Col's Red Sea S-650

Collo

Well-Known Member
Thanks Shaun, I will see what the fathers day fairy brings on Sunday - hopefully its an Apex. If its not I think I'm going to get one. I wont bother with the dosers until trident is released. And like you say I wont need to really dose for a good while yet.
On another note my Brightwell block arrived yesterday as did 4 Budweiser glasses I'd ordered, of which 3 were broken because the Hermes driver threw them over my wall

I've also been considering housing my chiller outside in a ventilated box, and drilling through my exterior wall for my pipes so I don't have to suffer the heat or noise of it kicking in. Anyone seen or done similar?
 
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Nobbygas

Well-Known Member
Thanks Shaun, I will see what the fathers day fairy brings on Sunday - hopefully its an Apex. If its not I think I'm going to get one. I wont bother with the dosers until trident is released. And like you say I wont need to really dose for a good while yet.
On another note my Brightwell block arrived yesterday as did 4 Budweiser glasses I'd ordered, of which 3 were broken because the Hermes driver threw them over my wall

I've also been considering housing my chiller outside in a ventilated box, and drilling through my exterior wall for my pipes so I don't have to suffer the heat or noise of it kicking in. Anyone seen or done similar?
Budweiser? Oh the shame.
I haven't done anything like that with my Chiller. It's not easy as the tank is not on an outside wall.
I've got a cheap Jeboa. It's the DP-6, meaning six dosers. It was on offer for the same price as the DP-4. I only use four (Calc, Alk, Mag and NOPOX). The other two are spare.
 
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Collo

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Hey, they were nice glasses haha. I already have a doser from my previous tank that I never actually used, a reefdoser evo 4. But I believe they're not very reliable and I like the idea of a wifi one haha.

Coralbox who I believe are affiliated with Jeabo have a wifidoser too now. I'd have bought the x6 doser too if it was the same price, even though its unlikely you (or I) would ever use the other 2 lol
 

SPR

Well-Known Member
Thanks Shaun, I will see what the fathers day fairy brings on Sunday - hopefully its an Apex. If its not I think I'm going to get one. I wont bother with the dosers until trident is released. And like you say I wont need to really dose for a good while yet.
On another note my Brightwell block arrived yesterday as did 4 Budweiser glasses I'd ordered, of which 3 were broken because the Hermes driver threw them over my wall

I've also been considering housing my chiller outside in a ventilated box, and drilling through my exterior wall for my pipes so I don't have to suffer the heat or noise of it kicking in. Anyone seen or done similar?

Are you sure you actually need a chiller (I’m playing with your mind and now trying to save you money!lol)

I was going to get the TEKO 1000 and me and Nobbygas reviewed these at the time, and I called a very good London shop to order it and asked for a discount, because I’m cheeky like that. They said they hardly made any money on them because the only people who buy them had no choice and so they didn’t sell many. And they said why do you need one your in England. Which made me think.....

You see Nobbygas is in Frankfurt, we’re they eat very long sausages, and it also gets very hot. We live in England we’re it can get hot, but not for very long periods.

So, I have a large pedestal fan (black to match the tank of course so it ‘blends in’) and it’s at the side on my black equipment cabinet, and if the tank gets anywhere near 28.5c + I switch it on, and it cools it back to 25c if I want it to depending on the fan speed. It’s extremely effective and the tank is fine with variations of this scale, infact it sits at 26-27c most of the time. Your ok up to around 30c for short periods

And after the next few months back in it’s box it will go, and also when on it cools me, so I can sit in my lazy boy recliner with fridge, marvelling at my living reef, drinking my home made ‘moonshine’, and knowing that both I, and my fishes, are cool.

If you get one don’t get a fancy one like I did, because mine can’t be switched on and off at the plug, it’s digital so I need to press a button.

It is however plugged into Apex so if it got to cool, when it hits 25c Apex cuts the power off, automatically without any input from me.

