Griev's IM-200 Mangrove Lagoon

[Griev]

Welcome to my build thread!

My goal is to set up a 10+ year tank, designed from the start to be as automated as possible with minimal or zero water changes. This first post acts as a bit of an index/FAQ, last updated Dec '23.

'Full Tank Shot' tax up front

Original inspiration
Before I got into saltwater tanks, I kept several planted freshwater tanks. I always loved the look of "Dutch" style aquascapes. So I got a crazy idea in my head; what if I tried to do the same with a mixed reef of different colors of Euphyllia, SPS, LPS, and softies?

My favorite reference picture when I was planning my tank

Equipment

• Tank and stand: Innovative Marine 200 INT w/ APS Stand
• Lights: 2x Philips CoralCare Gen2 LED, & 2x Kessil A80 Tuna Sun (Mangroves)
• Display Pumps: 2x VorTech MP60QD
• Sump and Algae Scrubber: CWT 50 - 36" Sump & Algae Scrubber Combo, & Innovative Marine Water Reservoir (15 Gallon)
• Skimmer: Aeraqua Duo AD600
• UV: Vecton-6: V2 600 25 Watt
• Return Pump: Abyzz A100 DC Pump (2,200 GPH)
• Controller, Testing, & Dosing: Apex A2, DOS (All for Reef, Vinegar), & Trident
• ATO: Tunze 3155
• Heater: BRS 200W Titanium Heater + InkBird failsafe
• Aquascape: E-Marco-400 Aquascaping Mortar + Dry Rock

Fish

• 1x Foxface Lo (siganus vulpinus)
• 4x Watanabe Angelfish (genicanthus watanabei) 2F/2M
• 3x Spotbreast Angelfish (genicanthus melanospilos) 3F
• 2x Purple Tangs (zebrasoma xanthurum)
• 1x Achilles Tang (acanthurus achilles)
• 12x Anthias (p. squamipinnis and one sneaky p. ignitus) 1M/11F
• 4x Blackcap Basslets (gramma melacara)
• 3x Leopard Wrasse (macropharyngodon meleagris) 1M/2F
• 2x Mandarin Dragonet (synchiropus splendidus) 1M/1F
• 2x Longfin Clownfish (snowstorm and black-misbar) 1M/1F

Corals
Euphyllia Rock

• Purple and Green Frogspawn
• Gold Branching Hammer
• Pink Tipped Octospawn
• Hellfire Torch
• Rainbow Branching Hammer
• Aussie Elegance

SPS Rock

• BC Spainbow
• BC Spaceghost
• BC Glass 2.0
• BC From the Mothership
• RRC Pink Cadillac
• RRC Red Roses Monti
• JF Original Leng Sy Monti

LPS and Softies Rock

• Japanese Green nephthea
• Yellow Leather coral
• Purple photosynthetic gorgonian
• Red rainbow acans
• Blue and Teal duncans
• Red and Pink blastos
• Blasto merletti
• Orange and green micromusa
• Heteractis Magnifica anemone

Bare Bottom

• Colorado sunburst anemone
• 3x Orange plate corals
• 3x Joker plate corals
• Teal, orange, and purple acan echinata
• Tons of different zoanthids

Maintenance
I've still never done a water change on this system, beyond the rare 5 gallons of fresh saltwater to replace what I siphon out of the sump and corners.

Alkalinity and Calcium are managed by dosing All-for-Reef (~40 ml per day currently) and tested automatically with an Apex Trident with a custom schedule (Cal/Mag once a day, Alk 3x a day).

Phosphates are measured once or twice a week with a Hanna checker, and I dose ~15ml of BA Phasphat-E per day to manage them.

Nitrates are measured once or twice a week with a Hanna checker, and I dose ~140 ml of vinegar per day and adjust the photoperiod on my Algae Scrubber to manage them.

Quarantine Approach
I've set up a 15 Gallon AIO tank for observation, and if needed quarantine or treatment. Nothing too fancy, and maybe I'll turn it into a mantis tank once I'm done adding fish to my main display.

I typically observe new fish for 3-4 days, and move them into the display if they seem fat, healthy, and hungry. If they seem lethargic, or I see signs of illness I follow the humblefish treatment protocols; https://humble.fish/community/index.php?threads/quarantine-strategies-protocols.15586/

 

[jandlms]

The look is awesome
Not sure if the zero or low maintenance part is going to be attainable.Good luck!

 

[925Reefer]

Updates?

 

[Griev]

Updates?

Step 1: Buy a house

Ordering the new tank as soon as we close.

 

[sfin52]

Step 1: Buy a house

Ordering the new tank as soon as we close.

Pics or it never happened.

 

[Griev]

The look is awesome
Not sure if the zero or low maintenance part is going to be attainable.Good luck!

Yeah we'll see! I'll run export methods at first and do water changes as needed until I find stability. It's more of a north star goal for the tank.

Pics or it never happened.

Closed on the house last Friday!

Here's the room where I'll be putting the tank (after we rip that bar out);

Should be ordering the tank officially in a few more weeks!

 

[Griev]

We're all moved in, the tank is ordered (ETA end of April) and I'm working on getting my livestock from where it's being fostered back in CA. Here's a quick preview of what I'm designing!

 

[sfin52]

Its getting real

 

[DiefsReef]

I see you have found the local clubs site in ATL
Just joined and asking for help to move in this behemoth Lots of great folks, to help move a tank!
Looking forward to seeing this come together!

 

[Griev]

Well good news and bad news...

Good news is that my tank is at the port waiting to be cleared by customs. Innovative Marine estimates another two weeks or so for delivery.

