Who has one or has seen 1 set up? I am thinking about getting 1, but want some opinions first. I have never liked being a guinea pig.:o

theres always a first time for everything =) but that is totally out of my range..600 bucks!! the aquamedic nano wave is cool too like that red sea

GrandeGixxer,

:welcome: to TR.

Thanks, my original plan got scrapped due to limited funding, so I think I am going to go with the Max, I wish it had true T5 lghting with individual reflectors. It seems like every one of these all in 1 tanks are nice, but they all miss the mark in 1 place or another. I have been out of reefing for about 4 years and when I left, I never really liked the PC lights. Their actinics are just junk! Under the 110w of PC in the Max, I am not sure if I could keep any SPS or clams, which is mostly what I want to keep. I have attached the file to my original plan which was going to be made out of Starphire glass.

ohh well that doesnt look all that expensive...that MAX tank is like 500 or 600 bucks right?

ohh well that doesnt look all that expensive...that MAX tank is like 500 or 600 bucks right?

The MAX is $600. For me to do my custom project, I would spend over $1,000 before I even put water in it. One of these days I will do something better. For now, I guess the MAX will have to suffuce. Hopefully there is a way to do a 4x24 T5 retro in it.

iono. just my own opinion. i like to put things together myself. i always end up spending more but i like to be able to personalize things. just like how i built my pc.. dang over 2 grands. but hey it lasts long and up till this date, i dun even feel the need to replace it...

I like to DIY also, but when on a budget, you gotta make do. think the MAX looks really nice. I just wish it had T5 lights with individual reflectors. Hopefully they will fit in there without too much hacking.

I have one of these tanks
Had it just over a week now only think is one of the circulation pumps was not working and getting a new one was difficult they are the SP 980 models.
The circulation is good, and the protein skimmer has been hard at work since switch on.
The lighting is great my Friend has had one of these for a while and has clams in it that are doing great, some sound can be heard from the cooling fans but you get used to it after a while.I will post some pictures of my tank when the brown diatom bloom has disipated off the glass.
All in all in my opinon its a great system doesn't take up much space, nice and stylish to look at worth every penny.

I was not impressed with it. I'm still amazed that a panel of reefers and tank building people can't get it together to put out a superior product. No offense to any all-in-one people (I have 2 of them) but Geesh!

So, let's start.

The box states the lighting is T5, not the PCs that are inside! That should have been fixed before they released the product and shows a lack of attention to detail... a quality one does not look for when looking to buy a tank.

Why the heck is everything in the back visible! Is there a need of a see-though smoke colored back. Ew... ugly.... I don't need to be seeing media or heater in the back of my tank.

There is two pumps running this thing then why could they not put them on each side of the tank!!! Both the outlets are right next to each other and the overflow is on the other side.

No separate light switch so you can do dusk/dawn effects. It's All on, All off.... didn't the other cubes address and fix this eons ago? They need to keep up with the times and learn from others mistakes.

It's great that a skimmer is included... I guess. When is the last time you saw a thread where someone was looking for a skimmer recommendation and a responder said "Oh Ya!! Get a Red Sea... they are awesome!". So ya, there is a skimmer but it's not one most would actually buy to put in their tank if they had the choice.

And what's with the testing center being on the lid of the tank? I don't like that idea at all. None of those chemicals should be sitting on top of your tank ... that is just totally ridiculous and is irresponsible to be encouraging the practice by the presence of that design.

And funny it only "holds" their swing arm dealy on the lid.

We were looking to buy one if we liked what we saw. Greg needs an office tank and on paper it looked great. In person.... well let's just say we walked away. Not worth it at all.

I like the hinges to the lid.

I The lighting is great my Friend has had one of these for a while and has clams in it that are doing great

How long has your friend had it and what kind of clams? I assume it was released in the UK before it was released here.

He has had it since the beginning of january it was cheaper for him to export it from germany than it was to buy here in the uk.
He had to get rid of his other System and all the water and media he had from that got transferred into the RSM.
The clams he has in it are 1x Hippopus clam and 1x Crocea clam.
and Seahorsedreams the lighting i have in the system are 2 x 55 watt T5 power compacts, it does state that they are PCs on their website i think

On the boxes here it states T5s but inside they are PCs.

