Moore's IM Fusion 10

[moores38]

I made mistake of dumping the whole bag on the tank and ended up cleaning my sand of empty shells. Next time I will have a QT tank and move them over slowly...

I agree!

 

Ended up coming back to a bunch of snail shells with white goop hanging out. All 4 of the nerites appear to be living, but not that active. Only 1 nassarius made it. All of the ceriths died, and only about 1/3 of the dwarf ceriths made it. Pretty cool. So I spent the better part of a hour with tweezers picking up dead creatures. Did about a 40% gal water change, and now I'm hoping for the best. I don't even think I'm going to bother with ReefCleaners.org, it was more of the USPS fault than anything else, but who knows.

 

Also about to pull and pitch the ghost skimmer, that thing has been nothing but junk since I got it. It's half-a** working now, the skimmer cup is cracked for absolutely no reason, and the air value pretty much snapped off while I was adjust it a quarter turn. I've had a lot of bad luck lately.

 

I'd probably replace the skimmer with a reactor running GFO and carbon, but I'm afraid to buy any thing else thats Innovative Marine brand. Now I'm just waiting on the tank to explode.

 

If anyone has any input please chime in and make me feel better

[APLATN13]

I agree!

 

Ended up coming back to a bunch of snail shells with white goop hanging out. All 4 of the nerites appear to be living, but not that active. Only 1 nassarius made it. All of the ceriths died, and only about 1/3 of the dwarf ceriths made it. Pretty cool. So I spent the better part of a hour with tweezers picking up dead creatures. Did about a 40% gal water change, and now I'm hoping for the best. I don't even think I'm going to bother with ReefCleaners.org, it was more of the USPS fault than anything else, but who knows.

 

Also about to pull and pitch the ghost skimmer, that thing has been nothing but junk since I got it. It's half-a** working now, the skimmer cup is cracked for absolutely no reason, and the air value pretty much snapped off while I was adjust it a quarter turn. I've had a lot of bad luck lately.

 

I'd probably replace the skimmer with a reactor running GFO and carbon, but I'm afraid to buy any thing else thats Innovative Marine brand. Now I'm just waiting on the tank to explode.

 

If anyone has any input please chime in and make me feel better

 

What a Bummer day Atleast, your tank is up and running. My build that I got on Christmas Eve isn't up and running yet! Due to delays and Aquarium Specialty haven't shipped out me a new stand yet!

 

I would give IM a buzz and see what they can do with ur skimmer :/ sux that its broken.

 

-Anthony

[WickedReef]

I use a IM reactor (carbon) in my other tank they aren't too bad, still running strong now for over a year. Sorry about you cuc and skimmer. Good thing I have LFS's all over the place to get my coc. I would contact IM about the skimmer. Hopefully these tanks are stronger than the last ones. No beveled glass seems safe. Time will tell.

[moores38]

I use a IM reactor (carbon) in my other tank they aren't too bad, still running strong now for over a year. Sorry about you cuc and skimmer. Good thing I have LFS's all over the place to get my coc. I would contact IM about the skimmer. Hopefully these tanks are stronger than the last ones. No beveled glass seems safe. Time will tell.

In your honest opinion, have you had decent success using only a reactor versus a skimmer. This tank will be largely zoa/acan, so I plan on feeding on the heavier side for corals alone, fish are another evil. I know LPS like/tolerate dirty waters better, and I assume with the 7 or 8 gal of actual water volume I have, weekly change of 15-20% should suffice for nutrient export. One has to figure the GFO would zap the phosphate and the carbon would handle any other nasties.

[teenyreef]

So sorry to hear about all the problems. Stick it out - you'll get through it!

 

I think you can run skimmerless especially if you don't have lots of fish and aren't trying to keep SPS. I kept a couple gobies and some SPS in my 4g without a skimmer for about nine months before adding my skimmer. I just made lots of large water changes. Usually 50% twice a week.

 

I had the exact same thing happen with my CUC from Reefcleaners last winter - they all froze to death when USPS took four days to deliver during a snowstorm in Florida. John sent me a new order at no charge (not even shipping) when I let him know what happened. He's got my business forever after that, since it wasn't even his fault that it happened.

[WickedReef]

Reactors and skimmers have two different purposes. Lots of people go skimmerless and have great success.

