UpstateReefer’s downstate Nuvo 10

[Ckane2]

FTS 3/7/2021

 

 

After over 2.5 years with my Evo 5 I finally upgraded to my Nuvo 10 that was sitting around for quite sometime. Moving gave me a great excuse to set up the new tank. I used the live rock from my Evo V, but eventually I plan on starting over with completely new rock here as soon as I can. Starting this journal just to keep track of my new set up as I plan to make some changes to it!

 

This picture was taken the day after it was set up

Equipment:
- Water pump upgraded to AQ600 
- 100 W heater
- Current IC LED LOOP system
- Jebao SLW-10 
- 12 in x 12 in ABS plastic sheet used to protect bottom glass with bare bottom set up

Stock:
~ 5 lbs of live rock
- 2 clowns, one misbar one DaVinci
- 1 margarita and 2 astrea snails
- red monti cap
- red digi
- assorted zoas/palys
- stunner chalice 
- blue shrooms

Filter:
- Custom caddy media basket
- filter fiber 
- ceramic rings

Notes:
- Stopped dosing everything for now, was dosing 2 part before and occasionally iodine 
- Feeding flake food daily, broadcast feeding for entire tank

Plans:
- Get an AI prime. The current orbit light has been alright for me but I want something more powerful, with a better spectrum, and that will fit a cube better
- Add more bio media i.e. Seachem Matrix 
- Upgrade to sicce pump and add RFG, possible loc line attachment to double RFG nozzles 
- Start testing/dosing alk/Ca/Mg, I'd like to increase corralling algae growth
- Add frag racks
- Remove chalice, monti cap, digi, and devil's hand leather
- Cover rock and barebottom with zoas

 

I’ll try to update as often as I can. These changes are going to take months but I plan on having this tank for as long as possible!!! 

[Ckane2]

I quickly sold my GSP rock, hopefully I’ll stay away from GSP for the rest of my reefing career , it just grows too quickly and was covering rocks/glass/other corals. 

[Ckane2]

Had a frag holder rock that was in storage that I finally set up, also got a few zoa frags from local reefers and a new LFS 

 

[Ckane2]

Trying to figure out how to get my zoas to grow in tighter clusters without reaching, I’m really hoping that upgrading the an AI prime in the future will help fix this problem. For now here’s my favorite picture of the new zoa rock 

[Ckane2]

Working on selling my leather coral and stunner chalice and eventually the other SPS. I really want to focus on making this tank zoa dominant. Here’s my most recent pictures of the tank taken this evening 11/30/2020. Notice how quickly that chalice is sucking up calcium, going to outgrow the tank in a month at this rate 

 

[Ckane2]

Update as of 1/6/21

 

Finally getting this tank moving in the right direction and making the changes I’ve wanted. I added the autoaqua smart micro ATO which so far has been awesome. I always underestimated how nice an ATO would be, but not having to worry about manually topping off is great. I’m hoping salinity stability will improve my coral health as well. 
 

Most excited to say I just ordered a new AI prime 16hd, which I think will improve my coral growth significantly compared to this current orbit light bar which I’m convinced can’t grow much of anything. Next I plan on upgrading the return, adding an RFG, and hopefully some magnetic frag rocks. 

 

 

[Ckane2]

Also got rid of my devil’s hand leather, my stunner chalice, and my cleaner shrimp. I’m convinced the cleaner shrimp was bothering my corals and pulling food from them to the point that he was impacting their health. 

[debbeach13]

Good luck with the new set up. Following your progress.

[Ckane2]

I’ve been waiting for so long to get one of these lights! A brand new 16HD. After talking to an LFS worker and asking him for advice, he said upgrading my lighting would likely make a huge difference and I agreed. 
 

Not sure if it’s all in my head but I swear my corals already look happier and healthier after 1 day. I modded the AB+ schedule to increase CW, but I think I’m going to reduce it as I didn’t realize how bright they were. After that I’m going to try and not touch the light schedule at all. It’s on a 30 day acclimation to account for the strength of this new light. 
 

I’m hoping to see some increases in coral growth and get tighter zoa clusters from this. Between the light and the ATO I think this tank has turned a corner and has some more potential now. Next I plan on upgrading the pump, adding a RFG, and adding a magnetic frag rock and frag tiles.

 

 

 

[debbeach13]

That's awesome.

[tdannhauser30]

looks really good

[Ckane2]

Thank goodness I moved somewhere with an incredible coral shop just 15 minutes away 😂 picked up some awesome frags today for cheap, and have been making some changes! I added an old rock I had sitting around and glued some frags on it. So happy I made the decision to sell my finger leather and chalice, it’s given me some more space and options of what I can do with this tank

 

 

top down is from before I added the rock and glued the frags down. In an effort to get my girlfriend more involved, I took her to the store and when she said she really liked the ricordea shrooms I figured I had to get one and she picked it out 🤷🏼‍♂️ Love where this tank is going so far!

[tdannhauser30]

Tell her she made a good choice lol

[Ckane2]

Things are going very well with this tank! Got a couple new frag racks since I’m running out of real estate, can’t wait to fill them up 


 

 

[jarviz]

what setting do you have the jebao at? I'm surprised everything looks so happy with it. I tried one with my 10gal long, but it was just overkill for my corals. 

[Ckane2]

6 hours ago, jarviz said:

what setting do you have the jebao at? I'm surprised everything looks so happy with it. I tried one with my 10gal long, but it was just overkill for my corals. 

It’s on the lowest setting, any higher is too much flow

[Tony Bologna]

The tank looks amazing. Especially with your new light. Are you in the upstate SC? If so wich LFS do you prefer? I'm pretty new to the area. Thanks. 

[Ckane2]

A lot has changed in my Nuvo 10! I did a total restart in January of 22 and haven’t posted here since. My last try failed because of aiptasia and vermetid snails. 
 

I started my new tank with all dry rocks, using live special grade reef sand and filter media from my old tank to seed bacteria. I’ve been very particular and dipped/replugged every coral I’ve bought to prevent vermetids and aiptasia. The floating GSP magnetic rock is from aqua rocks.
 

Lighting is AI prime 16. I use a sicce 1.0 return pump, and a Jebao MLW-5 that only turns on twice a day for a short period to stir up the water behind the main rock. I recently started dosing small amounts of all for reef, and reef energy. So far everything is healthy. I plan on adding some more SPS. Here is the tank from start (01/2022) to present (02/6/2023). Also this is the same clown I’ve had for years, he’ll be at least 5 years old this March.