Red Sea Max E-170 or Red Sea Max 200 G2+ for ultra-low-maintenance

[Maga18]

Red Sea Max E-170 or Red Sea Max 200 G2+ for ultra-low-maintenance?

Hello, I have been running 2 RSM 250s for more than a decade. I generally loved them, never had a major issue like a leak, but after that many year - one of the tank is 13+ years of continuous operation, the other 12+ years - they are frankly not change anymore, the equipment is in the "near falling stage" etc, so I decided to downsize to 170-200L (~40 gallons) .

My priorities are: ease of maintenance!

I plan to only keep softies, zoas and some LPS, nothing too fancy or finicky, and a couple of fish, lightly stocking.

I am hesitating between Red Sea Max E-170:

Pros:

I can add below a big ATO and/or try to automate water changes, and or new Red Sea Reef Mat 250 (do I really need it for such a modest reef)? Or I could add refugium to keep eg. shrimps not compatible with my flame hawk (i.e. any shrimp) or grow cheat/culture pods.

Cons:

Supposed to be a previous generation and not completely "plug and play", which would be my preference (has been running my previous RSM in stock configurations other than adding chiller)

or should I get Red Sea Max 200 G2+?

Plug and Play will be my preference, but I am not sure if I am getting here exactly what I want here?

Sump is big, does it includes an top-off container for ATO? If so, how big?

Do I need such a big skimmer and a roller mat for my relatively low maintenance reef?

Is there a place for a refiugium in the sump or not?? BRS website specifically answer this question to say "yes" but Red Sea says it is not "refugium ready" ?!?

I noticed also that both pumps seems stronger on the 200 G2 vs E-170 - is this actually good for a non-SPS reef I am planning to keep? Is lighting the same?

I would be grateful for all comments & suggestions - except to do a DIY tank, I have zero skills and inclination to do it, I definitely want plug & play and I am ok paying extra for it

 

[VintageReefer]

Downsizing will reduce water volume and generally will increase maintenance

What equipment is ready to fail?

 

[Maga18]

Everything - pumps, lights (ballast), even plastic just breaks.

The tanks itself are OK (zero leaks) so I may be able to get some $ for selling them, I am also sick and tired of water changes for 130 G total and filling this volume with corals proved to pricey for me.

I definitely want to trade size for new equipment now, I also got pyramid snails in one of the tanks and I understand eradicating name is not an option, so I have to restart anyway.

Edit: skimmers still kinda work, but I cannot adjust surface skimming anymore, chiller just shows temperature, 2 ballast failed in each hood - have many new T5 tough, brought recently . Generally, I do not complain, both tanks are 12+ years old, but it is just all work no fun at this stage and pouring more money into the system for somebody non-crafty and without much time like me seems not a good option. But I should be able to sell to somebody good at DiY since the tanks are still doing well and 3 out of 4 pumps run decently.

 

[VintageReefer]

With rock and sand that age, and the corals you keep…you might not need water changes if you got an algae scrubber

My sand and rock and tank are 10 years old…I haven’t done a water change in 2 years (actually way longer but 2 years ago is when I rebooted this tank after a neglectful period)

I just add freshwater top off weekly with a bit of all for reef mixed in

 

[Maga18]

With rock and sand that age, and the corals you keep…you might not need water changes if you got an algae scrubber

My sand and rock and tank are 10 years old…I haven’t done a water change in 2 years (actually way longer but 2 years ago is when I rebooted this tank after a neglectful period)

I just add freshwater top off weekly with a bit of all for reef mixed in

Yeah, but also also got some health issue at some point - and maybe traded too much with fellow reefers - but the other tank is invaded with pyramid snails, so I have to restart anyway. The one that has been doing better in next to a south window - a rookie mistake - so I have had always huge algae problems there. So anyway I think it is good time to restart, with what I know now I would pick better tank positions etc

 

[Maga18]

With rock and sand that age, and the corals you keep…you might not need water changes if you got an algae scrubber

My sand and rock and tank are 10 years old…I haven’t done a water change in 2 years (actually way longer but 2 years ago is when I rebooted this tank after a neglectful period)

I just add freshwater top off weekly with a bit of all for reef mixed in

Beautiful tank! Do you have any fish in there?

These were my essentially first tanks and they are not doing well anyway, either pests (pyramid snails) or algae overgrowth/wrong positioning near the south windows. I experimented a lot, including adding unfiltered sea water and trading extensively with local reef people without quarantine, so I would have to restart anyway but starting smaller would let e buy top equipment and get corals more easily.

I don't think maintenance on a new 42 G with all bells and whistles should be more than 2 times 65G? I understand there will be less stability, but I am battling now accumulated mistakes ("old tank") syndrome so starting from scratch seems appealing

 

[VintageReefer]

I have 4 camera shy fish at the moment but have run this way with 7 fish.

I get your point. Sometimes it’s more appealing and exciting to start over, especially with 10+ more years of experience. A chance to do things better from the start

 

[Dburr1014]

With all the seams breaking threads is there another brand you're thinking about?
I don't think I could ever trust a red sea.

 

[VintageReefer]

Check out innovative marine int and ext bundles
Waterbox makes bundles also.

 

[Maga18]

Thanks, will have a look. You are right that I can still use tanks for something, was thinking maybe FOWLR. But trying ti keep corals there was frustrating.

I am also thinking maybe even go nano 20-25g. Much cheaper to fill with corals and water changes very manageable even without any gimmicks