Red Sea Reefer XL 200

[ilott]

Hello,

Yesterday, I posted in regards to what tanks I like the look of and your guys' opinions on those tanks, but I think I've settled with the Red Sea Reefer XL 200, as it's much more in my price zone due to already having adequate lighting.

I just wondered if a Protein Skimmer is a necessity or can I get away without one? The Red Sea Reefer XL 200's sump isn't classed as "refugium ready" but I could use the allocated skimmer section as a refugium providing one isn't necessary.

I was hoping to start a mixed reef but due to SPS demanding perfect qualities and next to no imperfections, I imagine a skimmer is necessary.

Alternatively, I could always spend a little more and get the XL 300, then if needs be I can use a skimmer as well as a refugium.

What are your opinions and is there upgrades I could purchase online so I can use both?

Olivia

 

[Mrod]

BRS who many trust greatly says a skimmer is not necessary but would usually advise to run if able.
The smaller the tank the easier it is to get away without one if you are good about regular water changes. How much per week would depend on your needs as you could always base that depending on how much nitrate is or is not a problem. Phosphate gfo does wonders with.

if you are doing a Refugium with chaeto or an algae turf scrubber than even easier to not have to have a skimmer on a tank your size. Main thing is withou one be careful to not over feed and try to not let detritus accumulate over time or let floss if using stay dirty by changing it every 2-4 days if getting dirty

good luck and online you will find many tanks going great without a skimmer. Also helps to know what corals as much easier with softies vs SPS as softies tend to be much more forgiving to water parameters.

 

[ilott]

BRS who many trust greatly says a skimmer is not necessary but would usually advise to run if able.
The smaller the tank the easier it is to get away without one if you are good about regular water changes. How much per week would depend on your needs as you could always base that depending on how much nitrate is or is not a problem. Phosphate gfo does wonders with.

if you are doing a Refugium with chaeto or an algae turf scrubber than even easier to not have to have a skimmer on a tank your size. Main thing is withou one be careful to not over feed and try to not let detritus accumulate over time or let floss if using stay dirty by changing it every 2-4 days if getting dirty

good luck and online you will find many tanks going great without a skimmer. Also helps to know what corals as much easier with softies vs SPS as softies tend to be much more forgiving to water parameters.

Thank you for your input, I've also read that neither is necessary right away and to let the tank cycle for a few months before adding a skimmer or refugium is this correct? Or would you recommend one over the other to start with?

 

[Nick Steele]

You’d probably be safe without the skimmer and/or refugium for at least a few months. I know with my 20G tank I didn’t register any nitrate or phosphate until around the 6 month mark or so. And I was spot feeding my corals reef roids twice a week and broadcasting reefroids twice a week also (on different days). And even still phosphate stays at .02-.04 and nitrate is a .01-1 tops

 

[Lowlandreef]

I have the Red Sea Reefer 170 which is almost the same as the Reefer XL 200. It's my first tank and I really love it. The Red Sea tanks are all great IMO, so that's a great choice! The only thing I kinda regret is that I would love to have a tang and the 170/XL 200 is too small for one. If you would wanna keep that option open you might wanna go for the reefer 250, but if that's not an issue for you I would definitely recommend the XL 200.

Regarding the skimmer & refugium there are a lot of different opinions. In my opinion you could get away without a skimmer if you run filter floss. Since I started using filter floss my skimmer isn't pulling much out of the water anymore. I still really like skimmers tho, because they are also good for aeration in the water and I feel like it helps with stability in the tank.
If you look at my build thread, I used the skimmer section in the sump for a skimmer and a refugium simply by dividing it with some egg crate. This could also be a great option if you want to do both.

Good luck on your new tank build and let me know if I can help you with something!

 

[ilott]

You’d probably be safe without the skimmer and/or refugium for at least a few months. I know with my 20G tank I didn’t register any nitrate or phosphate until around the 6 month mark or so. And I was spot feeding my corals reef roids twice a week and broadcasting reefroids twice a week also (on different days). And even still phosphate stays at .02-.04 and nitrate is a .01-1 tops

Thank you for your help, i'll leave the cycling and so on for about half a year then before implementing a refugium or skimmer, unless my parameters start to rise at which point i'll implement one or the other then.

 

[ilott]

I have the Red Sea Reefer 170 which is almost the same as the Reefer XL 200. It's my first tank and I really love it. The Red Sea tanks are all great IMO, so that's a great choice! The only thing I kinda regret is that I would love to have a tang and the 170/XL 200 is too small for one. If you would wanna keep that option open you might wanna go for the reefer 250, but if that's not an issue for you I would definitely recommend the XL 200.

Regarding the skimmer & refugium there are a lot of different opinions. In my opinion you could get away without a skimmer if you run filter floss. Since I started using filter floss my skimmer isn't pulling much out of the water anymore. I still really like skimmers tho, because they are also good for aeration in the water and I feel like it helps with stability in the tank.
If you look at my build thread, I used the skimmer section in the sump for a skimmer and a refugium simply by dividing it with some egg crate. This could also be a great option if you want to do both.

