The Decision is made! -> will be reefing in a RSM S 650 White

salty-zim

Member
Hello fellow reefers,

just last night my wife finally agreed to a reef aquarium. I have been triggered by the many dives I did myself and wanted to share the (sea)underwater experience with friends, but being able to speak while watching.
Honestly, I've been wanting a reef aquarium for a long time but (the kid, the wife, the house, the job - you name it) has been an excuse to NOT reef. So for the last 15 or so years I have been a freshwater tank maintainer. But as of last night I can finally announce these times will be over soon.
:celebrate:
We already discussed the tank. It will be Red Sea Max S 650 - LED. I tried to catch up on the reading part lately, but there are so many different opinions. My brains kept smoking and I got a bit scared. More out of respect to the knowledge one seems to have, to start a reef and keep it going.
Then I discovered this forum and you guys threads made the scientific part more practical and understandable for a saltwater rookie.
Thanks to all of your threads - which I keep studying (especially SPR and nobbygas) - I made a couple of hardware decisions and will prepare my shopping list.

Can't wait to spend those hardly earned bucks at my local TFS.
 
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SPR

Well-Known Member
Hello fellow reefers,

just last night my wife finally agreed to a reef aquarium. I have been triggered by the many dives I did myself and wanted to share the (sea)underwater experience with friends, but being able to speak while watching.
Honestly, I've been wanting a reef aquarium for a long time but (the kid, the wife, the house, the job - you name it) has been an excuse to NOT reef. So for the last 15 or so years I have been a freshwater tank maintainer. But as of last night I can finally announce these times will be over soon.
:celebrate:
We already discussed the tank. It will be Red Sea Max S 650 - LED. I tried to catch up on the reading part lately, but there are so many different opinions. My brains kept smoking and I got a bit scared. More out of respect to the knowledge one seems to have, to start a reef and keep it going.
Then I discovered this forum and you guys threads made the scientific part more practical and understandable for a saltwater rookie.
Thanks to all of your threads - which I keep studying (especially PSR and nobbygas) - I made a couple of hardware decisions and will prepare my shopping list.

Can't wait to spend those hardly earned bucks at my local TFS.

Hi @salty-zim and welcome to Reef Sanctuary!

When you said PSR did you mean me SPR?

Anyway you will love the S 650’s they are simply stunnning.

While you waiting for delivery watch the build videos in the Red Sea web site and also have a read up on their Reef Care Program and that will get you onto the right track.

And if you need any help you only need to ask. And we like photos so when you get started, start a build thread on the Max Owners forum!
 

salty-zim

Member
Hi @salty-zim and welcome to Reef Sanctuary!

When you said PSR did you mean me SPR?

Hi Shaun, thanks for the welcome and all your tips. Yes, I meant SPR. It is corrected, credits should go to the right people ;-)

While I got you on the line...
Did you remove the skimmer-board the C-Skim stands on?
 
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Pat24601

Well-Known Member
I really want an S-400. Unfortunately, that means I need to find 5 more inches between my fireplace and my wall...or convince my wife the tank belongs in the middle of our living room.

That’s hard to do.
 
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SPR

Well-Known Member
Hi Shaun, thanks for the welcome and all your tips. Yes, I meant SPR. It is corrected, credits should go to the right people ;-)

While I got you on the line...
Did you remove the skimmer-board the C-Skim stands on?
Well yes and no

When I had the C Skim installed yes it was sat on the skimmer board.

Then after getting fed up with the C Skim i replaced it, as did @Nobbygas with the NYOS Quantum 160. I cut a strip off the original skimmer board, and it’s now at the bottom of the skimmer compartment with the NYOS sat on top. The NYOS is silent and much easier to use.
 

SPR

Well-Known Member
I really want an S-400. Unfortunately, that means I need to find 5 more inches between my fireplace and my wall...or convince my wife the tank belongs in the middle of our living room.

That’s hard to do.
Pat there is a simple solution to this problem, which may be worth raising, possibly as a safe distance, with your wife

Take out the fireplace altogether and then you can get the S 650!
 

salty-zim

Member
Well yes and no

When I had the C Skim installed yes it was sat on the skimmer board.

Then after getting fed up with the C Skim i replaced it, as did @Nobbygas with the NYOS Quantum 160. I cut a strip off the original skimmer board, and it’s now at the bottom of the skimmer compartment with the NYOS sat on top. The NYOS is silent and much easier to use.

