BohannonReef Posted April 2, 2018 Share Posted April 2, 2018 Nothing innovative here......well actually a lot of it is Innovative Marine. Alas, it is another IM20 thread. Cycle started on March 24th 2018. Give me any feedback or advice you would like. Happy reefing folks! Tank Shot 3.30.2018 Equipment used Innovative Marine Fusion 20 gallon Innovative Marine Nuvo APS stand Current USA Orbit (until my Nanobox Duo arrives) Nanobox Duo plus M 2x inTank filter basket Innovative Marine Chaetomax refugium light Icecap 1k Gyre 2x Spinstream nozzle (The Gyre made them click like crazy) Stock return pump Cobalt Neo-therm 100 Watt Heater ReefCleaners rock (10-15 lbs or so) 10 lbs special grade Arag-alive sand 5 lbs Ocean Direct original grade sand 1 Quote Link to comment
Zuma Posted April 3, 2018 Share Posted April 3, 2018 I would throw some live rock in there to get things going biologically. I just purchased an IM 20 as well and plan to use all un-cured live rock; its very cool to take it slow with live rock and see what develops just on the rock before you start adding macro creatures and your tank will be much more stable to boot. 1 Quote Link to comment
BohannonReef Posted April 4, 2018 Author Share Posted April 4, 2018 On 4/2/2018 at 11:31 PM, Zuma said: I would throw some live rock in there to get things going biologically. I just purchased an IM 20 as well and plan to use all un-cured live rock; its very cool to take it slow with live rock and see what develops just on the rock before you start adding macro creatures and your tank will be much more stable to boot. Thanks! I have some live rock in one of the chambers in the back. Quote Link to comment
BohannonReef Posted April 4, 2018 Author Share Posted April 4, 2018 I think my cycle is coming to an end soon. I tested things this afternoon and the ammonia is down from 2.0 to .5 Looking forward to putting the first fish in hopefully this week. Quote Link to comment
BohannonReef Posted April 7, 2018 Author Share Posted April 7, 2018 All right! I tested the water today and there is no ammonia or nitrites showing up anymore and about 5-10 ppm nitrates. Probably gonna drop a fish in on my next day off work. 1 Quote Link to comment
BohannonReef Posted April 10, 2018 Author Share Posted April 10, 2018 Great news and not so great news. Let's start with the good stuff. Tests continued coming back with the results showing it was time for a fish, so I got one! A gorgeous little almost naked clown with 3 small spots. Now on to the bad, my phone broke and I cannot take a pic. Booooo! Pretty soon I should have more to post once I get a new phone. The Chaetomax is working wonders. I got a some chaeto in the first chamber about a week ago and it went from a golf ball to a tennis ball VERY fast. I also added some Marinepure 1.5" spheres to one of the rear chambers of the tank to add some more surface area since the display rock is a bit sparse. Edited for even better news: The Nanobox shipped! Quote Link to comment
BohannonReef Posted April 10, 2018 Author Share Posted April 10, 2018 I'm still undecided on flow options. I'm stuck between the Tunze 6040 or the new Icecap Gyre 1k. Im planning on keeping this tank as a LPS / softy tank for the most part so I think the Gyre might be overkill for such a small tank even though it says 20 to 50 gal. I have very little experience with either pump honestly but the Tunze came recommended from my LFS. Quote Link to comment
BohannonReef Posted April 15, 2018 Author Share Posted April 15, 2018 The light is here and it is wonderful! Big thanks to Dave over at Nanobox Reef for hooking me up. Pics will go up monday when I hopefully have a new phone. Quote Link to comment
BohannonReef Posted April 17, 2018 Author Share Posted April 17, 2018 Finally! Got a new phone today (still crappy but at least it takes pics). I ended up going with the Icecap 1k Gyre. I have it running on 10-20% with random intervals and it seems to be a perfect fit. I have to cut the mesh lid of the tank a bit to allow the cable to go through which I did not think about. Also I added my first coral to the tank in the form of some orange zoas with green skirts. I did not catch the name at the store. Once they open up fully I will snap another pic. 1 Quote Link to comment
