Highly's Red Sea Max 400 Mixed Reef

Highlyagaming

Active Member
I may be wrong on this, but the problem with the variable pumps and the S-Series tanks is the fluctuation in the water levels. I think the tanks are designed to run with the water levels constant. By running the variable pump you may get gurgling noises coming from the downflow pipe. This won't cause any harm, but I'd imagine it could get annoying to keep hearing it. You can test this by just switching off one of the circulation pumps, and you'll hear the tank making noises as the water level changes.
I don't reduce flow at all when feeding. I like to see the lazy buggers chasing their food around the tank. It's the most exercise they get all day :)
As I said, I'm not certain about this, and if anyone knows anything different?

You have a point there, never really thought about that. Tho the only thing I would use from variable pump would be feeding so i can properly feed my corals. Aside from that id have it at constant speed but you have a point
 

Highlyagaming

Active Member
I only feed the corals ReefRoids, and then I just switch the skimmer off and broadcast feed.

What corals are you stocking atm?

I occasionally dose some Aqua forest ricco/power food. However I've been told that my acans would do better if i target feed them mysis every few days.

Never tried reefroids personally but I keep hearing very good things about them. I am now testing the range of Aqua forest products due to an LFS recommendation but we will see how the probiotic method does in my tank.
 

Pancho75

Well-Known Member
You have a point there, never really thought about that. Tho the only thing I would use from variable pump would be feeding so i can properly feed my corals. Aside from that id have it at constant speed but you have a point
There several advantages in the DC pumps feeding mode is one but also lower power consumption, notifications when the pump is jammed or malfunctioning.
 

Highlyagaming

Active Member
There several advantages in the DC pumps feeding mode is one but also lower power consumption, notifications when the pump is jammed or malfunctioning.
Also like a few systems that even care for low water levels and shut off the pump to avoid breaking it. Atm my focus is on lowering my nitrates which are still insanely high (70ish mg/l) phos is holding steady at 2 now, been dosing nopox since day one 3ml per 100l so thats 12ml per day in my 400l tank, new skimmer is pulling gunk out like a boss but after a few weeks it should have gone down a little.

As for feeding I am now cutting down to a pinch of pellet food a day which is consumed within seconds, also running some activated carbon to assist in the removal of bad stuff.

Trying to avoid water changes as I fid my back in when I put the tank up.... did manage a small 15L change which is about all I can lift atm

Any ideas on how to further reduce the parameters without having to lift copious amounts of water weight
 

SPR

Well-Known Member
Also like a few systems that even care for low water levels and shut off the pump to avoid breaking it. Atm my focus is on lowering my nitrates which are still insanely high (70ish mg/l) phos is holding steady at 2 now, been dosing nopox since day one 3ml per 100l so thats 12ml per day in my 400l tank, new skimmer is pulling gunk out like a boss but after a few weeks it should have gone down a little.

As for feeding I am now cutting down to a pinch of pellet food a day which is consumed within seconds, also running some activated carbon to assist in the removal of bad stuff.

Trying to avoid water changes as I fid my back in when I put the tank up.... did manage a small 15L change which is about all I can lift atm

Any ideas on how to further reduce the parameters without having to lift copious amounts of water weight
Seachem Matrix (lots) and also go a little higher on the Nopox dose, but slowly like 1ml extra per day/week and back off a little if you get any white slime from bacterial flocks.

You can go above the maximum dose but just slowly that’s just a guide
 

Highlyagaming

Active Member
Seachem Matrix (lots) and also go a little higher on the Nopox dose, but slowly like 1ml extra per day/week and back off a little if you get any white slime from bacterial flocks.

You can go above the maximum dose but just slowly that’s just a guide


Thanks bud ill do that and monitor the tank. Currently getting a small amount of air bubbles being released from the live rock and im starting to see some algae form so Im thinking green hair algae due to the high nitrates and low phos.

Ill take some pics tonight when I get home and show you folks. Ill keep you updated on how the progress goes with higher dosage.
 

