Najay's IM 25 - Man Cave Lagoon v2.0

[Najay343]

Going into 4 months now. Tank is thriving more than ever before. I am kinda in a unique situation though I have never dealt with before, Is there a need to do water changes when water parameters are perfect? It has prolly been about 4+ weeks since my last water change. After my last water change, my corals didn't seem too happy. Perhaps I have too few nutrients?

 

I have always had nasty algae problems, now i get a very small patch here and there but it stays less than 1/4" other then the glass getting pretty grimy every 4-5 days. I don't check my water parameters regularly, hardly ever actually. Being that is has been 4+ weeks since my last water change I tested tonight and Nitrate is undetectable and phosphate is undetectable. I do have a massive amount of filtration for this system I feel.

 

 

 

 

My filtration is:

 

 

2 filter socks, changed weekly

 

chemi-pure blue in one filter sock

 

Ghost Desktop Protein skimmer

 

BRS Mini media reactor with GFO/Carbon mix

 

2-3 cups of chato algae with fuge light

 

3 mangroves

 

 

 

I have never had such successful growth as I have had this week. My Duncan coral with 3 heads currently has 7 new heads, My Green Star polyps have grown like wild fire this week. 1/2" of spread growth and my CO-CO worm has extended by at least 1.5" The pictures are about 1.5 weeks old. I apologize.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[movingshadow]

while your tested param's may be in order, this kind of coral growth it seems, would somewhat deplete the water of trace elements, nutrients and the like. I've noticed a certain depletion after "growth spurts" so it may be beneficial to do a water change if you aren't replenishing by dosing. May not be noticeable as you still have a fairly light bioload but just something to maybe keep in mind

[Najay343]

Hey everyone.

 

It has been awhile since I shared an update on my tank. Have made a lot of changes.

 

My aqua-scape ended up tipping over, and instead of re-scaping I ended up just getting a New Dry rock at a LFS. I liked being able to hand pick the rock than being stuck with whatever I was sent.

 

Changed my filtration around a little, The BRS Mini Reactor I was running a Carbon/GFO mix in was taken out of the system. It would always work great for about a week after adding new media and then it would become clogged. This wasted a lot of media. Now I am running GFO only in a Phosban 150 reactor. I reinstalled one of my Desktop IM Reactors I had laying around and am running carbon only in it.

 

Still running duel filter socks, debating adding a media basket in one chamber. Took out the Macro algae as it had died so not running my aqua fuge light at the moment, may be up for sale or trade.

 

Live stock additions over the past 4 months, One yellow tang, one lawnmower blend, two fire fish (one is MIA) two cleaner shrimp, One porcilin crab, one RBTA and one Clam. Mushrooms and GSP are propigating like crazy.

 

I am waiting on two Jebao CR25 pumps to arrive. will put one or both in the IM 25 and move the RW4 to a new setup. I also ordered a IM Nuvo 10 while it was on sale, going to set it up in the bedroom. Thinking of having coral and inverts only in it, no fish. Planning on replacing Ksssil 150 with 1-2 New A80s. Will run an A80 on new Nuvo 10 when it is set up.

 

Thanks for looking!

 

 

 

[Najay343]

Big Update.

 

well, I am not gonna call this Najay's Lagoon v3.0 but it is damn near. I experienced a terrible ich outbreak and was also dealing with a bazaar calcium depot problem, tiny white specs EVERYWHERE.

 

Anyway, a few things led to this, I had scrapped my original scape and just going with a new giant rock. I glued most all my corals to the new rock and let it be. I was in the process of setting up a fish less IM10 in my bedroom when I came across a crazy deal on craigslist. I got a mated clown pair, a large couple frogspawn colonies and two large anemones in a 14 gal Biocube. i transferred most all the stock from the new 14gal to my new IM10 as essentially a direct tank transfer. In doing so I then moved everything in my IM25 into the then empty Biocube and did a gross decon of my IM25 getting rid of the white specs and man was there some nasty algae growth in the back area.

 

In rebooting my v2.0, I transferred remaining black sand and LR from the 14gal biocube deal I had purchased that would not all fit into the IM10 back into this IM25 tank. I also moved alot of the frogspawn, original cleanup crew, shrimps and old corals into this tank as well. My old large rock I had in my main display was sold for a very reasonable and small profitable price.

