Red Sea / Max S-Series / Discussion

[mdk16]

I ended up using a sicce adv 7.0 return pump and connected it to the manifold. This pump just fits the width of the rear chamber and provides enough flow to power all the rear “power heads” close to the original sicce pumps. I was also able to use the original tubing connected to T connectors. I used schedule 80 but could have easily used regular pvc for this project. I’ve been very pleased with this mod and would do it again.

 

[vangvace]

I ended up using a sicce adv 7.0 return pump and connected it to the manifold. This pump just fits the width of the rear chamber and provides enough flow to power all the rear “power heads” close to the original sicce pumps. I was also able to use the original tubing connected to T connectors. I used schedule 80 but could have easily used regular pvc for this project. I’ve been very pleased with this mod and would do it again.

1" plumbing I assume? I have a spare sicce 7 that I can plug in.

 

[GoVols]

1" plumbing I assume? I have a spare sicce 7 that I can plug in.

Yeah,
When I plumbed in the Abyzz the original Red Sea pump hose is a 1" screw-on coupling, at the pump.

Are you still rolling with your t5 canopy?

 

[vangvace]

Yeah,
When I plumbed in the Abyzz the original Red Sea pump hose is a 1" screw-on coupling, at the pump.

Are you still rolling with your t5 canopy?

No. I swapped it out for one of the hanging aqua illumination hybrids so I have more workspace and flexibility if I want to try Mitras.

 

[mdk16]

1” would be fine. I used the stock connections to the rear pump nozzels via a barb on the manifold.

 

[GoVols]

No. I swapped it out for one of the hanging aqua illumination hybrids so I have more workspace and flexibility if I want to try Mitras.

Yeah,
If you get enough Mitras (down the road) for full coverage, they do very well.

 

[sector9]

Hey y’all, I have placed an order for a new Max S 400. I would like to swap the ReefLED 90s for Radion XR15 Blues. Anyone know if this is possible using the stock chassis? If so, do I need to buy anything extra to mount them?

 

[PanchoG]

Hey y’all, I have placed an order for a new Max S 400. I would like to swap the ReefLED 90s for Radion XR15 Blues. Anyone know if this is possible using the stock chassis? If so, do I need to buy anything extra to mount them?

Congratulations the S-400 is a very nice system. You cannot use the light rack with Radions, however the new Red Sea ReefLED produced by Red Sea are really good, you may want to wait to see them in action before pulling the trigger.

 

[Paul Bradford]

I have the early version (not sure of the year) of the MAX-S 400 with the 10 bulb T5 fixture. I have had to replace the ballast in the light twice over the last 9+ years of owning the tank. The ballasts are becoming harder to find and continue to increase in cost.

Onto my current issue. The ballast of the middle two-bulb fixture just failed and I'm wondering if anyone has done an after-market retrofit to replace the center fixture. This is in my living room and has to look clean. I was thinking of removing the center fixture and trying to mount two Kessils (not sure which model). Has anyone tried this? Any other recommendations?

 

[PanchoG]

I have the early version (not sure of the year) of the MAX-S 400 with the 10 bulb T5 fixture. I have had to replace the ballast in the light twice over the last 9+ years of owning the tank. The ballasts are becoming harder to find and continue to increase in cost.

Onto my current issue. The ballast of the middle two-bulb fixture just failed and I'm wondering if anyone has done an after-market retrofit to replace the center fixture. This is in my living room and has to look clean. I was thinking of removing the center fixture and trying to mount two Kessils (not sure which model). Has anyone tried this? Any other recommendations?

Hello, I believe @GoVols has Kessils combined with the T5 in his S-400 but has not fully replaced the center fixture. You may want to check his thread.

 

[vangvace]

I had kessils retrofit into the T5 canopy, though I didn't make it myself it loos pretty straightforward and clean. !/4" plywood cut and painted white with holes where you want the kessils to go. The original owner also ran black painted PVC tubing with notches for cable management. It looked pretty clean.

 

[GoVols]

I have the early version (not sure of the year) of the MAX-S 400 with the 10 bulb T5 fixture. I have had to replace the ballast in the light twice over the last 9+ years of owning the tank. The ballasts are becoming harder to find and continue to increase in cost.

Onto my current issue. The ballast of the middle two-bulb fixture just failed and I'm wondering if anyone has done an after-market retrofit to replace the center fixture. This is in my living room and has to look clean. I was thinking of removing the center fixture and trying to mount two Kessils (not sure which model). Has anyone tried this? Any other recommendations?

Hello, I believe @GoVols has Kessils combined with the T5 in his S-400 but has not fully replaced the center fixture. You may want to check his thread.

I had kessils retrofit into the T5 canopy, though I didn't make it myself it loos pretty straightforward and clean. !/4" plywood cut and painted white with holes where you want the kessils to go. The original owner also ran black painted PVC tubing with notches for cable management. It looked pretty clean.

Hello, Paul

Still running a 2013 S-400.

Right now pushing 4 Kessil A360Xs in the midsection for good led coverage (4" above the waterline) and pushing 4 t5's, two in the very front and two in the very back.

Can still see a tad amount of Kessil shimmer and it came out nice and clean.

Hope these shots help.

 

[GJD]

Hey All,

New to the forum and about to take the dive from Freshwater to Saltwater! I say take the dive, MTS well and truly struck me. I started my first freshwater aquarium 6 weeks ago, bought my second 4 weeks ago and am just about to take the plunge on a used red sea Max 650.

