Life Reef

exray · 02/29/2012, 10:52 AM

I'd like to know if anyone has a lifereef refugium system?

What do you thing about his product?

tkeracer619 · 02/29/2012, 11:03 AM

Terrible skimmers but the rest is great.

Best HOB overflow boxes hands down. Never had an issue with the sumps / fuges. He is local to me and a lot of people in Colorado use his sumps.

djkms · 02/29/2012, 11:45 AM

Guess I am of different opinion. I have a Lifereef CA reactor, sump, fuge, skimmer and overflow. I love it all, including the skimmer. Not sure why you say the skimmers are terrible. Sure they are old school design and not cone shaped and venturi instead of the ever popular needle wheel but it has no issue pulling gunk out of my system and I am heavily stocked.

Lifereefs acrylic work is the best in the industry.

tkeracer I see you are on RC a lot. Are you ever on MASC?

exray · 02/29/2012, 12:03 PM

djkms
any pic of ur setup running

djkms · 02/29/2012, 12:14 PM

I can snap some pics when I get home. Its not pretty though, my plumbing skills suck!!! Not Lifereefs fault though!

b442adams · 02/29/2012, 12:23 PM

I love my lifereef skimmer. I have the two foot model on my tank and it works fantastic.

allsps40 · 02/29/2012, 12:26 PM

Not the best skimmers for sure and there acrylic work is fair, not the best around for sure.

GPB · 02/29/2012, 12:34 PM

Don't know about sumps. Overflow is great! Good overall build quality. I would guess the rest of the line is also superb quality.

exray · 02/29/2012, 04:26 PM

would like to see some pic of ur life reef equipment it would help

Jerzy · 02/29/2012, 05:14 PM

Ive seen a few review about their refugiums...mostly high marks

tkeracer619 · 03/06/2012, 10:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by djkms

Not sure why you say the skimmers are terrible.

tkeracer I see you are on RC a lot. Are you ever on MASC?

Of all the skimmers I have used or have experience with they were one of the least impressive, not as bad as aquac but IME/IMO there are just too many better options around to settle on these. He does great work but seems to refuse to update his skimmer line. There is also absolutely no reason for a ghetto o-ring neck seal in 2012. Its just ridiculous. All he needs to do is make a better transition, connection to cup, and update his micro bubble management. All of that internal volume and the design dramatically reduces the internal reaction chamber.

As for MASC... No. It was extremely pleasurable to watch Steve and his business Front Range Aquatics fail. Should be enough info to find out why if you really want to know some ugly moments in the history of the club.

saf1 · 03/06/2012, 11:14 PM

Only have his skimmer - since about 2000. Great quality and support. As to why he won't change....why should he? The product works great all ready and requires very little maintenance once set up. If it isn't broke don't fix it you know.

Anyway I can vouch for his work and quality but I don't own what you are asking for.

tandldel · 03/12/2012, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by djkms

Guess I am of different opinion. I have a Lifereef CA reactor, sump, fuge, skimmer and overflow. I love it all, including the skimmer. Not sure why you say the skimmers are terrible. Sure they are old school design and not cone shaped and venturi instead of the ever popular needle wheel but it has no issue pulling gunk out of my system and I am heavily stocked.

Lifereefs acrylic work is the best in the industry.

tkeracer I see you are on RC a lot. Are you ever on MASC?

I see you have the media canisters. I was wondering your experience with these. I've read some people say that they get compacted and are not very good? I have a Clf 1 on order like yours and was wondering if it's worth adding these and get your opinion on them.

djkms · 03/12/2012, 04:19 PM

That is the issue I had with them as well. They are not fluidized. I dont use them anymore, I currently use the BRS media reactors.

tandldel · 03/12/2012, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by djkms

That is the issue I had with them as well. They are not fluidized. I dont use them anymore, I currently use the BRS media reactors.

Thanks for the reply. Also OP sorry to hi jack the thread. Hope you didn't mind.
Can you sit the BRS in the same spot or did you hang them?

djkms · 03/13/2012, 01:58 PM

They do not fit in the same spot. I have them sitting on the floor of my stand.

djkms · 03/13/2012, 11:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by exray

djkms
any pic of ur setup running

Don't mind the ratsnest, plumping is not my strong suit. Skimmer cup was cleaned 2 days before taking this pic:

goldenservices3 · 03/14/2012, 04:35 AM

I had a lifereef skimmer at one point,then went with an ASM,should have stayed with the life reef,I thought the performance was much better than the ASM

02/29/2012, 10:52 AM	#1
exray Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Palmdale Ca Posts: 292	Life Reef I'd like to know if anyone has a lifereef refugium system? What do you thing about his product? __________________ Exray Current Tank Info: New Setup Comin Soon

02/29/2012, 11:03 AM	#2
tkeracer619 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Westminster, CO Posts: 17,289	Terrible skimmers but the rest is great. Best HOB overflow boxes hands down. Never had an issue with the sumps / fuges. He is local to me and a lot of people in Colorado use his sumps. __________________ Hobby Experience: 9200ish gallons, 26 skimmers, and a handful of Kent Scrapers. Current Tank: Vortech Powered 600G SPS Tank w/ 100gal frag tank & 100g Sump. RK2-RK10 Skimmer. ReefAngel. Radium 20k.

