Rudzbrewski's Journey to the Reef-er xl425 (V3 sump, Clarisea, plumbing w/ manifold)

[SebastianM]

The last 7-10 days have been discouraging and a major setback. Just over a week after adding the two clowns I noticed the Davinci clown was having some white stringy poop. After research and consulting the LFS we decided to change their diet from frozen mysis, since this ban be a benign cause and it was behaving regularly. Two days later I went to bed and both were normal only to wake up to the Davinci having vanished. All water parameters were checked as I was monitoring every 3 days since addition of fish and were normal. Checked out of the tank, filters, everywhere imaginable with no signs. Assumed the emerald crab either killed it or found it dead (would it really go downhill in <8 hours that fast) and dragged it deep into the rock.

Started testing water and 2-3 days later saw some ammonia building. Other clown was still acting as it had since I added them with no signs or symptoms of issues. Then it happened again! Went to bed clown acting fine, less than 8 hours later GONE! Once again searched everywhere and even took out the rock to look into nooks and crannies with a flashlight with no luck. 2-3 days later tested water again and ammonia is still on the rise. Pretty sure the crab is pulling them into the rockwork deep because he disappears for days (during day and night) after they disappear. Unfortunately, I don't know if he is killing or scavenging. Either way, the decision was made that he will be removed to eliminate one variable moving forward.

Unfortunately, I have not been able to find where the remains are to remove them to prevent ammonia build up. I am going to try again to remove and thoroughly search the rock a third time. Otherwise, I am forced to wait weeks while the bodies decompose and ammonia returns to zero. Then I will be able to try again adding some inhabitants and eventually corals.

Tough break going from 2 days away from adding the first corals to being set back past zero. The most frustrating part is not knowing what the cause was, if it was bad luck, keeper error, or rogue crab. Not overly convinced it was disease as they were acting relatively normal for clowns, eating, and no visual issues besides some minor fin damage that I would chalk up to regular "clowning around".

Hopefully better things are to come.

Look into a nassarius snail, they are awesome bottom dwelling scavengers with a keen smell to death. If it’s dead, they’ll find it and eat it. You do have a lid on your tank? Just to rule out any possibilities of them Evel Knieveling out of your tank to be eaten by a dog or cat... don’t feel bad. I lost my first clown I had, water parameters were fine. I noticed stringy poop and then a few days later he started to lose color and get weak. I’d imagine your tank is still safe for corals

 

[Rudzbrewski]

Look into a nassarius snail, they are awesome bottom dwelling scavengers with a keen smell to death. If it’s dead, they’ll find it and eat it. You do have a lid on your tank? Just to rule out any possibilities of them Evel Knieveling out of your tank to be eaten by a dog or cat... don’t feel bad. I lost my first clown I had, water parameters were fine. I noticed stringy poop and then a few days later he started to lose color and get weak. I’d imagine your tank is still safe for corals

I do have a lid, but there is a small 1-1.5” gap in the back. I checked really thorough to ensure that was ruled out. Would not have been eaten by the dog due to where the tank is and both times she was asleep in our room door closed all night. I am going to test my water again tomorrow to see where my ammonia levels are at and let that direct my next move. Either pull the rock out and thoroughly inspect it a third time, keep waiting because it’s improving, or best case is things are returning back to normal and it’s time for a LFS trip (highly unlikely). The hardest part is not knowing what happened to prevent future mistakes if it was preventable. Maybe it is as simple as removing a rogue emerald crab. We shall see.

 

[Rudzbrewski]

After unsuccessfully locating the missing clowns I was forced to wait weeks for the bacteria in the tank to process the presumably decaying fish and return baseline. If we look at the bright side it was an opportunity for the tank to develop a well established bacteria population that should be able to process waste going forward. I did no water changes and very little maintenance during this period since the source of the nutrients could not be located and this would have been a waste or time and resources.

I extensively discussed my experience with my go to LFS that reopened during this time and it was decided that the emerald crab would get to stay as it was highly unlikely it would have been able to single handedly kill and stash the two clowns if they were healthy. We came up with a few more likely hypothesis that mostly related to filter setup and disease. Young, small clowns also have a low survival rate at distributors, LFS, and personal tanks alike I learned. I also may have discovered that there is a small plastic piece that houses the impeller where things can potentially get lodged under without stopping the intake. Regardless, we learn from the past and move forward.

