IM Nuvo Lagoon 25 Owners Thread

[KyleAwesome]

On 3/3/2017 at 0:20 PM, lkoechle said:

Can you guys show me the back of your tanks?  I'm having trouble figuring out how to fit everything.  

I need to fit:

• IM Ghost Skimmer (single chamber 2)
• 2 inTank media baskets (each in chamber 1)
• neotherm 100 watt heater 
• hydor smart level ato (might have to purchase a new ato, I think the middle sensor is broken)
• neptune probe rack (and probes)
• an ato return line
• and 2 part solution return lines

 

Currently, my main issue is figuring out what to with the heater and the probe rack.  I can leave it chamber 2 (2 as in how IM labels them) but my temperature probe should not be next to the heater.  I could move the heater to chamber 3 (middle/return pump chamber) but the water level is too low for that.  I guess I could put it on its side... I don't know.  I need ideas.  And I can't (or at least probably can't) move the probe rack to the center chamber because I have a goose neck light fixture there (the light is arriving tomorrow from NanoBox so I don't know for sure on this, but I am assuming it won't work)

 

Thoughts?  Suggestions?  Photos of your set ups?  Thanks!

I can sympathize. Heres my setup

 

custom caddy in both the left and right 1st/primary chambers

reef octopus NS80 skimmer in the left side's 2nd chamber

main heater, backup heater and ATO return in the right side's 2nd chamber

2x pumps for the returns, heater probe, ATO sensor, ground wire, and a bag of rock rubble in the main chamber

 

I'm also running two kessil A80's on goosenecks, which the glass clamps positioned directly over the baffle for the second/main chambers.

 

You can make it all fit, but its tight. 

[lkoechle]

Yeah I managed.  It's a PITA to get to my pump but whatever. lol

[flatlandreefer]

What's everybody running for in tank flow. I have an mp10 on reef crest mode at full blast but I am wanting more. Can't decide what power head to add. Another mp10 linked to the original one would be ideal but expensive. My other idea is a tunze constant speed on a timer. 

[lkoechle]

7 minutes ago, flatlandreefer said:

What's everybody running for in tank flow. I have an mp10 on lagoon mode at full blast but I am wanting more. Can't decide what power head to add. Another mp10 linked to the original one would be ideal but expensive. My other idea is a tunze constant speed on a timer. 

I would use different modes.  Do you have reeflink or an apex?  Lagoon has some definite lulls and you get better flow switching modes throughout the day.  Also, lagoon is designed to be gentle.  So just not using that would probably change your opinion.  I use reef crest, tidal, constant, pulse, and nutrient export modes over a 24 hour period.  My pattern is: reef crest, nutrient, pulse, tidal, pulse, nutrient, reef crest, nutrient, constant. I just started adding SPS and run it at a max of 70% right now, but so far it looks like plenty depending on the mode.  I would probably feel differently if I using a single mode though.

[flatlandreefer]

27 minutes ago, lkoechle said:

I would use different modes.  Do you have reeflink or an apex?  Lagoon has some definite lulls and you get better flow switching modes throughout the day.  Also, lagoon is designed to be gentle.  So just not using that would probably change your opinion.  I use reef crest, tidal, constant, pulse, and nutrient export modes over a 24 hour period.  My pattern is: reef crest, nutrient, pulse, tidal, pulse, nutrient, reef crest, nutrient, constant. I just started adding SPS and run it at a max of 70% right now, but so far it looks like plenty depending on the mode.  I would probably feel differently if I using a single mode though.

I meant reef crest, didn't mean to say lagoon. No apex or any other controller so I am stuck with one mode. It seems like flow from only one side of the tank just isn't enough for sps. I have some cyano growing in the rock near the base of my birds nest so I think the flow really drops off around that distance away from the vortec. 

[lkoechle]

8 minutes ago, flatlandreefer said:

I meant reef crest, didn't mean to say lagoon. No apex or any other controller so I am stuck with one mode. It seems like flow from only one side of the tank just isn't enough for sps. I have some cyano growing in the rock near the base of my birds nest so I think the flow really drops off around that distance away from the vortec. 

What about upgrading the return pump and extending the return nozzles so you can direct them better?  I'm using sicce syncra 1.5 (not silent...  ) but it works well enough. If you get a couple loc line pieces you could probably add some length to the return nozzle to get flow better at the opposite end.  I've been thinking about doing that.

