Shaun's 2000 Litre (530 USG) Living Reef & Red Sea Max S 650 LED Design & Build

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Nobbygas

Well-Known Member
SPR said:
Lol!

Very amusing. If it doesn’t work it will be wrapped and sent to eBay!

If your wondering why there isn’t massive progress on the build, I’m just awaiting plumbing parts which are on a 5-10 day delivery as out of stock

You wouldn’t believe how many adapters, reducers, magic wands and things you need to fit equipment together.....
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I do believe at some point you have to drop some chicken bones on the floor and dance around them.

With the ALR2, is it just a case, maybe, that your tank is already running efficiently regarding the removal of nutrients, meaning that there just isn't enough to go round and make the Runner Beans grow?
 
SPR

SPR

Well-Known Member
Nobbygas said:
I do believe at some point you have to drop some chicken bones on the floor and dance around them.

With the ALR2, is it just a case, maybe, that your tank is already running efficiently regarding the removal of nutrients, meaning that there just isn't enough to go round and make the Runner Beans grow?
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I think your exactly right.

My nitrates have been around 18-20ppm as an approximation (mid range test result) for ever, and I mean ages. I only test nitrate every 2-3 weeks as it’s always the same, never moves. I have massive amounts of both mechanical and biological filtration but it neither goes up or down.

So I’ve been thinking about it as you do for ages, and I’ve come to the conclusion that because of the fish load, and I have a few, there will always be a certain amount of nutrients in the water column whenever I test.

The tank glows with life, so I’ve stopped worrying about it. Nopox is dosed at just above the maximum level because higher doses didn’t make any difference other than haze the glass quicker.

I haven’t done a water change since May but I’m seriously considering hooking it up to the new auto water change system with DOS. I don’t think I could bare to get rid of the tank as I’ve spent so much time with it and with a few equipment changes it would be much easier to maintain.

And at night with the new tank it just looks, well, beautiful.........
 
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Nobbygas

Well-Known Member
You do know that now you have to build some form of connecting bridge between the two tanks so the fish can easily swim between the two, and it will also give your room that 'professional aquarium' look as people can visit and walk under the connecting bridge to see the fish swimming above them. For that extra bit of razzmatazz you can get the missus to dress up as a Mermaid and prop herself on a chaise longue.
 
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Nobbygas

Well-Known Member
SPR said:
I installed the sump lights yesterday which are basically 12v low voltage strip lights and plugged into Apex so I can turn them on from anywhere in the world to look into the sump if I need to.

Also the sump is huge, I’m not sure these pictures show it but it is

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I notice that you have a couple of heaters just laying on the floor of the sump. Are they just a temporary thing until the Chiller arrives?
 
SPR

SPR

Well-Known Member
Nobbygas said:
I notice that you have a couple of heaters just laying on the floor of the sump. Are they just a temporary thing until the Chiller arrives?
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I’ve got the heaters which are the new Eheim 400w e versions because these need to be under the strict control and monitoring of Apex. The heaters thermostats will be set around 28C so they will always come on when commanded by Apex

I think I’m going to run the tank at around 26C because the S650 is never at 25C which is were the heaters are set, it’s always 26C+

The new versions of the Teco 2000e don’t have heaters at the moment, (awaiting European approval and will be sent free afterwards) but in any case I think it’s use will primarily be as a chiller. I haven’t ordered it yet as I won’t need it until next year

The heaters in the sump aren’t in final position, just out of the dining room! Lol
 
SPR

SPR

Well-Known Member
chickenjohn said:
Congratulations mate, well deserved,
I love a nice clean sump, pity it doesn't stay like that.
Are you having a 'proper' refugium or just a place to grow pods etc?
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The sump has a refugium section built in including some black acrylic to reduce light spill, but wether I’ll use it I’m not sure. Certainly not to start, it’s something I might add in the future which is why I included it in the sump spec.

For the time being I’ll stick to what I know works including Matrix, Nopox etc.

I’m was tempted to try vodka/vinegar for carbon dosing but different strains of bacteria like different types of ethanol and Nopox is supposed to be the correct types to encourage ‘good bacteria’ rather than throwing some ‘sarsons’ in and producing who know what super strains! Lol

Oh and I’ll have a spare ALR2 shortly because it’s coming out I think!
 
SPR

SPR

Well-Known Member
And ‘I think’ I’m going down the calcium reactor route.

