Choff's RSM 650 Build

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Choff

Choff

Well-Known Member
Ordered my 650 on 3/19 and while I am waiting for delivery (3-4 week quote) I have been deep into the plans for my system. I posted a quick hello about a week ago and not rehash that thread this is my first first SW tank in over 20 years and my first ever reef tank. I'm excited and nervous at the same time. Anyway, here is where I am at thus far:

- I sistered the floor joists. Tank is going in the first floor living room against a load bearing wall perpendicular to the joists. Ideal spot and probably didn't need as much support as I gave it, but for84 bucks I have peace of mind. The room below happens to be the only unfinished portion of the basement, so I had easy access as well.
- Made the outlet in the living room a GFCI and have it on its own circuit that has been connected to my back-up generator (self starts if power is out > 5 min).
- Ordered 2 35 Gallon Norwesco containers and a Panworld 40PX (480GPH - 14.5' max headroom ) pump to automate my water changes (planning on 10%/wk). These will go in the room directly below, 1 will be pure RODI water and the other my mixed Salt. I plan on cutting a hole in the corner of the floor that will have a pipe leading from the containers through the floor to a flexible hose that will either siphon off the old water or pump in the new depending on how I have the valves set. Eventually I would like to add a large refugium in this room to at least double my overall water volume. This would also act as a natural chiller as the basement is always nice and cool in the summer.
- Ordered Heater & powerhead for salt mixing container
- Ordered 5 stage BRS PLUS RODI
- Ordered Milwaukee refractometer + calibration fluid
- Ordered Hanna Checker Calcium, Phosphate & Alklinity + lab grade distilled water for the calcium test.
- Ordered API SW test kit set (Amonia/nitrite/nitrate/PH) for cycle
- Ordered API reef test kit set (Nitrate/calcium/phosphate/Alkalinity) - cheap redundancy.
- Ordered Instant Ocean Reef Crystals
- Ordered Mag float 350
- Craigslisted a 30 Gallon setup as a QT tank


TBD:

- What kind, where and how much live rock to get online vs LFS?
- How deep of a sand bed to use?
- Decide if I want to get a monitor/control system now or wait and regret I didn't do it at the start
- If I do I seem to be leaning toward Apex. I know there seems to be a strong bias towards Profilux on these boards, but I just seem to like the Apex better.
- If I don't do a monitor/controller, I am looking at a Pinpoint PH monitor and some other individual Temp controller.
- Spill/overflow/leak alarm?
- Trying to figure out what if any reactor(s) I should be considering.
- Coming up to speed on water chemistry so along with the reactors, what other water additives will I need? Magnesium, Calcium, PH control, etc
- What else should I be using a lab quality test kit on? Nitrate I assume? None, API is really good enough?
- What other element test kits do I actually need? Magnesium, Iron, silicate etc. Plan on taking a wait and see approach with these.
- Any additional chemical filtration I should be considering? Nitrate removal apart from WC?
- Am I going to need a chiller or not? I live in Mass. We get in the mid 90's for a couple months out of the year, but we have AC and keep the house around 75 in the summer and 70 in the winter. There can be some days in the spring and fall that I can be in the mid 80s in the house when we don't have the AC going. I also don't know how much heat the system itself is going to add to the water. Since it will be around early May when I have it set up I can just wait and see how things work out and add it later before any life is in the tank.
- Should I also prep a sick/hospital tank in addition to a QT tank?
- What if anything should I put around the tank to protect the hardwood floor from the inevitable spills?
- What color to paint the living room walls?? Actually my wife's dilemma, but she wants to paint the room before the tank goes in.
- What else am I missing that I am not considering that I should?


I'll post some picts when I actually have something interesting to show.

Thanks for reading and I welcome any comments or suggestions.

~Choff
 
modulok

modulok

Active Member
FYI - When I first connected my RSM250 to my newly installed GFCI outlet it kept tripping it when the lights turned on. The GFCI detects 'leakage current' from the lights and trips. I wound up putting the standard outlet back.
 
R

Ricardo

Member
Well that's, pretty thorough Choff. I concur with Glenn's recommendation on the Key Largo rocks. Marcorocks.com are excellent to deal with, ship right away and do a great job of packing the rocks. I've been using the Key Largo rocks since last October I really like them.
 