Hmmmm very Odd
I have just looked on the website and it does say they are T5 compacts
it also says it on my box too.
Maybe they changed the packaging slighty for the UK Market.
The system was available in the US before it was here in the UK.
Looking at some retailers websites for the US some have had it since November and December.

uhh T5 PCs?? whats that? isnt there a difference there? cause wouldnt 110 watts of T5 have a much higher out put than 110 of PC lighting?

1323Heres A picture of the lights you get

actually.. technically speaking.. T5's are a "type" of power compact
what the T5 refers to is only the diameter of the glass tube, nothing more

ohh okay that was my mistake. i guess i shoulda said T5 HO right. ahh lights are so confusing. but is 110 watts of PCs enough for those clams?

T5HO is still a "type" of power compact, the HO simply means that for the same size bulb they are giving it more juice (and getting more out of it)

now will that support a clam?
well im not 100% sure, because they are bright, and very close to the water surface, if you put the clam in the right position it might work, but dont take my word, i have never tried

This is the pic in their advertisement of what they say is in their tank.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y248/seahorsedreams/aquariums_red_sea_max_reef_lighting.jpg

That is not what is in the tank.

Rob is correct, T5 actually refers to the diameter of the tube.

that being said, the T5's that are called T5's are double-ended, which means they are a tube with electrodes on both ends (double-ended). PC's are single-ended as shown in the photo posted by Texone.

the issues that PC's have is excessive restrike, and a bit more heat generation than T5's.

as for the clams, the hippopus will do fine on the sandbed, but as Rob sez, the crocea will need to be as high up in the rockwork as possible to really have a chance at doing well.

Thats the lights i have in my tank there is no bend at the end like some PCs it just cuts off so it looks like there are 2 tubes on one fitting rather than one.

That's not what they looked like here....

yeah im pretty noob... i was just referring to the double ended ones.. but the double ended t5s do have more out put that the single ended PC version right

no, a 55w T5 light puts out 55w of light.. if its a single end or not doesn't matter (being that all else is equal)

the thing with the single ended T5's and really with T5's in general is they are much thinner. this allows you to pack more in a smaller space.

it also allows you to better wrap a reflector around the single bulb, this means less light is wasted and more makes it into your tank. something you cant do with this type of T5 light ( in this unit)

so does it have more output? no
can you use more of the light? potentially, yes

hahah wait so the reason why 156 watts of T5 HO double ended bulbs is better than my 196 watts of PCs is because of the reflector? i thought the T5 HO had more output for less wattage so it would save electricity but not from the reflector..

I know one of my clients is interested in one of those units and I am trying to deside if its actually worth while or not

in a round about way, yes.
you can "harness" more light from it.. or i guess you could say more light is "usable"

so if you had a 55W T5 and a 55W standard PC the output is the same, but the amount of light you can use and focus to the tank is more based on the design of the T5 bulb and its reflector

I know one of my clients is interested in one of those units and I am trying to deside if its actually worth while or not
if you are talking about the Red Sea unit, im working on getting on in to do a review on, but so far no response from the company

ohh wow..thanks rob! i was sitting here thinking that the T5 HOs had more light intensity..like a MH...so would that mean that my 196 watts of PCs would be better than 4x39watts T5 HOs?..sorry i ask a lot of questions

if you are talking about the Red Sea unit, im working on getting on in to do a review on, but so far no response from the company

Getting one in where?

Let me know what you come up with

We were seriously going to buy one until we eyeballed it up close and personal.

But of course this is just my opinion.... maybe some people like to see there heater and media in the back of the tank and love to scare their fish with "full-on" lights in the morning ..... just joshin'.

no, a 55w T5 light puts out 55w of light..

