RedSea Reefer 350 - and so it begins

dacianb

dacianb

Active Member
Saturday I ordered my RedSea Reefer 350 white and hope that this thread to be the log of my tank from the beginning.
It is my first RedSea tank, but since long I waited to enter the RedSea Club owners :)
Delivery term - 4-6 weeks, so I will receive it at the end of June or mid Jully. Shipping cost me + 100 EU for 30 km between shop and house, but at least can be done on Saturday when will be at home.

Plans are to start as much from scratch and not use things from old tank.

- Lights - DYI LED system already in tests; still need some small changes, but full story of it at http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forum/...questions-to-ask-details-to-show.93450/page-3
- Rock - dry or live.... this is the question
- Sand - RedSea sands?? Are OK?
- Return pomp - no idea, as never used one in the past - what are the great candidates for 3000l/h??
- Skimmer - Bubble Magus Curve 7 - probably overrated and maybe a bit pricey?? Opinions?
- Heating - some 2x250W or 2x300W probably would be OK. Being a rimless tank and as in winter in house may be around 19°C (during the day, nobody home, heating goes on low) - I hope will be enough.
- Flow - AquaMedic EcoDrift 8... Start with one, adding eventually the second later.

For start up I plan the RedSea plan, or just dead shrimp way, but for sure no live rock.
Nothing is ordered yet, except the tank, so I am fully open to suggestions.

I love the look of those tanks (not mine, just pics from web) and I hope to manage to build something like that. All ideas and suggestions are very welcome

180Glights2_zpsca688be9.jpg

8055203090_7e7d0eaf31_b.jpg
 
pablomay28

pablomay28

Well-Known Member
dacianb said:
Saturday I ordered my RedSea Reefer 350 white and hope that this thread to be the log of my tank from the beginning.
It is my first RedSea tank, but since long I waited to enter the RedSea Club owners :)
Delivery term - 4-6 weeks, so I will receive it at the end of June or mid Jully. Shipping cost me + 100 EU for 30 km between shop and house, but at least can be done on Saturday when will be at home.

Plans are to start as much from scratch and not use things from old tank.

- Lights - DYI LED system already in tests; still need some small changes, but full story of it at http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forum/...questions-to-ask-details-to-show.93450/page-3
- Rock - dry or live.... this is the question
- Sand - RedSea sands?? Are OK?
- Return pomp - no idea, as never used one in the past - what are the great candidates for 3000l/h??
- Skimmer - Bubble Magus Curve 7 - probably overrated and maybe a bit pricey?? Opinions?
- Heating - some 2x250W or 2x300W probably would be OK. Being a rimless tank and as in winter in house may be around 19°C (during the day, nobody home, heating goes on low) - I hope will be enough.
- Flow - AquaMedic EcoDrift 8... Start with one, adding eventually the second later.

For start up I plan the RedSea plan, or just dead shrimp way, but for sure no live rock.
Nothing is ordered yet, except the tank, so I am fully open to suggestions.

I love the look of those tanks (not mine, just pics from web) and I hope to manage to build something like that. All ideas and suggestions are very welcome

View attachment 42763

View attachment 42764
Click to expand...



- Return pump - no idea, as never used one in the past - what are the great candidates for 3000l/h??

I highly recommend the Eheim Compact+ 3000 or 5000 as they come with an adjustment knob.

- Skimmer - Bubble Magus Curve 7 - probably overrated and maybe a bit pricey?? Opinions?

The skimmer you are considering has good reviews and the price is good. I have had good luck with Aquamaxx and I am very happy with my Vertex Omega 130. What ever your choice I recommend you do some research on customer satisfaction/service and YOUTUBE definitely helps.
 
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spiraling

spiraling

Well-Known Member
I'm excited to see another reefer build. I don't have one but I love them. I'll be following along to see how it goes!

I've also wondered on my next tank ( just thinking ahead here :yup: ) if I would go dry or live rock. I love the diversity of organisms of live rock and watching the tiny critters like fans and sponges. But I also got some nasty hitchhikers. Some I didn't realize I had until over a year into my build. Now my tank is too far along to just pull out the rock and get rid of them. I'll be curious of the responses you get.