I didn’t realise it also added Magnesium (depending on media used) and trace elements as basically the dead corals skeletons dissolve. This would effectively remove the need for auto dosing any foundation elements and trace elements (maybe slight adjustments from time to time) with a significant cost saving over the years bearing in mind I use the Red Sea stuff which isn’t cheap.

I’ve sort of avoided these as the sight of CO2 containers and gauges scared me. But then I realised I have 3 very large CO2 containers for my micro brewery and bar. Infact one of these would probably last a lifetime in a calcium reactor !

I’m looking at the Deltec PF601S. They look reasonably simple and don’t need pH probes, although you can use one. infact the recommendation is not to use one but I’ve got to read up a little more on this

The Deltec Twin Tech 3000 reactors look the best but they also look very complicated and are very expensive. And yes I know you get what you pay for and if I want one ‘it will be mine’
 
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Nobbygas

Well-Known Member
Miracle Mud - recommended, tried and binned.
ALR2 - recommended, tried and binned.
Calcium Reactor - "infact the recommendation is not to use one" - You've answered your own question. Seriously, how much Calcium and Mag do you dose? I bet it's not very much.
Vodka/Vinegar - Are you mad?

My advice? Stick to what you know works. KISS, Keep It Simple, Stupid.
 
chickenjohn

chickenjohn

Well-Known Member
SPR said:
I’m was tempted to try vodka/vinegar for carbon dosing but different strains of bacteria like different types of ethanol and Nopox is supposed to be the correct types to encourage ‘good bacteria’ rather than throwing some ‘sarsons’ in and producing who know what super strains! Lol
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I used to run vodka/vinegar on my fowlr tanks to keep nitrates and it always worked.
I was going to use it on my new tank but bought into the whole red sea thing (clever marketing from red sea) but when the nopox has run out ill be going back to vodka/vinegar,
Ive yet to see a tank crash due to using vodka/vinegar.
 
N

Nobbygas

Well-Known Member
SPR said:
The sump has a refugium section built in including some black acrylic to reduce light spill, but wether I’ll use it I’m not sure. Certainly not to start, it’s something I might add in the future which is why I included it in the sump spec.

For the time being I’ll stick to what I know works including Matrix, Nopox etc.

I’m was tempted to try vodka/vinegar for carbon dosing but different strains of bacteria like different types of ethanol and Nopox is supposed to be the correct types to encourage ‘good bacteria’ rather than throwing some ‘sarsons’ in and producing who know what super strains! Lol

Oh and I’ll have a spare ALR2 shortly because it’s coming out I think!
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You can offer the ALR2 as a prize on the Tombola at the BBQ !
 
N

Nobbygas

Well-Known Member
SPR said:
That’s good sound advice! Lol
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Seriously though. We both started around the same time with our S-650's and remember at that time we thought these were the biggest tanks in the world ! Fer gawd's sake, we had sumps for the first time! How exciting was that !
Looking back I bet there is loads of stuff you've bought, tried, and then dumped. I think every aquarist in the world does this. It's all about the learning curve and finding out what works for the tank, and for you. With Shaun's Ocean World it's probably best to fall back on the experiences picked up along the journey. Stuff like Calcium Reactor's may sound fine and dandy, but maybe it's better to get the new tank up, running and stable before you attempt something that is new to you. You'll need a baseline of results before adding new equipment otherwise how will you know what effect the new equipment has? Anyway, there is no point in doing everything in one go otherwise in eighteen months time you'll be thinking, "I'm bored". Leave some stuff out to research and then maybe introduce it later.
As always my friend, this is not a criticism, just me banging my thoughts out.
 
chickenjohn

chickenjohn

Well-Known Member
Nobbygas said:
Seriously though. We both started around the same time with our S-650's and remember at that time we thought these were the biggest tanks in the world ! Fer gawd's sake, we had sumps for the first time! How exciting was that !
Looking back I bet there is loads of stuff you've bought, tried, and then dumped. I think every aquarist in the world does this. It's all about the learning curve and finding out what works for the tank, and for you. With Shaun's Ocean World it's probably best to fall back on the experiences picked up along the journey. Stuff like Calcium Reactor's may sound fine and dandy, but maybe it's better to get the new tank up, running and stable before you attempt something that is new to you. You'll need a baseline of results before adding new equipment otherwise how will you know what effect the new equipment has? Anyway, there is no point in doing everything in one go otherwise in eighteen months time you'll be thinking, "I'm bored". Leave some stuff out to research and then maybe introduce it later.
As always my friend, this is not a criticism, just me banging my thoughts out.
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Absolutely 100% agree with all the above
 
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