In my 25 Nano im running a skimmer PLS-50 Elite and carbon reactor sometimes a GFO reactor when needed.(Innovative Marine AUQA Gadget MiniMax All-In-One Media Reactor - DeskTop).

In my fusion 10 im just planning on using some chemi-pure blue in the media basket with weekly water changes. i would think this should be sufficient with a pair of clowns some corals maybe later a anemone. If your planning on doing weekly water changes a skimmer is overkill depending on your bio load, you wont want to run carbon and gfo
together in the same reactor.

I may try a PicO SkiM 2.0 Later.

PhosGuard is another easy media to throw in your media basket.

[moores38]

So sorry to hear about all the problems. Stick it out - you'll get through it!

 

I think you can run skimmerless especially if you don't have lots of fish and aren't trying to keep SPS. I kept a couple gobies and some SPS in my 4g without a skimmer for about nine months before adding my skimmer. I just made lots of large water changes. Usually 50% twice a week.

 

I had the exact same thing happen with my CUC from Reefcleaners last winter - they all froze to death when USPS took four days to deliver during a snowstorm in Florida. John sent me a new order at no charge (not even shipping) when I let him know what happened. He's got my business forever after that, since it wasn't even his fault that it happened.

I've got a LFS fairly close or I'd give him another shot, just figured I'd try him out instead of the local place, sucks getting snail cubes though! Even worse picking them all up!

 

Reactors and skimmers have two different purposes. Lots of people go skimmerless and have great success.

In my 25 Nano im running a skimmer PLS-50 Elite and carbon reactor sometimes a GFO reactor when needed.(Innovative Marine AUQA Gadget MiniMax All-In-One Media Reactor - DeskTop).

In my fusion 10 im just planning on using some chemi-pure blue in the media basket with weekly water changes. i would think this should be sufficient with a pair of clowns some corals maybe later a anemone. If your planning on doing weekly water changes a skimmer is overkill depending on your bio load, you wont want to run carbon and gfo

together in the same reactor.

I may try a PicO SkiM 2.0 Later.

PhosGuard is another easy media to throw in your media basket.

I understand the difference between the two, that's why I got the skimmer in the first place, but I'm just getting tired of messing with it. Carbon and GFO can be run together in the same reactor. You just need enough carbon to keep the GFO spaced out so it doesn't clump. I believe there's a BRS video regarding that around here somewhere...

[da1001]

One of these probably:

 

or

 

or maybe

 

meh?

 

Hope it helps

[WickedReef]

Thats a beast for a 10 gal, overkill? and also requires another pump in the rear sump. Prob a pump that requires to much flow for little sump. If anything I would just run a im desktop reactor for carbon and some PhosGuard in basket. Better yet some Chemi-pure elite or blue in basket.

[Rory282]

Hi Moores38,

 

Sorry to hear about your cuc and the im ghost skimmer.

 

 

I don't know if you know the brand aqua medic? They are a verry respected german brand and have almost the same media reactor in the their line-up as the innovative marine ones. They are called multi reactor and you have them in 3 sizes. I think the small would fit in the 10. Don't know if these are available in the us... Worth a look i would say.

 

Cheers,

Rory

[kylhcky]

innovative marine makes the minimax reactor, it will def fit in the im10

[moores38]

innovative marine makes the minimax reactor, it will def fit in the im10

 

I'm not disputing that, I'm just apprehensive to purchase anything with an IM logo on it after my skimmer was junk.

 

Hi Moores38,

 

Sorry to hear about your cuc and the im ghost skimmer.

 

 

I don't know if you know the brand aqua medic? They are a verry respected german brand and have almost the same media reactor in the their line-up as the innovative marine ones. They are called multi reactor and you have them in 3 sizes. I think the small would fit in the 10. Don't know if these are available in the us... Worth a look i would say.

 

Cheers,

Rory

 

Thanks for the input Rory! I'll look into it, I'd really like to keep a skimmer. I like the skimmer principle for the amount of nutrient export it provides.

 

Thats a beast for a 10 gal, overkill? and also requires another pump in the rear sump. Prob a pump that requires to much flow for little sump. If anything I would just run a im desktop reactor for carbon and some PhosGuard in basket. Better yet some Chemi-pure elite or blue in basket.

 

I think he was just showing the videos for the theory of carbon and GFO together, not necessarily the reactor used. The same principle can be used in the IM desktop reactor as well, one just needs the proper GFO to carbon mix.