Good luck on your new tank build and let me know if I can help you with something!

Thank you so much! I also dream of keeping a tang but everywhere I look people are against them in any tank under 100 gallons which is a bit of a downer, but I'm still indecisive at the moment, I think I need to just forget the money and go for what I really want (the XL 425).

 

[Nick Steele]

I think a kole/bristletooth or timini tangs would be fine in a 75G or so tank if you’d really want a tang. Should be fine in a Redsea 350

 

[ilott]

I think a kole/bristletooth or timini tangs would be fine in a 75G or so tank if you’d really want a tang. Should be fine in a Redsea 350

More food for thought, thank you very much

 

[Jon's Reef]

When all is said and done, the cost difference in the tank is nothing compared to the total you will spend. Buy the bigger tank, use the light you have now... then upgrade the light (that's easier than upgrading the tank). Just set up the aquascape so the corals that need it are right under the light.

That being said, I added a refugium to my 200XL using a hang on. ( https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/smal...um-with-led-ligthing-system-cpr-aquatics.html )

 

[ilott]

When all is said and done, the cost difference in the tank is nothing compared to the total you will spend. Buy the bigger tank, use the light you have now... then upgrade the light (that's easier than upgrading the tank). Just set up the aquascape so the corals that need it are right under the light.

That being said, I added a refugium to my 200XL using a hang on. ( https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/smal...um-with-led-ligthing-system-cpr-aquatics.html )

Very cool! I didn't even know things like this existed! I've noticed you've got cooling fans in there, are they blowing air in or out?

 

[Jon's Reef]

Out. Air gets sucked in under the front door, then pulled out the back. Just added a spacer and then secured with large command strip velcro.

House is kept at 72, but I was noticing water temp going up to 80 (I keep it at 78)

 

[Darren in Tacoma]

One other thing to consider is your gas exchange. Running a skimmer, even only for a few hours each day, can keep your ph above 8.0 where you really want it.

 

[Reef man 89]

Thank you so much! I also dream of keeping a tang but everywhere I look people are against them in any tank under 100 gallons which is a bit of a downer, but I'm still indecisive at the moment, I think I need to just forget the money and go for what I really want (the XL 425).

I have a small yellow tang in my reefer 250. I don’t see an issue with it until the tang out grows the tank. When that happens you can just trade in at LFS for another baby one.

 

[ilott]

Out. Air gets sucked in under the front door, then pulled out the back. Just added a spacer and then secured with large command strip velcro.

House is kept at 72, but I was noticing water temp going up to 80 (I keep it at 78)

Cool, so these can lower the water temperature just by extracting the air from the cabinet?

 

[ilott]

I have a small yellow tang in my reefer 250. I don’t see an issue with it until the tang out grows the tank. When that happens you can just trade in at LFS for another baby one.

I would love a yellow tang, so I may opt for a 4ft tank as apposed to a 3ft, and hopefully providing I can keep him happy he'll be going for years to come.

 

[ilott]

One other thing to consider is your gas exchange. Running a skimmer, even only for a few hours each day, can keep your ph above 8.0 where you really want it.

Okay, so how long exactly would you run skimmers? I had one on my Fluval EVO when I first got it but it kept overflowing and it got really noisy so I removed it (obviously I set it up wrong but the instruction were not very clear)

 

[Jon's Reef]

Cool, so these can lower the water temperature just by extracting the air from the cabinet?

I keep the room at 72, tank at 78. I saw an increase in the temp fro 78-80 (In particular on humid days (WI humid.... not FL humid). When I put my hand in the cabinet I could feel it was warmer than the room so the only source of the heating was temp in the cabinet. Now it stays at a perfect temp.

 

[Jon's Reef]

Okay, so how long exactly would you run skimmers? I had one on my Fluval EVO when I first got it but it kept overflowing and it got really noisy so I removed it (obviously I set it up wrong but the instruction were not very clear)

I run mine all the time, unless I am adding something where I am supposed to turn it off. They bubble like crazy for the first few weeks, just run it lower and empty more often during that time. The stuff that is making it bubble is not supposed to be in the tank, it is doing its job. If noise is a concern, look for one with a DC motor. They are quieter and you can turn down the pump speed to make it even quieter.

 

[ilott]

I keep the room at 72, tank at 78. I saw an increase in the temp fro 78-80 (In particular on humid days (WI humid.... not FL humid). When I put my hand in the cabinet I could feel it was warmer than the room so the only source of the heating was temp in the cabinet. Now it stays at a perfect temp.

I'll get one or two of the fans just in case, we don't really get humid days here in the UK but when we do, my god! I suppose it's best to flush out any condensation in the cabinet anyway