I have an IM Nuvo Fusion 20g AIO tank.
Currently I have the following Equipment:
-Kessil a160we on gooseneck (running ~60% intensity 50% color for 5 hours; a 30 min ramp up/down from 5% intensity and 9% color, with 5% intensity 0% color the rest of the 10 hour total period)
-Jaebo powerhead (else mode)
-InTank Media Basket on Far left side with floss and purigen
-InTank Refugium on second left chamber with chaeto and the IM macroalgae light (grows chaeto like a champ)
-InTank floss holder on Far right with 3 ceramic media cubes below it
-Heater in second right chamber
-The bottom near the return has some ceramic media spheres and a bag of chemipure elite
-IM ATO with aqualifter pump (one of the best additions to my nano)
-I used to have the IM Ghost skimmer in there as well but after a year of it hardly pulling anything out I removed it.
Livestock:
2x clowns
1x green banded goby
4x hermit crabs
1x emerald crab
4x snails
Zoas/Palys
LPS
1 SPS (bird's nest)
My tank parameters:
1.026SG
480 Cal
9 dKH
0 Nitrates
0 Phosphates
7.6 pH
78 Temp
I probably don't really need to change anything. My tank has been pretty stable for the past year. Coral growth isn't as good as my 90g with 8x T5HO fixture but that is kind of expected. The only thing that has changed recently is removing my skimmer about a week ago (still testing 0 nitrate 0 phosphate without it). I do have a bit of bubble algae in the display though it was there prior to skimmer removal. Honestly I think I just have the aquarium itch and want to blow money on overpriced aquarium crap.
So I am planning several potential upgrades but likely will do one at a time for tank stability (and wallet
) . I was wondering in what order you guys would add these items if at all. Also, are there any other additions I should consider adding or changing in my system?
1. Upgrading lighting:
I love my Kessil but the coverage isn't what I'd like it to be. I'm considering adding another Kessil a160 to reduce the shadowing. Probably not necessary but would, in theory, improve coral growth due to a 2 point light source instead of one. Also considering building a hood and adding a 2 bulb T5HO retrofit fixture with the 1 kessil I already have. I feel the T5/LED combo would be the best option for lighting upgrade but I'm not the best carpenter and not very familiar with installing lighting. I like the ease of instillation of a kessil on a goose-neck.
2. Changing Carbon media type and adding reactor:
I have received several obviously used canisters of chemipure elite from amazon. It is obvious from the broken seal on the lid and smell of the media. I also hear potential negative effects from purigen. I am considering adding a small reactor in the space where my skimmer used to be and running BRS carbon/gfo. If you recommend this change what size carbon and type of GFO do you recommend?
I don't really feel like Chemipure/purigen combo has had any negative impact on my system I just kind of want to change to BRS media and a reactor (mainly because i've never used a media reactor before).
3. You're crazy, put the skimmer back!
In my large tank adding a skimmer made a world of difference. However the IM Ghost skimmer doesn't perform very well in my experience. I only get an extremely wet skim. My green tea is darker than the skimmate this pulls out. I have adjusted this thing every way I possibly could. I honestly think the "skimmate" is just from the bubbles splashing where they break because the collection cup is so shallow. I rarely ever see a good foam head on this thing. Perhaps it was actually working too well and just kept the water really clean thus never forming the nasty thick simmate I am used to. I will probably test this theory in a few weeks to see what skimmate production and consistency looks like.
4. Add a 2nd refugium:
Instead of adding a media reactor or putting the skimmer back just make a second chaeto refugium in the empty chamber. My other refugium has great chaeto growth would 2 be better than one? Nitrate/Phosphate always test at zero so I doubt this would have much impact at all aside from potentially more pods.
5. You are forgetting something:
Perhaps I am completely overlooking something you would consider necessary. If so what do you recommend and why?
6. Buy coral
Instead of adding new equipment just go blow all your money on some fancy frags.
Currently I have the following Equipment:
-Kessil a160we on gooseneck (running ~60% intensity 50% color for 5 hours; a 30 min ramp up/down from 5% intensity and 9% color, with 5% intensity 0% color the rest of the 10 hour total period)
-Jaebo powerhead (else mode)
-InTank Media Basket on Far left side with floss and purigen
-InTank Refugium on second left chamber with chaeto and the IM macroalgae light (grows chaeto like a champ)
-InTank floss holder on Far right with 3 ceramic media cubes below it
-Heater in second right chamber
-The bottom near the return has some ceramic media spheres and a bag of chemipure elite
-IM ATO with aqualifter pump (one of the best additions to my nano)
-I used to have the IM Ghost skimmer in there as well but after a year of it hardly pulling anything out I removed it.
Livestock:
2x clowns
1x green banded goby
4x hermit crabs
1x emerald crab
4x snails
Zoas/Palys
LPS
1 SPS (bird's nest)
My tank parameters:
1.026SG
480 Cal
9 dKH
0 Nitrates
0 Phosphates
7.6 pH
78 Temp
I probably don't really need to change anything. My tank has been pretty stable for the past year. Coral growth isn't as good as my 90g with 8x T5HO fixture but that is kind of expected. The only thing that has changed recently is removing my skimmer about a week ago (still testing 0 nitrate 0 phosphate without it). I do have a bit of bubble algae in the display though it was there prior to skimmer removal. Honestly I think I just have the aquarium itch and want to blow money on overpriced aquarium crap.
So I am planning several potential upgrades but likely will do one at a time for tank stability (and wallet
) . I was wondering in what order you guys would add these items if at all. Also, are there any other additions I should consider adding or changing in my system?1. Upgrading lighting:
I love my Kessil but the coverage isn't what I'd like it to be. I'm considering adding another Kessil a160 to reduce the shadowing. Probably not necessary but would, in theory, improve coral growth due to a 2 point light source instead of one. Also considering building a hood and adding a 2 bulb T5HO retrofit fixture with the 1 kessil I already have. I feel the T5/LED combo would be the best option for lighting upgrade but I'm not the best carpenter and not very familiar with installing lighting. I like the ease of instillation of a kessil on a goose-neck.
2. Changing Carbon media type and adding reactor:
I have received several obviously used canisters of chemipure elite from amazon. It is obvious from the broken seal on the lid and smell of the media. I also hear potential negative effects from purigen. I am considering adding a small reactor in the space where my skimmer used to be and running BRS carbon/gfo. If you recommend this change what size carbon and type of GFO do you recommend?
I don't really feel like Chemipure/purigen combo has had any negative impact on my system I just kind of want to change to BRS media and a reactor (mainly because i've never used a media reactor before).
3. You're crazy, put the skimmer back!
In my large tank adding a skimmer made a world of difference. However the IM Ghost skimmer doesn't perform very well in my experience. I only get an extremely wet skim. My green tea is darker than the skimmate this pulls out. I have adjusted this thing every way I possibly could. I honestly think the "skimmate" is just from the bubbles splashing where they break because the collection cup is so shallow. I rarely ever see a good foam head on this thing. Perhaps it was actually working too well and just kept the water really clean thus never forming the nasty thick simmate I am used to. I will probably test this theory in a few weeks to see what skimmate production and consistency looks like.
4. Add a 2nd refugium:
Instead of adding a media reactor or putting the skimmer back just make a second chaeto refugium in the empty chamber. My other refugium has great chaeto growth would 2 be better than one? Nitrate/Phosphate always test at zero so I doubt this would have much impact at all aside from potentially more pods.
5. You are forgetting something:
Perhaps I am completely overlooking something you would consider necessary. If so what do you recommend and why?
6. Buy coral
Instead of adding new equipment just go blow all your money on some fancy frags.
