Timmons Reefer 525 Build

[BTimmons]

Still waiting on the DT to finish cycling. Nitrites somewhere around .5-1ppm. Nitrates around 40 with API test. My salifert N03 test kit is coming Monday. Not impressed with the Reef Mature program for cycling with dry rock. I know in the program they say it's designed for live rock, I didn't realize that when I ordered. I bought two kits and dosed as directed for 10 days and had no ammonia, no nitrites and no spike at all. I tested daily. Got fed up and dosed up to 1 ppm with 10% ammonium chloride. I added some API quick start which I used before with success, and also used in my recent QT, and next morning I had nitrites brewing.

Got my Midas Blenny from DD and he is doing great. Arrived scared and hid for the first day. After the second feeding he has warmed up and now swims a great deal of the time. Still hides when I get really close to the tank.

My skimmer is finally getting tuned in and producing some foul smelling lighter colored skimmate. I assume that's the N0P0x working overtime. I'm impressed with the skimmer so far. Pretty quiet and really moves some water

 

[BTimmons]

Happy St. Patty's Day from my tank!

 

[BTimmons]

Finally got some CUC members in the Reefer to combat the hair algae. It exploded for a couple days but doesn't seem to be running rampant anymore. I did a 30g PWC and need to check my nitrates, they were around 40/50 before. Talk about hard...I got my CUC from Pacific East Aquaculture and had to look around while they bagged them, knowing my tank wasn't ready for corals. Wow, that place is amazing.

Got a cool shot of my Midas in the QT.

Chilling in the snail shell!

 

[Lamia2super]

very nice ! I've been wanting to upgrade to one of these from my rsm250

 

[teosso]

I just ordered my 525xl, coming from an rsm 250. Ordered the dry rock from Tampa bay saltwater, great guy very helpful. I really liked your aqua scape, I am torn between radions and kessil 360's I was wondering what made you pick radions I love the controllability, but I can't get past the disco ball effect. Kessil seems to look more like mh just wondering if you had other lighting considerations, I am going vectra and MP 40 as well.

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[nanoreefing4fun]

@teosso

to ReefSanctuary, a real Sanctuary of reef forums, with lots of very nice members


Start a tank thread & share your tank with us so we can follow along, we love pics

 

[BTimmons]

Lamia2super - Thanks. If you decide to upsize your tank I wish you the best of luck!

Teosso - Congrats on the new tank. Hopefully everything goes nice and smooth for you. I have never seen the Kessils in person. I have seen pictures and they look very nice. I know many people are satisfied with theirs. I just liked the Radions and with the MP40 and Vectra it seemed like a no-brainer. Maybe I just wanted to create "gimmicky" thunderstorms. Although their explanation of running a "wash cycle" for your reef is genius marketing. There are also fanboys in every hobby. Just like people debate Xbox vs. PS, Sony vs. Samsung, and Ford vs. Chevy, so do people argue that their preference/purchase was the best. For me part of the decision was price, I got my XR15s for a shade over 300 a piece. I'm very happy with them. Let me know if there's anything I can help you with. I haven't seen anybody else with a 525 yet

 

[teosso]

This may sound like a silly question but does it bother you that you can see the LED pucks from your seated position? Mine will be in a similar spot and I was curious if the lights are annoying to look up at ( always thought that is why canopy's were invented) I really like the way the xr15 light your tank. One of the local LFS said I would need 3 xr30s I thought they were full of it, and your pics prove it. Do you like reeflink?

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[BTimmons]

It doesn't really bother me being able to see the pucks while seated. More importantly, it doesn't strain my eyes while sitting or watching tv. If I look at it, it's definitely there but it doesn't creep into my peripheral vision. Your mileage may vary depending on your room layout.

If you wanted to use the 90 degree optics for deeper penetration you might need 3 XR30s. I think their coverage rating was 24" with the 90 degree and 36" with the 120 degree. The 30s only come with the 90 degree lenses if I recall correctly. I opted for the 120 degree lenses(the 15s come with both sets) and I'm happy with my coverage.

The reeflink has worked well for me. It's cool to be able to set programs for your lights and power heads without having to plug into a USB port. I'm thinking it was a pretty good buy.

