One More IM40 Build

[JonJonJonJon]

After a five year break, I decided to get back into the hobby. Wanted to stick with an all-in-one due to space constraints and an IM40 was the perfect fit.

Equipment:
IM Fusion 40
Sicce 2.0 return
Icecap 1K Gyre
Cobalt Neo-therm 150W
Kessil A360we
~30 lbs South Seas dry rock
30 lbs Bimini Pink live sand

Currently on day 2 of the cycle with Dr Tim's One and Only. The pH is reading somewhat low at 7.6, but I'll ride out the cycle before I start to take corrective action. Possibly residue from cleaning the tank with diluted vinegar that lowered it and a large water change or two will help.

As the tank cycles, I'll be working on setting up my raspberry pi as an aquarium controller using @Ranjib reef-pi software. Hope to have it as my lighting and temperature controller along with running an ato.

Still debating on whether to set up a skimmer, refugium, or both. Any suggestions?

This is going to be a fun adventure!

 

[TheEngineer]

Welcome back! That is low for your pH. How are you measuring?

 

[SKYHIGGh]

Looks good! Good luck

Are you mounting your pump side ways or normal?

I run a skimmer on my im30 but I think the fuge is a little better set up and your growing more life so it’s it’s a little cooler to see something else growing in tank. I’m actually going to switch over my self.

 

[JonJonJonJon]

Welcome back! That is low for your pH. How are you measuring?

Using the Red Sea pH test. Did it twice since it seemed off. May have LFS test as well.

 

[JonJonJonJon]

Looks good! Good luck

Are you mounting your pump side ways or normal?

I run a skimmer on my im30 but I think the fuge is a little better set up and your growing more life so it’s it’s a little cooler to see something else growing in tank. I’m actually going to switch over my self.

Mounted the gyre normally for now. Open to changing if I see the need once fish/coral are in.

May have answered my own question as I just ordered a ChaetoMax light and inTank fuge basket on labor day sales.

Maybe still add a skimmer on the other side from the fuge?

 

[NY_Caveman]

Looks really good! Welcome to the forum!

 

[SPR1968]

That’s a great start and very nice looking tank so thanks for sharing it with us

And welcome to R2R!

 

[TheEngineer]

Using the Red Sea pH test. Did it twice since it seemed off. May have LFS test as well.

Could be high CO2 in your house. You might want to try the bubble test to see if that’s the issue.

Take a glass of tank water, measure the pH. Then take the glass of water outside and run an air stone in it for 15 minutes. Measure the pH again. If it went up close to the right range, you have high CO2 levels in your house.

 

[JonJonJonJon]

Could be high CO2 in your house. You might want to try the bubble test to see if that’s the issue.

Take a glass of tank water, measure the pH. Then take the glass of water outside and run an air stone in it for 15 minutes. Measure the pH again. If it went up close to the right range, you have high CO2 levels in your house.

Thanks for the suggestion. I don't have an air stone, but I'll see abut trying this out.

What would be the corrective action if it is high CO2? Not really in the position of opening a window with 90+ degree heat today.

Also, is this something I should be concerned about while the tank cycles or wait until closer to the cycle finishing and adding livestock?

 

[TheEngineer]

There are a few solutions...
1. Open a window, not really practical as you noted.
2. Run an airline outside and hook it up to your skimmer's intake.
3. Run CO2 absorbing media on the intake of your skimmer. (Rather expensive in the long run)

 

[NY_Caveman]

There are a few solutions...
1. Open a window, not really practical as you noted.
2. Run an airline outside and hook it up to your skimmer's intake.
3. Run CO2 absorbing media on the intake of your skimmer. (Rather expensive in the long run)

I like to open a window near the tank at night and even that little bit helps. Especially since pH tends to drop for me at night (like many others).

 

[JonJonJonJon]

So day 3 of the cycle is under way. Testing with Red Sea tests showed:

• Ammonia - 0.8ppm
• Nitrite - 0.05 ppm
• pH - 7.6

Per Dr Tim's instructions, I dosed an additional 2ppm ammonium chloride after testing.

At @TheEngineer's suggestion, I took some tank water outside and let it sit out for an hour with periodic manual agitation to promote gas exchange (don't have an air stone). Testing pH on this did show a pH increase to 7.8. I asssume I'll need to find solutions for high CO2 in my home to raise the pH in the tank to something closer to 8.0.

