Steensj's IM Nuvo 16( Equilibrium Reached)

[njasmin]

Stopped at the LFS today after work, he is checking on pricing for the skimmer, I want to have him order it as long as it won't cost me much more than the Aqua Euro Nano on Marinedepot.com.... What exactly is the,"Mesh Mod?" It has something to do with modifying the impeller,right?

 

Yea, I just superglued some filter foam that i had laying around in between the spaces of the impeller to chop up the air a little more. Just cut to size and do one space at a time. this impeller has 6 empty spaces., I have some extra if you don't have any, I'm sure it weighs less than a stamp or 2 worth lol If you want me to send u some let me know, I have not problem doing that.

[Steensj2004]

I was cleaning around the tank today and feel like I found a couple sprigs of Bryopsis.... it was brown but had the feathery looking leaves. I have no idea how I even have any algae as I have 0 Phosphates......sigh

 

PS. Now that I look closely, I see more little sprigs of feathers places, far,few, and in between, but still there......mother ####ER! My levels according to Salifert are dang perfect....sigh

[Steensj2004]

Welp, took my MP10 wetside apart today to clean during a water change, and found that the shaft has some failures....explains the noise. Gonna have to order one frame/shaft from Ecotech(only 20.00). Just hope this one holds up until the new one arrives.

 

Also my Hi-Fin and Pistol finally paired up. I was afraid the pistol was dead, but he came strolling by like nothing was going on during the water change. Stopped, looked at me like,"Sup?" And kept on walking........what a jerk,lol

[Steensj2004]

Been a bit busy lately with our newest addition to the family.....

Lazy as hell, but he is a riot!

 

 

Here is a new FTS as of today. I got a new polyp-coral that has small star like polyps Aqua blue and another shade pof blue/green. I cannot for the life of me recall the name now . Very pretty though, she liked it so I said yes(as if she had to twist my arm).

 

 

Question:

 

If you were going to upgrade the return pump for more flow(I have quite a bit of SPS) in conjunction with the MP10. what pump would you use? Stock pump is 211gph I believe? Thinking about a Sicce 1.0 or even a 1.5?

[CrazyCarl]

I put in a cobalt MJ1200 295gph, and it increases flow quite a bit. I don't put my MP10 above the 3rd LED. I am not sure the output on the pumps you mentioned, but somewhere around 300gph is enough IMO. Maybe a little more if you have the spinstreams.

[Steensj2004]

I put in a cobalt MJ1200 295gph, and it increases flow quite a bit. I don't put my MP10 above the 3rd LED. I am not sure the output on the pumps you mentioned, but somewhere around 300gph is enough IMO. Maybe a little more if you have the spinstreams.

Had a Spinstream on the return, took it off, wasn't a fan. Did you use a Marineland or Cobalt maxi, how is the noise on that? Looking at the Sicce pumps as they are supposed to be super quiet, although Tmpe's wasn't very quiet..... Options on the Sicce I want to use is 251gph for the 1.0, and 357gph for the 1.5. Think 357 would be way to much, I am SPS heavy and need a lot more flow, just don't want a total sandstorm.

 

Some pics of the new coral(forget the name again,lol)

 

 

Also the first picture of the partners in crime, they are out an about a lot now, add a lot of character to the tank!

[Ahanix]

Tank looks great man, I love your dog. As much as I like the hobby I still think dogs complete a home more than any other pet.

[Steensj2004]

Tank looks great man, I love your dog. As much as I like the hobby I still think dogs complete a home more than any other pet.

Thanks! I am considering going to something like what you have! We have two Border Collies, this one was a rescue. He was chaned up for months with no food and water... He is fat an happy now! I agree about it being different than fish!

[CrazyCarl]

Had a Spinstream on the return, took it off, wasn't a fan. Did you use a Marineland or Cobalt maxi, how is the noise on that? Looking at the Sicce pumps as they are supposed to be super quiet, although Tmpe's wasn't very quiet..... Options on the Sicce I want to use is 251gph for the 1.0, and 357gph for the 1.5. Think 357 would be way to much, I am SPS heavy and need a lot more flow, just don't want a total sandstorm.