02/29/2012, 11:45 AM	#3
djkms Fish Freak Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Spring Hill, FL Posts: 1,136	Guess I am of different opinion. I have a Lifereef CA reactor, sump, fuge, skimmer and overflow. I love it all, including the skimmer. Not sure why you say the skimmers are terrible. Sure they are old school design and not cone shaped and venturi instead of the ever popular needle wheel but it has no issue pulling gunk out of my system and I am heavily stocked. Lifereefs acrylic work is the best in the industry. tkeracer I see you are on RC a lot. Are you ever on MASC? __________________ Kris - 200 Gallon Baby Reef Current Tank Info: 225 Upgrade Setup 11/17/2012 72x27x27 - Custom 40g sump/Diablo DCS-250int skimmer/Blueline HD40x/2 MP40's/Tunze ATO/2 Part/BRS RODI/ Neptune apex, WXM/3 Radium 250w Galaxy Ballast/8 39w T5's/Litermeter III/Aquavitro Salinity/20%WC/Carbon/GFO/Vinegar

02/29/2012, 12:03 PM	#4
exray Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Palmdale Ca Posts: 292	djkms any pic of ur setup running __________________ Exray Current Tank Info: New Setup Comin Soon

02/29/2012, 12:14 PM	#5
djkms Fish Freak Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Spring Hill, FL Posts: 1,136	I can snap some pics when I get home. Its not pretty though, my plumbing skills suck!!! Not Lifereefs fault though! __________________ Kris - 200 Gallon Baby Reef Current Tank Info: 225 Upgrade Setup 11/17/2012 72x27x27 - Custom 40g sump/Diablo DCS-250int skimmer/Blueline HD40x/2 MP40's/Tunze ATO/2 Part/BRS RODI/ Neptune apex, WXM/3 Radium 250w Galaxy Ballast/8 39w T5's/Litermeter III/Aquavitro Salinity/20%WC/Carbon/GFO/Vinegar

02/29/2012, 12:23 PM	#6
b442adams Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 51	I love my lifereef skimmer. I have the two foot model on my tank and it works fantastic.

02/29/2012, 12:26 PM	#7
allsps40 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Arizona Posts: 4,627	Not the best skimmers for sure and there acrylic work is fair, not the best around for sure. __________________ __________ Current Tank Info: Past reef tanks: 20H softy, 29G mixed reef, 55G mixed reef, 40B sps dominant mixed reef and 75G sps dominant mixed reef. No tank currently

02/29/2012, 12:34 PM	#8
GPB Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Washington DC Posts: 633	Don't know about sumps. Overflow is great! Good overall build quality. I would guess the rest of the line is also superb quality. __________________ It is what it is! Current Tank Info: Oceanic 37g cube, AquaC Remora Skimmer, 6 x T5 ligts, SSB, 10g sump, GFO, GAC, Polyfilter

02/29/2012, 04:26 PM	#9
exray Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Palmdale Ca Posts: 292	would like to see some pic of ur life reef equipment it would help __________________ Exray Current Tank Info: New Setup Comin Soon

02/29/2012, 05:14 PM	#10
Jerzy Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 88	Ive seen a few review about their refugiums...mostly high marks

03/06/2012, 11:14 PM	#12
saf1 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: California Posts: 2,259	Only have his skimmer - since about 2000. Great quality and support. As to why he won't change....why should he? The product works great all ready and requires very little maintenance once set up. If it isn't broke don't fix it you know. Anyway I can vouch for his work and quality but I don't own what you are asking for. __________________ -saf1 Current Tank Info: 210 gallon mixed reef

03/12/2012, 04:19 PM	#14
djkms Fish Freak Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Spring Hill, FL Posts: 1,136	That is the issue I had with them as well. They are not fluidized. I dont use them anymore, I currently use the BRS media reactors. __________________ Kris - 200 Gallon Baby Reef Current Tank Info: 225 Upgrade Setup 11/17/2012 72x27x27 - Custom 40g sump/Diablo DCS-250int skimmer/Blueline HD40x/2 MP40's/Tunze ATO/2 Part/BRS RODI/ Neptune apex, WXM/3 Radium 250w Galaxy Ballast/8 39w T5's/Litermeter III/Aquavitro Salinity/20%WC/Carbon/GFO/Vinegar

03/13/2012, 01:58 PM	#16
djkms Fish Freak Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Spring Hill, FL Posts: 1,136	They do not fit in the same spot. I have them sitting on the floor of my stand. __________________ Kris - 200 Gallon Baby Reef Current Tank Info: 225 Upgrade Setup 11/17/2012 72x27x27 - Custom 40g sump/Diablo DCS-250int skimmer/Blueline HD40x/2 MP40's/Tunze ATO/2 Part/BRS RODI/ Neptune apex, WXM/3 Radium 250w Galaxy Ballast/8 39w T5's/Litermeter III/Aquavitro Salinity/20%WC/Carbon/GFO/Vinegar

03/14/2012, 04:35 AM	#18
goldenservices3 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: OH Posts: 65	I had a lifereef skimmer at one point,then went with an ASM,should have stayed with the life reef,I thought the performance was much better than the ASM