Myfast622
New Member
- Joined
- Jan 17, 2018
- Messages
- 8
- Reaction score
- 14
- What state or country do you live in
- North Carolina
Hello all! New to the site. I've been in the hobby on and off for the last 13 years. My previous set up was a 75. I've downsized to the lagoon and found that there isn't very much information out there on how people have made this system work form them.
There are so many different ways to configure this tank. When I decided to go with the IM 25 Lagoon, I was really concerned about the protein skimmer. After many years of trial and error, to me, the skimmer and lighting are the most important parts of any system. With this in mind, I decided that skimming efficiency was more important to me than the sleekness that this beautiful design sets out to achieve (plan on making modifications to hide the skimmer). IM makes skimmers (Ghost skimmers) for these tanks but after much research, I just wasn't happy with the reviews they received. At the end of the day I decided to go with the Aquamaxx 1.5 HOB.
This is by far the best skimmer I have every used and the break-in time was barely noticeable. I had micro bubbles for maybe a week. Anyhoo.... let's get in to the other upgrades that I've made to the tank to make it pretty much end up being the tank that I've always wanted.
1. I upgraded the pump. I read that the pump that IM puts in the system is lacking in power and is a little too loud for such a small system. I ended up doing two separate pumps that are each rated at about 250 gallons per hour. I also upgraded the nozzles to the spin stream made by IM. These are fantastic but can be fragile. Be careful when cleaning them. The gear mechanism has a tendency to jam and mess up the rotation of the nozzle.
2. I ended up going with the AI Prime HD for my lighting. In my opinion, this light is a great deal. There are so many threads out there for this lighting system so I'll keep it at that.
3. I took the hydro wave maker control system from my 75 and paired it with one 425g/hour Koralia pump on five second intervals. It's worked very well so far and I'm happy with it until I have it in me to buy an MP10.
4. I have a Smart micro auto top off. I feel like these are absolutely necessary, especially for a nano system. I've had no issues with it and would highly recommend it, even for larger systems.
5. I decided to go with a Cobalt ne-therm heater. I've never used a more precise heater. You set it and it stays.
Finally, I ended up sucking it up and getting the Nuvo APS stand. It's super expensive but the aluminum design makes for an aquarium stand that lasts. The design blends nicely to whatever look you're going for.
Live stock: Bonded pair of Bullet flurry clownfish, a purple fire fish, bubble tip anemone, green toadstool, torch coral and a few different kind of mushroom colonies.
Guess that was my way of introducing myself to the forum. Please let me know what you think or how I could improve the set up.
Happy reefing!
There are so many different ways to configure this tank. When I decided to go with the IM 25 Lagoon, I was really concerned about the protein skimmer. After many years of trial and error, to me, the skimmer and lighting are the most important parts of any system. With this in mind, I decided that skimming efficiency was more important to me than the sleekness that this beautiful design sets out to achieve (plan on making modifications to hide the skimmer). IM makes skimmers (Ghost skimmers) for these tanks but after much research, I just wasn't happy with the reviews they received. At the end of the day I decided to go with the Aquamaxx 1.5 HOB.
This is by far the best skimmer I have every used and the break-in time was barely noticeable. I had micro bubbles for maybe a week. Anyhoo.... let's get in to the other upgrades that I've made to the tank to make it pretty much end up being the tank that I've always wanted.
1. I upgraded the pump. I read that the pump that IM puts in the system is lacking in power and is a little too loud for such a small system. I ended up doing two separate pumps that are each rated at about 250 gallons per hour. I also upgraded the nozzles to the spin stream made by IM. These are fantastic but can be fragile. Be careful when cleaning them. The gear mechanism has a tendency to jam and mess up the rotation of the nozzle.
2. I ended up going with the AI Prime HD for my lighting. In my opinion, this light is a great deal. There are so many threads out there for this lighting system so I'll keep it at that.
3. I took the hydro wave maker control system from my 75 and paired it with one 425g/hour Koralia pump on five second intervals. It's worked very well so far and I'm happy with it until I have it in me to buy an MP10.
4. I have a Smart micro auto top off. I feel like these are absolutely necessary, especially for a nano system. I've had no issues with it and would highly recommend it, even for larger systems.
5. I decided to go with a Cobalt ne-therm heater. I've never used a more precise heater. You set it and it stays.
Finally, I ended up sucking it up and getting the Nuvo APS stand. It's super expensive but the aluminum design makes for an aquarium stand that lasts. The design blends nicely to whatever look you're going for.
Live stock: Bonded pair of Bullet flurry clownfish, a purple fire fish, bubble tip anemone, green toadstool, torch coral and a few different kind of mushroom colonies.
Guess that was my way of introducing myself to the forum. Please let me know what you think or how I could improve the set up.
Happy reefing!
