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Juan's IM Nuvo 30L Reef Aquarium Build
- AIO Build
- Thread starter juanrmattos
- Start date
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juanrmattos
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You would be happy either way Skrilla... I looked into the lagoon, truly liked the horizontal depth you can project with it
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juanrmattos
- Frag Plug Hater -
Dug through some of my old tank plastic bins hidden in the garage... Pulled out some knowledge including repeats
Abducted a piece of the furniture for them, let's hope the wife accepts the trade
Abducted a piece of the furniture for them, let's hope the wife accepts the trade
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juanrmattos
- Frag Plug Hater -
Couldn't resist looking at the Reef Rock boxes yesterday afternoon... It was as if they were calling for me...
They may not look as much right now, but I'm shooting for the "Shallow Trenched Wall" look, trying to leave as many flat top surfaces thinking ahead on my coral selection and trying to create some cool looking caves at the same time... Apologies for the poor picture quality, but is the time of the day where the light enters the room from the front.
The rock is mounted over a 1/32 egg crate that was cut perimetrically around the contours of the rock... I know many reefers are biased towards the use of egg crates, but using them allows me to secure the rock and also gives me the ability to be able to slide the complete colony in all four directions (If I ever need to), not to mention distributing the weight in a more even way while saving the glass from being scratched ... I also used 1/8" acrylic rods drilled into the joints and BRF Jurassic compound to glue them together. The "Dusty white" coloration on the crate and in some places of the rock is created by the fumes expelled by the glue as it dries and cures (It should be a couple more days to fully cure).
Waiting for the remaining rock (To arrive Wednesday) to work on the other side of the display, BUT, thinking ahead, I made a cardboard top to be used while curing the rock (Hopeful to start the process next Friday; economy salt mix and carbon already ordered for it).
Moving along....
They may not look as much right now, but I'm shooting for the "Shallow Trenched Wall" look, trying to leave as many flat top surfaces thinking ahead on my coral selection and trying to create some cool looking caves at the same time... Apologies for the poor picture quality, but is the time of the day where the light enters the room from the front.
The rock is mounted over a 1/32 egg crate that was cut perimetrically around the contours of the rock... I know many reefers are biased towards the use of egg crates, but using them allows me to secure the rock and also gives me the ability to be able to slide the complete colony in all four directions (If I ever need to), not to mention distributing the weight in a more even way while saving the glass from being scratched ... I also used 1/8" acrylic rods drilled into the joints and BRF Jurassic compound to glue them together. The "Dusty white" coloration on the crate and in some places of the rock is created by the fumes expelled by the glue as it dries and cures (It should be a couple more days to fully cure).
Waiting for the remaining rock (To arrive Wednesday) to work on the other side of the display, BUT, thinking ahead, I made a cardboard top to be used while curing the rock (Hopeful to start the process next Friday; economy salt mix and carbon already ordered for it).
Moving along....
Griff
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I'm excited for you! I had so much fun with my IM 30L. I love that it was 3 ft long but still a smaller tank!
I've since shut it down and am working on my reefer 525xl.
Here is a photo of it.
I've since shut it down and am working on my reefer 525xl.
Here is a photo of it.
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juanrmattos
- Frag Plug Hater -
Pretty basic setup, but should do the work...
This would be my very first aquarium using salt-mix, my previous tank had a more advanced RO/DI connected to a 100 Gal reservoir but was mainly for auto top-off... Since mixed salts recommend the use of hot water, I connected this system to the hot water outlet... Does anyone know if this could be detrimental to the filters?
Thanks...
This would be my very first aquarium using salt-mix, my previous tank had a more advanced RO/DI connected to a 100 Gal reservoir but was mainly for auto top-off... Since mixed salts recommend the use of hot water, I connected this system to the hot water outlet... Does anyone know if this could be detrimental to the filters?
Thanks...
Griff
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I've never heard that recommendation about hot water before. My concern would be damage to the RO membrane and metal/sediment build up in your hot water heater. My advice would be to heat the water with an aquarium heater before mixing. Only run cold water through RODI unit.
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juanrmattos
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Thanks Griff, I'll switch the plug to the cold water outlet...
Griff
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Not a problem. I typically match my mix my salt water at the same temp as the tank. I use a power head at the bottom of the brute can and one at the top to oxygenate the water.
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juanrmattos
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Correct, I have a big Eheim pump from the previous tank set aside to use for the mix; not planning on having water stored permanently though, I like to just filter as needed. If things go as planned, I should be able to start the cure by Saturday, no later than Sunday (Giving time for the Glue to bond really strong)...
On a separate note, I was able to order the Korallen-Zutch Aragonite today (30 Lbs), it is coming from Denmark, because there is nowhere to be found here in US, so it should be here in about a week or so.
Griff
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For my IM I used a 5 gallon bucket to do weekly water changes. I would filter a bunch of water into the brute with no heater and no power head. Then as needed for top off or salt mixing I could fill the bucket as needed to either make salt water or top off the tank. I always kept about 10 gallons or more of RODI water on hand just in case I needed to do an emergency water change.
I also topped off the tank daily with RODI to keep the levels as stable as possible.
I also topped off the tank daily with RODI to keep the levels as stable as possible.
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juanrmattos
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Call me "Obsessive, Compulsive", but I know we all tend to forget to do regular dumps on our water reservoirs... We put in 10 gallons, use 3 or 5 or 8 and just add more on top; this way in very few weeks, the water quality inside the container tends to deteriorate, even if running a pump. It'll take an hour thirty to process the water needed to do a water change or to fill the ATO, but this way, the tank is guaranteed to have the best water quality. With this in mind, if the reservoir content is not meant to be used within 96 hours, I rather not have it in there. I also apply the same principle to the ATO, by always dumping the remains before every refill.
Truly enjoying the building process, but man, I so wish the day to start populating the tank was today!!!
Truly enjoying the building process, but man, I so wish the day to start populating the tank was today!!!
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juanrmattos
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The little child in me made me do it!!!...
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juanrmattos
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Just kidding...
Finished with the aquascape... One of those deals where you either make the rock look nicely arranged but not much space for corals... Or something like what you see here, very plain, but a bit more room to populate...
Air blower set on high to help drying the glue... A couple more days and I'll be doing an RO/DI fill and dump (To clean up all the mess from playing with the rock and make sure there are no leaks and stuff).
Still need to trim the crates...
Moving along...
Finished with the aquascape... One of those deals where you either make the rock look nicely arranged but not much space for corals... Or something like what you see here, very plain, but a bit more room to populate...
Air blower set on high to help drying the glue... A couple more days and I'll be doing an RO/DI fill and dump (To clean up all the mess from playing with the rock and make sure there are no leaks and stuff).
Still need to trim the crates...
Moving along...
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juanrmattos
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Here is a better perspective using the light from my desktop photo booth
915MANG
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Pretty basic setup, but should do the work...
This would be my very first aquarium using salt-mix, my previous tank had a more advanced RO/DI connected to a 100 Gal reservoir but was mainly for auto top-off... Since mixed salts recommend the use of hot water, I connected this system to the hot water outlet... Does anyone know if this could be detrimental to the filters?
Thanks...
I think you have an RO unit, it looks like its missing the DI part. Run it with the cold water, cool build. Are you going to go with live sand?
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juanrmattos
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The RO/DI is the 4 stage base chlorine setup... not missing the DI
I have 30lbs of Korallen-Zutch Aragonite in transit from Denmark.
