Shaun's 2000 Litre (530 USG) Living Reef & Red Sea Max S 650 LED Design & Build
- Thread starter SPR
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emvanburen
Well-Known Member
Ok game on!!!!
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SPR
Well-Known Member
Firstly how did I ever live without this system. It’s simply magnificent!
This is the new WiFi version but you are also supposed to be able to hard wire it which is how I started setting it up using an Ethernet cable. But it I couldn’t connect to the Apex although I could see it.
So after an hour or so scratching my head, I thought I’ll try WiFi, and it worked straight away then.
So set up was very easy from there. I new the black shelf I saved from the cabinet would come in handy some day and it did, to mount the system on. I screwed the energy bar into place but all the other sensors and base unit are fastened with heavy duty Velcro.
So far I’ve connected my new sump light, the skimmer and Tunze ATO. I’ve just got to get a couple of extension cables as the large transformers that come with the ATO are large so block another socket so I’ll plug the transformer into the extension and then the extension into apex.
I haven’t put the heaters in yet as again I need a extension cable (2 gang) as I have 2 heaters and don’t want to waste a socket and then I’ll add these on next few days.
I don’t think, certainly at the moment, I’m going to put the main return pump, or rear circulation pumps onto Apex, as they are on all of the time, apart from water changes, so at the moment these and the UVC Rocket Launcher of Death,
arnt connected.
The leak detector is in place, tested and working and sends an alert. It’s the low profile detector and it’s on the floor at the front of the tank in the middle, just under the lip for those with the Max S Series systems. I might get another one for a different location.
I’m going to order some float switches and set up some extra water level monitoring and I have to say the stuff this thing can potentially do......
Anyway a few build pictures:
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
This is the new WiFi version but you are also supposed to be able to hard wire it which is how I started setting it up using an Ethernet cable. But it I couldn’t connect to the Apex although I could see it.
So after an hour or so scratching my head, I thought I’ll try WiFi, and it worked straight away then.
So set up was very easy from there. I new the black shelf I saved from the cabinet would come in handy some day and it did, to mount the system on. I screwed the energy bar into place but all the other sensors and base unit are fastened with heavy duty Velcro.
So far I’ve connected my new sump light, the skimmer and Tunze ATO. I’ve just got to get a couple of extension cables as the large transformers that come with the ATO are large so block another socket so I’ll plug the transformer into the extension and then the extension into apex.
I haven’t put the heaters in yet as again I need a extension cable (2 gang) as I have 2 heaters and don’t want to waste a socket and then I’ll add these on next few days.
I don’t think, certainly at the moment, I’m going to put the main return pump, or rear circulation pumps onto Apex, as they are on all of the time, apart from water changes, so at the moment these and the UVC Rocket Launcher of Death,
arnt connected.
The leak detector is in place, tested and working and sends an alert. It’s the low profile detector and it’s on the floor at the front of the tank in the middle, just under the lip for those with the Max S Series systems. I might get another one for a different location.
I’m going to order some float switches and set up some extra water level monitoring and I have to say the stuff this thing can potentially do......
Anyway a few build pictures:
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Last edited:
emvanburen
Well-Known Member
Nice. If you are running tunze ato and are not using the float valve you can put an optical sensor or float switch in that hole as a high sump alarm.
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SPR
Well-Known Member
I’m using the float valve with the Tunze as that’s part of its fail safe, but I’m going to order some more float valves and do exactly as you say so that the apex will send an alarm for both high and low sump levels.
SPR
Well-Known Member
I’ve just added the Apex Auto Feeder to the system and it’s a very nice piece of kit.
It’s sat at the back of the tank on its feet with Velcro on the underneath at the back as it didn’t seem safe using the bracket due to the width and style of the glass at the top were the light trim is on the tank. It comes with the feet and Velcro as an option.
Fully programmable to do whatever you want as far as feed cycles go.
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It’s sat at the back of the tank on its feet with Velcro on the underneath at the back as it didn’t seem safe using the bracket due to the width and style of the glass at the top were the light trim is on the tank. It comes with the feet and Velcro as an option.
Fully programmable to do whatever you want as far as feed cycles go.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Last edited:
emvanburen
Well-Known Member
I suggest adding the two little fishies feeding ring in that location. It works great.