The chillers also pump out heat into your room which you realise so that can also be an issue especially in summer

And also note you can’t run a chiller from the return pump or spare outlet at the back on the S650. It’s not powerful enough and mentioned in the instructions and confirmed by Kevin at Red Sea

So take a look at my thread as there is a picture of it in place, and marvel at my British engineering prowess! Lol
 
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Collo

Well-Known Member
I saw you 'integrated' fan design lol. For whatever reason my house tends to be on the warm side during the summer. I'm pretty sure that by the time the tank arrives, is set up and cycled, we will have seen the worse of the summer this year. My concern is the coming years, I think the tank temp may spike on hot days, and as we all know, corals don't like change. I think the cost of a chiller and the cost to run it is a small price in comparison to how much we spend on the tank interior. I guess this year can be the test without and see if its required. My last tank I had a lot of equipment running and all producing heat and a chiller was essential on it.
On another note, my Seachem matrix arrived yesterday. I have quiet a pipe of 'stuff' accumulating now haha
 

SPR

Well-Known Member
My house has a south facing conservatory next to were the tank is and it’s gets very hot in summer, like unusable, and this heat transfers throughout the house and needs to be let out with doors open, which is fine.

So the tank does get hot, but to be honest, it’s not made any difference to the corals at all and if you check out some of the ocean temperatures were some corals come from....

By the power of Apex, and from Spain, (yes I’m still here! Lol) It’s currently at 26.5c but I have had readings at 31c last year (late switching the fan on!) and everything was fine, because it’s only for relatively short periods.

Bottom line, if you need one, you need one.

While I remember and if it hasn’t been mentioned, it’s worth watching the Red Sea build videos as their very helpful. And the black plastic sheet you have left over, and think what is this for, is the bottom of the power centre, before you ask! Lol
 

Collo

Well-Known Member
My house has a south facing conservatory next to were the tank is and it’s gets very hot in summer, like unusable, and this heat transfers throughout the house and needs to be let out with doors open, which is fine.

So the tank does get hot, but to be honest, it’s not made any difference to the corals at all and if you check out some of the ocean temperatures were some corals come from....

By the power of Apex, and from Spain, (yes I’m still here! Lol) It’s currently at 26.5c but I have had readings at 31c last year (late switching the fan on!) and everything was fine, because it’s only for relatively short periods.

Bottom line, if you need one, you need one.

While I remember and if it hasn’t been mentioned, it’s worth watching the Red Sea build videos as their very helpful. And the black plastic sheet you have left over, and think what is this for, is the bottom of the power centre, before you ask! Lol

My house is exactly the same with regards to a south facing conservatory. I actually put a false ceiling and insulated it a few yrs ago which helps but still warms the whole house up. I'm actually having the glass roof removed and having it tiled and insulated and plastered in a bid to help. Along with plantation shutters through the house. I actually forgot that was happening so you may be right and hopefully I wont need one. That makes me happy as i'd rather not have to drill a 30mm hole through an exterior wall.

I think you've made my mind up for me and spent my money with regards to an Apex lol, I've watched a fair few YouTube videos now and can see a real benefit, rather than just the gadget factor. And trident is a game changer!

As soon as I placed the order, the first thing I did was what the red sea build vids on the max lol. That's when I realised the downflow valve may be an issue :/
 

Nobbygas

Well-Known Member
I need a Chiller here. Last Summer there were 129 days where the temperature was over 25 degrees, with a high of 41 degrees! Even though we have triple glazing throughout, and electronic outside blinds on all windows, when it is constantly hot for four months a Chiller is vital.
As for water temperature, I've dived off the coast of Sudan where the water temperature was 31 degrees, and the corals were stunning ! The other advantage of the TECO 1000 is that it also heats the water, so no need for heaters and controllers.
 

Collo

Well-Known Member
I need a Chiller here. Last Summer there were 129 days where the temperature was over 25 degrees, with a high of 41 degrees! Even though we have triple glazing throughout, and electronic outside blinds on all windows, when it is constantly hot for four months a Chiller is vital.
As for water temperature, I've dived off the coast of Sudan where the water temperature was 31 degrees, and the corals were stunning ! The other advantage of the TECO 1000 is that it also heats the water, so no need for heaters and controllers.

I read your build thread, that's extreme! I assume that's unusual to be hot for so long? How do you find running the chiller at night only?
 

