New NUVO Fusion 15 build

[Vinaka_vakalevu]

I sold all of my reef stuff 10 or so years ago when I moved from Southern California up to the Bay Area and started a family. Fast forward to a couple weeks ago and my 10 year old daughter starts talking to me about how she’d like a salt water fish tank. So I quickly gave in and now we have a new IM 15gal cube sitting in the living room. Currently the tank is cycling (water went in Saturday the 23rd) with some caribsea live sand and some dry rock. Going to add another 2-3lbs of rock but other than that I’ll just let it cycle and occasionally ghost feed for the next couple of weeks.

Ordered equipment
light: noopsyche k7 mini
Sicce syncra .5 185gph pump

Questions
Should I keep the filter sack or upgrade to media?
What are people running for filtration in the second chamber in their cube, should I just leave it empty other than heater?
What wave maker still vortech or Jebao?

Cheers
Gunnar

 

[Snowxcross]

I sold all of my reef stuff 10 or so years ago when I moved from Southern California up to the Bay Area and started a family. Fast forward to a couple weeks ago and my 10 year old daughter starts talking to me about how she’d like a salt water fish tank. So I quickly gave in and now we have a new IM 15gal cube sitting in the living room. Currently the tank is cycling (water went in Saturday the 23rd) with some caribsea live sand and some dry rock. Going to add another 2-3lbs of rock but other than that I’ll just let it cycle and occasionally ghost feed for the next couple of weeks.

Ordered equipment
light: noopsyche k7 mini
Sicce syncra .5 185gph pump

Questions
Should I keep the filter sack or upgrade to media?
What are people running for filtration in the second chamber in their cube, should I just leave it empty other than heater?
What wave maker still vortech or Jebao?

Cheers
Gunnar

Hey Gunnarmmc! Ya i think you'd like the IM media baskets. I would do some sechem matrix in a bag, and use polyfilter floss (easy maintenance). Some people peel some of the back black cover off and add chaeto into a basket later on with a magnetic grow light. One thing you can do is check out mad hatters reef on youtube. He just did a series on setting up a IM 15g tank. In my AIO from years back, the most important thing is having a good bioload in the chambers. But also part of the fun is doing this on your own and trying things out too!!

 

[RoanokeReef]

I have the same tank, I really like the Nero 3 I use in mine. Also instead of the IM racks Id go with intank, they're much better built. I run floss and ChemiPure Blue in mine.

 

[Vinaka_vakalevu]

Hey Gunnarmmc! Ya i think you'd like the IM media baskets. I would do some sechem matrix in a bag, and use polyfilter floss (easy maintenance). Some people peel some of the back black cover off and add chaeto into a basket later on with a magnetic grow light. One thing you can do is check out mad hatters reef on youtube. He just did a series on setting up a IM 15g tank. In my AIO from years back, the most important thing is having a good bioload in the chambers. But also part of the fun is doing this on your own and trying things out too!!

thanks, will dive into Mad Hatters stuff when I get home today. thanks

 

[Vinaka_vakalevu]

I have the same tank, I really like the Nero 3 I use in mine. Also instead of the IM racks Id go with intank, they're much better built. I run floss and ChemiPure Blue in mine.

ya I had forgotten about the Neros for in tank flow, thanks.

 

[Vinaka_vakalevu]

Was able to pick up a light and controller today thanks to @newjack and get it put on the tank. Now I’m just waiting for my ATO and lid to arrive. Then I’ll give the tank a couple more weeks to come to a good balance and we will start adding some corals.

I wanted to try to grow some macro algae in this tank since there isn’t room for a Refugium and was wondering the best way going about that.

Thanks
Gunnar

 

[Jason Scalise]

Was able to pick up a light and controller today thanks to @newjack and get it put on the tank. Now I’m just waiting for my ATO and lid to arrive. Then I’ll give the tank a couple more weeks to come to a good balance and we will start adding some corals.

I wanted to try to grow some macro algae in this tank since there isn’t room for a Refugium and was wondering the best way going about that.

Thanks
Gunnar

Looks great.
I have the 20g version.
I did the in-tank baskets and like them better than the stock sock.
I also made a refugium for chaeto in the back chamber.
I also have a Nero 3. Works great.

I have a build thread here which you can see what I did, what mods I did, etc.
Perhaps it will give you some ideas.

 

[Justfebreezeit]

I had Dragons Breath Macro algae in my old nuvo, was a low flow tank so it just grew nicely tucked in the corner

 

[Vinaka_vakalevu]

Looks great.
I have the 20g version.
I did the in-tank baskets and like them better than the stock sock.
I also made a refugium for chaeto in the back chamber.
I also have a Nero 3. Works great.

I have a build thread here which you can see what I did, what mods I did, etc.
Perhaps it will give you some ideas.

Thanks i will definitely have a look.

I was going to go with the 20 but the $120 price point of the 15 was just too good to pass it up. I’m already lookin at a IM 50 lagoon.

 

[ralquist]

Following along, can’t wait to see what you turn it into!

 

[Vinaka_vakalevu]

A couple additions

 

[Vinaka_vakalevu]

 

[Vinaka_vakalevu]

 

[Vinaka_vakalevu]

Photo update couple more corals added