IM Nuvo 40 New Build Thread !

[Jalle237]

Thank you for your awesome compliment !! Welcome to Reef2Reef. There is tons of info here on different topics, its helpful and sometimes overwhelming. No secret really, I just try to maintain my parameters as stable as possible by testing 2x per week and dosing Alk daily. I also do weekly water changes. I use fuel twice a week and feed reef roids 1-2 times per week.

How old is your 10 gallon? What's your routine ?

I started the hobby in Dec 2019, but started to add corals in the tank in Feb 2020. I do a 15-20% water change every week, even clean the filter sock out with the change. I still add 5 to 10 drops of Brightwell microBacter 7 in the tank every 2 to 3 days. I feed the tank once a day of Reef Nutrition R.O.E, only adding one drop. I sometimes miss a day of feeding. I do try and test once every two days. my alk runs high at 11.8, but nitrate and phosphate is low. sal at 1.026 and ato works beautiful.

I've heard a cleaner shrimp can eat away at your corals. not sure if that can be true but I do have a sunk cleaner shrimp in the tank.

 

[Calpoly2103]

I started the hobby in Dec 2019, but started to add corals in the tank in Feb 2020. I do a 15-20% water change every week, even clean the filter sock out with the change. I still add 5 to 10 drops of Brightwell microBacter 7 in the tank every 2 to 3 days. I feed the tank once a day of Reef Nutrition R.O.E, only adding one drop. I sometimes miss a day of feeding. I do try and test once every two days. my alk runs high at 11.8, but nitrate and phosphate is low. sal at 1.026 and ato works beautiful.

I've heard a cleaner shrimp can eat away at your corals. not sure if that can be true but I do have a sunk cleaner shrimp in the tank.

Sounds like a good routine. Your tank is still pretty new, my acan's weren't too happy when i put them in at first and started to take off around the 8 month mark.

How often do you dose your alk/mag/calcium? I would imagine in a 10 gallon alk/cal/mag could fluctuate quickly causing stress. For example in my 40 gallon with that bioload i dose about 0.5 DKH every night before bed. If i didn't dose for 4 days, my alk would drop 2 full points. I dose calcium/Mag 2x per week, usually on test days as well. But ALK daily.

I've heard that about shrimps too and I was concerned as well. Luckily my cleaner shrimp hasn't hurt the coral too much. I do feed the tank Fish/Reef Frenzy so I always be sure to feed him a large chunk first. Then while hes eating that i spot feed my corals. If i don't feed him first, then he bugs all the corals and steals their food.

 

[Jalle237]

Sounds like a good routine. Your tank is still pretty new, my acan's weren't too happy when i put them in at first and started to take off around the 8 month mark.

How often do you dose your alk/mag/calcium? I would imagine in a 10 gallon alk/cal/mag could fluctuate quickly causing stress. For example in my 40 gallon with that bioload i dose about 0.5 DKH every night before bed. If i didn't dose for 4 days, my alk would drop 2 full points. I dose calcium/Mag 2x per week, usually on test days as well. But ALK daily.

I've heard that about shrimps too and I was concerned as well. Luckily my cleaner shrimp hasn't hurt the coral too much. I do feed the tank Fish/Reef Frenzy so I always be sure to feed him a large chunk first. Then while hes eating that i spot feed my corals. If i don't feed him first, then he bugs all the corals and steals their food.

I don't dose anything in my tank. and don't even have a skimmer or sump. its an all in one tank. hopefully in the future I will get a 40 to 65 gallon tank!!

And thats a good trick to feed the shrimp first then feed the corals. the shrimp is doing really well in the tank along with my clown fish.

 

[Ross Petersen]

Old thread bump here! How's your tank? I just got the same one and contemplating skimmer options... Tunze 9004 controllable (in overflow / chamber 1) versus IM Nuvo DC Skim or eShopps Nano in the accessory chambers. How's your IM Nuvo DC skimmer working?

Also have two MP10s but might save money and go with 1-2 Tunze 6040s or an AI Nero 5. You liking the MP 10s?

 

[Calpoly2103]

Old thread bump here! How's your tank? I just got the same one and contemplating skimmer options... Tunze 9004 controllable (in overflow / chamber 1) versus IM Nuvo DC Skim or eShopps Nano in the accessory chambers. How's your IM Nuvo DC skimmer working?

Also have two MP10s but might save money and go with 1-2 Tunze 6040s or an AI Nero 5. You liking the MP 10s?

