IM25 Lagoon Build

[JakeLikesReefs]

Beautiful pieces in your collection!

Thank you very much!

Jake

 

[JakeLikesReefs]

Update: pH has been a problem, but I have figured out the cause (pretty sure anyway). I live a new home, modern construction...seems it's very air tight causing higher levels of CO2 within the house. I opened a window near the tank and not the pH has bottomed out at 8.05 every night as opposed to 7.82. daytime peaks are reaching 8.2 as opposed to just under 8.0. The tank health is excellent and my gobies are becoming more tolerant of me. Phosphates are still being closely monitored as the rocks are still seemingly leaching them.

Here are the gobies



Thanks,
Jake

 

[JakeLikesReefs]

Hey guys,

So one of my gobies made it through a crack in the mesh lid (between lid and tank wall). The other goby isn't as crazy and seems happy and calm. Here are some updated pictures. Trying to remind myself that this is a marathon not a Sprint.























Thanks for looking!
Jake

 

[Albz]

Nice set up. What skimmer you using? Any pics of it. I need a skimmer for mine!

 

[Brandon Smith]

How are things going now? I have the same tank up and running since August.

 

[JakeLikesReefs]

Nice set up. What skimmer you using? Any pics of it. I need a skimmer for mine!

Hey,

No skimmer as of now. Nutrients are in check. My nitrates haven't hit 5 ppm yet. I don't feed super heavy.

Thanks,
Jake

 

[JakeLikesReefs]

How are things going now? I have the same tank up and running since August.

Hey,

Things are going well. The rock still seems to be leaching phosphates. There isnt much algae in the tank. My parameters are stable, but I'm going to begin dosing kalk in my ATO.

Thanks,
Jake

 

[Vahanyos]

Nice set up! Looking great so far!

I couldn’t help notice, you put the sand in first and rocks on top of the sand. When I first started someone advised me on putting rocks in first and the sand around it to not risk the sand moving and rocks shifting.. has anyone had this happen to them and have your rocks tumble because of it?

 

[JakeLikesReefs]

Nice set up! Looking great so far!

I couldn’t help notice, you put the sand in first and rocks on top of the sand. When I first started someone advised me on putting rocks in first and the sand around it to not risk the sand moving and rocks shifting.. has anyone had this happen to them and have your rocks tumble because of it?

I believe in my first posts you can see that I did place the rock first for the reason you noted. I have not had this happen, but I find it better to be safe than sorry.

Thanks,
Jake

 

[Vahanyos]

I believe in my first posts you can see that I did place the rock first for the reason you noted. I have not had this happen, but I find it better to be safe than sorry.

Thanks,
Jake

You’re right! I saw the hazy pic when you first added water and didn’t see the rock!

Yes, better safe than sorry saves lots of $ in this hobby lol

 

[Nart]

Looking good Jake.
We got matchy matchy conch snails haha.

Btw - have you heard of RFG nozzles? I replaced my spinstreams with RFGs as soon as I found out about them.

 

[JakeLikesReefs]

Looking good Jake.
We got matchy matchy conch snails haha.

Btw - have you heard of RFG nozzles? I replaced my spinstreams with RFGs as soon as I found out about them.

Did you every experience micro bubbles with spin streams? If not, why did you switch?

Thanks,
Jake

 

[Nart]

Yeah - sometimes, but the micro bubble isn't consistent.
It all came down to the flow rate. Spin streams, from my experience reduced the flow rate of the return pump in half. I guess not a biggie since you run a MP-10.
Whereas the RFG nozzles doesn't seem to cut the flow rate at all. Also, with zero moving parts to clean or malfunction, it does a really good job in creating a circular flow motion. No noise, no fuss, nada.

I also, got the drop adapters. This is how the RFG nozzles and adapters look like.

 

[JakeLikesReefs]

Yeah - sometimes, but the micro bubble isn't consistent.
It all came down to the flow rate. Spin streams, from my experience reduced the flow rate of the return pump in half. I guess not a biggie since you run a MP-10.
Whereas the RFG nozzles doesn't seem to cut the flow rate at all. Also, with zero moving parts to clean or malfunction, it does a really good job in creating a circular flow motion. No noise, no fuss, nada.

I also, got the drop adapters. This is how the RFG nozzles and adapters look like.

Awesome, I'll place an order and try them out! I am moving next Monday and have to move the tank some time before then, but luckily I'm moving a block away. Anyone have suggestions on moving this tank?


Thanks,
Jake

 

[Nart]

I just moved mine from one end of the room to the other... it was relatively easy with 2 people.
The foam bottom that it comes with was stuck to the stand-top I guess because of the paint. So over time it kind of bonded. I didn't bother trying to remove it, so my wife and I just lifted the top and moved it.

My best advice is if you have any extra plywood board laying around. Cut it to be about 2" wider all around and lay the tank on top of it and move the tank with the board. Easier to handle and laying it on surfaces and etc... so you don't have to worry about cracking the bottom.

 

[JakeLikesReefs]

I just moved mine from one end of the room to the other... it was relatively easy with 2 people.
The foam bottom that it comes with was stuck to the stand-top I guess because of the paint. So over time it kind of bonded. I didn't bother trying to remove it, so my wife and I just lifted the top and moved it.

My best advice is if you have any extra plywood board laying around. Cut it to be about 2" wider all around and lay the tank on top of it and move the tank with the board. Easier to handle and laying it on surfaces and etc... so you don't have to worry about cracking the bottom.

Did you empty the tank? Otherwise, you suggest sliding on to ply wood and maybe setting that on a table with castor's and rolling it?

Thanks,
Jake

Thanks,
Jake

 

[Nart]

Oh yeah.. Definitely empty the tank. I had RFA's stuck to mine, so I left about an inch of water just to keep them submersed.
But yeah - sliding onto plywood would be your best bet in moving it. That way you don't have to worry much about the surfaces you lay it on.

 

[Brandon Smith]

Nice set up! Looking great so far!

I couldn’t help notice, you put the sand in first and rocks on top of the sand. When I first started someone advised me on putting rocks in first and the sand around it to not risk the sand moving and rocks shifting.. has anyone had this happen to them and have your rocks tumble because of it?

I had someone advise me of the same issue when I built my 40 gallon setup back in 2012. I used small sections of PVC pipe as stilts instead to eliminate the risk of shifting sand though.

 

[JakeLikesReefs]

Update:

Tank is going pretty steady. I will begin to dose kalk through my ATO in an effort to keep my parameters a bit more stable. I don't like the BRS 2 part and will be switching soon.

I added an awesome little mystery Wrasse about 2 days ago. He is doing great and I've named him Martin



My clownfish, Ike and Tina are doing great and have grown considerably. They come straight to the top of my tank and beg for food whenever I'm around, LOL.



Here are a few coral pics to boot



I'm trying to remind myself that this tank was only stocked starting about 1 month ago. The growth so far has been inconsistent, most of my zoos are thriving while my LPS pieces have grown just minimally. My nutrients are low despite not having a protein skimmer, which I suspect has been a factor with my LPS growth as these pieces came from a higher nutrient tank.

I don't quarantine my fish and inverts so I have only purchased from sources such as divers den.

Thanks,
Jake

 

[Ikikimo]

Hey bro, great looking tank. I was curious if you and maybe other owners can chime in, is your pump loud as hell? I’m ready to swap it out with a sicce unit haha