50 gallon IM Lagoon Build Thread

[jimmypencil]

Starting a new build thread for my IM lagoon 50

EQUIPMENT:
XR30 G6
Nero 3s x2
Stock Mighty Jet return pump
Tunze 9004 dc skimmer
intank media basket (filterfloss, chemipure blue, biomedia)
intank fuge basket (not gonna work out)
tunze 3181 algae reactor (inbound)

LIVESTOCK:

fish/inverts

pair of clowns
yellow hogfish
six line
banggai cardinal x2
chalk bass
yellow banded possum wrasse
orchid dottyback
tailspot blenny
skunk cleaner shimp
astrea snails, hermits, nassarius snails, tiger conch, starfish (not sure what kind)

corals so far

yellow octo spawn
devils hand leather
two different toad stools
red/green favia
raja rampage chalice
WWC fire echino chalice
clove polyps, gsp, zoas
bali green slimer
forest fire monit
pink birds nest
starburst monti cap
red monti cap
tequila sunrise monti cap
yellow sinularia leather
green sinularia leather

Started the tank 12/24/22 with Live rock from a few different Lfs and 40lb fiji pink live sand. Theres real reef, some $20 a lb snake oil rock, and then random pieces of dry rock that were mixed in with the live rock at the LFS. I started the cycle with one vial of Prodobio Bio Digest, and daily dosing of MB7. i got diatoms about 2-3 weeks in and i got 5 jars of galaxy pods from algae barn (overkill i know). i also started dosing 12ml of phyto and 50 ml of PNS probio daily when ammonia and nitrate were consistently reading zero and i added coral to the tank.

been trying to get my nutrients dialed in but my levels as of 1/22/23 are:
Alk: 9
calcium: 450
magnesium: 1250
Nitrate: 12
Phosphate: .07 (read zero a few days before this test so ive been dosing neophos)
salinity: 1.025
Ph: 7.95-8.15

waiting on recirculating co2 scrubber attachments for my tunze 9004 to bump ph a bit. also planning on using tunze algae reactor and maybe running it for like 6-8 hours a day and see how it goes.

 

[nuxx]

Looking really nice so far

 

[BBReef14]

Starting a new build thread for my IM lagoon 50

EQUIPMENT:
XR30 G6
Nero 3s x2
Stock Mighty Jet return pump
Tunze 9004 dc skimmer
intank media basket (filterfloss, chemipure blue, biomedia)
intank fuge basket (not gonna work out)
tunze 3181 algae reactor (inbound)

LIVESTOCK:

fish/inverts

pair of clowns
yellow hogfish
six line
banggai cardinal x2
chalk bass
yellow banded possum wrasse
orchid dottyback
tailspot blenny
skunk cleaner shimp
astrea snails, hermits, nassarius snails, tiger conch, starfish (not sure what kind)

corals so far

yellow octo spawn
devils hand leather
two different toad stools
red/green favia
raja rampage chalice
WWC fire echino chalice
clove polyps, gsp, zoas
bali green slimer
forest fire monit
pink birds nest
starburst monti cap
red monti cap
tequila sunrise monti cap
yellow sinularia leather
green sinularia leather

Started the tank 12/24/22 with Live rock from a few different Lfs and 40lb fiji pink live sand. Theres real reef, some $20 a lb snake oil rock, and then random pieces of dry rock that were mixed in with the live rock at the LFS. I started the cycle with one vial of Prodobio Bio Digest, and daily dosing of MB7. i got diatoms about 2-3 weeks in and i got 5 jars of galaxy pods from algae barn (overkill i know). i also started dosing 12ml of phyto and 50 ml of PNS probio daily when ammonia and nitrate were consistently reading zero and i added coral to the tank.

been trying to get my nutrients dialed in but my levels as of 1/22/23 are:
Alk: 9
calcium: 450
magnesium: 1250
Nitrate: 12
Phosphate: .07 (read zero a few days before this test so ive been dosing neophos)
salinity: 1.025
Ph: 7.95-8.15

waiting on recirculating co2 scrubber attachments for my tunze 9004 to bump ph a bit. also planning on using tunze algae reactor and maybe running it for like 6-8 hours a day and see how it goes.

So what chamber do you have the tunze 9004 skimmer? It’s that low of profile? Like it?

what are your chamber setups?