Thanks for the bump ! My tank's doing well, i'll need to post some updated shots later. Honestly the IM NUVO DC is OK in my opinion. You have to clean the O-Ring on the cup. Keep it sealed. The air bubbles sneak through. It's pretty quiet though after it breaks in and it does pull out brown sludge, doesn't give micro bubbles after breaking in, so it does work. I was considering TUNZE, but didn't due the 1/5 chamber limitation.

1 of my MP10's is at about 70%, the other one probably 20%. I also have the mighty Jet return pump which i run at about 70%. Two MP10's is definitely overkill. They came together when i got them used a few years ago. Still going strong. Be sure to clean them though.

 

[Ross Petersen]

Thanks for the bump ! My tank's doing well, i'll need to post some updated shots later. Honestly the IM NUVO DC is OK in my opinion. You have to clean the O-Ring on the cup. Keep it sealed. The air bubbles sneak through. It's pretty quiet though after it breaks in and it does pull out brown sludge, doesn't give micro bubbles after breaking in, so it does work. I was considering TUNZE, but didn't due the 1/5 chamber limitation.

1 of my MP10's is at about 70%, the other one probably 20%. I also have the mighty Jet return pump which i run at about 70%. Two MP10's is definitely overkill. They came together when i got them used a few years ago. Still going strong. Be sure to clean them though.

Look forward to the update!

Sounds like the IM Nuvo DC skimmer is a good fit for the system. I'm wondering how much detritus will get into the lower sump area if I run the Tunze 9004 in the overflow, with a refugium beside it. This might be good for the system, in reality, but hard to say. Any thoughts on that?

I'm glad you mentioned two MP 10s is probably overkill. With a 528 GPH Mightyjet and random flow nozzles, I too am thinking one MP 10 is far than enough flow for a mixed reef. I'm planning for torches, goniopora, some hardy SPS (bali green slimer, etc.) and some rock flower anemones so nothing too demanding.

 

[Calpoly2103]

Look forward to the update!

Sounds like the IM Nuvo DC skimmer is a good fit for the system. I'm wondering how much detritus will get into the lower sump area if I run the Tunze 9004 in the overflow, with a refugium beside it. This might be good for the system, in reality, but hard to say. Any thoughts on that?

I'm glad you mentioned two MP 10s is probably overkill. With a 528 GPH Mightyjet and random flow nozzles, I too am thinking one MP 10 is far than enough flow for a mixed reef. I'm planning for torches, goniopora, some hardy SPS (bali green slimer, etc.) and some rock flower anemones so nothing too demanding.

About 8 months ago I put in a refugium in the 1st chamber overflow. I bought a IM ChaetoMaxx light, ordered some nice clean Chaeto & pods off Algae Barn. I thought everything was going well, until i realized the Chaeto had completely rotted and turned brown. I learned that the Chaeto has to move around, or tumble. I heard success from people that moved it around every single day. Not sure if you want to get into all that. I gave up on my fuge. I just do a water change every week for nutrient export which is fine with me. And my clean up crew takes care of everything else. I still see lots of pods though at night or before my light goes on.

I have similar coral, Torches, Frogspawn, Goni's, Stylo, Monti's, chalice, zoa. It's a nice size tank, good flow. I think you'll have success.

 

[KingTideCorals]

Tank is killer, nice livestock enjoy the build thread! Huge fan of IM and their AIO systems.

Keep us updated!

 

[Calpoly2103]

Hey Guys, thought i'd post a little update. It's been about 3.5 months since i last took pics. This camera lens is pretty neat, and makes everything pop. Thank you all for looking !

 

[Calpoly2103]

Tank is killer, nice livestock enjoy the build thread! Huge fan of IM and their AIO systems.

Keep us updated!

Thank you, just posted some pics actually ! This is my first AIO system, and I like it a lot !

 

[Ross Petersen]

About 8 months ago I put in a refugium in the 1st chamber overflow. I bought a IM ChaetoMaxx light, ordered some nice clean Chaeto & pods off Algae Barn. I thought everything was going well, until i realized the Chaeto had completely rotted and turned brown. I learned that the Chaeto has to move around, or tumble. I heard success from people that moved it around every single day. Not sure if you want to get into all that. I gave up on my fuge. I just do a water change every week for nutrient export which is fine with me. And my clean up crew takes care of everything else. I still see lots of pods though at night or before my light goes on.

I have similar coral, Torches, Frogspawn, Goni's, Stylo, Monti's, chalice, zoa. It's a nice size tank, good flow. I think you'll have success.

Gorgeous tank. Love the color blending - the oranges really pop. And that frog spawn is massive.

Everyone raves about refugiums but I sense I’ll be in the same boat as you unless I can find a clever way to get mine moving, or manually just stir things up often. Hmm...

Thanks for sharing all the lovely photos and knowledge.