Shaun's 2000 Litre (530 USG) Living Reef & Red Sea Max S 650 LED Design & Build

[GBRsouth]

How many kilometre drive to your place in Spain is it mate?

How did that old float valve manage to float with all the encrusting on it!

 

[SPR1968]

How many kilometre drive to your place in Spain is it mate?

How did that old float valve manage to float with all the encrusting on it!

It’s 1425 miles from door to door, Nottinghamshire UK to 45 mins south of Alicante, Spain.

We are using the Ferry across to France, stopping the first night just north of Le Mans, and then driving 7 ish hours along the west coast down through Bordeaux, and probably stopping for the second night at Pamplona in northern spain which leaves us about 6.30 hours to home in Spain.

Ive toured around the West/Middle of the USA about 8 times in RV’s so these distances probably arnt much compared with the US driving. I remember asking for directions once, and being told the place was just down the road…. About 1 hour later we were ‘nearly’ there! Lol

Oh and the float valve…. Well it worked, but was submerged most of the time, it’s a backup system.

 

[GBRsouth]

It’s 1425 miles from door to door, Nottinghamshire UK to 45 mins south of Alicante, Spain.

We are using the Ferry across to France, stopping the first night just north of Le Mans, and then driving 7 ish hours along the west coast down through Bordeaux, and probably stopping for the second night at Pamplona in northern spain which leaves us about 6.30 hours to home in Spain.

Ive toured around the West/Middle of the USA about 8 times in RV’s so these distances probably arnt much compared with the US driving. I remember asking for directions once, and being told the place was just down the road…. About 1 hour later we were ‘nearly’ there! Lol

Oh and the float valve…. Well it worked, but was submerged most of the time, it’s a backup system.

Yes, that's just down the street here. Oh and it's only a mile to go! A country mile!

 

[SPR1968]

Yes, that's just down the street here. Oh and it's only a mile to go! A country mile!

I know, I didn’t realise how big Australia was until a few years ago to be honest.

Im actually looking forward to going to Spain, I’m a little hesitant because of the 2 tanks, but their automated so short of a main pump failure, they should be ok. That’s why I’m changing both main return pumps ready so they’re nice and clean.

Ive done the battleground tour of France/Belgium a few years ago which was cool, Normandy etc and some of the First World War sites. It’s very humbling and they keep the cemeteries immaculate

 

[BaliReefBox]

Yes, that's just down the street here. Oh and it's only a mile to go! A country mile!

I thought we used to measure outback distances in how many tinnies it was! Thirsty work driving in the outback

 

[fishguy242]

It’s 1425 miles from door to door, Nottinghamshire UK to 45 mins south of Alicante, Spain.

We are using the Ferry across to France, stopping the first night just north of Le Mans, and then driving 7 ish hours along the west coast down through Bordeaux, and probably stopping for the second night at Pamplona in northern spain which leaves us about 6.30 hours to home in Spain.

Ive toured around the West/Middle of the USA about 8 times in RV’s so these distances probably arnt much compared with the US driving. I remember asking for directions once, and being told the place was just down the road…. About 1 hour later we were ‘nearly’ there! Lol

Oh and the float valve…. Well it worked, but was submerged most of the time, it’s a backup system.

WAIT A MIN, "WE" YOU actually took the MRS...

Safe travels ...
You ever make the middle US again, i'll have a place with a safe plug in and good food and a fire for ya!!...

 

[Doons32]

Very impressive

 

[GBRsouth]

I thought we used to measure outback distances in how many tinnies it was! Thirsty work driving in the outback

Don't give away all our secrets!!!

 

[SPR1968]

WAIT A MIN, "WE" YOU actually took the MRS...

Safe travels ...
You ever make the middle US again, i'll have a place with a safe plug in and good food and a fire for ya!!...

Yes she’s coming as well! Lol

And thank you for the offer, wait for the knocking on the door….

 

[SPR1968]

So again, after a year, it’s time to change the Abyss a200 in the big house, and other ‘chores’ that don’t really take long, but I don’t do very often because I’m a LAR!

Changed the pump, cleaned the skimmer, cleaned about 50 litres of Seachem matrix. This was a chore. The media bags had all split/broken so the matrix had spilled out a while ago. So I emptied it all out a week or so ago, but it started migrating towards the return chamber, which isn’t good if it gets sucked into the pump…..

