Red Sea S-650 - Dave's marine adventure
- Thread starter DaveR11
- Start date
DaveR11
Well-Known Member
A great journal so far, loving all the picture posts! We are a anxious as you are to get the tank cycle started, hope it happens soon.
Thanks Diana. Are you feeling more relaxed about your mystery worm?
I guess so
....just wait,Your mystery worm & hitchhiker days are just ahead.
Here's hoping all of yours are good ones
not all mine were. 
DaveR11
Well-Known Member
I guess so
....just wait,Your mystery worm & hitchhiker days are just ahead.
Here's hoping all of yours are good ones
Thanks Diana.
My LFS are encouraging me not to get live rock but this substitute 'live' rock stuff. I can see the point from a conservation perspective and in terms of controlling what goes into the tank but it takes the fun out of seeing what bonuses (good and bad) you get. I may regret saying that!
DaveR11
Well-Known Member
Looking forward to seeing your 650 come to life Dave. That's the one I've got my eye on for when I eventually move, so will be following you along on your journey!
Good luck!
So am I Martin! There are some great threads on here and everyone has been really helpful. Best of luck with the move. I have just done the same thing and I'm trying to finish decorating the house as well as set up the tank. Today as well as sorting out the RO unit I was painting the walls up the stairs and on the landing. The tank is much more fun though!
Oxylebius
Well-Known Member
Just make sure the substitute live rock is porous. You want your like rock very porous so that it can help with biological filtration. If the sub-live rock is coated and thus not porous, then pass on it.
Joeys Tank
Well-Known Member
Woot woot
DaveR11
Well-Known Member
Well the tank is on the stand. I got 3 of my volunteers from work to give me a hand and unless you are some sort of Olympic weight lifter it is a job you can't do with less than 4. We had the tank next to the stand and that was pretty hard lift. I'm glad I moved it into the house on the pallet truck as I really wouldn't fancy carrying it any distance. It took us maybe 10 minutes to get the tank in exactly the right position as once it is on the stand it is very difficult to pick it up again. We also had to move the stand back into position as it got nudged during the move.
Here she is after the lift.
My helpers also helped to get the sump out of its box. It is not light either. I reckon Red Sea should supply steroids with each 650.....
I've spent the evening adding to the tank. She was pretty level so just needed to adjust all the other feet and tighten the locking nuts. Finished off the stand and the tank trim went on easily.
I managed to shuffle the sump in on my own and then rigged up the main pump, circulation pumps, downpipes and RO connection. I haven't done the skimmer yet as I need to read the manual on that.
I finally had a go at the lighting rig. I had already put the tubes in each unit and taken the plastic off the lenses. The centre unit went together a treat as did one of the side units. However the trim is proving difficult on the other side unit so as it was 10:30PM and I was getting tired I've given up on that for now....
Still plenty to do tomorrow. Need to finish the lighting, install the skimmer, work out where a rectangular piece of plastic and a L shaped pipe go and fit the final piece of the aluminium frame - the second P piece.... Then rig all the electrics. Oh and fit the doors I also need to start brewing some RO water and hope she holds water! If not I'm in for a biblical flood....
Here she is after the lift.
My helpers also helped to get the sump out of its box. It is not light either. I reckon Red Sea should supply steroids with each 650.....
I've spent the evening adding to the tank. She was pretty level so just needed to adjust all the other feet and tighten the locking nuts. Finished off the stand and the tank trim went on easily.
I managed to shuffle the sump in on my own and then rigged up the main pump, circulation pumps, downpipes and RO connection. I haven't done the skimmer yet as I need to read the manual on that.
I finally had a go at the lighting rig. I had already put the tubes in each unit and taken the plastic off the lenses. The centre unit went together a treat as did one of the side units. However the trim is proving difficult on the other side unit so as it was 10:30PM and I was getting tired I've given up on that for now....
Still plenty to do tomorrow. Need to finish the lighting, install the skimmer, work out where a rectangular piece of plastic and a L shaped pipe go and fit the final piece of the aluminium frame - the second P piece.... Then rig all the electrics. Oh and fit the doors I also need to start brewing some RO water and hope she holds water! If not I'm in for a biblical flood....
DaveR11
Well-Known Member
It is coming together nicely!
Here's hoping no flooding
Thanks Oxy.
We have a bank holiday here in the UK so plenty of time to work on the tank and finish the house as I'm not working on the reserve. I've been thinking about what sort of rock to get following your comments and might try a mix of live, fake live and some of this very porous dry stuff
Oxylebius
Well-Known Member
Man-made live rock is absolutely best from the environmental aspect, but I just wanted to make sure you didn't get some that had coating on it, as some are coated to look like coralline algae growth, but this can also hinder the porous properties of the rock (and thus biological filtration). Just something to be aware of as you are deciding what to get.
DaveR11
Well-Known Member
I think the rock my LFS is selling is the purple coated stuff.....
Looking Great Dave !!! Going to be so lovely !!!
Joeys Tank
Well-Known Member
Coming along very well. It takes some effort, but you will not be disappointed.
DaveR11
Well-Known Member
Cheers guys. Thanks for the nice comments and support.
I'm ready to fit part P now Joey! I also seem to have 2 more bits I can't find in the manual and or on the videos - a rectangular section of the black interior wall plastic and an L shaped section of piping.....
Looking good Dave and yeah, that bank holiday we've got on Monday is going to help you out no end. Don't get caught doing too much decorating though.
This bank holiday Monday is now classified as TDD in my house....that's Tank Dedication Day....in case my missus is reading this. lol
This bank holiday Monday is now classified as TDD in my house....that's Tank Dedication Day....in case my missus is reading this. lol
DaveR11
Well-Known Member
Looking good Dave and yeah, that bank holiday we've got on Monday is going to help you out no end. Don't get caught doing too much decorating though.
This bank holiday Monday is now classified as TDD in my house....that's Tank Dedication Day....in case my missus is reading this. lol
Thanks Melvis.
Yes looking forward to the long weekend and not working for once. Need to get the RO unit working to cook up some water. I think that may take a while.... I've not got sand or rock yet so hopefully the LFSs will be open all weekend for me to punish my poor credit card again....
I like the TDD idea!
If you haven't got one already, get a TDS meter to check how good your RO is. Have you got the DI filter bit as well?
My father-in-law has one fitted so once a week drops off my 25 litres needed for my ATO. I'll definitely fit one myself when we move house in the next couple of years.
My father-in-law has one fitted so once a week drops off my 25 litres needed for my ATO.
I'll definitely fit one myself when we move house in the next couple of years.