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

Nobbygas

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I started with seven Blue Chromis and I 'topped them up' a couple of times with another two.....now I am down to just the two, the Male and one Female. I won't get any more. I will add Anthias instead. I have four Lyretail, one Male and three Female, and I haven't lost a single one.
I did lose the four Two Spot Anthias, but that was really weird and I still don't understand why. They all died on the same day as I came home from work to find all four dead. Just one of those unexplained WTF moments.
 

SPR

Well-Known Member
Funny things are fish murdering each other

My 5 Chromis seem to be happy together now as I’ve had them for years, from the original 7, and there all slightly different sizes from large to small, so clearly they have a hierarchy of some sort.

I’ve got to remember to try and get male and females when I go to the shop. I think I need to actually order them by email so they can get want “i’ want rather than what ‘they’ have in
 

SPR

Well-Known Member
Things are progressing and the sheds now been lined with 12mm wood so that parts finished.

Now we just need to cut a hole in the bottom left hand corner for a ducting pipe for any hoses/plumbing/wires to fit through and then install the water supply which shouldn’t take very long and hopefully will be finished in the next few days.

I’m going to install a shelf above the tanks to mount equipment on like the RODI system. Ignore the shelf in the picture (my DIY isn’t that bad! Lol) it’s just a temporary position!

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Nobbygas

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Um...err.....back to that ole thing called lighting? Any plans to have some form of lighting in there, or will be just be the old MkII Torch if needed?
 
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SPR

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Um...err.....back to that ole thing called lighting? Any plans to have some form of lighting in there, or will be just be the old MkII Torch if needed?
It shouldn’t need any lights, I have no intention of going out there at night, and if I need to a torch will suffice. When the doors are open there’s plenty of light anyway in the day time.

It actually has a sky light but I’ve covered it in insulation and wood as I don’t want any light getting in and causing algae growth etc.

I go into hibernation shortly.......
 

Nobbygas

Well-Known Member
It shouldn’t need any lights, I have no intention of going out there at night, and if I need to a torch will suffice. When the doors are open there’s plenty of light anyway in the day time.

It actually has a sky light but I’ve covered it in insulation and wood as I don’t want any light getting in and causing algae growth etc.

I go into hibernation shortly.......
Winter's coming!
 
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Nobbygas

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Next question :)

Are you going to put a cover on the tank? Maybe a net or a custom-made acrylic cover? I would imagine on a tank that size that any cover would have to be able to be 'lifted' in sections as opposed to lifting the whole thing? Y'know, broken up into say three sections where you'll be able to lift just one section at a time if needed?
 

SPR

Well-Known Member
Next question :)

Are you going to put a cover on the tank? Maybe a net or a custom-made acrylic cover? I would imagine on a tank that size that any cover would have to be able to be 'lifted' in sections as opposed to lifting the whole thing? Y'know, broken up into say three sections where you'll be able to lift just one section at a time if needed?
Its already been done and has covers on it. 3 sections.

I took some pictures yesterday of the top as the tank people came back and finished off their bits but there shown on the original pictures when it was at the workshop

Ill post the up to date ones later
 

Nobbygas

Well-Known Member
Its already been done and has covers on it. 3 sections.

I took some pictures yesterday of the top as the tank people came back and finished off their bits but there shown on the original pictures when it was at the workshop

Ill post the up to date ones later
You are 'in the zone' man !

Do you have to lift them manually, or can you control it through Apex?..........Only joking :)
 

SPR

Well-Known Member
Here’s a few pictures of the tank so you can see what’s what.

I was looking at this first picture thinking wow that’s big, but it’s ‘reflections’

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This picture is of the return outlet hose into the tank. Now before you say anything, the straight piece of pipe is just in place as a lever to point the final 90’ bend into the correct direction, it’s a tip from the builders rather than struggling with a small fitting.

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SPR

Well-Known Member
Shaun this looks amazing. Very jealous right now! How are you thinking of aquascaping?


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50% will be similar to the S650 on the right hand side with large tall rockwork for corals etc., the left hand side with flow down to nothing and ‘the abyss’

I’ve got something very specific in mind on this which hopefully will look very natural.
 

Nobbygas

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I've always wanted some of these below. Something a bit different, but they do need a larger tank as in my opinion you'd need something like ten to make the effect look fantastic.

garden-eel.jpg
 

Nobbygas

Well-Known Member
Here’s a few pictures of the tank so you can see what’s what.

I was looking at this first picture thinking wow that’s big, but it’s ‘reflections’

View attachment 49841

This picture is of the return outlet hose into the tank. Now before you say anything, the straight piece of pipe is just in place as a lever to point the final 90’ bend into the correct direction, it’s a tip from the builders rather than struggling with a small fitting.

View attachment 49847
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That top looks very very nice.
 
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Nobbygas

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50% will be similar to the S650 on the right hand side with large tall rockwork for corals etc., the left hand side with flow down to nothing and ‘the abyss’

I’ve got something very specific in mind on this which hopefully will look very natural.
A sunken Galleon with bubbles coming out, or a Volcano with some red LED's showing the lava coming out?
 
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SPR

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You are funny aren’t you! Lol. And I don’t know what the things in the sand are

The covers, although on a similar principle to the Red Sea ones are very nice to be honest, and very well made, or it could be that they’ve been built professionally
 

SPR

Well-Known Member
I now have most of the outstanding PVC pipe work parts, along with the Neptune Apex ATK (V2) and DD 80w UVC so I can start putting things together

The shed has water and I’ve installed the new RODI system along with an auto shut off valve and now I’m just awaiting the ducting hole to be cut out so I can then start feeding pipe work through.

You wouldn’t believe the amount of kit and parts, and tools I’ve had to order it’s endless. Pipe cutters,........

So off we go.......
 

Nobbygas

Well-Known Member
You are funny aren’t you! Lol. And I don’t know what the things in the sand are

The covers, although on a similar principle to the Red Sea ones are very nice to be honest, and very well made, or it could be that they’ve been built professionally
They are Garden eels. They are great to see in the wild because as you approach them they all disappear into the sand and as you move away they re-appear! It's lovely to see a number of them swaying in the current. I've always wondered what they would look like in an aquarium with a largish open space.
 

SPR

Well-Known Member
So today I’ve been exploring my first adventure into aquarium plumbing and solvent welding, which is actually quiet easy once you get the hang of it and know how to do it. I had many tips from the tank builders. The best one of which was don’t glue anything until you know it fits.

Now I slightly hesitate when I say ‘easy’ as of course it’s not been water tested yet!! But I’m quietly confident........

Now there’s a reason for the slightly longer than usual piping from the Abyzz a200 pump. It’s a 40mm output and I didn’t want to solvent weld a 40-32mm reducing bush straight to it (my return pipework is 32mm) in case things change, or I did something wrong. So I’ve installed 40mm union before the reducer which could just be unscrewed if needs be.

Fortunately I also opened up the DD 80w UVC and the quartz sleeve was shattered. I don’t know how as it was very well packed but it’s broken in two places so will need replacement.

Anyway here’s a few pictures and I’ve also installed new sump lights throughout which are screwed to the wooden plinth under the tank, with very short screws

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