Broadfield's Red Sea Reefer 450 Build

Broadfield · 09/15/2015, 08:45 PM

This is my first reef setup that isn't an all-in-one setup. I have had a couple of Innovative Marine nano setups, but that's about it. So this is a nice step for me to get into something quite a bit larger and something with an external sump... wish me luck! The killer part of all of this is that my wife agreed that it would be a good idea to convert our dining room into a reef viewing/sitting room!

Unpacking it for a leak down test:

Dining room table and chairs out of there!

Stand and light mounts assembly:

One of my helpers getting anxious for sand and rock:

Broadfield · 09/16/2015, 12:46 PM

Received my chairs, got my rock work all cemented together and added sand... I really need to do something about that old dining room light fixture.

CaminDFW2 · 09/16/2015, 01:14 PM

Very nice setup... I have a reefer 250.. I wish that my other half would let me convert the dining room; I would have a 14' tank haha... Are you going to do two other Hydras?

Broadfield · 09/16/2015, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaminDFW2

Very nice setup... I have a reefer 250.. I wish that my other half would let me convert the dining room; I would have a 14' tank haha... Are you going to do two other Hydras?

As far as the lights, yes and no... stay tuned lol.

leemosh · 09/16/2015, 01:59 PM

Nice. I hope you have more pics to show of the insides of your tank. I saw your posts in the Red Sea Reefer Series thread and I hope you'll put in more details in this build thread! I can't wait to see more.

nuxx · 09/16/2015, 02:30 PM

Pretty tank

Broadfield · 09/16/2015, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by leemosh

Nice. I hope you have more pics to show of the insides of your tank. I saw your posts in the Red Sea Reefer Series thread and I hope you'll put in more details in this build thread! I can't wait to see more.

Thanks man! The first few batches of images will mostly be the same as in the Reefer thread, but as this thread gets going, I will have many more that won't be in that thread.

Broadfield · 09/16/2015, 08:03 PM

As stated earlier, I have only had a couple of nano reefs before this. Although water changes were 5 gallons or less, I still despised doing them. My RO was under the sink. It was inconvenient to have a 5 gallon jug sitting there to fill up with RO the night before, setting a timer for 100 minutes to get roughly 5 gallons, mixing in the salt etc. I knew on this setup that I wanted to do a mixing station and I didn't want to have to lift a bucket to do a water change... especially on a tank this large. Since this tank is on the main floor, and my basement isn't finished, I had the perfect place down there to set up my station.

First off was finding some nice containers. I shopped online, at various places, to see about having some shipped... but freight was a SOB. So luckily my local Farm & Fleet actually had some in stock. They are 65 gallon with the nice screw on top and also include a 1-1/4" bulkhead at the base. I also picked up a bunch of 3/4" schedule 80 and nice Viton seal true union valves. I'm using a Sicce 3.5 pump to transfer fresh water from the RO container, to mix the salt and to pump water up to my sump for water changes. I didn't want anything with super high flow since I don't need to complete a water change in 60 seconds. So this Sicce was perfect. To drain the sump, I simply prime the line going to my sump, shut off the pump and close the valve above the pump. I then open the valve in my sump and then open the valve on the drain... instant syphon! The drain pipe in my sump is only about 3/8" off the bottom, so it drains virtually the entire thing. I then simply close the valve at the drain pipe, open the valve above the pump and turn the pump on... fills the sump with fresh salt water in about 7 minutes. I have the pump connected to my Apex, so turning it on and off with my phone sure is handy!

This was my first time doing any sort of plumbing, so it was really fun to have this be my first.

danrobberg · 09/16/2015, 08:07 PM

Those Red Sea reefer tanks are beautiful.

Broadfield · 09/16/2015, 08:09 PM

A closer shot of the scape...

Ohioreef1700 · 09/17/2015, 07:29 AM

looks great are you running more than one Led setup ?

Broadfield · 09/17/2015, 08:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ohioreef1700

looks great are you running more than one Led setup ?

