Denise's Halcyon Red Sea Reefer Protobuild 3/25/17

[dmw913]

IT'S WET!!!!!!!!!!

Spent today making, mixing water so I could get rid of the Rubbermaids in the bathtub. Might as well let the rock continue to do its thing in the tank while I wait for a few plumbing parts not available locally. Had to chip away a few spots of the main aquascape once I tried fitting it into the tank. It was hitting against overflow and putting the rock too close to the front glass. Also broke a small part of the far left of the rock structure. Superglue seems to have given way. I like how much water is above the rock. Fish will have so much fun!

Added dosing container to far right. Fits with no problem. Now I can see where I need to have the doser. I was considering mounting it in the cabinet but I have a ledge directly behind the tank where it would sit very well so I'll have to decide when levels show dosing is required.

Chug, chug, chug.

 

[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

Awesome! It's always a great feeling to finally see them with water!

 

[dmw913]

Time for an update!

Notice for Reefer 250 Shoppers:
Somehow, in my research, I missed that the tank is being shipped with metric PVC, not schedule 40 or 80!!! This made hard plumbing a significant challenge as you have to get a metric to standard adaptor (can find at @Bulk Reef Supply or specialty plumbing store).

I have made significant progress this week. I have shut down Nuvo Fusion, moved fish, set up ATO and built an algae reactor! Nitrate levels were too high but have been using No3Pox4 and have already show lower levels and watched a pretty interesting bacterial bloom which went away in roughly 24 hours. Water has cleared, Deltec is doing it's thing and all moves forward. I also traded the old tank for a small jawbreaker mushroom (pic below) which was a nice surprise!

Algae reactor is a Aquamaxx biopellet reactor from @MarineDepot and a set of waterproof LED strip/tape lights in red/blue spectrum from Amazon. For some reason, the reactor has bubbles in the chamber that I can't get rid of, but otherwise, seems fine. Got some chaeto from a local today and set it up! I attached the LEDs with velcro. Will be run 12 hours/day offset from regular lights.

Ah, that's the other major update. Lights! My Nanobox Quad Plus lights arrived and have been installed. I really like the BlueFish controller and am dialing in intensity, color now. First day my few transfer corals were super angry as the intensity was just too high. Things are settling down now.

Question: Need recommendations for new fishies! I strongly prefer tank raised or tank bred fish. Let's hear your suggestions! Been a while since I have had this much water volume so I would like to try something fun and out of the ordinary.

 

[Broadfield]

Time for an update!

Notice for Reefer 250 Shoppers:

Red Sea has made some changes since the time that @pelphrey made his videos re: plumbing and the @Broadfield return nozzle and the changes were not for the better, unfortunately.

First, the return nozzle can no longer be modified to use lockline. It is now a molded piece and so there is nothing to remove and screw the threaded fitting into anymore. (If I have misunderstood the video or the factory nozzle, please advise but the new nozzle looks very different to me.) This is disappointing as you are stuck with the limited range of the standard return.

Second and more important for US purchasers: The tank is being shipped with metric PVC, not schedule 40 or 80!!! This made hard plumbing a significant challenge as you have to get a metric to standard adaptor (can find at @Bulk Reef Supply or specialty plumbing store).

Even with those significant updates, and the challenges they provided, I have made significant progress this week. I have shut down Nuvo Fusion, moved fish, set up ATO and built an algae reactor! Nitrate levels were too high but have been using No3Pox4 and have already show lower levels and watched a pretty interesting bacterial bloom which went away in roughly 24 hours. Water has cleared, Deltec is doing it's thing and all moves forward. I also traded the old tank for a small jawbreaker mushroom (pic below) which was a nice surprise!

Algae reactor is a Aquamaxx biopellet reactor from @MarineDepot and a set of waterproof LED strip/tape lights in red/blue spectrum from Amazon. For some reason, the reactor has bubbles in the chamber that I can't get rid of, but otherwise, seems fine. Got some chaeto from a local today and set it up! I attached the LEDs with velcro. Will be run 12 hours/day offset from regular lights.

