new to site

[Leo]

Hello there. Feeling like a newbie right now!!
I was a pretty decent hobbyist a few years back with a gorgeous 120 gallon Teneacor tank. Lost it all due to a divorce but before leaving, sold stock and took out all the bells and whistles and stored it all .
I just now inherited an RSM 130. Quite dirty but with 2" of sand left on the bottom. The guy had a coral and fish set up for 5 years, but I believe got bored or possibly couldn't keep up with the maintenance.
I so far took sand out and put it into a10 gal tank with fresh saltwater, heater and small power head to move water around. I'm assuming their a lot og good biology in there. Already noticed a few tiny star fish on the glass? I think thats what they're called... Anyway, planning on putting this thing back together as soon as I can get it cleaned properly. Any suggestions on cleaning it properly? I don't believe I should over clean it but was hoping for some suggestions. Also, I knew nothing of these tanks till I picked it up. Pretty excited about this and even more so that it has a cult following! Would also love to connect my chiller and put in a 5 gallon bucket (sump) to store RODI water and have a top off system again. I've read that the existing skimmer that comes with it is not so good. Would prefer to not have an external skimmer if possible. Would like to keep it a bit more simpler than in my previous life! I used to have my RODI line running through the walls to my sump below the tank. I definitely do not have that luxury now. So what to do with my old 20 gallon custom sump?? Any ideas on all or any of my questions would be really appreciated! Thanks

 

[sirrealism]

Welcome to RS and enjoy. Lots of great people here to help you out

 

[Snelly40]

welcome!!!

congrats on the tank, the RSM's are nice!!

i had a tank crash and was trying to hold on to my interests a few years ago and raelly just let my tank go. Algae was everywhere and rocks were a mess and salt creep and calcium deposits on everything... now this may be frowned upon by others but it worked great for me. As i got the itch again i drained the water, vaccuumed out the sand and poured a few gallons of White Distilled Vinegar (only use this kind) into the tank. I then filled it with fresh water and just let it sit for a few days. Vinegar is acidic and will really help clean everything out without doing any damage. After, i drained that, cleaned it, filled it with water again and drained and cleaned. My tank looked brand new!!
At first i was trying to scrub scrub scrun and after 30 minutes i had enough, thats when i found out about the vinegar method and it was the best thing ive done. I left my pumps and all in the tank and literally everything looks brand new...
once that is done you can add the sand back in if you want to keep it, there will be bacteria in there and then you can start cycling new saltwater.

good luck!!

 

[DianaKay]

Hello Leo,
WELCOME to Reef Sanctuary
You are in a good place to get info & share your RSM build.

I really like the idea of clean soaking with vinegar.
But if I were doing it, NEW SAND would go in after the cleaning was done. I like CaribSea Special Grade http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=7326 (off site link)
Using the old sandbed could cause problems IMO.
I would also replace the T5 bulbs.

Did you get the stand with the tank?
Several 130 owners are running stock skimmers with lots of success. I think give it a chance. The RSM 250 skimmer that I used did a really good skimming job once it was broke in & water level adjusted.

Excited for you as you get back into the hobby!
VERY BEST WISHES....

 

[Leo]

welcome!!!

congrats on the tank, the RSM's are nice!!

i had a tank crash and was trying to hold on to my interests a few years ago and raelly just let my tank go. Algae was everywhere and rocks were a mess and salt creep and calcium deposits on everything... now this may be frowned upon by others but it worked great for me. As i got the itch again i drained the water, vaccuumed out the sand and poured a few gallons of White Distilled Vinegar (only use this kind) into the tank. I then filled it with fresh water and just let it sit for a few days. Vinegar is acidic and will really help clean everything out without doing any damage. After, i drained that, cleaned it, filled it with water again and drained and cleaned. My tank looked brand new!!
At first i was trying to scrub scrub scrun and after 30 minutes i had enough, thats when i found out about the vinegar method and it was the best thing ive done. I left my pumps and all in the tank and literally everything looks brand new...
once that is done you can add the sand back in if you want to keep it, there will be bacteria in there and then you can start cycling new saltwater.

good luck!!

Thank you!!!!

 

[Leo]

Hello Leo,
WELCOME to Reef Sanctuary
You are in a good place to get info & share your RSM build.

I really like the idea of clean soaking with vinegar.
But if I were doing it, NEW SAND would go in after the cleaning was done. I like CaribSea Special Grade http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=7326 (off site link)
Using the old sandbed could cause problems IMO.
I would also replace the T5 bulbs.

