Red Sea Max Owners Club

[martinphillip03]

There are many reef tanks that have as much live rock in the fuge that is in the tank. More pods, more filtration. I don't know what else. You don't need it, as shown by all the nice tanks. Just another thing to do

Marty

Originally posted by mbdave
My question is why? Is rock and the skimmer nor enough? Forgive me for questioning your techniques but my couriosity is screaming to know.

Thanks,
Dave

[Stuart60611]

Well, I decided not to go the canister filter route. It just seemed like it would require too much effort to maintain and the risk of flooding was not something I wanted to take. I opted for the two little fishes phospahte reactor powered by a maxi jet 600. I also got the expansion kit for 3 bucks which supposely makes it easier to set up. Seems real easy to set up. I will either hang it off the back or attach a hook on the left black pannel accross from the power center controls and hang it there. I will plumb it through the chiller port which is available since I do not have a chiller. i also bought a big liter bottle of purigen and a fine filter bag. I will either run purigen in the filter bag placed next to the skimmer/heater or combine it with phosban to run in the reactor. Hopefully this will give me the boost I need to get rid of some hair algae. No more cyno and the hair algae is definitely under control but could be better.

[gigs]

Hi everyone,

My first post in this thread, and I hope more to come. Just wanted to say what a fantastic resource this place is for us nubs and I even think some of the most experienced here. I have devoted quite alot of time here doing my research and taking on board much of what has been shared. I have started a tank journal and am hoping on some of your support and help through the process. Thread HERE

On another note has anyone had experience with the resun wavemaker 1500l/h pump? Link HERE

[Reefmack]

Hi gigs and Wecome to our RSM Club! I just read your tank journal post and will be following your progress there and here. And yes - this club thread is valuable as a resource even to those of us that have had the tank set up for months - I'm always learning new things in here!

>>>>>>>>

I had my Tunze Osmolator sound it's overflow alarm for the second time in a week last night. No problem as it shuts off when the tank level gets about 1/4 - 3/8 inch higher than where I want it to be. I took some time looking in back and found a significant amount of hair algae growing on the walls of that back chamber and it was growing under the Tunze optical sensor and under the emergency float as well. I think it's probably related to having the raised Orbit hood on the tank now and enough light bleeding over into the back to support algae growth. I'll have to scrape it off this weekend and remove it, and add it to my growing list of things to keep an eye on in the future.

[Titans]

This Friday from 8am to an estimated 12pm my power company will be shutting off the power in my area to do some maintenance.
Can fish and coral survive without power running for 4 hours if temp remains same? My power company might reschedule this planned power outage if it rains tomorrow and I won't know until tomorrow morning after I had already spent $50 on renting a generator. I was thinking of just getting a backup power source that can run heaters during these times so temps won't drop.

[Reefer82]

Titans - Just get a decent computer UPS unit...500va should run your heater and probably one pump for some circulation for a few hours. I did a couple of tests with mine with decent results. Mine is a 650va...I think I gave like $75 for it. Hopefully you don't have electric heat for your home though!

[Stuart60611]

Both Euroreef and Octopus are soon releasing new in tank nano skimmers which may work for the max. May be viable options to replace stock skimmer.

Link to more info. on Euroreef nano skimmer.

[Reefer82]

Has anyone used or know anyone that has used the new Current PowerBrite LED light strips? I was thinking of using this fore a new 5g experiment and possibly as a light for a refugium in the RSM. Thanks in advance for any info!

[Reefmack]

Titans - my power was out for 12 hours a while back on what's been our coldest night of the year so far - 27F that night. The tank temp dropped down from 79 to to 70 by the time the power came back on and the only loss I had was one of 3 new emerald crabs. The water temp. won't drop as fast as the air temp. in the house so I'm not sure I'd be too concerned unless the outage extends past 4 hours (easily possible though). I have a feeling it may be warmer in your area - what kind of outside temps do you get this time of year? Maybe your home will stay warmer than mine did. If I could have been home that day I would have floated some hot water bottles in the tank, but instead I just suffered through calling home every hour to get a tank temp. from my wife. I was pretty lucky I lost only one crab. I think the house temperature dropped to 56 that night & morning - gas heat is no good in a power outage either - the blower fan needs electricity! But the gas stove & water heater worked.

[leo77]

by Y-DesygnGuy [/i]
So you run a Fluval as well then? No complaints about the Fluval? About 10 years ago I had a 20 long reef tank and I used a "Skilter" and a Fluval for filtration. I used HATE cleaning the fluval it would flood everything. [/QUOTE]

these Fluval has a shut of valve so the water cant get through once you shut it, then you take the pipe coupler off... and un-clamp the top of the filter...no spills
The sponges are in a slide frame so it just slides up and there out, wash them and put them back. Once thats done you clip the pipe coupler back in and open the valve, after that you need to prime it with the prime valve and start it...all done in no time no spills

[Reefmack]

The newer Eheim cannisters are great too. I run a small Eheim Ecco on a FW tank I have and you just close 2 valves, disconnect the cannister & carry it to the sink for cleaning. Hook it back up, and move the handle down to self prime & turn it back on. The only water lost in the whole process is a few drops.