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Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
SPR
Well-Known Member
I’ve had the Apex installed now for just over a week.
I’ve been playing around with the salinity probe to try and get it dialled in. I followed the instructions using their calibration fluid and then when I put the probe into the tank Apex was saying the salinity was around 37-38ppm which is wasn’t.
So I got my trusty Red Sea Refractometer out and used that, and the salinity was around 34-35 which is were it is normally. It did take me around 3 goes recalibrating it each time and I thought there must be an easier Refractometer to use than this so I ordered the DD version for comparison. That was reading 2ppm less than Red Sea!
Anyway, after tearing my hair out i did some research (including reading the instructions!!) and my conclusion is that you add the RO water or 35ppm solution to calibrate, but you leave the water/solution on the Refractometer for 20-30 seconds so it reaches the correct temperature before you take the reading and adjust for calibration.
Then you take the saltwater, and again when you test it you wait 20-30 seconds before taking the reading so it can adjust to the correct temperature. I did this with both Red Sea and DD and they were within about 0.5-1ppm of each other. Well today anyway!
So back to Apex. I thought I’ll ignore the instructions on using calibration fluid and use my tank water instead. I won’t bore you, but basically the part of the calibration were it says put into calibration fluid, I put the probe into the tank. And today it’s reading 35ppm in line with the Refractometers.
So far I haven’t added my 2 heaters, just because I have a Simply Aquaria controller on line already, but I may attach this into Apex over the next few weeks as triple failure backup. I’m also going to add in my UVC and feeder pump. It’s the only thing outside of my sump which has always made me nervous, but one of the excellent things with Apex is that if the leak detector detects water, it will (when ive programmed it shortly) turn off the UVC and feeder pump. I’ve already programmed this onto the skimmer.
The other things it’s been interesting to see with Apex monitoring, is the Ph changes at different times of day from around 7.8 - 8.2 due to the biological changes within the tank during the day. It’s something I’ve never noticed as when I tested ph around the same pm time it was always 8.2. Infact I hadn’t tested it for ages as it was always the same and everything was thriving.
Anyway a few up to date photos...
And look at the size of the Regal Tang. He was only 2 inches when I got him about 18 months ago!
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
I’ve been playing around with the salinity probe to try and get it dialled in. I followed the instructions using their calibration fluid and then when I put the probe into the tank Apex was saying the salinity was around 37-38ppm which is wasn’t.
So I got my trusty Red Sea Refractometer out and used that, and the salinity was around 34-35 which is were it is normally. It did take me around 3 goes recalibrating it each time and I thought there must be an easier Refractometer to use than this so I ordered the DD version for comparison. That was reading 2ppm less than Red Sea!
Anyway, after tearing my hair out i did some research (including reading the instructions!!) and my conclusion is that you add the RO water or 35ppm solution to calibrate, but you leave the water/solution on the Refractometer for 20-30 seconds so it reaches the correct temperature before you take the reading and adjust for calibration.
Then you take the saltwater, and again when you test it you wait 20-30 seconds before taking the reading so it can adjust to the correct temperature. I did this with both Red Sea and DD and they were within about 0.5-1ppm of each other. Well today anyway!
So back to Apex. I thought I’ll ignore the instructions on using calibration fluid and use my tank water instead. I won’t bore you, but basically the part of the calibration were it says put into calibration fluid, I put the probe into the tank. And today it’s reading 35ppm in line with the Refractometers.
So far I haven’t added my 2 heaters, just because I have a Simply Aquaria controller on line already, but I may attach this into Apex over the next few weeks as triple failure backup. I’m also going to add in my UVC and feeder pump. It’s the only thing outside of my sump which has always made me nervous, but one of the excellent things with Apex is that if the leak detector detects water, it will (when ive programmed it shortly) turn off the UVC and feeder pump. I’ve already programmed this onto the skimmer.
The other things it’s been interesting to see with Apex monitoring, is the Ph changes at different times of day from around 7.8 - 8.2 due to the biological changes within the tank during the day. It’s something I’ve never noticed as when I tested ph around the same pm time it was always 8.2. Infact I hadn’t tested it for ages as it was always the same and everything was thriving.