 

One of these probably:

 

or

 

or maybe

 

meh?

 

Hope it helps

 

There they are! Nice work!

 

 

I'll be heading to my LFS tomorrow morning after I stop by the bank. Unfortunately, I got a call from bank today regarding fraudulent charges on my card, someone rung up about $1,600 worth several states away! Thank God for Visa's fraud protection! Regardless, I'm picking up some replacement snails.

 

Vertex probe holder and BRS RO/DI unit came in today. Vertex packaging is excellent, product quality appears great too! Perfectly fits in the third chamber.

 

Began flushing my RO/DI unit tonight, and one of the elbow fittings leaks at the threads. Of course, so I'll have to pick up nylon thread tape. I'm hoping at some point my luck will change!

[kylhcky]

I'm not disputing that, I'm just apprehensive to purchase anything with an IM logo on it after my skimmer was junk.

 

i don't blame you. the minimax's have a decent track record, unlike the ghost skimmers. so far we're all the guinea pigs, im just happy i held out on getting the skimmer myself. i feel like a lot of the "nano" skimmers never seem to work as efficiently compared to bigger units, or course not all though.

[moores38]

i don't blame you. the minimax's have a decent track record, unlike the ghost skimmers. so far we're all the guinea pigs, im just happy i held out on getting the skimmer myself. i feel like a lot of the "nano" skimmers never seem to work as efficiently compared to bigger units, or course not all though.

 

I couldn't agree more. I rarely see people with major issues with in-sump or HOB skimmers. I just feel like the nano skimmer have too many variables when they're shoved in a small AIO. My original plan was actually with the reactor, but in all my research over the years it was always, skimmer, skimmer, skimmer, so I figured why not? I only plan on having two fish, I'm figuring I should be able to get by without a skimmer.....I'll see what IM has to say about it tomorrow....

[da1001]

Ya I know those reactors wouldn't fit, I just wanted to show how others ran theirs dual media style lol

[kylhcky]

Ya I know those reactors wouldn't fit, I just wanted to show how others ran theirs dual media style lol

 

 

they get pretty small now adays

 

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/brs-gfo-carbon-reactor-5-single.html

[moores38]

Well I contacted IM and they've been nothing but helpful, just sent in pictures of the skimmer cup, air valve, purchase receipt, and skimmer serial number/label. Just waiting on a reply and I should have a new skimmer cup and air valve en route. They even offered to give me an RMA if I had trouble getting the air valve reinstalled. With that said, for what lacked in my skimmer was compensated but the expedited customer service replies I got and the outcome. My faith to IM has been somewhat restored. I brought up the micro bubbles to him and I'll share the advice he gave, as I haven't been able to try it because my skimmer is obviously off.

 

"Once we get the air valve and collection cup adjusted properly, the microbubbles will go away.

An easy quick way, is…

The white body should be 1.5” out of water.

Close off the air valve so no bubbles are made.

Push the collection cup all the way until it is stopped by the elbow drain.

Now open the air valve 45-90 degrees only.

Let it run for 5-10 min."

 

Hope that helps some people. Also planning on adding my Tailspot next Friday or so...

[teenyreef]

Thanks for passing this on! I'm glad IM was so responsive. I've heard the same thing from other folks, too.

I'm going to try the method they gave you on my Desktop Ghost right now and I'll let you know how it works.

 

I've been thinking about a tailspot, too...but I've already added enough fish for one week

[WickedReef]

I was doing some maintenance this morning and thought I would post a pic of my GFO reactor (IM Minimax Desktop) I use in my 25g may be considering one of these for my Fusion 10 also. It works pretty good.

I use the BRS Bulk GFO Granular Ferric Oxide I tried Rowahos (PIC) but its way to fine. I've had this reactor for over a year with no issues. Haven't used GFO and carbon together in one of theses but may have to give it a try, reading your earlier posts.

[teenyreef]

For my 10g Fusion, I just put the carbon and GFO together in a little bag and change it at least once a month. From the BRS calculator, I only need about a tablespoon of carbon and about a teaspoon of GFO. With so little GFO, it doesn't really get a chance to clump before I change it.

 

I've got an old TLF GFO reactor that I used to use on my 90g freshwater tank before I gave up the battle against algae. It always worked great.

