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Kveille's Red Sea Max Build Thread


kveille

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Well I decided to start a thread to capture the build of my first saltwater tank. I decided to go with the Red Sea Max based on the looks, reviews and the size of the tank. Also, I was able to sell my wife on an all-in-one tank since everything you needed was included in the package.

 

After ordering the tank, I soon realized that some things needed to be upgraded. I purchased and Tunze 9002 skimmer, StevieT's Media Rack and Tunze 9002 Skimmer cup. I also purchased a 75 GPD RO/DI system from the Filter Guys with TDS meter and Pressure gauge.

 

Last night I added the RO water and salt. I tried testing the salinity with Red Sea Hydrometer, but I was getting inconsistent readings. So, I am looking to purchase a refractometer. Today I added the Red Sea substrate that came with RSM package.

 

Here are some pictures so far:

 

post-38343-1221535232_thumb.jpg

 

 

post-38343-1221535262_thumb.jpg

 

I am currently looking at buying live rock either from liveaquaria.com (32 lbs of nano LR) or 30 lbs of Florida Aquacultured deco rock from gulf-view.com. I really like all of the life that comes on the Florida Aquacultured rock, but I am afraid that it will be too dense. I am going to let the tank cycle for 4-6 weeks and look to add some live stock.

 

Can anyone provide any suggestions on what additives and supplements I should add to support my tank?

 

My plans for the tank are as follows:

 

1 Ocellaris Clownfish

1 Royal Gramma

1 Purple Firefish

1 Sixline Wrasse

1 Yellow Watchman Goby

 

LPS - not sure which ones

Polyps and Mushrooms

CUC - 1 cleaner shrimp, crabs and snails

 

I am open to any advice anyone can provide. Thanks.

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Congrats on the new tank, looks like you've done plenty of research and are heading in the right direction, can't wait to see some life in it!

 

As far as additives and supplements, I don't add anything I don't test for, but look into your simple ones like iodine ect.

 

My advice would be to read read and read, many different ideas and opinions on N-R, so you've came to the right place.

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Can anyone provide any suggestions on what additives and supplements I should add to support my tank?

 

I wouldn't worry about using any additives or buffers until after your tank has been well established. I haven't had to add anything to my RSM. All I have to do is a weekly water change and all my levels have been perfect.

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  • 2 weeks later...

as for live rock i would go with premium aquatics! way cheaper and nicer peices!! i got my live rock from them and i woldnt get it from anywhere else in the future

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 3 weeks later...

Sorry for the delay. I set everything up and then got real busy with work. I finally purchased 45 lbs. of Live Rock from LiveAquaria.com to kick off my cycle along with a generous pinch of fish food. I am only running filter floss and a sponge for filtration. I purched a refractometer, Calcium and Iodine supplements. I started my cycle a week ago and I am starting to see a brown diatom algae (at least I think that is what it is). Do I need to do anything about this algae or will it go away after the cycle is complete? Here are my parameters as of today:

 

SG - 1.25

PH - 7.8

ALK - 2.1

Amonia - .25

Nitrite - .05

Nitrate - 15

Temp - 78-82

 

Live Rock on Day 1

IMG_6617.jpg

 

Setup today

DSC03323-1.jpg

 

brown diatom algae???

DSC03324.jpg

DSC03322.jpg

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Hi Kveille. I recently set up my RSM too. It looks like you have yours running for a month now? Check your water parms and if they're all good then get your CUC to clean up your algae. StevieT's RSM thread is very helpful, so don't forget to check it out. I will follow your thread. Go RSM!! :D .

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Test_diary_to_31_Oct.pdf

I too recently set up another RSM so I could keep an online diary which might help customers. It's a shame you didn't give the skimmer a chance because they actually work! I have set mine up completely unmodified to show how well they can work if the manual is followed properly. With regards to supplements and tests, from experience I would recommend regular testing of Alkalinity, Calcium plus the usual NO2, NO3. If you are using Coral Pro salt and w/changing regularly then you shouldn't be adding trace elements etc. All I add is Red Sea Nitrobac & Molybdenum weekly, and Coral Buff as and when the alkalinity falls, which it will do as coralline algae takes hold on the rock. The Red Sea Pro range of reef tests are very accurate and work really well. Use these rather than the more general Alkalinity & Calcium tests. The Alkalinity Pro is accurate to 0.04Meq/l, the Ca Pro to 10ppm, Mg to 20ppm and the new Iodine test is accurate to 0.01ppm. However until you have lps corals I wouldn't even consider adding iodine. Good luck with your MAX, I'll follow your progress with interest.

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Report as of 10-29-08

 

The brown algae is getting out of control and it looks like some green algae is starting to appear. The green algae all looks different. Some of it looks straight sticking up out of the rock, others look stringy (spaghetti like) and another looks fern like. The fern like algae is all over my glass and rock.