SPR

Well-Known Member
View media item 16029View media item 16028View media item 16027
Looks like my battle with the early stages of GHA has begun

Going to take your advice @SPR and up the dose 1ml every two or so days along with a fresh sock of carbon. This week ill go to the LFS and get some matrix or purigen.
Take it slow and up the dose 1ml extra a day but increase weekly as it’s powerful stuff

That algae looks a little like dinoflagellates with the snotty bubbles like structure so keep and eye on it. Maybe try and increase flow initially and consider a 3 day blackout as a basic start. I had them early on in my build thread and there are some pictures.

Could be GHA but the pictures not that clear. Hair algae commonly comes from high phosphate rather than nitrates as it uses it as a food source
 
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Highlyagaming

Active Member
Thanks bud, just re did all my tests and we have some good and bad news. Some of the params have increased (without dosing) which I have no bloody clue how but there ya go. And others have gotten a lot better so here goes:-

Water temp- 25.7 C
Salinity- 1.024
Ph - 9 ( needs to go down a bit)
Kh - 9DKH/ 160ppm (much better than before)
Cal - 570 PPM ( massive spike ?!?)
Nitrates - gone up to 100 now
Phos - 1ppm (much better than before)
Mag - 1320 ppm

All in all a few have gotten much better however some have decided to do what ever they want even when I am not dosing anything

Ill keep an eye on it and put the tank on a three day lights out schedule see if that helps with the algae at least to stop it growing/slow it down. Ill increase the dose 1ml extra a day and up it every week, think I am going to have no choice but to do a big 100L ish water change at the end of the month and try and slowly introduce the new mixed water slowly so I do not shock the corals and fish.
 

Pancho75

Well-Known Member
Have you tried chaeto algae? It will help too, you can place it in your sump if you have light in there.
 
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Highlyagaming

Active Member
Have you tried chaeto algae? It will help too, you can place it in your sump if you have light in there.
I have a small hang on refugium that ive been growing chato in on my nano. The sump the 400 brings is to small to have a dedicated area for it so it either gets sucked into the return or into the skimmer. Going to have to see if i can modify the hang on to reach the sump water lvl and try that.
 

Highlyagaming

Active Member
Ok update, so parameters are slowly getting better nitrates down to 75 from 100 & i fixed a leak that the skimmer had so getting a better darker skim now.

As for the skimmer itself I am still debating between the new red sea skimmer and the nyos. Both have their pros and cons but i cannot by the hell of me decide as I love RS products but the nyos looks so dam good and smaller in size. Man sometimes wish i was a well known YT review guy so i can test em for free and decide LOL

Some of the new features on the RS one is nice including the big collection cup with inbuilt notch for viewing and neck cleaner but the nyos Ive seen reviews and its dead silent which is what i really want along with obv skimming like mad.

Such a tough decision
 

Highlyagaming

Active Member
Evening folks, so quick update and I am happy to say the nitrates are slowly going down tested it yeaterday and it was between 50-75 and ive done a good 100L water change which should being that down even more so hopefully ill post tomorrow with good news

Now ive been looking at the tank and I feel that it has to much flow so ive had to restrict the rear pumps a lil to avoid the duncans flapping all over the place. As this flow is constant I am thinking of using my Vortech MP 10 to provide a more random movement but I am afraid its going to be to much in the tank. Any recommendations as to how to angle the outlets and should i set the outlet pumps to min and have the mp10 provide more movement?

Second topic id love some advice on is fish, I want to add more atm only have a pair of clowns & a regal and yellow tang & a blue lines cleaner wrasse all of which get along well. Was thinking of getting about 4 anthias to have sole movement and schooling fish but id like at least one more medium sized fish.
 

Pancho75

Well-Known Member
In my case I try to make just a small angle in the outlets to avoid sandstorms and the flow is very nice no need for Vortex or anything similar. The return outlet I have it pointing across the tank also with a small angle to make sure the filtered water goes as long as possible.
 

Highlyagaming

Active Member
In my case I try to make just a small angle in the outlets to avoid sandstorms and the flow is very nice no need for Vortex or anything similar. The return outlet I have it pointing across the tank also with a small angle to make sure the filtered water goes as long as possible.

Thanks bud, the flow is really good but I feel adjustments need to be made on the outlet angles. Atm I feel its not to my corals liking
 
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