I think I will start with the Nyos and will throw out the main pump as well, since I do have a main pump (Speedy RC3 80w with regulator) that one barely hears.

I am still a bit struggeling with the chemicals part. I’ve read so much, my head is swirling...

If I go Red Sea Reef Care, do I need to dose anything else? As far as I can recall, they have the complete set of elements to add.

I need more reading on this!

Will try to complete the shopping list this weekend.


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SPR

Well-Known Member
If you follow the Red Sea Reef Care Program you don’t need to dose anything else.

Basically is comprises of:

Foundation Elements A B and C
Reef Energy for feeding corals (you probably won’t need this until you get stocked up with corals)
Coral Colours for other elements of various kinds
Activated Carbon - I use Red Sea version
NoPox for Nitrate and phosphate control (but not good for Phosphate so I also use Rhowaphos)

Also choose a good salt. The Red Sea Coral Pro is good while your learning as it contains raised foundation elements, but I think the standard is better once you know what your doing as you can maintain more natural foundation element levels like sea water with full auto dosing.

Good idea with the NYOS. I was going to suggest you buy one now and you then you might be able to sell the C Skim before it got smelly and get some money back for it! Mine was smelly so after 6 months in the garage it went in the bin!

Make sure you stay on top of phosphate levels and keep them locked down to around 0.03ppm and you will avoid many of the algae pitfalls etc. It’s the best thing I ever did using the Rhowaphos is a Deltec FR509 reactor.

Oh and when your building the tank stand, the square black plastic piece that you have left, and can’t find we’re it goes, it’s the bottom to the power centre!
 
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salty-zim

Member
If you follow the Red Sea Reef Care Program you don’t need to dose anything else.

Basically is comprises of:

Foundation Elements A B and C
Reef Energy for feeding corals (you probably won’t need this until you get stocked up with corals)
Coral Colours for other elements of various kinds
NoPox for Nitrate and phosphate control (but not good for Phosphate so I also use Rhowaphos)

Also choose a good salt. The Red Sea Coral Pro is good while your learning as it contains raised foundation elements, but I think the standard is better once you know what your doing as you can maintain more natural foundation element levels like sea water with full auto dosing.

Good idea with the NYOS. I was going to suggest you buy one now and you then you might be able to sell the C Skim before it got smelly and get some money back for it! Mine was smelly so after 6 months in the garage it went in the bin!

Make sure you stay on top of phosphate levels and keep them locked down to around 0.03ppm and you will avoid many of the algae pitfalls etc. It’s the best thing I ever did using the Rhowaphos is a Deltec FR509 reactor.

Oh and when your building the tank stand, the square black plastic piece that you have left, and can’t find we’re it goes, it’s the bottom to the power centre!


Hi Shaun,
very good advise. So I will go for the pro salt and the reef care thingies.
Another question on the rhowaphos: You use the Deltec FR509 and put the rhowaphos in there? Did I get this right?
 

SPR

Well-Known Member
Hi Shaun,
very good advise. So I will go for the pro salt and the reef care thingies.
Another question on the rhowaphos: You use the Deltec FR509 and put the rhowaphos in there? Did I get this right?
Yes that’s right. I use about 450g of Rhowaphos and change roughly every 4 weeks. I buy the largest container at 5kg which is by far the best value if you compare to the smaller containers and it lasts a long time.

You need to ‘tumble’ the Rhowaphos so when setting it up you make it ‘simmer’ like a simmering pan of water with the flow through it. I use the manifold outlet from the main return pump that was previously used to send flow to the C Skim.

What I would do when you start, is get yourself going and start by using NoPox and see how that works for both phosphate and Nitrate control. Depending on your bioload this may control both. If it doesn’t then you have Rhowaphos or other GFO as a back up plan.

I forgot to add it’s a good idea to use activated carbon as well in the system (I’ve edited above post) and also look into UV-C systems which I’ve always run to help kill off ‘nasties’ in the water column.

There are many ways to do things and the above is what I do which works as you’ve probably seen.

Something else for you to read up on!
 

salty-zim

Member
Hello Fellow Reefers,

after two hell months (workwise) my brand-new RSM 650 finally arrived on Wednesday.

AND IT IS HUUUUUUGE.

