2 Month Progress on Reef Tank Upgrade + Maintenance Tips

2 Month update from transferring my Red Sea Reefer 450 to my new Innovative Marine 170g EXT. Everything is going well for the most part, although I have lost a few corals, but 95% of everything is looking killer!
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For those new to my build, here's my specs:
Tank: Innovative Marine 170 gallon EXT with Aluminum Stand
Lights: ATI Straton LEDs (x3)
Pumps: x2 MP40qd, 1 Tunze Stream 3 and 1 Tunze Turbelle 6105
Skimmer: Deltec 1000i with inline CO2 scrubber
Sump converted to a frag tank
Return: Current USA eFlux DC pump (3000gph)
57w UV inline with return
No mechanical filtration, carbon or GFO
Heavy on weekly water changes.
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Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
uppbeat.io/t/p...
License code: ZLTXJIVDMZKAFEVB

[@daviswodo2249]

G’day from Sydney Australia! I must be weird because I like watching how other reefers do their maintenance. Tank is looking great man. Keep this vids coming.

[@NBurgReef]

Thanks!

[@hcaquaticsreefing]

Very nice setup ❤. And yeah, that calibration solution gets me all the time as well. Happy Reefing 😊

[@NBurgReef]

Thanks! I'm glad I finally got the glass hydrometer.

[@drum18761]

The tank looks amazing! Thanks for making this video!

[@NBurgReef]

No problem, thanks for watching!

[@fletcherwright7042]

Sweet tank keep the video coming I'll never get tired of looking at your tank 👍

[@NBurgReef]

Thanks! I will do my best to make things interesting.

[@ProducerReef]

Love your channel and this setup is exactly what I want because of where I live. 💯💯💯

[@NBurgReef]

Thanks! If you need any advice or help planning, let me know.

[@FriendM2010]

Normally, I would not know what is Molykote. It just so happens, I changed many seals on my 964 and some call for Molykote 111. I have 97.25 percent of the tube left. 🥴. I’ll give it try on my MP40’s when needed. 👍. Tank is looking great. 👍

[@NBurgReef]

I think this one tube of molykote will be passed down to my grandchildren. lol

[@mteske1]

I’ve been calibrating my refractometer with a tropic Marin glass hydrometer as well. I love the accuracy.

[@NBurgReef]

Yeah, I’ve been meaning to for a while but I guess it took a scare to finally pull the trigger.

[@P3rchAddict]

Beautiful Tank man! keep up the good work! Cheers from Switzerland 🤙

[@NBurgReef]

Thanks, will do!

[@macdaddynick1751]

“This is the last batch of corals I buy “ comedy gold man haha

[@NBurgReef]

I am unboxing a small order of new frags as I read this 😂- at least it's small lol Certified coral junky.

[@johnnyb3987]

Great looking tank. Everything seems really healthy, but yeah sometimes &^it happens anyway. I'm about to throw down on the straton pro. They seem like amazing lighting.

[@NBurgReef]

I’m interesting to see the pros and what’s different. On paper they look similar to the OG Stratons with a higher price (at least in America). But I’m a fan of them and I’m sure the pros are improved.

[@queencityreefs]

Great video update 👏🏻🙌🏼✌🏻

[@NBurgReef]

Glad you enjoyed!

[@someone6reefs]

Tank looks awesome I'll be tuneing in

[@NBurgReef]

Thanks! I have some new vids in the works.

[@alberttorosyan2747]

Tank looks great !!!

[@NBurgReef]

Thanks!

[@samdunwell9362]

Looking beautiful In joyed the video

[@NBurgReef]

Thanks!

[@Botzz28]

Gorgeous tank nice job

[@NBurgReef]

Thanks!

[@macdaddynick1751]

Bud, just a quick tip. If the mp40 didn’t bubble, you can use superglue, to fill in that crack, and slightly spread it with your finger. I did that to couple of wet-sides and they still run like new for several years, and don’t bubble or leach. Just make sure the crack is fully sealed.

[@NBurgReef]

If it's at all cracked, I will retire it. Not worth taking a chance on for me.

[@zaher.w]

Amazing

[@NBurgReef]

You're amazing.

[@JB-zs4pv]

Great video, just found you and will be watching all your previous videos. If you haven't answered before, where/that is that frag rack? Post an affiliate link if you have one and I'll be buying one!

