Red Sea MAX 250 – Our Ultimate Review

April 25, 2011 at 11:11 amCategory:Red Sea MAX 250 | Red Sea MAX 250 review

Product Information
Product Red Sea MAX 250
Seller
 Amazon (Petstore)
Ratings
Price $1,999.99 $1,700.08 (Click Here)
Warranty 1 year

What is the Red Sea MAX 250?

It’s a complete “Plug and Play” coral reef system by Red Sea. It’s the latest of the MAX aquariums. Compared to the other MAX coral reef systems, it’s bigger and many components have been upgraded to provide the best quality possible in order for aquarists to grow and maintain even the most delicate sps coral species. The components are adjustable and housed in an attractive aquarium.

In this detailed review, we go through the specs and give you the pros and cons of this product along with for whom exactly this aquarium is for in order for you to make an informed decision as to whether or not the Red Sea MAX 250 is for you.

 

So what’s included in the Red Sea MAX 250?

All the components work as part of a whole which guarantees compatibility and performance.

The Red Sea MAX 250 features:

 

4-stage reef filtration system that provides perfect water conditions:

(a) Adjustable height surface skimmer takes water from where the highest concentration of waste materials is found.

(b) Turbo air injection skimmer circulates the water volume through the skimmer more than 3x/hour at an air/water ratio of 1:3 (ideal skimming specs for a hard coral reef aquarium) + unique foam adjuster ensures that foam is produced in all water conditions.

Mechanical filtration removes the large organic substances while Phosphate-free active carbon acts as a big chemical sponge that absorbes dissolved organic carbons. Highly porous bio-media provides a large surface area for nitrifying bacteria.

(c) Additional equipment (chiller, external filter,…) can be added very simply with the accessory kit supplied.

 

MAX 250 filtration & circulation unit

1. Accessory Kit (inlet/outlet ports)
2. 1200 lph circulation pump with adjustable direction outlet
3. Compartment for accessory pump
4. Thermostat controlled heater
5. Mechanical filter sponge
6. Adjustable protein skimmer with a turbo aspiration pump
7. Highly porous ceramic biological filter media
8. Activated carbon chemical filter media
9. Cartridge for fine (water polishing) filter material
10. Sponge bubble trap
11. 2400 lph circulation pump with adjustable direction outlet

 

Lighting

  • 234W T5 linear (1 watt/ litre)
  • 117W 10,000K/117W Actinic
  • Electronic ballast
  • High polish textured aluminium reflector
  • 8 Blue LED moonlights
  • Fan-cooled hood for extended life of electronic components
  • High transparency, polished lens

 

Accessibility

Feeding, Aquascaping & Maintenance

 

Control

Hood control panel
24h programmable lighting timer with integral on/off/auto switch
on/off switch for moonlights

Main control panel
Conveniently positioned water-proof power switches for all aquarium components

Power center
5 individually switched power outlets with splash cover for all aquarium components.
Single power cord

 

Who is the Red Sea MAX 250 for?

As we told you earlier, this coral reef system has been developped to maintain even the most delicate stony (sps) corals. The components’ technology combined with the easy to reach controls make the whole system perfect for advanced hobbyists.

What about the beginners and average aquarists then? To us, the beauty of it is precisely its accessible technology. Even though the “complexity” of the system can scare beginners when they first hear about this aquarium, it’s actually also designed for them! It removes the guesswork so you don’t need to put together a system yourself by selecting and installing different components. They did the hard work.

At first, we had a hard time accepting the fact that the Red Sea MAX 250 was for basically any aquarist. Sounded like “easy” marketing. But we have to admit, the Red Sea approach is all about making the technical part easy to let you enjoy the beauty and fun of owning and maintaining your own coral reef.

No wonder they call it “Plug and Play”. Because that’s what it is. And we do appreciate the Starter Kit. It won’t be of a great use to advanced aquarists but beginners will be thrilled as they’ll be able to turn their MAX 250 into a fully functional reef aquarium.  Here’s what’s included in the starter kit:

  • Coral Pro Salt (12 kg / 360 liters, 26.4 lb / 95 gal)
  • Hydrometer with built-in thermometer
  • NitroBac bio starter (100 ml / 3.4 fl oz)
  • Marine Lab master test lab
  • Magnesium test lab (30 tests)
  • Success Coral Buff (100 ml / 3.4 fl oz)
  • Success Calcium (100 ml / 3.4 fl oz)
  • Success Magnesium (100 ml / 3.4 fl oz)

Advanced aquarists and beginners will be satisfied by this aquarium for different reasons as it provides very high quality components AND easiness of installation and maintenance.