Nobbygas

Well-Known Member
I read your build thread, that's extreme! I assume that's unusual to be hot for so long? How do you find running the chiller at night only?
Summers here are very hot, and the Winters are very cold! If the outside temp is say 35 degrees, then eventually during the day the house will get hotter. The chiller is set between for 27 degrees and will cool the water if that rises to 28 degrees. On really hot days this could happen three or four times a day. It has to run during the day, and only running it at night won't work.
When the heat gets extreme, say 41 or 42 degrees, then all the windows get closed, all the outside blinds will come down, and it's a dark house I'm afraid, but that's all we can do. When the house is closed up like that then we can keep the internal air temperature down around 26 or 27 degrees.
 

Collo

Well-Known Member
Nothing really to report, still no date for the tank yet. My rocket launcher uv arrived. The fathers day fairy didn't bestow me an apex (she didn't know which on to buy me from the kids, even though I accidently sent her a link lol) I'll just buy myself that instead. My sachem and some other bits arrived. I think that's about it
 

Nobbygas

Well-Known Member
Nothing really to report, still no date for the tank yet. My rocket launcher uv arrived. The fathers day fairy didn't bestow me an apex (she didn't know which on to buy me from the kids, even though I accidently sent her a link lol) I'll just buy myself that instead. My sachem and some other bits arrived. I think that's about it
She knew which one to buy, but she didn't like the price. This is what woman and their wily ways get up to. Now, I'm a bit of an expert on this (stop laughing at the back) and you have to tread carefully. She now knows how much an Apex costs, so when you get one you have to buy it 'second hand' from a bloke at the local reef club, at only a third of the price, while all the time extolling to her how much you've saved! You have to play them at their own game. You can even go the whole hog, and say that with the saving on the Apex, it means that when you next buy some fish/corals, in effect they are free !
 
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Collo

Well-Known Member
She knew which one to buy, but she didn't like the price. This is what woman and their wily ways get up to. Now, I'm a bit of an expert on this (stop laughing at the back) and you have to tread carefully. She now knows how much an Apex costs, so when you get one you have to buy it 'second hand' from a bloke at the local reef club, at only a third of the price, while all the time extolling to her how much you've saved! You have to play them at their own game. You can even go the whole hog, and say that with the saving on the Apex, it means that when you next buy some fish/corals, in effect they are free !

She's not usually shy spending money, so who knows. But we have a mutual understanding, I don't ask her what stuff costs and she doesn't ask me, but I have been down the road in the past "it was a fantastic deal, brand new, surplus to requirements from A GUY lol". I'm all good getting my Apex, she came home with a Givenchy bag on Friday. I dread to think what that cost, but no eyebrows will be raised when the apex arrives :)

On another note, I ordered 1l of purigen and a seachem 'the bag' this morning. I should really just order everything off my list in one go, but I like to keep the postman/deliveryman/amazon driver busy
 

Nobbygas

Well-Known Member
Looks like haha - don't think I can get any help lifting the tank till Monday, so will just have to make the stand.

Think I may use Fritz turbostart to cycle my tank
I used ATM Colony, and was happy with that. You can put a few fish in the very same day.

When my tank was delivered, the two delivery men unpacked it all while it was in the back of the lorry, and carried it all into the house for me, including the tank itself. They were two mighty beefy blokes and had to carry it up eight steps to get to the front door, but they did it. When I assembled the stand I had to get three other blokes in to help me lift the tank onto the stand, and that was difficult even with four of us! I gave the two blokes a mighty beefy tip as they saved me a lot of pain and hassle.
 
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Collo

Well-Known Member
How much did you use? 2 bottles?

Complete aquatics have already told me its a kerbside delivery only - no unpacking or taking into the house I'm afraid :(
 

Collo

Well-Known Member
I ended up going for 2 32oz bottles, it says each will do 374l

also bough another 4 litres of seachem matrix and another marine pure block - no nitrates for me! So thats 8l of matrix, 2 marine pure blocks & 1 Brightwell block all for the sump.
I was going to have natural seawater delivered to fill the tank, but decided against it , so bought 20m of 1/4" tubing so I can fill with my rodi unit. My hottub needs a water change so I intent to use the waste to fill that.
 
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