I have the cobalt. It is definitely louder than the stock pump, but I currently don't have it seated right. I had to trim the removable base so it would fit and I didn't trim it enough so its a little noisy ATM. I am going to trim it again tomorrow and try and get it set so its not vibrating against the tank. I actually had the MJ900 (I forget the GPH, I think its around 230) in there before which was no louder than the stock pump IIRC, but it seized after about a year (of course while I was away for the weekend). Now I try to clean them every 4 months to get rid of the calcification from dosing. I think that 357 would probably be too much, but I don't think it would cause a sandstorm. I also have a nano koralia 240 so you wouldn't be overdoing it with the total flow. Just theorizing, but it might cause issue with it flowing through the rear chambers too fast, not sure how that would affect things, just something to think about maybe extra trickling over the media basket?

[Steensj2004]

I have the cobalt. It is definitely louder than the stock pump, but I currently don't have it seated right. I had to trim the removable base so it would fit and I didn't trim it enough so its a little noisy ATM. I am going to trim it again tomorrow and try and get it set so its not vibrating against the tank. I actually had the MJ900 (I forget the GPH, I think its around 230) in there before which was no louder than the stock pump IIRC, but it seized after about a year (of course while I was away for the weekend). Now I try to clean them every 4 months to get rid of the calcification from dosing. I think that 357 would probably be too much, but I don't think it would cause a sandstorm. I also have a nano koralia 240 so you wouldn't be overdoing it with the total flow. Just theorizing, but it might cause issue with it flowing through the rear chambers too fast, not sure how that would affect things, just something to think about maybe extra trickling over the media basket?

Hmmmm, never though about flow through the rear chambers. I had considered running a reactor and skimmer( skimmer again only a different one). Then the only reason for the InTank baskets is filter floss........ and an extra media not inside the reactor. Even considered two media reactors. Hmmmmmmmm.... I might look around a bit longer. Sicce also makes some smaller pumps, maybe I run a small pump on each return? Maybe a 150ish GPH on both? Increased flow as the flow isnt being split between the two returns via the ,"Y?"

[CrazyCarl]

Hmmmm, never though about flow through the rear chambers. I had considered running a reactor and skimmer( skimmer again only a different one). Then the only reason for the InTank baskets is filter floss........ and an extra media not inside the reactor. Even considered two media reactors. Hmmmmmmmm.... I might look around a bit longer. Sicce also makes some smaller pumps, maybe I run a small pump on each return? Maybe a 150ish GPH on both? Increased flow as the flow isnt being split between the two returns via the ,"Y?"

 

I think the 2 pump idea is great. Also adds some redundancy, as I learned that when the return pump fails, so does the heater essentially, since it gets no flow. Should have been common sense but didn't really think about it until it happened… The more I think of it, I may look into this idea myself.

[Steensj2004]

Headed to my LFS today to order a few things. Decided to get rid of the Fuge basket, Spin Stream, and the JBJ Fuge Light. Going with a different skimmer and a CPR nano-reactor for Biopellets/ media(possibly something else, but I can run carbon and GFO in my media baskets.

[Steensj2004]

Project time!! Stay tooned!

[Steensj2004]

Well I was bored and decided to head to Home Depot after the LFS, and picked up some stuff to keep my hands busy for a while....

 

I started by making a new Screen Top, the old one was bulky and cruddy(matter of fact I took it off for pictures when I posted on here,hahaha). I Got the frame made:

 

Final Product came out very nice, I had to do the screen twice, I pulled it to tight and had a small tear,lol.

 

I started learning how to score acrylic as opposed to using the table saw as I am used to.....sucks,lol.

 

I was tired of looking at all the equipment and stuff in the AIO section, I decided to build a cover. I used fairly thin acrylic, so I knew I would need a few supports to prevent sag in the future.

 

Started out by getting the two long pieces together after cutting...

 

I decided to use super glue as opposed to acrylic solvent. I found this stuff, has sides you squeeze in. You can run a perfect bead every time, I highly recommended it for projects that you don't want to use acrylic solvent on. No accidental over or under squeezing here!

 

After the top and front were dry, I secured the first side...

 

Then it was on to making the braces....

 

 

I decided to line the braces up with the bulkheads for chambers #2 in the back, this way any future Reactors or skimmers would not hit the braces. Braces ended up being apox. 7" from each end.

 

Here is the final product and the box on the tank. I will sand and spray it gloss black at work on Friday, I can prime and paint there with my HLVP gun and gloss enamel.

 

the right side/end isn't perfect, there is some overhang(excess material) from both the top and front. I made it too long on purpose, so I could line up the outsides and glue the last piece in so bot fit squarely on the outside edges. I wanted a perfect fit. The seams and 1/16-ish extra on the one side will get sanded and trimmed to make it perfect before prime and paint Monday.

[Steensj2004]

My first youtube video ever!

