StevieT's Red Sea Max Experience

[mandelbloom]

Hey StevieT, I know you posted this somewhere recently. But what is you current livestock in that tank? I just added a Midas Blenny he is a pleasure to watch One more question, I was thinking of getting a JBJ auto top off. Why did you need to use the mag floats vs the hangon brackets it comes with?

[StevieT]

Current livestock:

 

Coral beauty

Pajama Cardnial

B&W clown

purple firefish

yellow watchman goby

peppermint shrimp

CUC

coral

 

I did the mag float (or any other magnet mount) because it allows me to adjust the float sensor to the millimeter. If you use the provided brackets, the notches where you hook the sensor are around 1" between each other. That means you have a lot of room for adjusting, and if you don't like your water level where a notch is, you're screwed.

 

The mag float allows me to adjust depending on what I am running. If I run filter floss, the water level drops in the sump becuse it cuts flow. This way I can easily adjust the float sensor so the water level in the display stays constant. If you see one, you'll know what I am talking about. I would reccomend an ATO, they allow you to leave the tank and not worry about water levels.

[mandelbloom]

Yea I think I get what you mean I am proabably going to invest in one because I leave for business trips for several days at a time on occasion. With my extra fan and all there is a decent amount of evporation. Good news is its working wonders for the temps thus far!

 

I am thinking of a little project this weekend. Media basket for the return pump area. Just going to use some eggcrate and superglue

[StevieT]

Yeah, I did it for the same reason, business trips/vacations. Also I am not around the tank on the weekends. Just make sure you are around for a few days so you know everything is working correctly after you set up.

 

I like that idea, is it to hold chemi-pure or someother chemical media?

[abe]

stevie, your tank is looking awesome, specially the before and after pics. just wondering. i just bought a new sump for my 65g, and if i cant put bio-balls, ceramic, or lr rubble in it, what do i put??? there is also going to be a refugium in the sump if it changes anything.

[mandelbloom]

Yea that would suck to come home to a flooded room

 

Yea I was thining of making like three trays. One for ChemiPure, One for Purigen and maybe some phosban. I figure I would make it so there is a little room underneath for the water to flow into the chamber and also keep the bags in place.

 

stevie, your tank is looking awesome, specially the before and after pics. just wondering. i just bought a new sump for my 65g, and if i cant put bio-balls, ceramic, or lr rubble in it, what do i put??? there is also going to be a refugium in the sump if it changes anything.

 

 

I know you asked Stevie T, but if its big enought you could always just use some liverock in there and some cheoto or whatever in the fuge, then place some chemical media in the sump in a media basket. I think the bio balls are ok if they can work in a wet/dry type fashion where they arent constantly submerged. Also depending on size, run the skimmer down there.

[StevieT]

stevie, your tank is looking awesome, specially the before and after pics. just wondering. i just bought a new sump for my 65g, and if i cant put bio-balls, ceramic, or lr rubble in it, what do i put??? there is also going to be a refugium in the sump if it changes anything.

 

Thank you!

Also to what m.b said. I have a customer that just set up a 220 with 80 gallon sump reef. He is running this mud stuff from eco Systems. It sounds interesting, called Miracle Mud. Look into that. I wouldn't think any more bio balls would make a difference if you have enough live rock in your dispaly and maybe some in your sump. Grow some chaeto.

[mandelbloom]

Yea i have heard of that Mircale Mud stuff as well, supposed to be good!

[StevieT]

I am thinking about your tray idea. Yet placing it under the intake instead of using the pump chamber. It would be easier to access and I have tons of room now since I replaced the skimmer. If you take out the control pannel where all the wires sit, picture seeing through to the heater towards the bottom! The tunze is shorter so you can see through.

 

I would still run the sponges and floss to prevent detritus clogging up the bags. I keep my purigen there right now, connected to one of the sponges with a zip tie. I figured it would be easier to change instead of going in to the chamber of death.

[abe]

sounds interesting. i ordered chaeto for the fuge already, just waiting for it to come in. putting some pcs as lighting should be fine.

[A!ex]

StevieT, hows it going...longtime follower (few months), first time making comment ....I recently joined because your Aquarium Journal is thoughtful and well put together that I feel confident about doing a nano.

 

Anyway, I understand all your mods, except the protein skimmer, not the stock one, but the tunez. Maybe I am not following the pictures correctly and not seeing exactly what you did to it. Perhaps After i obtain my unit, i will understand better. the magnets lost me, , and i wasnt sure if you modified pieces on it, hard to tell since i dont have one. All good though, in time i will learn.

 

My question, since i didn't notice throughout your Journal is the timing of the lights. How do you have your timers set up?

 

Any Problems with Temperature ? (no chiller i noticed, perhaps b/c of water movement and ATO keeps temp safe)

[mandelbloom]

I am thinking about your tray idea. Yet placing it under the intake instead of using the pump chamber. It would be easier to access and I have tons of room now since I replaced the skimmer. If you take out the control pannel where all the wires sit, picture seeing through to the heater towards the bottom! The tunze is shorter so you can see through.

 

I would still run the sponges and floss to prevent detritus clogging up the bags. I keep my purigen there right now, connected to one of the sponges with a zip tie. I figured it would be easier to change instead of going in to the chamber of death.