 

Pros

  • Easy to reach controls
  • Removes the guess work
  • Starter Kit included
  • Easy to maintain
  • High quality components (major upgrades)
  • Adjustable components
  • Accessory kit (to add components)
  • Large aquarium
  • No pumps or cords visible (hidden in the cabinet)
  • Available in several colors to match any interior

 

Cons

  • A little noisy when all the components are on at the same time.

 

Bottom line

We love it! It’s a really high quality product. The exterior is as stunning as the components and the easiness of the maintenance of this system is extremely appreciable. We had high expectations and are not disappointed. Red Sea really did come up with a wonderful product. It does have it all and will satisfy the most demanding advanced aquarists as much as the beginners who want the best coral reef system without spending hours searching for the right components. It is worth the price.

We recommend buying this aquarium on Amazon as you get a 15% discount ($300). The seller is Petstore. They are the #1 provider of pet products . You can select the 6-Month Financing Offer (no interest if paid in full within 6 months). Also, the starter kit is included (worth $99).

-> Check out the Red Sea MAX 250 on Amazon!

 

Red Sea MAX 250 Review – Overview & First Impression

April 22, 2011 at 11:00 amCategory:Red Sea MAX 250 review

red sea max 250 silver imageRed Sea strikes again! After the very good Red Sea MAX 130 and 130D, we welcome the Red Sea MAX 250 Plug and Play. This saltwater aquarium is a complete coral reef system. It’s all about compatibility and performance. It’s not only bigger than the previous Red Sea MAX aquariums, it also has several upgrades:

  • The turbo injected protein skimmer has a foam adjustment feature now. It makes it even easier to use over a wide range of water conditions.
  • The improvement of the filtration system ensures less water flow restrictions. The surface skimmer is adjustable. It pulls water from the top of the aquarium so that maintenance is reduced and water flows more easily through the filter (less air bubble release). New biological media, media bags and foam filter.
  • A fittings accessory kit makes it easy to add external components.
  • A high quality timer controls the Reef Spec lighting of 4watts per gallon. It consists of 6 39w T5 Linear Power Compact lamps that give 234 watts output.
  • An additional fan is included for better cooling during hot periods.

We’re sure you want to hear some more technical stuff about the Red Sea MAX 250 so here’s a quick list of the specs!

  • Tank dimensions of 38″ x 21″ x 26.2″
  • Cabinet dimensions of 38″ x 21″ x 32″
  • Total water volume: 65 gallons
  • Tank water volume: 60 gallons
  • Filter volume: 5 gallons
  • One 320 gph circulation pump
  • One 640 gph circulation pump
  • Skimmer throughput: 240 gph
  • Heater: 200w
  • Glass thickness: 0.4″
  • Lighting fixture: 3 x 39 watt 10,000 k T5 power compacts / 3 x 39 watt actinic T5 power compacts
  • 8 Blue LED lights
  • Analog lighting timer
  • 5 outlet power center

 

Visually? It’s clean. So clean. No pumps nor cords visible. It’s all hidden in the cabinet. And to match your interior, you can choose the black or silver version. It’s really visually stunning.

The Red Sea MAX 250 is a perfect saltwater aquarium for the advanced aquarists because the level of quality of its components will definitely satisfy even the more demanding hobbyist. It has been especially designed to grow even the most delicate corals like the SPS.

Can this aquarium scare beginners?

If you don’t know Red Sea products, we guess it can be scary but the highly appreciable thing about this Red Sea aquarium is that it’s made for advanced aquarists AND beginners. It absolutely removes the guesswork and it’s so easy to maintain. The goal of this company is to provide complete aquariums that are easy to install. That’s why this aquarium is called “Red Sea MAX 250 Plug & Play” and a starter kit is provided. If you’re passionate, no matter how advanced you are, this aquarium will highly satisfy you.

So, is there something wrong about it?

Honestly, it’s hard to point out the bad aspects of the Red Sea MAX 250 simply because there are almost none. It’s a little noisy. There, we said it. But, to be fair, only the aquarists who never owned such aquariums notice it as being a “bad” point.  This technology is indeed a bit noisy but all the components don’t need to run at the same time all the time. To us, it’s not a real downside at all. We’re really talking about a very high quality product here and the simplicity of it makes it even more remarquable as any aquarist can own one.

Is it pricey?

Yes, it’s an expensive product. But what does expensive mean, right? For what it is, it’s honestly a fair price. If we were to put a price tag on quality, compatibility, performance, beautiful design, easy installation and maintenance, we wouldn’t change the price (but we don’t say no to 15% off ).

The Red Sea MAX 250 really has satisfied us and the majority of the aquarists who bought it.

Rating:

Saltwater Aquarium – 5 “Easy” Corals

April 20, 2011 at 5:00 amCategory:Saltwater Aquarium

coral imageHaving your own coral reef is a dream shared by many aquarists. For a long time, it used to be very difficult to grow and maintain coral reefs in aquariums because of the lack of knowledge about them and their needs to survive in a saltwater aquarium.

