My New SPS - Red Sea Reefer 250 - Discovery Cove

LBA · Feb 21, 2017

After a few years away from reef aquariums, enjoying some freedom to travel, I'm taking on the responsibility of a new aquarium. I poked my head into a LFS and on an impulse I bought a Red Sea Reefer 250. I'm glad I did. Easy to setup, quiet drainage, stable stand, sleek looking, and a nice footprint for the aquascape I imagined. When I set up my lighting program, it asked me to name my tank, so I called it 'Discovery Cove,' because I love going to that place!

I decided to do majority SPS for this tank. I've kept and cared for SPS in the past but have always largely done mixed reefs. I've always liked T-5s, and the last time I kept a reef, LEDs we're just becoming a thing in the hobby, so I decided I will try them for this tank. If anyone has feedback regarding LEDs and SPS I would love to hear it.

Tank: Red Sea Reefer 250
Lighting: 2x AI Hydra 26HD
Return: Current Eflux DC Pump 1050 GPH (plenty of pump with head pressure, I dialed it down)
Flow: 2X MP-40wQD (one on the way still)
Skimmer: Bubble Magus Curve 5
Heater: Aquatop titanium 200W (plenty)
Dosing: Bubble Magus 3 channel
Rock: Fiji Live Rock
Substrate: Caribsea Live Aragonite Reef Sand

I'm still waiting on a few more pieces of equipment and then plan to organize the sump area up better because I do not like looking at wire messes.

Corals:

One of the benifits to living in Central Florida is we have a lot of options for reef stores. While I'm waiting on the tank to cycle I can't help but stop into them. Corals on hold at the moment are:

Red Fungi/Orange Mouth/Green Tentacles (LPS I know, but had to buy it)
Superman Monti
JF Beach Bum Monti
Chilli Pepper Monti
Seasons Greetings Monti
Rainbow Monti
Grinch Monti
BubbleGum Digitata
PC Rainbow Acropora
ORA Hawkins
Green Slimer
RR Aussie Gold
Superman Digi
ORA Birds of Paradise
ORA Cali Tort
Starburst Monti
Garf Purple Bonsai
Strawberry Wine

TLDR: My GF is tired of hearing about my tank and I'm happy the community is here to share with and to talk reefs!

Rory's Reef · Feb 21, 2017

Great choice going with the Reefer. Looks like everything is coming along nicely. I have the same problem with my GF. If I even begin to mention anything to do with the tanks I get the look

.

Those are some nice corals on your list. How long are they going to hold them for you? I don't think your tank will be quite ready for SPS for a little while and those are some pretty pricey pieces to be testing it on lol.

dbl · Feb 21, 2017

Welcome back to the salt fellow Floridian. And I must agree...Discovery Cover is an awesome experience.

LBA · Feb 21, 2017

Rory's Reef said:
Those are some nice corals on your list. How long are they going to hold them for you? I don't think your tank will be quite ready for SPS for a little while and those are some pretty pricey pieces to be testing it on lol.

I used live sand, some live rock, and 20 gallons of salt water from an extremely established reef tank. I'm hoping the tank does it's thing sooner than later. But I have til the end of march to pickup the corals. We'll see.

LBA · Mar 7, 2017

2 Week Update

The rest of my supplies +2nd vortech mp40wQD showed up in the mail so I have been pretty busy.

I added 3 fishes. 2 clowns and a teeny tiny blue hipo.
I've been doing a 5 gallon water change daily to combat the cycles and increase in amonia-trites-trates.
I'm dosing a cocktail of carbon, reef roids, acropower, purple up, Mag, and 2-part.
Ensuring high flow throughout the aquarium.

I added a Fungia that I had on hold and it's done very well since day 1 of being added. It's reactive and is eating mysis.

First week was a diatom outbreak followed by really cloudy bacteria water, which I was able to keep under control.

Second week was a mess of hair algae which I was able to combat with inverts (trochus/hermits) and a toothbrush.

Now I'm going into my third week, the tank has cleared up. The water is crystal clear and my SPS are showing growth on the bases and showing significant signs of coloring up. Currently running my lights at 75%. My parameters are about where I'd like them, minus magnesium which I am slowly increasing to a goal of 1350 -1400. I ordered a third Hydra 26HD to get better light coverage.

This is definitely the fast track way to setting up a reef and not the ideal process. But, I've always been pretty unorthodox with my reef keeping... and it's always worked out for me. I wanted to get it stocked and watch them all grow together and just worry about placement with my corals now.

StayJejune · Mar 28, 2017

Look great! Looking forward to see all the corals grow out.

pa1ntbru5h · Mar 28, 2017

How's the flow with the MP40s on the backwall? It doesn't blast the sand up front? Any deadspots?
I have two MP10s on my backwall and they move the sand in the front a bit.. I still think I need more flow.
I'm curious if the MP40s would work better since they have a wider flow pattern.

LBA · Mar 29, 2017

*I've since added a 3rd light, and because of the brackets my vortechs are now moved slightly closer to the overflow box.

I was actually messing with placement last night because I'm still not 100% satisfied. Side walls, back walls, modes, etc. I am getting a decent broad flow that you probably are not seeing with the MP-10s.

When mounted on the back wall, I have to tune them down to the 3rd/4th light on the Ecotech Smart Modes and maybe the 4th/5th light on the other modes.
I use aragonite sand, so it's a little heavier than the fine sand and I am not having issues here at these settings.
Overall I'm getting good flow and imagine as my colonies grow out a bit I can crank the vortechs up.
Polyp extension is insane on a few of my corals and that makes me excited to see how these grow out.

I just returned from a week vacation that included reef diving and the tank did great. Colors are starting to really show through on some of the corals, especially my montiporas. I have not lost a single coral yet and am seeing signs of growth. I did spend some time observing the "wishy-washy"/ back & forth flow patterns that were occurring on the natural reefs and I do want to try and reproduce this. So I will continue to experiment.