Cju84's new IM Fusion 20 gallon (updated 1/3/2019)

[cju84]

Hey everyone!  So I wasn't planning on grabbing another tank but there was a tank for sale on my local forum that I couldn't pass up.  So, I pulled the trigger and wanted to share this tank's journey (alongside my 5g pico).

 

Disclaimer - This tank was not cleaned out by the previous owner in 8 months.  There is MUCH cleaning that will happen over the next week when my new substrate arrives.  In the meantime I've been doing water changes and vacuuming like crazy (and checking levels of course).

 

Hardware:

Tank: Innovative Marine Fusion 20 gallon 

Light: Nanobox Duo LED with custom light stand

ATO: Tunze 3152

Heater: 100W Neo-Therm 

Media: InTank media basket with filter floss, Chemi-pure elite, Purigen

Powerhead/Pump: Stock - I'll need to add some more flow, weighing options

 

Livestock:

Corals:

Rainbow BTA (really not sure how they survived given the condition this tank was in with the previous owner)

Hammer 

Ricordea (various)

Acans

Blasto

Palys (various)

 

Other:

ORA Variegated Urchin

Skunk cleaner shrimp

Peppermint Shrimp

Hermit crabs

 

Future Stocking Plans

2 clowns (probably onyx)

1 blue chromis OR damsel

Torch coral

Hammer coral

Frogspawn

Palys

Acans

Bubble coral (maybe)

 

I am going to replace the substrate in its entirety with Tropic Eden Mesoflakes.  CUC from Reefcleaners shipping out next week as well.

 

Questions:  What do you recommend for a bit more flow?  I'd rather avoid putting an unsightly powerhead in the tank.  Is there a pump I can put in the mid-back chamber and connect to return flow?  If so, what do you like? 

 

I've attached a few pics as of now.  Remember, this is NOT yet cleaned and does not include my Tropic Eden flakes which are coming next week   Not sure what I'm doing with the scape yet.

[cju84]

Full tank shot with stand and misc. pic.

[cju84]

Anyone have recommendations on additional powerheads/pump/flow for the IM 20?  Just running stock for now and don't think it's enough...

 

Thought my anems were dying yesterday but they were just pooping.  As a new anem owner, I had no idea what was going on as they completely deflated.  I then had my skunk shrimp aggressively ripping out what I thought were their guts/organs/innards, but no... It was just ripping out the poop and helping the anems.  He was about to get a viking funeral, but was glad I held off on that.

[cju84]

Anems look to be in the best shape since I've had them (probably best shape in a year as the tank was neglected by previous owner).  Tropic Eden Mesoflakes coming tomorrow and this tank will be cleaned in full.

[gena]

1 hour ago, cju84 said:

Anems look to be in the best shape since I've had them (probably best shape in a year as the tank was neglected by previous owner).  Tropic Eden Mesoflakes coming tomorrow and this tank will be cleaned in full.

I love this shot!  They look so happy .  And those nuc greens go so well with the pink palys...don't know name of pink.  All you need is some purple palys..I forget their name too LOL.  But that trio makes the perfect paly garden combination. 

[cju84]

Thanks Gena   I absolutely love palys and will be picking up a bunch more this week.  Substrate comes tomorrow and once that's all changed out, the real fun begins

[gena]

6 minutes ago, cju84 said:

Thanks Gena   I absolutely love palys and will be picking up a bunch more this week.  Substrate comes tomorrow and once that's all changed out, the real fun begins

Awesome .  What kind of blastos did you get?  Are they solid pink/red?  They look really nice!

[cju84]

3 minutes ago, gena said:

Awesome .  What kind of blastos did you get?  Are they solid pink/red?  They look really nice!

They're more of a purple with an electric greenish interior.  I'll try to get a good pic of them but my camera doesn't seem to be cooperating.

[gena]

3 minutes ago, cju84 said:

They're more of a purple with an electric greenish interior.  I'll try to get a good pic of them but my camera doesn't seem to be cooperating.

Oh ok...I must be looking at the acans . 

are the blastos the little merlettis on the left side?  Looks like a nice sized little colony.

[cju84]

41 minutes ago, gena said:

Oh ok...I must be looking at the acans . 

are the blastos the little merlettis on the left side?  Looks like a nice sized little colony.

