Bought a poor condition rsm250 :(

[The Proj]

Warning long and boring text.

So happened to be on CL and saw an ad for a used RSM 250 for $500. I knew it had to be in bad shape at that price so I called the used pet store that was advertising it and then took a trip there. Offered $400 cash and the tear down and packing it all in the back of my expedition on Monday night.

• Had about 50lbs of live rock
  • Ended up putting it in a rubber maid bin and in the backyard it went to "bake". Prefer to start "cleanish"
• No media rack
• No heater
• Timer cover MIA
• Tank had been running since they acguired it with a goby, horshoe crab, and a few crabs
• Lights were corroded, rusty, burned, etc..
  • Ordered only three reef-spec bulbs for now
  • Ordered some " miniature " t5 sockets (hopefully they are small enough)
• Electric compartment was all hanging out
• Fans are not running
• Algae, slat creep, calcium, blah, blah, blah all throughout
• Found a chiller underneath but do not know if it is operational or not yet. Hopefully I can find manual or something. No prior experience.
  • This is the one http://www.suburbanreef.com/1-10-hp-sl150a-sea-line-chiller.html
• Cabinet stand has couple messed up parts but definitely on good condition. Maybe I'll relaminate it or find a better stand for a bigger refugium?! Do know yet.
• Began vinegar/salt baths in a five gallon bucket first for maybe an hour.
  • Skimmer came out squeeky clean and producing a boat load of bubbles and foam. It was definitely working in the bucket because the foam turned into dark brown almost instantaneously.
  • Both pumps came out squeeky clean
  • I was skeptical but man just a little light brushing, rinse, and it just all came out clean like new. Even the labels. I'm sold on this solution.
  • Even through the koralia pump from my biocube in there for like 30 mins. Brand spanking new.
• Filled the tank with water, close to a gallon of vinegar, and salt.
• Placed all the pumps, and just the skimmer pump back in the tank and turned it them all on to run over night.
• Set a few pieces like the skimmer body and collection cups in the tank to get the hard to reach areas but they really are just insignificant. At least I get to test that everything is functioning and over an extended period of time in my backyard instead of inside the house.

Next steps/honey do list:

• Find manual and try to test chiller
• Find a heater. Live in Florida but run my AC at 70.
• Find out what sponges I will need
• Find timer cover
• Chemipure?
• Puregen?
• Find some moon lights
• Fix lights well hopefully if not maybe a diy led.
• New testers.
• New salt. Tropic Marin or instant ocean reef, or the red sea stuff I guess.
• New hopefully small and economical ro di so that I can potentially have it inside the stand.
• And I know I'm over looking some stuff but can't think of it right now.

And here comes the fresh from the back of the truck pics. This was on phone so not the greatest.

Aaaaaaand maybe no pics as apparently the, 3mb each, photos are to large for the 10mb limit?! I'll figure something out tomorrow.

 

[SaltNoob]

Warning long and boring text.

So happened to be on CL and saw an ad for a used RSM 250 for $500. I knew it had to be in bad shape at that price so I called the used pet store that was advertising it and then took a trip there. Offered $400 cash and the tear down and packing it all in the back of my expedition on Monday night.

• Had about 50lbs of live rock
  • Ended up putting it in a rubber maid bin and in the backyard it went to "bake". Prefer to start "cleanish"
• No media rack
• No heater
• Timer cover MIA
• Tank had been running since they acguired it with a goby, horshoe crab, and a few crabs
• Lights were corroded, rusty, burned, etc..
  • Ordered only three reef-spec bulbs for now
  • Ordered some " miniature " t5 sockets (hopefully they are small enough)
• Electric compartment was all hanging out
• Fans are not running
• Algae, slat creep, calcium, blah, blah, blah all throughout
• Found a chiller underneath but do not know if it is operational or not yet. Hopefully I can find manual or something. No prior experience.
  • This is the one http://www.suburbanreef.com/1-10-hp-sl150a-sea-line-chiller.html
• Cabinet stand has couple messed up parts but definitely on good condition. Maybe I'll relaminate it or find a better stand for a bigger refugium?! Do know yet.
• Began vinegar/salt baths in a five gallon bucket first for maybe an hour.
  • Skimmer came out squeeky clean and producing a boat load of bubbles and foam. It was definitely working in the bucket because the foam turned into dark brown almost instantaneously.
  • Both pumps came out squeeky clean
  • I was skeptical but man just a little light brushing, rinse, and it just all came out clean like new. Even the labels. I'm sold on this solution.
  • Even through the koralia pump from my biocube in there for like 30 mins. Brand spanking new.
• Filled the tank with water, close to a gallon of vinegar, and salt.
• Placed all the pumps, and just the skimmer pump back in the tank and turned it them all on to run over night.
• Set a few pieces like the skimmer body and collection cups in the tank to get the hard to reach areas but they really are just insignificant. At least I get to test that everything is functioning and over an extended period of time in my backyard instead of inside the house.