 

PS: the instructions from IM about the skimmer worked great! I started getting good skimmate right away with just a few microbubbles. Sheesh, it would have been nice if they'd been that specific in the instructions they printed (and post online). Maybe this was an update that they've figured out since doing the original instructions. Anyway, thank for posting! It really helped out with my skimmer

[WickedReef]

For my 10g Fusion, I just put the carbon and GFO together in a little bag and change it at least once a month. From the BRS calculator, I only need about a tablespoon of carbon and about a teaspoon of GFO. With so little GFO, it doesn't really get a chance to clump before I change it.

 

I've got an old TLF GFO reactor that I used to use on my 90g freshwater tank before I gave up the battle against algae. It always worked great.

 

PS: the instructions from IM about the skimmer worked great! I started getting good skimmate right away with just a few microbubbles. Sheesh, it would have been nice if they'd been that specific in the instructions they printed (and post online). Maybe this was an update that they've figured out since doing the original instructions. Anyway, thank for posting! It really helped out with my skimmer

Im thinking this is the best method for such a small tank a small bag in the basket

[moores38]

For my 10g Fusion, I just put the carbon and GFO together in a little bag and change it at least once a month. From the BRS calculator, I only need about a tablespoon of carbon and about a teaspoon of GFO. With so little GFO, it doesn't really get a chance to clump before I change it.

 

I've got an old TLF GFO reactor that I used to use on my 90g freshwater tank before I gave up the battle against algae. It always worked great.

 

PS: the instructions from IM about the skimmer worked great! I started getting good skimmate right away with just a few microbubbles. Sheesh, it would have been nice if they'd been that specific in the instructions they printed (and post online). Maybe this was an update that they've figured out since doing the original instructions. Anyway, thank for posting! It really helped out with my skimmer

 

Did you leave the air valve and cup height at those level or did you change it after? I'm still getting no where with the micro bubbles.

 

On another note, added some corals today. They look about 100% more blue than than it really is, but I have no idea what I'm doing in photography so....

 

[teenyreef]

Those corals look beautiful. I hate trying to take pictures under the blue lights - it never turns out the way they actually look

 

On the skimmer, I finally got it to break in by running the cup as high as it would go and opening the venturi up all the way. After a couple days it started producing good skimmate, but I still had some minor microbubbles. When I tried the instructions you received (basically the opposite from the way I had it set up), it settled right in and produced good skimmate with almost no microbubbles. After a day or so, I raised the cup a little to get darker skimmate. So maybe the break-in should be done with the venturi open all the way, and then switch back to the other way once it starts skimming?

 

Now, since everything was going so well, I glued a bunch of rocks which is know to make all skimmers microbubble like crazy. So now I'm back to square one while the glue gets cleared out

[WickedReef]

Those corals look beautiful. I hate trying to take pictures under the blue lights - it never turns out the way they actually look

Been using this camera app on my Nexus 5 takes great aquarium shots even under blues, you can dial everything in manually on the fly.

 

(Make sure it works for your android)

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=pl.vipek.camera2

 

[moores38]

Those corals look beautiful. I hate trying to take pictures under the blue lights - it never turns out the way they actually look

 

On the skimmer, I finally got it to break in by running the cup as high as it would go and opening the venturi up all the way. After a couple days it started producing good skimmate, but I still had some minor microbubbles. When I tried the instructions you received (basically the opposite from the way I had it set up), it settled right in and produced good skimmate with almost no microbubbles. After a day or so, I raised the cup a little to get darker skimmate. So maybe the break-in should be done with the venturi open all the way, and then switch back to the other way once it starts skimming?

 

Now, since everything was going so well, I glued a bunch of rocks which is know to make all skimmers microbubble like crazy. So now I'm back to square one while the glue gets cleared out

Still having some trouble with mine, granted the IM replacement parts haven't arrived yet, so that could be the issue. I think I'm going to need to pop it out and give it a good cleaning. When I was floating some things for acclimation, the water level in the rear chambers rose and kind of drowned the airline. I'm thinking I might have some salt creep in there now because it doesn't sound very normal.

 

Been using this camera app on my Nexus 5 takes great aquarium shots even under blues, you can dial everything in manually on the fly.

 

(Make sure it works for your android)

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=pl.vipek.camera2

 

I don't have an Android phone

 

 

Added my first fish tonight, wasn't smart enough to take a picture of him in the bag, so now I have to wait till he comes out of hiding. He's a tailspot blenny. Still trying to think of a name.