mine is more likely to be a 525XL.

I'm going to go against the grain on the ATO. I have a RSR 250 and like the gravity fed ATO for it's simplicity and 24x7 operation. You simply can't get better salinity stability than this. The only variation will be due to the return height varying due to algae etc (as it goes from low to high the ATO will dump more RO reducing salinity). If the return stays stable, salinity will be very stable.

I do however refill my ATO using a Neptune ATK run from my Apex. It runs once a day to extend the PMUP life. No more top-ups. Just ensure you clean your ATO float every so often - I clean mine every 6 weeks or so. I also run a low level sump sensor to alert me to the ATO float getting gummed up.

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[wrxreefer823]

Thanks for the thread, I'm following as I want to install a second larger Reefer so are interested in how you set yours up. Mine is more likely to be a 525XL.

I'm going to go against the grain on the ATO. I have a RSR 250 and like the gravity fed ATO for it's simplicity and 24x7 operation. You simply can't get better salinity stability than this. The only variation will be due to the return height varying due to algae etc (as it goes from low to high the ATO will dump more RO reducing salinity). If the return stays stable, salinity will be very stable.

I do however refill my ATO using a Neptune ATK run from my Apex. It runs once a day to extend the PMUP life. No more top-ups. Just ensure you clean your ATO float every so often - I clean mine every 6 weeks or so. I also run a low level sump sensor to alert me to the ATO float getting gummed up.

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I honestly leaning towards using the factory ATO like you and just utilizing an alarm if the return gets too low. With the sheer volume of water in the system, any variation in level in the return section isn't likely to change the salinity much, if at all. I've heard that as long as you keep the float switch clean, it works as intended. On the flip side, I had a $130 smart ato on my cube that was probably one of the worst things I've ever purchased for a tank. The low alarm was constantly going off even though the return was fine, or the opposite, the return was low and the ato wouldn't do a darn thing.

Red Sea spent A LOT of time over engineering their reefer so I feel like it's almost an insult to not use the factory ATO. Oppositely, though, I'm adding this high end equipment and feel a very small obligation to do the same when it comes to a top off solution, but I don't want to reinvent the wheel. It's something that if I don't like down the road, I can certainly modify but I don't really foresee that.

Good luck with your new system!


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[ducati1212]

I dont have my tank yet but from pictures I think the way they have the top off makes the sump area very congested. I wont rule out using it but I have it in my head I will use something else with a nice container off to the side.

Maybe I will be pleasantly surprised when I get it, I dont know.

 

[wrxreefer823]

I dont have my tank yet but from pictures I think the way they have the top off makes the sump area very congested. I wont rule out using it but I have it in my head I will use something else with a nice container off to the side.



Maybe I will be pleasantly surprised when I get it, I dont know.

I was honestly of the same exact mindset that you were until I got it all put together. I'll see what the storage side of the cabinet looks like once I'm done with wiring and go from there.


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[wrxreefer823]

So I'm getting ready to order lights. I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place. Or in my case, an empty space between two islands of live rock. Sorry, horrible reefer humor.

ANYWAYS, I'm dead set on Ecotech Radions, however I'm not sure which model and how many I want. My initial plan of attack was to two two Gen4 Pro's as I wouldn't have to worry too much about the middle of the tank with my planned aquascape. Then I thought about possibly supplementing the middle of the tank with an XR15 just so I wouldn't have a darker spot in the middle, although it's highly unlikely that I'd really notice a dark spot.

My second option was to order two standard Gen4's and do the XR15 in the middle which would save about 400 bucks over doing the same with the Pro's, although I'd be sacrificing the light output of the Pro's.

The third, and cheapest option, would be to go with three or even four XR15's and call it a day, that way I would have the same amount of LED pucks as using two XR30's, they would just be spread out more. Thoughts?

 

[wrxreefer823]

So I decided on two Gen4 XR30 Pros with the mounting brackets for now, which came in yesterday. I forgot how big Radions are and I'm actually pretty pleased with the coverage after getting them over the tank. I also opted for a Reeflink which I'm not too happy with. It won't say online for any more than half an hour, even tried hard wiring it right to the modem and it's still all wonky. Anyways, here's a picture after I got the lights mounted and programmed;

Today I took at the rock out to the driveway and gave it a real good freshwater wash. It's amazing how much better and porous it looks now that all the dust and sand is washed off. I'm playing with two options for my scape as I have one good sized rock left that I can't find a good place for, so I'm toying with putting it in the valley and making a base for it so it stands on the skinny part. The other part of me wants to just keep the valley open for a clam or something of that nature.

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[moondoggy4]

Very nice, I am thinking about getting a 750 XL my tangs need fin room.

 

[wrxreefer823]

Very nice, I am thinking about getting a 750 XL my tangs need fin room.

Awesome! If I had the wall space I would have done the 750, it just would have been too much for where the tank is.


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[ducati1212]

wrxreefer823 . I think I just picked up on your user name do you have a WRX? I had about 4 of them absolutely love em. only recently moved on to something else. Or is that screen name just a coincidence.