Raptor's Red Sea 170

[Raptor72]

So while the RS 750 that I started last year is on cruise control for the time being, I decided to start up a 170. I miss having a nano and while this may be on the borderline of that, I really like the white cabinets that come with the Red Sea tanks. Here's what I have so far.

Tank: Red Sea Reefer 170
Return: Neptune COR-15
Skimmer: Bubble Magus Curve 5
Powerhead: Tunze 6055
Light: AI Hydra Fifty Two HD
Rock: Pristine
Substrate: Black Sand
ATO: Tunze 3155
Controller: Apex El

This will be an Anemone tank with several clowns. I have 4 Picassos and 3 Percs in the 750 waiting to come over when ready. I also have an Ultra Rainbow Bubbletip Anemone that has split once. Hopefully it won't be too difficult to loosen them and bring them over. I'm thinking of a Blue Haddoni as the base centerpiece.

I've seen a few owners remove the black vinyl on either side of the overflow and I liked how it looked. It would probably look better here had those light switches not been in the way [emoji35]

I'm not done with the rock work yet. It is slowly getting cut and siliconed to the overflow. I also ordered this cabinet from Target to keep the electronics out of the sump area.

I decided to upgrade the valve because the Red Sea one is so finicky which pretty much anyone who owns one can agree.

 

[Vigil2235]

Nice! What parts did you buy to adapt it? Looking to upgrade as well.

 

[Redcar802]

Following I'm also setting up a 170 nem tank. No as nice as yours, but it's in the garage. Looking forward to your build

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

 

[Raptor72]

Raptor's Red Sea 170

Nice! What parts did you buy to adapt it? Looking to upgrade as well.

For starters, the Red Sea connectors.

Then the 3/4"mpt to 3/4" slip adapters and 3/4"mpt to 1" adaptors for the overflow. Finally plenty of Teflon tape. Remove the barbed connector and screw in the threaded one for the slip fitting.

Almost forgot the Spears gate valve in 3/4".

 

[Vigil2235]

Thanks will definitely be following. I did the same upgrade to the return nozzle Random Flow Generator.

 

[Raptor72]

Raptor's Red Sea 170

Rock work is getting cut to fit flat against the overflow and getting siliconed (top down view).

I have a preliminary plan with a floating shelf held together with acrylic rods drilled into the rocks.

 

[pga7602]

This is an incredible start. I love the aquascape so far. Please keep the updates coming.

 

[solitude127]

Great start. I have a RSR170 and had the BM Curve 5 as well. It's a great skimmer but I was never able to get a consistent skim because I felt the neck was too large.

 

[wishntoboutside]

looks great so far. I like the added cabinet.

 

[Raptor72]

I'm done with the rockscape. This straight on pic wasn't a good one. I'll grab a better one later.

Taking a furlough day and working on the electrical cabinet. It's getting tight up in here. [emoji15]

 

[Vigil2235]

Nice! Keep the photos coming.

 

[moondoggy4]

Looking good, where did you get the cabinet?

 

[Raptor72]

Looking good, where did you get the cabinet?

Target online

 

[Raptor72]

It's been a slow process setting this up but I'd rather take my time and enjoy it. I set up the Apex on Monday and today I set up the AI lighting. I took a small video to better show how the rock work came out but not sure how to upload it, but here's another pic.

The ATO has been placed in a closet behind the tank and I made a small hole through the wall to run the water line from a 7 gallon bucket with a Gamma lid.

I also set up some cabinet lighting that will turn on with a magnetic switch on the door

The Bubble Magus skimmer was assembled and placed in the sump. I was astounded by how cheesy this thing felt. It felt like something you would win at Chuck E. Cheese, very plasticy, if you will. I researched many similar tanks and this is what people were going with so I thought I'd give it a chance. It sounded like it was an affordable workhorse and we'll see.

I'm still looking to put something to the left of the sump like a shelf or something.

 

[kowyzg0moo]

Curious, are you using the add-on Red Sea sump? And where did you get the piping from?

 

[Raptor72]

Raptor's Red Sea 170

Curious, are you using the add-on Red Sea sump? And where did you get the piping from?

Add on RS sump? It's the one that came with it on the Reefer deluxe series.

The red plumbing was ordered through Home Depot. It's their furniture grade plumbing online. It ships to the closest Home Depot and is less than $6 for a 5' section. The rest is Sch 80 gray plumbing. The red silicone tubing from the return pump was from EBay.

 

[Raptor72]

A quick little update. The tank has cycled, with some help of the live sand and a bottle of Fritz bacteria. I added an Occelaris this weekend and 4 Picassos today.

The skimmer broke in finally. It's pulling out some dark stuff. I've been fighting with the programming on the Apex to get door magnets and the powerhead control to work but it's finally done. I ordered a couple of silicone nem decorations for the clowns till the tank is ready for the real nems which are in the RS750.

It's slowly getting there. Diatoms started up but are now toning down. I added a couple Trochus snails to help.

 

[murphreef]

Very cool build..... looking fwd to seeing the finishing touches

 

[trigger05]

Very cool thread! Im thinking of getting a RS Reefer 170 myself. How do you like the cabinet? I hear that its pretty good, im still hesitant on the MDF material it is made out of.

 

[Raptor72]

Very cool thread! Im thinking of getting a RS Reefer 170 myself. How do you like the cabinet? I hear that its pretty good, im still hesitant on the MDF material it is made out of.

I've had my RS 750 for a year now and I have no complaints with the cabinet. Even though it's MDF, it's epoxy coated and I don't see anything getting under that. I've drilled into it to run a skimmer drain and made sure to seal the exposed wood.

This is my second Red Sea and I don't see myself buying anything else. I really like the white finish on them. They seem very structurally sound and aesthetics are great. The plumbing could be improved but with so many pioneers out there that have paved the way, upgrading the plumbing is no problem.