Are you planning a refugium? I'm curious how to get one going in the reefer.
 
dacianb

dacianb

Active Member
spiraling said:
Are you planning a refugium? I'm curious how to get one going in the reefer.
Click to expand...

spiraling, Reefers come with a sump, so not much place left under. Will see how much space skimmer will take, but at least an algae scrubber I may fit in. Or some macroalgae? Have no idea yet
 
StirCrayzy

StirCrayzy

Well-Known Member
What you decide for return may depend on parts availability, too. you don't want to be stranded waiting for a new impeller. Murphy's law cannot be taken lightly.

Congrats on the new build !
 
dacianb

dacianb

Active Member
After reading lots of reviews about return pumps I think I decided on Aqua Medic DC Runner 3.0.
Have the 3000l/h my tank needs, works at 24V (less risky), have a very low consumption comparing with same flow pumps (only 25W) when similar ones have 60-70W, a flow controller, including a "feeding time" and according to reviews is very silent.
 
dacianb

dacianb

Active Member
I received yesterday:
- 2 heaters - Eheim Jäger 250 Watt - are very long...have no idea how will mount them into sump. Also on each is written that is for tanks up to 600l. I dont know why I ordered 2 of them :)
- Aqua Medic DC Runner 3.0 - nice looking return pomp, only 25W consumption and a nice controller on it, including feeding time.
- Bubble Magus Skimmer Typ Curve 7 - this is HUGE. Looking at my current Tunze 9004 next to the new one - wow, quite a difference.

But still have no idea what rocks to order... and the tank will arrive in couple of weeks :(
 
StirCrayzy

StirCrayzy

Well-Known Member
2 heaters is great for redundancy. I and many others will agree. I specifically measured heaters location in the sump and ordered the biggest I could fit (150w jagers ) What gph is the pump?
 
dacianb

dacianb

Active Member
StirCrayzy said:
2 heaters is great for redundancy. I and many others will agree. I specifically measured heaters location in the sump and ordered the biggest I could fit (150w jagers ) What gph is the pump?
Click to expand...

On a local Belgium forum I saw a picture of a 250W Jager in a sump of RSR 350 mounted horizontally on the bottom and works fine. I think even place them on side windows of sump in diagonal should work.
The Aqua Medic DC Runner 3.0 is 3000 liters / hour (dont know it in gallons) - but is exactly what RS recommend for reefer 350. Have a nice controller to tune the speed (include feeding time, where go on low speed for 10 minutes and then back to normal). Also the consumption is very low (max 25W) comparing with other similar pumps. In the box there are lots of adapters too, probably to fit all kind of tubes. Didn't start it yet as I dont have the tank.
 
dacianb

dacianb

Active Member
After 2 months of waiting and a terrible experience with the delivery, yesterday I found a pallet in front of my house.
For few hours, on a street in Belgium was a free RS reefer for anybody to take, but with lot of effort and some help, all boxes are in house now.
I didnt opened all boxes, but the main tank one, and is OK (no cracks) -:)

20150728_182227.jpg
 
pablomay28

pablomay28

Well-Known Member
Wow sorry to hear about your experience. I was very lucky. I called Fountains Aquarium here in San Diego California and they told me they had it in stock. Payed through paypal plus $60 for the delivery and they dropped it off in my living room the next day. I have it assembled and running.
 
dacianb

dacianb

Active Member
pablomay28 said:
Wow sorry to hear about your experience. I was very lucky. I called Fountains Aquarium here in San Diego California and they told me they had it in stock. Payed through paypal plus $60 for the delivery and they dropped it off in my living room the next day. I have it assembled and running.
Click to expand...
Thats nice. I payed 100 EU delivery on SATURDAY (when I should be home) in my house. Of course, was Tuesday on the street.
Seems that the pallet not even went to shop where order it, but was delivered directly to my address. Looks like RS prefer to fill the USA market first. I dont think you can find RS Reefers on stock around. I looked in Belgium, Holland and Germany.
 
dacianb

dacianb

Active Member
Question for bigger tank owners... The plastic grids that I sometimes saw under the sand / rock structure - are those mandatory / important??
I dont plan a huge rock wall into my new tank, so should I buy such grids?
 
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