Red Sea 400 build my first large tank! Need some advice.

chriscoral · Feb 18, 2024

Hey guys, not exactly a beginner but I scored a used Red Sea 400 with every thing but the lights (for free) and need some advice. It’s been fully dismantled. Has some dried sponges and other stuff stuck in over flow. Was told to soak it in vinegar, do I dilute it first ? Or is there any other options? Also wondering what kind of lighting would be sufficient for some softie corals. I have a nicrew 100 watt and one one AI prime 16hd. Wondering if 2 nicrew 100s would do or would have to go the more expensive option of another AI prime. Any and all advice on how to get started on this new project is appreciated!!
Tank won’t be staying in the window literally just moved it into my place lol
Thanks, Chris.

Ron Reefman · Feb 18, 2024

Is the sponge a filter sponge? Or something that has grown back there?

Vinegar works very well on anything that has calcium in it, like stony corals, coraline algae and more. I've also bought a gallon of muriatic acid from the hardware store and a 10:1 mix (water : acid) is about the same as vinegar. I've used it mixed at 7:1 to clean some more serious problems. In the long run, it's cheaper than buying lots of vinegar and the acid sits harmlessly on the shelf in the garage for years!

chriscoral · Feb 18, 2024

Idk it’s looks like it grew there. Here are some pictures. If I go with vinegar do I need to dilute it ?

Ron Reefman · Feb 19, 2024

chriscoral said:
Idk it’s looks like it grew there. Here are some pictures. If I go with vinegar do I need to dilute it ?

No, vinegar is about as weak as you'll ever need.

I used to use vinegar all the time. Then I got some muriatic acid and found that a 10:1 solution of water to acid was about the same. I found that one gallon of muriatic acid was the equivalent of ten gallons of vinegar, but way less expensive. And when I need it, I can make it stronger.

chriscoral · Feb 19, 2024

Ron Reefman said:
No, vinegar is about as weak as you'll ever need.

I used to use vinegar all the time. Then I got some muriatic acid and found that a 10:1 solution of water to acid was about the same. I found that one gallon of muriatic acid was the equivalent of ten gallons of vinegar, but way less expensive. And when I need it, I can make it stronger.

Cool! I couldn’t find muriatic acid, so I just used vinegar, was able to get pretty much everything off except for some of the stuff stuck to the overflow grill. I noticed there is a tank under the overflow box, I’m guessing that’s for a top up system? I have a float valve can I just use that in the sump? Sumps are totally new to me I have done some research but there is so much info on what to put in there. Don’t know what to use