Watts is a measure of power dissipation [voltage x current (amps)]. power dissipation also translates to the amount of heat produced via resistive (IE2R) heating. for instance, a 55W incandescent bulb dissipates the same amount of power (Watts) as a 55W PC lamp, but produces fewer lumens per watt, and is therefore, more efficient.

lumens or PAR are what counts.

just keeping it straight... ;)

Getting one in where?

my house...lol. trying to get a demo unit or something in to actually review it

Watts is a measure of power dissipation [voltage x current (amps)]. power dissipation also translates to the amount of heat produced via resistive (IE2R) heating. for instance, a 55W incandescent bulb dissipates the same amount of power (Watts) as a 55W PC lamp, but produces fewer lumens per watt, and is therefore, more efficient.

lumens or PAR are what counts.

just keeping it straight... ;)
yes, sorry, i supposed i went to far on the generalization..
thanks for keeping me straight

yes, sorry, i supposed i went to far on the generalization..
thanks for keeping me straight

i saw your eyes glaze over, your Rob-ness...

sometimes it sux to be an engineer...ask Renee...she has to live with me! :tongue2:

hahah well i just want to know the cheapest and/or most energy efficient way to get the most light. like i want to get a clam and i wanna know i guess the most energy efficient way

it depends on the clam...maxima ultras and croceas should really be kept under MH lighting. derasa, squamosa, and hippopus can be kept under PC's. you could even get away with a gold maxima with PC's if it is placed in the upper half of the rockwork.

ok well is 156 watts of T5 better than my 196 watts of PCs? like will my corals grow faster like..is the light stronger haha i know im really making a big deal about this, but i want to get more light for less watts. or at least the same light. because i saw someone said i didnt need to upgrade to MHs and if anything i should upgrade to T5 HOs..

your lighting is fine as-is if you don't keep a crocea or colored maxima.

if you're planning to keep one of these, then you should put as much light as you can over the tank, and keep the clam in the upper 1/4 of the tank directly under the lights.

uhh well 4x39 watt T5HOs the double ended version, would be just as good as my PCs i currently have then. because id like to save energy.=) thanks for your time. i ask a lot of questions

Rob keep us posted on the status of the demo unit if you can get one and review it. I have been looking at putting one of these in at my firehouse and it seems like a great all-in-one. Renee makes some good points about the unit and up until now all I have seen is the website and some adds.

Great idea for a future podcast.

Anyone have any suggestions for large scale (125+) all-in-one? Does such a thing exist? Renee maybe you can build me one ;)

Can you imagine the crazy tank we all would build if we sat on the panel for an all-in-one!!

I would build one with a built-in panel squeegee think to wipe over the tank a couple of times a day to get rid of the film algae.

they need to create a roomba vacuum cleaner for reefs to clean algae and other junk in the tank

Mark, maybe you could mod one of those swimming pool vacuum cleaners. :)

I have kept Maxima clams at the bottom of a tank under PC lighting. It is not the type of lighting, but the quality and how deep it penetrates. I had 4x96 10k with 2 4 foot VHO on my 72 bow and had 8 different clams in it. SPS was no problem either. If you have enough of them, it is not an issue. HTH, Joe.

Hi Guys,
I have my RSM now for about 2 months and quite happy with it.
There are pro and contra for this tank for sure.
I see this tank as a great "beginner" tank who have not very much knowledge yet and need a easy setup tank. It looks very nice and clean and easy to maintain.
Have a look at my pictures and if you have any questions please let me know.

My Pictures (http://web.mac.com/michaeldekort/iWeb/RedSeaMAX/2%20Months.html)

Michael

Hi Michael,

:welcome: to TR. Your tank looks very nice.

(You might want to hold off adding anything more for a while. You have a lot for a tank that is only a couple of months old.)

if you measure, you would notice that the vast majority of the PC lamps that are used in our hobby are of a T5 size, they just aren't advertised as T5. It was just a clever marketing ploy designed to entice the noob into believing they were getting better lights. They are normal, plain old PC lights, just like every other one out there. Real T5s are not power compact, rather they're regular flourescent bulbs. It's like the difference between a compact flourescent light bulb you screw into a normal light socket as compared to a normal flourescent tube light