Red Sea Max Durability

[scottk]

I've been seriously considering a Red Sea Max 250 lately, but am worried about long term (5 years+) durability of the plastic pieces that abound on this system. Salt and intense lighting seem to make mincemeat out of other plastics over long time periods........

How do these parts hold up over long periods?

[Dlhirst]

Scott, I have only had my 130D for a little over six months. So, I can't speak to "five years" out. But, I have no concern for the longevity of the plastics - at least as far as salt and heat are concerned.

The parts seem to be polystyrene, or possibly ABS. Either is a reasonable commercial grade plastic Unless you add lighting to this tank (which would be difficult kitbashing kind of work), there should not be the kind of heat buildup that would effect it. Get the black plastic, and you will spend two minutes every week wiping off the salt crust too. I don't really think that the salt will effect the plastics. Certainly not in a five year window.
What you do need to worry about are fans, and pumps, etc. When the lights kick on in my six month old tank, the fan makes a horrid noise, for about 15 seconds, then it settles into a very quite hum. Some day, I guess it will fail. I did invest in a replacement fan, heater, and pump. They are very reasonably priced, so I have them on hand - just in case!
If it means anything, I am already pondering an upgrade to a Max250. So, apparently, I am pleased with what I got. Good luck!

[ddwbeagles]

RSM 130D owner for 2 years without issue. Not 5 yet and I hope you're wrong, but at this point I am very satisfied with the purchase and would do it all over again. Only issue I/everybody has is the noisy as crap stock skimmer. Even that is a mild complaint as I also have a Tunze 9002 and although it is whisper silent it skims no better.

If I were leading their marketting department, I would add options for higher end lighting (while still using the stock hood) and have my R&D group design a decent and quiet skimmer. Of course I'm biased here, but IMO the RSM tanks are superior to all their compitor AIO tanks.

[Deerfia]

I have been a Red Sea Max 250 owner for almost a year. I have been happy with the product with one exception, the system in place to make replacement parts available to owners. The system of having to get in touch with 1 person to place your order makes you feel like you are stuck with a system produced in someone's garage. Pinky is a very nice woman, but if she is off, or "out in the warehouse", you are asked to call back. They need a simple system, either a true call center (which can easily be contracted out), or a simple website that allows for a quick and easy way to order parts.

[silverain420]

I have had my 130 for 4 years now? Maybe a little less. It still works great. I do not see any obvious signs of wear on the tank. I have replaced my pumps twice, one broke and the other got obviously tired. The impeller system would occasionally drop down and have to be re-placed. But I have had similar issues with Rio pumps as well, so I don't think its specific to Red Sea. I love my tank. I do agree with the previous poster about service though. But Marine Depot now sells most of the replacement parts so I use them. Within my original warranty, the timer quit working, but I had absolutely no problems getting it replaced right away. If I had the time and money, I would definitely invest in the 250.

[RedSeaKev]

I've been seriously considering a Red Sea Max 250 lately, but am worried about long term (5 years+) durability of the plastic pieces that abound on this system. Salt and intense lighting seem to make mincemeat out of other plastics over long time periods........

How do these parts hold up over long periods?

Hi scottk,
What I can tell you about your durability concern is this, when Red Sea look at the plastic it uses in the production of the Max aquarium range suitability is obviously a major consideration and the best information available from the manufacturer and our own research and development department is used before the material is used.

I would not be concerned about 5 years plus use in fact I'll say if you come back in 10 years time and say you have a problem I would personally replace your aquarium myself!


Red Sea Kev

[AquaReeferMan]

I used to have the 130 setup for about 3 years prior to upgrading to the 250. IMO they should hold up no problem.

[Trumpetytrump]

I've had my RSM 130 for about a year and a half and no problems at all.

[reefcrazyme]

i've had my sea max for only a little over 2 years now. i came home last night with the aquarium light off i figured that i had another power trip so i switched my box back on. when i came back up to check the aquarium the lights were on although i smelled something burning...then i heard some cracking sound like i know that sound.
i thought there were some aquarium water dripping into the power outlets and i tried smelling it around the are. the outlets looked dry and the smell was not coming from the outlets neither. Then i heard it again but the sound was more towards the tank. i got up from the outlet area and i went towards the tank and there was the sound. Damn i had to unplug the return pump powerhead.
That was the culprit. it shorted out on me and it kept electrecuting my aquarium. i'm not sure if the ground probe helped out in my fish and inverts health since they're still alive and didn't get electrecuted.

i opened the top cover of the aquarium and the powerhead cover was off and it was still smoking. i'm not sure what's going on but i had to buy a replacement powerhead before i sell that tank.
So in my experience. i think RedSea makes very cheap equipment with an expensive seller's cost when you buy it.
I don't think i'm going to trust red sea with aquarium equipment. I was just glad the first time that happened my box tripped the power off if not my house would have been on fire.

[reefcrazyme]

well just a follow up on my inverts. i have 2 astrea snails left alive but the rest died so did my cleaner shrimp, peppermints, sea stars, cucumbers and brittle stars. my pompom xenia, anthelia, zoas, leather and my orange monti cap are trying to survive right now. i think the powerhead released some kind of toxin when it started sparking or just the electrical surge could have done something to my corals. the softies shriveled and shrunk, my monti cap still has a light color but it lost the brightness and the leather bent like it's been sleeping now and getting smaller. already did my water change and will still keep water changing until i get whatever chemical is in the tank off.
it just took a lot of energy out of me when i lost most of them. good thing my six line is still alive and swimming.

[Dlhirst]

Reef Crazy, I was sorry to read of your losses. It's difficult enough as it is to keep the critters alive, with out these external troubles.

I am only a Red Sea customer like yourself, but I do think that "a little over 2 years" is not an unacceptable life for a $15 pump. That it failed so catastrophically is a little concerning though. You mention that you "had another power trip"? Circuits shouldn't be tripping as casually as you make it sound. I would certainly want to have that looked at in my house. So would my insurance carrier.

As for the toxins in the water - the likeliest culprit would be the sea cukes. The pump isn't leaking toxins into the tank, though it's failure could have killed some of the inverts. Any remaining toxins would be from the sea cucumbers. I was told that water changes and carbon treatment are the best solutions for that. But, I returned the sea cucumber to the store when I heard of their "end of life" releases. My 34 gal tank doesn't have enough volume not to make that kind of release so calamitous.

Best of luck!

[1shoelace]

Im replacing pump #3 now in my tank- First the main power pump #1, then the skimmer pump, now the pump#2.
I cant keep the damn thing working long enough to have a real aquarium going. I really regret having gone this route when I had such good luck with an ordinary tank before. This was so expensive and continues to fail mechanically. Its the 250 max, and Id get rid of it except Im into it for so much now, Id take a real beating. Anybody else had this kind of misery?
Can anyone recommend good replacement pumps that arent Red Sea antiquates? I mean, why spend money with the same thing that let you down in the first place...