[@NBurgReef]

No affiliate link, but it’s from buildinganobsession.com

[@Dambrah]

Just a heads up on the nero pumps. I loved the flow they provided however noticed mine last time during cleaning had cracked around the wet side housing just like the magnets on the MP40s. However with the nero the whole pump is trash you cant purchase a new wetside like you can with the Mp40s.

[@NBurgReef]

Good to know. I have a Nero 3 in my frag tank sump, but I decided to just keep running the MP40s and bought a new wet side. The thought of having more wired running along the back deterred me. Other than the potential for it to fall off, they still work well on my back glass and are silent.

[@ricardopimenta2668]

Hello, nice tank, I'm also using the straton like you, maybe I missed but couls you share your straton settings? Colors seem very nice. Thank you

[@NBurgReef]

I plan on making a video soon of my schedule since I have had a lot of people ask, long story short, Blue and Royal blue are 100%, violet and 'UV' at around 70% and white at around 33% (peak), down to about 25% the rest of the time. Cyan and red basically off.

[@williamlinegar695]

Love your tank! Nicely done eh! I’m wondering why you haven’t set up a calcium reactor yet? 👍🏻

[@NBurgReef]

Couple reasons - no space under the tank for the actual reactor and cylinder, 2-part is still working, and I fight low pH in an air tight building where I can’t run an airline to the outdoors. I may start kalk dosing but that’s another water container I don’t have space for under the tank. I don’t want to deal with dialing in a reactor and trying to degas it before it goes into the tank.

[@halalpapi8176]

I don’t believe they sell these lights anymore right?

[@NBurgReef]

In the US, according to BRS, they are "discontinued" but they're back on the market at various places like saltwateraquarium.com, aquacave, etc. They started shipping to the US again after some aluminum supply chain issues. The "Straton Pros" went from probably not coming to the US to now there is a page on ATI North America's site saying Coming Soon... but that could mean 1 month or 3 years for ATI, lol.

[@kevinkarda838]

Really nice tank!! How did you manage to move it to your apartment, I live in a condo and want to upgrade?

[@NBurgReef]

I was lucky enough to secure some local club members to help. We used dolly carts and glass suction cups to move it. with 5 total, 4 lifters and a spotter, it wasn't too bad. Plus not having to worry about steps (used an elevator) and wide doors (36" doors) it was pretty easy and quick. If I had to traverse stairs, it would have been much worse!

[@kevinkarda838]

Ohh wow, thank you for the details!!

[@jcfaur77]

How do you like the vortechs on the back glass? I'm considering placing my 4 mp40s on the back glass of my new 300 gal. At the moment there are 2 on each sides of my current tank 186 gal.

[@NBurgReef]

I love that they’re not on the side. As far as flow- Hard to say since I do have a Tunze 3 at 100% along the back wall that gets good side to side flow that creates random flow. The MP40s got turned down from 80% in my old tank where they were on the side to 40-50% on the back wall. I think it can be fine for you but may take tweaking or something in addition to to get a little more random flow

[@jcfaur77]

@@NBurgReef will most likely add my 2 gyres on the ends up high in addition to the mp40s on the back wall

[@jasonsharpley7395]

How do you keep the bottom of tank coralline algae free?

[@NBurgReef]

The tank has only been up and running for 2 months in this vid so not a lot of time for it to get established. I’m starting to get some now and may let it grow on the bottom. I plan on keeping the back clean.

[@jasonsharpley7395]

@@NBurgReef Yeah ok fair enough looks unreal. How long did it take for your acro to get that size?

[@NBurgReef]

@@jasonsharpley7395 I have been growing some for about 3 years, while others less than a year, so it would depend on the piece. Some grow really fast for me while others take their time.

[@awalliskandar3289]

Do you use ozone?

[@NBurgReef]

Nope, not worth the risk in my opinion.

[@awalliskandar3289]

@@NBurgReef I really thought you are using ozone cause your water is so clear. How do you make it so clear?

[@NBurgReef]

UV and a skimmer is the only filtration@@awalliskandar3289

[@awalliskandar3289]

@@NBurgReef super mine even with uv not as clear as yours… anyway thanks mate

[@thomasdelgado3874]

You have two bluethroat triggers in there?

[@NBurgReef]

It’s a pair, male and female that seem to be a mated pair.

[@jimelliott33]

You sure the triggers are not nipping at your corals, there’s no way I’d have triggers in an sps tank

[@NBurgReef]

@@jimelliott33 Not all triggers are the same. I've never seen them nip at anything that is not in the water or not a nori clip. I still have lots of snails and hermits. The only damage to corals is from them plowing into them.