Here We Go! Red Sea Reefer Max G2+ 300

[GoogleWasMyIdea]

I know before I upgraded mine to DC when I first started my tank it went crazy. You can let it just drain from the hose back into your reef mat or sump till it breaks in. Is your water level even with the sticker on the skimmer? It probably won’t produce much till you get a bio load but running it will help your PH. I’m personally not a fan of these Red Sea skimmers. I feel they don’t work all that well. I wish I would have bought a different skimmer.

OB…you are the ultimate go-to as usual.

I wasn’t aware of this baffle (1:29 mark of video) to adjust the water height in the skimmer section, which you were spot-on with, in that the water level was too high causing the over-skimming. Now just have to fine tune it as it appears to be working perfectly now.

 

[OctaviusBrine]

Thanks OB! I will have a look at the water level tonight and see if that is the

OB…you are the ultimate go-to as usual.

I wasn’t aware of this baffle (1:29 mark of video) to adjust the water height in the skimmer section, which you were spot-on with, in that the water level was too high causing the over-skimming. Now just have to fine tune it as it appears to be working perfectly now.

Very happy to help. Setting up a new tank can be tricky. Feel free to ask questions I’m on here pretty regularly.

 

[GoogleWasMyIdea]

Okay everyone, another question. So I’d like to start a fuge, but really don’t have space in or around sump for a dedicated area.

So could I effectively start one in this area of sump, that is circled, in the same area where water returns after going through ReefMat mechanical filtration, before it enters skimmer area? I know it’s not ideal, but is only possible place I can imagine one could go, without having a separate tank for the fuge.

Please let me know your thoughts.

 

[OctaviusBrine]

That’s a good question I have wanted to do the same but more on the other side. As I have all my probes were you want to do it. I also hate to say it have been considering turning my factory ato into one like others have. Since I plan on also adding kalkwasser. Problem I see with these sumps aside from they are to small is there’s not much flow when we use a fleece roller. I’d say if you do end up doing it, your going to want to add a little power head.

 

[GoogleWasMyIdea]

That’s a good question I have wanted to do the same but more on the other side. As I have all my probes were you want to do it. I also hate to say it have been considering turning my factory ato into one like others have. Since I plan on also adding kalkwasser. Problem I see with these sumps aside from they are to small is there’s not much flow when we use a fleece roller. I’d say if you do end up doing it, your going to want to add a little power head.

I've got an extra small powerhead that I can use, so I think I will try it. Just want to attempt and reduce the uglies so I'll throw that powerhead and a light in there and see what happens. (Haven't even attempted to get my ATO running as I've got nowhere to keep the water)

 

[OctaviusBrine]

It should have came with a reservoir. Yours doesn’t need to be gravity fed. Just put that plug on if it came with one. Your definitely going to want that sooner rather than later.

 

[Matty Ice]

Not the best picture but I have a 300 and use the Tunze MAR asmy refugium in the spot next to my rollermat. For what it’s worth, you might want to check your settings in the roller. My rolls last about 2-3 months. Mine is setup to auto advance 1.0-1.2 inches

 

[GoogleWasMyIdea]

Not the best picture but I have a 300 and use the Tunze MAR asmy refugium in the spot next to my rollermat. For what it’s worth, you might want to check your settings in the roller. My rolls last about 2-3 months. Mine is setup to auto advance 1.0-1.2 inches

Thanks! I will have to look into that! Still on the fence between the fuge and a scrubber.

And thanks for advice on the roll. I do have it set to auto now, but with basically little to no bioload, it is currently only using less than an inch a day, so still monitoring it.

 

[GoogleWasMyIdea]

Time for a game…let’s play “Name That Stuff”!

Woke up this morning to these spots on rocks and sand, a brownish orange color. Did water testing (after feeding/overfeeding as I’m sure I’m doing) and here are results:
PH-7.8
Am-0.07 can’t seem to ever get it to “0”.
Nitrite - 11ppb (that’s how Hanna marinemaster gives result…so 0.011 ppm). Can’t ever get this one to “0” either.
Nitrate- 6.4 ppm
And don’t have any corals, just a couple clowns, but still did these tests too:
Alk-5.6 dKH
Calcium-594 ppm
Magnesium-1630 ppm
Phosphate-0.17 ppm
Salinity is a little high at 1.027

Today was scheduled maintenance day so did a little over 20% water change after doing this testing. Made sure to clean sand bed as best I could too. (Might be time to add my sand sifting goby)

Also just recently started using turf scrubber (went with this instead of fuge), but that’s only been up and running for about 36 hours, so probably a negligible effect at this point.

I also added first batch of pods this week and have been dosing photo nightly.

Lights have been on for over a week as I figure why not just face the inevitable and get it over with.

So am I looking at the start of a diatoms outbreak (which is what I’m thinking it is…pics look like it’s green, but it is absolutely not) or cyano (which I always assumed would be greenish in color, so thinking it’s not that)

So let me know what you think my best course of action should be. My first inclination is to do nothing other than to let it go and do more frequent water changes.

Thanks in advance for all comments/input!

 

[WonkyWapiti]

I'd love to see an update!

 

[Jenyphur]

Would also love to see an update as I"m right behind you with the brownish spots showing up. I also want to see how the turf scrubber is working out. Which one did you go with and where did you put it? I have the 300 and there just isn't much space at all in there. Thanks so much!

 

[GoogleWasMyIdea]

Hi everyone…time for a quick 6+ month update. Wanted to wait till tank was fairly stable.

So I’ve probably gone way overboard with corals, but all are doing well as are the fish residents. Mostly softies, but also a good number of LPS corals. PAR topping out around 140-150 so no SPS for this tank.

So I did end up getting a UV and algae scrubber, which cleaned up the tank really nice, along with CUC, for nuisance algae. Other items added were an auto feeder, 8gal ATO (what I could squeeze in below tank) and a Reef Kraken cover.

Also my 3D printer has been put to great use making the light diffusers shown in picture and a holder for ATO pump to keep it from falling over.

And one of the things I am extremely happy about is the toadstool leather I got from LFS is now hosting both my Clownfish. That was my thinking when I got it, wasn’t sure if it would happen, but it did. Really excited about this.

So anyway all of this wouldn’t have been possible without everyone here on R2R. Thanks to everyone for being here, posting questions and answers.

Cheers!

 

[OctaviusBrine]

Tank is looking great!