A Calm Blue Ocean - IM Fusion Pro 50 Gallon AIO Lagoon

[Calm Blue Ocean]

Two new guys fresh in the tank from the @Tidal Gardens sale!

 

[Calm Blue Ocean]

Two out of three toadstools have been closed for about a week.

It makes me feel like this:



Sometimes I wonder if I really have the right personality for this hobby ;Hilarious

 

[TheWB]

Two out of three toadstools have been closed for about a week.

It makes me feel like this:



Sometimes I wonder if I really have the right personality for this hobby ;Hilarious

That stinks. Any changes in parameters or anything? Some of my Zoas have recessed lately for no good reason I can see. Maybe a side effect of the Flux RX. Have you treated anything in the tank recently?

 

[Calm Blue Ocean]

That stinks. Any changes in parameters or anything? Some of my Zoas have recessed lately for no good reason I can see. Maybe a side effect of the Flux RX. Have you treated anything in the tank recently?

So...glad you asked this!

I just tested nitrate and phosphate (had to try out the new Hanna Nitrate checker). And as it turns out, you may be on to something! In about the right time frame I added a small bag of high capacity GFO to the media caddy. And it looks like it's working (previous attempts with the IM GFO had zero effect)! PO4 is still quite elevated at 0.5 but that's a huge improvement over 1.2 (I still can't believe I actually did a PO4 test without having to dilute the sample). And Nitrate down from the mid 40s to 17.3, likely thanks to the series of big water changes that I did last month. So, yeah, pretty big parameter swing.

I might just pull that bag of GFO and see where things settle and if I can continue moving in the right direction with just water changes (and of course see if the two pouting corals perk up - hopefully they are just shedding and will come back bigger and better).

When I used Fluconazole on my old tank I didn't have any corals yet so no experience there. My zoas are usually all closed up because my hermits have no respect whatsoever. Climb down through the middle of the zoas...change their minds and climb right back up through the middle of the zoas! Bunch of bumbling turds! I did have one of my two polyps of Superstar zoas melt but in my case it probably was due to wacky parameters.

 

[TheWB]

So...glad you asked this!

I just tested nitrate and phosphate (had to try out the new Hanna Nitrate checker). And as it turns out, you may be on to something! In about the right time frame I added a small bag of high capacity GFO to the media caddy. And it looks like it's working (previous attempts with the IM GFO had zero effect)! PO4 is still quite elevated at 0.5 but that's a huge improvement over 1.2 (I still can't believe I actually did a PO4 test without having to dilute the sample). And Nitrate down from the mid 40s to 17.3, likely thanks to the series of big water changes that I did last month. So, yeah, pretty big parameter swing.

I might just pull that bag of GFO and see where things settle and if I can continue moving in the right direction with just water changes (and of course see if the two pouting corals perk up - hopefully they are just shedding and will come back bigger and better).

When I used Fluconazole on my old tank I didn't have any corals yet so no experience there. My zoas are usually all closed up because my hermits have no respect whatsoever. Climb down through the middle of the zoas...change their minds and climb right back up through the middle of the zoas! Bunch of bumbling turds! I did have one of my two polyps of Superstar zoas melt but in my case it probably was due to wacky parameters.

Yep, I bet those two were enjoying the dirtier water and when you rapidly cleaned it up with the water changes maybe they got mad. I’ve never kept leathers and have never seen them shed so not sure what triggers that or why. I tried to use gfo in the IM media reactor and it didn’t do anything for me either. Pulled that out a long time ago and now I just use chemipure elite.

 

[Calm Blue Ocean]

Yep, I bet those two were enjoying the dirtier water and when you rapidly cleaned it up with the water changes maybe they got mad. I’ve never kept leathers and have never seen them shed so not sure what triggers that or why. I tried to use gfo in the IIM media reactor and it didn’t do anything for me either. Pulled that out a long time ago and now I just use chemipure elite.

I was thinking of trying out Chemipure Elite. I've discovered that as much as I disliked changing out the carbon in the media reactor, I hate changing out carbon and GFO in media bags even more! One and done sounds so much better!

I actually have a fourth toadstool that lives in my nano and was one of my first ever corals. It is a moody thing so you'd think I'd be used to temperamental leathers. Right now it's getting over being beaten up by an overgrown Kenya tree. I've seen it get covered in algae and shed in little flakes, I've seen it shed in almost a single sheet of film, and I've seen it close for weeks on end. It's grown in a bowl shape. It's looked like a floppy hat. When I got it it was the most pest infested thing, living upside down in the bottom of the LFS frag tank. It had aiptasia, bubble algae, some sort of small crab, a peanut worm, a nudi, and probably something else I'm forgetting. I'm pretty sure it's indestructible. Hopefully my new toadstools are just as tough!

 

[TheWB]

I was thinking of trying out Chemipure Elite. I've discovered that as much as I disliked changing out the carbon in the media reactor, I hate changing out carbon and GFO in media bags even more! One and done sounds so much better!