In more exciting news, I set up the Kessil A360we today.

20180904_103137

• JonJonJonJon
• Sep 4, 2018

The shimmer is amazing!

20180904_103147

• JonJonJonJon
• Sep 4, 2018

 

[SKYHIGGh]

Give it time before rushing on the co2 it will even out I’m sure.

A a good week or two and she will be ready for a clean up crew go through the brown diatom stage and a clown or two brown will maybe turn to cyno a little after that your set. Tank has to go through the motions. Medicine is not always needed when your sick sometime you gotta just chill [emoji23].... Maybe but I think day 3 is just still to new to even concern your self with to much testing levels will change.

I don’t know anything about co2 with that being said lol

An empty tank is a hard thing to look at but you know what’s harder to come to terms with waiting for that Frag you want to take a year to turn into something real but in reality it dying 2 weeks after you paid 249.99 plus a million toe nails in shipping

Patience is free. A month from now you will be like why did I take that bucket out side lol

 

[NY_Caveman]

Nice light! I know you probably just lit it for the picture. FWIW, you do not need it on during the cycle. It will only promote algae.

 

[JonJonJonJon]

Give it time before rushing on the co2 it will even out I’m sure.

A a good week or two and she will be ready for a clean up crew go through the brown diatom stage and a clown or two brown will maybe turn to cyno a little after that your set. Tank has to go through the motions. Medicine is not always needed when your sick sometime you gotta just chill [emoji23].... Maybe but I think day 3 is just still to new to even concern your self with to much testing levels will change.

I don’t know anything about co2 with that being said lol

An empty tank is a hard thing to look at but you know what’s harder to come to terms with waiting for that Frag you want to take a year to turn into something real but in reality it dying 2 weeks after you paid 249.99 plus a million toe nails in shipping

Patience is free. A month from now you will be like why did I take that bucket out side lol

Thank you. I needed the reminder that nothing good happens quickly and to be more patient. I'll continue to monitor, but there isn't a need to start making corrections.

Nice light! I know you probably just lit it for the picture. FWIW, you do not need it on during the cycle. It will only promote algae.

Yep, just had the light on for testing and the quick photo. I have no intention of turning on the light until there is a need.

 

[JoshH]

So day 3 of the cycle is under way. Testing with Red Sea tests showed:

• Ammonia - 0.8ppm
• Nitrite - 0.05 ppm
• pH - 7.6

Per Dr Tim's instructions, I dosed an additional 2ppm ammonium chloride after testing.

At @TheEngineer's suggestion, I took some tank water outside and let it sit out for an hour with periodic manual agitation to promote gas exchange (don't have an air stone). Testing pH on this did show a pH increase to 7.8. I asssume I'll need to find solutions for high CO2 in my home to raise the pH in the tank to something closer to 8.0.

In more exciting news, I set up the Kessil A360we today.

20180904_103137

• JonJonJonJon
• Sep 4, 2018

The shimmer is amazing!

20180904_103147

• JonJonJonJon
• Sep 4, 2018

Where's @Crabs Mcjones to drool over that light ;Drool

Welcome back! Looks like an awesome start diving into the hobby again. Love the scape, lots of room for growth in the future but still interesting.

Following along!

BTW, never enough IM40 builds out there

 

[Crabs McJones]

Where's @Crabs Mcjones to drool over that light ;Drool

Welcome back! Looks like an awesome start diving into the hobby again. Love the scape, lots of room for growth in the future but still interesting.

Following along!

BTW, never enough IM40 builds out there

 

[JonJonJonJon]

Where's @Crabs Mcjones to drool over that light ;Drool

Welcome back! Looks like an awesome start diving into the hobby again. Love the scape, lots of room for growth in the future but still interesting.

Following along!

BTW, never enough IM40 builds out there

Thanks for the kind words and following!

Not too much to report lately. On day 7 of the tank cycling, ammonia seems to be processed at about 0.4 ppm per day. Nitrites have been holding steady. Latest test results using Red Sea Marine Kit are:

• Ammonia - 0.2 ppm
• Nitrite - 1 ppm
• pH - 7.6

Contemplating doing a partial water change (~5 gal) in the next day or two. Good idea or bad idea?

While all the waiting happens, I got some goodies in the mail for the future refugium.