MuffinMonster's Red Sea Reefer 250!

[MuffinMonster]

Intro:
Hey everyone, Muffin here, been lurking around the forums for a few months now. Got myself a new tank build out going here. Recently purchased a new Red Sea Reefer 250 and its about to go all down hill from here. Sorry this is going to be a slow build out thread before the tank is completely running and fish/corals in. I'm going to be doing a 4 month cycle following the BRS and WWC method. Read all about it below!!

Backstory about me and who i am:
My name is Dakoda, I'm 27 years old, Master Technician/Electric Vehicle Specialist for BMW. From the Chicago area, but moved to Indianapolis when i pursued my career at BMW. My first tank was a Aqueon 30 gallon tank with Red Belly Piranha's as the livestock, at the ripe age of 18, Loaded up my 1985 Pontiac Fiero and took that baby home. The tank even had a cool red bubble LED volcano- it was pretty dope. The LFS I spent my time at sold a mix of salt and fresh water fish. During this time of my life i always found myself searching the saltwater fish side of the store, longing to have a reef tank but ultimately wasn't ready at the time for the sinking funds or the commitment of it (i always heard they were hard). A few years later and i wanted to get back into the aquarium keeping, but this time i finally had money to do saltwater so i got an IM 30L and stand used on craigslist from an LFS, some used gear from my boss at work (Full Apex classic system, with every module you could imagine, extra probes, extra eb8's, extra eb4's and 2x MP10 powerheads for the hefty price of $350 for the kit) and went at it, its had its ups and downs the last two years, but its been relatively successful through 3 moves within two years, not sure where i would be without the Apex honestly, this thing is a game changer and I'm thankful I have had it since day one. Now that me and my wife are settled into a newer place we plan on being at a while I decided it was time to upgrade to a true tank with a sump system and not an AIO, so here we are with the Reefer 250 build.

My livestock vision for the 250:
Full bare-bottom SPS tank, lots of it, introduced after a 4 month cycle per BRS/WWC Method
2x Snowflake Clownfish (6 years old, real freakin jerks, that about sums them up)
1x Royal Gramma (5.5 years old, likes to play hide and seek)
1x Coral Beauty (3 months old, likes to nip at my current LPS, let him the LPS will be gone soon) RIP
1x Tomini Tang (Added 1/20/2023)
1x Pink-Streaked Wrasse (TBD)
1x Yellow Coris Wrasse (TBD)
1x Lubbock's Fairy Wrasse (TBD)
1x Longfin Fair Wrasse (TBD)

My equipment vision for the 250:
Already owned
Reefer 250, Black stand
Aquatic Life 36" T5 Hybrid (2x blue plus, 1x coral plus, 1x purple plus bulbs)
Maxspect Razer r420r 180w LED
Clarisea SK-3000 Rollermat
Eshopps S-120 Skimmer (Replaced a Simplicity 240DC)
Simplicity 1000DC Return pump (hum/whine noise too loud, repurposed for saltwater mixing station)
Reef Octopus Varios-2 Return pump (Best return pump ever)
Neptune Apex Classic
2x Neptune Apex DoS for continuous water change and dosing
1x Ecotech Vortec MP10's (Sump powerhead)
2x Ecotech Vortec MP40
BRS Heater Controller (For added redundancy)
2x Eheim 150w heaters
Neptune ATK v2
Neptune Leak detector (FMM)
Neptune Breakout Box
40lb ReefSaver Dry rock
2x Marine pure 8x8x4 bricks
Tropic Marin Pro-Reef salt
Caribsea Sand

Plan to Purchase
Neptune Apex updated unit with Trident (TBD)
2x Ecotech Radion G6 Blue's (Will be replacing above lighting)




Current status of the Reefer250:
Feb/2020

 

[MuffinMonster]

Here are some photos of my aquascape/ Setup process and rocks curently cycling in a brute bucket with one bottle of Microbacter7 Brightwell, and a raw shrimp. Will run them in the brute for 4-6 weeks then transfer it over to the tank to finish out the cycle before adding fish in February w/ lights, and adding test corals in march. Then April we will go ham with some delicious looking sticks of all kinds.

 

[Flameback Pair]

@MuffinMonster off to a great start Muff. You won't go wrong with this tank. Good idea to put your Apex stuff in that cabinet, that's what I'm working on now.

