um02122's black Red Sea Max C250

[um02122]

Hi, this is my first journal on R2R.
I've been in the hobby for six years and had some six-seven nano reefs.
This project is my largest to date.

The tank is a stock black RSM C250.
Cycling was oficially started once aquascape went wet, on the 31st of March 2019 - 22 days old.



At the moment, the dry rock and sand is cooking with temporary equipment (lights, skimmer, wave pumps to be replaced).

 

[um02122]

The cycling: I've seeded bacteria, with daily frozen food feeding. There is no chemical filtration yet and I'm running a Tunze 9006 skimmer 24/7. Circulation is two stock pumps plus two Eheim StreamOn+ 5000. The light is minimal, just to make the tank more pleasant during this period.

The equipment in the future:
- circulation two stock pumps plus two Jecod SOW-8
- skimmer Deltec MC500
- InTank media tray
- some custom mechanical filtration socks
- diy led light in the original hood - aiming for the equivalent of three AI Hydra 52HD (150 leds: 30 Cree XTE Royal Blue, 15 Cree XPE2 Blue, 9 Cree XTE Cool White, 6 Cree XTE Neutral White, 15 Semileds 420nm).

 

[um02122]

For livestock I'm looking for color splashes, easy fish and easy corals:

- clownfish pair
- royal gramma harem
- a Midas blenny
- watchman gobies, with pistol shrimps
- maybe a blue mandarin (maybe a pair) maybe

- cleaner shrimps and peppermint shrimps
-pistol shrimps and anemone cleaner shrimps

- a RBTA
- mini-maxi anemones

- a Sarcophyton (leather toadstool coral)
- some photosynthetic gorgonians
- a Catalaphyllia with blue tips
- some duncans
- Euphyllia garden
- Ricordea florida garden
- maybe a zoa garden
- turbinaria
- golden Tridacna derasa and blue Tridacna maxima
- a Heliofungia, some Fungia
- Heteropsammia if I can find any
- some Seriatopora guttatus / histryx / caliendrum
- Pocillopora with trapezia crab

- mexican turbo snails
- Caribbean cerith snails
- gold ring cowries
- collonista and stomatella snails (maybe a refugium)
- Nassarius vibex (I'm holding a breeding collony)

 

[SPR1968]

The tank looks great so far, very nice

 

[um02122]

A brief update:
- few collonista snails
- few gold ring cowries
- a pair of orange ocellaris clown fish
- a Moorish Idol
- one gorgonian

The diy led light hood is still a project despite having everything (but time).



The Moorish Idol stayed at the lfs for two months and was eating too well not to give it a go. He seems to be an indiscriminate feeder eating anything from frozen to flakes and pellets.

I'm aware they are hard to keep past the one year mark, but I am dedicated to giving it a real chance, including adding feeding clams, sponges and whatever else I can find in the shops in the area. I have done the reading and I'm aware that most stories with Moorish Idols are not the success ones.

 

[um02122]

Some Spirorbis showed up on the back wall.
They've likely been added on the Nassarius snails shells.
Next thing, I can see two generations of Nassarius babies, some at 2-3 mm, some slightly larger. The parents are about 1cm.
The cowries seem to be able to lick some microalgae from the rock and glass.
No signs yet of Collonista babies, but the adults are all alive.
All four fish are ok (two clownfish, the moorish idol and a Stonogobiops goby).
My new purple gorgonian seems to be doing well, all polyps are out at any time in the day.

A week ago I've set up ATO with two sensors in the overflow (safety sensor) and one of the return pumps compartment (level sensor). I run a auto-feeder dropping pellets in the same pump's chamber 4x2 times a day.
These arrangements managed to keep my aquarium and the fish happy and alive during a seven day holiday (I'm happy to say that the moorish idol is still fat, active and happy, which means that I will still be able to have holidays).

I've just purchased a used Deltec MC500, currently is soaking in vinegar, then will go through bleach for disinfection. This will replace my Tunze 9006 sitting directly in the display.

I'm planning to force the water coming in the overflow compartment through some Red Sea Max Nano socks prior to entering the filter. I'm still trying to figure out the size and shape of the acrylic tray that will come over the skimmer and rest on the baffles and support the filtration socks.

Stock wise, I'm planning to add next more CUC, mainly Mexican Turbos, but some scarlet reef hermit crabs. Both will come from my RSM130 and will be a healthy source of coralline algae and probably some GHA.

 

[um02122]

The only update is that the new skimmer is settling in nicely.

The Deltec MC500 fits in the RSM C250 nicely. No modifications are necessary.

I cannot compare with the stock as that one's pump failed promptly on me, but seems to add less heat to the system.

I can compare with the Tunze 9006. The skimmate is very different. I feel that once it skims all DOC, it stops foaming as much, definitely can handle more load than available.

The skimmate smells horrific. I would compare the smell with that of human excrements. After eating something very dodgy.

 

[um02122]

And a view with the whole setup, with some temporary elements: the RO water should be in the cabinet, the light will dissappear once the diy led light in the hood is finalised.

 

[um02122]

More work today and the temporary lights now support softies.

 

[Lance in Madison]

Hi, this is my first journal on R2R.
I've been in the hobby for six years and had some six-seven nano reefs.
This project is my largest to date.

The tank is a stock black RSM C250.
Cycling was oficially started once aquascape went wet, on the 31st of March 2019 - 22 days old.



At the moment, the dry rock and sand is cooking with temporary equipment (lights, skimmer, wave pumps to be replaced).

What did you wind up using for a replacement skimmer?

 

[um02122]

What did you wind up using for a replacement skimmer?

The only update is that the new skimmer is settling in nicely.

The Deltec MC500 fits in the RSM C250 nicely. No modifications are necessary.

I cannot compare with the stock as that one's pump failed promptly on me, but seems to add less heat to the system.

I can compare with the Tunze 9006. The skimmate is very different. I feel that once it skims all DOC, it stops foaming as much, definitely can handle more load than available.

The skimmate smells horrific. I would compare the smell with that of human excrements. After eating something very dodgy.

Deltec MC500

 

[Lance in Madison]

I've been struggling with finding a good skimmer for my RSM C250. I have the original skimmer that came with the tank but no pump for it. The OEM skimmer takes up a lot of room. I'm trying to run a HOB refugium at the moment. I ordered an AquaMaxx WS-1 today. I'm that leaves enough room to make a DIY fuge to put into the tank next to the skimmer. I'm also playing with putting both of the return pumps on timers and alternating cutting them off nights. Thoughts?

The original lights in mine are long gone. I've put in a Current Orbit Marine LED and added in 2 Eflux wave pumps.