Wazzupmac's Money Pit - Red Sea Reefer S-850 G2+

[wazzupmac]

Tank is filled and it's cleared up pretty nicely -- was brownish orangish from the flocculant.

Reefmat has polished this water unbelievably well - I've never had a tank this clear without doing extra stuff. I might add a little more rock in the middle - I have some rock that was cured and is in the back yard. It's not cycled but I'm in this for the long haul with a mostly natural cycle. Will add some cycled rock (the stuff on the right) and have a little more that I may put in the sump and/or scatter around the edges of the tank.

My salinity is low but I'm slowly raising it. I have a brew of hyper salinity water that I mixed up last night that should bring everything up to 1.026///35ppt (think that is going to be my target unless some folks tell me otherwise). I'll start measuring all of my other parameters when I finish adding some rock and more sand -- the Reefwave 45 redistributed a lot of sand. I have the dual COR20 going at about 50% now. I have the option to install MP40 and MP60's to supplement flow but I'm months away from needing that.

Still have to install the UV but no rush on that. No lights on for now but I will have to play with them to get an early read on my shadows and see if I want to look into a 4th (if I can get it for the right price)

I'd encourage folks to chime in on what I should be doing next. When should clean up crew be introduced? Etc?

 

[Invictus]

I'd encourage folks to chime in on what I should be doing next. When should clean up crew be introduced? Etc?

CUC timeline will depend on the order in which you turn on lights, add fish, etc. I would personally introduce astrae/trochus once the lights go on and start growing algae, and then wait until you start feeding the tank to add Nassarius/Conch. Turbos and other problem solvers can be added slightly later and as needed imo.

 

[MichaelB]

Tank is filled and it's cleared up pretty nicely -- was brownish orangish from the flocculant.

Reefmat has polished this water unbelievably well - I've never had a tank this clear without doing extra stuff. I might add a little more rock in the middle - I have some rock that was cured and is in the back yard. It's not cycled but I'm in this for the long haul with a mostly natural cycle. Will add some cycled rock (the stuff on the right) and have a little more that I may put in the sump and/or scatter around the edges of the tank.

My salinity is low but I'm slowly raising it. I have a brew of hyper salinity water that I mixed up last night that should bring everything up to 1.026///35ppt (think that is going to be my target unless some folks tell me otherwise). I'll start measuring all of my other parameters when I finish adding some rock and more sand -- the Reefwave 45 redistributed a lot of sand. I have the dual COR20 going at about 50% now. I have the option to install MP40 and MP60's to supplement flow but I'm months away from needing that.

Still have to install the UV but no rush on that. No lights on for now but I will have to play with them to get an early read on my shadows and see if I want to look into a 4th (if I can get it for the right price)

I'd encourage folks to chime in on what I should be doing next. When should clean up crew be introduced? Etc?

Very interesting rock towers on the left side. I really like the look.

 

[wazzupmac]

Very interesting rock towers on the left side. I really like the look.

It’s just 2 of the Caribsea south seas coral trees next to each other to fill space. The tank is huge in all 3 dimensions that you have to think differently to fill it but not crowd it. The other rock structure actually has a 1-2’ canyon between the side that starts with a 3-6” hole towards the glass to provide a hidden space for flow and hiding space - picture might not do it justice

 

[MichaelB]

It’s just 2 of the Caribsea south seas coral trees next to each other to fill space. The tank is huge in all 3 dimensions that you have to think differently to fill it but not crowd it. The other rock structure actually has a 1-2’ canyon between the side that starts with a 3-6” hole towards the glass to provide a hidden space for flow and hiding space - picture might not do it justice

Yes I couldn't make out the canyon or hide out from the previous pictures. Just curious are the trees cemented or held with rods?

 

[wazzupmac]

Yes I couldn't make out the canyon or hide out from the previous pictures. Just curious are the trees cemented or held with rods?

Held with rod -- I will use some epoxy to bond them together and cover the parts of the rod that are visible when I've decided that it's my final orientation.

 

[Darkxerox]

Easiest way to bring up salinity safely is top off with seawater. I don't like mixing a high concentration brine because some of the elements can crash out of solution since they have relatively low solubility compared to other ions.

 

[wazzupmac]

Fired up the lights and tested the WiFi dongle - all going according to plan.

 

[wazzupmac]

Picked up six fish from Kenny @under_water_ninja yesterday after the Kessil tour.

Some pictures are attached - excuse the disgusting glass. I need to find my magnetic cleaner and do a thorough cleaning.

Yellow Mimic Tang
Blue Tang
Scopas Tang
Watanabe Angelfish
Swallowtail Angelfish
Flame Angelfish

 

[Kensington Reefer]

IMHO
No more fish!
But I do like adding many fish at once
Feed them, love them, grow them

 

[wazzupmac]

IMHO
No more fish!
But I do like adding many fish at once
Feed them, love them, grow them

Per Kenny -- I specifically added all at the same time (tank has been cycled for a while with live rock and biofilter maintained by squad of chromis) and we found fish that he had in same tanks together for a while so there would be minimum aggression.

TBH - I will add some more wrasse and bottom dwellers in the coming months but don't think there will to many additions outside of slowly adding coral. Will happen after I order a lid - aiming for Kraken Reef with 2 cutouts for AFS, 1 for Plank, 2 cord cutouts, and 2 feeder ports in front for manual feeding/frozen treats. Getting a few more ideas and inputs before pulling the trigger -- wouldn't want any jumpers.

There is a weeping willow frag in the tank (thx @Lullaby) and 3 small frags of some other random stuff I got from Kenny over the past 2-3 weeks.

 

[finalphaze987]

Will happen after I order a lid - aiming for Kraken Reef with 2 cutouts for AFS, 1 for Plank, 2 cord cutouts, and 2 feeder ports in front for manual feeding/frozen treats. Getting a few more ideas and inputs before pulling the trigger -- wouldn't want any jumpers.

Is Kraken able to do a cutout for the AFS? I didn't see an option for it when getting a quote.

 

[wazzupmac]

Is Kraken able to do a cutout for the AFS? I didn't see an option for it when getting a quote.

@finalphaze987

Neptune AFS Insert (Requires Cutout)

Kraken Reef's AFS Insert is designed to be installed into your Kraken Reef lid (with proper cutout) and have seamless use of your Neptune AFS. Available in reef safe 3D printed black PETG plastic

krakenreef.com

 

[finalphaze987]

@finalphaze987

Neptune AFS Insert (Requires Cutout)

Kraken Reef's AFS Insert is designed to be installed into your Kraken Reef lid (with proper cutout) and have seamless use of your Neptune AFS. Available in reef safe 3D printed black PETG plastic

krakenreef.com

Sweet! Thanks for the info...now time to go throw some money his way..lol

 

[wazzupmac]

Switched out lights from a500x to xr30 Pro Gen 5. Four lights about 9.5” above water. Will work on par and spacing over the next few weeks.

Edit - lowered more to 6" above water

Added some coral from @tankguy last week and some stuff from @Invictus this weekend. Hoping to start putting some more frags in over the next couple months and mount stuff to rocks that will be permanent.