 

I am really questioning the Red Sea Test kits accuracy. It has been difficult to read some of the test accurately, because the colors do not match up correctly. I am guessing that my Amonia is really zero and Nitrite is zero or very close. Just to be sure I am going to let it go another week or two before adding a CUC. I have been looking at Salifert or API test kits. Salifert kits are so expensive. Any suggestions on a test kit?

 

When is the cycle considered over??? Is it when the Amonia and Nitrite are zero or does it also include Nitrates being zero? I am asking because I have Purigen and ChemiPro Elite that I want to add when the cycle is over. Also, I want to reaquascape my rock into the final setup, but I have all of the brown and green algae all over. I keep hearing that it will go away on its own, should I wait until then or should I scrub it off?

 

SG - 1.25

PH - 8.4

ALK - 1.7 - 2.8

Amonia - 0 - .25

Nitrite - .05

Nitrate - 10 - 20

Temp - 77.8

Calcium - 380

 

DSC03350.jpg

 

DSC03349.jpg

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Report as of 10-29-08

 

The brown algae is getting out of control and it looks like some green algae is starting to appear. The green algae all looks different. Some of it looks straight sticking up out of the rock, others look stringy (spaghetti like) and another looks fern like. The fern like algae is all over my glass and rock.

 

I am really questioning the Red Sea Test kits accuracy. It has been difficult to read some of the test accurately, because the colors do not match up correctly. I am guessing that my Amonia is really zero and Nitrite is zero or very close. Just to be sure I am going to let it go another week or two before adding a CUC. I have been looking at Salifert or API test kits. Salifert kits are so expensive. Any suggestions on a test kit?

 

When is the cycle considered over??? Is it when the Amonia and Nitrite are zero or does it also include Nitrates being zero? I am asking because I have Purigen and ChemiPro Elite that I want to add when the cycle is over. Also, I want to reaquascape my rock into the final setup, but I have all of the brown and green algae all over. I keep hearing that it will go away on its own, should I wait until then or should I scrub it off?

 

SG - 1.25

PH - 8.4

ALK - 1.7 - 2.8

Amonia - 0 - .25

Nitrite - .05

Nitrate - 10 - 20

Temp - 77.8

Calcium - 380

 

DSC03350.jpg

 

DSC03349.jpg

Hi kveille1, the cycle is over when amm,nitrite and nitrate are all reading 0. Your alk seems low. Mine is around 7-8. My temp is about the same as yours. Here is a good link for more info: Reefkeeping. :)

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I bought the API Marine test kit. When your Nitrite reads 0, ammonia reads 0, and make sure your Nitrates aren't too high.

 

FYI I would reaquascape and get some dead rock if I were you. Try like making a crevice or cave for your future yellow watchman goby.

 

Firefish are relatively shy so provide him with a "darthole"

 

Royal Gramma, if you intend on getting shrimp... careful with small types this guy eats them.

 

Also FYI add the Six line wrasse LAST.

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I too recently set up another RSM so I could keep an online diary which might help customers. It's a shame you didn't give the skimmer a chance because they actually work! I have set mine up completely unmodified to show how well they can work if the manual is followed properly. With regards to supplements and tests, from experience I would recommend regular testing of Alkalinity, Calcium plus the usual NO2, NO3. If you are using Coral Pro salt and w/changing regularly then you shouldn't be adding trace elements etc. All I add is Red Sea Nitrobac & Molybdenum weekly, and Coral Buff as and when the alkalinity falls, which it will do as coralline algae takes hold on the rock. The Red Sea Pro range of reef tests are very accurate and work really well. Use these rather than the more general Alkalinity & Calcium tests. The Alkalinity Pro is accurate to 0.04Meq/l, the Ca Pro to 10ppm, Mg to 20ppm and the new Iodine test is accurate to 0.01ppm. However until you have lps corals I wouldn't even consider adding iodine. Good luck with your MAX, I'll follow your progress with interest.

 

I think it's great that someone from RedSea has taken the time to post here and provide some real experience with the unmodded RSM tank. That said, there are a few points that I would make.

 

First, regarding the skimmer, your comment presumes that people either don't read or don't follow the manual in setting up and using the stock skimmer. I did so, and I can tell you that one of my main complaints on the unit is the sound volume. It is LOUD. As my tank sits in my kitchen, that was not acceptable. Also, this setup is very sensitive when it comes to flow - pumps will starve if the filter media starts to get gunked. The added bulk of the stock skimmer doesn't seem to help - I have had no flow issues since replacing the stock skimmer with the far-smaller Tunze 9002. I suspect StevieT's media rack (installed at the same time) is a large part of the help here too.

 

Another mod users have done - replacing the heater. I went thru 2 Red Sea heaters in a month, neither of which could hold temps in less than a 5 degree range. $16 later with a Marineland Stealth, and my temp has stayed rock-steady within 1 degree.