Anyway, took it all out by hand, used 4 new large Seachem zip bags and back in. I did this before changing the pump to bring it back up to the filtration media, as you wouldn’t believe the amount of detritus that comes out. There is another 56 litres of matrix in the filter roll chamber that’s never been cleaned out so heaven knows what that will release!! Best I just leave it were it is…..

I added a refugium to the system a year or so ago, I wanted a funky purple light! Oh and the Twin tech calcium reactor was sold, and replaced with my own chemicals and standard dosing a while ago.

The refugium light was actually partially submerged for a while when I turned the return pump off, which was slightly worrying, so I decided it might be best to lower the water level in the sump by about 30 litres of water, just in case of power failure…. Was waiting for the bangs and fire when the power was turned back on!

 

[SPR1968]

The 2 pumps I removed each having been in place for just over 12 months, weren’t to dirty to be honest. The black one on the bottom left, is the standard Red Sea return.

The Abyss a200, hardy had any detritus at all in the impeller casing, and that’s after I cleaned loads of rubbish out of the sump through it just before replacing it. I suspect it could handle much longer between cleaning but no worth taking a chance (this year anyway! Lol). I have 2 of both these pumps, so the new ones are in and these are just soaking in citric acid/water for a few days.

 

[SPR1968]

We might have a ’nutrient spike’!

 

[GBRsouth]

We might have a ’nutrient spike’!

What did the Labrador do?

 

[SPR1968]

What did the Labrador do?

Nothing daddy…..!

 

[SPR1968]

As a clue to the ‘brown’ incident above, the X Filer 1.7 failed on the morning we left for a 3 week trip through France into Spain. I basically left it as it wasn’t a critical piece of equipment and we had a ferry to catch from Dover to Calais. Oh and it was 4am so I didn’t feel like it!

When we got back, after testing various bits, the filter would not work, I assume a faulty optical sensor or motor, but I had a spare so swapped them over.

Underneath the X Filter in the sump, are the primary amounts of Seachem matrix, I think there’s around 56 litres in total in the system, and most if it had been buried for 4 years, so it was ’ready’ I thought…..

So I removed it all, the seachem bags had basically disintegrated so I had to use a sieve (from the kitchen so don’t tell anyone!!) to get it all out, which was a pain due to the amount.

Anyway I washed it all in the sink and this is what some of it looked like, there was about half as much again not in the picture, so a lot

This was the state of the sump water when I started removing it

Anyway I felt it was time to feed the corals so for dramatic purposes….

It certainly tested the new X Filter 1.7, took around 8 hours to clear up, but all is well.

I actually tested the nutrient levels yesterday (about a month from when the above happened) for the first time in probably 12 months, nitrate was 25 and phosphate 0 which is fine (it wont really be 0), and very surprising….!

 

[SPR1968]

The S650 seems to have developed a slight leek, very minor, right at the top left hand corner (fortunately), I’ve put a line of CT1 sealant across it several times and will just have to keep an eye on it.

Its very minor at the moment so although not ideal it’s not a major concern.

I have considered shutting it down at some point and moving the fish to the large system, and I’ve sort of been thinking along the lines of as and when there is a failure such as new lights needed etc. It was set up in 2016 so nearly 8 years old.

Alternatively I might replace it with a new custom made one….

 

[GBRsouth]

The S650 seems to have developed a slight leek, very minor, right at the top left hand corner (fortunately), I’ve put a line of CT1 sealant across it several times and will just have to keep an eye on it.

Its very minor at the moment so although not ideal it’s not a major concern.

I have considered shutting it down at some point and moving the fish to the large system, and I’ve sort of been thinking along the lines of as and when there is a failure such as new lights needed etc. It was set up in 2016 so nearly 8 years old.

Alternatively I might replace it with a new custom made one….

Don't wait for that tank to fail mate! You don't want to face a clean up and building repair like that!

 

[SPR1968]

Don't wait for that tank to fail mate! You don't want to face a clean up and building repair like that!

It’s only very minor, hopefully I’ve sorted it, but in the event of getting worse I have the large system awaiting anyway.

If it was anywhere else, lower down for example, I would be more concerned, but it’s right at the highest point at the top of the tank and along the horizontal rather than vertical side seem part.

 

[SPR1968]

Here’s a little picture of the area, so fortunately it’s at the top.

 

[GBRsouth]

Here’s a little picture of the area, so fortunately it’s at the top.

The emporer looks quite concerned about it!