Red Sea Reefers- should I run the drain valve fully open while on vacation?

Z Burn's Reefing · Jun 22, 2024

Hi all - looking for some advice. I think it’s pretty commonly accepted that the Red Sea reefer systems (I own a G2) need pretty frequent adjustments to the down flow valve. I can get it set right and then go a few days before needing to readjust again. The water either starts rushing down the emergency drain (most common for me) or water level will fall in the overflow.

If I don’t stay on top of the fluctuations, salinity stability is impacted. When water really starts overflowing into the emergency drain my ato pump kicks on. I have an extended vacation coming up where I won’t be able to adjust/tweak the valve every few days…should I just run the tank with the valve wide open while I am gone? This draws in some air and the system is louder, but not sure if there are other negatives to this I am not thinking through. I will have to remove some salt water if I do this as running the valve all the way open will increase water level in sump above ato sensor.

Thoughts? Not too worried about noise, just looking for piece of mind and stable salinity while I am gone.

UMALUM · Jun 22, 2024

I would just leave it open but if yours is like mine and you don't want Niagara falls of salt splash everywhere just close it and run the strait emergeny drain. I got fed up with that business after the first month and eliminated the valve all together. 1" will only allow for 4 to 5 turnover but I'm fine with that.

slingfox · Jun 22, 2024

I have a Reefer 525 G2. Other than in the first month, I rarely have to adjust the drain valve---maybe once every 3 months or more so far? I have been on a 3 week as well as 2 week vacation and the tank made it through without any notable negative consequences.

Z Burn's Reefing · Jun 22, 2024

UMALUM said:
I would just leave it open but if yours is like mine and you don't want Niagara falls of salt splash everywhere just close it and run the strait emergeny drain. I got fed up with that business after the first month and eliminated the valve all together. 1" will only allow for 4 to 5 turnover but I'm fine with that.

Hmm, I haven't thought of just running it closed while gone. You aren't nervous that emergency drain would get plugged by a snail, sponge, critter? Any salt creep running the system this way?

Z Burn's Reefing · Jun 22, 2024

slingfox said:
I have a Reefer 525 G2. Other than in the first month, I rarely have to adjust the drain valve---maybe once every 3 months or more so far? I have been on a 3 week as well as 2 week vacation and the tank made it through without any notable negative consequences.

What return pump do you run? It's weird, sometimes I can go a couple weeks and it's pretty stable, with little adjustment needed. It seems to depend on how newly cleaned my return pump is (I think). I tend to adjust the down flow value, so just a little bit of water just trickles over into the backup drain. However, after a few weeks it seems it really starts flowing much more down that drain and my salinity will drop some. Then I usually just open the valve all the way for a few minutes to flush the drain and that seems to "reset" everything I can go set the valve back to its original place and the tank functions well for another few days to a week.

Maybe I am overthinking all of it and just need to accept that the salinity will drift a little while I am out. I do worry if it drifts quite a bit, my ato kicks on and will dump quite a bit of water and then my reservoir may not make the week long trip.

slingfox · Jun 22, 2024

Z Burn's Reefing said:
What return pump do you run? It's weird, sometimes I can go a couple weeks and it's pretty stable, with little adjustment needed. It seems to depend on how newly cleaned my return pump is (I think). I tend to adjust the down flow value, so just a little bit of water just trickles over into the backup drain. However, after a few weeks it seems it really starts flowing much more down that drain and my salinity will drop some. Then I usually just open the valve all the way for a few minutes to flush the drain and that seems to "reset" everything I can go set the valve back to its original place and the tank functions well for another few days to a week.

Maybe I am overthinking all of it and just need to accept that the salinity will drift a little while I am out. I do worry if it drifts quite a bit, my ato kicks on and will dump quite a bit of water and then my reservoir may not make the week long trip.

I run the RedSea ReefRun DC 7000 for my return pump and also have a Varios 6 circulating water to my UV (also serves as backup in case the ReefRun dies). The ReefRun has been running close to 10 months now and I haven't cleaned it yet even though I should have at month 6. I also run a Reefmat, protein skimmer, refugium, UV, and ozone (only for 30-45 minutes every night) so I don't get too much algae buildup on the glass (ie, I can go 2-3 days without scraping the glass and still have good visibility). This might be in part to my Bristletooth Tang and snails helping keep the glass clean.