 

It would be a cheaper option than getting another pump.

[flatlandreefer]

26 minutes ago, lkoechle said:

What about upgrading the return pump and extending the return nozzles so you can direct them better?  I'm using sicce syncra 1.5 (not silent...  ) but it works well enough. If you get a couple loc line pieces you could probably add some length to the return nozzle to get flow better at the opposite end.  I've been thinking about doing that.

 

It would be a cheaper option than getting another pump.

 

I don't think it will provide enough flow and it would be too directional. Is yours loud? 

[lkoechle]

10 hours ago, flatlandreefer said:

 

I don't think it will provide enough flow and it would be too directional. Is yours loud? 

Yes very. and I have gone through two pumps and talked to sicce and got a replacement impeller.  The pump is just loud.  which is confusing because others have posted videos and its near silent.  I am thinking about replacing the return lines with soft silicone to see if that helps. But the extra flow is worth it despite how frustrating the volume is.

I dont think it will be too directional with the counter current from the mp10.

[flatlandreefer]

1 hour ago, lkoechle said:

Yes very. and I have gone through two pumps and talked to sicce and got a replacement impeller.  The pump is just loud.  which is confusing because others have posted videos and its near silent.  I am thinking about replacing the return lines with soft silicone to see if that helps. But the extra flow is worth it despite how frustrating the volume is.

I dont think it will be too directional with the counter current from the mp10.

 

That's kind of weird.  I know my return pump was sitting up against the baffle when I first started my tank which caused it to make quite a bit of noise and is silent now that I moved it but I'm sure you have made sure that is not the case.  Stuff like that can be pretty frustrating!

[HelenofTroy]

Yeah that is strange. I have the Sicce 1.5 too, and it's silent. 

[nuvo25lagoon]

Hello! Ive had my 25 Lagoon running for a few weeks now and I have an insane amount of microbubbles. No skimmer running yet, and my pump is fully submerged. Do your return outlets fully tighten against the back wall? I noticed mine wont tighten all the way, and was thinking maybe they are pulling in some air? Any ideas?

[KyleAwesome]

20 minutes ago, nuvo25lagoon said:

Hello! Ive had my 25 Lagoon running for a few weeks now and I have an insane amount of microbubbles. No skimmer running yet, and my pump is fully submerged. Do your return outlets fully tighten against the back wall? I noticed mine wont tighten all the way, and was thinking maybe they are pulling in some air? Any ideas?

 

Could be a few different things; I'm using both the stock pump and an aquatop 240ish gph pump to drive the output so you may be up against something different but I have witnessed bubbles making it over the baffle between the 2nd and 3rd chambers then being sucked into the pump and getting chopped up and pumped into the display. This seemed to happen more when I was running my water level lower, I now have my water line about 3/4" below that baffle and havent had it happen since. I've also experienced that if the return nozzle is too close to the waters surface in the display it can create small vortices that can suck air down into the water flow creating bubbles. 

tl;dr make sure you're water line isnt too low in the rear chambers and that your return nozzles arent creating too much surface agitation. 

[Nart]

27 minutes ago, nuvo25lagoon said:

Hello! Ive had my 25 Lagoon running for a few weeks now and I have an insane amount of microbubbles. No skimmer running yet, and my pump is fully submerged. Do your return outlets fully tighten against the back wall? I noticed mine wont tighten all the way, and was thinking maybe they are pulling in some air? Any ideas?

Mine doesn't tighten all the way either, but I am not getting any microbubbles.

 

Is your water line covering the return elbows all the way? If it is covering it... Only thing I can think of is that you have a tiny leak somewhere on the return.

[Nart]

On another note...

 

I tried the Cobalt MJ1200 pump over the Sicce Microplus... it's actually too much flow with the MJ1200 for what I keep lol..

It annoyed the crude out of all my softies and LPS with the "flow bounce back" on the glass.

 

I had to tone it back down to the Sicce Microplus, but notice a huge dead spot of flow towards the AIO wall. I think I might have to put a powerhead there.

[nuvo25lagoon]

5 minutes ago, KyleAwesome said:

 

Could be a few different things; I'm using both the stock pump and an aquatop 240ish gph pump to drive the output so you may be up against something different but I have witnessed bubbles making it over the baffle between the 2nd and 3rd chambers then being sucked into the pump and getting chopped up and pumped into the display. This seemed to happen more when I was running my water level lower, I now have my water line about 3/4" below that baffle and havent had it happen since. I've also experienced that if the return nozzle is too close to the waters surface in the display it can create small vortices that can suck air down into the water flow creating bubbles. 

tl;dr make sure you're water line isnt too low in the rear chambers and that your return nozzles arent creating too much surface agitation. 

