Dave's RSM 500

D

David Shaw

Well-Known Member
A combination of scraping the glass sides with the blades from my tetra cleaning stick, I used a metal scraper for the overflow cup and then used a soft brush. I have an extra long pipe cleaner to clean inside the pipes. Then i syphoned all the gunge out.
 
Choff

Choff

Well-Known Member
Tank is looking great Dave!

Just because the 500 pump can handle a chiller doesn't mean you need/have to. The way it is configured it is not highly efficient. If you need a pump for anything else in your sump I suggest up sizing and then run the chiller off it.

I have a 650 so I needed one anyway, but grabbed a mag18 and run my chiller, TLF charcoal reactor and reef oct bio reactor. All hoses run through a filter sock and dump into the media tray that has a few bags of Purigen.



Sent using Tapatalk 2
 
D

David Shaw

Well-Known Member
Thanks Choff, i appreciate your kind comments.

I am running the tank with stock components exactly as it arrived. I have no need for additional pumps or reactors etc at this point. My only additions are the chiller and filter socks.

Living in the UK the chiller never turns itself on apart from a month or so in the summer. Even with all the lights on, and i run them 9 hours a day, i go from a min of 25 degrees up to a max of 26 degrees.

I have my chiller and skimmer return dumping into a filter sock over the media tray, and in the media tray i run purigen and Seagel. This is giving me zero nitrates and everything is testing within great parameters and no micro bubbles.
 
Choff

Choff

Well-Known Member
Nice, my chiller runs often. That's more a product of the poor air circulation in the room though. The room is noticeably warmer than the rest of the house.

Sent using Tapatalk 2
 
D

David Shaw

Well-Known Member
Replaced the bulbs today. I went for the new Red Sea Reef Spec T5's in the recommened combination - 5 x Blue/White, 3 x Actinic Blue/Blue, 2 x Pink/Purple.

The colours on the fish, rock and corals really ping with them.
 
W

WarrenElvis

Member
Hey Dave really impressed with your tank. how long did you have the stock bulbs running before you switched, also what order have you put the bulbs in starting from the back, if you don't mind me asking
 
D

David Shaw

Well-Known Member
WarrenElvis said:
Hey Dave really impressed with your tank. how long did you have the stock bulbs running before you switched, also what order have you put the bulbs in starting from the back, if you don't mind me asking
Click to expand...

This is the Red Sea recommended usage of bulbs to use in the various RSM S Series models...

Name
Temp​
Color​
Wattage​
Length​
Recommended
combination​
Reef-Spec BlueWhite
15000K​
Blue/White​
24/39/54/80 W​
549/849/1149/1449 mm​

​
5​
Reef-Spec Actinic​
22000K​
Actinic/Blue​
24/39/54/80 W​
549/849/1149/1449 mm​

​
3​
Reef-Spec Pink​
-​
Pink/Purple​
24/39/54/80 W​
549/849/1149/1449 mm​

​
2​


I change my tubes every 6 months, so this was my 2nd change and this latest change is using the new Reef Red Sea T5's (as they weren't available when i last changed them)

The order i have put them in is as follows:

Front Light Unit (Front to Back) - Blue-White / Pink-Purple / Actinic-Blue / Blue-White
Middle Unit (Front to Back) - Blue-White / Actinic-Blue
Back Light Unit (Front to Back) - Blue-White / Pink-Purple / Actinic-Blue / Blue-White

I have my automatic lighting schedule set to run 10 hours per day as follows:

12 noon - Middle light unit on (front and back off).

12.30 - Other 2 units come on so now running all 3 light sets.

6pm - Front and back lights go off. Middle light unit remains on.

10pm - All lights off and moonlights come on.
 
M

Mcj

New Member
All ,this post has been so so helpful had tanks for years growing up, the this rsm 500 is the best makes life very easy and you get a fantastic set up, starting using the filter sock what a difference,chiller outlet positioning all stuff so valuable.

I went for the combined chiller and heater although the heater rarely comes on even in England!!! , the tank is in my new extension which is warm anyway.

My question is I have been running for 6 months and noticed some lighting bits on this thread I am gonna change the tubes now what tubes should I change them for to bring out the best shall I say!

If i am high jacking the thread sorry ,I'll start a new one, again what a great post !!

d0da661099b3d930f0a5f7eb0a825cc3.jpg
 
M

Mcj

New Member
Dave I have to ask the back of your tank ,do you clean it to keep it like that and remove the pink or has it not started growing yet, someone commented on mine the other day needs a clean , it's bugging me now !!!!
 
RedSeaKev

RedSeaKev

RS Sponsor
MCJ, The pink you mention is Coralline Algae, allowing this to grow is down to personal preference, some like it some don't.

As for replacement T5 lamps as Dave suggests the colours on our new Reef Spec lamps are pretty impressive, I have been running these now for many months and they are excellent, a word of caution, I would consider changing them in stages say 3 3 then 4 as there is a disk of light shock as there is a big improvement in light output as well.
 
M

Mcj

New Member
Thanks for the light info gonna order today, the coralline looks spotless don't know whether to remove mine or not now ?? Lol
 
D

David Shaw

Well-Known Member
Mcj said:
Dave I have to ask the back of your tank ,do you clean it to keep it like that and remove the pink or has it not started growing yet, someone commented on mine the other day needs a clean , it's bugging me now !!!!
Click to expand...

For the front and sides i use the following: Flipper Aquarium Magnetic Glass Cleaner - Marine and reef keeping specialist

For the back wall i use the following: Tetra Aquarium Glass Cleaner | Charterhouse Aquatics

The stick that cleans the back wall does the job really well and i clean it weekly. If you do it weekly the whole job is done in 10 minutes. I use a soft brush to scrub the skimmer gate.
I personally don't like coralline build up on the glass so i clean the inside of the tank meticulously every week. The black wall is gloss black so when its clean it helps bounce the light around and makes the tank look sharper and nicer in my opinion. I also take of the pump nozzles and clean those every few weeks too.

I guess it is all down to personal taste but i want to look at the corals and fish and show off the beautiful design of the tank and i find build up on the back wall a visual distraction.
 
M

Mcj

New Member
Just spoke to my local shop fintasia in Braintree he has a new stand coming from you and will have the new lighting available soon , Kev is there a suggested pattern of lighting my sequencing is nothing like the others here rsm instructions didn't have anything about this
 
M

Mcj

New Member
David Shaw said:
For the front and sides i use the following: Flipper Aquarium Magnetic Glass Cleaner - Marine and reef keeping specialist

For the back wall i use the following: Tetra Aquarium Glass Cleaner | Charterhouse Aquatics

The stick that cleans the back wall does the job really well and i clean it weekly. If you do it weekly the whole job is done in 10 minutes. I use a soft brush to scrub the skimmer gate.
I personally don't like coralline build up on the glass so i clean the inside of the tank meticulously every week. The black wall is gloss black so when its clean it helps bounce the light around and makes the tank look sharper and nicer in my opinion. I also take of the pump nozzles and clean those every few weeks too.

I guess it is all down to personal taste but i want to look at the corals and fish and show off the beautiful design of the tank and i find build up on the back wall a visual distraction.
Click to expand...

Excellent charter house isn't far from me I work 5 mins front here think ill pick one up and give it a go thanks again
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top