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

Nobbygas

Well-Known Member
I know that you are already thinking about what to put in the new tank. I'd imagine you'll have a few Yellow tangs. I have two, but four or five would just be spectacular! It's the same with other fish. I have two Royal Gamma, but I'd imagine four or five would be fantastic. How about a group of two or three Regal Tangs?
What are your initial thoughts?
 

SPR

Well-Known Member
I know that you are already thinking about what to put in the new tank. I'd imagine you'll have a few Yellow tangs. I have two, but four or five would just be spectacular! It's the same with other fish. I have two Royal Gamma, but I'd imagine four or five would be fantastic. How about a group of two or three Regal Tangs?
What are your initial thoughts?
What I’m intending to do initially is take my time to build and set up all the systems. I’m doing all the detailed sump plumbing myself so it’s as I want it feeding various pieces of equipment. Lots of union connectors, ball and gate valves to turn of sections etc.

Then I’ll design the rockwork, part of the order includes 150kg of rock but I don’t think that will be any were like enough.

Once it’s filled with water I’ll throw a dead shrimp in, or maybe two.....

Lol! Not really!

Once everything is stable, and I will be using ATM Colony, I’ll move all my current fish into the system to get some nutrients in there to try and avoid things like cyno bacteria which I’ve never had in the 650. I also know all the current fish are disease free

I’ll then slowly move and frag the corals over a period

Every new coral addition will be dipped (asterina starfish!) and I think it’s time to quarantine fish, so this may be were the S650 remains in place. When I say quarantine, I mean watch and make sure there healthy before adding to the main system.

And then the shoals of yellow tangs, anthias..... will all follow
 

Nobbygas

Well-Known Member
What I’m intending to do initially is take my time to build and set up all the systems. I’m doing all the detailed sump plumbing myself so it’s as I want it feeding various pieces of equipment. Lots of union connectors, ball and gate valves to turn of sections etc.

Then I’ll design the rockwork, part of the order includes 150kg of rock but I don’t think that will be any were like enough.

Once it’s filled with water I’ll throw a dead shrimp in, or maybe two.....

Lol! Not really!

Once everything is stable, and I will be using ATM Colony, I’ll move all my current fish into the system to get some nutrients in there to try and avoid things like cyno bacteria which I’ve never had in the 650. I also know all the current fish are disease free

I’ll then slowly move and frag the corals over a period

Every new coral addition will be dipped (asterina starfish!) and I think it’s time to quarantine fish, so this may be were the S650 remains in place. When I say quarantine, I mean watch and make sure there healthy before adding to the main system.

And then the shoals of yellow tangs, anthias..... will all follow
Please tell me you will be getting rid of the milk carton overflow for the skimmer!
 

SPR

Well-Known Member
Please tell me you will be getting rid of the milk carton overflow for the skimmer!
Why would I do that, its very effective. Assuming the skimmer doesn't freak out is last weeks between being emptied if need be, and has a lid so doesn't smell.

Infact, I bet if I painted it with a fancy label called Skimm Locker, charged £80 you lot would buy it! lol
 

Nobbygas

Well-Known Member
Why would I do that, its very effective. Assuming the skimmer doesn't freak out is last weeks between being emptied if need be, and has a lid so doesn't smell.

Infact, I bet if I painted it with a fancy label called Skimm Locker, charged £80 you lot would buy it! lol
See, that is why you are not an entrepreneur and worth millions. Or will we see you on Dragon's Den next week?
Anyway, there should be a feed from the Skimmer so the waste goes outdoors to feed your Mozambique Mangrove Swamp you are planning for the pond.
 

nanoreefing4fun

Well-Known Member
RS STAFF
Congrats on the new tank !!! Can't wait to follow along with the new build !!! :cheers::cheers::cheers::cheers::cheers::cheers:

PS - if you want me to change this threads... title (only a mod or admin can do that...) from
Shaun's Red Sea Max S 650 LED Design & Build
to whatever, happy to do so... just let me know to what... and I can move it to another RS RS sub-form if desired... all just whatever you want to see happen
.
 

SPR

Well-Known Member
Congrats on the new tank !!! Can't wait to follow along with the new build !!! :cheers::cheers::cheers::cheers::cheers::cheers:

PS - if you want me to change this threads... title (only a mod or admin can do that...) from
Shaun's Red Sea Max S 650 LED Design & Build
to whatever, happy to do so... just let me know to what... and I can move it to another RS RS sub-form if desired... all just whatever you want to see happen
.
Are you a little excited Glenn! Lol

I can change the title myself, I did it to tease you all but put it back so you may have missed the ‘Frag Tank’ bit

I should have everything sorted in the next day or so, and then I will make an ‘official’ announcement. And then we can both get really excited! Lol
 
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SPR

Well-Known Member
After months of planning this, here we go on a new adventure.....

My new tank has been built and I’m just awaiting the cabinet and sump to be finished before it’s delivered which will be in around 6 weeks.

I intend to keep the S650 going at least for the foreseeable future although all fish will move to the new system and I’ll move the corals, probably fragging them as I go. I could keep the S650 and use it as a frag/quarantine tank but I’ll give that some thought as the new system evolves. Or I might just keep it as it is with different new fish and let it continue to mature.

I think the system will be primarily SPS, along with anything else that catches my eye.

The display is around 1500 litres with a sump of around 500 litres so all in all a system volume of 2000 litres or just slightly under.

