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

SPR

Well-Known Member
Ok guys. I am based in the UK and my new black 650 LED is being delivered on 1st June and I have been watching the Red Sea build videos and anything else I can get hold of from you guys on here.

I have made a few posts asking questions and just to give you a little background I have only been into fish/reef keeping since February 2016 when following a trip to the Maldives we decided to enter the world of Marine Reefkeepers! I purchased the new Red Sea Max E 260 LED, stocked it with fish and corals and that was it Hooked!

Rather than wait a year learning and stocking the 260 I decided I would make the plunge early and go for the biggest and best which I would have done in the first place but wanted to make sure it was for me before I installed the large aquarium into my house

I have got to move the 260 to a new location as it's currently were the 650 will go so the intention is to empty as much of the water as I can into buckets along with the live rock, and then move the tank about 6ft to its temporary home. I think if I empty most of the water I should be able to slide it along the floor (hopefully!!)

Anyway the intention is to set up the new 650 and then transfer the contents from the 260 once everything is ready and cycled. I do have a few fish and corals already so will move these all over once safe to do so and then the intention is to give the 260 to my son who has been involved from the start.

I already have around 26kg of live rock in the 260 and am going to purchase another 30kg making around 56-60 in total. I currently have the Red Sea Ocean white sand but find my goby kicks it around so after weeks of deliberating I have opted for the Red Sea Live Pink sand which has bigger grains and I have ordered 40kg of sand. I intend to place some of the live rock direct onto the glass bottom so that saves on some of the sand needed and I do this because of some of the sand diggers especially that goby, tends to rearrange everything to suit him. If he wasn't so cute and keeps the sand bed clean he would be back to the shop and as I write I am not sure he won't go back anyway! Thoughts ? I think he is the orange diamond goby or something similar.

I have also purchased enough ATM Colony for 200gallons so slightly more than needed but that's fine. I used this in the 260 after a recommendation from the LFS and it's brilliant stuff. Cycles the tank in days

Since I took the plunge in February and then realised what was actually involved (yes I didn't really read what's involved and how deep your pockets need to be!!) in Marine aquariums, I have been studying Marine Biology and water chemistry or at least it feels that way! I have all the Red Sea test kits etc and just need a white coat and glasses..

When I aquascaped the 260 I read a lot about modern reef aquarium design and intend to go along those lines again with the new 650. I will admit to copying ideas but hey that's what the Internet is for!

Anyway if you guys are interested I can post photos etc along the way and any advice and comments would be greatly appreciated as again, I have only been doing this since February 2016 and am currently on a steep learning curve!
 

SPR

Well-Known Member
image.jpeg

Ok the journey begins!

Tank arrived today despite being half a day late due to the Lorry breaking down along with an extra 40kg of live rock and various other bits and bobs. I should have a total of around 65-70kg in total now for the live rock and have the Real Reef live rock which looks very nice. Also have 2 x 200w heaters for redundancy which is what I was advised to do.

I was going to build the stand up today but as it arrived late I will start tomorrow as having wasted most of the day I'm not in the mood for head scratching tonight!

I have already moved my 260 which was easier than I thought. Just drained the water into buckets, added the live rock and moved the corals to the bottom of the tank and then drained the water to just above them. Tank slid along the floor very easily so was most surprised with that. Then filled it all back up and dumped the rock in a pile which doesn't look bad actually to say it's just dropped in! Anyway water all now crystal clear after around 2 days following the move.

Quiet excited actually! Electric screwdriver on charge ready for action.
 
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GregT

Active Member
Hi Shaun
Looking forward to seeing your progress with this.
Take your time, the learning curves steep - it's a marathon not a sprint and everything is done to a routine.
- there's alway everyone here to to give advice and feedback.

:)
 

SPR

Well-Known Member
I have taken my time with the build and it's now finished. I could have done it much quicker but did it slowly over around 5 days The instructions are fine and was relatively straight forward. You just need to double check everything especially on the frame parts before screwing it together.