Once my nutrient levels were back at zero for 3-5 days and the tank was cleaned plus a solid water change I was ready to move ahead. On 5/27/2020, I added 4 astrea snails, 2 clowns that were slightly larger than before (one snowflake and one misbar), and 2 cheap ~$10 zoa frags (forgot their names). I dipped the frags using Revive, drip acclimated the fish in a bucket, and added them to the tank to join the emerald crab.

It is about a week after introduction and the clowns are constantly swimming together and eating well (alternating frozen mysis and brine/spirulina). There are no signs that the crab has been bothering them. Astrea snails are enjoying all of the algae and going all over the place. The two zoa frags opened in less than 24 hours and seem to be happy? My plan is to add 4-5 different zoa frags to the flat base of the rock and create a zoa garden. One interesting thing I've noticed is that the left frag stays open for ~7 hours before closing up for the rest of the day/night, while the right one stays open almost all of the time. I've also discovered a couple of bristle worms and what I am assuming are various pods coming out to play at night.

Hopefully we are on a positive trajectory and can keep moving in the right direction now. Even after one trip I can see how addicting buying coral frags can be! And that was only shopping at the bargain table! One final note is that I have been doing a large amount of research regarding my plans for the larger DT and hope to get some rock to start curing in the next month or two. Wish me luck moving forward!

 

[Rudzbrewski]

July 2020 Update: 10 Gallon Starter Tank
Things have been on a better trajectory since the initial frustrating start. The two clowns have been getting along, the crab has not displayed any noticeable negative behavior, and I have added some more corals. Maintenance includes weekly 10% water changes and every 2 weeks or so cleaning a different piece of equipment. I missed a water change by a few days due to my work schedule and now have noticed a small increase in water parameters. I also was feeding slightly more than I probably should have at that time. Temp and salinity are still holding stable. Ammonia still appears to be reading 0, nitrites have increased from 0 to around 0.2, and nitrates in the 5-10 range from 0. I've completed 2x 25% water changes within the last week to hopefully assist the bacteria in getting my parameters back where they were and get me back onto my regular weekly water changes.

Current stock list:
2x O. clowns
1x Emerald crab
4x Astrea snails
4x Zoas (Utter Chaos, God of War, don't remember the names of the initial 2) - all doing well and growing new heads even after getting super glue on a large portion of the yellow and green ones when a tube broke. The dull orange ones do tend to stay closed more than the other frags.
1x Blasto - still trying to dial in the right location for flow and light to get it completely happy. Seems to really show when it is happy or not and I am hopefully getting close to the right spot just under the arch area with a shield from too much flow.
1x Frogspawn - seems happy and is regularly fully open and moving
1x Montipora digitata - initially had it under too much light and was constantly closed and potentially starting bleaching. Moved it down and off to the side to reduce the amount of light and seems to be doing better. Still isn't fully opening its polyps, so will continue to try to get this guy happy before finding him a final spot.
1x Lepto Jack-O-Lantern - looks to be happy and has super cool coloration and pattern.

More to come on the developments towards my goal display tank!

 

[Rudzbrewski]

Start of my Red Sea Reefer xl425 Build!​

Welcome to the start of the Reefer xl425 portion of my journey to having a reef tank. If you followed from the beginning, my plan was always to start slow and take small steps that would eventually get me to my goal display tank of a Red Sea Reefer. The location my fiance and I identified is 4 feet wide, so I took the traditional advice and decided to go as big as possible. With COVID-19 altering a majority of our plans for the year (including potentially our wedding), I decided now was as good a time as any to go for it. Red Sea Reefer xl425s have been tough to come by, so my awesome LFS (A Reef Creation) kept an eye out for weeks to order one in. This week the tank finally arrived! I will skip all of the unboxing and assembly of the stand since that part is standard.

Huge shout out to @Eight @SuncrestReef @Dal-Reef @Butuz @Broadfield and the many other members of R2R who have done an amazing job documenting their builds that have heavily inspired my plan along with many of the @Bulk Reef Supply videos and guides.

Build Guidelines​

1) QUIET! and clean looking since it will be a focal point in the main living area

2) Equipment must fit in the stand (including ATO and electronics). No additional space by tank for another stand.

3) Easy and low maintenance. Do it right from the start.

4) Minimal babysitting needed if out of town (intend to create a cliff notes operation guide if care needed while away).

