Shaun's 2000 Litre (530 USG) Living Reef & Red Sea Max S 650 LED Design & Build

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SPR1968

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In the meantime here’s a fish picture

5E20E9CF-BEC5-4AED-853B-C1DD761AE01C.jpeg
 
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I built the Clarisea SK5000 up yesterday which was fairly straightforward following the video on the DD web site.

It really is a quality piece of equipment and I might get one for the S650 depending on what I decide to do with it. It would just need a modification to the down pipe and I could add a gate valve as well and make that stupid adjustment valve on the back of the tank redundant by opening it fully and then using a new gate valve to control flow. I really don’t know why Red Sea haven’t redesigned that valve in the newer systems I really don’t.

The principal of how it works is pretty simple with the float switch triggering the motor to move

I’ve also got 2 spare XL fleeces for it.

In addition to building this, I had a completely new 150gpd RODI System arrive yesterday complete with 2 sets of floats valve and auto switch off systems for the RODI and saltwater tanks.

6F1EEAE7-6243-4755-8230-B91FC107DC7D.jpeg
DF7557BF-0008-49B8-A5E0-6EC578E1986A.jpeg
DB82F00E-730A-45A3-884B-D2325DEA115D.jpeg
 
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SPR1968

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This is the shed to house my water containers and chiller which I’ll order in a week or so. When built it will be fully insulated and have an electric greenhouse heater on standby for winter set on automatic if the temperature drops


And these will be the water containers. They have a nice big lid to fit circulation pumps in for the new saltwater and also make cleaning easy if need be. It will be undrilled so no outlet

 

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I built the Clarisea SK5000 up yesterday which was fairly straightforward following the video on the DD web site.

It really is a quality piece of equipment and I might get one for the S650 depending on what I decide to do with it. It would just need a modification to the down pipe and I could add a gate valve as well and make that stupid adjustment valve on the back of the tank redundant by opening it fully and then using a new gate valve to control flow. I really don’t know why Red Sea haven’t redesigned that valve in the newer systems I really don’t.

The principal of how it works is pretty simple with the float switch triggering the motor to move

I’ve also got 2 spare XL fleeces for it.

In addition to building this, I had a completely new 150gpd RODI System arrive yesterday complete with 2 sets of floats valve and auto switch off systems for the RODI and saltwater tanks.

6F1EEAE7-6243-4755-8230-B91FC107DC7D.jpeg
DF7557BF-0008-49B8-A5E0-6EC578E1986A.jpeg
DB82F00E-730A-45A3-884B-D2325DEA115D.jpeg
Awesome tool, I love mine. BTW, great customer support by the company for any questions and issues. On my RSM-650 roll last about 1 month.
 
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Awesome updates here, loving the rollermats on various build threads. I'm hoping to have one someday myself. For the containers, what's the plan if they won't be drilled? Siphon from the top? Drill the outlet yourself?
Im going to use the Apex ATO (ATK system) so the pump will be in the bottom of the water container and will then pump up and then down into the sump. So yes I will drill a small hole at the top for the hose to go through.

The water in the container will be higher than the sump so there will be a siphon issue. The Apex ATO has an anti siphon connector, but at the highest point of the tubing as it comes out of the container, I’ll install a T connector with another tub/pipe out of the top of the T (high enough that water will continue through its normal route and not out of the T) When the pump turns off air will be sucked through the top of the T hose and thus prevent any siphon. So hopefully double redundancy. (He says confidently.......!)
 
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Great Shaun, very nice selection of new tank materials.
Top quality.
It must be close to the arrival of the new tank now also.

Thank you Jan, and yes the tank should be arriving in the next week or so when I get back from Spain. The cabinet doors arrived at the builders a few days ago so just awaiting final delivery

With this build I’ve gone for the best I can find (taking into account any personal preferences) and although I say money is no object, I certainly objected when I had to pay for it! Lol
 
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Im going to use the Apex ATO (ATK system) so the pump will be in the bottom of the water container and will then pump up and then down into the sump. So yes I will drill a small hole at the top for the hose to go through.

The water in the container will be higher than the sump so there will be a siphon issue. The Apex ATO has an anti siphon connector, but at the highest point of the tubing as it comes out of the container, I’ll install a T connector with another tub/pipe out of the top of the T (high enough that water will continue through its normal route and not out of the T) When the pump turns off air will be sucked through the top of the T hose and thus prevent any siphon. So hopefully double redundancy. (He says confidently.......!)
Sounds like a good plan! Alternatively, since the storage tank is so large, you could even put a pinhole just below the lid. You'll lose out on some flow efficiency, but it'll ensure that nothing goes through the top of the T junction.
 
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Sounds like a good plan! Alternatively, since the storage tank is so large, you could even put a pinhole just below the lid. You'll lose out on some flow efficiency, but it'll ensure that nothing goes through the top of the T junction.
That’s basically what the Apex anti siphon connector is. And it’s installed as you suggest and has a small hole in it. The T idea is very simple and is a fail safe hopefully!
 

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That’s basically what the Apex anti siphon connector is. And it’s installed as you suggest and has a small hole in it. The T idea is very simple and is a fail safe hopefully!
OK gotcha - I didn't realize that's how the Apex mechanism worked. I have an Apex but use a Tunze ATO personally, as I've heard that the Apex ATO is unreliabe, at best. With the new 'version' of the PMUP it might be better, though.
 
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OK gotcha - I didn't realize that's how the Apex mechanism worked. I have an Apex but use a Tunze ATO personally, as I've heard that the Apex ATO is unreliabe, at best. With the new 'version' of the PMUP it might be better, though.
I haven’t read that many recent bad reviews on the new Apex ATO, but I chose it over the Tunze because of Apex integration and the fail safes it comes with including the final switch off of the physical float valve to shut down flow. Tunze doesn’t have this, just an electrical float switch.

I have the Tunze Osmolator now and it’s been faultless, so I may add one as redundancy for the Apex as it’s a critical piece of equipment especially when away from the tank. I can set it just below were the Apex sensors are.

Siphon is an issue with my current Tunze. When I go away (I’m in Spain now) I fill then ATO reservoir to the top, and I also add about 5 litres of RO into the tank as a bit of a ‘head start’. The first time the ATO switches on and off, it continues to drip until the reservoir level drops a little. I can see the effect on the salinity probe. It starts at around 35, yesterday it dropped to 33.5 and it’s currently 34.6 as the extra water evaporates off. The salinity has been affected by temperature as well as it’s been a bit high at 29c for an odd day.
 
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These are two of several excellent articles written by @SuncrestReef about Neptune Apex programming and what it can do


 

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These are two of several excellent articles written by @SuncrestReef about Neptune Apex programming and what it can do



Thanks for linking to my tutorials.

Much of the bad reputation on the Neptune ATK is due to people misunderstanding how it works and how to program it properly. That’s the reason I wrote the ATK tutorial. I’ve had version 1 of the ATK running for 1.5 years with zero problems. For anyone having problems or planning to use the ATK, my tutorial should guide you to success.

Happy reefing.
 

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These are two of several excellent articles written by @SuncrestReef about Neptune Apex programming and what it can do


Interesting to see that a lot of it comes down to understanding the system to make it work. I know a lot of people go into controllers (and Apex in particular) for the 'plug and play' type of idea, so if it needs to be programmed correctly to work as well as other options, it makes sense that people tend to avoid it. Regardless, sounds like you'll be fine with your plan and it'll work well :D
 
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