Oh and the weight! These tanks are extremely heavy and if I did it again I would get one of those flat roller type trolleys to move it around. We couldn't get 4 people through the doors at the same time and even with 4 we could barely lift it

I must say that I had not seen one of these large tanks before and the Red Sea photos and videos don't do these tanks justice. They are simply stunning and certainly the 650 is huge! It dwarfs the 260

I added all of the live rock I have or at least most of it, and just about filled it up. I just need around another 25 gallons which I was going to start adding the salt to

I am going to try an upload some photos but currently says file to large so...
 
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SPR

Well-Known Member
Image1465482856.079919.jpg

Water in and just trying to fine tune the down flow pipe

Also the door catch screws have worn loose in a matter of days. Not were you fasten to the cabinet but were you push the door in and it clicks and opens in. Took me hours to actually screw these in do to the location. They really need to amend the instructions to an earlier stage as a job that should take seconds took hours and are now falling off. Best i get some glue!

Sorry moan over!


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SPR

Well-Known Member
Just added enough ATM Colony for 200 gallons. Slightly more than needed but
thats fine. This stuff works a treat and cycles the tank virtually immediately. Used it on my Max E 260.

I filled the RO reservoir this morning and had the nightmare sound of water dripping out! I only added 5 litres and it turned out i hadn't tightened the RO reservoir cover tight enough! Glad i left the recommended 6 inch gap at the rear of the tank!

Image1465568598.572907.jpg
 

SPR

Well-Known Member
All fish now transferred apart from the sand sifting (sorry sand kicking all over the place!) Goby and all seem happy. Just need to feed very lightly to let the Colony get up to speed and the Protein skimmer off at the moment and for around 5 days

Also all my corals are in and infact i think the one in the bottom right the green one has given me a sting. I moved it with no glove and it was very rough and at the moment whenever i touch the water i can feel electrical like tingles like static! In both tanks so not just the new one. My wife and son cant feel anything so the tanks seem fine. Any ideas?

Image1465798619.413744.jpgImage1465798637.726423.jpgImage1465798645.038852.jpg


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SPR

Well-Known Member
The tingling in my stung fingers has now gone thankfully so be careful when handling corals and wear gloves! Was making me jump and weary to put my hand in the tank - in fact im still doing it quickly in and out just to make sure! It did actually feel like an electrical type shock but must have been a mixture of saltwater in what I assume we're the tiny holes it probably made in the skin and whatever it injected!

Oh and the Goby. Can you believe on the day I was to bag and tag him back to the LFS I got up this morning and he had lept to his fate out of the tank! This is the first time this has happened to me and he was a cute little fellow despite his sand throwing antics. Oh and that my £20 credit voucher at the shop wasted as well which I would have got.
 

SPR

Well-Known Member
i have attached a few more photos etc. And thankfully No more coral stings! I have gloves! and just added a new yellow tang.

I have also been looking at a blue throat trigger fish that looks quiet nice. Everything I read says they are one of the safer triggers for a reef tank but I think it depends on the individual and knowing my luck I will get the delinquent and once he is in the tank I think he will be there to stay so I need to consider this seriously before I buy him.

Added a bunch of shells for the crabs etc which I got from eBay and they are all actually very nice.
I also have tried a mail order coral for the first time. The Australian Blue Bubble at the front of the tank. I was very impressed with the mail order company and all delivered as promised and after a few days acclimatising to the tank the bubble is in full bloom.

I have added around 15 different snails as i dont want to add to many until they have enough food. I have a few crabs from the original Max 260 but again wont add any more until the food has built up

After using Colony to cycle the tank (this stuff is fantastic by the way) and waiting for Nitrate to show at 2 i have started dosing NoPox so hopefully that will help everything stay on track and keep the algae in check.

I also have the Red Sea Reef Energy ready as using some phytoplankton addition from LFS to feed the corals that need it at the moment until it runs out.

