IM Nuvo 20 gallon (First Timer) Synner Reef

JBKReef · Nov 30, 2018

Welcome! I was going to suggest getting a bigger heater but you beat me to the punch. At least now you have the extra heater for either mixing saltwater or a QT tank.

As for the MJ1200 vs stock IM pump I was SHOCKED by how quiet the MJ1200 is. I dropped one into an IM 14 peninsula and it was dead silent.

Best of luck with the cycle! and Welcome!

Synner Reef · Nov 30, 2018

Hiya and thanks for the welcome you guys. I have had no lights on whilst cycling my tank. Skimmer has been ordered but the company is giving me a little run around. Pretty displeased actually., I should just stick to ordering from BRS. They are amazing! As for running an ATO. I just been manually doing it. Its been ok. But maybe in the distant future. I could modify my stand to have a reservoir underneath.

I'm not sure which would be my next step after i do my first water change. I was looking to cycle again and build more bacteria. Or option 2: Cycle and run lights with a CUC. I have yet to see any diatoms or whatever those things are or algae in my tank as of yet. But again its still very early. I really don't know what to do other than continue running cycles to build good bacteria.

Yea, i noticed the 50w heater wasn't holding temp at all. Its a very nice heater that was shipping with the package they sold but its not cutting it. And yep, that Mj1200 is SILENT.

Synner Reef · Dec 1, 2018

Day 8: Ammonia looks a tad bit lighter in color. Did a salinity check to make sure everything was o.k. after topping off the tank for the past 8 days. I'm still so surprised how fast the water evaporates. I don't think i'll see a decrease in Nitrite because i have nothing feeding off of it. That sound correct? I have no algae. since i'm running with lights off. I also have no filtration set up as well. That could be the cause too.I'm shooting for a day 9 water change. Or let it persist a little longer?

Synner Reef · Dec 2, 2018

Day 9: Kappa <--- Starcraft nerd named Day9. Anyhow , I measured my levels again this morning and decided to water change with it looking like Ammonia dropping off even a tad bit more. It took roughly an hour and a half'ish. I had 10 gallons of saltwater ready to go just had to heat it up. Back to refilling all my my RO/DI stash and get my saltwater back to 10 gallons again for stash. Tested my salinity inside the tank after replacing the water and it seems to be ok i believe. Maybe a tad over? Ill test my parameters during the evening. See how my Nitrites & Nitrates are. At this point... Im clueless. Do i keep cycling or introduce a CUC and a fish? I dont have any algae yet. Shall i run a light cycle? Shall i let Bacteria populate? Ideas are welcome. Here some pictures.

wlittlefield · Dec 2, 2018

I think I'd start by asking what are your goals? Stocking desires, dream list for the tank? Before you add anything, figure out where you want to go.

Synner Reef · Dec 2, 2018

wlittlefield said:
I think I'd start by asking what are your goals? Stocking desires, dream list for the tank? Before you add anything, figure out where you want to go.

Well. I would like a pair of clowns or just 1. Not sure if 20 gallons is good enough for 2. Possibly a bottom fish, gobby. A shrimp and some snails. And maybe 6 months down the road get better lighting and start with some easy to maintain corals. Sounds pretty standard from what i have read. Im just stuck now. Run lights? Dont run lights? Get a fish and CUC and run lights. Or just a CUC but i have no algae yet because i didnt run lights. Or just build more Bacteria. Im not in a huge hurry just need to know next step would be the best to follow. Ill test parameters tonight like i mentioned before to see where everything is..

Synner Reef · Dec 3, 2018

Day 10: After the water change.. These were my readings this morning. I decided to introduce more Ammonia by providing another shrimp into the tank. Lets see if the Ammonia can go up and disappear quicker. Still don't know if i should run my media filtration and lights. As you see all of my tests have come down after the water change.

Synner Reef · Dec 4, 2018

Day 11: Ammonia is starting to kick up again with the shrimp dangling in his sock.

I am going to start my first light cycle today. I also need to learn how to best keep my temperature in check. Its still fluctuating. Going to see if the lights keep it a little warmer while i'm off to work. I turn off the heat in the house and the Cobalt 100w heater set to 80 degrees cant keep up. It gets down to like 74 degrees. I wonder if i should place the heater inself in the tank and now in the back area where the pump is... Maybe ill need to experiment. Here's my results.