Yep, I have 2 Hydra 52's on my other tank that I'm transferring over to this one.

Ssteve · 09/17/2015, 03:05 PM

Whats under the car cover?

Broadfield · 09/17/2015, 03:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ssteve

Whats under the car cover?

This....

With this under the hood....

Ssteve · 09/17/2015, 03:16 PM

Mmmmmmm LS. Very nice.

nuxx · 09/17/2015, 03:17 PM

Don't see those everyday...

Have a friend in town with an R32.

Ssteve · 09/17/2015, 05:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nuxx

Don't see those everyday...

Have a friend in town with an R32.

When I was younger that was one of my dream cars. Now that I am old, I had to get something "practical"

Sorry to derail the thread.

Bent · 09/17/2015, 05:54 PM

Makes me miss my old Z that I had to get rid of to buy the wife's Acura.

Broadfield · 09/17/2015, 05:59 PM

Maybe we should start a "Reef Central Member's Rides" thread lol.

nuxx · 09/18/2015, 10:12 AM

Have a 2013 GT500

My wife wants an old muscle car, but I think she'll end up getting a Hellcat. Just haven't decided on 4 or 2 door. Hearing the Charger is getting a full redesign soon, so maybe we'll go with the Challenger. Also she wants a manual, so leaning heavily towards the Challenger.

CaminDFW2 · 09/18/2015, 10:32 AM

What is it with reefers and cars??

Here's my ride:

Bent · 09/18/2015, 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaminDFW2

What is it with reefers and cars??

Here's my ride:

Where do you live? That subdivision looks very familiar, plus I've seen a white vette roll up in it that looks exactly like that.

Snailpowered · 09/18/2015, 09:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaminDFW2

What is it with reefers and cars??

Here's my ride:

I think we like things that other appreciate but would never own. Im currently in a car funk at the moment, as Im going back to school, again, but I love my reefs and cars.

If there was a Members Rides forum I would be all over that!

bdehlin · 09/19/2015, 12:49 AM

Love my reefs, but always been more of a motorcycle guy myself lol

broke1 · 09/19/2015, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaminDFW2

What is it with reefers and cars??

Here's my ride:

We like p!ssing money away multiple ways.

09/15/2015, 08:45 PM	#1
Broadfield Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Normal, IL Posts: 151	Broadfield's Red Sea Reefer 450 Build This is my first reef setup that isn't an all-in-one setup. I have had a couple of Innovative Marine nano setups, but that's about it. So this is a nice step for me to get into something quite a bit larger and something with an external sump... wish me luck! The killer part of all of this is that my wife agreed that it would be a good idea to convert our dining room into a reef viewing/sitting room! Unpacking it for a leak down test: Dining room table and chairs out of there! Stand and light mounts assembly: One of my helpers getting anxious for sand and rock:

09/16/2015, 02:30 PM	#6
nuxx RC Sponsor Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Austin, Tx Posts: 3,990	Pretty tank __________________ Peter TankStop - Fish and Coral 470G Display - Build Thread Current Tank Info: Retired - 470 Gallon Mixed Reef (120x29x31")

