Red Sea Reefer 200xl build

[Jimbob74]

The tank is up and running! I ordered 50 pounds of Marco rock online and some of the Marco mortar cement. I spent way too much time trying to get the rock right but I think I found something I’m happy with. I really tried to resist the urge to add more rock. My 10 gallon was always super hard to clean because I put too much rock in...it’s so easy to add just one more rock...

I was debating on what to get for the return pump between the reef octopus dc pump and the ecotech pump. I ended up going with the ecotech Vectra because I was going to to get a Radion light and I already have a VorTech MP10. I like the idea of having the option to eventually control everything with the Mobius app.

Vectra S2 and Radion Blue:

 

[Jimbob74]

Can I ask how much rock did use just waiting for my to arrive

 

[monti mike]

Can I ask how much rock did use just waiting for my to arrive

I ordered 45 pounds from marine depot because it was the best deal I could find at the time. I only used half and gave the rest back to my LFS for credit.

Reef Saver Aquarium Dry Live Rock

Start Your Reef with Eco-Friendly Reef Saver Rock Our Best-Selling Rock Sustainable Choice Aquascaping Made Easy Optimal Biological Filtration Create Beautiful Aquascapes MarcoRocks Reef Saver Rock is by far one of the easiest types of rock to work with when building an aquascape. The...

www.marinedepot.com

 

[monti mike]

I don’t have a refugium and can’t put anything outside of the cabinet so I picked up an algae/chaeto reactor. I’ve never used an algae reactor before so I’m curious to see how this goes. I’m starting off with a layer of chaeto, then ulva/gracilaria, then chaeto again. I’m hoping this will work like a mini fuge.. I’ll try to update you all with some progress shots later on.

 

[Jackada]

Here’s a picture of the sump. It’s still a work in progress. I just want to get the cords organized so it’s not such a mess and a fire hazard down there! Thank you everyone who suggested the motion activated LEDs from amazon. It makes tinkering around in the sump so much easier. They’re perfect because they’re magnetic and you can take them out completely if you need to, they charge from a usb cable, there’s a motion activated switch or fully on option. I’m finding myself spending more time looking the sump than the tank! Ha! I’m also really happy with the Nyos 120 skimmer so far. It went crazy for a few hours and then got to work. We’ll see how it works long term but it seems like others are happy with them. I’ll definitely keep you updated as things progress along. Other possible future projects for the sump:

- Hard plumb the return. The green tubing seems secure enough but I don’t trust it.
- Maybe convert the ATO to a refugium with chaeto only in it. I’m still debating on this project. I don’t know if a one gallon refugium is really going to benefit the tank enough to make it worth it.
-Replace the sump? Who knows. Maybe one day I’ll get the urge to replace the sump with something more custom. The crystal reef aquatic sumps look slick.

Hi, I am extremely interested in buying this aquarium. One thing that I am trying to figure out is that some store that sell these aquariums say it have refugium ready and some say its optional. Is there a dedicated space in the sump for a refugium? Or is it a detachable wall or something? Big thanks for answerers!

 

[monti mike]

Hi, I am extremely interested in buying this aquarium. One thing that I am trying to figure out is that some store that sell these aquariums say it have refugium ready and some say its optional. Is there a dedicated space in the sump for a refugium? Or is it a detachable wall or something? Big thanks for answerers!

Hey @Jackada! The picture of my sump is exactly what you would get out of the box. No refugium and no option to add one. A lot of people convert the ATO box to a refugium though. That is optional but 100% DIY

The overflow goes into a small chamber in the back right corner and flows to the filter sock. From there it goes into the skimmer chamber that is a pretty nice size. The water then flows to the back through a baffle/bubble trap into the return chamber. The included top off chamber sits above the first chamber where the overflow water comes in. The top off is triggered by a float switch in the return chamber and if puts your freshwater top off in the return chamber.

 

[monti mike]

The GHL profilux came in and it’s up and running. I’ll be honest and say that it was very challenging to set up initially. I had a hard time getting it to connect to my WiFi and update the firmware. Thankfully Vinny from GHL is pretty amazing and helped me out. I haven’t had any issues now that it’s set up and the probes are calibrated. @telegraham your video on how to calibrate the probes is 10/10 THANK YOU

I keep checking the app - it’s fun to see what’s going on in real time.