Next steps/honey do list:

• Find manual and try to test chiller
• Find a heater. Live in Florida but run my AC at 70.
• Find out what sponges I will need
• Find timer cover
• Chemipure?
• Puregen?
• Find some moon lights
• Fix lights well hopefully if not maybe a diy led.
• New testers.
• New salt. Tropic Marin or instant ocean reef, or the red sea stuff I guess.
• New hopefully small and economical ro di so that I can potentially have it inside the stand.
• And I know I'm over looking some stuff but can't think of it right now.

And here comes the fresh from the back of the truck pics. This was on phone so not the greatest.

Aaaaaaand maybe no pics as apparently the, 3mb each, photos are to large for the 10mb limit?! I'll figure something out tomorrow.

I read ALL that and NO pics!?!?

LoL.

Good luck. Hope the tank rebuild works out for you.

 

[The Proj]

 

[SaltNoob]

Y*I*K*E*S

You got your work cut out for you, that's for sure.
Couple beers and some elbow grease and she'll be ready for the ball.

Have fun, brother!

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

to ReefSanctuary, a real Sanctuary of reef forums, with lots of very nice members

Cheers for starting a tank thread & sharing your tank with us so we can follow along, we love pics

Most don't run the black sponges on the RSM 250's (I don't) you will want to get your fans working, the lights are dependent on them and the lights won't come on without them running (safety feature) unless you know wiring & how to work around that...

If you want some great leds... check out this... great RS sponsor and top of the line leds
(the pic in this link, is actually my hood)

http://shop.stevesleds.com/Red-Sea-Max-250-C250-SPS-Grade-LED-Upgrade-8794102433.htm

 

[The Proj]

Thanks for the support and welcome!

Alright the first vinger/salt bath and baking soda rinse is complete. Again I am so surprised how well this works and no effort in cleaning (especially with a TFCC tear in one of my wrist so only one handed). Definitely using a higher ratio of vinegar to water is what shortens the time parts have to bathe.

Got my three new bulbs and t5 mini sockets delivered today. The sockets are actually smaller so I will either glue them in place or use tiny screws.

Took apart the hood, took out the busted moon lights and took pictures of all the wiring. Reflector looks close to new now after 15mins in the spa and I think I will replace the little led thingies that are in there now, we will see as I am not sure what they are for considering how they are mounted.

I'll take a closer inspection of the wiring pics and/or just look up the schematics. From memory I believe they put relays or something between the light circuit and fans. Otherwise I think I should be able to wire up the lights directly to the ballasts or jumper the fan connectors to make it think they are connected.

Ouch $800 bucks for led fixtures! At that price plus the cost of the tank, bulbs, etc I could just purchase a new one (yes I checked )

Yeah yeah yeah the pics I know I know I know...

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

Sounds like you are pretty good at DIY this may help...

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

RSM 250 Owners Manual
http://www.redseafish.com/downloadcenter/
here

 

[Pat24601]

You've got your work cut out, but the plus side is it sounds like you are pretty good at DIY and I don't see anything you describe that isn't fixable. It's all cost and time.

 

[SaltNoob]

Thanks for the support and welcome!

