First build. IM SR-60. help me out

[shaverto]

Hi guys,

 

This is my first thread on the forum, I've been browsing and made a few posts for the last couple months.

 

Im interested in starting a salt water tank, my first, and have been doing a ton of research over the past few months and I'd love input on my ideas.

 

This will be my first saltwater tank but not the first in my house, my brother currently has 2 and he works at a LFS(past 8 years) so he is a wealth of knowledge and help.

 

I started by looking at the IM nuvo16, i loved its length and the curved glass and AIO setup. I thought this was beautiful and a great way to start. Then i saw the nuvo 24! amazing. The same features but an extra 8 gallons and an extra foot of viewing space!

 

Like most of you may have seen I read a lot of posts and articles about the Nuvo 24's cracking or exploding over the time since they were released. Most of those issues seem to have been fixed with thickening the glass on the new models, but i would be lying if I said it didn't still scare me a little.

 

So the next evolution of the idea was looking at the new Fusion 30L. Basically the same tank as the 24 but thicker non-curved glass and the net top, which is something i would have made for myself anwyays.

I thought i was completely set on these but then I saw a couple people post that they thought there was little point in spending $800 on a 30g tank and stand when you could move up to a 60g for $1500, in reference to the SR-60.

 

Now i don't agree with the thought that $800 and $1500 is not a big difference, its double as far as I'm concerned, but then i started to really like the idea of the extra space, and of course there is an older (i fell) mindset that your first tank should be bigger because its easier to manage.

 

So im stuck, I want a long tank (36"+) I want an all i one for its ease of use and expandability options, swell as its clean look, and the more space the merrier, but I'm also not trying to break the bank. That being said if I'm going to find myself wanting a bigger tank in a year I am of the mindset to just go big now.

 

All that being said thats only discussing the tank.

 

Moving on...

 

I want to go with dry rock, from what i understand this poses a greater chance of not having to deal with any unwanted critters that may come with LR and i have no problem giving it extra time to cycle, I am a patient person.

 

Live sand, I'm undecided between a finer sand like bahamas oolite arag, or something a little bigger like pink fiji arag. I feel like i prefer the look of the bahamas but don't want to deal with sandstorms caused by to much flow. Are there other reasons why i would choose on over the other?

 

I will start by using RO/DI water from my brothers store, it wont cost me anything and I'm not able to setup a home RO/DI at this time.

 

I am a gadget person, i love technology, and i love it because of the way it can make our lives simpler. that being said I'm pretty set on buying the standard apex neptune controller and adding a salinity module/probe.

 

This is strictly to make my life easier, and for its expandability down the road (moon light module, controlling lights/pumps/ato etc.) Obviously this is a big, and somewhat unnecessary cost at this stage but i feel like it will prove its worth quickly.

 

As far as lights go I'm set on LED's.

I spent a lot of time looking at the BML bars, and I do like them but until they come out with their controllable ligths I'm not sure thats what I will go with. I REALLY love the look the kessil pendants provide both in the tank and outside. I am a designer and the look of everything matters to me, minimalist usually wins, which is why an AIO tank is what I'm after.

 

If i was to go with the kessil lights i think i would start off with one strictly for budget reasons. I know the 360W or 350W is only rated for a 24" spread and I'm looking at 36" tanks but if i have 6" on either side of non 100% coverage for the first couple months is that a huge issue. If theres only 1 or 2 fish in there after the cycle and maybe a coral or 2 in the centre (under the light) is it necessary to get 2 right away? When i do eventually get 2, should it be the narrower ones that cover 18" (x2) or go with the wider 24".

 

As far as skimmers and media reactors etc, that stuff will all come later, I will have to stick to a strict water change schedule to make sure everything is as it is supposed to be in the beginning but I'm fine with that.

 

For flow sticking with the stock return pumps at the beginning seems fine to me but maybe I'm wrong. I would add the spin streams to them to move the water a little more randomly, and would eventually add an MP-10 (for the 24/30L) or an MP-40 for the SR-60.

 

I feel like this covers most of my questions.

 

Im really presenting this to try to come up with a solution that will work and won't kill my bank account. I also am of the mindset, that I can be patient and have weeks in-between to allow for new purchases, example.

 

week 1- tank, rock, sand only, let it cycle (test using my brothers test kits)

week 4-6 - add apex controller and light(s) 1 fish

week 9-10 - add another fish, maybe a the powerhead at this point.

 

etc. etc.

 

Thanks for reading in advance, hopefully you can shed some light on my ideas, and provide some insight.

 

Cheers!

[Steensj2004]

Welcome!

Looks like you have really been thinking this through! Here is my .02!

