Ldogg's RedSea Reefer 750XXL build.

Ldogg · Apr 26, 2017

This is an update to the original post. I ended up selling the equipment and not buying the original tank I listed. I am however now working on a build for a RedSea Reefer 750XXL. That info can be found on page 3. Ignore all of the equipment listed in this post, it was all sold.

I have been out of the hobby for about 7 years or so and I started to get the itch last fall. I have gone back and forth on tanks between a RedSea reefer, an IM120, and an ArtfullyArcylic 35g drop off. I saw RedSea announce the new Peninsula and XXL size tanks a few months ago, and by that point I had started to narrow down to a Reefer 450XL/525XL. I have a 6' opening between my desk and the wall in my office. it's actually 71" and I might be able to squeeze another inch or two with the desk, but I didn't want the tank to look jammed into the area. after seeing the new 625XXL though and the sump design thats going into the Peninsula and XXL models I knew I had to go big. Originally I planned a 35g dropoff tank build, and even picked up some items for that, but most of what I bought had to be sold as it would not work on the new tank. So here is the plan at the moment. I am buying the tank in the next few months once they go on sale at Marine Depot or BRS. for now I am picking up parts so that once the tank arrives I can start the build. THe last time I tried to setup a tank it sat dry in my office and I ended up selling all of it off after a year. I don't plan on doing that again....

RedSea Reefer 625 XXL (ordering soon)
2 Radion XR30W Pro Gen4s ~ just showed up today.
Radion XR15w Pro Gen4 ~ Depending on how the 2 XR30's look I may add a 15 in the middle
2 MP40 QD's
Vectra M1 for return
Reeflink ~ sitting next to the Radions
2 RMS Mounts ~ sitting next to the Radions
Ecotech Backup Battery
Nyos Quantium 160 Skimmer
2016 Apex Controller ~ I had already bought this
80# RealReef Base
30# RealReef Shelf
20# Tropic Eden Reefflakes
20# Tropic Eden Mesoflakes
Apex DOS DDS
Apex FMM
Apex ATK
Apex PMK
Apex auto Feeder ~ also already have this
Additional Apex energy bar, solonoid, optical and liquid sensors for Water change station i am setting up
IceCap ReefCam
NestCam
iPad mini with natomount for control
2 Ace RotoMold 65/75g water storage tanks for water change station.
Panword 100PX for the water change station

My office is on the main level and we have an unfinished basement below. I don't want to drill holes in the floor to run down to the basement, so my current plan is to setup a water change station similar to a couple i saw on youtube. Basically I will run vinyl tubing from the tank down the hall, down a flight of stairs, and then over to the water change station. this will be manually laid out for water changes, but I will manually top off the ATO container with a 5g bucket. the plan is to use the U shaped PVC drain sticks at the end of the tubing in the tank. you would connect the other end to a quick connect fitting on the input from tank shown on the pic. adjusting the correct ball valves and connecting an additional vinyl tube into the output to tank or drain and then turning on the pump with the apex app. you would need to prime the lines so the pump isn't dry and then it would drain out into a sink though the pump. from there. you close off the hoses, and swap the connections. remove the hose to the drain, and move the hose in the tank to the output to tank connection. from here you flip the correct ball valves and then pump water back up to the DT without messing with the hose. once done the vinyl tubing/hose is removed and stored away. again I don't want to hard plumb this as I don't want to drill holes in the floor that I will have to fix if we move. I plan on using an Apex powerbar, FMM, solonoid, optical sensors, solid surface leak sensors and possibly a few of the the apex flow sensors on this station. The main apex unit is upstairs with the Display tank however. This will require me to run a 30' or so AquaBus cable down stairs. To do this I plan on getting a flexibit, and cutting a hole for a box in the wall. from there i would install a swing out tab box to mount the plate to, and then drill into the wall plate and down into the sub floor. this will let me run the USB cable down through the wall, and then use a USB pass through wall plate to get a clean finished look. we are looking to move in 10 years or so and I really don't want to have to repair holes in the floor. I bought 40# of caribsea life rock for the 35g and about 10# of realreef shelf. once I saw the realreef I knew i had to go all in with it. I plan on selling the life rock, and buying about 80#'s of realreef base, and another 20# of shelf. Livestock wise I am looking a a mixed reef with a nice mix of LPS, SPS and softies. I am going to pick up a pair of Frostbite Frozen or subzero clowns from Sustainable Aquatics for sure, A Biota captive bred Coral Beauty, and then we will see from there, I would love to keep a Blue spotted jawfish and several anthias so an Artfully Acrylic Clearview lid will most likely be on order as well way before i decide to purchase those guys.

