Raptor's Red Sea 170

[Raptor72]

Lol I like how you used ur tubware. only reason red sea sump sucks would be no space for refugium.

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I agree. I've seen a few people do it but with a very slim skimmer. I think this hanging fuge should work. I'll see in time if I want to build a manifold for the return pump so I won't have multiple pumps in the sump.

 

[Raptor72]

I think I'm done moving stuff around for a while. I'm gonna set it on cruise control and see where it goes.

All the electronics are tucked in as tight as I could get them. The second door inside the cabinet hides all the cords very well. I have control from the tablet or the switch box right inside. I ended up with 9 Rainbow nems, 4 clowns and 1 Blue Spotted Jawfish. Pardon the algae under the white lights. The fuge should help control that from here on out along with the CUC. If anything I might make a manifold off the main pump to feed the fuge instead of having another pump creating heat in the sump.
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[Raptor72]

So the past few months have been a little aggravating, to say the least. The tank went into an ugly mode with some olive drab hair algae, the nems pretty much closed up and I couldn't keep any CUC alive for some reason. I knew something was going on but after looking at parameters that were in the norm, I sent off for a water test. The test results came back with decent results except for one element called Vanadium. The acceptable range is 2-10 and mine came in at 9,267!!

I did some research and the likely culprit for this is the black sand that I put in to get that nice contrast look with the rock and nems. It sounds like not all black sand is bad but this particular brand is metallic and is leaching out that element.

I'll be removing it today, doing a water change and maybe leave it bare bottom for now. I've always wanted a bare bottom tank but I know it will limit my CUC. [emoji1694]

 

[moondoggy4]

Wow, nice catch in finding out what was giving off the bad the read in your water test.

 

[Raptor72]

Quick update. 99.99% of the black sand was removed. I did a 15 gal water change and my nems have opened up again. I think I'll give this bare bottom a try and see how it goes. The plan is to do a few more water changes and send off for another water test next month [emoji1694]
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[Raptor72]

Over a year but everything is doing great. Swapped out the skimmer, added a hang on fuge and replumbed for a manifold. Anemones have been splitting. I also swapped out the 2 pairs of clowns for a harem of dirty dozen Occelaris.

The bare bottom has worked out great. The 2 powerheads keep any detritus flowing up and out into the overflows.

 

[Raptor72]

And why not, we'll just throw in a few Mochas for the heck of it.

 

[Jamie1210]

Love all the varieties of BTA's in there! Howre the clowns all getting along so far? I'm not that familiar with smaller harems so I'll definitely be following this thread!

Sent from my SM-J327T using Tapatalk

 

[Raptor72]

Love all the varieties of BTA's in there! Howre the clowns all getting along so far? I'm not that familiar with smaller harems so I'll definitely be following this thread!

Sent from my SM-J327T using Tapatalk

So far all getting along. The larger one which will probably turn female kinda bullies a few and gives a brief chase. For the most part though they seem content.

 

[LeonGorani]

Need advice on doing this same modification.

Need advice on doing this same modification.

Hi, I am new on this forum and I am doing the same exact thing as you. I also have a Red Sea reefer 170.

But I feel like my connection doesn't look right. I have bought the same type of adapter to connect to the Red Sea 42221 piece, but when I screw the gray schedule 80 piece, it looks like it is screwing in at an angle, although it does screw in normally with the threads, it just looks weird. do you think it is okay to leave it as is (shown in my image) or should I order new parts and try again?
I am worried about having a leak, and I have seen other people do this, like you, and their connections do not look like they are at an angle or having a space on one side of the connection like mine.
I am posting some images, hopefully you can see where there is a space at the slip adapter into the Red Sea part.
thanks.

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".

 

[Raptor72]

Hi, I am new on this forum and I am doing the same exact thing as you. I also have a Red Sea reefer 170.

But I feel like my connection doesn't look right. I have bought the same type of adapter to connect to the Red Sea 42221 piece, but when I screw the gray schedule 80 piece, it looks like it is screwing in at an angle, although it does screw in normally with the threads, it just looks weird. do you think it is okay to leave it as is (shown in my image) or should I order new parts and try again?
I am worried about having a leak, and I have seen other people do this, like you, and their connections do not look like they are at an angle or having a space on one side of the connection like mine.
I am posting some images, hopefully you can see where there is a space at the slip adapter into the Red Sea part.
thanks.

That looks about right. Just make sure to wrap with plenty of Teflon. It's metric to standard so it will be off just a bit. Use the gray Teflon if you can find it, it's thicker.

 

[LeonGorani]

What size pipe did you use?

What size pipe did you use?

Hi I see you said you used a 3/4 gate valve for the main drain correct? did you use 3/4 inch pipe for the entire build? I used 3/4 for my return line and 1 inch for my main drain. But I was thinking of redoing my drain and using 3/4 inch but not sure if I should or not. I heard it is better to have a larger sized drain pipe but I'm not sure if it matters or not. Thanks

[/B][/B]

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.

 

[Raptor72]

I did use 1" for the return. Everywhere I researched, the main drain was always a bigger diameter. I don't remember the exact reason but I think it was something about it being gravity fed so a bigger diameter would be able to handle the volume that was draining.

 

[LeonGorani]

Right, that does make sense. Did you happen to use the 1 inch gate valve from bulk reef supply? I want to use that but I am worried that it will not fit and will bend the drain up at the top where it comes out of the bottom of the tank, hopefully you get what I mean lol. There is a bump in the gate valve, that protrudes out of the backside of it, in the picture I attached you can see it when I held it up against the wall of the stand, and I am afraid it will push the drain out and away from the back wall, causing leaks at the bulkhead coming out of the tank bottom in the future.. I want to literally recreate what you have in your image of your tank, but I wasn't sure if I should. But if that is the same gate valve that you used then I will do the same if it worked for you. In my other image I was going to replace the first white corner pipe with a gate valve. anyways, thank you so much for the reply and help. I tried to upload pics but it will not let me.

I did use 1" for the return. Everywhere I researched, the main drain was always a bigger diameter. I don't remember the exact reason but I think it was something about it being gravity fed so a bigger diameter would be able to handle the volume that was draining.

 

[BobL]

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.

Got a week on mine and I can't get it under control. I should have got the elite model with the valve, for $40 bucks shame on me.