 

The improved temp control could also be attributed to another mod - a slightly more powerful transformer on the 'optional' cooling fan. Just bumping the amp output on that one fan has delivered a 1 - 2 degree improvement in temp control during photoperiod for a number of users (I did not do a scientific analysis, others have done a more 'controlled' study).

 

Again, thanks to redsea for posting here, and apologies to the OP if I seem like I'm hijacking the thread.

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Nov. 2

 

Well I tested my water parameters again with my Red Sea Kit and here are the results.

 

SG - 1.26

PH - 8.0-8.2

Alk - 1.7 - 2.8 Mdl

Amonia - .25

Nitrite - .05

Nitrate - 5 ppm

Calcium - 350

 

I really began questioning the results because they have not changed much over the time I have been testing. I decided to explore other test kits and decided to purchase the API Saltwater and Reef Test Kits. What a difference these made. They were very easy to read and complete. I did not have to guess what color I was getting, where I had a difficult time determining the colors on the Red Sea Test Kit. Here are my results from the following day.

 

Nov. 3

 

SG - 1.26

PH - 8.0

Alk - 8 dkh

Amonia - 0

Nitrite - 0

Nitrate - 5

Calcium - 400

Phosphates - 0-.25

 

I also to the opportunity to re-aquascape my rock to a more permenant structure. I am going to the LFS today to pick out a CUC. I went to my LFS yesterday and purchased 4 smaller pieces of LR and placed them in the tank last night. I have found two hitchhickers so far, one was a clam and the other was a worm that was about 1/2-3/4 inch long and was somewhat transparent with a slight pink/purple inside. Any ideas? Also, it looks like one of my rocks has some sort of coral growing on it. Can anyone identify and let me know if it is looking healthy?

 

 

New Aquascape

 

DSC03426.jpg

 

Hitchhiker #1 (clam)

 

DSC03424.jpg

 

Hitchhiker #2 (Coral?)

 

DSC03422.jpg

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That is some nice looking rock! Sounds like it's going well.... and glad to see you are getting better results from the API test kit.

 

Thanks. It is getting there. I am glad that I have been pretty busy at work, so I have been kind of forced to take it slow with my tank.

 

The only problem I am having right now is my Tunze 9002 creating a lot of tiny air bubbles in my tank. Have you had the same experience with your Tunze?

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microbubbles are a side effect of the tank design, they lessen as the tank ages, they are not directly from the Tunze

 

StevieT

 

When I turn the skimmer off, the bubbles disappear. That is why I thought the skimmer was the problem and not the tank. How long did it take for your bubbles to completly disappear? I know I have read a lot of people who have had problems with small microbubbles, but I thought it was due to Red Sea skimmer. If it goes away in the future I can wait, but if it was because of the skimmer I wanted to address it with Tunze asap.

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Almost every reef tank is going to have microbubbles. It is a side effect from skimming, pumps and water flow. I can not see any of mine from a distance but if I go close to the tank there are a few.

 

Give your tank some time, everything needs to break it, slime up. If it is excessively coming from the skimmer check the body for a crack or leak. You can do that by putting it in the display and turning it on, see where they are coming from.

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Almost every reef tank is going to have microbubbles. It is a side effect from skimming, pumps and water flow. I can not see any of mine from a distance but if I go close to the tank there are a few.

 

Give your tank some time, everything needs to break it, slime up. If it is excessively coming from the skimmer check the body for a crack or leak. You can do that by putting it in the display and turning it on, see where they are coming from.

 

 

Hmm...that is a good idea. I have been trying to look in the back, but it is impossible to see anything. I will give that a shot.

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I have seen a Tunze spill bubbles out on an older RSM member, he tested it in the display, that could be the issue.

 

Addition:

 

I was looking for the picture of the skimmer spilling bubbles, can't find it. There are so many factors as well, new chemical media often makes a skimmer go crazy, or addition of certain chemicals.

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I have seen a Tunze spill bubbles out on an older RSM member, he tested it in the display, that could be the issue.

 

Addition:

 

I was looking for the picture of the skimmer spilling bubbles, can't find it. There are so many factors as well, new chemical media often makes a skimmer go crazy, or addition of certain chemicals.

 

 

Update: Yesterday I finally removed my media rack and put in Purigen and Chemipure Elite. At the same time I put my skimmer in the display and tested it. I could see a steady stream of bubbles coming out from the bottom. I have also noticed that my Tunze had not been producing much since first put it in the tank.I thought it was because I didn't have any livestock other than a small CUC. Looking from the top there were not many if any bubbles with the vent wide open. So I took off the top and didn't see any problems, but when placing it back on the skimmer I noticed that the tube was folding and forming a kink. After some adjustment it fixed both problems.

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so are you back in action now? I know that during shipping or manufacture the tubes can get out of place. I took mine apart before installing just to make sure, everything was fine but I could see how easy it would be for this to happen.

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