- Location
- Wappingers Falls NY
Does anyone one have either of these tanks? How are they?
RED SEA MAX or SOLANA
- Thread starter OneTimer
- Start date
Solace Aquatics LLC
Advanced Reefer
- Location
- Charleston, SC
- Location
- Bethpage,NY
Happy with the Red Sea Max.It's totally your decision.Don't let us sway you to make your tank purchase.Should of waited for the 250(65g)
- Location
- Yonkers
Love my RSM
Both systems have their +/-'s so good luck with picking. One thing is for sure... mods will be required lol.
1. First thing you want to consider is design taste. These tanks are made for people who really care about decor and simplicity... that's obvious.
2. How much do you do maintenance... the Red Sea Max I can tell you first hand was a PITA to do maintenance because of the back chambers being so high up. like it was hard to reach down and there's no ATO (Solana has a small little bottle for that).
There are plenty of mods available on both tanks but the definite upgrade would be the skimmer to a Tunze DOC 9002. The next upgrade I would think would be an LED light/retrofit or some sort. The tanks are small enough and the cost of a DIY wouldn't be too bad.
I would get the Solana for the same reasons as Solace above... and because it's rimless and I love the rimless look.
1. First thing you want to consider is design taste. These tanks are made for people who really care about decor and simplicity... that's obvious.
2. How much do you do maintenance... the Red Sea Max I can tell you first hand was a PITA to do maintenance because of the back chambers being so high up. like it was hard to reach down and there's no ATO (Solana has a small little bottle for that).
There are plenty of mods available on both tanks but the definite upgrade would be the skimmer to a Tunze DOC 9002. The next upgrade I would think would be an LED light/retrofit or some sort. The tanks are small enough and the cost of a DIY wouldn't be too bad.
I would get the Solana for the same reasons as Solace above... and because it's rimless and I love the rimless look.
- Location
- Bethpage,NY
InTank has the mods I needed like the media basket and the custom Tunze 9002 cup.Top offs are far and few being that it's a closed system and less evaporation.To each it's own.
- Location
- NJ
i personally own a solana.
incredible system. the stock skimmer is still doing me justice after 5 months
just a few pointers though.
u will need a good powerhead (most people say the mp10 is perfect for the tank)
ota is a must. the two little bottles have to be filled everyday under MHs
buying the solana/ MHs / a mp10 /
would equal to the red sea
btw
http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=202499
if u wanna check out solana owners tanks
incredible system. the stock skimmer is still doing me justice after 5 months
just a few pointers though.
u will need a good powerhead (most people say the mp10 is perfect for the tank)
ota is a must. the two little bottles have to be filled everyday under MHs
buying the solana/ MHs / a mp10 /
would equal to the red sea
btw
http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=202499
if u wanna check out solana owners tanks
Last edited:
- Location
- Wappingers Falls NY
Solana it is- now I am excited again- god I love this hobby - thanks for you help
Check out my tank thread. The tank for the most part needs no modding but I changed out the stock skimmer with the tunze 9002, added an MP10 and got rid of all of the bio balls and pads in the back and made a small fuge back there. I broke everything down in the thread. StevieT is a great supplier of nano tank mods and if you decide to go with the mp20 instead of the mp10 I may have a dry dock for the mp20 somewhere for the mp20 if you elect to position it as I have.
- Location
- Wappingers Falls NY
Excellent tank- looks incredible - I love the idea of the fuge in the compartment- How many LBS of LR and LS did you use? I love the fish selection any problem with the bioload?
- Location
- Wappingers Falls NY
cool thanks
I hate being the lone voice of dissent (actually i kinda like it 
) but i had a solana and i didn't really like the tank. my gripes with it were the following...
- the glass is really thin on the solana. it didnt break on me, but i was always nervous about it. the rsm (which i have never owned) had much thicker glass.
- the build quality on the solana i had was pretty crappy. the edges werent perfectly aligned, and the silicone was kind of sloppy in some places.
- the thing was loud. it was louder than then rsm's that i have seen running.
- the edges of the rear compartment on the solana are angled like half a hexagon, rather than a flat back. you cant fit a mag float into the back edges to clean it. really a pain in the ass.
- the stock skimmer was pretty crappy.
- rimless is cool, but i was always wiping the top to keep it clean, and water was always dribbling down the front whenever i worked on the top.
having said all that, i dont think i would get a rsm either. if i was to do it all over again, i would really look into an oceanic 30 cube. you can run anything you want on it, (aquac, tunze reefpack, etc) and can easily drill it to add a sump if you wanted. you will also have more usable area in it vs. the solana, which was pretty narrow front to back given its height.
that said, chief has a rockin' tank and so do a few others who run solanas. just price it out, and think about what you might want to upgrade/change in the future.
) but i had a solana and i didn't really like the tank. my gripes with it were the following...- the glass is really thin on the solana. it didnt break on me, but i was always nervous about it. the rsm (which i have never owned) had much thicker glass.
- the build quality on the solana i had was pretty crappy. the edges werent perfectly aligned, and the silicone was kind of sloppy in some places.
- the thing was loud. it was louder than then rsm's that i have seen running.
- the edges of the rear compartment on the solana are angled like half a hexagon, rather than a flat back. you cant fit a mag float into the back edges to clean it. really a pain in the ass.
- the stock skimmer was pretty crappy.
- rimless is cool, but i was always wiping the top to keep it clean, and water was always dribbling down the front whenever i worked on the top.
having said all that, i dont think i would get a rsm either. if i was to do it all over again, i would really look into an oceanic 30 cube. you can run anything you want on it, (aquac, tunze reefpack, etc) and can easily drill it to add a sump if you wanted. you will also have more usable area in it vs. the solana, which was pretty narrow front to back given its height.
that said, chief has a rockin' tank and so do a few others who run solanas. just price it out, and think about what you might want to upgrade/change in the future.
- Location
- Wappingers Falls NY
Thanks for the advice- I am actually downgrading and looking for simplicity- I started with a 14 gal bio cube and love it no problems. I think I like your suggestion of the noise factor the hooded cubes are extremely quiet- I have a tendency not to overstock and keep it simple- I am going out now to look at them both- I have a great deal on a Solana and want to check out the competition.
- Location
- Yonkers
Check out my update on my RSM - Upgraded MH
http://www.manhattanreefs.com/forum/tank-threads/61461-34g-red-sea-max-2.html
reason i went with my RSM was excatly that - no worries - for the most part my tank is all automated
http://www.manhattanreefs.com/forum/tank-threads/61461-34g-red-sea-max-2.html
reason i went with my RSM was excatly that - no worries - for the most part my tank is all automated
Sponsor Reefs
We're a FREE website, and we exist because of hobbyists like YOU who help us run this community.
Click here to sponsor $10:
