RedSea Reefer 250

[Kaludar]

Hello All,

I want to document and share with you my first ever tank build. This will be a work in progress as I'm going to have to leave the tank where it's at currently in terms of completion for a few weeks as I'm going to be traveling out of the country and don't want to leave things unattended. I will be updating as I go along.

First a build list:

**RedSea Reefer 250
**Sicce Syncra Silent 3.0 Return Pump (714 GPH)
**6 Stage 75 GPD RO/DI System
**Vortech MP40 Powerhead (2)
**Cobalt Aquatics Neo-Therm 300W Heater (2)
**AI Hydra Twenty-Six HD LED (2)
**Reef Octopus Essence S-130 Skimmer
**50 LB Reefsaver Rock
**40 LB Special Grade Arag-Alive Reef Sand

-The RO system, currently installed under my bathroom sink, may move this to the garage eventually to set up a dedicated mixing station. GF isn't too keen on that idea yet so for now it stays under the sink.

-I've had my rock soaking in heated salt water for a couple weeks now. I wasn't going to do this as I bought dry rock but I have read that occasionally this type of rock can leach phosphates so I wanted to be on the safe side. Phosphates have held stable at .06 PPM.

-The assembled tank. Please excuse the reflection, I woke up early morning to assemble, I do have shorts on, haha.

-Lighting installed.

-The Sump, plumbed, and protein skimmer installed. Still quite a bit of work to do in here, planning on adding a GFO/Charcoal reactor and I want to have my electronics nicely mounted and cables routed neatly.

-A few goodies I still have to install, two MP40s, heater and return pump.

 

[Kaludar]

My current shopping list:

**BRS GFO/Carbon Reactor
**Marinepure Plate Ceramic Biomedia
**All livestock

Tank will be at a standstill for a few weeks, I'll be traveling internationally and I want to be home to monitor my cycle daily. Once I get back I'll finish installing and routing electronics and start getting stuff wet. I'm going to let my rock cure for two more weeks while I'm gone even though phosphate levels seem to have peaked, I figure it can't hurt.

 

[dbl]

Looking forward to watching this one come together. The reefer tanks are very nice looking.

 

[Dub_G]

Looks good. Following along. I've got the Red Sea Max E-260. Safe travels!

 

[Flameback Pair]

@Kaludar Off to a great start !!! I have a RSR 250 too. From what I've seen on those skimmers you will love it.

 

[Kaludar]

Hey again, back from vacation and did some work on the tank.

Rock soaked for approximately 2 weeks in heated salt water, phosphates never rose above .06. Laid them out on the back patio and rinsed with RODI one last time.

Marked tank off into thirds for aquascaping, this might have been a bit OCD in hindsight but whatever.

Final aquascape...glued rock into place with paleobond and allowed to set for a few hours.

Sand in..

Water added..wiring below is a mess, that comes next..

Wiring improved, not 100% happy with it, but it looks much better.

Added a bottle of Dr. Tims and some ammonia to feed bacteria, now I wait on the cycle.

Curious if it's necessary to run my lights while im cycling, or should I have them off? More updates to come.

 

[SuncrestReef]

Curious if it's necessary to run my lights while im cycling, or should I have them off? More updates to come.

OK, I just found your build thread after you posted on mine. Nice work so far!

As for your question on the lights during cycling, I'd highly recommend leaving them off. The lights will invite algae growth, and you'll want to have a cleanup crew in place to tackle the algae once it starts, so best to wait until the tank is cycled so the CUC can survive. After my tank cycled, I had algae growth within 24 hours of turning on the lights for the first time. It grows like crazy on new rocks!

 

[DelRayTank]

I’m also in the early stages of a Reefer 250 build. Looking forward to seeing your tank evolve!

 

[Dub_G]

Yep - keep the lights off during cycle.

Otherwise - everything else is looking good!

 

[btmedic04]

Very nice build so far! Do you feel that 40lbs of special grade sand is enough for a shrimp goby and pistol shrimp in this tank? I ask because I plan to upgrade to a reefer 250 and I have an orange spotted goby with a tiger pistol shrimp already paired up in my nuvo 20. Also how is your return pump working out? Is it easy to tune the valve with that pump or does it require a lot of tweaking to silence the drain? Thanks!

