Successful IM tank?

Dsnakes · Nov 21, 2017

EriksOasis said:
I just grow chaeto in one one the back compartments. Works like a charm keeping nitrates below 10. Sps are happy and growing.

I may have to give this a shot!

Coley · Nov 21, 2017

I’m using the IM refugium light. I grow cheato in the right side back chamber. Removed sock and have IM basket with floss pad on top and cheato grows in the bottom. I have the light on a timer. Nice home for my pods!

Dsnakes · Nov 21, 2017

Coley said:
I’m using the IM refugium light. I grow cheato in the right side back chamber. Removed sock and have IM basket with floss pad on top and cheato grows in the bottom. I have the light on a timer. Nice home for my pods!

The cheato gets enough light through the pad?

EriksOasis · Nov 21, 2017

I’m growing mine in the second chamber it has the whole chamber to grow and fill

ReefersDirect · Nov 21, 2017

Fence13 said:
What's the lighting on this? It looks very custom (in a very nice way)

Its lit with a radion xr30(g3 pro)

NY_Caveman · Nov 21, 2017

Fence13 said:
So pleased with all the replies! I'm glad that people are having success with an AIO. Plus it's good to see the success stories with some of these tanks. Not trying to sell IM or JBJ but people sometimes think of them as a stepping stone, and that's not what I'm looking for if I decide to go that route. I'm actually splitting up a 75g into two smaller tanks (I know, it's almost sacrilegious around here to go to a smaller size).

I have this struggle with filter socks so I completely understand your troubles.

I've seen fewer frags in a frag tank! Zoas and LPS like water "a little dirty" so it seems like your method is working for the corals you want to keep.

The growth on those plates are nice. Do you keep a lot of fish here too or is it all for the coral?

I do not think of these small AIO aquariums as stepping stones. Truth is a smaller marine reef is harder to keep stable. Easier to start with say a 70 gallon with a sump. There are many reasons to have a small tank such as space available, weight allowance, permanence of its placement, etc. Smaller tanks and equipment may cost less as well, but will still be thousands just to setup, cycle and stock.

I think the most important thing to consider with these tanks are the livestock limitations. If you buy them understanding that, you should get years of satisfaction with them. My guess though is that some people buy small AIO tanks as their first tank expecting it to be cheap and easy and perhaps without planning what they want to keep. Then, they realize how limited they are on fish selection and things like anemones. Sometimes they may overstock and crash, or simply move on to a bigger aquarium.

Velcro · Nov 21, 2017

ReefersDirect said:
Its lit with a radion xr30(g3 pro)

And you used an orange lens filter

nautical_nathaniel · Nov 21, 2017

I don't know if I would call my tank successful since there are some things that I would like to do better, but my corals and fish are healthy. You can check out the link to my build thread in my signature. My tank is almost 2 years old

reefwiser · Nov 21, 2017

My issue with my IM 40 is stablity.
With such a small water volume every small issue is magnified . I am very watchful of every issue that comes up I have kept SPS corals since 1990. An this tank has need the least forgiving SPS tank I have ever kept.
This tank was purchased as a stepping stone to a bigger tank. An now I wish I had went ahead an purchased the larger tank. An my wife feels the same. I don’t sugar coat things when I post on issues and I can say when purchasing a AIO system if you wish to keep challenging corals. Be warned it will not be a simple task and will test your aquarist abilities to the max. Thank goodness I have kept tanks for 54 years or I would have quit the hobby in failure as I have seen many hobbyist thru the years.

ReefersDirect · Nov 21, 2017

Velcro said:
And you used an orange lens filter

Thats correct, theres no real other way to get a good cell pic lol

Heres a pic of one of the anemones in there

Fence13 · Nov 21, 2017

NY_Caveman said:
I do not think of these small AIO aquariums as stepping stones. Truth is a smaller marine reef is harder to keep stable. Easier to start with say a 70 gallon with a sump. There are many reasons to have a small tank such as space available, weight allowance, permanence of its placement, etc. Smaller tanks and equipment may cost less as well, but will still be thousands just to setup, cycle and stock.

I think the most important thing to consider with these tanks are the livestock limitations. If you buy them understanding that, you should get years of satisfaction with them. My guess though is that some people buy small AIO tanks as their first tank expecting it to be cheap and easy and perhaps without planning what they want to keep. Then, they realize how limited they are on fish selection and things like anemones. Sometimes they may overstock and crash, or simply move on to a bigger aquarium.

I agree, I think most people find the limitations hard and that's why they jump to a bigger tank (and around here they then get burned out on the set up issues and quit the hobby!).

But mainly I've always had concerns with the equipment on AIO tanks. Red Sea and IM alike. Take IM's skimmer. I have liked my Reef Octopus skimmer and it's production a lot better than I liked the IM ghost skimmer I had. Even if you look at reviews for the IM skimmer they are all over the place, more people like the small sized one but the medium one has mediocre reviews. And Tunze is about the only other brand I'm aware of that makes something smaller enough to fit?

NY_Caveman · Nov 21, 2017

That is a great point. I mentioned livestock limitations, but there are certainly many hardware limitations as well. Truth be told there are many limitations to an AIO under say 45 gallons. It is not easy to succeed. Many of the most successful ones I have seen were from people who have or had larger tanks and understood the challenge going in. Problem is so many people seem to start with these tanks with the impression they are easier than a large tank. They are definitely not.

Coley · Nov 22, 2017

Dsnakes said:
The cheato gets enough light through the pad?

Yes. I cutaway the black plastic tape that covers the glass in that one chamber. There is a how to video on YouTube. Worked perfect and was very easy to do.

NanoBoxes · Nov 22, 2017

I have had a IM 40g for almost 2 years now and its thriving as a mixed coral tank, with no issues. I run a filter sock in one side, and the rack in other side with chaeto in it and a bag of chemo-pure. I also use the skimmer. My corals grow like crazy and I love the tank!

NanoBoxes · Nov 22, 2017

I also just do a 5g water change every 2 weeks.

NY_Caveman · Nov 22, 2017

tommyBrittle said:
I have had a IM 40g for almost 2 years now and its thriving as a mixed coral tank, with no issues. I run a filter sock in one side, and the rack in other side with chaeto in it and a bag of chemo-pure. I also use the skimmer. My corals grow like crazy and I love the tank!

Is that a black starboard bottom?

NanoBoxes · Nov 22, 2017

Nope...just the glass bottom...I will never go back to using substrate! I think that is part of my success

NanoBoxes · Nov 22, 2017

Here's a better pic

Baugher3715 · Nov 22, 2017

I have had a IM lagoon 25 and currently have a Nuvo 10. I have had good luck with both of them. As far as Long term. I can’t attest to that because I am always changing things up.