Ah, that's the other major update. Lights! My Nanobox Quad Plus lights arrived and have been installed. I really like the BlueFish controller and am dialing in intensity, color now. First day my few transfer corals were super angry as the intensity was just too high. Things are settling down now.

Question: Need recommendations for new fishies! I strongly prefer tank raised or tank bred fish. Let's hear your suggestions! Been a while since I have had this much water volume so I would like to try something fun and out of the ordinary.

I'm not aware of any changes to the nozzle... but I could be wrong. The Reefers have always had metric plumbing, but it definitely doesn't keep us from changing it over to imperial. As for the nozzle, can you post a pic of yours please!?!

 

[dmw913]

I'm not aware of any changes to the nozzle... but I could be wrong. The Reefers have always had metric plumbing, but it definitely doesn't keep us from changing it over to imperial. As for the nozzle, can you post a pic of yours please!?!

@Broadfield, thank you so much for responding. I had never heard about the metric issue so it did catch me by surprise when tank arrived. Agreed that a conversion is a quick fix but better to be prepared and have that stuff on order, right?

As for the nozzle, I'm just basically an idiot. I rewatched @pelphrey video and I was trying to remove wrong part. <doh> Lockline still works just fine and have installed mine this morning. My apologies for the misinformation on my part. I have edited above post removing that bad information. Thanks again for all your help!

Best,
Denise

 

[Broadfield]

@Broadfield, thank you so much for responding. I had never heard about the metric issue so it did catch me by surprise when tank arrived. Agreed that a conversion is a quick fix but better to be prepared and have that stuff on order, right?

As for the nozzle, I'm just basically an idiot. I rewatched @pelphrey video and I was trying to remove wrong part. <doh> Lockline still works just fine and have installed mine this morning. My apologies for the misinformation on my part. I have edited above post removing that bad information. Thanks again for all your help and information!

Best,
Denise

Well that's great news!

 

[dmw913]

Things continue to progress nicely. I was having some nitrate issues when I first moved the rock from the rubbermaid tubs to the tank. I used some No3Pox4 for a few days - fascinating experience. I've never used the product before and watched my nitrates plummet within days. It smells like gasoline - good thing I didn't have any real livestock in tank as I might not have had the nerve to use it! Once the algae reactor has gone online, I have weaned tank off of the NoPox and still have undetectable nitrate per Red Sea Pro test kit. Testing alk daily via Hanna Checker and am dosing 2 ml of ESV 2part each day to keep up dkh at around 9.

Participated in WWC live sale this past weekend and am getting a decent sized box of frags tomorrow!!! Great timing for me!
Also, installed LED strip light w/remote in cabinet so I have light to work in the sump area without turning on and trying to angle my phone...

Plenty of light to get down in there and get to work!!!

 

[dmw913]

Apex mounting complete!

Finished this today. I picked up a medicine cabinet at Home Depot and mounted everything inside. There is a perfect place on the bottom left of the tank to place it. I have also ordered some vinyl covering for the mirror on the cabinet to make it less obtrusive. We won't talk about the enormous cord octopus behind the cabinet where the cords go to the various devices...

 

[dmw913]

WHO JUST GOT HER RESERVATIONS FOR REEF-A-PALOOZA IN CALIFORNIA?!?!?!

<------------ THIS GIRL!!!!!

 

[dmw913]

First chaeto harvest out of the reactor was a wonderfully pleasant surprise. Started with about a tennis ball amount and ended up with about triple that amount. I changed it Thursday as I was headed out of town, got back today and it's right back to growing. Looks like this will be a weekly project if all continues well.

I've added two wrasses as well but they have buried themselves and have not really felt like joining the crew so far. I can usually see where one is hiding so I don't think he's died and it's pretty common for them to hide for a while but seriously, let's see those fishies!

I've also added a goby and pistol shrimp combo. I am super-angry at the shrimp; he took my jawbreaker frag and has hidden it somewhere in his lair. I can't get to it without basically ripping apart entire tank which I'm not willing to do. Little ****!!!!! Lesson learned.

 

[Broadfield]

First chaeto harvest out of the reactor was a wonderfully pleasant surprise. Started with about a tennis ball amount and ended up with about triple that amount. I changed it Thursday as I was headed out of town, got back today and it's right back to growing. Looks like this will be a weekly project if all continues well.

