Finally building out my dream reef - RSR 3XL 900

[Richmond]

Oh yeah, also ordered the Mini Bubble King 180 and happily received my package last Friday. Opened the box, started install and realized they sent me the Double Cone 180 which is rated way lower (120 gal max). So I had to return that. Waiting on them to ship the correct skimmer.

 

[Jeffcb]

The rock construction is done. I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. I'm going to do a low structure in the middle (probably), for some zoas or anemones. But for now, just letting the cycle go while I figure out a bracket for lights.

I did add microbacter starter and fishless cycle ammonia 2 weeks ago. Now I'm just phantom feeding and considering the first round of fish. I have a lot of cable management to do.

The apex has been a nightmare. The salt probe won't calibrate and apex wants me to pay for them to assess the problem, on a brand new out of the box first time use probe. So I'll suck up the ~$2000 loss and go back to GHL.

Still trying to figure out a filter roller. I've seen a couple people that have managed to fit them, but none of the ways I've seen work for me. Deltec VF6000 is current #1 contender, but still weighing options and thinking it through.

Tank is looking good!

I also had a problem calibrating my apex salt probe. I did open a ticket with apex and they helped me. Finally got it to work by moving it to the refugium away from any water flow, air bubbles or conductivity from pumps and heater. I run my tank right at 35 ppm so the tech suggested just calibrating it in the tank water. I really don't trust it but it works and I guess would alarm me if there was a drastic salt drop....

 

[NatureHold]

You will drive yourself mad trying to keep all of the Apex Probes/Trident calibrated. I chased calibration numbers with it for a few months before giving up. The closest I could every get salinity was with .5PPT, PH was +/- .3, ALK always floats around +/- .3 of what my Hanna checker shows. I have no way of checking ORP, so who knows on that one... I only use the apex stuff to monitor parameter trends and control equipment.

 

[Richmond]

Tank is looking good!

I also had a problem calibrating my apex salt probe. I did open a ticket with apex and they helped me. Finally got it to work by moving it to the refugium away from any water flow, air bubbles or conductivity from pumps and heater. I run my tank right at 35 ppm so the tech suggested just calibrating it in the tank water. I really don't trust it but it works and I guess would alarm me if there was a drastic salt drop....

My salt probe just won't calibrate, at all. unplugged, plugged and dry, or plugged and wet it shows the same numbers. It's just a bad probe, and they want to charge me to ship to them to check it - rather than replacing it? Horrible.

 

[Richmond]

A bit over due update, I’m probably gonna forget stuff but here goes.

Added the skimmer. Decided on a Bubble King Mini 180. The footprint fit best and should easily handle the bioload.

Got the refugium online. Kessil fuge light.

About 2 weeks of growth.

Due to a number of considerations, changed lights. Picked up 3 Redsea ReefLED 160s. Nice lights.

Tested the water.
Alk 7.8
Calc 370
Nitrate 15 ppm
Phosphate 3 ppb

They all look happy.

Added two more circulation pumps to go with the gyre350’s that may or may not stay in the tank. The new pumps are ECM 42 pros from Panta Rhei.

I think that’s it for now.

 

[Richmond]

Oh yeah, still haven't figured out a filter roller. There's no way to fit the Royal Exclusiv that I wanted without changing sump, which is possible if I can stomach the idea of drilling a new sump to keep the split sump. Does anyone manufacture a replacement for the redsea split?

All the AWC stuff is run, but I'm not going to start doing those until we're more stocked. I placed my fish order, which I'm breaking up into 4-5 fish at a time, until fully stocked. That's on hold, as I had to order a replacement lid. The one I got didn't fit.

Oh yeah, I picked up an ATI Straton for my IM 40 that I just put back online. Everything had to be broken down to redo our floors.

This was immediately after putting it up, I cleaned up the wires lol.

 

[Richmond]

Oh, right. More stuff. I placed an order with reefcleaners that will arrive this week. There's the start of some algae in the tank and refugium. I'm going to add a few snails to the refugium to keep down the ugly algae. Hermits and snails for display. I also picked up a couple pod packs, to seed with pods. Hopefully they'll establish themselves over the next 2 months while I wait for my lid and start adding fish.

I read a thing that people are putting snails in their skimmer body to keep the inside clean. I'm... uncertain. My wife thinks it's cruel, since it's such a turbulent water. I don't think the snails will notice.

 

[Mike1970]

Nice looking good

 

[Richmond]

Another quick update. The ECM 42 pumps were purchased from Unique Corals. Their website stated:

Variable speed, Random, Pulse, Wave Mode.

After receipt and installation, I learned that in order to achieve the above, you have to purchase an additional USB device that runs around $380 and is actually out of stock. I reached out to uniquecorals who offered a 60% store credit for a used return. So the $873 pump that was advertised as controllable, isn't controllable without paying $1254 total for one single pump.

Hey, in other news they updated their website since then to say:
For Random, Pulse, and Wave Mode profiles the USB Controller is required (sold separately).

So at least other people won't suffer my same fate. But hey, what's $1746 for two pumps when I could have just bought the MP40's for $700 total.

Live and learn I reckon.