Shaun's 2000 Litre (530 USG) Living Reef & Red Sea Max S 650 LED Design & Build

SPR

Well-Known Member
Hope you don't mind us firing questions at you. I'm almost as excited as you are over this :)

You've listed a Deltec FR512 rhowaphos reactor. Have you thought of the NYOS Torq 2.0 body which will house Rowaphos and Carbon at the same time, and maybe saving some space in your Sump? Or is the plan to feed the reactor from 'a pipe somewhere'?

Have you thought of getting a small greenhouse heater for your plastic shed? These don't keep the space warm as such, but they do stop the temperature dropping to Zero. It's just that RO units have a performance drop off when they have to operate below certain temperatures, or I may have just imagined that?
I want you to question anything I do, that’s always helpful and especially the bit about a greenhouse heater, because I never thought of that. I have one, a big one like they use on gardeners world which does exactly as you suggest. Raymond Blanc also uses the same one at Le Manoir in his greenhouses etc

I used to use it to take care of my geraniums over winter and for the first year wondered why although the heater was on, the thermometer was recording 3c. Couldn’t fathom it out. Then I happened to look out one night when the heater was on, and realised the temperature auto opening greenhouse roof windows were all wide open and I was heating the world!! And for 4 months! Lol

I don’t bother anymore the geraniums go in the brown bin

So the fr512. All the equipment, including UVC, Chiller (eventually) will be fed from the manifold being connected to the Abyzz a200 so the system will have one single pump to clean (excluding the backup). So it’s for simple maintenance that’s it, otherwise I would have gone for the NYOS without hesitation

The MP40/60’s just pull off for cleaning

I wasn’t excited when I paid for it all this morning. I was thinking mmmm do I really want to spend all this, but then you know how much the 650’s cost
 
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chickenjohn

Well-Known Member
I wasn’t excited when I paid for it all this morning. I was thinking mmmm do I really want to spend all this, but then you know how much the 650’s cost
No point spending lots of money on a really nice setup then buying a cheap Chinese doser and power heads, may as well get the best you can afford.

Not sure if I missed it but what are you going to use for nutrient control?
 

SPR

Well-Known Member
No point spending lots of money on a really nice setup then buying a cheap Chinese doser and power heads, may as well get the best you can afford.

Not sure if I missed it but what are you going to use for nutrient control?

I will use a refugium, Seachem Matrix and Nopox as and when required. Ill probably use the Matrix from the current system as the bio load reduces in there and just move it over as it will be fully 'seeded'.

There is also something which the tank builders recommended Biohome Ultimate Media but Im hoping the refugium will do the job or at least part of it but I think Ill stick to what I know works.

Because I will be doing automatic water changes that will also help things out considerably and this is why I didn't get the 3rd Apex DOS. Magnesium never needed adding and although I may need another DOS for Nopox, Ill get it in a few months if and when needed which it probably will be

Red Sea Coral colours will be given some thought as I currently manually dose these for control purposes so that might just continue as it is.

The 425 litre saltwater tank will make water changes a dream compared to humping buckets around
 

Pancho75

Well-Known Member
I will use a refugium, Seachem Matrix and Nopox as and when required. Ill probably use the Matrix from the current system as the bio load reduces in there and just move it over as it will be fully 'seeded'.

There is also something which the tank builders recommended Biohome Ultimate Media but Im hoping the refugium will do the job or at least part of it but I think Ill stick to what I know works.

Because I will be doing automatic water changes that will also help things out considerably and this is why I didn't get the 3rd Apex DOS. Magnesium never needed adding and although I may need another DOS for Nopox, Ill get it in a few months if and when needed which it probably will be

Red Sea Coral colours will be given some thought as I currently manually dose these for control purposes so that might just continue as it is.

The 425 litre saltwater tank will make water changes a dream compared to humping buckets around
So sweet ! automatic water changes...
 

SPR

Well-Known Member
Shaun, you mentioned earlier about going Triton. Is that still your plan?
I mentioned Trident not Triton (I think! Lol) but no I’m sticking to what I have learned and understand. Basically everything I do now, but with probably 4-5 times more water.

I am going to have a refugium as well, but I still feel water changes are just good for the system, especially for the first few years and also to help with nutrient control. I haven’t done a water change now for a few months, and wont do another now the new system is on it’s way.

You also have to remember that I’m an addict, yes, an addict, and now I can get an even bigger fix with shoals, yes shoals of yellow tangs, anthias anything reef safe! Lol

The first major fish purchase will be a shoal of tiny yellow tangs as I don’t want to upset my existing beauty.......
 

Nobbygas

Well-Known Member
What about food for the fish? I'm talking about cultivating your own stuff to supplement the frozen food etc.
With the rest of us only having 'smaller' tanks it is not always worth our while to grow our own foodstuff, but with the new tank would it make sense to cultivate some live food? Don't forget, more time spent on the tank is less time searching for lost golf balls that you've shanked into the rough !
In fact, how are you planning the whole feeding routine? Will it be a combination of dried/pellet/frozen/live?
 

