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

SPR

SPR

Well-Known Member
I added around 20 SPS coral frags last week from the S650, and the growth is crazy to say this is a new tank. The birds nest corals have all puffed out and there growing. I had to add 6 scoops of Red Sea Foundation Alkalinity powder and the same Calcium yesterday as the levels had dropped in just a few days.

I can actually see the growth on them and there is no way you could continue to run a system of this size by dosing, well you could but it would be a pain and cost an absolute fortune!

I finished installing the Twin Tech calcium reactor today, and it was actually very simple after I had a bit of advice from Tony at DD and the correct CO2 flow rate. I had it flooding into the gas chamber to quickly and it kept causing air locks, but once you dial down the CO2 inflow to fill the chamber to around 1.5 to 2 minutes it’s simple to set up and use.

All you do to alter the amount of alkalinity etc., to be added to the aquarium, is turn the flow up or down with a button on the controller. It’s that simple.

ive dialled it down to 5 litres of effluent per day to start as the alkalinity is at 8.7 so I’ll go very slowly and increase from here as need be. Its set on 10 in the picture below.

The CO2 bottle is one of those I used for my beer, so will probably last a lifetime in the Twin Tech!

Ive got a couple of videos once I find out how to upload them

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SPR

SPR

Well-Known Member
So what’s Shaun been doing today.....

Well I noticed a few days ago that 2 of the 4 rear circulation pumps in the S650 weren’t working at all. It’s not really surprising they failed as the last time I cleaned them according to my spreadsheet, was October 2018 of which I was well aware!

But I hate doing it, it’s an absolute pain clambering around and over the back of the tank, balancing on one leg, praying the steps don’t slip. It’s the worst part of the Max S series design in my opinion. As you can probably tell I’m not keen! Lol

I considered just leaving them, and getting 2 Vortech MP40‘s, but thought I’ll give them a clean.....

So I played golf this morning and instead of going for a ride in the countryside in something ‘exotic’ on this fine day, I decided to clean the circulation pumps, rear overflows and rear vents. S series owners will now what I mean

So after 3 hours of my life, which I will never get back, the 2 pumps that stopped working, still don’t work. So I’m done with them all and also the whole rear chamber of the S650.

In the morning I’m ordering 2 MP40 wQD’s which will hook up to the Apex WXM module on the new tank for full control. Ill leave the circulation pumps and nozzles in place and I’ll probably fill the rear chamber with Seachem Matrix or De-nitrate in media bags and be done with it. It has a purpose, but now I’m going to start modifying things to suit me.

And for anyone thinking you can see wires with the vortechs, which might spoil the clean look, I’m currently looking at the MP60’s in the new tank on the ends. You can’t actually see any wires through the glass, because the reflection hides them. All you can see is the wet side, which apart from the obvious is no different to seeing a nozzle/jet.
 
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N

Nobbygas

Well-Known Member
SPR said:
So what’s Shaun been doing today.....

Well I noticed a few days ago that 2 of the 4 rear circulation pumps in the S650 weren’t working at all. It’s not really surprising they failed as the last time I cleaned them according to my spreadsheet, was October 2018 of which I was well aware!

But I hate doing it, it’s an absolute pain clambering around and over the back of the tank, balancing on one leg, praying the steps don’t slip. It’s the worst part of the Max S series design in my opinion. As you can probably tell I’m not keen! Lol

I considered just leaving them, and getting 2 Vortech MP40‘s, but thought I’ll give them a clean.....

So I played golf this morning and instead of going for a ride in the countryside in something ‘exotic’ on this fine day, I decided to clean the circulation pumps, rear overflows and rear vents. S series owners will now what I mean

So after 3 hours of my life, which I will never get back, the 2 pumps that stopped working, still don’t work. So I’m done with them all and also the whole rear chamber of the S650.

In the morning I’m ordering 2 MP40 wQD’s which will hook up to the Apex WXM module on the new tank for full control. Ill leave the circulation pumps and nozzles in place and I’ll probably fill the rear chamber with Seachem Matrix or De-nitrate in media bags and be done with it. It has a purpose, but now I’m going to start modifying things to suit me.

And for anyone thinking you can see wires with the vortechs, which might spoil the clean look, I’m currently looking at the MP60’s in the new tank on the ends. You can’t actually see any wires through the glass, because the reflection hides them. All you can see is the wet side, which apart from the obvious is no different to seeing a nozzle/jet.
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"instead of going for a ride in the countryside in something ‘exotic’ on this fine day," - Since when was a Renault Twingo classified as 'exotic'?
 
Pancho75

Pancho75

Well-Known Member
So you haven’t clean the rear chamber in more than a year ? !

I have to admit it happen to me as well. My circulation pump 2 failed yesterday night...
[emoji2955]
 
SPR

SPR

Well-Known Member
Pancho75 said:
So you haven’t clean the rear chamber in more than a year ? !