5) Convert stock to standard 1" plumbing for better adaptability, but save original plumbing if needed to revert back to it.

6) All plumbing over sump incase of leaks.

7) Orange, grey, and white color scheme.

8) Organized electronics in right cabinet with cable management and easy access.

Equipment List​

Tank
-Red Sea Reefer xl425 w/ V3 sump (white)
-Sump will have custom plumbing (orange and grey theme) with a refugium, manifold, and algae roller
-Leaning towards Triton method or Red Sea System vs Zeovit as I am not in love with the idea of a Zeovit reactor for various reasons. More to come as we progress and I continue discussions with my LFS.

Flow
-Red Sea Reefwave 25 (x2)
-Ecotech Vectra M2 (w/ "filter" piece on intake)
-Ecotech Vectra M2 barb/filter adapter accessories

Filtration
-Red Sea RSK600 skimmer
-Clarisea SK3000
-Aquamaxx fluidized carbon & GFO reactors (x2) Aquamaxx XS fluidized carbon & GFO reactors (x2)

Lighting
-AI Hydra 32 (x2)
-AI HMS single arm mount (x2)
-Tunze Ecochic or IM Chaetomax refugium light
-Cabinet lighting

Heater
-Finnex TH-S 300 (x2) - located in sump and controlled by Apex

Controller
-Neptune Apex
-Neptune DOS (x1-2)
-Neptune FMM (fluid monitoring module)
-Neptune 1" flow sensor
-Neptune leak detection probes (x1-2)
-DJ style power strip

Water Management
-Tunze Osmolator 3155 ATO (reservoir located in cabinet)
-Mixing station (previously set up)
-Automatic water changes via DOS

Quarantine
-Convert 10 gallon tank to QT tank as originally planned

Power-Backup
-Battery backup- Vortech battery backup for Vectra M2
-Vortech booster cable for battery backup
-Manual start gas generator if needed

Preliminary Steps​

1) Move freshwater 38 gallon tank: The tank that allowed my to verify my interest in the hobby will need to be relocated from its current position to another room.

2) Electrical work: I am going to have an electrician change over the outlet the Reefer will utilize to a GFCI outlet on its own dedicated circuit. This circuit will also be added to the emergency breaker box setup I plan to have installed when I finish my basement that can be powered by a manual gas generator incase of a power outage.

3) Reinforce floor joists: Due to the estimated weight of the Reefer xl425 when full, I confirmed with some friends in the construction business that it would be a good idea to add joist supports in the basement under the tank. I will utilize temporary supports for now and potentially have the area permanently reinforced when the basement is finished.

4) Move the Reefer xl425: Finally, the Reefer will be placed in its final location

As I am completing the preliminary steps I will also be working on my aquascape, compiling the pieces for plumbing a custom sump with manifold, and acquiring equipment. I will do my best to document each step of the process along the way with plenty of pictures.

Packaged Reefer xl425 Display Tank:

38 Gallon freshwater tank and area where Reefer will be placed:

Dry Rock unpacked and prior to manipulation:

 

[Dal-Reef]

Start of my Red Sea Reefer xl425 Build!​

Welcome to the start of the Reefer xl425 portion of my journey to having a reef tank. If you followed from the beginning, my plan was always to start slow and take small steps that would eventually get me to my goal display tank of a Red Sea Reefer. The location my fiance and I identified is 4 feet wide, so I took the traditional advice and decided to go as big as possible. With COVID-19 altering a majority of our plans for the year (including potentially our wedding), I decided now was as good a time as any to go for it. Red Sea Reefer xl425s have been tough to come by, so my awesome LFS (A Reef Creation) kept an eye out for weeks to order one in. This week the tank finally arrived! I will skip all of the unboxing and assembly of the stand since that part is standard.

Huge shout out to @Eight @SuncrestReef @Dal-Reef @Butuz @Broadfield and the many other members of R2R who have done an amazing job documenting their builds that have heavily inspired my plan along with many of the @Bulk Reef Supply videos and guides.

Build Guidelines​

1) QUIET! and clean looking since it will be a focal point in the main living area

2) Equipment must fit in the stand (including ATO and electronics). No additional space by tank for another stand.

3) Easy and low maintenance. Do it right from the start.

4) Minimal babysitting needed if out of town (intend to create a cliff notes operation guide if care needed while away).

5) Convert stock to standard 1" plumbing for better adaptability, but save original plumbing if needed to revert back to it.