 

[monti mike]

Despite my best effort, I think I had a pest sneak in. One of my acros was turning white on the bottom and throwing out stringy mesenterial filaments. I took at closer look at night with a flashlight and found some small black slug like creatures moving around the acro. I took an airline tube and siphoned 100% of the frag - pictures below. I posted a separate thread to ID them but I haven’t found anything yet. The acro hasn’t thrown off the filaments in two days so maybe I got them all.. I’ll be keeping a close eye on it.
I’ve dipped every coral and started with dry rock. The only other things I’ve added that could have introduced them are some local chaeto or maybe it snuck in on the macro from IPSF. It’s hard to know for sure.

 

[monti mike]

Despite my best effort, I think I had a pest sneak in. One of my acros was turning white on the bottom and throwing out stringy mesenterial filaments. I took at closer look at night with a flashlight and found some small black slug like creatures moving around the acro. I took an airline tube and siphoned 100% of the frag - pictures below. I posted a separate thread to ID them but I haven’t found anything yet. The acro hasn’t thrown off the filaments in two days so maybe I got them all.. I’ll be keeping a close eye on it.
I’ve dipped every coral and started with dry rock. The only other things I’ve added that could have introduced them are some local chaeto or maybe it snuck in on the macro from IPSF. It’s hard to know for sure.

Here’s a picture from today of the coral with the black slugs. It doesn’t have mesenterial filaments out today so hopefully I got all the nasties off.

And here’s a full tank shot. All the sps are encrusting and coraline algae is starting to grow. There’s all some of the ugly algae but that’s expected because the tank is still new and I started with dry rock.

 

[solitude127]

ever figure out what the black bugs were?

 

[monti mike]

ever figure out what the black bugs were?

Nope!

 

[monti mike]

Top down pic of the maxima clam

 

[GILLty Guppy]

Looking absolutely amazing! Thanks for sharing!! Can't wait to see all the corals growing in

 

[monti mike]

Looking absolutely amazing! Thanks for sharing!! Can't wait to see all the corals growing in

Thanks!! I’ll definitely post some progress pictures as they grow!

 

[monti mike]

I’ve scoured the internet for everything I could find on acropora pests. I think I have the infamous “black bugs” that dips don’t kill easily.

Ugh. *insert explicatives here*

I found a few more on the same acro last night. I siphoned them off and immediately flushed them down the toilet. It seems like they only come out at night and so far they’re only drawn to the acro they’re munching on. I hope it stays that way and I can get rid of them before it becomes a bigger issue. All the frags are glued to the rock so I don’t know what other options I really have. Maybe if I siphon the coral every night I’ll eventually get them all... here’s for some wishing thinking.

Let the war begin... ;Shifty

Maybe the dog put them in there out of jealousy so I’ll pay more attention to her?

(don’t worry.. she is very spoiled!)

 

[monti mike]

I had some issues updating the WiFi firmware on the profilux and @Vinny@GHLUSA was amazing. He got everything sorted out and now it’s working great. The support for the GHL is great!
Dump your ugly orange apex (that’s a joke, please don’t attack me!) hahaha

 

[monti mike]

Whoa! There’s something in the water! Now Pom Poms got babies

 

[monti mike]

It looks like the light reactor is growing some chaeto. You can see some green mass filling up the top chamber. The middle section looks empty from the outside, but who knows what’s going on in there. I’ll open it up at the one month mark and check out the growth and thin it out if needed. I’m excited for this thing! It barely fits and checks my ‘refugium’ box off! I’m glad I found something where I can have some natural nutrient export, stabilize pH at night, and have a safe place for pods.

Those pods are good food for the hungry corals!

 

[monti mike]

2 months of growth on the Oregon tort. This is an acro that I’ve always wanted. It’s a classic and I love the deep blue color.

 

[Lukeewh]

Hey Mike - Fellow 200XL owner here. How much total flow do you estimate you're putting around that tank with the MP10's and your return pump? I'm struggling to get flow dialed in on my end due to the form factor of the tank. Everything pointed "across" the tank seems to be creating some significant backblow around the glass. Have two 6095 Nano streams dialed down to 30% alternating, so I'm estimating about 1400gph total at any point including the return pump on the Y.

Just looking for comparison points, as your polyp extension looks great and I have a suspicion I'm blasting mine with way too much flow.

Thanks