beesnreefs
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Partner Member 2023
Build Thread Contributor
I'm in the planning stages for a new RedSea Reefer-S 850 and I'm starting to get giddy! Hoping to have this thing in my house in July or August.
This is my first "big" tank and the first time I'll be using a sump system so any comments, suggestions, guidance, lessons, etc. are most welcome from the R2R community. In fact, I'll be asking some questions in different spots in the thread below. (Those with experience having large tanks, I welcome your responses to the questions I post in here!)
BACK STORY
I've had a small Fluval Evo 13.5 with some @Biota_Marine liverock, a mix of rock nems, softies, and a couple small LPS, and two fish for about 6 years. 2 years ago a local family opened a LFS about a mile from my home and we quickly became friends. This gave me the confidence to go a bit bigger and wife and I got a 65 gallon JBJ AIO. It's been a mixed reef with a lot of success and we are loving it. For a few reasons (running out of space in the tank QUICK, location of tank, fish I'd like to have, swimming space, etc.) it's time for an upgrade. We have a wall in our living room that is perfect for a 6-footer...perfect combo of comfy couch, TV, and watching the tank
Settled on a RedSea Reefer-S 850.
EQUIPMENT PLAN
Planning on the following to start:
Lighting - ATI Straton x3
Heaters - IM Helio Smart PTC 1000 watt system
Return Pump - Sicce 9.0 (considering 2 for redundancy, though I'm worried about not having enough space in the sump)
Wavemakers - IceCap 4Ks x 2
Control - HYDROS with Wave Engine
Roller - RedSea Reef Mat 1200
Skimmer - Maxspect Aeraqua Duo AD600
Alkatronic for alk tracking/control
Dosetronic for dosing
Reefin Ain't Easy custom tank lid
I'll be attempting a Habitat Negative Space Aquascape, following some of the instructions from @Bulk Reef Supply. Planning on using all marco rock and busting it up myself. For sand, I'll do a good 2-3 inch layer of CaribSea Bahamas Oolit Arag-Alive sand so I can keep wrasses.
Any thoughts/opinions on the equipment list? Something you think I should add to the list? What am I missing?
TANK TYPE
I'm planning on building a custom NSA aquascape with 2-3 "islands". On island (the biggest) will be primarily SPS. Another island (likely second biggest) will on the opposite end of the tank and primarily torches on one side, gonis on the other. In the middle, I'll either have a small island (possibly to cover in scolymia) or just leave it sand and have a nice scoly garden, or a high-end lobo or acantho.
I'll probably do 2-3 inches of sandbed (maybe a bit deeper) because I like the look and plan to have wrasses.
FISH
My 65 gallon has a big royal gramma, small white tailed bristletooth tang, melanrurus wrasse, pygmy pink streak wrasse, yellow basslet, and a falco hawkfish, all of whom have lived peacefully together for over a year now. I'd like to transfer all of them to the big tank when its ready.
I also want to add the following at some point:
BIG TANK GENERAL ADVICE
This is my first go with a big tank like this. And I've never had a tank with a sump system. Please, any advice, special considerations, comments, lessons, etc., you think would be helpful to me....please share!
This is my first "big" tank and the first time I'll be using a sump system so any comments, suggestions, guidance, lessons, etc. are most welcome from the R2R community. In fact, I'll be asking some questions in different spots in the thread below. (Those with experience having large tanks, I welcome your responses to the questions I post in here!)
BACK STORY
I've had a small Fluval Evo 13.5 with some @Biota_Marine liverock, a mix of rock nems, softies, and a couple small LPS, and two fish for about 6 years. 2 years ago a local family opened a LFS about a mile from my home and we quickly became friends. This gave me the confidence to go a bit bigger and wife and I got a 65 gallon JBJ AIO. It's been a mixed reef with a lot of success and we are loving it. For a few reasons (running out of space in the tank QUICK, location of tank, fish I'd like to have, swimming space, etc.) it's time for an upgrade. We have a wall in our living room that is perfect for a 6-footer...perfect combo of comfy couch, TV, and watching the tank
Settled on a RedSea Reefer-S 850.
EQUIPMENT PLAN
Planning on the following to start:
Lighting - ATI Straton x3
Heaters - IM Helio Smart PTC 1000 watt system
Return Pump - Sicce 9.0 (considering 2 for redundancy, though I'm worried about not having enough space in the sump)
Wavemakers - IceCap 4Ks x 2
Control - HYDROS with Wave Engine
Roller - RedSea Reef Mat 1200
Skimmer - Maxspect Aeraqua Duo AD600
Alkatronic for alk tracking/control
Dosetronic for dosing
Reefin Ain't Easy custom tank lid
I'll be attempting a Habitat Negative Space Aquascape, following some of the instructions from @Bulk Reef Supply. Planning on using all marco rock and busting it up myself. For sand, I'll do a good 2-3 inch layer of CaribSea Bahamas Oolit Arag-Alive sand so I can keep wrasses.
Any thoughts/opinions on the equipment list? Something you think I should add to the list? What am I missing?
TANK TYPE
I'm planning on building a custom NSA aquascape with 2-3 "islands". On island (the biggest) will be primarily SPS. Another island (likely second biggest) will on the opposite end of the tank and primarily torches on one side, gonis on the other. In the middle, I'll either have a small island (possibly to cover in scolymia) or just leave it sand and have a nice scoly garden, or a high-end lobo or acantho.
I'll probably do 2-3 inches of sandbed (maybe a bit deeper) because I like the look and plan to have wrasses.
FISH
My 65 gallon has a big royal gramma, small white tailed bristletooth tang, melanrurus wrasse, pygmy pink streak wrasse, yellow basslet, and a falco hawkfish, all of whom have lived peacefully together for over a year now. I'd like to transfer all of them to the big tank when its ready.
I also want to add the following at some point:
- Hippo tang
- Gen tang
- Regal Angel (Biota)
- Gold flake angel (Biota)
- Cuban basslet (Biota)
- Copper band butterfly
- Radiant wrasse
- Some sort of Flasher wrasse
BIG TANK GENERAL ADVICE
This is my first go with a big tank like this. And I've never had a tank with a sump system. Please, any advice, special considerations, comments, lessons, etc., you think would be helpful to me....please share!
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