6) All plumbing over sump incase of leaks.

7) Orange, grey, and white color scheme.

8) Organized electronics in right cabinet with cable management and easy access.

Equipment List​

Tank
-Red Sea Reefer xl425 w/ V3 sump (white)
-Sump will have custom plumbing (orange and grey theme) with a refugium, manifold, and algae roller
-Leaning towards Triton method or Red Sea System vs Zeovit as I am not in love with the idea of a Zeovit reactor for various reasons. More to come as we progress and I continue discussions with my LFS.

Flow
-Red Sea Reefwave 25 (x2)
-Ecotech Vectra M2 (w/ "filter" piece on intake)

Filtration
-Red Sea RSK600 skimmer
-Clarisea SK3000
-Aquamaxx fluidized carbon & GFO reactors (x2)

Lighting
-AI Hydra 32 (x2)
-AI HMS single arm mount (x2)
-Tunze Ecochic or IM Chaetomax refugium light
-Cabinet lighting

Heater
-Finnex TH-S 300 (x2) - located in sump and controlled by Apex

Controller
-Neptune Apex
-Neptune DOS (x1-2)
-Neptune FMM (fluid monitoring module)
-Neptune 1" flow sensor
-Neptune leak detection probes (x1-2)
-DJ style power strip

Water Management
-Tunze Osmolator 3155 ATO (reservoir located in cabinet)
-Mixing station (previously set up)
-Automatic water changes via DOS

Quarantine
-Convert 10 gallon tank to QT tank as originally planned

Power-Backup
-Battery backup
-Manual start gas generator if needed

Preliminary Steps​

1) Move freshwater 38 gallon tank: The tank that allowed my to verify my interest in the hobby will need to be relocated from its current position to another room.

2) Electrical work: I am going to have an electrician change over the outlet the Reefer will utilize to a GFCI outlet on its own dedicated circuit. This circuit will also be added to the emergency breaker box setup I plan to have installed when I finish my basement that can be powered by a manual gas generator incase of a power outage.

3) Reinforce floor joists: Due to the estimated weight of the Reefer xl425 when full, I confirmed with some friends in the construction business that it would be a good idea to add joist supports in the basement under the tank. I will utilize temporary supports for now and potentially have the area permanently reinforced when the basement is finished.

4) Move the Reefer xl425: Finally, the Reefer will be placed in its final location

As I am completing the preliminary steps I will also be working on my aquascape, compiling the pieces for plumbing a custom sump with manifold, and acquiring equipment. I will do my best to document each step of the process along the way with plenty of pictures.

Packaged Reefer xl425 Display Tank:

38 Gallon freshwater tank and area where Reefer will be placed:

Dry Rock unpacked and prior to manipulation:

Thanks for the shout man.. All of the posting really is not wasted. This was my whole point to document my journey maybe help or inspiring someone along the way.. You made amazing progress and have a sweet tank. I will continue to follow you along the journey. You got me motivated to get some post out there on my build. Been doing a lot of stuff lately..

 

[Butuz]

Start of my Red Sea Reefer xl425 Build!​

Welcome to the start of the Reefer xl425 portion of my journey to having a reef tank. If you followed from the beginning, my plan was always to start slow and take small steps that would eventually get me to my goal display tank of a Red Sea Reefer. The location my fiance and I identified is 4 feet wide, so I took the traditional advice and decided to go as big as possible. With COVID-19 altering a majority of our plans for the year (including potentially our wedding), I decided now was as good a time as any to go for it. Red Sea Reefer xl425s have been tough to come by, so my awesome LFS (A Reef Creation) kept an eye out for weeks to order one in. This week the tank finally arrived! I will skip all of the unboxing and assembly of the stand since that part is standard.

Huge shout out to @Eight @SuncrestReef @Dal-Reef @Butuz @Broadfield and the many other members of R2R who have done an amazing job documenting their builds that have heavily inspired my plan along with many of the @Bulk Reef Supply videos and guides.

Build Guidelines​

1) QUIET! and clean looking since it will be a focal point in the main living area

2) Equipment must fit in the stand (including ATO and electronics). No additional space by tank for another stand.

3) Easy and low maintenance. Do it right from the start.

4) Minimal babysitting needed if out of town (intend to create a cliff notes operation guide if care needed while away).

5) Convert stock to standard 1" plumbing for better adaptability, but save original plumbing if needed to revert back to it.