Ldogg · Apr 26, 2017

here are a couple pics of where it's going in the office and the difference between the CaribSea (base rock) and the RealReef(shelf)

Ldogg · May 1, 2017

Well I am torn between the 2 MP40s and 2 Maxspect Gyre 250s with the advanced controller. It seems like everyone is split on the idea with the gyre moving a lot of water but hard to maintain. On a 5' tank I think 2 250's at 50% would be plenty, and offer a nice gentle flow. Would the 2 mp40s still be enough if I went that route. I already have a reeflink and I am buying a vectra as my return. I am not sold on the gyre controller but I honestly don't know how often I will mess with it.

kmatehws12 · May 1, 2017

Interested in how this tank turns out, please keep use posted with pictures.

Ldogg · May 1, 2017

Thanks, I am planning on ordering the tank in August right now. I want to source all the equipment first and then start the build.

AquaART · May 1, 2017

Following. Loving the equipment choices, but I'm not sure why you need a ReefLink with an Apex, but each to his own! Any reason why you didn't pull the trigger on the big Kahuna XXL 725?

kmatehws12 · May 1, 2017

AquaART said:
Following. Loving the equipment choices, but I'm not sure why you need a ReefLink with an Apex, but each to his own! Any reason why you didn't pull the trigger on the big Kahuna XXL 725?

+1 Apex WXM Module will control the ECOTECH Equipment.

AquaART · May 1, 2017

kmatehws12 said:
+1 Apex WXM Module will control the ECOTECH Equipment.

Yep, and you get the benefit of having all the lights synchronized with everything else along with shutting the Radion's down completely at night to avoid that annoying fan noise.

Ldogg · May 1, 2017

I got the reeflink at basically half off brand new, but I still may use the WXM module. I only have about 70-71 inches in the space I want to put the tank. I could move the desk but it's a U shaped layout and it wouldn't fit right on a different wall. There is a window on the other side of the wall that the tank is going on. I figured go with the 5' tank so that it's not squeezed into that space and so i could run the mp40s.

DLHDesign · May 1, 2017

Ldogg said:
Radion XR15w Pro Gen4 ~ Depending on how the 2 XR30's look I may add a 15 in the middle

With two XR30's, you'll get shadows. How much and whether they are a concern will depend upon how you structure your scape. If you want the freedom to build out your reef however you wish to (scape, coral, etc.), I would suggest planning on getting at least an XR15; potentially even another XR30. Not right away per-se; you can certainly get your tank up and growing without it.

Ldogg said:
Vectra M1 for return

You didn't mention anything about carbon, GFO, or other such things that would practically require a manifold. If this is something you're considering, my suggestion would be to upgrade this to a Vectra L1 - having the extra power there when you need it really helps. And you can dial it back to a lower power if/when you don't run that stuff. The ~$100 price difference was worth it to me, at least (I run my L1 around 85% - above what the M1 could have provided - so I'm happy I upgraded).

Ldogg said:
Panword 100PX for the water change station
...
Basically I will run vinyl tubing from the tank down the hall, down a flight of stairs, and then over to the water change station.

Note that the pump you have listed has a max head of 21ft. It sounds like you may be aiming for more than this with all the length and height you've got planned (bends will also impact things). Even assuming the pump is able to push the new water up to the DT, it will likely be at a reduced flow rate - which is annoying, if nothing else. (My system isn't comparable in size nor makeup, but I have the same "low flow back to DT" problem and it's a bother every time I go to do a water change...)

Ldogg said:
Well I am torn between the 2 MP40s and 2 Maxspect Gyre 250s with the advanced controller. It seems like everyone is split on the idea with the gyre moving a lot of water but hard to maintain.

