IM lagoon 25 mixed reef build

kyleinpdx · May 28, 2018

I've been meaning to update this thread for a few months. Everything is going fine, just havent had much time for the forums, the Mrs and I welcomed our first child into the world last September and I took a new job back in January thats been keeping me busy.

Looking back on the last set of pictures I posted I didnt realize how much the Stylo's and birdnest had grown, the two on the left side of the tank are now growing into each other and causing me a bit of grief. The monti cap on the right side is probably 3x the size, as well as the other stylo.

I'll post some photos a little later today once everything has woken up.

JBKReef · May 29, 2018

kyleinpdx said:
At the depth of the IM25, these are really all the lights you need. All of my SPS are doing great and I even have an acro that would be doing great if my anemone didn't constantly have it in its cross hairs.

That is exactly why I'm going with the 25 over the 20. I feel like the larger foot print front to back will not be as big of an issue as the extra inch in water depth. I was checking my PAR in a 20 long using the 2 Kessil A80's and I was hitting 50-60 on the bottom of the tank, and over 100 near the middle of the water column. For the Zoa/Mushroom garden I want to create this will be more than enough.

Edit: Congratz on the newborn!

SuperTangs · May 29, 2018

wow. this is my dream tank!!!

kyleinpdx · May 29, 2018

Finally new pictures!

Sorry they're a bit washed out, a constant battle trying to get good color representation. However you can see how much the stylo on the right rock has grown, as well as that monti cap. I added another bit of reef saver dry rock a few months back and moved my red and green stylocoeniella/porties (the verdict is still out) as well as my jack-o-lantern lepto, grandis palys and the bits of stylo I break off when I'm scraping the glass. Not sure why the green branching hammer isnt fully extended today...? ;Shifty

kyleinpdx · May 29, 2018

JBKReef said:
That is exactly why I'm going with the 25 over the 20. I feel like the larger foot print front to back will not be as big of an issue as the extra inch in water depth. I was checking my PAR in a 20 long using the 2 Kessil A80's and I was hitting 50-60 on the bottom of the tank, and over 100 near the middle of the water column. For the Zoa/Mushroom garden I want to create this will be more than enough.

Edit: Congratz on the newborn!

You're absolutely right, its the depth more than anything imo. Good luck, I'm sure you'll do just fine.

SuperTangs said:
wow. this is my dream tank!!!

Thank you, thats quite the compliment. You can make it happen!

JBKReef · May 30, 2018

kyleinpdx said:
Finally new pictures!

Wow... tank goals right there.

Any commentary how the skimmer is working for you? Live stock list still your cuc, clowns, goby, and flatworms?

If you can take a break between diaper changes I would be interested in a pic of your sump/back chamber!

kyleinpdx · May 30, 2018

JBKReef said:
Wow... tank goals right there.

Any commentary how the skimmer is working for you? Live stock list still your cuc, clowns, goby, and flatworms?

If you can take a break between diaper changes I would be interested in a pic of your sump/back chamber!

Thank you, thats quite compliment. As for the skimmer, its great, really. I'd recommend it to anyone running a smaller tank or AIO. I dont have a cadlights pls50 to compare it to, but its got to be one of the best, if not the best, nano skimmer out there. I've posted some photos in other threads with examples of the skimmate. If you're on the fence, do it.

I think I've finally bested the flatworms but otherwise yup, paired ocellaris clowns, yellow clown goby, skunk cleaner shrimp, a few hermits and a bunch of cerith, banded trochus, nassarius and some other randoms.

Here is the best I could get of the back chambers, I intentionally blew out the hues so you could make out whats what. Filter baskets on each side in chamber 1, skimmer in the left hand 2nd chamber, dosing pump outlets (Ca, Alk, Mag + DIY nopox) dual return pumps, my temp and pH probe, grounding probe (yes they are beneficial, no they dont make things less safe, and no I wont argue with anyone who disagrees) and ATO sensor in the 3rd chamber, and my dual heaters and ATO output line in the right hand side 2nd chamber.

Here is what my filter baskets look like, "sheet sponge" then Rox carbon + phosguard in one and rox + purigan in the other, then finally some seachem matrix in the last chamber.