Rimless Reef 4.0

[SunnyX]

Update 10/20/2023

Well, the system has preformed beyond expectations and grown corals quicker than what I would have imagined.

You can read about the "Bacteria-Powered Reef" in the latest issue of Reef Hobbyist Magazine.

Original Post:

It feels good to be back!

Well, I’ve been back in the hobby for two years now. Over that time I had setup a small 50gl reef in my office. It was nothing special, just something to get my fingers wet again in this hobby. The tank grew in nicely from small frags and helped to get me ready for this point in the journey.

I have been in the hobby for 25 years now and took a long hiatus about eight years back. This was primarily due to illness. Since then, I have been doing well and hope to continue my journey for as long as I am fortunate to do so.

Prior to my hiatus, I along with member JimC ran a small company: Pro Corals. Some of you may have the very corals in your tank.


Updated video: 07/13/2022




Radion Mobius schedule: http://reefsite.com/radion-mobius-schedule/

Updated shot 06-04-2022

More recent Shot:

With this latest setup, I will be again be carbon dosing. Over the years have found great success doing so.
I decided on a peninsula aquarium as I like to run my setups without a background or overflow to divert attention away from the aqua scape.

The tank you see here has been setup for one week as of today.


Display Tank
Waterbox 6025
60.5"×25.3"×23.6"


Sump
47gl Waterbox sump
36.2"×20.5"×15.7"

Water Movement
Ecotech Vectra L2 Return pump
Vortech MP40QD x2
Tunze Stream 3

Lighting
Ecotech Radion G5
2 XR30 PRO
2 XR15 PRO

Skimmer
Ultrareef UKS-200

Dosing
Tropic Marin All for Reef

Substrate
CaribSea Seaflor Special Grade Reef Sand

Filtration and supplements
Carbon
Reef Crystals Salt
MicroBacter7
Tropic Marin NP-Bacto Balance
Selcon
Lugols Solution

Dosing updated 07/10/2022

Daily

• 75ML Tropic Marin All for Reef
• 3ML Tropic Marin NP-Bactobalance
• 10ML Microbacter7
• 100ML Randy Two part (ALK portion ONLY)
• Kalkwasser for all ATO water. Tunze Osmolator connected to a Tunze Kalk reactor.
• Two drops of Lugols solution.
• Clean glass
• Fish fed twice per day. 07:00 and 18:00.
• AM: Two frozen cubes: Spirulina Brime Shrimp and Mysis Shrimp. Formula One Flakes. Spectrum pellets
• PM: LRS Reef Frenzy 2”x3” sized piece

Weekly

• 25% water change with Reef Crystals Salt. Sand siphoned, tumbled and filtered.
• Blow off the rockwork with a turkey baster.
• 50ML of DIY Coral Snow (Added after water change.)
• Swap out filter socks
• Top off ATO reservoir with fresh RO/DI
• Fill Kalk reactor with Kalkwasser powder
• Inspect pumps and light fixtures. Clean as needed.

The new setup

Below you will find pictures of my setups over the years:

 

[trsmith18]

Amazing all around! The last 4 look so good I’d swear they’re fake.

Awesome tanks and excellent photography

 

[D E N I N O]

Good to see you back, your original rimless reef is one I took heavy inspiration from. One of my favourite tanks!

I look forward to seeing this one develop.

 

[blaxsun]

Great looking tanks - I love peninsulas! How do you like that skimmer?

 

[Lavey29]

Welcome back, curious about the lights on your new tank. Why is the XR30 turned front to back on the end?

 

[SunnyX]

Great looking tanks - I love peninsulas! How do you like that skimmer?

Thanks! I have only had the skimmer for a few days so I can’t give a full review.

What I can say is that it started pulling gunk the same day I installed it which is impressive. I have used and been around quite a few skimmers over the years and this one here is the most solid and well put together that I have used or seen. The skimmer is very easy to adjust, whisper quiet and can be taken completely apart for cleaning. As the weeks roll along I will let you all know how it performs. From my first impressions I am very impressed.

 

[SunnyX]

Welcome back, curious about the lights on your new tank. Why is the XR30 turned front to back on the end?

Thanks. I played around with a PAR meter to get some readings and settled on that particular orientation. You can’t really see it from the pictures or video but the rock structure under that particular light comes out a bit further than the other two islands.

 

[Lavey29]

Thanks. I played around with a PAR meter to get some readings and settled on that particular orientation. You can’t really see it from the pictures or video but the rock structure under that particular light comes out a bit further than the other two islands.