[leo77]

by Y-DesygnGuy [/i]
So you run a Fluval as well then? No complaints about the Fluval? About 10 years ago I had a 20 long reef tank and I used a "Skilter" and a Fluval for filtration. I used HATE cleaning the fluval it would flood everything. [/QUOTE]

10 years is a long time, alot has changed I think, these Fluvals have a shut of valve so the water cant get through once you shut it, then you take the pipe coupler off... and un-clamp the top of the filter...no spills
The sponges are in a slide frame so it just slides up and there out, wash them and put them back. Once thats done you clip the pipe coupler back in and open the valve, after that you need to prime it with the prime valve and start it...all done in no time no spills

[Titans]

RM - Well when it rains we get into the low 60's upper 50's but sunny days bring us in the 70's. Right now it's 62 and we're expecting a storm. So i'm guessing my house will be in the low 60's upper 50's. My tank has never been below 79 for a long while now so i'm afraid a drop to 74 over a short time would be horrible! A local reefer in the So. Cal forum said he will let me borrow his generator but it's pretty big and i'm hoping it'll fit in the back of my car...if not it's off to the electronics store for a UPS power back up.

[leo77]

hey its on twice....oops, think I got some tank water in me pc

[Reefmack]

no problem Leo

Titans - better safe than sorry! I should get a UPS also - it's one of those things I keep putting off.

Reefer82 - for a UPS to work you'd have to have one of the RSM pumps and the RSM heater on the UPS yes? Otherwise you'd need a heater in the display tank and maybe the Koralia hooked up to the UPS? Using the heater in back would only work if you had at least one of the two pumps pushing warmed water into the tank. Am I thinking right?

Stuart - I somehow missed your post on the new nano skimmers coming out. I went through the thread quickly, but that new E-R skimmer looks interesting.

[Stuart60611]

Reefmack:

Ya, I am excited about the new Euroreef nano skimmer. Euroreef makes very high quality skimmers which produce quite a bit of gunk, and as you can see from the thread, it appears to be comming along very well. They should be released very soon. At merely $75.00 (1/2 the cost of the Tunze 9002), it sounds like one heck of a deal. Also, it looks to me like the footprint is very small and should easily and comfortably fit in the RSM skimmmer chamber and not be a tight squeeze as with the Tunze.

[Reefer82]

Reefmack - Duh! I forgot about the blower. I'm so used to having the "spare" pellet stove that will heat nearly the entire house for about a week on 80lbs of pellets. Yes you'd have to toss an extra heater/power head in the tank unless you want to brave the dreaded power center and unhook things. That'd still be better than losing things I imagine.. I put in a 100w heater I had around and a just a spare power head. Good news is that I'll be the proud new owner of a pair of Koralia 1's in a few days. Getting them from a local reefer for a steal!

[Reefmack]

Stuart - keep us posted on the Euroreef, and if you get one you can be our RSM tester/reviewer. I might even get one myself if it works well and fits well in the back.

Reefer82. I've got a nice wood stove fireplace insert in the room with the RSM - dual blowers and I used to heat the house with it till I got tired of hauling wood in the house after a few years. I could have used that the day my power went out, but I was on a tight schedule & had to be somewhere else early that morning & day. I've heard of some folks losing everything - fish and coral when the tank dropped below 70 into the 60s - I was pretty lucky that day that the power finally came back before dropping any lower.

[reefsr4me]

I have a RSM, had it for about 4 months now, I have a
Flame angel 2"
Maroon Clown 2"
(2) Chromis 1.5"
Six line wrasse 2"
Coral banded shrimp
Cleaner shrimp
(15) Nassarious
3 turbos
and about 20 diggerent types of corals of all types

I Put on a chiller to keep it around 78 a magnum 350 for amonia and carbon, and a uv sterilizer.

My problem is I can't seem to get the nitrates below 20 ppm, all other factors are good sal 1.025, amm & nitrites 0

What is wrong? or is this a big deal

[Titans]

What test are you using?

[Reefmack]

reefs4me - Welcome to Reef Central and our RSM Club! I think my nitrates ran 10-20 nitrates for the first few months and they now test at zero. I'm not sure if the reason was replacing the RSM biomedia with live rock rubble, or if it was just a matter of the tank and rock aging and maturing more, and better able to support the bacteria that break down nitrates. I've read more than once that 0 nitrates is the goal, but that levels of 10-20 weren't that bad. Cleaning the mechanical filters frequently helps lower nitrates as the excess food, etc. trapped in the filter will support bacteria that generate nitrates as they break down the trapped food particles, algae and other crud in the filters. Titans question is good too - what test kit do you use?

[lpsluver]

Having a skimmer that doesn't work very well doesn't help either.

My $0.02

BTW Pictures of "Rosie", the Rose Bubble tip and her new residents the Yet to be Named, the Clarkii Clowns, will be coming soon. Ms. Yet to be Named is already hosting Rosie after 4 hours.

[Reefmack]

good point lpsluver! Good news on on the RBTA and Mr. Yet to be Named!

[mbdave]

Hey people, I see allot of talk on running purigen and phos reactors and so forth (all great methods and products) For another option I run poly filters in my overflow section. I used to put phosban inbtween two pieces of poly filter held together by zip ties for dual phosphate removing capability.

[mbdave]

http://www.liveaquaria.com/diversden...1957&siteid=20 YOWSA!!
http://www.liveaquaria.com/diversden...1439&siteid=20 YOWSA YOWSA!!
http://www.liveaquaria.com/diversden...1961&siteid=20 I'm a sucker for sym and lobo's
http://www.liveaquaria.com/diversden...2017&siteid=20 Hard as hell to find a juvenile Regal

A little eye candy troops