I've added two wrasses as well but they have buried themselves and have not really felt like joining the crew so far. I can usually see where one is hiding so I don't think he's died and it's pretty common for them to hide for a while but seriously, let's see those fishies!

I've also added a goby and pistol shrimp combo. I am super-angry at the shrimp; he took my jawbreaker frag and has hidden it somewhere in his lair. I can't get to it without basically ripping apart entire tank which I'm not willing to do. Little ****!!!!! Lesson learned.

Very nice! I have thought about making a killer chaeto reactor that would cosmetically look at home over my sump. Your results are very promising!

 

[samnaz]

I'm about to start a new tank. I never thought about curing rock in my giant jacuzzi bathtub! That is an incredible idea. It has sat empty for years, now I can make use of it!

 

[samnaz]

Oh and I also have a Nanobox Quad for my new tank

 

[dmw913]

Very nice! I have thought about making a killer chaeto reactor that would cosmetically look at home over my sump. Your results are very promising!

Thanks, @Broadfield! I've been very happy so far. I went from dosing NoPox for a while waiting for chaeto to arrive to having virtually no detectable on Red Sea test just using the chaeto alone. My reactor is a little small but the red/blue lights are pretty fun in the sump area. Timing is directly offset my display lights to help even out pH a little.

Have you looked at the ARID Pax Bellum reactors? They seem incredible!

 

[dmw913]

@samnaz, thanks!!! My jet tub is in the room right next to my tank so it was an obvious match for me. My 7 year old was cranky he lost his play tub for a while but all in the name of reefing, right?! I just put two rubbermaids in the tub with rock, water and circulation. Made water changes easy. Just put a maxijet with hose in the tub and down the drain it went. I wanted to use the rubbermaids because I wanted the lids on to minimize smell. It still got a little ripe, but nothing a couple of 50% water changes along the way didn't mellow out.

My husband is a really, really good sport!

Also, grats on the NanoBox. I'm really happy with it so far. When you get yours dialed in, let's compare settings!

 

[Broadfield]

Have you looked at the ARID Pax Bellum reactors? They seem incredible!

Ironically I already owned one of those. The thing is sick! However, it took 6 months to get and I went with a different sump in the meantime. Low and behold, it wasn't really going to work out in the new sump. So I sold it and I figured I could turn one of my three AquaMaxx reactors into one... making a custom cover to fit around the body etc.

 

[HolisticBear]

Have you looked at the ARID Pax Bellum reactors? They seem incredible!

Have you seen the Skimz reactors at BRS? I think I'm going with that for my reefer 170. It's noticable cheaper and it seems to get mostly positive reviews. I'm not clear the ARID is a big upgrade.

 

[dmw913]

@Broadfield , of course you already had an ARID... lol! Can't wait to see what you fabricate as a custom cover! Pics when you are done.

Just did my second harvest - 7 days after first one. Not quite as dense but clearly continuing to grow well. Will likely go to a 9 day harvest cycle.

 

[dmw913]

@MrMichael I did look at the Skimz. I think they look like a decent unit. My only suggestion would be to double-check your dimensions to make sure it will fit. Things get really tight in our sump areas as I'm finding. Additionally, with both the ARID and the Skimz, I think they are designed really nicely but I actually liked the idea of keeping the lights out of the main water area. I can see my algae growing so I know when to harvest and if my lights get toasted, it's a $20 fix through Amazon. I very rarely prefer a DIY option but have been really, really happy with this one - and it was even cheaper than the Skimz when all was said and done.

 

[dmw913]

Naughty shrimp/jawbreaker update!!!!!!!

I must be living right because as I was walking past the tank tonight, I caught a glimpse of something bright orange/yellow. Low and behold, it was the jawbreaker the pistol shrimp had stolen. It had managed to dislodge itself from its frag and somehow got pushed out of the shrimp lair. Apart from coming loose, it really doesn't look too much worse for wear!!!!! I am so happy it has come back. One of my favorite pieces!

Got it in a cup with rubble so it can reattach and then I'm gluing the crap out of it so it doesn't go missing again!