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View Full Version : RSM 250D or Aqua Medic Percula 120?

flyboy
03-01-10, 20:58
As a newcomer to marines I would be interested to know if people have a preference between the AM Percula 120 or RSM 250D as a starter marine aquarium? I am planning on setting up a fish/invert reef tank and consider this plug and play package as a good place to start.

Has anyone had the need to make any additions to the standard equipment provided? i.e. stronger pumps/additional filters? Are the blue LED'S sufficient enough to give a good evening/moonlighting effect?
Andy
03-01-10, 21:14
RSM looks more modern for sure

percs are very well built and can be had for silly money now days

money no object rsm

otherwise the perc for me
flyaviac
04-01-10, 00:08
Flyboy,

A Perc - I have one and its awesome and from what I know it is bigger that the RSM.

HTH

Fly (Ps you in OATS?)
flyboy
04-01-10, 20:07
Thnaks for the replies.
Fly - sadly not at OATS. Did my PPL at Enstone but couldn't fund an ATPL. Did you train at Oxford?
flyaviac
07-01-10, 02:04
Cool - Am at Denham and now cranfield on modular route.....
trout
07-01-10, 09:38
Here is my educated opinion: I would choose neither because a reef tank a tank with a sump is an infinetely better choice. However, if I did not have that option, then I would get Percula 120 because:


it is bigger
open top- you won't need chillers (however, there will be evaporation issues to deal with)
you can add a hang-on type refugium to grow caulerpa and copepods
you can add a hang-on type phosphate reactor
you can add hang-on type skimmers such as deltec mce600 if you are not happy with the stock skimmer


To sum up it is more flexible than RSM250.

However, my survey (http://www.ultimatereef.net/forums/showthread.php?t=352097) on Percula 90 owners suggests that people found it difficult to reach the back chambers. These people suggested that they would recommend a tank with a sump.

The problem with RSM 250 is that there are six T5 tubes in a tight space and they run hot despite the fans. Hot environment reduces tubes' efficiency drastically. As a result, they need to be replaced more often than tubes run in a luminaire with active cooling. Equally important. The tubes do not have their own reflectors.

T