 

[jimmypencil]

So what chamber do you have the tunze 9004 skimmer? It’s that low of profile? Like it?

what are your chamber setups?

i have the tunze in the first chamber on the left side, i heard some people decide to replace the stock return pump and Y tubing with two smaller pumps so that they can fit the skimmer in the middle chamber, but I wasn't willing to do that. I love the skimmer its been working great, started skimming day one and haven't had any issues yet. it is a little louder than I hoped though because without the skimmer the tank is totally silent. it is extremely low profile and i highly recommend it unless you are looking for a super super quiet skimmer.

in the first chamber on the right side i have an in tank media basket with intank filter floss on top, chemipure blue in the middle, and a bunch of ceramic bio media in the bottom chamber.

in the second chamber on one side i have my apex probe holder, and on the other side i have an intank fuge basket filled with just ceramic media rn because i think im gonna opt for the algae reactor instead. i dont want to move the tank and cut off the black backing to make a slot for my fuge light.

 

[jimmypencil]

So what chamber do you have the tunze 9004 skimmer? It’s that low of profile? Like it?

what are your chamber setups?

i recommend getting the dc version if you end up going with the 9004. i got mine from brs.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Starting a new build thread for my IM lagoon 50

EQUIPMENT:
XR30 G6
Nero 3s x2
Stock Mighty Jet return pump
Tunze 9004 dc skimmer
intank media basket (filterfloss, chemipure blue, biomedia)
intank fuge basket (not gonna work out)
tunze 3181 algae reactor (inbound)

LIVESTOCK:

fish/inverts

pair of clowns
yellow hogfish
six line
banggai cardinal x2
chalk bass
yellow banded possum wrasse
orchid dottyback
tailspot blenny
skunk cleaner shimp
astrea snails, hermits, nassarius snails, tiger conch, starfish (not sure what kind)

corals so far

yellow octo spawn
devils hand leather
two different toad stools
red/green favia
raja rampage chalice
WWC fire echino chalice
clove polyps, gsp, zoas
bali green slimer
forest fire monit
pink birds nest
starburst monti cap
red monti cap
tequila sunrise monti cap
yellow sinularia leather
green sinularia leather

Started the tank 12/24/22 with Live rock from a few different Lfs and 40lb fiji pink live sand. Theres real reef, some $20 a lb snake oil rock, and then random pieces of dry rock that were mixed in with the live rock at the LFS. I started the cycle with one vial of Prodobio Bio Digest, and daily dosing of MB7. i got diatoms about 2-3 weeks in and i got 5 jars of galaxy pods from algae barn (overkill i know). i also started dosing 12ml of phyto and 50 ml of PNS probio daily when ammonia and nitrate were consistently reading zero and i added coral to the tank.

been trying to get my nutrients dialed in but my levels as of 1/22/23 are:
Alk: 9
calcium: 450
magnesium: 1250
Nitrate: 12
Phosphate: .07 (read zero a few days before this test so ive been dosing neophos)
salinity: 1.025
Ph: 7.95-8.15

waiting on recirculating co2 scrubber attachments for my tunze 9004 to bump ph a bit. also planning on using tunze algae reactor and maybe running it for like 6-8 hours a day and see how it goes.

Tank looks really good!!

 

[jimmypencil]

Tank looks really good!!

Thanks

 

[Patientman]

VERY NICE!

 

[jimmypencil]

VERY NICE!

Thank you

 

[BBReef14]

Just curious, what skimmer would be quieter than this one? thinking of getting this one... I have the same tank, looks great!

 

[jimmypencil]

Just curious, what skimmer would be quieter than this one? thinking of getting this one... I have the same tank, looks great!

no idea, if i didnt get this one i wouldve gone for the ice cap. honestly i have the tunze hooked up to the recirculating co2 scrubber now and its not loud at all. Its really pulling out a ton of gunk and i love it.

 

[evo187]

Following along. I have the same tank, light, and I have two Nero3s and the Tunze 9004 DC being delivered soon.

What light schedule are you running and at what intensity?

 

[Salty_Taste]

Looking to follow along your journey! I just picked up the same tank and upgrading from a IM 14.

How do you like the sand being super fine? Do you notice it blowing around?

 

[Prozerran]

How did you get the Nero magnet to fit in the back area with the media basket?

 

[jimmypencil]

How did you get the Nero magnet to fit in the back area with the media basket?

I actually have the magnets in the middle two chambers. The ones next to the return chamber in the middle.

 

[jimmypencil]

Looking to follow along your journey! I just picked up the same tank and upgrading from a IM 14.

How do you like the sand being super fine? Do you notice it blowing around?

I love the sand honestly and no it doesn’t blow around. Even when I clean the glass and go down into the sand all along the perimeter of the tank it barely clouds up and completely clears in like 20-30 minutes. It’s the Fiji pink sand.

my last tank had really large grain aragonite substrate and I absolutely HATED it. SO ugly.

 

[Prozerran]

I actually have the magnets in the middle two chambers. The ones next to the return chamber in the middle.

What settings do you have for both neros?

 

[jimmypencil]

What settings do you have for both neros?

They both are the same - it’s random mode 35%-65% intensity with medium-high variance. Random mode during lights on and then constant mode 20% intensity during lights out.