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

SPR

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The Neptune Apex DOS system is now fully installed and operational in the S650 and water changes have recommenced at roughly 10% per week or 7500ml per day, every day.

For anyone who isn’t familiar with DOS for water changes it’s an absolute breeze once the system is set up, calibrated etc. You just put in the volume you want to change, over what time frame, and the wizard works it out and off it goes. Brilliant!

Here‘s a picture of the wizard I’m using but I’ll change the time frame over the next few days. The DOS pumps do make a ‘wining’ noise and are quiet load and I can here the wine from the fish room outside and that’s despite all the insulation.

Because it’s winter and cold outside, I’ve installed a heater into the new salt water container set to around 22c. What’s it’s actually done is keep the whole fish room warm because theres 425 litres of warm water inside and of course its fully insulated


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Nobbygas

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Today is the day to test the ‘soundness’ of the pipework, prior to filling her up.

Im not sure if your familiar with the term ‘cacking ones pants’ but........

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I spy with my little eye, something beginning with W...............

Seriously, I've got everything crossed.....Just remember, the Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier cost 3 billion quid, and that had a few leaks on it's first test at sea !
 
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SPR

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I spy with my little eye, something beginning with W...............

Seriously, I've got everything crossed.....Just remember, the Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier cost 3 billion quid, and that had a few leaks on it's first test at sea !

I have every confidence, he says....! Lol

W, can’t be wire!
 

Nobbygas

Well-Known Member
Today is the day to test the ‘soundness’ of the pipework, prior to filling her up.

Im not sure if your familiar with the term ‘cacking ones pants’ but........

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I think you should stop right now. The Sump will never ever be this clean again.
 
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SPR

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I think you should stop right now. The Sump will never ever be this clean again.
It’s funny you should say that because iI decided I was going to make an effort to wipe around the sump glass every week or so to keep it clean

You have to remember that I didn’t really know what I was doing when I set the S650 up so cleaning the sump wasn’t a top priority. I didn’t even know how to clean a pump! Lol

it should be much better because I have a giant toilet roll, the X filter, which has 25 micron paper (compared with 225 micron socks) which all the water goes through before entering the sump.
 

Nobbygas

Well-Known Member
It’s funny you should say that because iI decided I was going to make an effort to wipe around the sump glass every week or so to keep it clean

You have to remember that I didn’t really know what I was doing when I set the S650 up so cleaning the sump wasn’t a top priority. I didn’t even know how to clean a pump! Lol

it should be much better because I have a giant toilet roll, the X filter, which has 25 micron paper (compared with 225 micron socks) which all the water goes through before entering the sump.
Nice try, but no matter how you spin it....it's going to get dirty !
 
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Nobbygas

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You haven't said much about the Calcium Reactor. It is now assembled and I assume you are all systems go with it?

What is involved with testing the 'soundness' of the pipe work?
 
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SPR

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You haven't said much about the Calcium Reactor. It is now assembled and I assume you are all systems go with it?

What is involved with testing the 'soundness' of the pipe work?

Testing the soundness of the pipework means turning on the Abyzz a200 at 17500 lph, crossing my chest with my hand whilst saying several hale Mary’s, and hoping the pipes don’t look like something from Das Boot or Crimson Tide after a torpedo attack!

The Calcium Reactor is assembled, infact it came assembled and is ready to go. I’m actually quiet excited to start using it to be honest, once you understand the principal is very straightforward. All you do is change the flow rate through the reactor, no need to test pH or any of that. It works on the principal of total CO2 saturation

if it’s good I’m seriously considering getting one for the S650 as in the long run it’s much cheaper than adding Red Sea A B and C at the current rate, although now water changes have started again this should drop.
 
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SPR

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Testing the Abyzz...does this mean the DT is full of water?
Well it has a ‘layer’ of water in from the test and it all held fast apart from one of the problem unions which just needed tightening a little more.

The tank, or I, will be fully wet in the next few days or by the end of next week.

I’m making up all the water at the moment. As soon as the first 850 litres is made it will be pumped in and I have about 400 litres in the garage for the S650. This will be the last time I carry these barrels around.

So I’ll then just have to wait 2-3 days for the balance of the required water to be produced.

I’ve already been speaking with the LFS for the first fish orders, Chromis, anthias, yellow tangs.
 

Nobbygas

Well-Known Member
"This will be the last time I carry these barrels around." - You are Arnie and I claim my five pounds :)

Don't forget the CUC. You'll probably need about 10,000 snails and 3,000 crabs ! When is the sand going in?
 

SPR

Well-Known Member
"This will be the last time I carry these barrels around." - You are Arnie and I claim my five pounds :)

Don't forget the CUC. You'll probably need about 10,000 snails and 3,000 crabs ! When is the sand going in?
The sand will go in just before I fill it as its around 70kg of Red Sea Fiji live sand

Im not going to bother with that many snails, I prefer tuxedo urchins, but there will be hermit crabs

I bought another new tank today........

I’m not going to use my plastic round 5 litre container anymore for fish acclimation and I also need it as I’m going to dip all new corals to avoid any nasties getting in which I’ve never done before.

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Nobbygas

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The sand will go in just before I fill it as its around 70kg of Red Sea Fiji live sand

Im not going to bother with that many snails, I prefer tuxedo urchins, but there will be hermit crabs

I bought another new tank today........

I’m not going to use my plastic round 5 litre container anymore for fish acclimation and I also need it as I’m going to dip all new corals to avoid any nasties getting in which I’ve never done before.

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You might find a bucket easier to use. If any nasties fall off the coral it may be easier to see them on the bottom of the bucket as opposed to the glass bottom of the Micro Tank. Just a thought.
I've always dipped my corals. It doesn't seem to stop the nasties though. I still have Aipstasia !
 
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SPR

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You might find a bucket easier to use. If any nasties fall off the coral it may be easier to see them on the bottom of the bucket as opposed to the glass bottom of the Micro Tank. Just a thought.
I've always dipped my corals. It doesn't seem to stop the nasties though. I still have Aipstasia !
If you sit the tank on top of white paper, all becomes clearer.

I’m just going to be more observant and might even wear my glasses to examine everything a little more!
 

SPR

Well-Known Member
I’m not sure if the NYOS 160 is failing as it doesn’t seem to be making the bubbles go up the cup, but just fizzy water if you see what I mean. Also the rear tube has water in it and there seems to be a lot of micro bubbles coming from the back of it which I don’t seem to recall before.

I’ve cleaned it twice on the last 2 months because I thought something was wrong and it also seems much noisier with rattles coming from the air tubing.
 

Nobbygas

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You've basically described me there, which I put down to age !

There is always water in the rear tube isn't there?
I only get micro bubbles if the air intake valve is closed (smaller one of the top two). Have you checked that for blockages?
 
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SPR

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You've basically described me there, which I put down to age !

There is always water in the rear tube isn't there?
I only get micro bubbles if the air intake valve is closed (smaller one of the top two). Have you checked that for blockages?
Lol!

I’ve cleaned it twice so no blockages

I’m actually not sure if it’s me looking at it differently to be honest, I’ll just have to keep an eye on it. It just doesn’t seem to be producing much, but maybe because there isn’t much to produce. The water looks crystal clean, nitrate around 20 and phosphate 0 so......

I’ve also been doing 11 litre water changes every day so that could also come into play.
 
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