 

[Kaludar]

Very nice build so far! Do you feel that 40lbs of special grade sand is enough for a shrimp goby and pistol shrimp in this tank? I ask because I plan to upgrade to a reefer 250 and I have an orange spotted goby with a tiger pistol shrimp already paired up in my nuvo 20. Also how is your return pump working out? Is it easy to tune the valve with that pump or does it require a lot of tweaking to silence the drain? Thanks!

40 LBs of special grade has given me around a 2inch deep sand bed, I think 60 lbs would have been better and i may still add another bag myself. As far as the return pump it took me about 10 minutes to get it tuned right. The pump itself is very quiet, I did have to fiddle with the output knob on the front of the pump a bit to get it to quiet down. The overflow drain has a tuning knob as well, that took me longer to dial in but probably no longer than 45 mins, I realized you have to make small adjustments and give at least 10 minutes for the flow to even out before you try to adjust it again or you will just be going in circles. Over all it wasn't a big deal.

 

[btmedic04]

40 LBs of special grade has given me around a 2inch deep sand bed, I think 60 lbs would have been better and i may still add another bag myself. As far as the return pump it took me about 10 minutes to get it tuned right. The pump itself is very quiet, I did have to fiddle with the output knob on the front of the pump a bit to get it to quiet down. The overflow drain has a tuning knob as well, that took me longer to dial in but probably no longer than 45 mins, I realized you have to make small adjustments and give at least 10 minutes for the flow to even out before you try to adjust it again or you will just be going in circles. Over all it wasn't a big deal.

awesome! thank you for your insight!

 

[Kaludar]

Just thought I would post an update. Tank is still cycling, ammonia came down to zero yesterday and I re-dosed. Nitrites have yet to hit zero, the wait is killing me. I've been thinking about what fish I'm going to add first. I think I'm going to start with a royal gramma, and then a couple clown fish. Anyone have any other suggestions for a tank my size fish wise (ones that aren't super hard to keep)...

I love the way Mandarins look as well, but I haven't researched enough about what goes into keeping pods for him to feed on yet.

 

[Dub_G]

Your tank won't be ready for awhile to have a mandarin.

A couple of great fish that we enjoy are midas blenny and diamond goby. The diamond goby can make a mess of your tank but he'll keep your sand bed clean.

 

[ranchhand02]

Nice tank. I have been kicking around upgrading to a reefer 250 in the future.

 

[Kaludar]

Hi all, quick update. My nitrites are finally starting to come down. I dropped from 5ppm to 1ppm over the last two days. I'm tenatively hoping the end of my cycle is in sight, I'm still dosing ammonia up to 2ppm every time I hit zero.

Nitrates are pretty high from the cycle, I'm hoping the cycle is done by the end of the week and I can do a water change and put my first fish in! Getting pretty excited, this cycle process has felt like it's taken forever. I'm thinking I'm probably going to get a Royal Gramma for my first fish, and maybe pick up a Hammer coral. I'm planning on stocking slowly. Should I start with fish only after my cycle completes or do you guys think I'd be okay to drop a more hardy coral in there as well?

 

[Kaludar]

Nitrites and Ammonia are now falling to zero within 24 hours of being dosed. Going to do a big water change to bring down my nitrates then, I think my tank might actually be ready for some livestock! Any suggestions for a first fish? I was thinking a Royal Gramma to start, and maybe a Hammer Coral.

As a side note, its now Friday evening and I won't be picking up any fish/corals until Sunday. Should I dose Ammonia one last time or will my tank be fine without any ammonia source for a couple days?

 

[melanotaenia]

I would stop dosing ammonia, there is no longer any need, provided the bacteria have built up to the point where ammonia and nitrite read zero.

I would suggest a pair of clownfish or as others mentioned, perhaps a blenny or a goby. Royal gramma can be mean little fish, and putting him in first will allow him to establish as the first in the tank, increasing the chance of aggression towards future additions.

 

[Kaludar]

Update time, I got my first fish! Two clownfish from my LFS and a neon hammer.

 

[Flameback Pair]

Awesome!!! Are the clowns eating yet?