6) All plumbing over sump incase of leaks.

7) Orange, grey, and white color scheme.

8) Organized electronics in right cabinet with cable management and easy access.

Equipment List​

Tank
-Red Sea Reefer xl425 w/ V3 sump (white)
-Sump will have custom plumbing (orange and grey theme) with a refugium, manifold, and algae roller
-Leaning towards Triton method or Red Sea System vs Zeovit as I am not in love with the idea of a Zeovit reactor for various reasons. More to come as we progress and I continue discussions with my LFS.

Flow
-Red Sea Reefwave 25 (x2)
-Ecotech Vectra M2 (w/ "filter" piece on intake)

Filtration
-Red Sea RSK600 skimmer
-Clarisea SK3000
-Aquamaxx fluidized carbon & GFO reactors (x2)

Lighting
-AI Hydra 32 (x2)
-AI HMS single arm mount (x2)
-Tunze Ecochic or IM Chaetomax refugium light
-Cabinet lighting

Heater
-Finnex TH-S 300 (x2) - located in sump and controlled by Apex

Controller
-Neptune Apex
-Neptune DOS (x1-2)
-Neptune FMM (fluid monitoring module)
-Neptune 1" flow sensor
-Neptune leak detection probes (x1-2)
-DJ style power strip

Water Management
-Tunze Osmolator 3155 ATO (reservoir located in cabinet)
-Mixing station (previously set up)
-Automatic water changes via DOS

Quarantine
-Convert 10 gallon tank to QT tank as originally planned

Power-Backup
-Battery backup
-Manual start gas generator if needed

Preliminary Steps​

1) Move freshwater 38 gallon tank: The tank that allowed my to verify my interest in the hobby will need to be relocated from its current position to another room.

2) Electrical work: I am going to have an electrician change over the outlet the Reefer will utilize to a GFCI outlet on its own dedicated circuit. This circuit will also be added to the emergency breaker box setup I plan to have installed when I finish my basement that can be powered by a manual gas generator incase of a power outage.

3) Reinforce floor joists: Due to the estimated weight of the Reefer xl425 when full, I confirmed with some friends in the construction business that it would be a good idea to add joist supports in the basement under the tank. I will utilize temporary supports for now and potentially have the area permanently reinforced when the basement is finished.

4) Move the Reefer xl425: Finally, the Reefer will be placed in its final location

As I am completing the preliminary steps I will also be working on my aquascape, compiling the pieces for plumbing a custom sump with manifold, and acquiring equipment. I will do my best to document each step of the process along the way with plenty of pictures.

Packaged Reefer xl425 Display Tank:

38 Gallon freshwater tank and area where Reefer will be placed:

Dry Rock unpacked and prior to manipulation:

thanks for the shotout best of luck with the build! Will be your journey And do feel free to reach out with any questions etc.

 

[Rudzbrewski]

Thanks for the shout man.. All of the posting really is not wasted. This was my whole point to document my journey maybe help or inspiring someone along the way.. You made amazing progress and have a sweet tank. I will continue to follow you along the journey. You got me motivated to get some post out there on my build. Been doing a lot of stuff lately..

Please do keep documenting your progress because I’ve learned and taken so many ideas from people who have been keeping amazing reefs like yours. Love following along.

 

[Rudzbrewski]

thanks for the shotout best of luck with the build! Will be your journey And do feel free to reach out with any questions etc.

Of course! I’ve learned and taken so many ideas from your setup. I guess my first question would be are you happy you painted the outside of your sump with plastidip? That will probably be one of my first projects. I think it makes it look really polished with the color scheme, brightens up the under cabinet, and painting the bottom white will help see detritus. It’s a mix of looks cool and has some benefit.

 

[Butuz]

Of course! I’ve learned and taken so many ideas from your setup. I guess my first question would be are you happy you painted the outside of your sump with plastidip? That will probably be one of my first projects. I think it makes it look really polished with the color scheme, brightens up the under cabinet, and painting the bottom white will help see detritus. It’s a mix of looks cool and has some benefit.

yep, very happy with it! Just be sure to not move or touch it too much at least for a day after you have painted. Even though rustoleum says its done in a few hours, taking longer (esp if you are in a humid climate) will ensure it does not peel off (easily done). Otherwise, all great, stands out. Also, when done painting, remove the blue tape right away before it starts to dry (or use a razor for cleaner cut), or it will stretch and pull the rest. Good luck!

 

[Rudzbrewski]

I was able to knock out pretty much all of the Preliminary Steps over the last few days.

1) Move freshwater tank
2) Install GFCI outlet on own 20 amp circuit
3) Reinforce floor joists
4) Move Reefer xl425 into place (just need to put tank onto stand)

I have also been receiving the plumbing parts I ordered (3x Part #42221, orange fittings, etc).

My next steps are to work on creating my rock work and acquire the hardware for the sump in order to figure out my plumbing plan. This will be the Clarisea, RSK600 skimmer, Aquamaxx XS media reactors, and return pump to start.

Pictures:
Reinforced floor joists: the supports are positioned as close to the corner of the tank above it as possible. The other end of the tank happens to rest directly over a metal I-beam

 

[Rudzbrewski]

Here are a couple pictures from painting the outside of the sump to go with the color scheme and inventorying the plumbing pieces that have arrived. Just need the 1/2” ball valves to come in stock (been a tough item to track down), pick up a few #14 o rings, and get some o ring grease.

 

[Rudzbrewski]

Initial List of Plumbing Supplies
​

This is the complete list of pieces I purchased (with links) to start the custom plumbing for the build. I will document each modification and step in detail as I progress with a list of final pieces used. I purposefully bought a few spares of most pieces incase there are any mistakes when cementing the final plumbing.


1x PVC cutter

1x Oatley clear PVC primer

1x Oatley clear PVC cement

1x Pink teflon sealing tape

1x Silicone grease tube (for O-rings)

3x Red Sea Part #42221

4x 3/4" threaded male to 1" slip adapter

3x 1" orange PVC pipe (46")

1x 1/2" orange PVC pipe (46")

1x 1" silicone tubing (12")

1x #14 o-rings (10 pack)

1x 1" back-check valve (slip/slip)

1x 1" Spears gate valve (slip/slip)

3x 1/2" Cepex ball valves

4x 1" slip to barb fitting

6x 1" unions (slip/slip)

1x 1" orange corner T

10x 1" orange 90 degree elbows

4x 1" orange 45 degree elbows

3x 1" orange T

6x 1/2" orange 90 degree elbows

5x 1/2" threaded male to 1/2" slip adapter

4x 1" to 1/2" reducer bushings

 

[Rudzbrewski]

I really took some time last week to play around with the rock that I received to come up with a plan for the aquascape. I periodically have been saving pictures of scapes I liked over time to draw inspiration from as I worked with the rocks I received.

l tried to keep the following concepts in mind, but to some extent the rock you have determines what you can do.

1. Maximize coral placement area
2. Leave space around perimeter to allow for cleaning and maintenance
3. Allow for water circulation and open space for fish to swim
4. Create areas for stressed fish to hide that are still visible
5. Consider the rule of thirds and golden ratio concepts
6. Avoid going any higher than 2/3 the height of the tank, but 1/2 ideal to allow for vertical coral growth
7. Create a variety of levels, shaded, and varied flow area to accommodate a mixed reef
8. Try to integrate regular and shelf rock into a somewhat natural looking scape
9. Think future forward design, not make the bare rocks look good
10. Allow room on the sand-bed for LPS corals

With these concepts in mind here is a rough template of what I will be trying to recreate once I receive my acrylic rods and E-Marco cement. I plan on using rubble and rock dust to cover up the connection points that get cemented together. I will try and post pictures of the process as I create the final scape. Two notes are that I intend to extend the sides of the major structure out at more of an angle for more coral placement area, but without any adhesive it wouldn’t stay. Second, the rocks under the overhang to the bottom right are just for staging purposes and will not be there in the final design.

 

[Rudzbrewski]

Few more “draft shots” for reference

 

[Rudzbrewski]

I have been acquiring various supplies to get the next phase of the build going. I recently picked up the Red Sea RSK 600 skimmer and Ecotech Vectra M2. I am currently waiting on a shipment of Clarisea SK3000s to be delivered to the LFS to really work on my plumbing design.

I also picked up some supplies to start creating the final aquascape:

• E Marco 400 mortar
• BRS Extra thick glue
• 1/4" clear acrylic rods

A few other pieces I picked up are:

• Vectra M2 screen and barb kit
• Color changing LED lights for under the cabinet

Once the Clarisea comes in at the LFS I will move forward with installing it to the sump and creating my plumbing design. More to come soon on how the aquascape gets built, installing the Clarisea, and the plumbing dry fit!