 

 

HaHa Chamber of death Yea that sounds like a good idea, I would consider running it there too but the monster skimmer pump may be an issue I have also been thinking about one of those submerisble JBJ UV Sterlizers. I bet you have room for one!

[StevieT]

HaHa Chamber of death Yea that sounds like a good idea, I would consider running it there too but the monster skimmer pump may be an issue I have also been thinking about one of those submerisble JBJ UV Sterlizers. I bet you have room for one!

 

 

yeah, you can't do it with that beast of a skimmer. I have room for a bus now, bring on the UV sterlizers!!! Why do you want to run one? Are you having algae issues?

[mandelbloom]

Not really...I get a build up on the glass everyday. Had some on the sand but its almost all gone now. It was just a thought for a futre mod, make that water nice and clean

[StevieT]

Alex-

 

!!!

 

Thanks for taking a look at my tank. What I did with the skimmer is take one of the magents they provided and glued it to the other side of the skimmer. This way I could fit it anywhere in the filtration area. I took some other magenets and used them on the outside of the tank to hold the skimmer in place.

 

Skimmer || epoxy || Magnet they provided || rear glass|| magents I used. Pretty simple, once you see on you will know what I am talking about.

 

I have my lights on for 11 hours. In the winer the temps run 79-80* in the summer 80-81*, nope no chiller needed. Red Sea provides an extra fan to mount in the rear. I took that, upgraded the transformer to make it spin faster. The RSM comes with a built in timer that controls the daylights and LED night lights.

 

Let me know if you have any other questions.

[A!ex]

StevieT,

 

Thanks for quick reply. So timer 11 hours a day, the other 13 hours with the moonlight im assuming. I just posted a poll in the "ALL IN ONE" Forum about battery backups. I was curious of your opinion on such devices, and also how many total watts you have running with the lights, new skimmer, extra powerhead, ATO, etc...

 

by the way, Nice cichlid set up ....Im working on my second Frontosa Tank

[StevieT]

Are you getting a Red Sea Max?

 

I would run the lights on for 8-10 hours, 4 hours during your cycle. Mine are on a little longer but it is at my office and I like everyone to enjoy the tank all day long. Yes the moonlights are either on or off, no timer contol for those. I wish I would enjoy them more, i rarely see my tank at night

 

I will give a more detailed response on the UPS on that thread

[owned162]

Hey StevieT, whats the reason that you went for a Koralia 2?? They push a serious amount of water, isn't it like 2300L/H? I would have thought it would be pushing water over the edge of the tank... Do the fish or corals mind it? especially the corals that you've got closer to it?

 

Thanks

OwNeD

[StevieT]

It isn't a direct flow. Have you ever seen one perform? It is dispursed almost 360* around the entire powerhead. Fish and corals love the thing. If you put your hand up to it you can feel how soft the flow actaully is. Love the koralia, it doesn't push water over any part ofthe tank, the surface has nice ripples. Once you see one you'll know what I'm talking about.

[SeeDemTails]

Nice looking tank Steve.....My 11" Red Monti Cap started at about the same size as yours.

[StevieT]

Nice looking tank Steve.....My 11" Red Monti Cap started at about the same size as yours.

 

 

thanks. Thats good to hear, I hope mine can look that nice one day

how long did it take to grow that big?

[SeeDemTails]

Only about a year and a half, and that with a couple moves from tank to tank. Its in my 37 now, and it is huge, I have to frag it as it is starting to shade everything.

[jlylec]

Stevie...did you keep the carbon in your tank? I read through this a while ago and know you took out the biomedia and rock rubble...but couldn't remember and/or find it in here about the carbon...It looks like if I put that bag in the bottom where the instructions say to, it would: 1. be a pain to take out and clean, and 2. possibly block water flow...is it necessary? thanks so much!

[StevieT]

jlylec-

 

I replace the stock carbon with chemi-pure. I just recently changed it and yes, I still keep it in the chamber of death, under the return pumps. It does not block flow in any way. Now with the new skimmer I am going to make a custom media rack since I have lots of room. I will be placing the chemi-pure and my purigen bag on that rack. Pics to come when I complete this project one of these days.

 

Removed bio balls, no live rock rubble. Run a skimmer, sponges, filter floss, chemi pure and purigen.

 

I don't find that the bag cloggs up in the chamber of death, I recently changed it after around 4-5 months of use and it was not dirty at all.

[owned162]

jlylec-

 

I replace the stock carbon with chemi-pure. I just recently changed it and yes, I still keep it in the chamber of death, under the return pumps. It does not block flow in any way. Now with the new skimmer I am going to make a custom media rack since I have lots of room. I will be placing the chemi-pure and my purigen bag on that rack. Pics to come when I complete this project one of these days.

 

Removed bio balls, no live rock rubble. Run a skimmer, sponges, filter floss, chemi pure and purigen.

 

I don't find that the bag cloggs up in the chamber of death, I recently changed it after around 4-5 months of use and it was not dirty at all.

 

Hey StevieT, could you do up like just a quick diagram in paint of like the side view of the back part of the tank with all that in it, just cause atm im having trouble picturing where all that fits cause I don't have my own to look at... Only if you get a chance.

Thanks,

OwNeD