I have now got all the Red Sea test kits including the Pro versions which are very good. Well apart from the glass vile getting jammed in the kit.... Oh and I decided I had better use the gloves again as I think the phospahte pro kit uses sulphuric acid. I only noticed when I started to get a burning sensation in my finger tips! Gloves seem to be a must for this hobby!

All water parimeters currently ok i think! Just awaiting for some phosphate to show and i think this is to be kept below 1 but dont have my water chemistry hat on at the moment!

Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 2
Phosphate 0
PH 8.2
Alk 9
Salinity 35

I havent as yet checked Calcium but i have using the Red Sea Coral Pro Salt so i think that will look after everything until the tanks matures although i have the Red Sea ABC i think its called ready as and when needed. Will probably start testing this in a few weeks or so.

I have the heaters set for 25 but the temp is currently varying between around 26-27.5 as been some warm weather here in the UK





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reefpod

New Member
hi SPR im also in the uk, and I'm thinking about upgrading to the new max-s 500. after reading through your thread i would now say i will. you have post a great details step by step build, if you don't mind me asking where did you buy yours from?

kind regards
pod
 

SPR

Well-Known Member
I got my 260 and also 650 from Complete Aquatics who where first class service and delivery

Have a look at their web site its one of the best online as well.


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SPR

Well-Known Member
Have just gone away for 7 days and this will be the first time I have left the tank. I have been monitoring the RO top up tank and I think it will last 7 days but I have somebody on stand buy just to keep an eye on the level and top it up if it gets to low

Auto feeder also set up to feed just once a day

I have left the skimmer running on the best setting I could get as I am still getting used to this and tuning it it. I know from the skimmer on my 260 it took me a few months before I was at one with it so patience required here and I have just left it running on a lowish setting. I have the waste tub into a 2 litre plastic milk carton in the sump wedged in with the skimmer outlet which makes life easier when emptying.

I also put an extra 5 litres of RO in the main tank for a bit of extra leeway as I don't really want anyone else touching anything. I don't thing with a tank this size it will have any significant effect on the salinity and will evaporate back anyway
 

SPR

Well-Known Member
Have been having thoughts on the auto feeder and having seen it in operation I am a bit worried it's dispensing to much food and that's on the minimum settings. It's a good quality one recommended by LFS and although it does its job I think I will just keep for emergency holidays periods. I put a mix of dry pellets both marine general and also seaweed for the tangs

Having read as much as I can online the consensus seems to be that fish are fine for quiet a while without food and certainly a week. I can't be that harsh to them so I have arranged for the feeder to be turned of as I am back in a few days anyway. I think next time I go away for a week I will just ask someone to feed them maybe half way through and should be ok at that

Any thoughts on holiday feeding greatly appreciated on what you do etc.? I mainly just do 7 days but on a regular basis and then 14 once a year the last of which to the Maldives has now cost me a fortune as I got hooked on reefing!

I don't want anybody touching anything on the tank as they can do more harm than good but I am ok with them dropping a bit of food in.
 

Oxylebius

Well-Known Member
Also all my corals are in and infact i think the one in the bottom right the green one has given me a sting. I moved it with no glove and it was very rough and at the moment whenever i touch the water i can feel electrical like tingles like static! In both tanks so not just the new one. My wife and son cant feel anything so the tanks seem fine. Any ideas?

I'd check for stray voltage just to be on the safe side:
Stray Voltage
Stray Voltage / Electric shock
 

SPR

Well-Known Member
I'd check for stray voltage just to be on the safe side:
Stray Voltage
Stray Voltage / Electric shock
No it's definitely a sting or it was. Apparently the electrical tingling can be one of the symptoms and no one else could feel anything and after around a week-10 days it went away as did the slight soreness on my finger tips of my right hand which moved the coral.

If you read up on coral stings and also jellyfish stings they can sort of harpoon you and then inject their stuff. NIce!
 
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