Glenn's RSM 130D

[nanoreefing4fun]

Well after reading almost every post in the Red Sea Max Owners Club, I decided to take the plunge & placed my order for my 1st swt, a new black RSM 130D lsmile:

I got what I think was a very good deal to, for the tank, stand & starter kit package, $764.99 and free shipping from thatpetplace.com (has anyone ordered from them before? I am hoping they are a quality company, guess I will know pretty soon...), they have a 10% off promotion going on right now & honored it on the new RSM 130D. It will be here in a few days, woohoo !

Now I have just gotta learn about a million more things so I can get my new swt tank up & running & post some pics here

Thanks to everyone who post on this great forum, it's all your post that encouraged me enough to give this new hobby a go!

 

[redsea reefer]

Re: Glenn's new RSM 130D

glad to see another soon to be RSM owner. The best thing you can do is reaserch. Don't hesitate to ask any questions you might have cause were happy to help when we can and good luck with it. I also have the rsm and i think it is the best all in one tank. HAPPY REEFING and don't forget pics.

 

[azredsea]

Re: Glenn's new RSM 130D

Yes, that was a good deal you got on it. I think they are a reputable company, but it doesn't really matter. It will be dropped shipped anyways. They will never see the tank. Shipping should come by FedEx freight, and they do an excellent job of taking care of it. At least from my experience.

Welcome to the Forum, and the RSM club.

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

Re: Glenn's new RSM 130D

Thanks azredsea - the Customer Service Rep at Thatpetplace did tell me it would drop ship straight from the company/wholesaler in Houston, hope Fedex does handle it with care like they did yours :colorful:

 

[Reefmack]

Re: Glenn's new RSM 130D

nanoreefing4fun - here's another welcome to a soon to be RSM owner!

 

[FallChinook]

Re: Glenn's new RSM 130D

I think you got a good deal--we bought the RSM130 from a LFS for $750 AND had to buy all the start-up stuff....I think when we walked out of there with sand, live rock, and a test kit we were at around $1,000.....that's just the beginning though as you will soon find out!
Congrats on the tank and welcome to the hobby! I'm sure you'll love it!
Monica

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

Re: Glenn's new RSM 130D

46 hours after placing order my new RSM 130D arrived, last night put stand together, very nice quality & no problems assembling at all, off this morning to the LFS to get some ro/di water, sand & a bit of live rock if I can find some nice pieces. Get my cycle started!

Think I got the pumps & all installed correctly, know more once I get my water in...

Still got figure out the lights, the user manual came with the digital timer instructions, but I am sure I will figure it out somehow.

So far very happy with my purchase.

Am I right that by adding some live rock, I don't need to & don't want to add the Nitro Bac that came with the unit?

 

[Reefmack]

Re: Glenn's new RSM 130D

Wow - that was super quick! IMO I'd still add the nitrobac after you get the rock in, to help build up the bacteria population further on the rock and substrate. It won't hurt anything. Or add 1/2 now and 1/2 later after you see if you get a measurable cycle.

On the lights - this link still seems to work to download the older 130 instructions that have the analog timer instructions (page 10 & 11):

RSM 130 Manual link

Good luck & be sure to let us know your progress!

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

Re: Glenn's new RSM 130D

Thanks Terry !

 

[Reefmack]

Re: Glenn's new RSM 130D

You're very welcome!

 

[mzreenie]

Re: Glenn's new RSM 130D

I purchased my 130D after reading all of the posts here first, so this site was also responsible for my decision. And I don't regret it!!! Anytime I have a problem or question, I know that I will find an answer (and several different opinions) here on RS.

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

Re: Glenn's new RSM 130D

1st attempt to use photobucket & post a pic - it works... woohoo !

Ro/Di salt water just added, with 2" deep sand bed of 0.1-0.2 Fine/Medium sand CaribSea Aragonite Seaflor Special Grade reef Sand, with a couple of pieces of base rock & 10 pounds Live rock just to start out.

The den where I hang out and watch TV and my new RSM 130D

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

Re: Glenn's new RSM 130D

Must confess my 1st newbie mistake...

I only had 35 gals of ro/di water that I had bought from lfs & I didn't want to use it up pre-washing my sand & didn't want to wash my sand in tap water, so I am kind of paying the price right now for that mistake, tanks more cloudy than I am sure it would have been, if I would have pre-washed my sand, hoping it clears more soon, been like 18 hours now & I am just now able to see the rock I put in...

At this time in my cycle, would you recommend running both or one pump, all the time? What about the skimmer? I ran it for 5 hours & adjusted on it some, but it really never did anything, I was guessing, maybe no protein to skim?

I have the lights set to run 5 hours a day, rsm suggestion, but I have read several post on the forum here that says just leave them off for 1st few weeks, being I added some live rock (one piece with a nice green sponge on him) I do or don't I need lights at this point in my cycle?

 

[Reefmack]

Re: Glenn's new RSM 130D

Good to see you're started up! On the cloudiness, I don't think the 130D comes with the white fine filter pad that the 130 came with, just the black sponge? The fine filter pad would filter out more of that floating silt than the black sponge will, and can be rinsed several times before it degrades. After my original pad was beyond being recycled I bought something like this & cut pieces to fit over the black sponge:

Filter Pad Type Material

Most lfs carry something similar. Just an idea on how to maybe clear up the water quicker. Rinse every coulple days & if you want remove it later & just use periodically after stirring up things in the tank. Some sands will take more time to clear up than others.

At this point, running both pumps, with a filter pad like the above, will help clear the water quicker. You don't really need to run the skimmer yet, but even if there's nothing to skim it will help it to "break in" if you do run it now. It just won't skim anythng yet, and will add more microbubbles - your choice on running it now. I ran my lights 5-6 hours in the beginning, but my live rock came with some hitchhiker corals on it (mushrooms, green star polyps, zoas). If you run the lights now you'll get a brown diatom "bloom", which is pretty much unavoidable anyway. And running the lights now lets you watch the rock for life forms that may pop out. Rock watching was a lot of the fun of a new tank, and after 2 years I still see something new every once in a while!

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

Re: Glenn's new RSM 130D

Thanks Terry - the 130D does only come now with the black coarse filter now, I am off to lsf to pick up some filter pad material like you suggested, I saw it there yesterday, will run it a bit :smirk: & see if I can get it to clear up a bit faster.

I also added the Nitro Bac, as suggested... guess I will run the lights just a bit, I do have a want to Rock watch a bit & see what appears...

 

[Reefmack]

Re: Glenn's new RSM 130D

Rock watching is one of the most enjoyable parts of this addiction!

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

Re: Glenn's new RSM 130D

Got some of that finer filter & tank cleared up nicely in only one hour, now messing with my rock a little, then time to sit back & watch :chair:

24 hours in... day 2

So far very happy with everything !

 

[Reefmack]

Re: Glenn's new RSM 130D

Good news. Just keep an eye on the white pad. It may need a rinse every day while the water clears up. If the fine filter plug gets plugged up with sediment, food, etc. it will drop the water level in back, starve the 2 pumps, and as a result cause a lot of extra microbubbles. That's probably why Red Sea doesn't send them out with the tanks anymore. After the water clears you might want to pull it out and just use one when you're stirring up things in the tank.

 

[azredsea]

Re: Glenn's new RSM 130D

Well if that is the 130D cabinet, then I guess I did get the 130 cabinet, cause mine is different. Doesn't have all the lines around it.

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

Re: Glenn's new RSM 130D

DAY 5 - added more live rock...