First Reef Tank Build IM fusion 20

[Zach W]

2 minutes ago, Nano_Addict said:

Sounds like you've found a good spot for it.  I'm also a big fan of the encrusting corals and the jack-o-lantern is on my wish list, I just haven't been able to find it anywhere!!  Acans and echinita are pretty cool encrusters as well... or an encrusting montipora, the options are endless haha

 

A clam would look great in that spot, but yes they're pricey and require a bit more mature of a tank... even then they can be finicky from what I understand.

 

 

Are you opposed to ordering direct from his site? Or I think WWC sells it as well, shipping is a pretty penny though... Looks like I will just have to get enough to qualify for free shipping haha.

 

And yes I think the clam will be my last addition once I have everything else figured out!

[Nano_Addict]

I've definitely debated ordering from his site, but haven't yet.  My LFS has a JoL in a display tank that they keep saying they're going to frag, but they haven't yet haha.

 

I actually just received an order from AquaSD last week.  Picked up one of their Acro/Monti combo packs to take the plunge into sps.  For the amount of coral ( I got 12 pieces) the price was great.  Came out to about $14 a frag... Just too bad they didn't have the JoL in their collections at the time.

[burtbollinger]

VERY good start...also, very good idea thinking about COLOR as well.  Lots of people get too wrapped up in just filling the tank they don't think about color variety until its too late.

 

my 2 cents on encrusting montis, just from personal experience only...PITA.  I prefer the caps.

 

Also, dont discount the ease of purple stylophora for a beginner SPS.

[Zach W]

1 minute ago, burtbollinger said:

VERY good start...also, very good idea thinking about COLOR as well.  Lots of people get too wrapped up in just filling the tank they don't think about color variety until its too late.

 

my 2 cents on encrusting montis, just from personal experience only...PITA.  I prefer the caps.

 

Also, dont discount the ease of purple stylophora for a beginner SPS.

Thank you! Im learning a ton as I go but feel like im doing decently well at being patient with coral addition. There isnt much real estate in the tank so I just keep telling myself that I should add anything unless I really want it, and what I want is usually expensive so it makes me slow down haha.

 

So if you dont like montis as encrusting corals do you have any that you do like? Or you just arent into the encrusting corals at all? After seeing so many tanks with them, especially @DaveFason's Red Sea 170 I have fallen in love with the look and the amount of color variety they can add. I was thinking the ORA green birdsnest and monti cap as a starter into SPS because I really like them, I dont want too much SPS though, at least thats my thought at this moment

[burtbollinger]

6 hours ago, Zach W said:

Thank you! Im learning a ton as I go but feel like im doing decently well at being patient with coral addition. There isnt much real estate in the tank so I just keep telling myself that I should add anything unless I really want it, and what I want is usually expensive so it makes me slow down haha.

 

So if you dont like montis as encrusting corals do you have any that you do like? Or you just arent into the encrusting corals at all? After seeing so many tanks with them, especially @DaveFason's Red Sea 170 I have fallen in love with the look and the amount of color variety they can add. I was thinking the ORA green birdsnest and monti cap as a starter into SPS because I really like them, I dont want too much SPS though, at least thats my thought at this moment

go for it...IME, they dont like too much white light.  YMMV

[Zach W]

Here’s a top down shot from

tonight, everything going well! 

 

[DSFIRSTSLTWATER]

On 4/13/2018 at 10:30 AM, Zach W said:

Hi everyone, I have been posting sporadically on here asking question regarding my tank build but here is my official build thread! A little background, this will be my first attempt at my own reef tank but my parents have had one for years. I just finished graduate school a couple months ago and decided to take the plunge and get into reefing myself! My equipment list is as follows:

• IM Fusion 20 Gallon
• Custom Stand (still being made, counter-top will suffice for the cycle)
• Nanobox Duo plus M (waiting to receive, cycle will run without light on anyway)
• Sicce Syncra Silent 1.5
• 100W heater
• IM Custom Caddy
• IM Spinstreams x2 (arriving today)
• 15lbs Pukani Live Rock
• 20lbs CaribSea Special grade sand

I do not want to run a skimmer on this tank so I am still trying to decide what to do with the two inner chambers. I plan to eventually run chemipure blue and carbon in the custom caddy along with  fliter floss. I will probably be purchasing another caddie and place filter floss and marine pure spheres in it for more biological filtration. I am also contemplating plumbing an algae reactor in my stand for nutrient export (pump in one of the two internal chambers) but that is still up in the air. Any thoughts on what I should put in the last chamber? I still have lots of rock work to do but I was trying to get everything setup and running last night and this is where I ended up.