 

- Buy what you want now, don't skimp on equipment ( if you can help it) and buy it twice when you decided to upgrade. If you want an MP10/40 get one. If you start out with dry rock your cycle will likely be a few weeks, giving you time to find and buy one(As well as other equipment). Otherwise just stock stuff that doesn't need more flow then the stock pumps for a while. Remember Jebao makes some killer pumps as well!

- Don't skimp on lights, you will be unhappy down the road....Always could get a Reefbreeders Photon 24" fixture for 329.00(controllable an a good light) or even a 32" for the SR60 for only a little more. When I had my 75 I started with one Radion and ended up grabbing another one, as I found out I was missing out on a lot of coverage. Seeing as you like the look of the Kessils, you might be able to find two used on this forum, and get two real cheap!

- Don't think twice about a controller, best investment ever IMHO, I didn't know why I needed one before I got one......now I donno how I lived without one . Apex has some packages that might be a smart idea...if you want a salinity probe you might wanna look into the ,"Gold" version. A baseline Apex( I am not talking about the JR. version.Iit is definitely much cheaper, and the lite is discontinued unless you find one used) is 530.00, add a salinity probe and module and your looking at the same price as the gold package anyway. 530 for the Apex, 90.00 for the PM2 module, and 124 for the salinity probe.... the Gold is like 790.00 and comes with all that stuff and much more.

-Reactors, Probes, Doohickies, and flim-flams are cool, but don't get to caught up on fancy stuff. Take time to learn the hobby and buy equipment that isn't mandatory as our tastes and ideas develop on what you want to have in your tank.

 

Don't get to caught up on equipment....lots of amazing tanks only run a skimmer and carbon....Husbandry is your #1 concern, all the equipment in the world can't give you a amazing tank without you taking care of it. You can always add equipment as you go. Besides, as you go your ideas may change and you might be mad you paid a bunch of money for something and wanna change it(Trust me, done it a LOT,haha) Innovative Marine makes some great stuff, so off the bat and during your cycle you will have all kinds of time to decided on equipment! Make a build thread and ask for people here and their input, my equipment plans have changed many times because someone on here knew something I didn't about a certain piece of equipment! looking forward to your build!!! I was considering going to a SR80 recently....Lord knows this hobby is the friggin DEVIL!!!

[Bobyboy]

IM 30L owner here, I wish I had the room for the 60 or bigger but I'm super happy with the 30L, check out my thread in my sig.

 

As stated this hobby isn't cheap occasionally you'll find a nice deal on used equipment but a general rule if thumb, "YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR".

Also take your time, nothing good happens fast!

 

If you can setup up a quarantine tank for fish do so nothing hurts more than finding the perfect fish and introducing it to your tank just to have it spread ich and wipe out your livestock.

 

A skimmer isn't 100% necessary but on smaller tanks it helps to provide increased stability, I never ran one on smaller tanks and have found that it really helps on my 30L.

 

On the SR60 you'd need 2 mp10's or a single mp40, I'd go with 2 wireless 10's personally as you'd have a bit more flow and controllability.

 

As for lighting it all comes down to personal taste, I have a single 20" razor r420r over my 30L, it doesn't have 100% coverage from side to side as it leaves maybe 2"-3" each side that are dimmer but still decent for softies/LPS, I'd assume the same for the single pendant.

 

As for rock if I had to start over from scratch I'd buy dry rock and acrylic rods and spend many days sculpting the perfect scape, IMO buy more rock than you'd use.

I used the finer Fiji pink sand in my previous tank and never really liked it as it tended to get blown all over the place, I used CaribSea Aragonite dry sand in my 30L, it's bigger not super huge like crushed coral but big enough to not be blown around and I honestly love it.

 

What ever tank you go with you will be happy with Innovative Marine.

[Legendary Corals]

Welcome shaverto!

 

This is for sure one of the best hobbies to be in, and it really looks you took the time to plan this out (yes! I love it when I see new comers who understand the importance of equipment). You also have some really good taste to be looking at IM, Ecotech, and Kessil.

 

With how much technology has progressed with nano tanks, I wouldn't be too sure that a bigger tank would be easier to maintain. For stability, sure. But then we're talking about a tank filled with even more fish and corals. That means the amount of maintenance would also increase [water changes, dosing, fishy poo, feeding, more equipment maintenance, etc.]). IMO, I'd start with the 30L (which is still a beautiful tank) since it gives you plenty of room to play as beginner, and also the cost on equipment is less.

 

Reasons why:

• Rather than two kessils, you can try out just one (Kessil 350w are now $299, price just dropped recently).
• Rather than two MP10s, you would only need just one
• Rock gets expensive, you'd save on that as well
• Smaller tanks allow you to space yourself and help you limit your purchases, teaches you to be picky about what you buy for your tank
• Water changes would be easier since it's a smaller tank.
• You can buy a skimmer that would actually fit in the back compartment

There's no real reason to jump into the IM 60, the cost to set that up would be much higher and there really isn't a skimmer that's rated for 60+ gallons that would fit in the chambers anyways.