 

[MuffinMonster]

Well its been two months since my last update, rocks have been in a brute container this whole time cycling. As they finish up in the brute container i am getting some work done on the sump, removed the stock sump baffle and built a clarisea sk-3000 to fit into the sump. The clarisea is a beautiful unit, cant wait to see it in action!

 

[MuffinMonster]

Also getting my custom plumbing done, going with purple 1" pcv, and schedule 80 fittings. I did mod my OEM pipes from red sea to convert them to 1" unions, as seen in the last picture the unions i had purchased are too fat and will not allow the return and main drain to sit right next to eachother. Had to order additional schedule 80 adapters and fittings to bring down the return union 3 inches or so, will update when all my plumbing work is done in the next week! Ready to get this tank wet, its been sitting here staring at me for a little over two months now. I plan on getting it wet in the next two weeks, and allowing stuff to cycle in the tank itself 4-5 more weeks after before transferring my fish over to it. Still a bunch to do!

 

[Peace River]

Progress! I like the plan - keep up the good work!

 

[Mastiffsrule]

Evening, just getting caught up on this nice build. Rocks looking good. Interested how the roller mat works out.

if you can do bmw electrical the apex should be no problem. On that note what’s up with 5k laser lights? They working on a flying x5 next?

 

[MuffinMonster]

Another update coming your way, last night i spent a couple hours running all the 1/4inch tubing for automatic water changes for the neptune dos! Got it done, and was able to watch it live in action pump a few gallons of water from my current nano tank and change it for me, i got to admit it was super nice not having to lift a bucket! Although the DoS is pretty loud the faster it spins, i had it also change 2 gallons of water throughout the middle of the night and couldnt even hear it from my bed, so thats a plus! Dont mind the mess in the pictures, everything is still coming together lol.

 

[MuffinMonster]

Evening, just getting caught up on this nice build. Rocks looking good. Interested how the roller mat works out.

if you can do bmw electrical the apex should be no problem. On that note what’s up with 5k laser lights? They working on a flying x5 next?

Thanks, im pretty excited to see how the tank looks 6-8 months from now after its loaded with coral and my fish.

Apex is pretty simple, hooking it up and programming was easier than i expected and was reading about! You have to do some forum reading to understand some of the commands, but it came pretty easy haha. I am picking up a apex breakout box tomorrow morning, so that should be fun to tinker with programming switches and whatever other magical things it may be able to do!

Also the bmw laser lights are pretty dope, you'll never see them come on though unless you're in the middle of no-where and there arent any lights around. It has sensors and even if it sees a porch lamp in the countryside distance it wont allow the laser headlights to turn on, but when they do they are something to be seen!

 

[MuffinMonster]

Got some other work done over the weekend! Plumbing almost complete, outside of a mistake on my part it should have been finished this weekend. One of the main reasons i wanted to go custom plumbing was not only for the clean look, but also for better siphon control via a spears gate valve.... Just so happens its the only piece of the plumbing that i forgot to order LOL! Ordered extra unions, extra fittings, basically extra everything i thought i needed, but completely forgot the gate valve. Oops... So, that is on its way currently! Then i will be able to finish.

Also picked up some T5 bulbs for the Aquatic life hybrid this past weekend, 2x blue plus, 1x coral plus, 1x purple plus. Even though the tank is dry i was able to get a slight glimpse of the colors in person, and i do like the bulb combo- we will see how it looks with rock and fish in the tank soon enough!

Builds coming along slowly, but surely none the less! Hoping to get it wet this weekend or early next week.

 

[MuffinMonster]

The gatevalve i forgot to order with the initial order of plumbing (dummy me) came in yesterday! Finally got a chance this evening to complete the plumbing, Im currently filling the tank itself up with water and ill be able to water test it this weekend. Letting the tank fill up today and tomorrow, then will fill up the sump and overflow to perform a leak test. Will probably allow the pumps and stuff to run for 2-3 days to leak test everything then i will get to mixing the saltwater and getting my aquascape out of the brute trashcan and setup in the tank!

Thanks to @Broadfield for the inspiration in his build content to attempt my own custom plumbing on my new reefer 250 with his idea. This was my first time plumbing, so i am pleased with how it turned out (assuming it doesn't leak!)

 

[MuffinMonster]

After-weekend update.