Did you get the stand with the tank?
Several 130 owners are running stock skimmers with lots of success. I think give it a chance. The RSM 250 skimmer that I used did a really good skimming job once it was broke in & water level adjusted.

Excited for you as you get back into the hobby!
VERY BEST WISHES....

Thank you! Ironically enough, last night, i discovered a bunch of LED's in place of where the t-5's would be. Last week, when I emptied out the sand, I thought the lighting looked unusual, but didn't think much about it until i started poking around on the sites and seeing everyone talk about LED's. I called the old owner this morning and was advised that he swapped out the lights for a Cree LED kit of 18 lights 3 watts each combination of blue, white and green. said he spent over 400.00. Not sure what it all means, but I'll take it to mean it's a good thing. Its all hardwired to the timer as well. Going to do a vinegar wash once it warms up a bit. and why is everyone suggesting I dump the original sand. It seems to be full of microbes, which I thought was a good thing.

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

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

Start a tank thread & share your tank with us so we can follow along, we love pics

 

[Snelly40]

the sand may be harboring tons of unwanted problems that could cause nitrate issues. I always use new sand when starting a new tank, live sand or dry sand, i used live sand this most recent time because the cost was actually the same and it introduces tons of the beneficial bacteria.
as far as lights, my dad has your same tank and he just got a Reef Radiance 165p+ light, they are a great price and all i can say is WOW... i actually use two of them on my 90 and they are amazing... i did add the bigger LED's but with your tank the normal 90 degree LED's should be sufficient
249 for one right now... http://reefradiance.com/dm-165p.html

 

[ddelozier]

Welcome and Congrats. I have bought a few used tanks, and inherited a tank or two from people getting out of the hobby for work or active duty. Yes, you can inherit some good stuff, but you can inherit some really bad stuff as well, especially if the previous owner was getting bored with and or lacked time for proper maintenance. Its always been my practice with Sand and rock(that doesnt have live coral), to dry it out, wash it really well with FW. I Power wash the rock at a local car wash for $2. The sand can be easily washed in buckets. Fill a 5g 1/2 full of sand and use a Garden hose to fill it up. Stir the sand and dump the dirty water out. Repeat till the water stays 90% clear. The tank, and equipment inside can easily be cleaned with Vinegar/water in a 20/1 ratio of FW to Vinegar. Let that run for 3-5 days and scrub the walls with a clean BLUE scouering pad(Glass and Non stick pan safe). Any rock with corals will of course have to be handled with more care and kept in a marine environment, IE an isolation tank.

Existing internal skimmer is Fine for most RSM's. The ones that arent enough are due more often than not to the owner trying to overstock the tank, and or the skimmer needing repair.

The LED's he installed are a Rapid LED RSM upgrade kit. while IMHO There arent enough LED's, i think They'll do quite well for you. I've installed more than one of these in Bio Cubes, and i love LED's. I'll never have another T5HO or MH light over any tank i own again.

Welcome to the Addiction Friend, We're glad to have you.

 

[Leo]

Hello Leo,
WELCOME to Reef Sanctuary
You are in a good place to get info & share your RSM build.

I really like the idea of clean soaking with vinegar.
But if I were doing it, NEW SAND would go in after the cleaning was done. I like CaribSea Special Grade http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=7326 (off site link)
Using the old sandbed could cause problems IMO.
I would also replace the T5 bulbs.

Did you get the stand with the tank?
Several 130 owners are running stock skimmers with lots of success. I think give it a chance. The RSM 250 skimmer that I used did a really good skimming job once it was broke in & water level adjusted.
And yes, got the stand as well, but need to clean it up!
Excited for you as you get back into the hobby!
VERY BEST WISHES....

 

[Leo]

Hello Leo,
WELCOME to Reef Sanctuary
You are in a good place to get info & share your RSM build.

I really like the idea of clean soaking with vinegar.
But if I were doing it, NEW SAND would go in after the cleaning was done. I like CaribSea Special Grade http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=7326 (off site link)
Using the old sandbed could cause problems IMO.
I would also replace the T5 bulbs.

Did you get the stand with the tank?
Several 130 owners are running stock skimmers with lots of success. I think give it a chance. The RSM 250 skimmer that I used did a really good skimming job once it was broke in & water level adjusted.

Excited for you as you get back into the hobby!
VERY BEST WISHES....

Yes, I did get stand as well. Need to clean it up and tighten it down