That was my guess but figured the 30 gives such good spread then why... but from your pics you obviously know what you are doing

 

[SunnyX]

Hello all!

I added seven Lyretail Anthias this weekend and also busted out the “good camera” for some more professional looking shots. I have updated the opening post and will continue to do so as new FTS photos are taken.

 

[xyzner]

Your tanks have been motivation for me since the reef central days. Without stirring a debate, how has growth been with your LEDs compared to your T5 days?

 

[SunnyX]

Your tanks have been motivation for me since the reef central days. Without stirring a debate, how has growth been with your LEDs compared to your T5 days?

Glad I could help.

Well, simple answer is that my LED's have produced similar growth and coloration when compared to the T5's that I have used in the past.

SPS have done well and colored up nicely but there are a few quirks I would like to point out in comparison to my experiences with T5 and even Metal Halide:

• While the spread is fairly even, there are still some hot spots. While they do not affect SPS too much they do bother Zoas. In some cases, the Zoas would lighten up and shrivel until moved to a shadier spot.
• Adding the diffusers made a HUGE difference. Ecotech should have included them as standard equipment. I personally would not run the Radion G5's without a diffuser. Once added, I had more even growth and less disparities with my LPS/ZOAs.
• LED's were the best choice for my specfic situation. If I didn't already have a couple G5's I would have gone with an 8x80W T5 fixture. In-wall, I would have run Metal Halide in Lumenarc III reflectors. I have found nothing that can reproduce the look of MH. LED and T5 are flat in comparison.
• Another thing to note is that there are too many variables when it comes to LED. There are templates built into the units but with the amount of options at your fingertips I believe it causes more issues than it solves.
• One of the biggest issues I have experienced and heard from fellow reefers is how to correctly set the intensity. Even after using a PAR meter you still have discrepancies and issues. Plus, reefers as a whole tend to tinker too much and these large deviations from the standard and proven templates such as AB+ create many a headache. If you stick to the templates and stray too far, you will find success with the lights. That of course is provided that you have correctly set the intensity.
• The beauty of T5 is that the guesswork has been taken out and you are getting the best results out of the box. The spectrum and intensity is factory set and done so with the purpose of growing and coloring up corals.

Again, it depends on the end user. If you like to tinker and have complete control and crazy lighting schedules then by all means jump into LED. Quite a few in this hobby are deep into the tech and in many cases more thought goes into those variables than the actual inhabitants, aquascape and overall tank. People spend many thousands of dollars on the fancy tech yet start a new setup with dry rock. It boggles the mind. But, this is my opinion. I am old school and do not even run a controller. I spot check PH and temperature daily and will test alkalinity once a week. Provided that everything is in line I leave the system alone. I do not tinker or deviate from the plan.

TLR Its a long ramble but basically if you're currently running T5 you will not find any additional benefit in using LED.

If I was starting this setup fresh I would have gone with 100% T5 and saved myself a good bit of money. Who knows, in time I may end up going that route but for now I am happy with the Radions. Besides, I wouldn't put too much stock into the lighting itself. Flow and good live rock will always take precedence, at least in this humble reefers opinion.

-Sonny

 

[rtparty]

 

[xyzner]

Glad I could help.

Well, simple answer is that my LED's have produced similar growth and coloration when compared to the T5's that I have used in the past.

SPS have done well and colored up nicely but there are a few quirks I would like to point out in comparison to my experiences with T5 and even Metal Halide:

• While the spread is fairly even, there are still some hot spots. While they do not affect SPS too much they do bother Zoas. In some cases, the Zoas would lighten up and shrivel until moved to a shadier spot.
• Adding the diffusers made a HUGE difference. Ecotech should have included them as standard equipment. I personally would not run the Radion G5's without a diffuser. Once added, I had more even growth and less disparities with my LPS/ZOAs.
• LED's were the best choice for my specfic situation. If I didn't already have a couple G5's I would have gone with an 8x80W T5 fixture. In-wall, I would have run Metal Halide in Lumenarc III reflectors. I have found nothing that can reproduce the look of MH. LED and T5 are flat in comparison.
• Another thing to note is that there are too many variables when it comes to LED. There are templates built into the units but with the amount of options at your fingertips I believe it causes more issues than it solves.
• One of the biggest issues I have experienced and heard from fellow reefers is how to correctly set the intensity. Even after using a PAR meter you still have discrepancies and issues. Plus, reefers as a whole tend to tinker too much and these large deviations from the standard and proven templates such as AB+ create many a headache. If you stick to the templates and stray too far, you will find success with the lights. That of course is provided that you have correctly set the intensity.
• The beauty of T5 is that the guesswork has been taken out and you are getting the best results out of the box. The spectrum and intensity is factory set and done so with the purpose of growing and coloring up corals.