So two nights ago I startet to build the frame and the cabinet. And yesterday I invited three neighbours to help me get the monster on top of it. I wish I made photos of their eyes when they saw the big thing - but the offered beers helped a lot.
After the beers I setup the sump and the lighting.
Whohooo, I think I need sunglasses in the living room from now on. :whistle:

I went with your tip @SPR and got a quantum 160 skimmer and a deltec 509. Decided to go RedSea Reef Care & RowaPhos. Looking at your tank this seems to be no mistake. Thanks for all the tips.

Plan for today:
- finish the build up
- setup the Profilux
- initial fill for testing equipment and rinsing of the dust
- get the rest of the hardware, rocks and sand from the dealer

tomorrow:
- Rock the Rocks

Monday:
- initial Fill and official start of a new reef

a bit of concerns so far:
I decided to go
-> 80 kg rocks (Carib Sea Life Rock various shapes) - Real Life Rocks are currently hard to get especially fresh ones.
-> 80 kg Red Sea pink sand

1. Do you guys think the kind and the amount of rocks and sand are ok?
2. How do you guys bring light into your sump
---
 

SPR

Well-Known Member
Hello Fellow Reefers,

after two hell months (workwise) my brand-new RSM 650 finally arrived on Wednesday.

AND IT IS HUUUUUUGE.

So two nights ago I startet to build the frame and the cabinet. And yesterday I invited three neighbours to help me get the monster on top of it. I wish I made photos of their eyes when they saw the big thing - but the offered beers helped a lot.
After the beers I setup the sump and the lighting.
Whohooo, I think I need sunglasses in the living room from now on. :whistle:

I went with your tip @SPR and got a quantum 160 skimmer and a deltec 509. Decided to go RedSea Reef Care & RowaPhos. Looking at your tank this seems to be no mistake. Thanks for all the tips.

Plan for today:
- finish the build up
- setup the Profilux
- initial fill for testing equipment and rinsing of the dust
- get the rest of the hardware, rocks and sand from the dealer

tomorrow:
- Rock the Rocks

Monday:
- initial Fill and official start of a new reef

a bit of concerns so far:
I decided to go
-> 80 kg rocks (Carib Sea Life Rock various shapes) - Real Life Rocks are currently hard to get especially fresh ones.
-> 80 kg Red Sea pink sand

1. Do you guys think the kind and the amount of rocks and sand are ok?
2. How do you guys bring light into your sump
---
Welcome back and your welcome!

The rock quantity looks about right but I think 80Kg of sand is a little bit to much unless you want a 12 inch deep sandbed ! Lol. The bags I believe are 10kg so if you have eight of them.... I used 2 1/2 and you can see the sand bed depth at the start of my build thread.

As far as lights go I went a year using a torch but then I got 6 LED low voltage strip lights from amazon which are velcroed to the top of the sump. Let there be light!!! Forget the torch it’s rubbish in comparison.
 

saintsreturn

Well-Known Member
Congratulations and welcome to the club! These folks around here are awesome and they will be sure to help (more than they already have) as you move along. Be sure to create a build thread and post lots of pictures, we are greedy with pictures. From the reading so far, it appears you are off to a great start!

My only advice is to take it slow on the start up, do not rush anything or add in fancy "speed up" additives, although some of us have had success, its not usually worth it. Also, plumb your changes to the system before you add water. Sounds silly, but you dont want to be like me and replacing plumbing with a full system.

Most importantly, enjoy this! This is a huge accomplishment for your family and be sure to not let it overwhelm you. Take pictures so you can look back and see your progress and enjoy it. Dont chase new upgrades and all that jazz, it takes away from the experience.
 

salty-zim

Member
Hello Reefers,

I could realize the rockwork I had in mind. I myself tried to glue two stones together, but I rather glued myself to various objects in my carport but the stones seemed to stay fairly unimpressed, no matter how hard I tried to press them. To cut it short: I created a mess.
But thanks to a friend who is used to work with concrete and his willingness to trade beer against craftsmanship we created art.

So the tank is rolling according to plan. I try to add some pictures to this post.
I went with the 80kg rocks and just 30kg of Sand as Shaun suggested. Otherwise I would have created the biggest sand pit in universe.
It‘s circling away now and I hope there will be some sort of life to be seen soon.
Can‘t wait to put the cleaning crew in.

Note to myself: Need to be more patient!
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SPR

Well-Known Member
Looks great so far!

What are you going to use to cycle it ? Please don’t throw a dead shrimp in and leave it for 6 months ! Lol
 
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