Red Sea Max-E 260 Build

[RAS2REEFER]

Posted on the new member forum a few weeks back, so I figured i'd follow that up with my build thread! This is my first Saltwater Aquarium, super excited since I currently work in the Aquaculture Industry. Never wanted to "take my work home with me" but I am no longer working directly with animals (more construction and engineering) so the time was right!

Tank: Red Sea Max-E 260 (no sump option yet)
Reefwave 25 pump
Reefdose 2 dosing pump
Aquael 150w heater
Hydros 4 control pack

Tank Arrived in perfect shape!

All of the fun stuff arrived the night before!

Got the stand built, super solid!

Got the tank in place

Current state after 8 days of cycling/running

Just flipped the lights on for a second (tank is cycling currently so no lights!)

Currently cycling the tank with Dr Tim's fishless cycle. Not in any hurry and it appears that I am not going to make the day 9 "add fish" mark based on the current parameters, which is fine! Was wondering if I should get a bit of Live Rock from my LFS while still cycling?

 

[Ron Reefman]

Nice!

 

[RAS2REEFER]

Quick 1 Month update! Tank is cycled, currently at 6 weeks post fill, have some livestock in it and its going great so far! (famous last words i know!)

Current Parameters:
Temp: 77.2-78 (using cooling fans more than I thought, but keeping temperature in range without issue!)
pH: 7.9-8.05 (seeing a slight swing between day/night, not unexpected)
Ammonia: <0.1
NO2: <.05
NO3: <2
Water Changes: 10-15% weekly since first stocking (last 2 weeks)

Miscellaneous: I had crazy whitish bacterial blooms after the first stocking from my LFS (2 clowns). I currently added a 24W GKM UV into the rear sump and just have it running on a timer for 2 hours a day. After second stocking water stayed crystal clear!

Currently have 2 Clowns, 1 Chalk Bass, a Torch Frag (doing great!) and a Zoa Frag (doing "ok") may add a Royal Gramma in a few weeks...

 

[parclife]

Looking awesome! All the best with the journey

 

[RAS2REEFER]

Quick 4 month update! Tank is doing great so far!

Current inhabitants:

Corals: Torch, Xenia, Acan, Frogspawn, GSP, Zoa, 1 Pipe Organ

Misc: 4 Rock Flower Anemones, 1 cleaner shrimp, 1 tiny horseshoe crab (nickel sized)

Fish: 2 Ocellaris, 1 Chalk Bass, 1 Casino fish (Small Tooth Whiptail), 1 Convict tank, 1 One-Spot Foxface, 1 Longnose Hawk

Finally having the first real "Bloom" but just siphoning sand, doing weekly water changes and keeping an eye on parameters...don't think I am going to do any manual cleaning of the rock unless it doesnt resolve in the next month?

 

[RAS2REEFER]

6 month update with some better photos! Tank is doing great. currently just adding corals pretty much weekly! bit of an ugly phase with some cyano and hair algae but trying to just ride it out and see if things settle down in the next few months!

 

[Gumbies R Us]

6 month update with some better photos! Tank is doing great. currently just adding corals pretty much weekly! bit of an ugly phase with some cyano and hair algae but trying to just ride it out and see if things settle down in the next few months!

Great looking progress!!

 

[RAS2REEFER]

10 month update! Been battling GHA for the last 4 months, lots of CUC, water changes...just started flux and also getting a GFO+Carbon setup in the next 2-3 weeks. overall really happy with the progress of the tank!

 

[RAS2REEFER]

14 months!