Elizabeth94 Posted April 17, 2018 Share Posted April 17, 2018 Chugging along nicely! I like your rock placement, esp if you plan on adding LPS. They need some vertical space for their floweyness lol. 1 Quote Link to comment
BohannonReef Posted April 17, 2018 Author Share Posted April 17, 2018 6 hours ago, Elizabeth94 said: Chugging along nicely! I like your rock placement, esp if you plan on adding LPS. They need some vertical space for their floweyness lol. I have somewhat of a plan on corals and placement so far although things will change for sure. I'm going to be lining the bottom of the rocks with zoa glued rubble. The left rock is going to be mainly covered with chalices I think. The right rock is acans. I will be getting a frag mag for the space on the wall between the two rocks for a euphylia of some type. Again, this is all loose and i'm sure will change. 1 Quote Link to comment
CeresReef Posted April 17, 2018 Share Posted April 17, 2018 Hi Bohannon, Any chance you can get a good shot of the Chaeto with the chaetomax light? I am trying to set up something very similar and could use a visual. -Ceres Quote Link to comment
Kdrof Posted April 17, 2018 Share Posted April 17, 2018 Nice scape. Looks natural. I like how it gradually comes out of the sand. 1 Quote Link to comment
Cannedfish Posted April 17, 2018 Share Posted April 17, 2018 I know I'm echoing the crowd, but that is a really nice aquascape! 1 Quote Link to comment
BohannonReef Posted April 17, 2018 Author Share Posted April 17, 2018 5 hours ago, CeresReef said: Hi Bohannon, Any chance you can get a good shot of the Chaeto with the chaetomax light? I am trying to set up something very similar and could use a visual. -Ceres Please excuse the nasty poly filter. I'm not changing it quite yet while the nitrifying bacteria gets established. 1 Quote Link to comment
CeresReef Posted April 17, 2018 Share Posted April 17, 2018 Awesome, thank you! Quote Link to comment
BohannonReef Posted April 17, 2018 Author Share Posted April 17, 2018 The new zoas are open this morning and looking fairly happy. Ready to start moving some more frags in. I may just go to the LFS here in a minute. 1 Quote Link to comment
Kdrof Posted April 17, 2018 Share Posted April 17, 2018 Nice! Just started my cycle a week ago. Cant wait to get to where you are at . Lookin good. 1 Quote Link to comment
BohannonReef Posted April 18, 2018 Author Share Posted April 18, 2018 1 hour ago, Kdrof said: Nice! Just started my cycle a week ago. Cant wait to get to where you are at . Lookin good. I don’t know....I could still stare at the rock in my tank for hours ?? Quote Link to comment
BohannonReef Posted April 25, 2018 Author Share Posted April 25, 2018 Today’s theme: Frags and fancy beer. Pics coming soon. Quote Link to comment
CeresReef Posted April 25, 2018 Share Posted April 25, 2018 Haha.... I love the theme! 90% of the time people laugh me off as borderline alcoholic, but April my birthday rolls around and now my fridge is stocked with so many unique beers as people try to gift me something I have never tried. Once a year my fridge is more stocked than my appetite. Can't wait for those pics! I hope it is frags mounted blatantly sideways from over-indulgence. 1 Quote Link to comment
BohannonReef Posted April 26, 2018 Author Share Posted April 26, 2018 I’m on a fancy sour beer kick. I can’t get enough of that funky wild stuff. I wish I had the money to go overboard with frags but my tax refund ran out. I’ll take some crappy phone pics when I get home. Still looking around pawn shops for a decent camera. Quote Link to comment
BohannonReef Posted April 26, 2018 Author Share Posted April 26, 2018 I need to get a better camera..... 1 Quote Link to comment
BohannonReef Posted April 26, 2018 Author Share Posted April 26, 2018 I’m letting the frags sit on the sand for a few more days before moving them into place. I added some snails as well. I was able to grab 3 trochus, 4 cerith, and 4 dwarf cerith. Im done stocking for at least a couple weeks while the tank matures a touch. Quote Link to comment
BohannonReef Posted May 9, 2018 Author Share Posted May 9, 2018 Thank goodness... I’ve had this chalice that was receding that I got for 5 bucks from my lfs. It finally ate last night. Hoping it recovers soon. On this upcoming Monday I will be gluing the frags in place and taking a new fts. Quote Link to comment
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