The bad news is that I might have hit a significant setback with the stocking plans.... :mad:

I've been trying to get in contact with the Local Fish store back in the Bay Area that's been fostering my livestock for the last two weeks and was finally able to talk to the owner today. He's claiming that an employee stole a large number of fish and corals (including my livestock) and the police and insurance are involved. This includes the dozen+ heads/frags of my golden torch, and my giant mat of blue sympodium that were going to be the foundations for my new aquascape.

Hopefully I get some compensation for the stolen fish and corals, but I'm pretty gutted... Anyone ever deal with anything similar?

 

[TheWB]

Well good news and bad news...

Good news is that my tank is at the port waiting to be cleared by customs. Innovative Marine estimates another two weeks or so for delivery.

The bad news is that I might have hit a significant setback with the stocking plans.... :mad:

I've been trying to get in contact with the Local Fish store back in the Bay Area that's been fostering my livestock for the last two weeks and was finally able to talk to the owner today. He's claiming that an employee stole a large number of fish and corals (including my livestock) and the police and insurance are involved. This includes the dozen+ heads/frags of my golden torch, and my giant mat of blue sympodium that were going to be the foundations for my new aquascape.

Hopefully I get some compensation for the stolen fish and corals, but I'm pretty gutted... Anyone ever deal with anything similar?

Wow, that stinks. Sorry to hear that happened. I hope the store owner does the right thing and compensates you properly and/or helps you source replacements.

 

[Griev]

Wow, that stinks. Sorry to hear that happened. I hope the store owner does the right thing and compensates you properly and/or helps you source replacements.

Yeah I hope so too. Owner has supposedly been out of town and is going to go to the store today to send me pictures of what is left. He thinks some of it might still be there, but isn't sure.

 

[Griev]

The owner of the store shipped me what was still in the store. Amazing how fast he checked his store and shipped it once I casually mentioned the value was well above the limit for felony theft.

Excuse all the algae, the rock is still leaching some nutrients so even with water changes there's nothing I can really do about it until they're done.

Torch looking a bit rough but 8 heads are still there. I don't think it was getting enough light. Going to be keeping an eye on it;

Some of the clumps of Blue Sypodium he still had;

World's happiest algae blenny;

The before ;Dead;

I sent him an updated list of what's been stolen and at replacement costs right now it's a hair under 2k in livestock still missing. Hoping to have a police report and next steps with his insurance company early this week, but not holding my breath...

Never moving again. :/

 

[TheWB]

The owner of the store shipped me what was still in the store. Amazing how fast he checked his store and shipped it once I casually mentioned the value was well above the limit for felony theft.

Excuse all the algae, the rock is still leaching some nutrients so even with water changes there's nothing I can really do about it until they're done.

Torch looking a bit rough but 8 heads are still there. I don't think it was getting enough light. Going to be keeping an eye on it;

Some of the clumps of Blue Sypodium he still had;

World's happiest algae blenny;

The before ;Dead;

I sent him an updated list of what's been stolen and at replacement costs right now it's a hair under 2k in livestock still missing. Hoping to have a police report and next steps with his insurance company early this week, but not holding my breath...

Never moving again. :/

That’s it? The torch and the blue sypodium? So that really nice pair of angels and all the nems are gone? I’m so gutted for you man, that sucks. This guy better make it right. There’s nothing worse than a thief. Hopefully you had some sort of written agreement on what was there so you can sue him if he won’t pay up.

 

[Griev]

That’s it? The torch and the blue sypodium? So that really nice pair of angels and all the nems are gone? I’m so gutted for you man, that sucks. This guy better make it right. There’s nothing worse than a thief. Hopefully you had some sort of written agreement on what was there so you can sue him if he won’t pay up.

Yeah, everything else is still missing. I'm not sure how likely it is that this guy is going to make it right. He keeps telling me the police are giving him the run around, and it's really challenging to get a straight answer on what I need to do next since I'm currently in GA and the theft happened in CA, I keep getting conflicting answers on if I need to start a report here vs there (both departments seem to want to defer to the other).

The only "written" agreement was the notes in my customer file that I entered (so I know it exists) for the services they were providing, but I don't have a copy in my possession, only text message logs with the store employee confirming drop off times and stock list.

Looks like next step might have to be a lawsuit. What a pain in the butt.

 

[TheWB]

Yeah, everything else is still missing. I'm not sure how likely it is that this guy is going to make it right. He keeps telling me the police are giving him the run around, and it's really challenging to get a straight answer on what I need to do next since I'm currently in GA and the theft happened in CA, I keep getting conflicting answers on if I need to start a report here vs there (both departments seem to want to defer to the other).

The only "written" agreement was the notes in my customer file that I entered (so I know it exists) for the services they were providing, but I don't have a copy in my possession, only text message logs with the store employee confirming drop off times and stock list.

Looks like next step might have to be a lawsuit. What a pain in the butt.

I guess small claims court is really the only option if he doesn’t do the right thing. It’s not enough money for a regular lawsuit or to get an attorney involved is it? I doubt it would be worth it to fly back to CA for a small claims appearance either. Got any friends in CA who are also lawyers who wouldn’t mind making this guys life miserable for free?

 

[Griev]

Putting the finishing touches on the false wall/accent wall that I'll be mounting my lights on. Those CoralCare Gen 2s are heavy!

Once the finish is dry, I'll be bolting in the 8020 aluminum hardware and doing some stress tests before there's glass under them.

No progress on getting any more of my livestock back. I've got a police report finally, but that's about it. :/

 

[revhtree]

Glad to see it progressing!

 

[Griev]

Got one of the lights up as a test. Tank scheduled for arrival tomorrow!

 

[Griev]

Look what showed up today!