Patrick's RSM C-250 : Part III

Pat24601

Well-Known Member
As I mentioned in other threads, I thought I was getting out of the saltwater hobby and had converted my C-250 to freshwater.

But, that didn't last long. I recently moved my freshwater fish to a different tank and have been getting my tank set back up for saltwater.

I've actually switched to new pumps, changed back to Steve's LEDs for saltwater, and given the tank a really thorough cleaning.

I also moved it from its old location to a new one my wife thought she preferred (read less central in our house). However, now that I've moved it there, I think she's having second thoughts mainly because of our kids being used to it where it was. So, we will see if I end up moving it back.

BTW, if you do move an aquarium, I highly recommend one of these furniture lifters and furniture sliders. They make it super easy.

Regardless, I'm waiting for her to decide where she wants it and someone to help me with the AquaScape and then I'll start the cycle. I enjoy getting these tanks going, so it should be fun. :)

My short lived freshwater thread is here:
http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forum/index.php?threads/patricks-freshwater-red-sea-c-250.97783/

My longer lived first saltwater tank is here:
http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forum/index.php?threads/patricks-rsm-c-250.91836/#post1259487

Here is a picture of its current state. Isn't it impressive how it sits there like that? So much potential!!!

2017-08-19-16-26-46.jpg
 
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Danreef

Well-Known Member
Happy to see you back in salt water.

That corner looks fantastic, BUT remember that you need to have access to the back of the tank. Nevertheless at the end is your decision.

For the landscape remember all what you have learned from past experiences.

Think carefully what type of corals you want : Soft, LPS, SPS or mix.

When you have that decided, post it and I can tell you my experiences with your coral decision and what I will do if I have to setup again a full SPS tank.

Cheers !!!
Daniel
 

COMMANDO

New Member
I agree with @Danreef ... think twice about that corner. The "perfect" spot for my C-250 would have been in a corner with a wall at the back and on one side. I decided against this and now use the tank as a 'room divide' and am able to access it from all four sides, definitely was the right decision.

In any event, looking forward to following your build as my tank is still cycling and is at DAY 16.
 

Pat24601

Well-Known Member
That's great advice about the sides @Danreef and @COMMANDO.

That spot really isn't my first choice. While I don't think it's terrible, it also looks a bit tight to me in general.

I think my wife is leaning towards moving it back where it was. If so, I'll have easy access to both sides. If not, I bought a 3 foot hook and I left a foot between the tank and the wall. So, hopefully I can get by.

We will see how it goes. :)
 

Pat24601

Well-Known Member
I just posted this in @TAMPATIM tank thread, but I thought I'd post here too for posterity. :)

On my Steves LEDs, I'm kind of running default right now from the bluefish controller except I changed my night levels.

So:

My morning starts at 9:00 and runs for 4.5 hours ramping up to 20% intensity for both white and blues over 90 minutes.

My midday runs for 2 hours ramping up to 50% both white and blues.

My evening is 4.5 hours in which the first 90 minutes is spent ramping down to 20% intensity for both white and blues and the last 90 minutes is spent ramping down to my night time settings.

My night time setting starts at 8:00pm and is 2% blues 0% whites. So, I just use my LEDs as my moonlights.

Keep in mind, I don't have fish of corals in my tank yet since I'm doing a reset. So, it's all just for show right now.

If I had corals, I'd probably shorten my morning and evening time to 2 hours from 4.5 hours with a 1hour ramp so they would have longer with 50%-60% intensity lights,but I'd play with it.

With Fish only, I may just leave it. It looks kind of cool changing intensity all the time. :)

Also, I may just turn on the natural sun setting which takes my intensity levels for my 3 periods and smooths them out over the day. I have that off right now, but I may turn it back on for my current needs.

I dunno. I'll be playing with it.
 

Pat24601

Well-Known Member
Digging the scape! When's the first coral going in?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk

Thanks!!!

I think this live rock is going to cycle pretty quickly. It was cycling at the store for a while. Might be pretty soon.
 

