pluu's nuvo 20g build

[Peter luu]

Hi everyone, coming back after stopping when my second boy was born and now been a year since my last setup.

This was my old setup ; 75gallon with hob overflow.

After talking my wife into letting me get back into keeping a reef, I brought a nuvo fusion 20gallon to start off.

I didn't take pictures as I was setting up, but will start posting my progress.


Filled tank on september 23 with 15gallon premixed saltwater from my lfs. Added live rock & sand after 24 hours.
Today I went and brought half of my equipments to start with while cycling, here's my list of equipment I have and planning to get.

Equipments ;
- AI Hydra 26 LED with single arm
- IM Auqa Gadget Ghost SkimMate
- IM bio pellet reactor
- Vertex pro bio pellet
- IM Hydro ATO controller & pump ( ordering )
- Aquatics buddie 4 stages ro/di 50gph
- IM media basket with the media that came with it for now till I do more research what to use
- Eflux current wave maker nano
- stock return pump & mj1200
- pro aqua 100w heater
- IM auto spin nozzle x1 ( will buy another if good result )
- 25lbs Caribbean live sand
- 22lbs live rocks
Looking into apex system after settling in and sump. Will be slowly upgrade my equipments as I go since I can't fork out large sum of money at once lol

I built a stand that is 50" length 25" width 40" tall. Reason why I built a large stand is I'm planning on getting a 60gallon cube that will sit next to the nuvo 20gallon next year. Will be hooking both up to a sump below in the future.
The stand is pretty much finished with gloss coating except the front, installing doors, set up inside and organizing wires which I will be finishing this weekend. Reason why I built it high is so my two boys can't reach over the tank and safety reason in my opinion.

After waiting for the stand to dry last night, I've set up the equipments i got today and moved the tank onto the new stand.

Still have to do the setting for lights, set up bio pellet and skimmer which I will do tomorrow. Only get 3 hours to work on the tank since I work from 8 - 6 every day except Sunday.





Update october 7th 2019 ;
Added some live stocks
- purple firefish
- yellow watchmen goby
- cleaner shrimp
- purple feather duster
- 2 halloween hermit crab
- 5 snails
- 4 blue legged hermit crab
- tuxedo urchin

Picked up some corals from a fellow reefer
- 2 regular bta
- green chalice
- some kind of toadstool mushroom not sure of its colour yet
- green bird nest

Please advise me if my placement are right, my setting for light is using pirate of the Caribbean prefix with lower settings.

Anyone got idea what's the two last corals are? Some kind of toadstool and mushroom?

 

[SPR1968]

Very nice Peter!

 

[flchamp89]

Looks great. Welcome to the Nuvo gang.

 

[Peter luu]

Thank you! Really appreciate it

Very nice Peter!

 

[Peter luu]

Thank you! Really appreciate it

Very nice Peter!

 

[Peter luu]

Looks great. Welcome to the Nuvo gang.

Thank you! Very happy with my nuvo, clean look

 

[Peter luu]

Update ;

Finished installing front plywood, installing led strips, organized plugs, installed shelf and painted doors. Will install doors tomorrow when the paint dries.

Started running my vertex bio pellet and installed skimmer but not running since no load yet. Adjusted my hydra 26 using pirate of the Caribbean prefix but lower the % to suit my nuvo nano. Seems like it's a great choice of lighting schedule and loving the light effects on it.

Happy with my stand but end up going over budget on it but what's done is done and have to finish it.

Here's my stock list that I'm plan on getting for now

- purple firefish
- yellow watchmen goby
- pair of clown fish
- urchin
- 6 snails
- 8 hermit crabs
- 1 cleaner shrimp
- 1 pistol shrimp
- 1 feather duster

Paid already and is on hold till I've finished setting up everything. As for coral I'll be mainly going for lps and sps and some softies.

Next up for equipment is ordered my ro/di from amazon aquatic buddies 4 stage 50 gpd and ato with 5gal reservoir so I can stop buying lfs pre mix water and buying destilled jugs.

Will be looking into controllers, sump, reactors, and bigger skimmer to plan for my cube tank.

 

[Peter luu]

Might be getting more led strip or led bar for under the cabinet for more brightness since one roll and using a refugium light won't be enough

 

[flchamp89]

You may have too much media in the reactor for it to move. Might want to lower inner tube or it may push water outside of the tank. I run that one it works well.

 

[Peter luu]

You may have too much media in the reactor for it to move. Might want to lower inner tube or it may push water outside of the tank. I run that one it works well.

Sorry for the late respond, i removed 1/4 of the media and it's a lot better. No splash outside
Thanks for the tip