With fronds like these, who needs anemones: A RS Reefer 350 G2 Tank

[LeannaBanana]

A little premature with this build thread, but I've been keeping notes in a variety of places, so condensing everything here for my own sanity and planning.

Whether you love em or hate em, purchased a RedSea Reefer 350 G2 and am in the process of getting everything ready to go.

Step One: I need to move the still full 55-gallon tank so that the Reefer can take its spot.

Current Specs, as equipment gathers on my kitchen table

TANK
Red Sea Reefer 350 G2
Display Tank Volume: 72 Gallons
Sump Volume: 18 Gallon
Total System Volume: 90 Gallons
Sump: Using stock filter socks and cups until I need the Roller
Refugium: Just a couple of live rocks for now, and when nutrient export is needed, will add in the light and macroalgae (maybe red ogo to double as fish treats)
ATO: Using stock until it's too much of a pain, then plan to upgrade to at least 10gal
Cabinet additions: New RODI unit that connects to the bathroom next door to pipe right into the ATO chamber and saltwater-making bucket, handy organizer shelf for suction/baster, tongs/tweezers, dry foods, and assorted tools, LED light strip with sensor to turn on when cabinet doors are opened.

EQUIPMENT
Lighting: 2 ReefLED 90s (will upgrade eventually)
Heater: 300W BRS Titanium w/ Inkbird Controller (Along with a Fluval 200W backup)
Return Pump: Sicce Syncra Pro 1000 GPH
Flow/waves: Maxspect Jump 2K Gyre (might upgrade to two of these depending on how it goes)
Lid: DIY Mesh Lid (Will upgrade to Kraken Lid, likely a birthday gift)
Roller: I'll add the Reefmat when I need it or get tired of the socks. Could be 1 month, could be 3?
Skimmer: Reef Octopus 110
Reactor: If/when needed, can add a reactor for biopellets and/or GFO.
Dosing: None yet, but will add when needed.

STOCK plan
Sand: A mix of Arag-Alive and TBS live sand, roughly 2-3" deep.
Rocks: A mix of TBS "the package" base and premium live rocks with extra dry shelf rocks for ease in aquascaping.
Inverts: TBD depending on what comes in on the live rock. Likely to add Ceriths, Nassarius, Nerite, Trochus, and Turbo snails at various times depending on CUC needs. Likely a large cleaner shrimp. Maybe an urchin if one doesn't come in on the rocks.

Fish Consideration List: Looking to keep total fish "inches" below 55-60ish inches total based on the old "inch per gallon" rule after rockwork is added. Fish in this list are only being considered, the actual stock list will be smaller.

• Lawnmower Blenny
• Shrimp Goby + Shrimp: TBD on if I go with this pairing. I find them fascinating, but I doubt I'd see them much.
• Royal Gramma
• Purple firefish
• 3 Banggai cardinalfish: I'm leaning towards NOT going with these, but putting them in the maybe list just in case I go back to the idea
• Mandarin goby: hard maybe depending on system maturity and pod husbandry after 8mo-1yr or so
• Dwarf Angelfish: species TBD, but only looking at smaller options
• Wrasse: probably 2 or 3 to be added at the same time. Looking into Potter's, Leopard, Yellow Coris, Fairy, and Flasher types.
• Longnose Hawkfish: ONLY if I don't end up with a shrimp goby.
• Bristletooth Tomini Tang/other bristletooth tang/Kole tang: Another hard maybe. Only if tank dynamics will support another butthead.

Corals planned to move in/over from other tanks over the course of 6-8 months or so depending on stability:

• 2 large mixed zoa frags for a zoa garden area
• 1 neon green candy cane
• Plate coral
• Green bubble coral for its own corner
• Duncan
• Torch, Hammers, and Frogspawn for a multi-layered Euphyllia garden as the tank center feature.
• Fox Coral
• The offspring *~*really*~* wants an Acanthophyllia, so I'll be keeping my eye out for good deals

MILESTONES ​

(will update as I go for ease)

• Tank set up and full
• Scape finalized and first fish and corals added
• More livestock added
• May 2023 Stock List

 

[SaltyT]

Congrats on the new tank!
I also have a RSR tank. I’ll be following along!

 

[tbrown]

Reserved!

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Best of luck with the new tank!!!

 

[LeannaBanana]

Non-update update. Moving the 55gallon hasn't been high on the priority list with other house projects happening. (Re-doing a bathroom (yay insurance) and the deck (upgrade) have been taking all our time and attention)

But finally found a home for the FW fish in the 55-gallon, and piecing out the dry goods. If anyone in VA wants to pick up a tank and stand let me know.

Went "fish window shopping" with the husband yesterday and he fell in love with banggai cardinalfish, so those will likely be off the "maybe" list and into, "Yes, we'll try a group of 3 and see who gets picked on and take that one back" method. Will probably add them fairly early on, maybe 2nd or 3rd unless someone has any feedback on a different order.

Right now the fish list is looking like lawnmower blenny, a shrimp goby IF there is a pistol shrimp hitchhiker, but skip if there is not. The cardinalfish, a dwarf angelfish - still undecided on species, but leaning towards a coral beauty or bi-color. Then a group of wrasseholes, species TBD but I want to add probably 3 at once.

I'll likely change my mind on the fish again, especially since there's plenty of time, but time will tell.

 

[tbrown]

Shrimp Gobies work without shrimp also. As far as Bangaiis, I have two and they chase each other more than my four PJs. A bigger group might decrease individual picking but 3 might give you a better chance to pair up. They're also probably the least agressive so earlier is definitely better! Smaller also has a higher likelihood of decreased agression.

 

[LeannaBanana]

Yea, I'm leaning towards a yasha. But I also like the look of a firefish, so we'll see where that goes.

I was reading re: Bangaiis that even in a bigger group of 5 they tend to pair off and then pick off the other three. I'd be willing to try 5, but I'm leaning toward 3 to decrease the risk of deaths and returning to the LFS.

 

[tbrown]

I loved my Yasha. Favorite fish I had in my original tank years ago.

 

[LeannaBanana]

FINALLY a blank slate. The 55-gallon is officially no more and has moved on to its second life. Going to paint the wall and upgrade the return/vent cover so that it's not such an eyesore. Let the cabinet building begin!

 

[LeannaBanana]

Another NON-update of an update. We're having some work done in our bathroom and hallway behind the tank wall, so things have been delayed. BUT, we painted and started getting the cabinet built. Waiting until work is done and cleaned up to move the display in and plumb away. Waiting sucks, though. Eager to get started, but also taking it as a sign to slow down since I'll be ordering live rock ASAP and warmer is always fun.

If you want to play a game, here's the form I made on a whim to send to my household lol. We agreed on most things (and again, not everything will make it into the tank). Not tracking emails or anything identifying here, just for funsies.
https://forms.gle/7bMCN1f9fZFMqco99

 

[LeannaBanana]

It's officially leak test day! (The other light is ready to go up, I just wanted to start the overflow test/fill first)

 

[LeannaBanana]

"Wat do? I halp!"

Dialing in the downflow with my biggest helper.

 

[LeannaBanana]

She's full. Salt mixed. Thin layer of sand in (I hate doing it all at once). Cycle started. Rocks ordered. Let the games begin!

 

[Gumbies R Us]

She's full. Salt mixed. Thin layer of sand in (I hate doing it all at once). Cycle started. Rocks ordered. Let the games begin!

Glad the set-up wasn't too bad!!!

 

[LeannaBanana]

Best news of the day!

 

[AKLiving]

Following
Live rock will sure get you going faster.
I have 2 Bangaii that are waiting in quarantine. The are pretty small and seem to get a long great so far. They both hang out in the same area of the QT with plenty of hiding places to get away from each other but don't. So, I'm hopeful that they will pair. One is already slightly larger.

