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emkop's IM 10 Reef


emkop

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Hi all, I have decided to attempt to document my 10 gallon IM nano reef journey.  I have been in the fish keeping hobby for 9 years now but only have been keeping reef tanks for about 3 years with my 65 gallon reef. I wish I had documented the process of building that tank as it has changed so much since ive had it, but anyway... The other week my lfs had the innovative marine 10g for 20% off, I ended up pulling the trigger. I am excited to start this tank off from scratch and will not be carrying anything over from my larger system as it has had its fair share of battles with ich in the last few years. As of now I only have the tank, skyye light, spin stream, heater, and fish guard. Im looking into getting an ato but other then that plan on keeping things as simple as possible. 

In terms of fish I am limited in the 65 as I have a golden dwarf moray eel who I am afraid would make lunch out of any small fish so I am hoping to keep some smaller fish in the 10. 

 

Stock List: 

None RN

 

 
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I'm not sure about some of the fish you've listed, but ones that have been successfully kept in this tank by other N-R members are the pink-streaked wrasse, clowns, green banded goby and tailspot blenny.  @gena actually has a pair of clowns, PSW and GBG in her IM10 which was a down-size from her 20g drop-off.  I second what clown said, stick to small fish that won't be really territorial or need lots of swimming room. :welcome: to Nano-Reef!

 

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Thank you for the warm welcome. I definitely want to avoid a pair of clowns. The tank has cleared up, I have been soaking some old live rock that had dried out for the last week or so and will probably add it tonight or tomorrow so I can start the cycle asap.

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So on Tuesday of last week I added my old now dead live rock that I had been soaking for a week. Overall I really like the hight of the scape.  Ive been periodically ghost feeding a little but do not know the "best" way to cycle this tank. ATO is coming on the 27th with a bunch of other smaller things.

 

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oh and here are a few pictures from the larger reef which is currently fighting ich but hanging in there.

 

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Use a small raw piece of shrimp. You can leave it in the tank for a couple of days to start the cycle. Once you notice the ammonia spike, the process has started. 

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So the box of goodies came the other day.  I managed to set up the ato and it seems to be running functionally. 

 

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some of the stuff like the spin stream and second ato is for my dad who is also setting up a fusion 10 in his office. The carbon and heater are for my freshwater tanks.

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Love the scape. Love these little tanks. What are your plans for filtration? I had a cherub angel in mine and he was to much for the bio-load (thats with a skimmer and a refugium). Love to see how this tanks comes along!

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7 hours ago, 1967type1 said:

Love the scape. Love these little tanks. What are your plans for filtration? I had a cherub angel in mine and he was to much for the bio-load (thats with a skimmer and a refugium). Love to see how this tanks comes along!

Im honestly not to sure about what I plan on using. I have a bunch of chemipure blue for chemical filtration. The filter sock that came with it seems to clog pretty frequently. Not sure about whether I should build my own rack to hold a sponge and the chemipure or buy one. I do plan on stocking kinda heavily or maybe just one nice fish. I could always move a fish into my larger tank if needed. I dont really want a skimmer, I have run my larger reef for years without one; I also want to try and keep thing slow maintenance. But any suggestions would be appreciated. I could maybe do a refugium in the back middle chamber.....

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In my IM 10 I have their custom filter rack where I have chemipure elite filter floss and I'm also tuning a refugium with macro algae. In the second chamber I'm running the ghost skimmer. My water is crystal clear and it isn't that much work once you get the skimmer broken in.  

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okay thanks ill look into the ghost skimmer. There is definitely part of me that wants to go all out with the top end equipment like for example an mp10 and a nicer light with skimmer, media reactor and refugium. However, I also have to consider the fact that I will have to breakdown the tank and carry it with me to school and I want it to be super simple and cheap. Ive looked at both IM and inTank's media baskets, any significant differences other than price?

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Probably not much difference and by no means am I saying you need a skimmer I just wanted to go all out with this tank. I do love my little refugium though. And I wouldn't spend the money on a mp10 they are nice but not worth the money for a tank like this in my opinion.

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1 hour ago, TatorTaco said:

You mentioned that you and your dad are both setting up the same tanks at the same time?  That must be super fun!

Yes it is really fun and it saves some money as we can split some of the costs. He also has a 90 gallon reef and 75 gallon freshwater tank. I have a 65 gallon reef, 45 gallon freshwater and 16 gallon freshwater tank so there are lots of tanks in the house.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Long overdue update. First fish is in! One of my LFS had their anniversary sale this weekend and I saw this midas blenny and could not say no. He is kinda shy but I added the barnacle for it to hide in but probably will eventually remove it.  I also got some macro algae for some color before i start adding corals. Still am unsure of what corals I want to do.

FTS 10/15/17 (only smartphone pictures)

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1 hour ago, Angry-Monkey said:

Big Al's anniversary sale? Are you based or if the GTA?

House of Fins in Greenwhich CT. Im not sure I understand your second question?

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Another long overdue update! First coral went in about three weeks ago. Clean up crew is also in and complete with 5 nassarius snails, 3 trochus snails and 1 ninja star astrea snail.  I also added a bruun's cleaner shrimp.  I need to get a picture of him, but on the bright side I think I have decided the final stocking list, ill update it above. Im looking for a pederson cleaner shrimp and a yellow line shrimp as well. I also would love to add a pom pom crab at some point. 

Here is the first coral, an orange leptastrea.

20171030_175136

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Okay its been over a year since I've updated this thread, a lot has changed. I have lost all the fish, I then tried to add a pair of helfrichi firefish after a cherub angel but the angel was not having it and was evicted to my larger reef where he still currently resides. The two firefish died from what I suspect was ich back in June.  Tank has been fallow since. Just got home from the end of the semester and have already added 7 new additions in the first week. 

Also since I have last updated our air conditioning broke this summer and I lost every single coral in the 65 gallon reef with the exception of my pectinia and acanthophyllia which were moved into the 10 gallon after my room hit 96 degrees. 

 

The plan going forward is the 65 will remain fish only and the 10 will hopefully be a mini reef. Will upload pictures when I get the chance. I am hunting for a fourline wrasse which will be the one and only fish occupant of this tank, also looking to add a pederson shrimp. Keeping my eyes peeled on divers den as none of the LFS in the area had one. Current list of inhabitants includes:

Brunns shrimp

Porcelain Crab

Banded Serpent Sea Star

A few coral and a some snails

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Pictures from earlier today shot on my iphone

FTS from 1/1/19

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Side View

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Forest Fire Digi

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Horrible picture of grafted monti cap

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and an acro I dont know the name of. Actually think this may be one of the better pictures out of the bunch

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I got the intank media basket and have been running just a sponge in the top compartment and chemipure blue nano in the others. In the second chamber I am running the mini media reactor from innovative marine with GFO which is long overdue for a change and is probably not doing much of anything in terms of nutrient export but that's fine as the tank hasnt had fish and therefore was not being fed while I was gone for the semester. I also upgraded the return pump to the sicce syncra .5  to increase flow.  All this is now being controlled by an apex junior. I have been pretty happy with the system as a whole and if the new additions do well I will probably not change much although an mp10 is a reoccurring thought that i keep telling myself I don't need.

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