I'm running a 150 and a 250 Gyre in my 525XL at around 40% average - with both forward and reverse flow direction. Flow is great throughout the tank (perhaps even too much at times). The Gyre's are touchy to re-assemble, but I got the hang of how they should "feel" after re-assembling them a few times. I don't consider them hard to maintain at this point. No more-so than anything else, at least...

Good looking build you've got going on! Looking forward to seeing it in-place and wet.

Ldogg · May 1, 2017

my plan is to add either an Xr15 or another 30 in the middle at some point. I figured i would see what the shadowing looked like but had the intent to add at least a 15 to fill the gap in the middle. I haven't reall thought about running any reactors for GFO or carbon, I was thinking of running a bag in ta filter sock, but I probably need to look into a more permanent solution. I was considering a Chaeto reactor but with the new sump layout on the 625xxl there is no need. the L1 will probably be my choice though since I can always turn it down as needed. the whole manifold layout is new to me as it wasn't something i had done in the past with older tanks i had setup. I did look at the bigger panworld pumps and there not much more expensive. I have about 20' down the hall, 12'down the stairs, then about 10' to the pump. since this is just to do water changes I may be ok, but I might look at their larger options. I think one has like 40' of head. I am still on the fence about the gyre, 2 250's with the controller and the battery are still cheaper then 2 mp40s but I like the ability to upgrade, and I had the original metal box, pre wireless mp40's years ago and never had any issues.

Ldogg · May 1, 2017

I also pulled the trigger on a Fluval EVO XII for my son yesterday. got a crazy deal on petco.com for the tank, and picked up 10# of real reef, and 20# of Tropic Eden Meso flakes for it along with the fluval skimmer. he wants a pair of frostbite clowns and some zoas in there so how could i say no...

it also gave me an excuse to compare the realreef with the caribsea life rock, and see what the mesoflakes look like.

Daniel@R2R · May 2, 2017

Lots of cool toys going in! I'm a big fan of Tropic Eden. I use a mix of mesoflakes and reef flakes.

Ldogg · May 3, 2017

I am debating on using a mix of the two. I wanted to see what the meso flake size was first. I am hoping to pick up a pair of Mp40qd's next week and the battery back, then the wxm module. Need to move a few things so I can buy some additional gear. My sons tank shipped and most of the stuff I ordered for him should be here Thursday.

Ldogg · May 3, 2017

what do you guys think about running a pair of MP60's instead of the MP40's. I figured i would start with 2 mp40's and then add 2 more if needed, but why not just go with 2 mp60's? i guess with the 40's they would be spaced out, 2 on each side, and could be positioned so they sit in the open space on the other side, would help create good alternating current too. hmmm.

dullyxxx · May 6, 2017

Ldogg said:
what do you guys think about running a pair of MP60's instead of the MP40's. I figured i would start with 2 mp40's and then add 2 more if needed, but why not just go with 2 mp60's? i guess with the 40's they would be spaced out, 2 on each side, and could be positioned so they sit in the open space on the other side, would help create good alternating current too. hmmm.

hi! I love they way you are planning ahead in regards to MP40 or MP60 and this is just a suggestion why don't you go for the Neptune WAV pumps you already have the new apex & bar 832 it already has the 1link port where you can connect the WAV there improve on you cable management reduce the need for power bars, extra power sockets, and controllers and it will be cheaper and you will be able to control just think about it

Ldogg · May 7, 2017

I thought about running them, and I really like the idea of plugging them into the new energy bar but I like having the motor outside and I have run Mp40's in the past. I actually had an OG pair with the metal driver housing when they first came out....

I ended up picking up a pair of QD's and the battery, and I am planning on getting a vectra L1 next week. I did some research on some manifold layouts and that for sure seems like the way to go. since this is a new tank I am going to try and run a Zeovit reactor and their carbon in bags but I will build out the manifold in case I decide to go a different way. Plan is to dose with two part with the neptune DOS as well. the Zeovit stuff seems pretty interesting and I looked at the brightwell version which seems cheaper, so it's a toss up between the two. Plan on using the FMM to check the flow out of the manifold as well so I can tune the L1 to get the best return flow.

Ldogg · May 8, 2017

MP40's showed up. Man these things are crazy quiet. I remember those original metal driver ones which weren't to bad but you could definitely hear those. Setting up a tank for my son this afternoon as well. I am thinking about sticking an mp10 on his tank....