Ahh, yes, you must be looking at the Acans.  They are a lovely red color!  Blastos were alllllll the way to the left.

[cju84]

Better lighting but potato camera.  Just after feeding.

[justjoshinya]

Looking really healthy love the nems

[cju84]

4 minutes ago, justjoshinya said:

Looking really healthy love the nems

Thanks much!

[gena]

Yeah, this tank was a great find!  I see why you went for it even though you weren't really in the market .

[cju84]

1 minute ago, gena said:

Yeah, this tank was a great find!  I see why you went for it even though you weren't really in the market .

I literally got EVERYTHING for $400.  Heck the Nanobox Duo LED with Storm Controller goes for $300 or so alone?  Super lucky!

[gena]

26 minutes ago, cju84 said:

I literally got EVERYTHING for $400.  Heck the Nanobox Duo LED with Storm Controller goes for $300 or so alone?  Super lucky!

That's GREAT!  I was on craigslist this past week because I sold my old Maxspect Razor light on there.  I was searching around seeing if others had sold.  In my search I found an amazing tank with a Razor and very expensive setup for $300.  It was like a $1200 setup.  I couldn't believe it.  There are some great deals to be had in this hobby.

[cju84]

1 minute ago, gena said:

That's GREAT!  I was on craigslist this past week because I sold my old Maxspect Razor light on there.  I was searching around seeing if others had sold.  In my search I found an amazing tank with a Razor and very expensive setup for $300.  It was like a $1200 setup.  I couldn't believe it.  There are some great deals to be had in this hobby.

Whoa, that's incredible.  Did you buy it??

[gena]

5 minutes ago, cju84 said:

Whoa, that's incredible.  Did you buy it??

Heck no LOL.  It was an incredible deal though.  I just looked for it again, and not surprisingly, it's gone.  I can't remember what the tank was, or gallons, but it was probably around a 30-40 gallon tank.  Too big for me.

[cju84]

2 minutes ago, gena said:

Heck no LOL.  It was an incredible deal though.  I just looked for it again, and not surprisingly, it's gone.  I can't remember what the tank was, or gallons, but it was probably around a 30-40 gallon tank.  Too big for me.

Darn.  But I agree, amazing the deals you can find out there.  I may continue to browse until I see another and just buy it only to part it out for a nice profit   Hell, maybe quit my job and start flipping reef tanks.

[cju84]

Changed the substrate this evening.  Took about 3.5 hours from start to finish where 1.5 hours was rinsing the substrate in the bathtub.  Ended up doing 45 minutes per half of the bag.  It's been 30 minutes since filling it all up and putting everything back in and there is pretty much zero fog/cloudyness, which I'm happy about.

 

Blue lights are on so the pic isn't great, but I cleaned the he!! out of the back glass with a razor and really got the glass scrubbed well.  I only used tap water as I didn't want to add any cleaner that may do more harm than good.  

 

Anems are pissed but that was expected.  Hopefully all will be good tomorrow, where I'll post some updated pics where you can see the new substrate.

[gena]

Still looks great! 

[cju84]

2 minutes ago, gena said:

Still looks great! 

Thanks Gena.  Let's just hope for no deaths come morning   I'm just so happy it's not cloudy at all and everything went pretty smooth.

[Lula_Mae]

On 8/27/2017 at 10:56 AM, cju84 said:

Anyone have recommendations on additional powerheads/pump/flow for the IM 20?  Just running stock for now and don't think it's enough...

 

Thought my anems were dying yesterday but they were just pooping.  As a new anem owner, I had no idea what was going on as they completely deflated.  I then had my skunk shrimp aggressively ripping out what I thought were their guts/organs/innards, but no... It was just ripping out the poop and helping the anems.  He was about to get a viking funeral, but was glad I held off on that.

Viking funeral

 

Really nice tank, and what a great deal!  I am sure you'll have it looking fantastic in no time.

[cju84]

7 hours ago, Lula_Mae said:

Viking funeral

 

Really nice tank, and what a great deal!  I am sure you'll have it looking fantastic in no time.

Haha.  I let him live but it was close.  That's what I get for rescuing a tank and not fully knowing how some of its inhabitants live their daily lives.

 

And thank you!  I'll get some pics up when the daylights come on soon.  Everything cleared up nicely.

[cju84]

Alright - Daylights are on, everything cleared up nicely.  

 

Full tank shot: