Sdoutreefer's Cube Build - Red Sea Reefer 200 G2+

[Sdoutreefer]

Hello!
I'm diving back into the great adventure of reef keeping. I have had about a 12 year hiatus from the hobby, with my last tank being a 40g breeder. I tore down my 40g due to flat worms, monti eating nudi's, and what eventually led to the tear down was dynos. I could never get my dyno issue under control, and believe a part of it was due to "new tank syndrome".

12 years later, here I am, once again on R2R, this time with a brand new build, utilizing all of the new technology that has been introduced since I've been "gone".

Equipment:
Red Sea Reefer 200 G2+
Ecotech Radion XR30 (Gen 4) *Plan to add T5 bulbs at some point
(2x) MP10s
Reef 3-in1- ATO+ with temp probe and leak detection
Red Sea Reef Mat
Red Sea Skimmer (350)
Red Sea Controller
REEF-SPEC Sump

I will be utilizing a fishless cycle, with dry rock. I bought a box of base rock, and have old Live Rock from my previous tank... I couldn't let some of those pieces go so they have been to two states and 5 different houses with me

Last night I build the stand, and hope to have my aquascape finished by end of the weekend. I will post pictures of the scape once it's done.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Following along! Do you have a picture of the stand?

 

[AlyciaMarie]

12 years later, here I am, once again on R2R, this time with a brand new build, utilizing all of the new technology that has been introduced since I've been "gone".

Welcome back! Excited to see your build, following!

 

[Sdoutreefer]

Following along! Do you have a picture of the stand?

I'll have to take one. I'll hopefully get one posted tomorrow!

Thanks for the follow

 

[Rappa]

Take lots of pictures. I couldn't do my build thread as I was building, but I'm so thankful that I took pics every step of the way. You really do forget how much work you did, until you look through all your pics!

 

[Sdoutreefer]

Take lots of pictures. I couldn't do my build thread as I was building, but I'm so thankful that I took pics every step of the way. You really do forget how much work you did, until you look through all your pics!

Definetly will be taking pictures!

 

[Sdoutreefer]

Did some aquascape this weekend. This is what I came up with real quick. I think it looks kind of good for messing with my rock for 5 minutes

 

[Sdoutreefer]

Did some aquascape this weekend. This is what I came up with real quick. I think it looks kind of good for messing with my rock for 5 minutes

Not sure how to post pictures... What's the file type it needs to be?

 

[Rappa]

Not sure how to post pictures... What's the file type it needs to be?

JPEG works for me.

 

[Sdoutreefer]

JPEG works for me.

Must be my issue. Was trying to upload as PDF.

Update on the tank:
I'll be hopefully finalizing my aquascape this weekend, and finish up the plumbing on the system as well.

My lights and power heads will be here sometime next week too. I plan to hopefully get my tank wet next weekend... crossing my fingers!

 

[Sdoutreefer]

Getting somewhere finally with my aquascape. Let me know your thoughts on the scape, and if you see any opportunity to revise!

First iteration that I moved away from... Was a little too "full".

Second and third iteration, that I'm really liking. Just feels like something is missing in both of them.

Top down shot of 3rd iteration:

Aaannd here's the cabinet with the tank:

 

[Rappa]

You going for the gothic look I see. Kinda looks like a skeleton!

On a serious note, you may want to get a large base rock, or a couple of pieces of base rock, and build your structure off the base rock. That helped me when I was starting. I stared at stuff I put together... that I didn't like, for a couple weeks before I finally got some base rock. Then I started making headway.

 

[Sdoutreefer]

You going for the gothic look I see. Kinda looks like a skeleton!

On a serious note, you may want to get a large base rock, or a couple of pieces of base rock, and build your structure off the base rock. That helped me when I was starting. I stared at stuff I put together... that I didn't like, for a couple weeks before I finally got some base rock. Then I started making headway.

I like that description... "Gothic". I moved away from the gothic look, but still utilized my rockwork. Here's the scape that I am most likely going to be using.

In other news, I've spent the last few evenings trying to get my sump cabinet organized... What a pain in the butt. The under cabinet that Red Sea provides with this system is so tight. If I realized that, I would have gone with a different system. I'll be adding that to the "Cons" list. First photo is before I started organizing. Talk about overwhelming
Second photo has my cords in a spot that give me less anxiety...

...And a shot of the DT, with the Gen4 radion I picked up.

More to come, so stay tuned!

 

[Sdoutreefer]

Hopefully someone that has had this system will see this BUT, does anyone know how in the world to fit the skimmer, reef mat, and return ALL into the sump area? It is an incredibly tight space and it seems like those items weren't installed correctly on my end. If you look behind the reef mat, you can see a pretty good sized spot for something to sit.

 

[RaymondsWorlddd]

Hopefully someone that has had this system will see this BUT, does anyone know how in the world to fit the skimmer, reef mat, and return ALL into the sump area? It is an incredibly tight space and it seems like those items weren't installed correctly on my end. If you look behind the reef mat, you can see a pretty good sized spot for something to sit.

With the reefmat, can you mount the black motor on the opposite side so it’s on the same side as the intake? That way you’ll be able to scoot the reefmat more to the right

Do you have the divider in also? I think that’s supposed to come out if you want it all to fit

 

[Sdoutreefer]

With the reefmat, can you mount the black motor on the opposite side so it’s on the same side as the intake? That way you’ll be able to scoot the reefmat more to the right

Do you have the divider in also? I think that’s supposed to come out if you want it all to fit

Yes, you can either mount the motor on the right or left side. The issue with getting it to fit where the filter sock originally goes, is the overhang of the back piece. It is too wide to fit in that slot.

Anyway, I figured out how to get everything installed. It's tight, but it will work.

An update on the tank: I finally got my rockwork finished and got water in the tank this weekend! I kind of screwed up and did not wash my sand well enough. It is incredibly cloudy. With the sediment settling back onto the sand and rock and into the sump, am I better off to try and vacuum the sand and pull out the sediment? Or just let it do it's thing? My LFS (who happens to be a buddy of mine) says to just let it go, and it will clear on it's own. I'm having a hard time believing that, as I don't know where all the sediment will go, and I don't see it ever diluting. Any advice is welcome!

On a separate note, I added the Ammonium Chloride and Dr. Tim's One and Only. I will be utilizing a fishless cycle and be posting some updates as the tank cycles. I lost power about 30 minutes after the bacteria were added, and it did not come back on for 11 hours after the bacteria was added. So, no flow, at all. Does anyone know if I'm going to have to re-dose one and only and ammonium chloride? Assuming my Nitrites and ammonia test 0 tonight...

Here's some recent shots of what I've got going on:

 

[Sdoutreefer]

Started testing parameters last night (ammonia and Nitrite).
Ammonia: 0.5ppm (test strip)
Nitrite: 0.25ppm (salifert)

It looks like my Nitrites are getting up to a solid level. I plan to keep testing, hoping to see some Nitrates this weekend!!

One issue I'm currently fighting is water temperature. The temp can't seem to get above 24.0 celcius. I have a Sicce scuba 200w hooked up to an Inkbird. Is the 200w not big enough? Or does it have something to do with being hooked up to the Inkbird? I do have an spare 200w. Thinking of adding it to my system too.

Anyone have some advice? Are the Sicce scuba heaters trash?

 

[Sdoutreefer]

I just stumbled upon a *NEW* Apex Pro + Trident for an incredible deal. I'm talking almost 60% off of retail. So, I of course cannot say know... Adding the APEX + TRIDENT to my equipment list!!

Now just to figure out how to use it

 

[2Plus2]

Holy man, your story is like mine, I finally fired up after 15 years away, last owned a tank when i was 17.
Your tank, your rockwork also identical, following along for yours.

 

[Sdoutreefer]

Holy man, your story is like mine, I finally fired up after 15 years away, last owned a tank when i was 17.
Your tank, your rockwork also identical, following along for yours.

Thanks for the follow!

Just hanging out, patiently waiting for the tank to cycle. Once it's cycled, I'm gonna have to pull my sump out and clean all of the sediment that came from the sand. Safe to say, that I learned my lesson of not rinsing my sand well enough. The sediment is just caked on everything, especially my sump. Hoping the reefmat and skimmer will come out easy. They should, as I was the one who put it together.

Anyway, as far as the cycle goes, I'm still testing ammonia and Nitrite nightly. There has not been a whole lot of movement... Still sitting at about 0.5ppm for Ammonia and 0.1 for nitrite. I dosed 2 more tsp of ammonia this past friday... Hoping that kick things into gear. I need to get my skimmer back on for break-in!!!