Synner Reef · Dec 5, 2018

Day 12. I am really struggling to keep temps correct. I turned up the Cobalt 100w to 84 last night and woke up and checked my readings and it was 80. Yesterday i had the heater to 82 degrees before i went to work , came home to check and it was 75 degrees. I cant find a sweet spot. Heater is placed in the back of the tank where the pump is. I left it at 84 this morning , ill see what the temp is like after i come home from work tonight. My parameters as of this morning. Not to much change. from yesterday. I will remove the shrimp tonight as well when i get home. Did my salinity check and it was 1.026. I even calibrated to make sure..Thankful for that!

mwbeach · Dec 5, 2018

Maybe try putting your thermometer inside the main part of the tank. I wonder if the area is to small and therefore is heated to the correct temp but in that small area.

Synner Reef · Dec 6, 2018

Day 13: Yes @mwbeach I started doing that this morning. Thank you for the suggestion. Lets see how the temps range today while i'm off to work. Yesterdays experiment failed. Temps back down to 75 at work and back up to 80 degrees this morning. Way top much fluctuation. So i placed the heater inside the main tank. I really wish i didn't have to , it looks so ugly. So a little about me. I am a jeweler by profession. We had a jewelry event going on at the store for the holidays. I saw this ring we got in and it totally looked like a carpet anemone. Here's my parameters. I also removed the shrimp and will be monitoring the drop off in Ammonia. Ill do another water change when i see it hit 0. https://imgur.com/gallery/hK3UuUw <-- link to ring

Synner Reef · Dec 7, 2018

Day 14, TWO WEEKS!: I moved the heater to the main tank. It seems to have stabilized the temperature! Wish i didn't have to do this since it looked very clean in back of the tank. But i hid the long rod behind one of my rock piles on the left side. Looks alright i suppose. Where did my nitrates go??? This is one full day without a shrimp inside the tank. Seems like cycling is doing good? Ammonia and Nitrite dropping. Have i got a good cycle going ? I really didn't think my

nitrate would disappear. I'm running no filter media.

Synner Reef · Dec 8, 2018

Day 15: Um....Nitrite where you go? Nitrate where you go? Looks like my parameters are disappearing. Maybe do another water change Sunday? Not sure. If Nitrate is still so low why bother. I have no life in the tank other than my Bacteria who i love and adore. ;Woot Here's a couple shots looking from the sides. You can see where i placed the heater inside. Temps seem to be stable. A little fluctuation from 77 to 78. Happy Reefing folks!

Synner Reef · Dec 9, 2018

Day 16: Not much to report. The tank looks super clean. Considering going to grab a fish today. As for a cleanup crew. There's nothing to clean up so far. The tank is super spotless. The light has been on for like 17 hours a day since Tuesday and today is Sunday.

6 days like this. Ill be kicking the lights back starting today. Do a more normal light cycle. Happy Reefer Sunday. I wont be doing a water change today. Nitrates are absent.

mwbeach · Dec 9, 2018

Do you still have shrimp in the tank or are you putting food? Without a source of ammonia the bacteria will die. It appears your cycle may be over assuming you have had food for the bacteria. If so, I’d add a fish and a couple CUC and keep monitoring. The bacteria will die if you don’t keep feeding it, which is what the fish will do.

Synner Reef · Dec 9, 2018

Beat my head all day about this. Im going to hold off another week. Yes ill be adding Shrimp again to keep them fed (Bacteria).

mwbeach · Dec 9, 2018

I’d add a fish. It will feed the bacteria

Synner Reef · Dec 10, 2018

Day 17: Feeding my bacteria with a shrimp again until i can figure out where to get a fish from. I'm slightly leery on Petco. I would like a young type of clown fish. To grow in my tank and pet him. (Kidding) Thinking of Liveaquaria to order a fish from. And maybe a few snails. And just supplement feed with nori at the bottom. I been getting so anxious at this part of the stage and i'm only 17 days in! Starting to have extremely busy weeks for me with Christmas. Happy Reefing!

Synner Reef · Dec 11, 2018

Day 18: Still feeding the bacteria. Ill remove the shrimp tonight when i get home. Let the Ammonia and Nitrite diminish and make up my mind on getting a fish in the tank. Maybe thinking of a Firefish first. Save my clownfish for later when i have a more established tank. What would be a good food product for them? It says they are carnivores. Is there a good website for food i can order from? All i have are pellets. Can i supplement vitamins for them? I read you can "soak" the food in vitamins. Ill search the forums in the meantime to figure it out but your input is welcome!

Synner Reef · Dec 12, 2018

Day 19 : Removed the shrimp after getting home from work. Tank still looks pristine . No algae growth from running lights. My Parameters are coming down again on the Ammonia and Nitrite side.When they get lower ill go ahead and order a fish .Im having trouble reading the Ph. It looks to be 8 to me. I need digital readers. It would make this so much easier. Coming up on three weeks since i started. Time flies!