 

Before Water

 

Just Filled

 

After some rock work

 

Like I said I am sure I will move the scape around a million times before I am settled on something I really like but I appreciate all thoughts and suggestions!!

I really like that tank. My 20g is my old cichlid qt tank. I moved it downstairs and said f it i'm starting a saltwater tank lol. My next tank though I kinda want an AIO tank. Will see though. I'm liking your tank so far 

[Zach W]

Got a couple new corals in the tank! Picked up a random red and purple chalice, a small frag of JF outer space, a little acan colony, and a little tyree toadstool 

 

 

 

Had to also move my Favia down and out of the direct light because it’s edges were starting to bleach. Seems happy now! 

[DSFIRSTSLTWATER]

2 hours ago, Zach W said:

Got a couple new corals in the tank! Picked up a random red and purple chalice, a small frag of JF outer space, a little acan colony, and a little tyree toadstool 

 

 

 

Had to also move my Favia down and out of the direct light because it’s edges were starting to bleach. Seems happy now! 

Very nice selection 🙂

[Kdrof]

Lookin good!

[Zach W]

Got some more corals! Picked up a big yellow/orange Psammocora, Forest Fire Digi, Birdsnest, and my LFS threw in a baby Rainbow BTA for super cheap. Kinda nervous with the SPS and now a nem but my parameters are really stable and everything’s been healthy so far. 

 

 

 

 

 

[DSFIRSTSLTWATER]

4 minutes ago, Zach W said:

Got some more corals! Picked up a big yellow/orange Psammocora, Forest Fire Digi, Birdsnest, and my LFS threw in a baby Rainbow BTA for super cheap. Kinda nervous with the SPS and now a nem but my parameters are really stable and everything’s been healthy so far. 

 

 

 

 

 

Looking good man 👍 good luck with the new buys 😀

[Lauraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa]

This tank is looking amazing for your first reef!

[Zach W]

2 hours ago, DSFIRSTSLTWATER said:

Looking good man 👍 good luck with the new buys 😀

 

1 hour ago, RoboNarples2929 said:

This tank is looking amazing for your first reef!

Thanks guys, I appreciate the kind words! 

[Daniel91]

Following! My upgraded to this in a year - here to steal ideas. Great looking so far! 

[Zach W]

Haven’t updated in quite some time so I figure I’ll throw some pictures out there from cleaning tonight. I am battling some dino’s right now, wish me luck haha. Here are some shots, sorry for the poor quality, still can’t figure out the whole tank picture thing... 

 

 

 

[Zach W]

These might be better, I maybe just figured out how to use aquarium cam haha. I upset my plate coral just a second ago so he retracted unfortunately.. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Nano_Addict]

Looks like the tank is really coming along.  Love the colors on that ric!  What's the coral growing on the rocks in the back right?

[Zach W]

20 minutes ago, Nano_Addict said:

Looks like the tank is really coming along.  Love the colors on that ric!  What's the coral growing on the rocks in the back right?

Thanks! I’m really enjoying the tank, I find myself just staring at it for hours haha. The back right is an orange psammocora! And I was told the mushroom is a yuma. Not really sure?

 

Next step is to try out some acros and see how that goes. I also would love a clam and am mulling the idea of some zoa’s on the left rock structure for some color pop. Is it ridiculous to be worried about palytoxin? That is the reason I don’t have any so far honestly

[Nano_Addict]

11 hours ago, Zach W said:

Thanks! I’m really enjoying the tank, I find myself just staring at it for hours haha. The back right is an orange psammocora! And I was told the mushroom is a yuma. Not really sure?

 

Next step is to try out some acros and see how that goes. I also would love a clam and am mulling the idea of some zoa’s on the left rock structure for some color pop. Is it ridiculous to be worried about palytoxin? That is the reason I don’t have any so far honestly

I know exactly what you mean.  I always try to spend at least 20-30 minutes of the day relaxing by the tank (of course that doesn't always happen lol). The tricky part is keeping your hands out of there when after staring at it for 20 minutes you want to adjust that coral juuuuuust a little bit.