SPR

Well-Known Member
What about food for the fish? I'm talking about cultivating your own stuff to supplement the frozen food etc.
With the rest of us only having 'smaller' tanks it is not always worth our while to grow our own foodstuff, but with the new tank would it make sense to cultivate some live food? Don't forget, more time spent on the tank is less time searching for lost golf balls that you've shanked into the rough !
In fact, how are you planning the whole feeding routine? Will it be a combination of dried/pellet/frozen/live?
I can’t be bothered with cultivating, but I do ‘prepare’ the frozen food by smashing the different packs into pieces and then adding them to a used 2 L Matrix container

My intention is to do what I do now which is feed mixed frozen food around 1-2pm manually and then I feed a mix of ocean nutrition 1 and 2 at 6.30pm via the Apex auto feeder.

For the evening feed, the fish just know it’s time before the Apex turns on, must be instinct.

Oh and the golf...... you would think that with all the lessons I have, playing and practicing, I would be much better. You would think it would be easy to hit a ball with a stick the same repeatedly, but no. Drives me insane!
 

Nobbygas

Well-Known Member
I haven't played golf once this year. I've been on a fitness drive to get my Diving Licence back. My Diving Doc told me that I was as fit as an average 59 year old man, but he wouldn't sign me off to dive until I was fitter. So, looking at all the options I decided to get on my bike. I've been riding to work a lot, which is a round-trip of 40km (24 miles). In August alone I've completed 400km (240 miles). I've gone from 95 kilos to 88 kilos. Since starting on the bike late May, I have now completed 1,000kms (600 miles). I shall make another appointment with the Dive Doc for early September.
I need the extra fitness for the BBQ as well, as I'll need to elbow those youngsters on the forum out of the way to get in the queue first !
 

SPR

Well-Known Member
I haven't played golf once this year. I've been on a fitness drive to get my Diving Licence back. My Diving Doc told me that I was as fit as an average 59 year old man, but he wouldn't sign me off to dive until I was fitter. So, looking at all the options I decided to get on my bike. I've been riding to work a lot, which is a round-trip of 40km (24 miles). In August alone I've completed 400km (240 miles). I've gone from 95 kilos to 88 kilos. Since starting on the bike late May, I have now completed 1,000kms (600 miles). I shall make another appointment with the Dive Doc for early September.
I need the extra fitness for the BBQ as well, as I'll need to elbow those youngsters on the forum out of the way to get in the queue first !
Cycling is very good and low impact on the joints I used to do it for a few years until I got fed up one winter. My business partner who is/was a runner does it now, long distance all over the place.

I play golf 4 times a week and the way I play I walk many extra miles!! Lol
 

SPR

Well-Known Member
Shaun - What are the timescales for the new build?

We are just awaiting the Black Satin cabinet doors which they said take around 4-6 weeks from when i posted those initial pictures

Im away in Spain in the middle if that period so it will either before i go or around 3-4th weeks in September as a rough guide

The builders want to get on with it as its taking a large part of their workshop up
 

SPR

Well-Known Member
It seems you had most of the stuff figured it out Shaun, I am looking forward for the new build !
To be honest Pancho my head as been spinning trying to think of everything. Siphon breaks for the ATO’s it’s endless...

I’m having a plastic shed put up on the wall behind the tank and that will house all the RODI and auto change equipment

I made the decision a few days ago not to think about anything now until the System arrives and is in place as it’s making my mind hurt! Lol
 

chickenjohn

Well-Known Member
To be honest Pancho my head as been spinning trying to think of everything. Siphon breaks for the ATO’s it’s endless...

I’m having a plastic shed put up on the wall behind the tank and that will house all the RODI and auto change equipment

I made the decision a few days ago not to think about anything now until the System arrives and is in place as it’s making my mind hurt! Lol
My head hurt after planning my tank so i dread to think what you're going through.
 

SPR

Well-Known Member
I was watching a video on sky news last night about this, it did go on about flip flops and plastic but then onto mass corals deaths and it just got me thinking in particular about temperature control... this is nothing heavy scientific and it’s a ‘news’ article but quiet interesting. This is the write up

https://news.sky.com/story/deep-ocean-live-daily-blog-coral-critters-under-threat-11650034

I know it’s very well documented with the numerous reefs affected but it makes me realise now that temperature stability is a key part of maintaining a reef tank especially with SPS corals long term.

Basically unless you can maintain stable temperature by other means you need a chiller and the variations I get from 25c (winter) to 29.5c (around now) are not acceptable and although my fan helps to some extent it’s not a long terms solution

My new system will have the Teco SK2000e installed as soon as it’s required or as soon as it comes with the heaters installed which should be shortly.

And I have decided that the only occupants not moving to a new larger home, are the anemone (because I don’t want it wandering and killing corals, or mincing up in an MP60!) and the Blue Face Angel. I’ve been watching him, yes you with the blue sweet face, and I know for sure hes eaten 2 elegance corals and has started on some softer corals now.

The Emperor Angel may be partially responsible (or at least joined in the party!) but do to his beauty he can stay and I’ll sacrifice the odd corals for him!
 
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