A coral reef system is complex and requires the right components and proper maintenance. The good thing is that even though some corals are still very difficult to grow and maintain, a wide range of corals are now easy to grow even for beginners.

If you’re a beginner or average aquarist, when picking corals for your saltwater aquarium, you might want to go with soft corals because they are easier to take care of.

Below are 5 different types of soft corals:

Cladiella Corals: Cauliflower, Finger Leather and Colt Coral. They adapt very well and do best with moderate lightening and water movement.

Palythoa Corals: Button Polyps and Sea Mat. Can grow very fast under bright lightening (might overgrow your other corals). Prefer rapid water movement. Warning: Handle them with gloves to protect yourself from their toxin (the palytoxin).

Sarcophyton Corals: Leather, Mushroom Leather, Toadstool, Toadstool Mushroom and Trough Coral. Adapt to all lightening levels. Moderate water movement is prefered to prevent parasites on their surface.

Discosoma Corals: Disc Anemones, Mushroom and Mushroom Corals. Low light is preferable. Active feeders (small fishes but also detritus and uneaten food).

Zoanthus Corals: Button Polyps, Zoanthid and Sea Mat. Bright light is prefered as they feed on zooxanthellae along with algae, D.O.C.’s and bacteria. Warning: Use gloves to handle them (because of the palytoxin).

As you see, many different corals can grow in your saltwater aquarium. This is just a short selection so what you have to do is research the specific needs of the different corals you’re interested in and make sure they can grow in the same aquarium. With the right light, water movement and nutriments, you’ll have a beautiful coral reef system! Feel free to check out this wikipedia list of marine aquarium fish species.

As for the saltwater aquarium, we recommend Red Sea aquariums of course, and more specifically the Red Sea MAX 250 because of its high quality and the fact that this system has all the components needed (+ a starter kit) which makes the installation effortless.

Red Sea MAX 250 – An Introduction

April 18, 2011 at 4:39 pmCategory:Red Sea MAX 250

What is the Red Sea MAX 250?

It’s a complete coral reef system by Red Sea. The “250″ designates its volume which is 250 liters (around 66 gallons). All the components have been designed to work together within this system to provide the perfect environment for your corals to be healthy. These components cover the filtration, protein skimming, circulation and lighting.

It allows you to maintain even the most delicate corals (SPS) as it’s the most advanced highly specified coral reef system developped in the Red Sea laboratories. Indeed, compared to the other Red Sea aquariums, many components have been upgraded for the Red Sea MAX 250.  Below are the enhanced features:

  • Increased performance protein skimmer
  • New Surface skimmer overflow box
  • Full 3 stage hood opening Higher PAR Lighting
  • Deeper trim
  • Filter water level indicator
  • Cooling fan supplied as standard
  • Accessory Kit

The quality of the components of this Red Sea aquarium isn’t the only thing that makes it stand out. Indeed, the size of the aquarium itself is very appreciable along with the cabinet (available in black and silver) that matches up any interior. Below are the dimensions and weight of this aquarium along with the main features.

Dimensions: 48 x 40 x 40 inches

Weight: 337 pounds

Product Features:

  • 234W T5 linear (1 watt/ litre)
  • 117W 10,000K/117W Actinic
  • Electronic Ballast
  • High polish textured aluminum reflector
  • 8 Blue LED moonlights

 

For whom is it?

The complete name of this system is the Red Sea MAX 250 Plug & Play and that’s exactly what it is. Plug and Play. Which means that no technical skills or prior advanced knowledge are required to have this coral reed system. Indeed, there are 2 reasons why this system is suited for beginners and advanced aquarists. This system has it all. You don’t need to put a system together yourself by having to find all the components necessary to create the perfect environment for your corals. They did the hard work! And the quality of each component will satisfy even the most demanding aquarists.

Also, included in this coral reef system is a starter kit which includes:

  • 26 lbs of salt mix
  • A Hydrometer
  • Calcium and magnesium supplements
  • Coral buff
  • Marine Lab master test kit with: Calcium test, Alkanlinity test, Magnesium test
  • Nitro Bac bio starter

The goal of Red Sea with the Red Sea Max 250 is to “give aquarists the opportunity to focus on the joy and beauty of the hobby rather than on the component selection and  installation“.

 

Why should you buy a Red Sea product?

Red Sea is a market-leader in the development of coral reef systems and accessories and has won several prices:

  • Best Marine Product 2008 PFK, UK
  • Gold trophy ExpozooParis 2007
  • Best New Aquatic product Glee 2006, UK
  • Best New Product Aquaria PetExpo 2006, Australia

 

Where should you buy the Red Sea MAX 250?

We recommend buying it on Amazon (the seller is Petstore) through this link as you get a 15% discount! Also, the black and silver versions are available.