R

Ricardo

Member
modulok said:
FYI - When I first connected my RSM250 to my newly installed GFCI outlet it kept tripping it when the lights turned on. The GFCI detects 'leakage current' from the lights and trips. I wound up putting the standard outlet back.
Click to expand...
It's your life but messing with a fish tank (especially a marine tank) with an unprotected outlet is like asking for the electric chair. You shouldn't have any "current leakage" that would cause the GFCI to trip... period. If you do then you have a serious issue that you should promptly address. Please forgive me since I don't know your skills but did you install it correctly? Did you put the line from the breaker box to the line-in section of the outlet? Black wire to the gold screws, white wires to the silver screws plus the ground? Outlets or switches (if you have any) on the same line past the GFCI must attach to the load section of the GFCI. Are you sure what's causing the GFCI to trip is not happening elsewhere on the circuit? Also, was the GFCI installed in a circuit that already has one in it? You only want one GFCI per circuit. Seriously dude, it isn't worth your life or someone you care about to be careless in this area.
 
B

black2012

Member
I had great luck using dead base rock and dead sand plus Dr. Tim's one and only. By going that route you avoid the possibility (although low possibility) of bad hitchhikers that could require you to tear down the whole tank.

You also save a lot of money on rock that way.
 
Choff

Choff

Well-Known Member
I have read more than a few great posts about marcorocks, but never actually went to the site. Wow, great price and good looking rock. Very good chance I will be ordering the 150 lb box.

So the 650 is a 150G tank w/25 gallon sump. When they say 1 to 2 lbs of LR/gal, do they mean total water or display tank volume? I know this may be personal preference, but do you think it's best to have all 1 rock style or mix it up?


I am thinking 150 from Marco, 50 cured/seeded Totoka from LFS and another 25 to 50 pounds from somewhere else.That puts me around 225 to 250#. I will probably start with the 200# and see how that fills the tank both volume and designwise and then cherry pick another 25-50 lobs as needed to get the look I am after.


Any comments on amount of live sand? I am reading I either want less than 2 in or greater than 4 if I am looking to develop anaerobic bacteria in the bed. Leaning heavily toward the shallow bed.
 
carlfike

carlfike

Active Member
I ordered the 150 box from Marco. Just to give you an idea it filled a 55g brute trashcan. So that's about the volume you'll get with the box.
 
carlfike

carlfike

Active Member
Yup it was the 150. It's amazing too how little water the rock actually displaces. I was able to get about 47g into that 55g even with all the rock. It's super porous.
 
nanoreefing4fun

nanoreefing4fun

Well-Known Member
RS STAFF
150 from Marco, 50 cured/seeded - sounds like a good plan... I started my RSM 250 (66 gal) this way, 50 lbs Marco dry rock & 10 lbs LR - I think you will find this will be enough... and not want more...

I wanted a more open look with a large sand bed, many of my favorite corals (LPS (Large Polyp Stony) & Soft) colorful flowing corals like to live in the sand bed.

My favorite sand by far is the CaribSea Dry Aragonite Special Grade Reef Sand - pretty white & not to small in size so as to suspend. I like a ssb (shallow sand bed) I ended up at 2 1/2" but 2" would be great too.


CaribSea Dry Aragonite Special Grade Reef Sand
 
B

black2012

Member
nanoreefing4fun said:
150 from Marco, 50 cured/seeded - sounds like a good plan... I started my RSM 250 (66 gal) this way, 50 lbs Marco dry rock & 10 lbs LR - I think you will find this will be enough... and not want more...

I wanted a more open look with a large sand bed, many of my favorite corals (LPS (Large Polyp Stony) & Soft) colorful flowing corals like to live in the sand bed.

My favorite sand by far is the CaribSea Dry Aragonite Special Grade Reef Sand - pretty white & not to small in size so as to suspend. I like a ssb (shallow sand bed) I ended up at 2 1/2" but 2" would be great too.


CaribSea Dry Aragonite Special Grade Reef Sand
Click to expand...

Great call on the sand - it's what I use. I'm running 3 parts special grade reef sand and one part bermuda pink. I think it gives a great overall look. I'm running approximately 1lb/gallon and the sand bed is perfect for me.
 
Choff

Choff

Well-Known Member
Nice. I like the idea of mixing in a bit of the pink for color. What are your thoughts on the super reef sand? Basically the special grade + small shells. Anything good or bad about having the little shells in the bed? I like the idea.
 
Choff

Choff

Well-Known Member
Thanks Glenn, that's what I was looking for.

Found a sand bed calculator Sand Bed Calculator

Based on that I need 128# of fine sand or 108# of carib sea argonite.

Going with Black's idea and just ordered 95# of special grade and 30# of pink. Also ordered 150# box of Marcorocks + 1 large column

Top 2 on my TBD list are set. Appreciate the feedback!

edits for spelling
 
Choff

Choff

Well-Known Member
I think the shells look cool too Black, but trying to stay as clean as I can in the beginning. I can always add those in later.
 
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