Sully's RSM Reefer 350

mtsully71

mtsully71

Well-Known Member
Hello reefers,

Well, I finally caved and I am putting a new tank together. My first reef tank with choice of tank and equipment.

Brief history…..did saltwater fish for years, then started off with an RSM 130 reef in December of 2012. Never modified it and just let the grass grow. Saved cash and finally took the plunge, figured I would swing for the fence on this one.

Below is what I have purchased as far as major equipment. My tank and equipment are currently sitting in my garage and have been for almost a month as I am finishing a re-model in the room where the tank will go. Hopefully by the end of the weekend. :thumber2:

I purchased 100 lbs. of BRS dry reef saver rock and plates and made my scape. The scape took me about 10 hours to complete. I modeled it on a cardboard pattern of the tank dimensions and I will upload pictures of that in the near future. I hope to start set up the tank by the end of next weekend. I will try to post photos of some of the work and the tank when I begin the cycle process. I am by no means an expert, but just took my time doing a lot of reading. Past experience is everyone has an opinion mostly good and it’s usually half in one half in the other. If you have any questions, I would be more than happy to share my experience/resolutions with this project.


Reefer 350 by Red Sea 91 Gallon Black
Ecotech Marine Radion XR30w PRO Gen3 (2)
Ecotech XR-30 Tank Mount (2)
Finnex 500w Titanium Heater Element
Sicce Syncra Pump Model 4.0
Neptune Systems Apex AquaController
Reef Octopus Classic 150SSS Protein Skimmer
BRS GFO & Carbon Reactor – Dual
EcoTech Marine VorTech MP40wES
CaribSea aragonite special grade sand

I hope you all will enjoy my thread :cheers:
and thanks for looking!
 
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mtsully71

mtsully71

Well-Known Member
The remodel is done..........:thumbup: and I am beat.

Just a few picks of where the tank will go, definatley will have some stand/tank building going on later in the week and through the weekend. :celebrate:

Ill make sure and post a few picks, night reefers :sleeeeeepyyyyy:

This room is where the wife gets adorable

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and this full shot is where tank will go, knocked out the wall from the kitchen, unused space. Took me a few weeks. Will put a blind up in the openening.

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mtsully71

mtsully71

Well-Known Member
The Good: Well I finally got around to putting the stand together. Pretty straight forward and I like how Red Sea has heavy thin foam where the sump sits and for the tank.

The bad: 3 of the holes where you insert the (nut??? :dunno:) were to shallow and had to re-drill them. I can deal with that.

The UGLY: 3 of the nut things broke while trurning them down, mind you I was applying just enough pressure to snug. Thought, well thats no cool. Start getting to the end and my inferior math skills tell me I might be short. YEP! short by three for attaching the side panel of the stand. Frankly, fairly :soapbox: off. Its not to hard to figure out the nuts are cheaply made and Red Sea could have maybe thrown a few more in and now I have to wait until they send me some.

For those that build a stand, you have the exact number of hardware pieces (looks like enough screws, I dont know can't finish). So be warned, frankly knowing what I know now I would have called Red Sea and asked for 5 more nylon support assist and 5 nuts, before I started the project.

Called left a meesage with Red Sea in Texas, when they call me back in the morning, I will nicely ask for an additional 5 nuts so I can finish the stand.

Here are some photos up until I had to stop. Have a good week, taken the 4-wheelers out for MD, so good trade .

IMG_0194.jpg IMG_0195.jpg IMG_0196.jpg

:banghead:​

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mtsully71

mtsully71

Well-Known Member
bah, no nuts yet. I hope Red Sea Texas didn't blow me off. If I do not get the nuts in the mail tonight, they will not like talking to me tomorrow.
 
mtsully71

mtsully71

Well-Known Member
Thanks Greg, Well here is my update, Called Red Sea Texas Monday morning to request the parts, I called Friday, they shipped on Tuesday o_O. Well here is the best part, no cams/nuts Friday. But I get a notice in my mail box Saturday that I have a package at the post office.......really??? Post office closed Saturday, pretty sure these are the cams, but I had to wait over a week to get 3 cams, when a few extras could have been in the bag. Great customer service Red Sea thanks. :chagrined:.

I guess on the good side, I can finish my stand tonight and get rolling again.
 
mtsully71

mtsully71

Well-Known Member
Oh my goodness is that cams I see...............IT IS! Note again, you get the exact number of hardware to build the stand, including screws.

Back in business, stand built, doors take a little tweaking and the sump fits snug, but clean. Tomorrow buy some beer for bribing the muscle and the tank will get set. I should have everything hooked up by Wed night and maybe get some water in by Thursday. Driving to northern CA on Friday with wife to pick up new 5th wheel (3 days), so worst case scenerio tank should be cycling by Monday night.:fingerscrossed:

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mtsully71

mtsully71

Well-Known Member
Started putting things together tonight. Set rock last night and attached a couple pre cut shelves to the back. I realize there is a limited amount of space in the sump area and found attaching the dual reactor to the far left works nice. Tomorrow going to see if I cant get some elbows etc to clean hose lines up. Also need to get a reducer from 3/4 on pump to 5/8 on return and some hose.

I do have a question for you guys/gals though. I have an apex controller I will hook up. Now the left sump side has an opening in the back I could easily run wires through etc. The other (dry) cabinet side does not have any openings. Should I drill the dry side back wall for mounting the controler and run the wires from the (wet) side into there? I am thinking mounting/putting the electric (outlet) stuff on the sump side is a bad idea.

The main piece gives plenty of room for fish races and cleaning, the back piece is free standing and not against the back. If there is a flow issue I can take it out. Nothing touches the walls of the tank except for what I attached.

Thanks for looking and enjoy the pics.



IMG_0219.jpg IMG_0213.jpg IMG_0214.jpg IMG_0215.jpg IMG_0220.jpg
 
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mtsully71

mtsully71

Well-Known Member
Mornin reefers......The chicken is in the pot finally. Fired up the system last night, everything mechanical on the left fits nice and the right with all the electrical is almost fully complete. Need to spend about 30 minutes doing the wifi thing with the APEX and a little bit of wire organizing. I got lots of time to mount and mess with lights, as I cycle without them.

A few observations. There still is not much "how to literature" for the 350, but when I fired the return pump the water immediately began going down the overflow and let me tell you it looks like boiling water in the sump, so I was thinking ahhh *$^% this isn't good. Call me dumb, but there is a control valve on the intake and it was closed (not in instructions). Google is your friend.... Found a brief post in another forum where REDSEAKEV talks about this adjustment and not exceeding the tank return amount. Wasn't concerned with the return GPH, but he is spot on that you do the adjustment very slowly and give it time to adjust. I had to tweek it again this morning (closed more). When I mention tweek, I mean an 1/8 -1/4 inch turn. Basically you are a adjusting the overflow valve to match the amount of water being returned to the tank by the return. I KNOW! novel concept. :ponder2:

The Octopus was going bat guano crazy after about 1 hour and producing skim. All I will be running for the next month or so will be skimmer, heater, return pump and MP 40. Won't even bother testing for 3 weeks.

So Sully is back in the game, I'll take some tank and equipment shots in the next few days and post them for your drooling pleasure ;)

thanks for looking
 
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