As the owner of a small aquarium shop, Aquariums Etc, I was looking for a neat and tidy marine setup that would appeal to our customers, one that included all the neccessary equipment so that first-time marine aquarist could successfully keep a beautiful tank without costing a fortune.
Setting-up and cycling the MAX was easy. I began with 11kg of fully cured live rock and let it run in for two weeks while adding the bacteria, buff and calcium supplements. All went as planned. Once the water tested ok, I added one Trochus snail to start cleaning.
All in all, I love my MAX - it's so nice and tidy! The MAX is a great package for the beginner but also has plenty of appeal for the veteran reefer. The only modifications I made were adding a single 4,500 l/hr Tunze Nanostream pump and a Resun 280 chiller, as I live in a hot climate. I also added an extra wedge of black sponge/foam between the skimmer and heater section to remove any fine bubbles from the system.
I would absolutely buy the MAX again. In addition to my display MAX at the store, I have installed another MAX at home, replacing my 2 foot cube which has cords dangling everywhere and a not very pretty cabinet
To top it all off, my wife loves it! The MAX is so easy to maintain, she can look after it without getting dirty and doesn't have to fuss over which "bits" go where and what plugs into what.