 

I was in the market for new lighting and tried the Ai Prime HD, This light is awesome but was not getting full coverage, Moved the Ai Prime HD to my IM10 replacing what was a new Kessil A80 I am just sitting on now and just happening to come across a deal on a used nanobox duo I grabbed it and dont regret it at all. The nanobox makes this tank look great.

 

At the very moment this tank is fishless, I have 3 of my original fish, A firefish, lawnmower blenny and blue damsel in the 14gal biocube finishing up ich treatment. Hoping to move those three in here on monday. I also have two clowns in my IM10 that will remain there as they are very happy in there with two huge anemones and breeding bi-weekly which i think may be a bit abnormal. Literally though, lay eggs, the eggs are taking about 9-10 days to hatch and within 1 week of the old eggs hatching there is a new set laid in the tank.

 

I updated the tank build equipment in the original main post, equipment I am currently using is marked like this and equipment I tried and am no longer using is marked like this.

[coralsalive]

Looking good! Let me know what you think of that skimmer!

[vlangel]

The IM25 looks nice. Have you read any of seabass's thread in general discussion on raising clow larvae? Its a lot of work but I did it once and raised 7 baby clowns and its rewarding. Joyce Wilkerson has an excellant book titled "Clownfishes" that gives step by step instruction. Anyway it is something to think about. My clowns spawned twice a month for years and years up until I sold them as a mated pair.

[Najay343]

Well I got myself a used MP10QD. Within 12 hours I noticed a huge difference in my corals. truly an amazing pump.

[DAP]

Nice looking tank.

Could you compare your coral coloration between the nanobox and the kessil?

[Najay343]

Nice looking tank.

Could you compare your coral coloration between the nanobox and the kessil?

I can't really give a true openion as I was just using the Kessil A150 Ocean Blue. Ultimately I run my nano box close to the same color as my Kessil was. Only difference is the nanobox has way better coverage and way less shadowing so none of my corals are stretching out for light. Not as much shimmer though which I did like. I think there would be a lot more to consider if my old light was an A160we which is one of the lights I was considering. But nanobox duo and Kessil A150 is not a fair comparison as the nanobox is no question way way better. Honestly though I can not imagine having a Kessil A160we as it is $239 for the light, $99 controller and $69 mount arm and after that you can't even control it from your phone plus it cost more than a brand new Nanobox Duo at that point.

[Quinnr]

Glad you liked the light!! Looks great

[Najay343]

Hey everyone!

Quite a bit has changed on this tank but everything is going great. The picture attached is of the tank today 02-22-2017.

 

New Equipment

- ecotech MP10QD

- Nanobox Duo

- IM 25 Screen Top

 

Current Livestock

- ocellaris clownfish pair breeding monthly

- one blue damsel

- two blue neon goby

- one lawnmower blenny

- two cleaner shrimp

- one fire shrimp

- two RBTA 

- one tube Anemone

- Frogspawn 4+ Heads

- Hammer 8+ heads

- assorted mushroom 6+

- Maxima Clam 1st grade blue

- Small GSP colony 

- assorted Zoas

 

[Christopher Marks]

This is looking great! How are your liking the new Nanobox Duo? Noticing a change in your corals?

[tonydahomie]

I just picked up the lagoon 25 and am looking for lighting and a stand.. thinking about springing for the nanobox as well as trying to save some money with the jbj stand like you did. I've heard good things about the light and bad things about the stand.

If you don't mind me asking, how's the shimmer / disco effect with the nanobox and how is the stand holding up?

Thanks!

[Cristiand]

saw that you were running a phos 150 for macro algae. i'm running the same thing on my tank. was just wondering what lights you were using around the macro algae reactor? 

[Najay343]

Been a long time since last update. In the process of a bit of a conversion. I ended up moving all of my corals to a IM10 in my Bedroom. I left the two RBTAs in the IM25 which have since became 4 RBTAs. I will be moving the anemones and clowns into a 20gal breeder for the week next week while I clean and disassemble my IM25 AIO and drill 3 holes in the back. Will get pics of the progress and both tanks as soon as I can.

[Christopher Marks]

Welcome back @Najay343! I'll be curious to see the progress, it sounds like you're adding a sump to the IM25 AIO?

[Reefermadness2011]

Nice tank here