 

I've tried TropicEden Reef Flakes sand for my tank and I love it. But sand is a personal taste.

 

I recommend getting an electronic refractometer (I use the Milwaukee one) since you're a gadget guy and also a Tunze ATO onto your equipment list. I wouldn't go with any reactors yet, it's a bit too early and unnecessary for what you'd like to do with your tank.

 

Hope that helps man!

 

Cheers,

Darwin

[shaverto]

Welcome shaverto!

 

This is for sure one of the best hobbies to be in, and it really looks you took the time to plan this out (yes! I love it when I see new comers who understand the importance of equipment). You also have some really good taste to be looking at IM, Ecotech, and Kessil.

 

With how much technology has progressed with nano tanks, I wouldn't be too sure that a bigger tank would be easier to maintain. For stability, sure. But then we're talking about a tank filled with even more fish and corals. That means the amount of maintenance would also increase [water changes, dosing, fishy poo, feeding, more equipment maintenance, etc.]). IMO, I'd start with the 30L (which is still a beautiful tank) since it gives you plenty of room to play as beginner, and also the cost on equipment is less.

 

Reasons why:

• Rather than two kessils, you can try out just one (Kessil 350w are now $299, price just dropped recently).
• Rather than two MP10s, you would only need just one
• Rock gets expensive, you'd save on that as well
• Smaller tanks allow you to space yourself and help you limit your purchases, teaches you to be picky about what you buy for your tank
• Water changes would be easier since it's a smaller tank.
• You can buy a skimmer that would actually fit in the back compartment

There's no real reason to jump into the IM 60, the cost to set that up would be much higher and there really isn't a skimmer that's rated for 60+ gallons that would fit in the chambers anyways.

 

I've tried TropicEden Reef Flakes sand for my tank and I love it. But sand is a personal taste.

 

I recommend getting an electronic refractometer (I use the Milwaukee one) since you're a gadget guy and also a Tunze ATO onto your equipment list. I wouldn't go with any reactors yet, it's a bit too early and unnecessary for what you'd like to do with your tank.

 

Hope that helps man!

 

Cheers,

Darwin

I really appreciate the in depth response. I am starting to take a step back and look at the big picture and also the budget.

 

Started to look back again at some of the smaller nuvo's but like the perceived higher build quality of the 30L Fusion.

 

It would absolutely be easier on the budget and to take care of as far as water changes etc.

 

The tunze ATO is definitely on the list of future purchases, just forgot to mention it in the original post.

 

Unrelated if i go with the 30L but i also hear what your saying about the skimmer options, although IM has said there are skimmers coming out built specifically for the SR series.

 

Not necessarily moving on from tank/gear talk but there is another side to this hobby!

 

FISH/CORAL

 

I will admit that I have put less into researching this than I have the gear to run a successful tank, that being said I have still done a fair amount.

 

As far as fish go I would love to have a pair of clowns, haven't done a ton of looking at the designer clowns, not sure if id want something fancy but i do really love the black and white clowns with an orange face (don't know the name).

 

Really enjoy watching the relationship between a goby and a pistol shrimp, seems like something id be interested in.

 

My other favourite fish to look at is the royal gramma, i think the coloration is gorgeous.

 

Last would be the more colourful and interesting looking blenny's, like the peacock blenny, ember blenny, stigmata blenny, and the starry blenny. They are all awesome.

 

My brother has a very very small lion fish in his tank, i think its really cool, would love to have something different like that if it could get along with everything else, he has zero problems with his based on its small size.

 

 

As far as corals I'm mostly interested in softies and LPS, i just don't see very many SPS that i really love the look of, The movement that softies and LPS can add to the tank is beautiful.

 

Really, like overly colourful frogspawn,torches,hammers etc.

 

some zoas for extra colour pop is a given IMO.

 

 

Ive heard different things about having any sort of crabs as part of your CUC because some of them will knock stuff over and possibly be a nuisance to corals, but i like watching their behaviour and of course they can help with algae and other problems.

 

 

ALSO last but not least i think open brain corals are F*@$&ng awesome! would love to have one or two.

[shaverto]

Im going to fish for a couple responses in relation to tank size here. Im back and forth between the Fusion 30L and the SR-60. Its a huge price difference obviously. I'm really going back and forth because of the extra space it will provide for aqua scaping and for livestock/space etc.

 

With the back chamber the 30L only gives you 10.5" where the SR-60 gives you about 19".

