Red Sea Max S 500 Build

Rctreece · Nov 5, 2018

SPR1968 said:
It seems to look a lot better and I can’t see any bubbles anywhere.

It might be worth moving some of your jet nozzles around. If you move the one on the right to point to the left side of the tank it will create a current around the front, that’s what I did anyway.

I would also maybe look into running GFO in a reactor, it’s the best single thing I ever did with my tank and I use rhowaphos. I have zero algae or any other issues. I found high phosphate is far worse that high nitrate and it needs to be locked down.

Yesterday I noticed a few bubbles coming back. I got a reactor and it lowered my PO4 to a good level and I dose some NO3 to get everything balanced so maybe it will go away on its own this time.

Rctreece · Nov 19, 2018

I have noticed in the past week that several of my corals are not opened up. Mainly zoas and palys. I checked all my numbers and everything is good. I have not changed lights or anything else that could be causing it. Any ideas?

Salt 35
Temp 79
Nitrite 0
Am 0
No3 4
Po4 .07
ALK 8.1

SPR1968 · Nov 19, 2018

Rctreece said:
I have noticed in the past week that several of my corals are not opened up. Mainly zoas and palys. I checked all my numbers and everything is good. I have not changed lights or anything else that could be causing it. Any ideas?

Salt 35
Temp 79
Nitrite 0
Am 0
No3 4
Po4 .07
ALK 8.1

The phosphate is slightly raised (well i keep mine at around 0.03ppm as an average) but your system is different so maybe 0.07 is fine.

Have you thought it may be fish 'pecking' at them. My Regal Tang pecks at Palys and causes them to close up on a regular basis

PanchoG · Nov 19, 2018

Did you have a drastic change in Alk? sometimes even within parameters can make corals to close.

Rctreece · Nov 19, 2018

SPR1968 said:
The phosphate is slightly raised (well i keep mine at around 0.03ppm as an average) but your system is different so maybe 0.07 is fine.

Have you thought it may be fish 'pecking' at them. My Regal Tang pecks at Palys and causes them to close up on a regular basis

No I had issues with Po4 being 0 and got it raised up to the point I needed GFO to reduce. It has been stable at .07 which I have heard is on the low end. I never see any fish mess with them but I have a flame angle and two tangs that could.

PanchoG said:
Did you have a drastic change in Alk? sometimes even within parameters can make corals to close.

The biggest shift has been from 7.8 to 8.1. I try to keep it at 8 and my cal at 450 but it dropped to 425.

Rctreece · Nov 19, 2018

another issue I have is algae on the glass and sand bed. The bed isn't to bad but I have to clean the glass daily for a light film. Not sure if that is more then what it should be but I have heard others only have to do it twice a week.

Rctreece · Nov 26, 2018

I added a Huma Huma Trigger and a Lawnmower Blenny last week after they got out of QT. Both doing very well and very interesting to watch. I also dropped some coin on black Friday to get a COR 20, flow kit, and a 8 plug Apex extension. I guess I will have to redo my Apex layout but that has been needed. Still don't know whats up with the algae on the glass, has to be cleaned twice a day. I saw some brown stuff in the saltwater storage tank so I emptied it out and cleaned it as best I could with bleach. Rinsed it real good and I am letting it dry as I cant clean all of it out. Maybe that is my issue. Also bought a few new corals, hope they do well

GtiKyle · Dec 3, 2018

In for pics of your new corals! Looks good, love following along. We just got a RSM 500 a few weeks back. Guess maybe I'll start a thread up too just to track progress.

Rctreece · Dec 3, 2018

GtiKyle said:
In for pics of your new corals! Looks good, love following along. We just got a RSM 500 a few weeks back. Guess maybe I'll start a thread up too just to track progress.

