My IM Nuvo 30L Mixed Reef

[Bouncingsoul39]

This tank has been up and running since the beginning of June. Started with 20lbs of KP Aquatics “starter” live rock and 20lbs of Caribsea Fiji Pink live sand.
Equipment:
IM Nuvo 30L AIO Rimless low-iron aquarium
IM APS aluminum white stand
Current USA Orbit R24 LED Reef Lights x2
Tunze Turbelle NanoStream 6020
Aqueon Preset 200 w heater 78 degrees
Instant Ocean Saltwater & 0 TDS RO/DI water at 1.026
AutoAqua Smart ATO Lite
Amazon LED Strip Grow Lights behind refugium section with Chaeto
IM Nuvo Mid-size Protein Skimmer

Chemicals and media:
Seachem Purigen
Seachem Matrix Carbon
Seachem Phosguard
Seachem Reef Plus
Seachem Reef Trace
Seachem Reef Phytoplankton
American Marine Selcon
Boyd Vita-Chem
Kent Marine Garlic X-treme

Daily feeding: frozen spirulina brine, spirulina mysis, PE Calanus, Rotifers, Zoo Med Aquatrol Spirulina flakes, New Life Spectrum Algae Max wafers. These foods are rotated and small amounts are fed 2-3x daily.

Fish:
Aussie Starkii Damsel
Baby Foxface
Sixline Wrasse
Red spotted Blenny
Wild True Percula Clownfish
Fire fish Goby

Inverts:
ORA farmed Deresa Clam
Skunk Cleaner Shrimp
Banded Coral Shrimp
Black Long Spine Urchin
3x Tiger sand Conch
2x Hawaiian Feather Duster worms
Campfire Feather Duster worms
3x Halloween Hermit crabs
Blue leg hermits
red leg hermit
white leg hermit
Banded Trochus Snails
Astrea snails
mini Cerith snails
Cerith snails
Nassarius snails
Purple Long Tentacle Anemone

Corals:
No Acropora (this time haha)
Various SPS such as various Bird’s Nests, Montipora sp., Stylophora,
Kryptonite Candy Cane
Green Fungia
Duncans
2x Cynarina
Favias
Jack O lantern lepto
Meteor shower Cyphastrea
Rainbow Cyphastrea
Blue Steam Goni

Ok, enough lists. Onto the pics!

 

[Bouncingsoul39]

All pics taken with iphone 12 using Orphek reef lens filter kit. 20K filter and macro lens.

I spy with my little eye!

 

[revhtree]

Dang looks great!

 

[Bouncingsoul39]

Dang looks great!

thanks Rev!

 

[Bouncingsoul39]

I added a new IM Aqua Shield 11 watt UV sterilizer to the tank. Midsize version fits perfectly in the back chamber that would have held the filter sock.
Never run UV in my home tank before. Interested to see if there’s any noticeable improvements.

 

[Bouncingsoul39]

couple pics of my kinda DIY fuge in the second back chamber. there was black vinyl in the entire back, so i cut a strip out so the bare glass can let light into that chamber only.
The two LED strip lights are attached with double sided tape to the wall behind the tank about 2.5” inches away. Lights run on a reverse cycle for 12 hours. I shake detritus out and flip the chaeto around so it gets lit somewhat equally.
Surprisingly, this light is working great and chaeto growth has been good. my clump tripled in size after 3-4 weeks and i’ve harvested 1/2 for export.
I’m also running 2lbs of Ecosystems Miracle Mud in a plastic tray it came with that happened to fit perfectly in my return pump chamber. i’ve always wanted to try it.

 

[Bouncingsoul39]

My chamber fuge is making a mess and becoming a headache. Ordered TLF reactor, small pump, flexible led grow lights and going to rig a DIY algae reactor. Excited to see the results!

 

[Cwentz758]

Lol just keep it going, alot of people view it and dont comment. Even if it doesnt take off its great to see progress of your own tank!

 

[Robertellis30]

Don’t let it get you down. Lurkers like myself love looking at pictures!

 

[Bouncingsoul39]

Couple new babies. I wasn’t going to do Acros this time but I couldn’t resist two of my old school favs super cheaply priced for mini colonies from a local reefer.
ORA Hawkins Blue Echinata

GARFS Purple Bonsai

 

[Bouncingsoul39]

Another pic of Grumpy and clam. Grumpy is still a bit skinny but he’s now eating better so hopefully he’ll bulk up soon.

 

[Cwentz758]

i have a pink spotted goby we call "Sheriff" always watchin out and such. lately he has been swimming at my tangs to get away ;Dead

 

[Bouncingsoul39]

Side shot after a big clean!

 

[Bouncingsoul39]

today I adjusted the new skimmer so it’s not sticking up so high. looks much better this way. Thing skims like a beast. Also picked up a new Yellow Ball Sponge. If anyone has any care tips for it i’m all ears.

 

[Sump Crab]

Really nice tank!

 

[Sump Crab]

I love the button corals!

 

[Bouncingsoul39]

Tank update: My beautiful nem is now taking over the tank and stinging corals over 6” away. I’m trying to rehome it now. Just too big for this small tank.

 

[STEEZY]

What brand is the new skimmer and how does it compare to the innovative marine one?

also how do you like the auto aqua lite ATO?

nice tank! Love a 36” long 30 gallon.

 

[Sump Crab]

What brand is the new skimmer and how does it compare to the innovative marine one?

also how do you like the auto aqua lite ATO?

nice tank! Love a 36” long 30 gallon.

I use a Eshopps nano skimmer and its great.

 

[Bouncingsoul39]

What brand is the new skimmer and how does it compare to the innovative marine one?

also how do you like the auto aqua lite ATO?

nice tank! Love a 36” long 30 gallon.

It’s the Cadlights PLS-50 V. II. Well, to be blunt it blows away all four of the other nano skimmers ive tried recently. Much larger pump (still small but comparatively) much more air, darker and more skimmate. Really thick acrylic and heavy duty construction. All around great skimmer. It’s nothing like other nano skimmers in a great way.
The IM midsize i had before it worked ok but the pump is under sized and just doesn’t pull much air. It only runs wet or very wet. Can’t get dry at all even with the cup adjusted all the way up.
Auto Aqua Lite has been great so far. I love how tiny it is. No issues and it does it’s job. It’s also quieter than Tunze which is a benefit to me because I have noise sensitivity.