 

[LeannaBanana]

I meant to do a whole photo series of the live rock unboxing, but once we received it, I got excited, and then it was all in the tank before you could blink. Nice rock, has some aiptasia on it, c'est la vie, but lots of great macroalgae, and a couple of turkey wing clams. LOTS of brittle stars. I haven't seen much else in the last week.

Crab-wise there was one cute little porcelain crab that got squashed in transit, and I've yanked a gorilla crab into the sump dungeon with one of the rocks. We'll see if anything else pops out in the next few weeks.

I've been letting the live rock sit and ... marinate... the last week, testing ammonia just to play it safe and keeping the lights off or on low 20% blues only (just so I can keep an eye out for hitchhikers a few hours a day). Since everything has been progressing nicely, we took a little visit up to the LFS today and grabbed a conditioned starry blenny and filefish to start working on the aiptasia. The more the rock sat, the more came out. I know the blenny will start chowing down on the pretty macro algae, but that's ok.

Photos soon! The teen is on spring break this week and will be finalizing his "work of art" aquascape.

 

[LeannaBanana]

Lots happening, but haven't been updating much. Since the last update we've had a big birthday bash, a doggo surgery (three masses removed), and family in town.

Tank wise, a shot with just some live rock, an updated not-quite-finished yet aquascape by the teen, my Instagram is now a blenny fan account (with bonus shrimp. Two grumps), and the peppermint shrimp molted and gave me a heart attack.

 

[LeannaBanana]

We're in the ugly stage! A nice layer of diatoms are covering everything, and a little bit of GHA popping up here and there. I have a super light CUC transferred over from my other tanks, so went ahead and ordered a crew from @reefcleaners that will be here next week.

Finished up the rockwork ONE LAST TIME (she says, full of false conviction), and I think I'll keep this scape. The starry blenny LOVES the left-side rock tower. Also dropped in the rest of the sand for a nice 2-3" sandbed. (Thinking of future wrasse additions)

Been testing parameters and everything has been looking good:

Temp: 77.8*F
pH: 8.1
Alk: 9.8
NO3: 8
PO4: 0.09

Haven't tested for Ca or Mg, yet. I have the Salifert kits and test my other tanks every couple of months, just haven't run them for this tank.

Dropped in a few Zoa frags earlier this week to see how they fared - all 3 have been open, fluffy, and happy, so went ahead and moved over a few other corals this afternoon.

Photos: one with an orange filter/lens. Please excuse the cloudy shot, I kicked up some sand moving the rocks around, and don't have the patience to wait for it to settle.




Fish inhabitants include: 1 starry blenny, 1 filefish.

Inverts: 1 peppermint shrimp, 3 small hermits, and a variety of snails, (1 cerith, 1 conch, 1 turbo, and a couple of nassarius)

Coral inhabitants so far: 4 frags of various zoa on the left side bottom rock, 1 fox coral, 1 bubble coral, 1 neon candy cane (you can't see it in these photos, oops), and 2 acan.

Next steps: Let the dust settle, CUC arrival, Cheato addition to the fuge, seed first round of pods, wait a bit, and move in some froggies, hammer, and torch on the right side for a Euphyllia garden. Next fish addition will be a small school of cardinal fish. (TBD on 3 or 5)

I'd like to go with sea lettuce/Ulva instead of Chaeto long-term, but I'm open to both and seeing what works best for my tank.

 

[LeannaBanana]

A very NON-update of an update, but for anyone with return pump humming issues ... The Sicce Syncra Pro return pump I'm using hasn't ever been LOUD, but because it's in our main living space ... I'm a night owl and tend to stay up past midnight, and then my husband is an early bird and is up around 5am -- it's a noticeable hum when the rest of the house is quiet. Mid-day? Can't hear it with everything else going.

But today during tank maintenance Sunday, I decided to take the advice of someone else here (sorry I forget who) and placed one of our new/unused silicon trivets/pot mats and placed it under the return pump. And now sitting here with the rest of the house quiet as a mouse, I can just barely barely hear it. A very marked difference in volume. Highly recommend!