Its good to start a build thread as you can refer back to it and a lot of the guys on here will help you out with issues. There are so many possibilities in this hobby that they cant cover them all so it is good to get a few ideas and then test the one you think will work. Good luck with your tank and let me know if I can help you with anything although I am still a new guy!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SPR1968 · Dec 4, 2018

GtiKyle said:
In for pics of your new corals! Looks good, love following along. We just got a RSM 500 a few weeks back. Guess maybe I'll start a thread up too just to track progress.

Yes we NEED pictures so start a build thread when you get the chance! Lol

Welcome to R2R as well!

@Rctreece hint on the pictures! Lol

Rctreece · Dec 4, 2018

Here are my new frags

Rctreece · Dec 4, 2018

This coral is growing the best

SPR1968 · Dec 4, 2018

Rctreece said:
This coral is growing the best

Great pictures!

Rctreece · Dec 9, 2018

SPR1968 said:
Great pictures!

Thanks

Rctreece · Dec 9, 2018

Made some good system upgrades this weekend.
Added a pond 35w UV sterilizer - it has seriously reduced the algae on the glass and was only $85 with tubing and pump. Thanks amazon

Added two Colbalt neo therm 150 watt heaters - I was having issues with maintaining the temp early in the morning since I turn down my thermostat in the house at night.

Built a false wall in my cabinet and set up my apex to make access better and hide some wires - still have to clean it up some more but it looks much better

Added a 8 plug energy bar - allows me to plug everything into the apex and still have extra outlets

Apex COR 20 and a flow monitoring kit - still have to install but I got all the fittings and some orange schedule 40 tubing so I can hard plumb it.

Lot of work but made the tank so much better. I also now have backups for everything so if I have an issue I can fix it quickly

SPR1968 · Dec 10, 2018

Rctreece said:
Made some good system upgrades this weekend.
Added a pond 35w UV sterilizer - it has seriously reduced the algae on the glass and was only $85 with tubing and pump. Thanks amazon

Added two Colbalt neo therm 150 watt heaters - I was having issues with maintaining the temp early in the morning since I turn down my thermostat in the house at night.

Built a false wall in my cabinet and set up my apex to make access better and hide some wires - still have to clean it up some more but it looks much better

Added a 8 plug energy bar - allows me to plug everything into the apex and still have extra outlets

Apex COR 20 and a flow monitoring kit - still have to install but I got all the fittings and some orange schedule 40 tubing so I can hard plumb it.

Lot of work but made the tank so much better. I also now have backups for everything so if I have an issue I can fix it quickly

Looks great, it’s amazing how much ‘stuff’ we can fit in our sumps!

The pictures are very useful to look at as well

PanchoG · Dec 10, 2018

Rctreece said:
Made some good system upgrades this weekend.
Added a pond 35w UV sterilizer - it has seriously reduced the algae on the glass and was only $85 with tubing and pump. Thanks amazon

Added two Colbalt neo therm 150 watt heaters - I was having issues with maintaining the temp early in the morning since I turn down my thermostat in the house at night.

Built a false wall in my cabinet and set up my apex to make access better and hide some wires - still have to clean it up some more but it looks much better

Added a 8 plug energy bar - allows me to plug everything into the apex and still have extra outlets

Apex COR 20 and a flow monitoring kit - still have to install but I got all the fittings and some orange schedule 40 tubing so I can hard plumb it.

Lot of work but made the tank so much better. I also now have backups for everything so if I have an issue I can fix it quickly

Awesome Rctreece! you are really loading up your tank.

Rctreece · Feb 25, 2019

So got a question. My corals are doing good but the LPS get brown around the edges and die. All the others are fine and my parameters are all steady and within range. What could be causing this?

PanchoG · Feb 25, 2019

What about your lights? are they too intense?

SPR1968 · Feb 25, 2019

Rctreece said:
So got a question. My corals are doing good but the LPS get brown around the edges and die. All the others are fine and my parameters are all steady and within range. What could be causing this?

This used to happen to me as well until the tank was around 12 months old and then it’s like something turned the SPS keeping switch on!

It might be lights, but it also could be excess nutrients in the system causing issues with excess zooxanthella in the corals