 

 

Operation,"Pellet Retrieve."

 

Spring 2014, allied forces were stretched thin, food supplies were dwindling. Supplies were dropped off target, out of reach for allied troops. One brave shrimp made a move to recover food for him and his fellow troops before the Fire Shrimp could move in and steal the supplies. This hero called for cover from his fellow tankmate while he made a risky recovery mission, this is the footage from that heroic event......

 

[njasmin]

Looks awesome man!

[Steensj2004]

Looks awesome man!

Thanks!

 

Final Products(minus paint of course)y. Unfortuneatly, the parts aren't a perfect line up and match, I will have to redo it all, otherwise I will lose my mind. Ill get to that sometime next weekend. For now I will paint this one and use it for now.

 

 

[Ahanix]

Yeah this looks great! excited to see it completed

[Steensj2004]

This one will be up for grabs at some point, there are a few things I would like to change!

[Steensj2004]

Finished the Cover.I had planned on using my HLVP gun, but then I would have to clean it twice, and I didn't wanna do that,lol. Now that it is done I have decided to redo it. I want it to change as follows:

 

-Shorter, too tall for nice aesthetics IMHO

-Gloss paint as opposed to semi-gloss

 

 

Anyway, here is the AIO cover after sanding

 

Primer Coat

 

First coat of semi-gloss

 

second coat black semi-gloss paint

 

 

Third and final coat as well as the cover on the tank.

 

 

For now it will work just fine, looks like I can drop an 1"- 1 1/2" and a half without having to worry about future equipment clearance(skimmer/reactor).

[Ahanix]

Nice work man, I might have to try something like this! Love how much it cleans up the tank, although I may just have to make three separate flush covers since with the cad skimmer mine would be sticking up pretty high. Absolutely love what you have done with the tank, I'm going to have to steal some of your ideas over the next couple of months.

[Steensj2004]

Nice work man, I might have to try something like this! Love how much it cleans up the tank, although I may just have to make three separate flush covers since with the cad skimmer mine would be sticking up pretty high. Absolutely love what you have done with the tank, I'm going to have to steal some of your ideas over the next couple of months.

Steal away, I am pretty happy with the tank, more than I imagined. I am, however about to pull the trigger on a CAD lights 45 shallow to replace this one before I start my 80 gallon build. I miss a sump like crazy, I miss the advantages of a non-AIO system. I want a good skimmer, two reactors, a large fuge, raised sand bed in fuge(Plenum) and dual heater redundancy,lol. Definately a good tank, I just am not a huge fan of AIO's. Thinking about trying a reactor build, gives me something to tinker with. I am in the preocess of debating dual return pump upgrades(dual Sicce) and a Aqua Euro nano skimmer/ CPR reactor combo running Biobeads. I will be rebuilding my AIO cover as I dont like how tall it is.

[Steensj2004]

decided to build a Mame style DIY airstone skimmer.....stay tuned!

[Steensj2004]

Still looking for the stuff for skimmer. Got a few more corals though...

-Jedi Mind Trick Monti


-Mystery Acro... Unsure of the name but dark navy blue with a turquoise sheen, maroon polyps.... In short, badass,lol


Got this killer Dragons Breath algae shot !!



Tank update: 5 gallon water change, deep cleaning of the tank. Film algae has slowed way down, tank requires glass cleaning only ever 3-4 days. Phosphates and nitrates unreadable before water change. Replaced CPE and Purigen, tank is doing great! All corals, including SPS, showing 100% polyp extension and are very happy. Even the new corals were extending polyps minutes after being in the tank. Things are looking good!

[Steensj2004]

Got some new corals today!

 

Super Nova(forget the name of the type of the coral):

 

And Lucky Charms Chalice:

 

We were fishing yesterday at a friends place, and when he pulled up the crab pot there must have been a thousand little critters running around....took a picture, apparently amphipods get bigger than I thought! Couldn't believe I got to see some straight from the wild, look just like the ones running around our tanks!

 

 

FTS as of right now:

 

I made the airstone skimmer, but I will have to wait for wooden airstones to come in the mail. I could not find any here, and the ones I tried to test with didn't work at all. I also returned the air pump I had and am considering a bigger pump.

 

I decided I wanted a longer reaction chamber as contact time between the bubbles and the water is important from my understanding. I extended it with some PVC and a coupling. I later drilled holes in intake and the airline.

 

 

 

Finished product....I may have to run two airstones to get the head I need, the distance is a little longer than I would have liked. May have to cut the top shorted and make a collection cup instead.