New Red Sea Max C-130

[jasonrusso]

I've had a 210 fowler for a few years now, but being a predator tank (Lionfish, porcupine puffer, angler, etc) the water quality is sometimes too hard to keep stable enough for corals. Also, the puffer will likely sample the goods and the lighting and dosing chemicals for 21o gallons (plus the sump) would be cost prohibitive. I'm not about to spend thousands in lighting and then pay for the huge electrical draw.

So, I decided that if I was to do a reef, it was going to be a nano reef. I started looking around and I was just about to pull the trigger on a bio-cube 32.

After reading some reviews and looking at some pictures I changed my mind as started looking into Red Sea 130s. I liked the look better and I think that the "system" was better designed.

I found a used 130D on FB marketplace. It came with an upgraded skimmer, return pump, sump basket, and media rack. The guy had it in his basement and I made a deal for $225.

Once I got it home, I was disappointed to find that the glass was pretty scratched up, I didn't notice it in the dim light in his basement. I bought some cerium oxide and tried to polish it, but I was unsuccessful.

Then I found a "NIB" white C-130 on FB marketplace. I negotiated him down to $600. When I went to pick it up, I opened the box and found that the tank was cracked on the back corner. I ended up buying the complete setup for $100. I tossed the tank and bought bare tank from Red sea for $375 wit the shipping. So all in, $475!!

I swapped the light out for a Steve's LED (I don't like changing bulbs and I like the gradual sunrise and sunset of the LEDs. The stock lighting can't do that, it's all on or off.

Over the years, I bought ALOT of upgrades for my 210, so now I am spoiled. So, the reef had to have an Apex, ATO, battery backup, etc. I bought all this stuff (most used) and installed it this weekend. I had a bunch of rock left over that I had in a tank "curing."

I finally set it up today and fired everything up. The microbubbles are pretty bad (which is expected for all new equipment, especially a skimmer). I'll just have to wait it out for a couple days/weeks.

Any advice, do's/don't that I should know about? Things you did that you should haven't?

 

[Brew12]

The biggest thing I did wrong at the beginning was trying to do too much too fast. I had no sign of a PO4 problem but everyone was running GFO so I thought I should, too. I had minimal Alk/Calc demand but I had this beautiful APEX doser so I started to dose anyway. I did carbon dosing even though my nitrates weren't too high.

I caused myself a lot of unnecessary pain by giving my tank what I wanted it to need instead of what it actually needed.

 

[jasonrusso]

The biggest thing I did wrong at the beginning was trying to do too much too fast. I had no sign of a PO4 problem but everyone was running GFO so I thought I should, too. I had minimal Alk/Calc demand but I had this beautiful APEX doser so I started to dose anyway. I did carbon dosing even though my nitrates weren't too high.

I caused myself a lot of unnecessary pain by giving my tank what I wanted it to need instead of what it actually needed.

I do have a nano-reactor installed with bio-pellets but I am not turning it on until I need to.

 

[skyjacker07]

I’d save the reactor for way down the road, just go slow is my advice for sure, make sure your water is good and move forward. My personal tank was bought turn key used, with no coral moved it an hour away to my house and let it run for a month or two in those two months I added my other fish I wanted then started adding my coral.

 

[jasonrusso]

Got my first corals and an anemone this weekend!! I got a GSP and a small hammer. I left them in the sand for the first couple days and then I put them in the position I liked. The anemone found its own spot, lol. All are open and seem happy.

My goby and shrimp also seem happy with the situation.

 

[crownsbroyal]

Looking good. I also am starting a c-130 this week. Looking forward to getting it set up.

 

[jasonrusso]

Looking good. I also am starting a c-130 this week. Looking forward to getting it set up.

Awesome, I just added 2 Monti (2 different types), a green birds nest, and a Xenia.

 

[crownsbroyal]

I see you have the Apex, I also just bought one for mine. Where do you keep the probes and does it look messy on the back with the wires coming out the back?

 

[jasonrusso]

I see you have the Apex, I also just bought one for mine. Where do you keep the probes and does it look messy on the back with the wires coming out the back?

I put the probes in right by the heater. They are at the top so I don't think the temp is affected by the heater because the coil is at the bottom. I used "magnetic suction cups" to hold them.

Messy is subjective, but I say no. I fit pretty much everything into the cable channels. The couple wires that didn't fit I put in split loom. You can buy more channels for cheap money if it bothered you.

 

[jasonrusso]

I see you have the Apex, I also just bought one for mine. Where do you keep the probes and does it look messy on the back with the wires coming out the back?

I haven't seen a build thread.

 

[crownsbroyal]

I haven't seen a build thread.

I have mine on a different forum, reef sanctuary, because there seems to be the largest base of red sea owners there. Although I have not updated that tread for a while, I will try to later today.