Again, it depends on the end user. If you like to tinker and have complete control and crazy lighting schedules then by all means jump into LED. Quite a few in this hobby are deep into the tech and in many cases more thought goes into those variables than the actual inhabitants, aquascape and overall tank. People spend many thousands of dollars on the fancy tech yet start a new setup with dry rock. It boggles the mind. But, this is my opinion. I am old school and do not even run a controller. I spot check PH and temperature daily and will test alkalinity once a week. Provided that everything is in line I leave the system alone. I do not tinker or deviate from the plan.

TLR Its a long ramble but basically if you're currently running T5 you will not find any additional benefit in using LED.

If I was starting this setup fresh I would have gone with 100% T5 and saved myself a good bit of money. Who knows, in time I may end up going that route but for now I am happy with the Radions. Besides, I wouldn't put too much stock into the lighting itself. Flow and good live rock will always take precedence, at least in this humble reefers opinion.

-Sonny

Appreciate the thoughtful and detailed response!

 

[NowGlazeIT]

Wow I tip my hat to you! Some of those last pictures look like you took them straight from the ocean. We typically just throw some rocks in a clear box and call it a reef around here but yours looks like a legitimate chunk, plucked from a reef and carefully placed in your tank. Breathtaking really. Well done reefer. I strive for this level of achievement some day.

 

[SunnyX]

Couple quick updates:

-In conjunction with regular doses of All for Reef, I have started dosing KALK. To help ease along the process I have a Tunze 5074 kalk reactor on order and should have it setup this Sunday. This tank struggles with PH and I really need to keep it dialed in at or near 8.3 for optimal coral growth. My Tunze ATO will feed the Tunze Kalk reactor.

-18 additional SPS corals were added to the system, mainly acros and montis. Look for updated images this weekend.

-The Ultra Reef UKS-200 skimmer is exceeding my expectations and really doing a great job. The unit is rock solid and no matter what I do to the reef or how I interact with it the skimmer holds steady and does not have issues overflowing. The skimmate that it is producing is growing darker by the day and my tank is looking great.

-Corals are doing very well and have regained most of their colors since making the move to this larger tank. Just about all SPS are exhibiting growth tips and extending polyps beyond where they were in the previous setup. I believe that the change and increase of flow has something to do with that.

-Heard a couple loud pops coming from the tank the other night. The sounds were singular and minutes apart leading me to believe that it was a Pistol Shrimp as opposed to a mantis. I used live rock directly from the ocean(KP Aquatics) on my last build and had removed a mantis and couple of pistol shrimp. One may have evaded capture. We’ll see. This far, no harm or issues to report but I do have many inverts in the reef so no telling if any have yet fallen prey. Time will tell.

Thats it for now. I’ll have updated pictures and insight posted this weekend. Thanks for stopping by.

 

[JCM]

Glad to see you back at it, your tanks on RC were big inspiration! My rock came from KP as well and I have a couple of pistols from it. Curious why you're removing them? I've never noticed them hurting anything important.

 

[SunnyX]

Glad to see you back at it, your tanks on RC were big inspiration! My rock came from KP as well and I have a couple of pistols from it. Curious why you're removing them? I've never noticed them hurting anything important.

Thank you!

I don’t have a particular issue with pistol shrimps, but the one that I did capture had gone after a hermit crab. I have quite a few inverts and figured why risk it.

 

[MtnDewMan]

Absolutely stunning!

 

[SunnyX]

We’re three weeks in now and added a bunch of new sticks and montis.

So far, so good. The corals have settled in from the move and regaining color. Three days ago all corals started exhibiting growth tips so that is a great sign. Maintaining ph is still a struggle but that should be a thing of the past soon. I am connecting the Tunze Kalk reactor tonight and will give an update in a few days.

I also have a Zeovit reactor (thanks! @SuperSaiyanTang ) that I plan to put online this week. I’ll be running half the recommended media. I’ve been curious for the longest time about the Zeolites and am eager to try them out for myself. We’ll see what happens and I’ll be sure to report progress, or lack there of, once it’s been online for a few weeks.

Anyways, thanks for stopping by. Please enjoy this Week Three video of the tank. I shot the video with an iPhone. Currently, I am debating and think I have settled on a new camera: Nikon Z6. That should really improve my images and video.

With some luck, she’s going to grow out into a beauty!

 

[SuperSaiyanTang]

Looking great already! Happy to see the reactor get put to use. I'll be following along for sure.