Planning dorm tank (nuvo 10?) input welcome!

[jesseatam]

I got into reef keeping over a year ago and I don’t want college to stop my hobby. There’s a 10 gallon limit in my dorm so I’m thinking an IM 10 with a kessil a80 for lighting. I know a lot of people will probably try to steer me towards an AI prime but here’s my main reasoning for picking the a80. First I don’t really want to have to play around with all the color percentages, second with the likelihood of me moving the tank back and forth I don’t want to constantly have to mess with wifi and switching networks for the light, and finally the a80 has no fans meaning less maintenance and less noise. The main things I want for this tank is for it to be as silent as possible and easy maintenance. I just want my main maintenance besides scraping the glass to just be a weekly water change or macro trimming depending on the stocking I decide on. Filtration I plan on going all natural with either simply rock rubble/marine pure or growing macro in one of the chambers. For the rock I’m leaving towards dry. I used live rock in my current tank and am very happy with it but not sure if I want to go that route with this tank. This is because I want to take my time to create a scape that I’m happy with and I want avoid any odor that dead organics from the live rock may create. That being said however, I am not opposed to getting live sand from the company I got my previous live rock from I’m just not sure how it would work with the mailing situation. The main dilemma I’m having is what to do with the flow for this tank, I’m not sure if I just want to run just a return with something like a random flow generator on it or if it’s necessary to have a power head in the display as well. For the stocking of the tank itself I’m stuck between the ideas of going for strictly caribbean livestock to create a biotope with something like a lantern bass as the main inhabitant or just going for a regular softie/LPS tank and stocking something like a dotty back. I want bold, personable fish that will catch people’s attention. I’m also not opposed to having macro in the display as well as long as it’s nothing fast growing like the grape caulerpa thats in my display now. Anyways apologies for the essay just wanted to write all my thoughts out and get others opinions, thank you in advance 😁

[TatorTaco]

I think the direction you're heading is completely up to you.  I'm also looking at downsizing, but only because I'm not as big of a fan of shallow tanks as I thought I might be.  

 

A Caribbean biotope could be cool with macro, gorogonians, mushrooms, etc.  However, I believe a lantern bass would be too big for an IM10.  I understood the stock IM pump was super loud so you may want to immediately switch to a Rio or Sicce pump. The RFG might be a nice option, as I've read the spinstreams tend to make a clicking noise while they're still new.  

[paneubert]

Speaking as someone who lived on campus for 5 years as an undergrad and 2 as a grad student, most of that time also as Housing/Residence Life Staff.......think about having multiple 10 gallon tanks.  Some of us had 3 or 4 tanks in our rooms....  Maybe have a 10G display with a 10G sump or planted refugium?  The point of the 10G limit is to keep flooding to a minimum if it leaks.  So multiple tanks should not be a problem.  Just don't let them know you plumbed them together.  Haha. 

[FlytheWMark]

I think the IM 10 with the Kessil is perfect... I have that exact set up as I had a small area in our kitchen to use and it fit perfectly.  Tank is silent and in a dorm the Kessil "shimmer" will look awesome.  I upgraded the stock pump and I do have a small powerhead in there just for some additional flow.  One thought though on live rock... since in college you are in a perpetual "move" phase of life, with the live rock you can much quicker cycle and enjoy your tank.  Just a thought...