Pat24601

Well-Known Member
These are graphs of the two settings I described above from my bluefish controller AP. The first is what I described except I changed night to start at 9pm. The second is if I change to natural sun smoothing.

I think while I'm cycling I like the first one better. Less intense light hopefully less algae. :). The second probably makes more sense for corals.

FullSizeRender.jpg

FullSizeRender.jpg
 

mistral82cy

New Member
Hi Patrick,

love your scape...

I am also restarting my RSM250 after i had neglected it for some time. How much sand did you put in yours?

cheers
 

StevesLEDs

RS Sponsor
To make it a bit easier, you can change the designated color for the Bluefish Channels on that chart. Just go into the settings, and you can select the color you want it to be from a chart. (To change the white channel to a white color and blue channel to a blue color, etc.) It's called "Display Color" under the individual channel's settings.

Looking great Pat!

-Jeff
 

Pat24601

Well-Known Member
Hi Patrick,

love your scape...

I am also restarting my RSM250 after i had neglected it for some time. How much sand did you put in yours?

cheers

I actually started off quite light with sand for now. 2 bags of 20lbs. I think I used 4 last time. I'm currently trying to decide if I like it or if I'm going to add more. I'm not sure yet.

Love to follow your restart as you get it going! Be sure to keep a tank thread!!! It's always fun to follow along someone that's doing things at about the same speed.
 

Pat24601

Well-Known Member
To make it a bit easier, you can change the designated color for the Bluefish Channels on that chart. Just go into the settings, and you can select the color you want it to be from a chart. (To change the white channel to a white color and blue channel to a blue color, etc.) It's called "Display Color" under the individual channel's settings.

Looking great Pat!

-Jeff

Great tip! Thanks!
 

Pat24601

Well-Known Member
I was thinking of doing leathers and mushrooms in what is otherwise be a FOWLR tank (with non-reef friendly fish). Anyone have any thoughts on that?
 

Danreef

Well-Known Member
I was thinking of doing leathers and mushrooms in what is otherwise be a FOWLR tank (with non-reef friendly fish). Anyone have any thoughts on that?

In all my life (20 plus years) keeping marine tanks I always find easier to keep a reef tank. If you have a Soft/LPS tank you do not need to be worried to supplent. Just a 10-20% WC is enough. The same amount of work will be for a FOWLR. In this last, you will find that combining non-reef safe fish are not easy. Plus you can not put too many. You will fill the tank is empty. Plus if you get some fish illness, they tend to spread fast.

I started with FOWLR. After more than 10 years and expending incredible amount of $$$ In fish (because you want the pretty ones that are very expensive), I decided to try corals. That was easy. My mix tank with softies and LPS was fantastic. I finish having the same # of fish + corals (not just rocks). Of course, only reef safe fish :)

Cheers, my 2 cents.

Daniel
 

Danreef

Well-Known Member
A short video of my Fuge with my favorite fish "triggerfish". Those 2 guys grew together, they were the size of a dollar coin when I was lucky to find them as babies. From time to time you can see some runs between both but as of today (touch wood) they support each other.

I added them as a kind of experiment with corals but mainly because I never had a tank without a triggerfish LOVE THEM !!! . I added soft, LPS and SPS corals to that fuge. They have NOT touched them at all. That was my experiment :) But still I will not add them to the DT, just in case :)


YOU can try that too !!!!

Best
Daniel
 

Pat24601

Well-Known Member
@Danreef, you are always making me rethink my plans because you have such great ideas and outside the box thinking and experiences.

I'm going back to the drawing board a bit anyway. This sounds like some great ideas!
 

Pat24601

Well-Known Member
A short video of my Fuge with my favorite fish "triggerfish". Those 2 guys grew together, they were the size of a dollar coin when I was lucky to find them as babies. From time to time you can see some runs between both but as of today (touch wood) they support each other.

I added them as a kind of experiment with corals but mainly because I never had a tank without a triggerfish LOVE THEM !!! . I added soft, LPS and SPS corals to that fuge. They have NOT touched them at all. That was my experiment :) But still I will not add them to the DT, just in case :)


YOU can try that too !!!!

Best
Daniel

What kind of trigger is that?
 
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