 

[Rudzbrewski]

Filter Sock Holder Modification for Clarisea SK3000​

Received the news that the Clarisea SK3000s were in at the LFS yesterday, so I went over and picked mine up. That means tonight I spent a portion of my evening modifying the sump to remove the filter sock holders in order to fit the Clarisea in.

I started by removing the sump from the stand and laying it on a good surface to work on. I used a utility knife (box cutter), Exacto knife, and bare razor blade to get the job done. I wanted to avoid breaking any of the components so that they could theoretically be replaced if ever needed, but more importantly avoid dealing with broken glass. I removed the plastic filter sock holder, middle glass piece, 1 of 2 small bottom glass pieces that divide the refugium, and back glass piece of the filter sock holder support. I left the other small bottom glass piece and both side glass supports.

It is important to note that this modification results in the front refugium divider holders to be unusable because one of the holders that the divider slides in has to be removed since it is attached to the filter sock holder middle support.

I found the Exacto knife perfect for this project for a majority of the sections. I first cut along the edges to remove and excess silicone. Then, I slid the blade between the section I was working on and was able to slide it down the entire side.

It was easy to maneuver between the plastic filter sock holder and glass dividers and slide right along it cut the silicone. The only section of the plastic sock holder that was tricky was along the front of the sump because the glass supports on the sides interfered with sliding the blade between the filter sock holder and silicone.

The other sections that I had trouble with were the areas that the glass dividers connected to the bottom and outside, front glass. They were almost "glass on glass" compared to having a layer of silicone to slide the blade through. This just took patience, persistence, and trial/error to get them removed without damage.

Overall, the sections did come out in tact with minimum damage. I also did not see any concerning damage to the remaining sump pieces. I was also able to use the razor blade to scrape off any remaining residual residue to make it look pretty clean and not a DIY gone wrong. I did leave 1 of the two small bottom pieces that divide the refugium along the bottom. I had to take one out to remove the middle glass piece. Once I was finished I was able to use a damp paper towel and vacuum to take care of the remaining mess and remnants.

The one concern I do have is if the silicone where the two bottom corners of the dividers were attached to the outter panels of the sump are compromised. I was very careful limit and delicately slice in those areas, but there is a little gap from the glass in each area. I am going to consult my LFS and see if they think it would be wise to add dabs of aquarium grade silicone to reinforce these two spots before adding water.

Overall, I am very happy with how it turned out. If any questions come up about my experience with this portion of the build, or if I left out any details let me know.

 

[Rudzbrewski]

I just finished my first rough plumbing attempt for my Reefer xl 425 v3 sump. Looking for feedback in ways to improve my plan. Any and all constructive feedback is appreciated.

A few notes from what is shown:
-The manifold will be elevated to top of the cabinet and leave about 3-4 inches above
-The Clarisea and Vectra pump will be connected from the last orange elbow down via silicone tubing to reduce vibration transfer
-2 media reactors will be plumbed with ball valves to the right of the manifold between the skimmer and Clarisea in the picture
-3rd manifold port is for future flexibility with no current plans
-Emergency drain empties into chamber with Clarisea, but not plumbed to Clarisea
-2 media reactors plan to drain into chamber with the return pump

 

[Rudzbrewski]

The last few days I have been working on the custom plumbing. I have been taking the build process slow since I promised myself not to work on the tank while the weather is nice here in Buffalo. Here is the plumbing progress so far. Next step is the manifold.

I have also been slowing building out the rock structure. I am doing it a few pieces at a time to allow the super glue to set and insert acrylic rods for added stability. I will update the aquascape progress soon. With the weather starting to turn from summer to fall I anticipate my progress picking up in the upcoming weeks.

 

[Rudzbrewski]

I was able to finish up the plumbing this past week. I used silicone tubing to connect the Clarisea and Vectra to hopefully minimize and vibration transfer to the pipes. I also used plastic PVC holders and rubber washers to support the longer runs of pipe. The holders were painted orange to help them blend in better.

The manifold is built so that the unions between the second and third valve can be interchanged to make it adaptable to have either 2 or 3 outlets.

If anybody would like extra detail on how it was built I am happy to provide the info.

This week the weather is really supposed to change, so my focus will be getting the rock work complete to hopefully get water in and the cycle started within the next 2 weeks.