Got the tank filled with RODI water and running!!! Leak testing everything for a couple days now before i mix the salt water and transfer my rocks from the brute container over to the tank (rocks have been in a brute container cycling since November 14th, going to let them run in the tank for 3-4 weeks before i transfer my fish over to it). I do notice that my return pump (simplicity DC1000) has a frequency hum noise to it, its not vibrating or traveling through the manifold, so i know its just normal pump operation. Cant say i'm a fan of it, i tried it because it was a cheap dc pump that was recommended to me and i wanted to see if it would be good enough- worth a shot. It will make a nice saltwater mixing station pump though, so that's what ill use it for. Going to be ordering a Varios-2 for my tank return pump though, as the reviews on those and videos show it to be dead silent!

 

[Dal-Reef]

Love the build thread dude.. Will be following along...

 

[canadianeh]

Can you please share in detail how do you use unions on the bulkheads?

 

[Reef Monster]

Looks good! Loving the updates. The build process is one of the best parts of having an aquarium.

 

[MuffinMonster]

Can you please share in detail how do you use unions on the bulkheads?

I didn't actually take pictures of this process because @Broadfield is the one who put out a DIY in his "reefer 450 going green" thread on how to convert your stock pipes to standard pvc w/ unions. Its on page 71, go check it out. He has links and everything for it!

 

[MuffinMonster]

Looks good! Loving the updates. The build process is one of the best parts of having an aquarium.

Thanks man, its been a process since getting everything and setting it all up in early November. Been patient with this build while i do it right and learn from previous mistakes, so i'm in no rush. But now that i am going to be getting the rock in the tank this weekend, i'm getting pretty excited and restless. Picking up some additional equipment in the next couple days too, will post those when i get them. But i plan on getting the rock in this weekend, adding another bottle of microbacter7 and allowing the rocks to cycle in the tank itself for an additional 4 weeks or so before i get my fish transfered over from the nano to the reefer! At that point the rocks will have cycled for roughly 14-15 weeks.

 

[MuffinMonster]

Got some more goods in today!

Excited to test out test out this aquatic life t5 floating bracket kit. I opened it up and these brackets are a lot higher quality than i would of assumed, i'm definitely impressed just by looking and holding them. Going to try and get them hung this evening after work and will update with pictures!

Also got a temporary eheim jager heater, BRS is out of the titanium ones, (have been for a couple weeks now) and i am waiting for them to be back in stock to order 2x 200w titanium heaters w/ one of their controllers for redundancy with the apex.

Also i got my first MP-40 in, i currently have 2x MP-10's and 1x MP-40 to run on the tank. I am going to be selling the 2x MP-10's here soon and replace them with a Tunze Wavebox 6208 and another MP-40, so i will be running 2x MP-40's and a wavebox for flow in this tank when its all said-and-done!

 

[canadianeh]

Got some more goods in today!

Excited to test out test out this aquatic life t5 floating bracket kit. I opened it up and these brackets are a lot higher quality than i would of assumed, i'm definitely impressed just by looking and holding them. Going to try and get them hung this evening after work and will update with pictures!

Also got a temporary eheim jager heater, BRS is out of the titanium ones, (have been for a couple weeks now) and i am waiting for them to be back in stock to order 2x 200w titanium heaters w/ one of their controllers for redundancy with the apex.

Also i got my first MP-40 in, i currently have 2x MP-10's and 1x MP-40 to run on the tank. I am going to be selling the 2x MP-10's here soon and replace them with a Tunze Wavebox 6208 and another MP-40, so i will be running 2x MP-40's and a wavebox for flow in this tank when its all said-and-done!

Two MP10s are not enough even with max speed for this tank?

Which eheim controller?

 

[MuffinMonster]

Two MP10s are not enough even with max speed for this tank?

Which eheim controller?

2x MP-10s will be ok for this tank i would assume if you are doing easy low flow corals. I'm going SPS only and barebottom so i can crank a ton of flow, shooting for 75-100x in tank water flow, so that 4500-5500gph. MP-10's do 1500 each(max). MP-40s do 4500 each(max). Also having the 2x MP-40s will give me upgrade potential in the future with how versatile they are. And a wavebox because they are super dope.

Not an eheim controller- a BRS controller with BRS titanium heaters. I just bought the eheim right now as a temporary/back-up heater until i can order the BRS ones when they come back in stock.