 

[teosso]

It doesn't really bother me being able to see the pucks while seated. More importantly, it doesn't strain my eyes while sitting or watching tv. If I look at it, it's definitely there but it doesn't creep into my peripheral vision. Your mileage may vary depending on your room layout.

If you wanted to use the 90 degree optics for deeper penetration you might need 3 XR30s. I think their coverage rating was 24" with the 90 degree and 36" with the 120 degree. The 30s only come with the 90 degree lenses if I recall correctly. I opted for the 120 degree lenses(the 15s come with both sets) and I'm happy with my coverage.

The reeflink has worked well for me. It's cool to be able to set programs for your lights and power heads without having to plug into a USB port. I'm thinking it was a pretty good buy.

Thanks some of the lights I have seen are blinding ( I have 2 kids as well and was worried about the effects of looking at lights with UV )

I may be crazy but I am now thinking of running 2 kessils on each side and one XR15 wide angle in the middle, I like the moonlight as cheesy as it sounds but tanks are fun to watch at night when all the "undesirables" come out. I also like the the ecotech is pretty much plug and play out of the box. Not quite sure how the two lights would mix but I think it would light the entire tank. I also considered using the new waterproof tunze just for the night light.

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[BTimmons]

This is the view from my couch currently. The pictures pick up the aura of light from the puck. The light spilling out that is visible to the eye is much less.

I would say if you're that torn on lighting, buy one of each from a company with a good return policy and take a look at both. Maybe one on the end and one in the middle to see how they would blend? Good luck!

 

[teosso]

Thanks for sending the pic I really appreciate it. My tank will start about where your curtain is to the left of your screen.
Are you running the xr15 pro or standard and are you using the TIR lenses? I am seriously considering doing 2 kessil left and right and an xr 15 in the center - I plan on creating two separate reef structures left and right and leaving some negative space between left right and center.

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[teosso]

Also can you tilt the light in the mount from side to side or front to back?

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[BTimmons]

I'm running the Pros using the 120 degree lenses. The lights do not tilt on the mounts. The arm that they are mounted to can slide front to back to achieve your desired position over your structures, but no tilting as far as I know.

 

[BTimmons]

These are my newest QT inhabitants. They were staying together in a tank by themselves at the LFS. I'm hoping they're already a pair. Last night they were laying next to each other on the bottom of the tank. Seen no aggression so far.

Here's my Copperband in the DT. Eating anything I throw his way: Angel/BF formula, mysis, clam, oyster, mussel etc. I work for a seafood distributor so my fish are spoiled in that way. (Also make my own frozen food that I am about to start selling locally. Wish me luck and shoot me a PM if you want to try some, just pay shipping)

And here's the Simplicity DC320 skimmer putting in some serious work

This skimmer is a beast. I would definitely recommend it for the price.

 

[teosso]

These are my newest QT inhabitants. They were staying together in a tank by themselves at the LFS. I'm hoping they're already a pair. Last night they were laying next to each other on the bottom of the tank. Seen no aggression so far.

Here's my Copperband in the DT. Eating anything I throw his way: Angel/BF formula, mysis, clam, oyster, mussel etc. I work for a seafood distributor so my fish are spoiled in that way. (Also make my own frozen food that I am about to start selling locally. Wish me luck and shoot me a PM if you want to try some, just pay shipping)

And here's the Simplicity DC320 skimmer putting in some serious work

This skimmer is a beast. I would definitely recommend it for the price.

What type is it? This is one piece I haven't settled on yet.

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[BTimmons]

It's a needle-wheel DC skimmer. Simplicity DC 320 is the model. It claims to be suitable for a heavily stocked 160 gallon up to a 320 gallon lightly stocked. Last time I checked there's hardly anything about the brand online yet, though a lot of places sell them. I got mine for way cheaper than retail, I think I paid $275 shipped. I don't have the contact info anymore but I got most all of my equipment for well below retail from a guy I found on eBay and messaged. Most people sell cheaper outside of eBay because they don't have to pay fees.

 

[mtsully71]

Just caught up on the reading, awesome tank. Nice rock layout too

 

[BTimmons]

This is where the magic happens! I feel like I'm in a great position to jump in the fish food game. Working for a seafood distributor really allows me to make sure that only the freshest, highest quality ingredients go in, even fresh seaweed!

 

[Oxylebius]

Make sure there aren't any pearls in there