Reading build/tank threads were/still are incredibly helpful and inspirational for me. I'm a little late to the game, but I figured better late than never! Currently 5 months in.
My IM Nuvo 10 Build:
Day I got it wet (9-1-20):
10-13-20:
Two clowns were added a week prior, with a few birthday corals. More rock was added. The female clown was eventually taken back to the LFS because she was a ruthless bully - beyond mating behaviors.
Example of the brutal GHA problem I had + feeding duncans.
FTS after returning home from college for break between semesters. (11-24-20)
Post-Black Friday (11-27-20) haul with torch, new zoas, and mushrooms acclimating. 6-line wrasse was added a week prior. You can still see how bad the GHA was.
12-9-20. Rockwork was adjusted, and frags were moved accordingly. I added my tailspot blenny around now. GHA was mostly defeated, in part due to taking rocks out and completely scrubbing, heavier waterchanges, adding phosguard, plus the addition of the TSB.
Acans were LOVING life, eating 2-3 times a week with ReefRoids or NLS pellets.. but I had to trade them for some zoas because the blenny began to pick at them. It started with him trying to steal food, and continued with him attempting 24/7 to pick at them to see if they had food.
1-15-21. Newly traded zoas acclimating on the sand. Plenty of new zoas were bought and new rockwork was added. Decided to try my hand at SPS with a digi.
1-25-21 most recent pic. I have to figure out what I'm doing with the blue agave and hurricane zoas, but otherwise everything is settled how I want it. All I can really do now is wait and let everything grow out now.
I run my tank at 78 F, 1.025 SG, with 1 gallon WC a week. My phosphates are nearly undetectable and nitrates are around 5 ppm, so I try to spot feed ReefRoids twice a week. I get nervous trying to raise nutrients too high because of my last GHA battle... If you look close enough, most of the rocks have low lying fuzz left over. However, with my CUC and light scrubbing, it has yet to be too much of an issue. I figure it's only natural to have some algae. Overall I have loved reefing so far - the transition from planted tanks has been smooth. Definitely had my fair share of noob moments, but it has been a great ride.
My IM Nuvo 10 Build:
- Tank: Innovative Marine Nuvo 10
- Stand: Whatever the old owner had laying around
- Light: AI Prime 16 HD
- Return pump: Cobalt MJ1200 (295 GPH)
- Powerhead: none
- Skimmer: AquaMaxx NF-1 Nano
- ATO: AutoAQUA Smart ATO lite (yet to use)
- Return Nozzle: IM SpinStream
- Heater: Aqueon 50W?
- Media Basket: Innovative Marine Custom Caddy
- Filter floss, AquaClear Biomax, carbon
- Rock: approx. 7 lbs (started with 2lbs live)
- Sand: Caribsea Alive FijiPink sand
- RODI: AquaticLife 4 Stage Twist-In RODI Unit 100 GPD
- Salt: Red Sea Coral Pro Salt
- Fish and Inverts:
- 1 Ocellaris Clownfish
- 1 Six Line Wrasse
- 1 Tailspot Blenny
- 2 Blue leg hermits
- 2 Trochus Snails
- ? Cerith snails and asterina stars
- Corals:
- SPS
- Red Monti Digi
- LPS
- Green tip torch
- Duncan
- Softies
- Toadstool leather
- GSP
- Pulsing Xenia
- Ricordia mushroom
- various Discosoma mushrooms
- Zoas/Palys
- Whammin Watermelons
- Purple People Eaters
- unknown peach/pink
- Ked's Reds
- LA Lakers
- Utter Chaos
- Mohawks
- Radioactive Dragon Eyes
- Sunny Ds
- Laser Lemons
- Pink Zippers
- Sonic Flares
- Gobstoppers
- Purple Monsters
- Blue Agaves
- Rainbow Trolls
- Hurricanes
- Little Shop of Horrors
- SPS
Day I got it wet (9-1-20):
10-13-20:
Two clowns were added a week prior, with a few birthday corals. More rock was added. The female clown was eventually taken back to the LFS because she was a ruthless bully - beyond mating behaviors.
Example of the brutal GHA problem I had + feeding duncans.
FTS after returning home from college for break between semesters. (11-24-20)
Post-Black Friday (11-27-20) haul with torch, new zoas, and mushrooms acclimating. 6-line wrasse was added a week prior. You can still see how bad the GHA was.
12-9-20. Rockwork was adjusted, and frags were moved accordingly. I added my tailspot blenny around now. GHA was mostly defeated, in part due to taking rocks out and completely scrubbing, heavier waterchanges, adding phosguard, plus the addition of the TSB.
Acans were LOVING life, eating 2-3 times a week with ReefRoids or NLS pellets.. but I had to trade them for some zoas because the blenny began to pick at them. It started with him trying to steal food, and continued with him attempting 24/7 to pick at them to see if they had food.
1-15-21. Newly traded zoas acclimating on the sand. Plenty of new zoas were bought and new rockwork was added. Decided to try my hand at SPS with a digi.
1-25-21 most recent pic. I have to figure out what I'm doing with the blue agave and hurricane zoas, but otherwise everything is settled how I want it. All I can really do now is wait and let everything grow out now.
I run my tank at 78 F, 1.025 SG, with 1 gallon WC a week. My phosphates are nearly undetectable and nitrates are around 5 ppm, so I try to spot feed ReefRoids twice a week. I get nervous trying to raise nutrients too high because of my last GHA battle... If you look close enough, most of the rocks have low lying fuzz left over. However, with my CUC and light scrubbing, it has yet to be too much of an issue. I figure it's only natural to have some algae. Overall I have loved reefing so far - the transition from planted tanks has been smooth. Definitely had my fair share of noob moments, but it has been a great ride.