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John's Red Sea Max


JohnOTS

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OK, so i am starting this thread a little late, the tank is about 8 months old. I will try and go back and post pictures from day one and up to this point to give some history on the tank. I absolutely love this set up, with some small mods.... Thanks to StevieT!!!

 

I have been having some small issues with SPS - specifically Monties - and need some advice, but we can get into that later.

 

I wish I would have found this forum much earlier, wow would it have helped. :lol:

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Like most RSM owners I started trying all stock components and experienced the MICRO BUBBLES big time. Here are some pictures from the first 3 months, this is all that I have from the "early days".

 

Day 1

post-45891-1252635005_thumb.jpg

 

Month 1

post-45891-1252635143_thumb.jpg

 

Month 2

post-45891-1252635271_thumb.jpg

 

Month 3

post-45891-1252635480_thumb.jpg

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Modifications to date include the Tunze 9002 and StevieT cup and media rack, a must for the RSM! I also had to add a chiller thanks to the warm summers of sunny california. I run the chiller in the stand - have two little girls who wouldnt leave it alone. B)

 

I installed the Red Sea cabinet cooling fan to keep the stand cool, man that thing is loud... :angry:

 

post-45891-1252636876_thumb.jpg

post-45891-1252636887_thumb.jpg

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I like your scape. Off set to the right pretty original. It will look very nice all covered in those plants I mean corals.

 

You may want to dump that marron clown as it gets larger. They are can be very aggressive and need larger tanks.

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The Marron is gone!!!!! Man it was a nightmare getting that fish out, I ended up taking everything out of my tank to get him. :angry: The tank has changed alot from then. I am going to post many more current pictures. how do you post pictures straight in the post?

 

Current livestock include:

 

- Coral Beauty Angel

- Target Mandarin

- Leapord Wrasse Female

- Fire shrimp

- Bristle star fish

- Arrow Crab

- and ofcourse many other cuc

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Like most RSM owners I started trying all stock components and experienced the MICRO BUBBLES big time. Here are some pictures from the first 3 months, this is all that I have from the "early days".

 

Day 1

post-45891-1252635005_thumb.jpg

 

Month 1

post-45891-1252635143_thumb.jpg

 

Month 2

post-45891-1252635271_thumb.jpg

 

Month 3

post-45891-1252635480_thumb.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

have you had any trouble with micro bubbles?

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leveil22,

 

I had the a big problem with the micro bubbles. The main culprit was the stock skimer, that thing is junk. Replace the skimmer and buy the tunze 9002 and stevieT skimmer cup and media rack. This will greatly improve your tank for the long run. Also ditch that white filter pad and buy the filter floss (blue and white) from stevieT. After I got the media rack from stevie I only run his filter floss, purigen and chemi pure, water is crystal clear.

 

StevieT products can be found here

http://shop.mediabaskets.com/

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Thanks Steve,

 

I need to re-work my rock and probably add 5lbs more, my toadstool is growing out of control and is creating so much shadow probably need to move it off to the side and frag it back. I also need to start pruining down the purple mushrooms they are popping up everywhere.

 

What is the best way to get the mushrooms off the rock? Cut them? Pull them? or use a blow torch?

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I really wish the stock lighting in the RSM had better actinics... I think I am going to have to try the current USA PowerBrite LED strip with the four blue LED's.

 

Any one have any experience with this current USA LED strip?

 

I Probably will just mount it directly on the stock hood... I wonder if that is too close to the water??? :o

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i think most people are adding their extra light in the front that opens up... that is where i put my led light (not the power brite).... i have heard that they are nice but create a spotlight effect.

 

i actually just bought a led light setup at costco and had a tv repair company put blue lights in, and it only cost 10 bucks for them to put 8 in (plus the cost of the lights)

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i think most people are adding their extra light in the front that opens up... that is where i put my led light (not the power brite).... i have heard that they are nice but create a spotlight effect.

 

i actually just bought a led light setup at costco and had a tv repair company put blue lights in, and it only cost 10 bucks for them to put 8 in (plus the cost of the lights)

 

Badfinger,

Did you cut out your front hood piece? or did you just mount it directly on it? Do you have any pictures?

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So, I decided this tank doesn’t have enough actinic's with the stock lighting. So I have explored the idea of adding some Royal Blue high power LEDs. I was going to completely DIY into the front hood door, however I got a smoking deal on two strips of the powerBrite current usa LED strips - 20 bucks for both on craigslist. I installed them right onto the hood, wow do they put out a lot of intense blue light. The only problem is the "spotlight" affect. I have tested the strips by removing the optics and it completely fixes the problem. I plan to soon cut open the hood and install the strips without the lenses.

 

Here are some pics of the attached LEDs.

LEDMODlightson.jpg

 

LEDMODlightsoff.jpg

 

My camera sucks or its just my camera skills... :huh: But here are some actinic only pics. Notice the horrible spotlight affect. Going to be gone soon after I mod the LED strips.

 

actinicsonlyFTS.jpg

actinicsonlyFTS2.jpg

actinicsonlyfullfts.jpg

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I think I am starting to get a little better at taking pictures. Here are some more pictures of my new additions.

 

Teal Green Millipora, growing quite nicely.

Millipora.jpg

 

Orange Montipora Digitata

Digi.jpg

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WOW. that millie has some Great PE. nice pix ;)

 

Yea that Milli is probably the happiest piece in my tank. It is growing really fast, and has colored up good in my tank. When I purchased it it was all brown, it has a really nice teal green color to it, my picture doesnt do any justice.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Wow, it’s been awhile time to post some new pictures. The tank has changed again, I purchased about 20lbs more live rock and completely re-scaped my rock. I really like this look better. I have also added more coral.

I think I am going to dominate the top of the tank with different millipora and digitata!!! :D

 

Latest additions include:

 

ORA Jeremy’s Green Monitipora

ORA Rose Millipora

Yellow Millipora

Unknown pocillopora

 

Tank at 10 months

FTS%2010-19-09.jpg

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Time for a photo dump...

 

Blue Acro Tenius, growing quite fast and coloring up really nice. It was kinda brown when I got it, not its turning nice and blue.

 

blueacrotenius.jpg

 

ORA Jeremy's Green Montipora. Just put this in and its already showing some great PE.

 

orajeremy

 

ORA Rose Millipora. This guy is still sitting on the frag rack, I gotta figure out how to cut these darn ORA plugs!

 

orarosemilli.jpg

 

Uknown Pocillopora, cant wait to see what this colors up to....

 

uknwnpocillopora.jpg

 

Yellow Millipora, I got this from a local shop and it was almost pure white. It is starting to show some cool yellowish collors.

 

yellowmilli.jpg

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