Ive been keeping the water about an inch below the baffle. I will try to raise it a bit.

5 minutes ago, Nart said:

Mine doesn't tighten all the way either, but I am not getting any microbubbles.

 

Is your water line covering the return elbows all the way? If it is covering it... Only thing I can think of is that you have a tiny leak somewhere on the return.

Im going to cut some new tubing and give that a try. I notice there are a few bubbles in the pump chamber, but nowhere near the amount that is in the display. So you might be right about air coming in from one of the lines.

[Shoob1e]

Put an Sw-2 in the lagoon awesome size for this tank and pretty good flow. Can barely notice it in the top corner

[Nart]

10 hours ago, Shoob1e said:

Put an Sw-2 in the lagoon awesome size for this tank and pretty good flow. Can barely notice it in the top corner

Great suggestion. I think I am going to pick that up.

[Shoob1e]

3 hours ago, Nart said:

Great suggestion. I think I am going to pick that up.

amazon had them cheap and you can return it if you dont like it lol.

[Nart]

Way ahead of ya. I already ordered and it's on the way lol.

Can't wait to try it out.

[Shoob1e]

Is there a way to raise the water level? Or because the overflows are where they are its set that hight?

Scaped today think i like it as it will be for nems only and a couple fish 

[JLynn]

The only way I know of to raise the water level is to use a pair of inTank's Universal Surface skimmers. I've got them, and I've been able to raise my water level nearly an inch because of them.

[SarlinDescent]

On ‎3‎/‎31‎/‎2017 at 9:40 PM, Shoob1e said:

Is there a way to raise the water level? Or because the overflows are where they are its set that hight?

Scaped today think i like it as it will be for nems only and a couple fish 

The other two ways to increase the water level are to (if draining the setup) glue acrylic or something behind the bottom part of the overflow.  This basically just makes the overflow level start higher.  Secondly, you can increase the GPH of the return pump.  Be warned, when you increase the flow of the pump, more water will be drained out of the center pump section.  You will need to add water and turn the pump on and off during this period so that you don't run it dry.

 

WARNING! When increasing the level, DO NOT let the water level get to the bottom of the lid clips.  If this happens, the water can flow up the inside of the clips and down the outside of the tank making a HUGE mess.

[NewbReefer316]

On 4/1/2017 at 7:49 AM, JLynn said:

The only way I know of to raise the water level is to use a pair of inTank's Universal Surface skimmers. I've got them, and I've been able to raise my water level nearly an inch because of them.

Jbj, I think, makes these plastic pieces that you can clip or silicone over your drains in the topen corners that will increase the surface skimming as well as allow you to increase your water level in the display as well. I used a pair on my tank before breaking it down last month. I'll try to dig them out and post a picture of them. Need to get everything cleaned up and ready to sell anyway.

[lkoechle]

1 hour ago, SarlinDescent said:

The other two ways to increase the water level are to (if draining the setup) glue acrylic or something behind the bottom part of the overflow.  This basically just makes the overflow level start higher.  Secondly, you can increase the GPH of the return pump.  Be warned, when you increase the flow of the pump, more water will be drained out of the center pump section.  You will need to add water and turn the pump on and off during this period so that you don't run it dry.

 

WARNING! When increasing the level, DO NOT let the water level get to the bottom of the lid clips.  If this happens, the water can flow up the inside of the clips and down the outside of the tank making a HUGE mess.

Snails + Condensation will do that too I've found... -.-  It's more like salt creep from hell.

[JLynn]

15 hours ago, NewbReefer316 said:

Jbj, I think, makes these plastic pieces that you can clip or silicone over your drains in the topen corners that will increase the surface skimming as well as allow you to increase your water level in the display as well. I used a pair on my tank before breaking it down last month. I'll try to dig them out and post a picture of them. Need to get everything cleaned up and ready to sell anyway.

That sounds like the same thing as the inTank ones I use. I will say that clipping them on gets obnoxious (I'm constantly knocking them off by accident when putting on or removing my screen top). I'm going to have to suck it up and silicone it on sometime soon.