I have to admit it happen to me as well. My circulation pump 2 failed yesterday night...
[emoji2955]
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No, it was about 15 months to be precise since I last cleaned those pumps! And yes I am a bad man! Lol.

I think it actually all started when I accidentally cut the power off whilst meddling with something, and let me tell you the resultant ‘bang’ proves why water and electricity don’t go. And of course then the dreaded pumps won’t start.......

I have to admit when I swirled around the chamber the stuff that came up filled the new socks immediately. But this shows what a bad design the whole chamber is. It shouldn’t have any debris in it and certainly not the amount present. You would think those pumps should swirl any debris back into the tank, but they don’t.

What it needs is a powerful circulation pump pointing down the chamber, picking all the rubbish up so it goes into the socks and I might well put one in I’ve got a 12000 lph pump in the new saltwater mixing station which was only £20 and works a treat so I might put one of those in.

My new MP40’s are arriving tomorrow so that’s the last time I’m ever cleaning them. I might remove the pumps but the nozzles will need to stay in place
 
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Pancho75

Pancho75

Well-Known Member
Good for the MP40s Shaun, I am sure you will get good flow out of them and as you have the Apex module you could set up some random flow. It would be nice to compare your coral growth before and after the MP40s.

I still like the rear chamber design, the fact of having no cables and no bulk heads in the glass is appealing to me.
 
SPR

SPR

Well-Known Member
Pancho75 said:
Good for the MP40s Shaun, I am sure you will get good flow out of them and as you have the Apex module you could set up some random flow. It would be nice to compare your coral growth before and after the MP40s.

I still like the rear chamber design, the fact of having no cables and no bulk heads in the glass is appealing to me.
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I like it, I just hate cleaning it Pancho!
 
N

Nobbygas

Well-Known Member
When I cleaned my four pumps last week it was the first time I've looked into the rear chamber since I last cleaned them........and it's a forest of white Aipstasia !
 
SPR

SPR

Well-Known Member
Nobbygas said:
When I cleaned my four pumps last week it was the first time I've looked into the rear chamber since I last cleaned them........and it's a forest of white Aipstasia !
Click to expand...
Yes same here, mainly hanging over the overflows. But the amount of debris when I swirled the water was incredible. It really needs a powerhead in there unless you clean it out regularly which most don’t.

I replaced all the overflows with my spare set and scrubbed the Aiptasia off with a scrubbing brush

I think I might remove all the pumps and just leave the nozzles in place, maybe block the green tube with something and then that’s 4 less wires to worry about
 
N

Nobbygas

Well-Known Member
SPR said:
Yes same here, mainly hanging over the overflows. But the amount of debris when I swirled the water was incredible. It really needs a powerhead in there unless you clean it out regularly which most don’t.

I replaced all the overflows with my spare set and scrubbed the Aiptasia off with a scrubbing brush

I think I might remove all the pumps and just leave the nozzles in place, maybe block the green tube with something and then that’s 4 less wires to worry about
Click to expand...
Yeah, I think I'll give mine a good clean-out at some point in the near future.
 
N

Nobbygas

Well-Known Member
Over the intercom; "Hello, I am the Captain and today we have Flight Engineer Shaun in the cockpit with us"......*rest of transmission not audible due to the screaming in terror of the passengers*........*noises and banging heard as the passengers deploy the emergency shutes*.......
 
SPR

SPR

Well-Known Member
Ok, following some serious ‘beta tests’ here is mark 2 of the skimmate locker and it’s simply magnificent stand. Revel in its glory and the build quality!

The original version was never going to be right, it was to low so the skimmate dropped straight down into it which isn’t the idea. What should happen is the skimmer will hold most of the liquid until it gets to a certain level, after which air pressure forces the liquid into the skimmate locker (or grape juice jug!). So the level of the tubing is around 3/4 of the way up the skimmer cup. It now also has a zip tie securing the hose, just in case, although this isn’t shown.

By doing this you get a lot more liquid capacity for holiday periods etc and it also means removing the skimmer cup less often.

So, marvel at its design and beauty..........

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SPR

SPR

Well-Known Member
In addition to designing my new, and patent pending skimmate locker and stand, I’ve decommissioned the 4 rear circulation pumps in the S650.

Ive installed 2 Ecotech VorTech MP40’s one at each end, and in my humble opinion it makes no difference to the look of the tank. You can’t see any wires inside the tank, or on the outside whilst looking through the tank, because the reflection prevents it. The only visible sign of wires is on the outside at the end, and after a few minutes gazing at the tank you don’t notice that either as it just blends in and the wires are tucked away in the cable guides with the wires for the lights

Im still experimenting with the flow, but the movement looks similar to what it’s always been, although the fish are still getting used to them, and apart from nutrient export mode which is at 100% power, they are turned down a little at the moment

Because the two tanks are relatively close, the VorTech’s have been hooked up to the Neptune Apex WXM module on the new tank and I now have complete control and below is the initial schedule for the right hand side pump

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And here is a quick shot of them in place. No more cleaning of those stupid rear pumps for me.......


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