Red Sea has been a trusted aquatics company for decades. They are known for careful science and high production values, releasing products that have been carefully studied. In recent years, Red Sea has turned its attention to making reef aquariums that simplify reef keeping, opening the hobby up to an entire sect of interested consumers, who previously felt reefing was too complex and technical. Years ago, they debuted their MAX series of aquariums. These were some of the first high-end, reef specific, all in one, or “plug and play” aquariums. Every piece of equipment a reef keeper would need was included, and Red Sea promised that everything included in their MAX systems was “Reef Spec,” capable of growing anything from green star polyps to complex SPS species. Reviews of the original MAX line of aquariums were mixed. Some expert aquarists believed they were a good step toward an easier introduction to reef keeping, while others found nothing but limitations within the MAX aquariums. I purchased a MAX system several years ago to house some corals and fish while completing construction of my house. Overall, the system was a disappointment for me, as it was equipped with a sub-par protein skimmer and very basic equipment, when compared to the advanced reef systems I was accustom too. Making matters worse was the price, which exceeded the cost of a stand-alone aquarium outfitted with higher-performing equipment. Once my fish-room was complete, I moved my reef into a custom designed aquarium system, and gave the Red Sea MAX to a friend who was starting out in reef keeping. Discussion about the Red Sea MAX erupted in 2013, with the release of the Red Sea MAX C-series aquarium. In 2013, LED lighting was quickly overshadowing older lighting technology, yet the Red Sea MAX C debuted with T5 lighting and still managed to carry a super-premium price. Chatter among aquarists indicated the belief that Red Sea was offering sub-par technology for an uber-premium price, and potentially price-gouging first time reef keepers with promises of an easy to keep, plug and play, reef aquarium. Eventually it led Red Sea to issue a statement, stating that while they want to offer their customers the best quality and technology, their studies showed that T5 lighting was the best method, at the time, to keep anything from beginner corals on up to demanding SPS species. It cooled some of the controversy, and Red Sea likely hoped to put questions about the MAX’s product selection to bed, by adding LED lighting to current MAX models.… More:
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