Anyway a few up to date photos...
And look at the size of the Regal Tang. He was only 2 inches when I got him about 18 months ago!
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Last edited:
Tanks looking stellar ! Love your colorful fish !
Pat24601
Well-Known Member
He always makes me want to get a 650.
SPR
Well-Known Member
Thanks Glenn, Pat.
The Red Sea Max S Series Tanks, like many others, are stunning pieces of kit and if you’ve seen one in real life the pictures (well mine anyway ! Lol) don’t do them justice.
It’s just a beautiful hobby, creating a living coral reef in your home and caring for all the inhabitants I find a great responsibility, and honour. The more living creatures I’ve added the greater this feels and the more concerned I’ve got, hence the final purchase of the Apex system to monitor and control some, but not all, of the systems.
The Red Sea Max S Series Tanks, like many others, are stunning pieces of kit and if you’ve seen one in real life the pictures (well mine anyway ! Lol) don’t do them justice.
It’s just a beautiful hobby, creating a living coral reef in your home and caring for all the inhabitants I find a great responsibility, and honour. The more living creatures I’ve added the greater this feels and the more concerned I’ve got, hence the final purchase of the Apex system to monitor and control some, but not all, of the systems.
SPR
Well-Known Member
Its a warning device and complete controller, and although I'm learning you can do pretty much whatever you want it to do by some basic programming.
I had an incident a few weeks ago were the skim mate container tipped over and the NYOS skimmer hose flipped up and was hanging out of the sump over skimming with water on the floor. I spotted it within a few hours but had I been away for example it would have potentially emptied the sump onto the floor.
The Apex is now programmed and tested, without any intervention from me, so when away for example, so that if the leak detector detects water it will tell me and switch the skimmer off (hopefully!!!). Ill also do the same with the UVC system.
It is expensive, and ive been waiting well over a year reading up on it, but its nothing compared to what ive spent on the system, and the piece of mind it provides is well worth it, certainly for me anyway. And its also something to fiddle with rather than the tank!
SPR
Well-Known Member
For reasons that will become apparent from the pictures below, I am currently very bored!
So I thought, I’ll put a live post on my build thread and I know what I could do, I’ll look at my fish tank. So with the powers of modern aviation, and from the comfort of my Upper Class seat with Virgin Atlantic I hooked up to my video camera at home and can see my fish tank along with its parameters via Apex. All is well.......!! Lol
Anyway only another 5 hours to go.....
Sandals here I come!
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So I thought, I’ll put a live post on my build thread and I know what I could do, I’ll look at my fish tank. So with the powers of modern aviation, and from the comfort of my Upper Class seat with Virgin Atlantic I hooked up to my video camera at home and can see my fish tank along with its parameters via Apex. All is well.......!! Lol
Anyway only another 5 hours to go.....
Sandals here I come!
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Last edited:
SPR
Well-Known Member
I’ve told you before I like to be the apex predator !lolYou are going to Barbados?????? You must learn to dive! How can you have a reef tank in your home, and not dive? You'd be able to spend a couple of hours every day in the world's biggest reef tank
Scardy cat !
I like the idea of diving but the last time I came to Barbados,I went swimming with turtles, but the only thing I had in my mind was sharks eat turtles. So out I got quick sharpish! Similar, when I was in the Maldives, the deeper the water got the more worried I got and I managed 5 minutes before I got out.
Unfortunately the film Jaws has a lot to answer for when I saw it when I was a child. And then there’s the savage attacking Trigger fish you told me about! Lol
Sharks are beautiful, and not to be feared. Reef Sharks? Totally harmless. Hammerheads, the same. I've dived surrounded by Bull Sharks, and one memorable time with a huge Tiger Shark and her baby. Oceanic White Tips, Threasher, Copper, Nurse sharks.......all different kinds. They are more wary of you than you should be of them.
Imagine not just seeing a turtle from above, but actually swimming along next to it.
But yeah, avoid the Titan Trigger Fish.....nasty things.
Imagine not just seeing a turtle from above, but actually swimming along next to it.
But yeah, avoid the Titan Trigger Fish.....nasty things.