 

I've wanted a clam in my tank for a while, but with how much they cost, I'm afraid to risk it.  Maybe in the next 6 months I'll give it a try.  I also don't think it's ridiculous to be worried about palytoxin, but I also know it hasn't scared me away from keeping a few zoas/palys.  From what I've read it's important to just make sure you don't have any cuts while handling them (or wear latex gloves) and to be sure not to scrub them off the rock if you were ever to get in that situation.  Essentially keep the toxin from becoming an aerosol or entering your blood.

[Zach W]

14 minutes ago, Nano_Addict said:

I know exactly what you mean.  I always try to spend at least 20-30 minutes of the day relaxing by the tank (of course that doesn't always happen lol). The tricky part is keeping your hands out of there when after staring at it for 20 minutes you want to adjust that coral juuuuuust a little bit.

 

I've wanted a clam in my tank for a while, but with how much they cost, I'm afraid to risk it.  Maybe in the next 6 months I'll give it a try.  I also don't think it's ridiculous to be worried about palytoxin, but I also know it hasn't scared me away from keeping a few zoas/palys.  From what I've read it's important to just make sure you don't have any cuts while handling them (or wear latex gloves) and to be sure not to scrub them off the rock if you were ever to get in that situation.  Essentially keep the toxin from becoming an aerosol or entering your blood.

My main concern is that they can grow quite quickly and eventually getting into a situation where I would need to frag them and messing that up somehow. Have you ever fragged yours and if so is it fairly easy? My mental debate is, is it worth the potential (I know it is extremely minimal) risk of exposure to the dog and girlfriend for the wild colors and look the can provide. On the flip side I think they would be perfect to fill that void haha

[Nano_Addict]

44 minutes ago, Zach W said:

My main concern is that they can grow quite quickly and eventually getting into a situation where I would need to frag them and messing that up somehow. Have you ever fragged yours and if so is it fairly easy? My mental debate is, is it worth the potential (I know it is extremely minimal) risk of exposure to the dog and girlfriend for the wild colors and look the can provide. On the flip side I think they would be perfect to fill that void haha

I have not ever tried to frag zoas or palys.  My thought has always been when/if they get to cover too much of the rock I'd just try to sell that rock to the LFS and start over with some fresh corals.  But honestly i think a rock that is totally covered in zoas would look pretty awesome as well.

[Zach W]

Exciting update! I had been search for awhile for a Golden Torch be it Aussie or Indo and I had a local Reefer reach out to me about getting a Holy Grail Torch and was able to get a couple heads! This thing is incredible! Pictures don’t do it justice at all.. 

 

Here are a couple other new additions:

 

 

 

 

[Zach W]

I’ve officially become addicted to zoa’s.. Got some awesome frags from a local collector! Picked up hallucinations, utter chaos, gold mauls, sonic flares, pink zippers, and orange oxides. Here are some pics!

 

Hallucination

 

Utter Chaos

 

Gold Mauls

 

Sonic Flare

 

Top Down Shot after feeding

[Zach W]

I havent posted in awhile about my tank so I wanted to share. The sps bug has hit me hard. Almost completely full and time to let everything grow out! So this is my current equipment and stocking list, lots has changed:

Tank: IM Nuvo Fusion 20
Light: Radion XR30 w/ Diffuser (75% AB+ Spectrum)
Return Pump: Sicce 1.5 w/ 2 spinstreams
Flow: Ecotech MP10 (Custom Schedule)
Skimmer: IM NuvoSkim DC
UV: AquaIllumination 9W
Doser: Jeabo DP-4 running (Aquaforest Components 1,2,3 and Acropower)
ATO: Tunze Osmolator 
Filtration: Filterfloss, passive carbon & GFO

FTS:

 

Side Shots
 

 

SPS (all frags still):
JF Homewrecker
SC Orange Passion
CB Maleficent
CB Ultimate Sunset Milli
Tyree Pink Lemonade
RRC Pink Cadillac
JF Fox Flame
Strawberry Shortcake (unsure of lineage)
Green Slimer
Gatf Bonsai
MattV Psycho Asylum (soon to come!)
Hawkins Echinata 
Montipora Stetosa
Multiple Leptoseris

LPS:
Assorted Hammers/frogspawn/torches
Kryptonite Trumpet
Multicolored Acans 
Red/blue Blasto

Softies:
Tyree Toadstool
Hallucination Zoas
Yuma mushroom

Fish:
Mochavinci Clown
Royal Gramma