Alright the first vinger/salt bath and baking soda rinse is complete. Again I am so surprised how well this works and no effort in cleaning (especially with a TFCC tear in one of my wrist so only one handed). Definitely using a higher ratio of vinegar to water is what shortens the time parts have to bathe.

Got my three new bulbs and t5 mini sockets delivered today. The sockets are actually smaller so I will either glue them in place or use tiny screws.

Took apart the hood, took out the busted moon lights and took pictures of all the wiring. Reflector looks close to new now after 15mins in the spa and I think I will replace the little led thingies that are in there now, we will see as I am not sure what they are for considering how they are mounted.

I'll take a closer inspection of the wiring pics and/or just look up the schematics. From memory I believe they put relays or something between the light circuit and fans. Otherwise I think I should be able to wire up the lights directly to the ballasts or jumper the fan connectors to make it think they are connected.

Ouch $800 bucks for led fixtures! At that price plus the cost of the tank, bulbs, etc I could just purchase a new one (yes I checked )

Yeah yeah yeah the pics I know I know I know...

WoW!

Looking GOOD!

 

[The Proj]

Thanks everyone. I'll look at those schematics tomorrow on a screen bigger than my phone because it almost appears that it just needs to be grounded out as the ground from the fans are ground with I think the LED drivers or ballast.

You know you "guys" just scrolled past all the black line thingies and went straight for the pics.

Thanks again!

 

[SaltNoob]

What's the vinegar/salt/baking soda ratios or recipe?

Also, is it just table salt? Iodized?

 

[The Proj]

So this is weird.

I had this terrible itch and couldn't figure out if it was the vinegar or the baking soda or what. So I wash up but man it's still there!

Then it hit me!!!! It must be the..............................................

The lights! It was the not knowing if I could get at least one to turn on. Heheheh

It is gone, well for now. One down 5 more to go.

 

[The Proj]

I must have used 30-35 ounces in the 5 gallon bucket (remember displacement can't fill up the bucket to the top) and enough salt to where it dissolved. I think running a pump in it helps to keep things moving and agitated.

In the tank I ran it overnight until probably noon with a gallon of cheapo 5% vinegar with probably 4-5 good passes, length wise, of cheapo regular iodinated sale. Stir and moved power head in between passes. All pumps and skimmer (just the motor running) and threw some larger parts in the tank like the skimmer body.

Ran the hose for a while (overflowing the tank) to get out as much vinegar water out.

The poured in half a small box of the baking soda and ran that for a few hours. Even the caked on pink on the return jet thingies and overflow plastic just came off when I grabbed.

 

[DaveK]

Looks like you got a bit of a wreck, but your rebuild and reconstruction project is going well. Some of those parts cleaned up look almost new. Good luck with your new project.

 

[The Proj]

Thanks everyone!

Well didn't get to spend much time today on the resurrection. Replaced 7 t5 sockets so far and you'll see the old and new in one of the pics below. One of my bulbs arrived broken boooooo.

Put some solid rusted screws in a cap of my spa recipe. Didnt expect much but guess you'll be the judge in the pic.

Cleaned the fans so I can test them tomorrow however one does look blown.

Cleaned the light reflector with a spa and tomorrow will use goop to get the adhesive off from the previous moonlights that were screwed and glued for some reason.

Tomorrow hope to clean and shape up the stand after a deeper inspection.

I would also like to test the chiller tomorrow. Any advice on how or just hook it all up and fill the tank instead?

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

RSM 250 Chiller Install

this post may be of some help enjoying watching the refurb - well done

 

[The Proj]

Thanks for the link I am sure it will be handy!

Another question, how long can established tank water stay stored?

I forgot about two containers, they are in my home, that was placed in a different room when I brought the tank home. Although I have a slight concern of using the water because I did find some flatworm medication in on stand.

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

Not sure I am following... but if you are asking about sw (saltwater) from the tank you brought home with you when you bought the tank - I would not use it at all, I would mix up new sw and use that, your LR (live rock) host almost all the good bacteria (the water contains little), starting up new, I would go with new agragonite sand too or rinse well the old.

You don't have any fish or livestock right?

See what others advise...