buxton.nc's IM20

[buxton.nc]

I wanted to share my IM20 build. I left the hobby in 1999 and I am making a return now. I made the mistake of walking into an aquarium shop about two months ago and that is all it took - LOL. Started researching and reading in early July, decided to do a Nano and then moved on to buying pieces here and there until I was ready to start.

 

My tank is now underway. Here is my equipment list:

 

· Innovative Marine Fusion Nano 20 tank with stock return pump, filter socks and screen

· Tank stand is a buffet purchased from Home Depot. IMHO looks better than the stock stand.

· BRS 4 Stage Value RO/DI System - 75GPD – upgraded to 150 GPD and 4 to 5 stage chloramine upgrade kit

· Aquatec 8800 RO/DI booster pump with inline filter strainer

· BRS refractometer

· Kessil A360we Tuna Blue with Spectral Controller, gooseneck mount and 90 degree adapter

· IM Ghost Desktop Skimmer

· Tunze 3155 ATO

· Ecotech Marine MP10

· Eheim Jager 75 watt heater

· Neptune Systems Apex Controller

· Red Sea Coral Pro Salt

· 15# of live rock

· 20# CaribSea Special Grade Arag-Alive reef sand

· other odds and ends J

 

I started my cycle on 8/20 with minimal equipment; sand, rock, heater, stock filter socks and return pump. I configured the Apex and mounted it in the tank stand this morning. Plan to work on installing the other items at a leisurely pace. I think I have a while before the tank completes cycling so no rush.

 

Looking forward to establishing my reef and learning/contributing here at the forum.

 

Some pics are below.

 

[buxton.nc]

Made a little more progress yesterday. Mounted the Apex controller in the cabinet. Currently have the return pump, heater and an Apple Airport Express (acting as a wireless bridge) connected. Plan to work on the ATO and some wire/cable management this coming weekend.

 

 

[buxton.nc]

Things are coming together nicely. Added the Tunze 3155 ATO, top off "reservoir" and Apex temperature probe today. I still have some additional items to add and need to handle the cable management in the lower cabinet. I'm trying to keep everything as neat as I can until all components are installed and then tackle the cable management. I have a roll of white velcro to tack up the cables.

 

I definitely appreciate the ATO now. I have been topping off water a couple of times a day since I started cycling the tank 8 days ago. Consumed about 1.3 gallons of water. I bought a 3 gallon "reservoir" so I should be good to go for week long vacations. Pics below.

 

[buxton.nc]

Tank cycle is complete; 11 days total. Ammonia = 0, Nitrite = 0, Nitrate = 16. Readings gathered and tracked with Red Sea test kit. I used a combination of cured live rock, live sand, a couple days of ghost feeding and dosed 10% ammonia solution to force good ammonia reading. Very pleased with the results so far. Plan to begin looking into CUC and/or intro fish and invertebrate. I am interested in a goby/shrimp pair.

I still have to install my Kessil lighting, pH probe, MP10 and take care of cable management in the cabinet. Also need to perform my first water change (2 gallons). Plan to tackle these items this weekend.

[Cencalfishguy56]

Tank cycle is complete; 11 days total. Ammonia = 0, Nitrite = 0, Nitrate = 16. Readings gathered and tracked with Red Sea test kit. I used a combination of cured live rock, live sand, a couple days of ghost feeding and dosed 10% ammonia solution to force good ammonia reading. Very pleased with the results so far. Plan to begin looking into CUC and/or intro fish and invertebrate. I am interested in a goby/shrimp pair.

I still have to install my Kessil lighting, pH probe, MP10 and take care of cable management in the cabinet. Also need to perform my first water change (2 gallons). Plan to tackle these items this weekend.

looks good! Any fish in mind?

[buxton.nc]

Thanks Cencal! I am thinking about a goby/shrimp pair, some type of wrasse, and a pair of clownfish. I was thinking about the stocking order and think I need to add them smallest size to largest (goby/shrimp, wrasse, clownfish). Any feedback or suggestions?

[buxton.nc]

pH probe calibrated and installed. Kessil lighting installed and Apex programmed to control lighting. Have to install the MP10 and wrap up the cable management activities in the cabinet. Couple pics are below.

