Red Sea Reefer 250 build!

dirtrider225

dirtrider225

Member
So some information. I currently have a RSM 130, and its a great tank but i decided i want some more space. After some reading and searching i come across the Reefer series and find what looks to be perfect! I just ordered my reefer today! (ETA 2 Weeks!)

Current equipment list:
Reefer 250
Nanobox Reef ATI Sunpower Retrofit (LED/T5 Hybrid) (ordered and paid for today. ETA 2 weeks!)
Vertex Omega 150 protein skimmer
2 Cobalt neotherm 100 watt heaters

Still need a return pump. Thinking about using a sicce syncra 3.0. Thoughts?

Any other recommendations?
 
pablomay28

pablomay28

Well-Known Member
Brother that skimmer is way to big. Maybe the 130 would be enough if you plan on having a big bioload. I would recommend the Reef Octopus 110 int or the 110 sss. The Vertex is so big that you will see that it will stop skimming. Good choice on the return pump as it is adjustable. I have the reefer 450 and love it.
 
dirtrider225

dirtrider225

Member
Damn. It was a good deal and i was hoping it would work. maybe ill shoot for a heavy bioload? if it doesnt work out i can always sell it and get my money back. Thanks for the input! Do you have a link to your build thread so i can check that out?
 
dirtrider225

dirtrider225

Member
Update! Reefer 250 has been picked up and brought to the apartment! will be putting the stand and everything together hopefully tonight! Ordered an Eheim Compact+ 3000 for the return pump which should be here wednesday or thursday so ill do the leak test then and hopefully fill it up with water and live sand for a couple of days, as well as a few pieces of live rock from the current tank. Have to wait a week or 2 for the light yet so im not gonna transfer anything over unil then.
 
pablomay28

pablomay28

Well-Known Member
Nice choice on the pump. I have the same one on my reefer 450 i know it recommends a higher flow but it is more than enough. I have to point the return nozzle up or else it will stir up my sand bed.
 
dirtrider225

dirtrider225

Member
my plan is to use the return for surface agitation and use the vortech for water flow. Going to test the MP10wes on the half inch glass in a couple of days. Ive read that it works just fine, but ya never know. Ideally ill probably sell it and get an mp40 but we will see
 
dirtrider225

dirtrider225

Member


Everything was packaged good, seemed to be very thought out to make sure nothing would get damaged in shipping



This little thing right here on the stand makes a huge difference from the old stands imo. The stand was easy to put together and very sturdy, pretty sure they either used real wood or at least plywood and not particle board which is nice for a change. On top of that they have a nice foam mat on both the top of the stand for the tank to sit on as well as a foam mat for the sump to sit on.



All plumbing fit together nicely and was easy to install, overflow seems thought out pretty decently. Time will tell about noise level though haha



Vertex omega 150 BARELY fits in the sump with enough room on the sides and around the pump to keep from rattling or humming. also put the neotherm 150 watt heaters in, one in the downpipe section and one in the return section (on its side) ((side note, can/will one of these melt pvc if it is touching it? I would guess no but id like a second opinion))

AAAAAND finally the FTS.. looks like ****. Ill work on that.



Return pump should be here tomorrow, and ill do a leak test then and let all the equipment run for a while just to make sure everything works. Ill probably set up and install the apex at that time as well.

Plan on putting in sand and saltwater in over the weekend assuming it doesnt leak and everything works, and will put a cup of old sand to seed the new as well as a couple pieces of live rock from my current tank. The light wont be here until next week sometime so ill have to wait until then to do a transfer. Not expecting much cycle since im not getting any new rock.
 
pablomay28

pablomay28

Well-Known Member
Tank looks amazing!! Start ordering some filter socks regukar filter socks dont fit. I had a hard time finding them so when I did i go 8. Look them up in Amazon or Salty Supply. To avoid the gurgling noise on the overflow have the water level just below the small middle tube.
 
dirtrider225

dirtrider225

Member
UPDATE! Leak test was sucussful! Tank was damn near silent, like silent silent. Hopefully once its set up and i get everything dialed in and set correctly it stays that way
smile.gif
So the plan is to buy sand and start filling with saltwater in the next day or so









Right now the cables are running out the back of the stand, and i plan on attaching the eb8 and eb4 i have back there on the outside of the stand. After everything is hooked up ill clean up cabling a little and try to make it look nicer. I also need to cut off about 5" or so of the green return tubing to sit correctly. Definately wish the sump was a little bigger over all.. there is no room for expansion in its current state which im not too happy about. I guess its still better than no sump at all though which is what im used to haha
 
dirtrider225

dirtrider225

Member
So for stocking fish im planning kind of a heavy bioload. I personally feel like swimming room for the fish is the most important thing in stocking instead "x fish needs atleast 75 gallon tank" But again, thats just my opinion.

Right now i have:
Randalls Goby+pistol shrimp
Yascha Goby
Midas Blenny
1 Speckled RBTA + porcelain anemone crab
rhodactis mushrooms
few zoas
2 ricordias
1 torch
1 hammer

In the new build i plan on adding:
1 Magnificent Foxface
1 Tomni tang
4 lyretail Anthias
2 Helfrechi's Firefish

Im hoping the foxface will be fine in the system as i plan on having plenty of swimming room for it. If not i guess ill trade him in to the LFS or another Local Reefer in a few years but i dont like that idea. Ive seen many RSM 250 builds on here with this amount of bioload or even more and they were very successful so im hoping it works out for me.
 
NickF

NickF

Well-Known Member
Congratulations on the new tank, it looks great. I love the reefer tanks and if I ever upgraded from my c130 that's the tank I'd go for so I'll definitely be following your thread with interest.
 
Oxylebius

Oxylebius

Well-Known Member
dirtrider225 said:
So for stocking fish im planning kind of a heavy bioload. I personally feel like swimming room for the fish is the most important thing in stocking instead "x fish needs atleast 75 gallon tank" But again, thats just my opinion.

Right now i have:
Randalls Goby+pistol shrimp
Yascha Goby
Midas Blenny

In the new build i plan on adding:
1 Magnificent Foxface
1 Tomni tang
4 lyretail Anthias
2 Helfrechi's Firefish

Im hoping the foxface will be fine in the system as i plan on having plenty of swimming room for it. If not i guess ill trade him in to the LFS or another Local Reefer in a few years but i dont like that idea. Ive seen many RSM 250 builds on here with this amount of bioload or even more and they were very successful so im hoping it works out for me.
Click to expand...

That is a lot of fish for the rsm250. Your weekly maintenance is what would make a difference in the type of bioload you have.

The magnificent foxface will get large. These fish like to swim a LOT. A longer tank (5+ feet) suits them better then the tall rsm250 tanks. The one-spot would be a better fish to have in the 65g/rsm250 tank. IMHO.
 
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