09/16/2015, 08:03 PM	#8
Broadfield Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Normal, IL Posts: 151	As stated earlier, I have only had a couple of nano reefs before this. Although water changes were 5 gallons or less, I still despised doing them. My RO was under the sink. It was inconvenient to have a 5 gallon jug sitting there to fill up with RO the night before, setting a timer for 100 minutes to get roughly 5 gallons, mixing in the salt etc. I knew on this setup that I wanted to do a mixing station and I didn't want to have to lift a bucket to do a water change... especially on a tank this large. Since this tank is on the main floor, and my basement isn't finished, I had the perfect place down there to set up my station. First off was finding some nice containers. I shopped online, at various places, to see about having some shipped... but freight was a SOB. So luckily my local Farm & Fleet actually had some in stock. They are 65 gallon with the nice screw on top and also include a 1-1/4" bulkhead at the base. I also picked up a bunch of 3/4" schedule 80 and nice Viton seal true union valves. I'm using a Sicce 3.5 pump to transfer fresh water from the RO container, to mix the salt and to pump water up to my sump for water changes. I didn't want anything with super high flow since I don't need to complete a water change in 60 seconds. So this Sicce was perfect. To drain the sump, I simply prime the line going to my sump, shut off the pump and close the valve above the pump. I then open the valve in my sump and then open the valve on the drain... instant syphon! The drain pipe in my sump is only about 3/8" off the bottom, so it drains virtually the entire thing. I then simply close the valve at the drain pipe, open the valve above the pump and turn the pump on... fills the sump with fresh salt water in about 7 minutes. I have the pump connected to my Apex, so turning it on and off with my phone sure is handy! This was my first time doing any sort of plumbing, so it was really fun to have this be my first. Last edited by Broadfield; 09/16/2015 at 08:14 PM.

09/17/2015, 03:17 PM	#16
nuxx RC Sponsor Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Austin, Tx Posts: 3,990	Don't see those everyday... Have a friend in town with an R32. __________________ Peter TankStop - Fish and Coral 470G Display - Build Thread Current Tank Info: Retired - 470 Gallon Mixed Reef (120x29x31")

09/17/2015, 05:54 PM	#18
Bent I got nothin' Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: The anals Posts: 6,420	Makes me miss my old Z that I had to get rid of to buy the wife's Acura. __________________ Quitters never lose. [QUOTE=CStrickland]Who gets mad at a starfish?[/QUOTE] Current Tank Info: 75g DT, 30G refugium, 10g chaeto tank, 50g stock tank basement sump

09/16/2015, 12:46 PM	#2
Broadfield Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Normal, IL Posts: 151	Received my chairs, got my rock work all cemented together and added sand... I really need to do something about that old dining room light fixture.

09/16/2015, 01:14 PM	#3
CaminDFW2 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 103	Very nice setup... I have a reefer 250.. I wish that my other half would let me convert the dining room; I would have a 14' tank haha... Are you going to do two other Hydras?

09/16/2015, 01:59 PM	#5
leemosh Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2015 Posts: 48	Nice. I hope you have more pics to show of the insides of your tank. I saw your posts in the Red Sea Reefer Series thread and I hope you'll put in more details in this build thread! I can't wait to see more.

09/16/2015, 08:07 PM	#9
danrobberg Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Buffalo NY Posts: 962	Those Red Sea reefer tanks are beautiful.

09/16/2015, 08:09 PM	#10
Broadfield Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Normal, IL Posts: 151	A closer shot of the scape...

09/17/2015, 07:29 AM	#11
Ohioreef1700 Moved On Join Date: Jun 2015 Posts: 660	looks great are you running more than one Led setup ?

09/17/2015, 03:05 PM	#13
Ssteve Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Posts: 2,087	Whats under the car cover?

09/17/2015, 03:16 PM	#15
Ssteve Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Posts: 2,087	Mmmmmmm LS. Very nice.

09/17/2015, 05:59 PM	#19
Broadfield Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Normal, IL Posts: 151	Maybe we should start a "Reef Central Member's Rides" thread lol.

09/18/2015, 10:12 AM	#20
nuxx RC Sponsor Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Austin, Tx Posts: 3,990	Have a 2013 GT500 My wife wants an old muscle car, but I think she'll end up getting a Hellcat. Just haven't decided on 4 or 2 door. Hearing the Charger is getting a full redesign soon, so maybe we'll go with the Challenger. Also she wants a manual, so leaning heavily towards the Challenger. __________________ Peter TankStop - Fish and Coral 470G Display - Build Thread Current Tank Info: Retired - 470 Gallon Mixed Reef (120x29x31")

09/19/2015, 12:49 AM	#24
bdehlin Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 51	Love my reefs, but always been more of a motorcycle guy myself lol