ZJedi945
Active Member
I was finally able to find a RSM 130 (not 130d darn!) that was a decent price and in my area. All after I found a NOS one on amazon... check that post out here... CLICK! This was the one tank that really got me interested in the hobby when I first saw it. The lines on it are awesome and the curved glass up front... oooo chills how good it looks. The best thing is it came with a bunch of add-ons that I was able to sell since I didn't need two RO/DI systems, a black box LED, and three mp10s. 
SO I was pretty much able to get the tank for nothing after I sold everything else.
So anyway... the tank. I would say it needed work to say the least. The previous owner really didn't take the greatest care of it. When I got there to pick it up it was covered in cyano and all kinds of algae. When I got it home I started the vinegar soak and let it go for 3 days. It was being lit with a black box and I wanted to go back to the original hood. That was a major overhaul to say the least. It was missing a few things, the lens was yellowed, modded wiring that was sketchy at best, the gasket was dry... and so on and so on.
I also had to order a few things to replace a lot of the worn out things. The return pumps are now quietone 800s and I have added the surface skimmer upgrade to it.
A few days later it was finally time to put some stuff in the tank. Base of course light defuser, then about 25lbs of real reef rock and finally 40lbs of ocean direct original grade. The original idea was to use the ocean direct as a base layer then use bimini pink on top. One thing I didn't take into account was the rock displacing sand. So 40lbs was all I needed and since the bag was open and I didn't want to waste it I used it all. Now the one down side to it is that is sized all the way down to .25mm which is TINY. So far I have had no dust ups and I couldn't be happier how it looks. I love deep sand beds! I am pretty sure they have more benefits than negatives. Crazy amounts of life and they tend to stay clean, at least mine do. The rock work it self as easy as it looks took me what felt like forever to get. One thing I will say if you use that rock or any thing like it WEAR GLOVES!!!! It ripped my hands apart and took about a week to heal up.
I then added water and a bottle of Dr. Tim's To cycle the tank. Now I have used this in the past and I am still amazed how quickly the tank goes through it's cycle. Three days later the tank had zeros across the board and I was able to add the first fish and clean up crew. After the water was added I noticed that the tank was rather heavily scratched, as of right now the only thing that has be debating on looking for a nicer one. Right now there are two clowns and a Caribbean tang... I know it's a tang and shouldn't be in that size tank but he is about the size of a half-dollar so when he out grows the tank he will go into my main.
SO I was pretty much able to get the tank for nothing after I sold everything else.So anyway... the tank. I would say it needed work to say the least. The previous owner really didn't take the greatest care of it. When I got there to pick it up it was covered in cyano and all kinds of algae. When I got it home I started the vinegar soak and let it go for 3 days. It was being lit with a black box and I wanted to go back to the original hood. That was a major overhaul to say the least. It was missing a few things, the lens was yellowed, modded wiring that was sketchy at best, the gasket was dry... and so on and so on.
I also had to order a few things to replace a lot of the worn out things. The return pumps are now quietone 800s and I have added the surface skimmer upgrade to it.
A few days later it was finally time to put some stuff in the tank. Base of course light defuser, then about 25lbs of real reef rock and finally 40lbs of ocean direct original grade. The original idea was to use the ocean direct as a base layer then use bimini pink on top. One thing I didn't take into account was the rock displacing sand. So 40lbs was all I needed and since the bag was open and I didn't want to waste it I used it all. Now the one down side to it is that is sized all the way down to .25mm which is TINY. So far I have had no dust ups and I couldn't be happier how it looks. I love deep sand beds! I am pretty sure they have more benefits than negatives. Crazy amounts of life and they tend to stay clean, at least mine do. The rock work it self as easy as it looks took me what felt like forever to get. One thing I will say if you use that rock or any thing like it WEAR GLOVES!!!! It ripped my hands apart and took about a week to heal up.
I then added water and a bottle of Dr. Tim's To cycle the tank. Now I have used this in the past and I am still amazed how quickly the tank goes through it's cycle. Three days later the tank had zeros across the board and I was able to add the first fish and clean up crew. After the water was added I noticed that the tank was rather heavily scratched, as of right now the only thing that has be debating on looking for a nicer one. Right now there are two clowns and a Caribbean tang... I know it's a tang and shouldn't be in that size tank but he is about the size of a half-dollar so when he out grows the tank he will go into my main.
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