Red Sea Reefer 170 build thread
- Thread starter f3honda4me
- Start date
f3honda4me
New member
I think I finally caught the "big" gorilla. I had been "feeding" the back corners of the tank, and sure enough he was back there. And that cocky crab was bold enough to stay there when my gloved hand came into the tank to grab him. I brought him out and then he went SQUISH.
The body measured just over 1".
The body measured just over 1".
f3honda4me
New member
It was definitely a gorilla crab. He looked EXACTLY like this
But I do like your suggestion of making him invert food
f3honda4me
New member
Hah i dropped him into the tank and I have never seen a serpent star move so fast. He got a crunchy treat.
liverock
RC Sponsor
Hah i dropped him into the tank and I have never seen a serpent star move so fast. He got a crunchy treat.
LOL lunch...but not a gorilla...look close...no fur....
f3honda4me
New member
liverock
RC Sponsor
I promise he was super hairy when he was in the tank
LOL...what did you do....shave him??
f3honda4me
New member
Doesn't everyone shave their crabs. :lolspin:
f3honda4me
New member
So the G4 has been installed! First impression is that the spread and blend is 100x better. I'll be excited to see how my corals do with the new lighting. I turned the intensity down to 45% because I believe the G4 is probably stronger lighting than the G2 was as well.
I also received my reactor and carbon/GFO. I plan to run both together in the reactor. I also ordered a new icecap K2-50 skimmer which apparently a lot of others have had great success with in the reefer 170. I think it's a lot more appropriately sized than my simplicity skimmer was. I'll be offering up the Simplicity DC 120 for $175 which is a great deal since it's $210 new and I haven't had it more than 3 weeks!
Once the new skimmer comes, I'll be installing that, installing the reactor, changing the ATO to operate in the return pump chamber, and turning the 1.5g ato into a fuge. I also will have my last fish into QT soon I think! A pink streak wrasse and two blue reef chromis.
I also received my reactor and carbon/GFO. I plan to run both together in the reactor. I also ordered a new icecap K2-50 skimmer which apparently a lot of others have had great success with in the reefer 170. I think it's a lot more appropriately sized than my simplicity skimmer was. I'll be offering up the Simplicity DC 120 for $175 which is a great deal since it's $210 new and I haven't had it more than 3 weeks!
Once the new skimmer comes, I'll be installing that, installing the reactor, changing the ATO to operate in the return pump chamber, and turning the 1.5g ato into a fuge. I also will have my last fish into QT soon I think! A pink streak wrasse and two blue reef chromis.
f3honda4me
New member
The orchid dottyback went into the DT and she's doing very well. Initially the blenny chased her around but she found her "rock" and ducks into her hole any time he comes around. He can't fit so she is safe. He stopped pestering her so much now that she has her spot. The clowns are also now sleeping inside the nem at night. Initially the nem would close up too much for them to stay inside, but now the nem stays open and folds in half sort of making a wrap around "bed" for them and they sleep in their happily, and the nem seems just fine with that.
solitude127
Proud user of IO Salt!
lights look great and I can't wait to hear you feedback on the skimmer. Where are you planning on putting the reactor?
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f3honda4me
New member
It will go on the right side inside the sump cabinet once I move the 1.5g ato container to the sump as a fuge. In fact...
Today is sump rearrangement day! I will be moving my ATO setup to the return area of the sump, and then turning the 1.5g ato container into a fuge! I'll also be installing the GFO/Carbon reactor and setting that up as well. My new skimmer also arrives today, the icecap K2-50 which is tiny and perfect for my size system and also allows me to put the fuge ato container right into the sump. I'll have lots of pics of all this to show what I'm doing and how.
Also new additions to the tank. I picked up a beautiful warpaint scoly, pic below and I just fed him as his tentacles were out and he was looking for food. If you've never had a scoly they are really fun and feeding them is really awesome to watch. He ate some frozen "limpits" food, which is a mix of lots of meats and goodies blended up (made by "Limipits" who is a local reefer by me). The pic below of the scoly is just after I fed him.
Also picked up two blue reef chromis and they are in the QT. They are already eating which is great. My LFS had them for about 3 weeks in his tanks and they are looking good. As normal I'll proactively treat them with prazi, then paragard.
I also picked up a very pretty cyphastrea, as well as a blue/purple hard stuff acro. I'll get pics of these later when the lighting is up higher.
f3honda4me
New member
Ok so sump rearrangement is done. Now to mount the reactor and set that up as well. But I have to run to the hardware store for 3/4" screws as it looks like I'm all out. The skimmer is running at breakin setting, the old 1.5g ato was placed into the sump and filled. It has a sicce micra pump that is simply piping water into the fuge from the sump, and then the water overflows out of the fuge back into the sump. Chaeto is in there as well now, and I have set up an overnight light above it.
solitude127
Proud user of IO Salt!
What's the first impression of the skimmer?
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f3honda4me
New member
It's just as quiet as the simplicity was. And it's tiny which is perfect for that sump. It's gotta break in so right now it's just foaming like mad overflow so I'm just letting it run til it settles.
f3honda4me
New member
Reactor installed and just running carbon. Skimmer was broken in overnight in a bucket with vinegar and water. It's back in the sump though not in the pic below.
toddarcham
New member
Im running the same lights on the same tank. I have them set at 45% right now. That puts about 150 PAR at the lower 1/3 outside and 300 PAR directly center same place. In case you were curious.
f3honda4me
New member
Thanks! For me so far, my corals seem happy with 55%. PAR doesn't mean that much with LED though so you want to be sure to watch how your corals react. PUR and PAS are more meaningful for LED but most people can't measure those.
toddarcham
New member
My monitor has PUR. But Im embarrassed, I have never checked that because I didn't know what it was. So thanks for that info.