 

[buxton.nc]

I bought my first livestock on Labor Day; a yellow watchman goby and tiger pistol shrimp pair. They have proven to be an entertaining pair to say the least. I fed them some LRS Reef Frenzy Nano Tuesday night. Both of them ate well and appear to be adjusting. I need to figure out how often they need to be fed. I do not want to add to many nutrients to the tank, yet I want to ensure the livestock is properly nourished.

I also made my first water change (~ 5 gallons) last night. I still have to install the VorTech MP10 and complete the cable management in the cabinet. I think my next purchase will be a small starter CUC.

[buxton.nc]

Quick update - overall, tank is doing well. I have been feeding the goby/shrimp pair LRS Reef Frenzy Nano. They are eating well and making holes under the rocks. I have also added 5 hermit crabs, 2 turbo snails and 2 astrea snails for CUC activity. They have done a great job cleaning up the diatoms that started showing up last week.

 

Settled on a weekly 5 gallon water change. Just completed my third water change tonight.

 

Installed a Neptune WXM module and a VorTech MP10 powerhead this weekend. Have a very basic program set at the moment. Need to do some research to figure out what is appropriate for the Fusion Nano 20.

[buxton.nc]

Tank is progressing well. I have added a purple filefish, green star polyp frag and two nassarius snails since my last update. Coralline algae is beginning to take hold and coverage is spreading. Maintaining a weekly 5 gallon water change.

The BRS Black Friday sales have swayed me to make some purchases.
Sicce 1.0 pump, osmolator pump, RO/DI filter set, fragging kit, glue, and a Hanna phosphorus kit.

[Nomoreammo]

Way to go! Time to add a full tank shot to this thread

 

The Sicce 1.0 is going to replace the stock return pump?

 

Did you place your Tunze ATO float valve in the middle overflow section?

[buxton.nc]

I will have to break out the SLR and see if I can get a good FTS. I bought the Sicce to store on the shelf in case the stock pump fails. I do not have any trouble with noise from the stock pump, so I plan to keep running it. I just didn't want to get in a bind in case of a pump failure.

 

I placed the Tunze optical and mechanical floats in the middle overflow section. I also ordered a spare pump for my Tunze from BRS on the last day of their Black Friday sale. I ended up making four orders over the course of the sales week.

[buxton.nc]

Took some pics today and wanted to share them. Tank is about 3.5 months old. Taking things slow. Corralling algae is spreading nicely now. I hope to see heavy coverage within the next 6 months.

[asting]

Looks nice. Will you be adding any coral?

[buxton.nc]

It has been a while since I have updated my build. Still moving forward with livestock additions (albeit slowly) and making adjustments as needed to my maintenance and management. practices. I have added a piece of Green Star Polyp and a pair of clowns since my last update. Coraline algae is continuing to spread.  

Currently working on assembling a new screen cover with BRS 1/4" screen. Should have it finished this week. Also looking into purchasing an AFS to help automate another piece of the feeding process for dry foods.

[buxton.nc]

Update pic of the cabinet area.

[buxton.nc]

I decided to move forward with the Neptune AFS. Unboxing and and basic testing completed this evening. The AFS comes with a 15' Aquabus cable and a mounting bracket. I need to finalize cable run, management and programming. It sits well on the sump area of the IM 20 and does not appear to be unstable or prone to falling in the sump or the tank itself.

I am using Reef Nutrition TDO Chroma Boost food and it is very small. I had to add a small piece of paper to the adjusting arm that controls the food dosing to accommodate the small food granules. I will post a pic of the AFS install once cabling and final placement is set.

[buxton.nc]

Tank is still going well. It is about 14 months old now. I picked up some frags this weekend. Here is a pic of some of the frags. My cleaner shrimp photo bombed the frags.   

 

 

[buxton.nc]

Experienced a loss today - my cleaner shrimp (affectionately called "Cleaner") passed away. I had him for about 16 months. I checked my parameters and all is fine. 
Temp 77.8
pH 8.61-8.79
salinity 1.025 
ammonia 0 
nitrite 0 
nitrate 0

Al other inhabitants appear to be fine. Will continue to observe and replace my cleaner this weekend if all stays well the rest of the week. I am going to chalk it up as it was just his time to go.

[buxton.nc]

Updated pics of the tank after completing weekly maintenance.

 

 

[buxton.nc]

Updated pic of the tank; will be 2 years old later this month.