2900 x 770mm x 710mm (Deep) approx

I’ve been today to design how the sump is divided up and it will include a refugium section but I’ve had black acrylic used for the dividers to reduce light spill into the other sections

I’m trying to automate the tank and tasks as much as possible, using what I’ve learned, and will also be building in redundancy systems including a separate return pump and pipe into the tank so that in the event of failure of the main return, this can be switched on from anywhere in the world. Ill use my spare Red Sea pump for this for the time being as although it’s only 7500lph, that’s enough for an emergency or temporary back up.

I’ll have battery backups on the Ecotech Vortech’s and I think this should be enough for emergency flow coverage from power failure. Power is fairly reliable in the UK but I can always add an Vectra L2 with battery if I feel the need in the future

I’ve been considering the return pump for a while, and for me there was only one option. Abyzz. I was originally looking at the a400 but the a200 will provide more than enough flow for the return and to run the other equipment. This will seriously reduce the need for additional pumps and the maintenance needed. Abyzz has a 10 year warranty with great reliability but their not cheap.

For dosing I was thinking Apex DOS but they cost a fortune and I need at least 4 heads possibly 8. So I’m thinking to get the new Kamoer F4 as I more than happy with my current older version.

The current equipment list is as follows which I’ll order in the next week or so and there are a few other consumables etc.

Abyzz a200 return pump
Ecotech Radion XR30w G4 Pro LED x 4
Ecotech Radion RMS Tank mounts x 4
Ecotech Vortech MP60wQD x 2
Ecotech Vortech MP40wQD x 1
Ecotech battery backups x 3
Real Reef Rock Premium x 150kg (to start! Lol)
NYOS Quantum 300 protein skimmer
Teco TK2000e R290 chiller/heater/WiFi
Clarisea SK5000
Deltec FR512 rhowaphos reactor
DD 80w UVC
Neptune Apex 2016 Fusion (yes an additional one!)
Neptune Apex DOS (for auto water changes/dosing)x 3!
Neptune Apex Vortech WXM Module (to control/monitor Radion/Vortech)
Neptune Apex Auto feeder
Neptune Apex Magnetic Probe holder
Neptune Apex Auto Top Off ATK
Neptune Apex 2’ flow sensor (to monitor flow from return pump)
Float sensors (non apex due to potential reliability) in ATO/saltwater containers
2 x 425 litre water containers for RODI and automatic water changes to be kept outside
ATM Colony x 5 946ml (no I’m not using dead shrimps!! Lol)
Red Sea Reef Pink Live Sand x 70kg
Red Sea Standard salt x 6 22kg buckets
Easy Dose 5 litre container x 3

So there you go, any ideas and thoughts are welcome so off we go.......
 
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SPR

Well-Known Member
Congratulations ! [emoji851] That list looks really good Shaun, the Abyzz, Apex, Nyos skimmer and of course the Radion and Vortech. I hope we can watch it soon !

One thing, you are spending a ton of money in fancy equipment and livestock and complaining about the DOS price ? LOL
I knew someone would say that! Lol

I originally had 2 down,1 for water changes and one for Calcium and alkalinity and I was going to worry about magnesium later. Then I thought what about the trace elements that’s another 4 dosing heads and DOS is like £370 each so that’s x 4 in total which even for my extravagant ways seems to much when a Kamoer 4 channel which I use and like is £270 ish each.

But then there is Trident.......

Because I currently manually dose coral colours for safety I could just get 2 additional units so 3 in total and by the time I need them I will have forgotten about what I’m spending, so I might just get them anyway! Lol
 
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Nobbygas

Well-Known Member
That really is a top quality list!
I see you have a Rowaphos Reactor on the list, but I don't see anything for Carbon?
Will you still be using media like Seachem Matrix/Marine Pure to supplement the live rock?
I think the current S-650 is too big to use as a QT. You could use it for 'something different' like a Predator Tank?
Will your current RODI unit be able to manage, or do you need to upgrade that?
The tank itself. It must be braced yes? Will you leave it open, or are you going to get a gert big lid, or lid sections?
 

SPR

Well-Known Member
That really is a top quality list!
I see you have a Rowaphos Reactor on the list, but I don't see anything for Carbon?
Will you still be using media like Seachem Matrix/Marine Pure to supplement the live rock?
I think the current S-650 is too big to use as a QT. You could use it for 'something different' like a Predator Tank?
Will your current RODI unit be able to manage, or do you need to upgrade that?
The tank itself. It must be braced yes? Will you leave it open, or are you going to get a gert big lid, or lid sections?

I always work on the basis, buy the best in the first place, if you can. And I’m coming around to the idea of the Apex DOS doser before anybody says anything x 3! Lol.

I forgot about carbon, but I’ll probably hang something simple somewhere with it in like I do now

For filtration initially I’m going to use a refugium with Chaeto as I’ve always liked the idea, but yes I’ll probably end up using Seachem Matrix as well, and I’ll maybe add some once the sump is sorted out. The refugium sump walls have black acrylic in them to reduce light spill into the other chambers (unwanted growths).

The RODI unit (the water maker) will be a new one, same size but located outside near to were the tank is and hooked up to a 425 (or more) water container with a float valve. Same for the new saltwater tank but that won’t be topped up of course when it has salt water in it. I’m going for a size enough for around 2 water changes and then will make fresh saltwater again. It will have mixing pumps inside, maybe a heater as well.

These containers will be stored within a plastic cupboard of some kind for weather protection and maybe have insulation around them

I’m basically going to run the tank like I do this one because I know what I’m doing, it’s just on a bigger scale but I’m making everything as easy as possible were i can.

The tank is braced and they have made a really first class job of it to be honest and the mesh nets have been built in as well

I’m going to just leave the S650 as it is for the immediate future I think
 
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