I just wanted advice on buying a used RSM, are there any common issues to look out for?
Are they durable?
Will last long time?
Is there anything in the sump, skimmer etc... that I will need to replace upon buying?
Is it the same as freshwater that If I buy a used and running tank then it should be instantly cycled?

This is the one I am looking at, the seller says it is 2 years old, but from the research I have been doing it looks like the hood was discontinued in 2016 in favor of the LED's or am I incorrect?

Thanks everyone, looking forward to picking up tons of knowledge on here.

 

[vangvace]

Hey All,

New to the forum and about to take the dive from Freshwater to Saltwater! I say take the dive, MTS well and truly struck me. I started my first freshwater aquarium 6 weeks ago, bought my second 4 weeks ago and am just about to take the plunge on a used red sea Max 650.

I just wanted advice on buying a used RSM, are there any common issues to look out for?
Are they durable?
Will last long time?
Is there anything in the sump, skimmer etc... that I will need to replace upon buying?
Is it the same as freshwater that If I buy a used and running tank then it should be instantly cycled?

This is the one I am looking at, the seller says it is 2 years old, but from the research I have been doing it looks like the hood was discontinued in 2016 in favor of the LED's or am I incorrect?

Thanks everyone, looking forward to picking up tons of knowledge on here.

Most of your common issues are going to be like with other used standard tanks. Check things like the didn't seem to eat the seems as the cleaned the glass etc. The front trim pieces do need about the width of the tank to slide into place. I would open the drain valve and clean it before setting the tank up in your home.

The RSM line is durable and I bought mine used as well. There have been small revisions over time; things like adding filter socks versus sponges in the sump, detachable overflow grating for easier cleaning, and the lights that come with the tank.

As a rule of thumb, people tend to replace the heaters that come with a used tank. The equipment changes I made was adding in a roller mat for mechanical filtration and swapped the C1800 skimmer for another model. Neither has to be done and was my personal preference.

Nope, you will have a cycle. The length of it is based on the type of rocks you use, how long they were out of water, and a few other factors.

It could be two years old and still have come with the T5 hood, though it is unlikely. If the seller is willing to give you the tank's serial number (located in the plumbing section of the back right corner of the tank in the plumbing cutout) then red sea customer service should be able to supply when the tank was built.

Good luck and what type of sealife would you like to keep in your new tank?

 

[WurzelWoo]

Hi All,

I have just bought and installed my 650, very very happy with:

a) how easy it was to set up - despite the weight of the dang thing.
b) how good it looks already
c) the relatively painless transition of my 55g livestock and rock - just the few critters I have to go now!

Ideally I want all my frags/coral encrusted rocks front and low to start off with to get them used to new conditions.
I have a question on the flow of it - I am trying to adjust the flow so that it doesn't batter my corals or throw sand everywhere. Is the only place that you can adjust flow on the control valve on the back and is it just a question on persevering and making one-notch adjustments and seeing how it goes? Would appreciate some advice on how you folks set it up.

Cheers

 

[vangvace]

Sadly, with the default equipment, there is not a flow adjustment on the 650s. the valve on the back should be thought of more like a silencer, keeping water silently flowing down the main line with the emergency line dry.

You can try adjusting where your nozzles are pointed. For the return line I added a "Y" adapter and VCA flow randomizers that has also helped.

 

[WurzelWoo]

Sadly, with the default equipment, there is not a flow adjustment on the 650s. the valve on the back should be thought of more like a silencer, keeping water silently flowing down the main line with the emergency line dry.

You can try adjusting where your nozzles are pointed. For the return line I added a "Y" adapter and VCA flow randomizers that has also helped.

I've ordered some of the flow randomisers and will see if that helps. I think I've almost got it dialled in, but there's still a sand drift - hopefully flow randomisers help with this last bit.

Thanks for the suggestions, appreciated

 

[sector9]

Hey y’all, I have placed an order for a new Max S 400. I would like to swap the ReefLED 90s for Radion XR15 Blues. Anyone know if this is possible using the stock chassis? If so, do I need to buy anything extra to mount them?

Thought I would respond to my own post (for posterity purposes since I didn’t find much useful info on the subject in my searches) to say that I bought some Radion XR15s for my Max S400 and they work fine in the lighting chassis.

 

[Nobbygas]

Thought I would respond to my own post (for posterity purposes since I didn’t find much useful info on the subject in my searches) to say that I bought some Radion XR15s for my Max S400 and they work fine in the lighting chassis.

I have a 'Y' splitter on the main return nozzle. This helps with the flow not disturbing the sand. For the four nozzles on the back wall it's just a case of trial and error. Fiddle around with them a bit as it will depend on your rock structure as to the best direction to point them. Don't forget to have a couple pointing towards or near the surface to create a bit of surface movement.

 

[RSM S650LED Steve]

Hi all - I have purchased and set up a new RSM S650LED Version. I have assembled the cabinet tank trims & pipework and I am just in the process of buying RO Set up, buckets etc Please could somebody post a picture or sketch showing me how i would plumb a chiller into the system in case i need one and let me know the parts that i would need to do this. I am a novice so please explain with this in mind. I can obviously see my stock pipework but dont really know the terminology of these pipes. Thanks in advance