 

thats a big difference, and I'm just thinking about scaping, I don't know enough about fish/coral needs and if that will open more doors for different livestock (i know some, and for sure 60g will allow me more livestock choices than 30g, but i don't know a lot).

 

still a tough decision, just looking for some opinions, thanks in advance

[chswkt]

Hi and welcome.

 

As a new hobbiest, I would definitely go with the Fusion. Here are my top 3 reasons, though honestly I can think of numerous others already mentioned above:

1. IMHO if you're gonna go 60 gallon, you might as well go reef ready and use an under cabinet refugium where you can fit the equipment you'll likely need. I love IM as a company, but they are definitely pushing the boundaries of what a traditional AIO system with their SR series. Not that I'm against it trying new things, this hobby has come a long way since I started. I just think you'll find the hobby more rewarding if you go with a more tried and true approach.
2. I think you'll end up spending money to find specialized equipment to fit your IM tank (as I have). For starters you'll need a light and a protein skimmer. I've been very frustrated with finding the right light and skimmer for my IM16 (I've gone through 3 lights and 4 skimmers).
3. I find myself cleaning my AIO's more than I clean my other two reef ready systems and running them with a much lower bioload. My Nuvo16 has 2 perc clownfish and by BC29 has 2 perc clownfish and a 6-line wrasse. In contrast, my 40 gallon RR tank with 20 gallon refugium has 10 fish.

[Legendary Corals]

Im going to fish for a couple responses in relation to tank size here. Im back and forth between the Fusion 30L and the SR-60. Its a huge price difference obviously. I'm really going back and forth because of the extra space it will provide for aqua scaping and for livestock/space etc.

 

With the back chamber the 30L only gives you 10.5" where the SR-60 gives you about 19".

 

thats a big difference, and I'm just thinking about scaping, I don't know enough about fish/coral needs and if that will open more doors for different livestock (i know some, and for sure 60g will allow me more livestock choices than 30g, but i don't know a lot).

 

still a tough decision, just looking for some opinions, thanks in advance

 

Scaping shouldn't be too hard on the 30L, it's also 36" across from what I remember. Both are good tanks, but as chswkt mentioned, if you're going to go with a tank as big as a 60 gallon you might as well get one plumped and sumped. It will open a lot more options for you and keep things running a lot smoother. The 30L seems like a great tank for a first timer though before you completely dive into the hobby and go with a larger system with all the plumping and other things. I'd try to keep it as simple as possible the first time, and if it ends up well then your next upgrade should be one with a bang! Don't forget, you're going to be spending just as much money on livestock (fish, inverts, and corals) so the money you save on the 30L can get you a decent amount of stuff!

 

All in all, if it's your first tank get one that's easy to care for, but make sure it's one you'll like. If you're looking into a larger system, you should also look into other tanks other than the Nuvo 60. A sumped system would be much better for you in the long run on a tank that size.

 

As for fish, sounds like a good stocking list! I'd be careful with some of your blenny choices, since some blennies have a tendency to pick on LPS and SPS. I'd avoid any small predatory fish or any fish that has special needs since it's your first tank. The simpler the tank is, the easier it will be to maintain. Which will mean more enjoyment!

 

Here's a great thread to choose some fish for your tank:

http://www.nano-reef.com/topic/74703-lgreens-ultimate-guide-to-nano-fish/

[Bobyboy]

As stated before I have the 30L and love it but if money wasn't a problem I'd definitely go bigger from the get go.

The back chambers of the sr-60 will fit most appropriate skimmers, as for lighting the 60 is the same length as the 30L just a but talked and wider so whatever light you find to fit a 36" long tank it'll most likely work on both tanks.

 

Trust me in this hobby get what you want right away so you're not itching to upgrade in 6months or regretting it.

[shaverto]

Hey guys, I decided over the last week that I was going to start small and ease into the hobby. not small like 20g and then want to go 60 in 6 months as discussed. small like 6g lol.

 

So heres my thread to my Aqueon 8 build. would love some feedback and any tips/help is appreciated.

 

http://www.nano-reef.com/topic/344974-shavertos-aqueon-8-first-sw-tank/

[Bobyboy]

Hey guys, I decided over the last week that I was going to start small and ease into the hobby. not small like 20g and then want to go 60 in 6 months as discussed. small like 6g lol.

 

So heres my thread to my Aqueon 8 build. would love some feedback and any tips/help is appreciated.

 

http://www.nano-reef.com/topic/344974-shavertos-aqueon-8-first-sw-tank/

IMO going sub 10g is much harder than a bigger tank.

Good luck

[IMSR80]

I am setting up a SR-80 now. Just paid for the SR-80 and waiting for 2 weeks to get it.

I was looking at SR-60 too, but eventually I like the SR-80 L:W = 3:1 ratio more.