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

Nobbygas

Well-Known Member
I’ve been a bit busy today from early morning to early afternoon. Mainly because some idiot called ‘Boris’ has decided to close all the golf courses. I can take my clubs into Newstead Abbey (its were Lord Byron lived behind my house) or any other type of park, but no, I can even walk around my golf course even on my own! Anyway I digress......

The X Filter 1.7 arrived a few days ago and it’s time to install one into the Red Sea S650, using the experience gained from plumbing the ‘big house’. I went for the 1.7 so both systems use the same media.

The main reason for installing an X Filter, is low maintenance, but it also removes organic waste before it pollutes the water, and therefore should make a major difference to nutrient control. 25 micron rolls compared to 225 micron filter socks should make a significant impact

A 25 micron roll in the big tank lasted nearly 3 months, so in the S650 is should last much longer, certainly once its run in

The reason I’m doing this, is because the intention is to make minor rearrangements to the rockwork, and get the water quality a bit better, so nitrate to around 5-10 as opposed to around 20, so that I can easily frag some of the better SPS from the big tank into the S650, because I hate throwing them away! lol

Ive also found in the big system, that the rowaphos lasts much longer, 900g last around 2-3 months, and that’s probably a lot to do with the X Filter. At the moment in the S650 I change the rowaphos of around 400g around every 3 weeks. I’m not being ‘cheap’ but do you know how much the stuff costs!! Lol

Anyway this is the system we’re talking about, the Red Sea Max S650....

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So for any Max S series owners this is what I did

Firstly for those paying attention, you will recall I removed all 4 rear circulation pumps from the rear chamber a while ago, for 2 MP40’s, so it’s empty, so ive moved all the Seachem matrix into there. I had a marine pure block but it’s a bit old so that went in the bin and I might get some more matrix, you know I like it!

I then brought the python water changer out of retirement (because I now use Apex DOS for water changes). I can tell you the sump water when stirred up was absolutely filthy, like a brown sludge and it just shows how inefficient the filter socks are.

The Max S Series sumps, to be frank, are not the best designed sumps, or plumbing in general, infact once you know what your doing it’s pretty poor to be honest, and I think someone at Red Sea should review it. Why would you put a bespoke Red Sea type of gate valve behind the tank, so that it’s virtually impossible to remove and clean, and it also means tank owners have to leave at least a 6” gap behind the tank in case you need to remove it, when you can just put it in the sump, with you know, easy access..... I’ve always jokingly said, I’ll buy a new tank before attempting this, but now don’t need to.

So being brief, because of the design of the S650 sump, the best place to locate the X filter was were the skimmer is designed to go, so it’s sat on an egg crate shelf lifted up slightly to make it roughly level. The X Filter comes with hanging brackets, but in the S650 sump there‘s nothing to hang it to as the side are all way to high. So it’s just sat down which is fine. The skimmers been moved to the main chamber on the left hand side of the sump

I then designed the pipe work which is pretty basic, and then I sat for a while, quiet a while actually, contemplating cutting the main downpipe, the point of no return. Some will be familiar with the terms ‘pooing ones pants’! Lol

Now I have a proper plastic pipe cutter, from building the big tank, but sometimes, the pipe can just snap rather than cut, if it’s a bit brittle, I ran a test and most cut perfectly, but one shattered..... and that would mean ‘problems’.......

So after saying several hail Marie’s, and putting my big boys pants on, I went for it...... all went well, fortunately.....

Anyway hopefully my experience might help other Max S Series owners contemplating something similar. I’ve still got to change the emergency overflow pipe, which will be fairly easy, but this is enough for one day. Here’s a few pictures and the waters already looking crystal clear

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Agh, I can't see the pictures ! I need to see how you've done this.
 
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Nobbygas

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That's better :)

Now, how does the water feed into it? Is there a direct connection or does the end of the downpipe just empty into the chamber?.....ah, does the downpipe empty into the plastic bit on the side?
 
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Nobbygas

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I'm really interested in this. You say the water is clearer, and that is what I want. I always seem to have bits and pieces floating around. I'm not keep on cutting the pipe though. What is this piece of magic you do to cut the pipe? What wonder tool will do this?
 
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SPR

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That's better :)

Now, how does the water feed into it? Is there a direct connection or does the end of the downpipe just empty into the chamber?.....ah, does the downpipe empty into the plastic bit on the side?
Yes the downpipe plumbing just enters the chamber on the right hand side of the X Filter.

One of the main benefits over the clarisea for example is you don’t need hard plumbing, just drop the drains into the side part

The pipe cutter I’ve got is below, its not cheap but remember what I’ve just built with it, so I needed a good one. You can get them much cheaper.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B000ZEHK5O/

My water was always pretty clear but clearly going from 220 to 25 micron will make a difference

You could probably use the X Filter 1.0, I went for the 1.7 just to standardise my media, but it will also last much longer between roll changes. On the basis the big tank lasts around 3 months, I wouldn’t be surprised if I get 5-6 months out of the S650 maybe after the first roll has done it’s stuff, and I would expect that to last months.
 

Nobbygas

Well-Known Member
I do like the look of this filter. I just have to summon up enough courage to think about cutting the downflow pipe. Does the tool cut the pipe with a 'cutting' snap action, or do you have to sort of, saw your way through?
 
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SPR

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I do like the look of this filter. I just have to summon up enough courage to think about cutting the downflow pipe. Does the tool cut the pipe with a 'cutting' snap action, or do you have to sort of, saw your way through?
It cuts through it with a ratchet type scissor action so no sawing and it’s a good one, but of course not cheap.

The downpipe just uncouples with a union connector at the back, but I didn’t take it out as I had the cutter and I was nervous enough! Lol

If you take it out you might get away with buying a cheaper pipe cutter, the ones that you clamp around the pipe with your hand and turn it around, I’ve got both, but it wouldn’t be any good unless you remove the pipe as you won’t be able to turn it around the pipe there isn’t enough room.

This type of thing

https://www.screwfix.com/p/ox-polyzip-42mm-manual-plastic-pipe-cutter/579hv

If your doing it get a gate valve as well, not a ball valve. The gates are more expensive but allow much finer adjustments and you need that on the main pipe. I may put a ball valve on the emergency but that’s just to close it if I want to retain water in the display and I have one spare.

Just get some extra pipe ‘ just in case’ also you need union connectors so you can unscrew them were they go to the filter if you need to remove it.

To be honest if the tank was empty it’s an easy job. It’s just because it’s full of life and all your time, it makes you cautious for obvious reasons!
 

SPR

Well-Known Member
I’ve been after one of these for ages to try it and I’m not exactly expecting ‘king prawns’ but the ones I’ve grown the fish can hardly see ??

Seems like a complete waste of money for marine fish ?

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Nobbygas

Well-Known Member
I’ve been after one of these for ages to try it and I’m not exactly expecting ‘king prawns’ but the ones I’ve grown the fish can hardly see ??

Seems like a complete waste of money for marine fish ?

View attachment 50585
Yes, they are tiny but there are thousands of them with each harvest. If you feed within the first three days they are also still attached to their egg sacs, which is where the baby shrimp get their food from. This provides additional nourishment for the fish. After three days you would need to feed the baby shrimp. They also provide food for the corals, especially the wavy ones. Whales eat plankton and krill. How big do you think they are compared to a Whale? Look at the Gobies. They shift sand to get the microbes. How big do you think the microbes are? The live baby shrimps, with their egg sacs, provide much needed 'real' food for the life in our pretty sterile tanks, when you compare the tank to the natural world.
 
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SPR

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Yes, they are tiny but there are thousands of them with each harvest. If you feed within the first three days they are also still attached to their egg sacs, which is where the baby shrimp get their food from. This provides additional nourishment for the fish. After three days you would need to feed the baby shrimp. They also provide food for the corals, especially the wavy ones. Whales eat plankton and krill. How big do you think they are compared to a Whale? Look at the Gobies. They shift sand to get the microbes. How big do you think the microbes are? The live baby shrimps, with their egg sacs, provide much needed 'real' food for the life in our pretty sterile tanks, when you compare the tank to the natural world.
Ok you’ve convinced me, I’ll buy a microscope! Lol
 

Nobbygas

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Ok you’ve convinced me, I’ll buy a microscope! Lol
As long as the fish can see them then it's alright. You can grow the Shrimp on if you want. You would need something like the JBL Artimeo Fluid to feed them after transferring them to another container. In fact I shall conduct that very experiment for you and provide updates as to the size they grow versus the timescale taken for them to grow. I have a spare air stone and pump. All I need is a largish tuppaware dish and I'll be away. Let's hope I don't end up with something like Godzilla!
 
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SPR

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Looks like a cool setup. Interested to see how easy it really is to set up and keep running.
I think I’m bored of it already...

Off to the cupboard, with the pasta maker! Lol

I’ll try it again though and will watch closely today when I add the current batch of ‘dots’
 
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