I actually have a fourth toadstool that lives in my nano and was one of my first ever corals. It is a moody thing so you'd think I'd be used to temperamental leathers. Right now it's getting over being beaten up by an overgrown Kenya tree. I've seen it get covered in algae and shed in little flakes, I've seen it shed in almost a single sheet of film, and I've seen it close for weeks on end. It's grown in a bowl shape. It's looked like a floppy hat. When I got it it was the most pest infested thing, living upside down in the bottom of the LFS frag tank. It had aiptasia, bubble algae, some sort of small crab, a peanut worm, a nudi, and probably something else I'm forgetting. I'm pretty sure it's indestructible. Hopefully my new toadstools are just as tough!

I‘ve thought about getting a weeping willow. That’s really the only one I like but they can get so big I’m worried about how much real estate one could eventually take up.

 

[Calm Blue Ocean]

I‘ve thought about getting a weeping willow. That’s really the only one I like but they can get so big I’m worried about how much real estate one could eventually take up.

Fortunately I believe the weeping willows tend to have slower growth than some of the others. One of the three in the 50g was sold as a weeping willow (definitely long polyps anyway). Oddly enough it's the one happy one! I've set a whole corner aside for the toadstools so I'm hoping at least one of them grows big!

 

[Calm Blue Ocean]

Toadstool drama continues!

Toadstool #1 is decided to open again and actually looks great. I was honestly never really worried about this one since it never actually looked unusual, it was just closed.

Now toadstool #2 has decided to close. So far nothing strange looking about it but there is always room for paranoia!

Then there is toadstool #3. I'd prefer to not talk about toadstool #3. I put in a new bag of carbon in case this guy decides to give a final farewell.

In other news, PO4 dropped slightly after just a 10% water change this week so I might finally have a handle on nutrients again. Still not totally sure what caused things to suddenly take off but whatever it was hopefully we're past it.

Three of my CUC members turned two years old this past week. My two OG trochus snails, Big Charlie and Typhoid Mary, along with my last blue leg hermit, Ghost in the Shell. Glad to have them still doing the great work that they do!

Big Charlie growing really big:

Typhoid Mary rocking that hairdo that earned the name!

Ghost in the Shell only willing to show her shell today:

And the last note, I finally decided to try calibrating my salinity probe. Insanity probe? I'm going to let it settle in the tank for a week and try again. I shouldn't be shocked that my experience was very much like that of many other people. Oh well!

 

[Calm Blue Ocean]

As seems inevitable with the IM NuvoSkim skimmers, my pump failed this morning. Thankfully I still had the one with the cracked faceplate so I'm up and running again (just took the non-broken face plate from the totally broken pump). Hopefully IM comes through with a new pump since this one was only from March. I think it's time to either find a new skimmer or find a different pump to jam into the NuvoSkim. I'd sure love to find a way to modify the Tunze pump to fit, that one is a beast!

 

[Calm Blue Ocean]

Very disappointed in the response from IM. It seems that even though the pump that failed was sent to me in March, since the skimmer itself is now out of warranty (May), they will not replace the pump. Not only that, but they don't anticipate having replacement pumps in stock until sometime in the fall. I'm actually surprised since their support has been pretty amazing up until now.

 

[Clo]

Very disappointed in the response from IM. It seems that even though the pump that failed was sent to me in March, since the skimmer itself is now out of warranty (May), they will not replace the pump. Not only that, but they don't anticipate having replacement pumps in stock until sometime in the fall. I'm actually surprised since their support has been pretty amazing up until now.

If you purchased the nuvoskim with a credit card, see if yours provides an extended warranty coverage for electronics. Might be able to get reimbursed for the replacement part or refunded completely for the original purchase cost.

 

[Calm Blue Ocean]

If you purchased the nuvoskim with a credit card, see if yours provides an extended warranty coverage for electronics. Might be able to get reimbursed for the replacement part or refunded completely for the original purchase cost.

Thanks for the tip, I'll definitely check through my receipts. It really is an extra kick that it's a $50 pump that isn't even any good! I think regardless of the outcome I'll be putting some effort into finding a different skimmer long before those pumps are back in stock.

 

[Clo]

Thanks for the tip, I'll definitely check through my receipts. It really is an extra kick that it's a $50 pump that isn't even any good! I think regardless of the outcome I'll be putting some effort into finding a different skimmer long before those pumps are back in stock.

It just sucks that IM wouldn't do you right though. :/
You would think word of mouth matters more than a 50 dollar part

 

[Calm Blue Ocean]

It just sucks that IM wouldn't do you right though. :/
You would think word of mouth matters more than a 50 dollar part

Totally agree. And I would be at least a touch more understanding if the pump had been 14 months old but this was a 4 month old part. Just feels bad. I just feel fortunate that I was equipped to get something up and running for the time being so I'm not in an emergency situation.

 

[TheWB]

Totally agree. And I would be at least a touch more understanding if the pump had been 14 months old but this was a 4 month old part. Just feels bad. I just feel fortunate that I was equipped to get something up and running for the time being so I'm not in an emergency situation.

Now that the PLS50 is available again from Mode Aquariums I’d say just get one of those. It’s been a beast for me. They did raise the price a little bit but I think it’s still worth it.

 

[revhtree]

You had me at "lagoon!" Looks nice!

 

[Calm Blue Ocean]

You had me at "lagoon!" Looks nice!

Thanks for stopping by! This is definitely the "slow and steady" project. After having a deep and narrow tank I'm in love the lagoon shape myself.

This calls for some updated pictures!


Midas Blenny has found a new perch above the JF Red Hot Setosa.

King Midas zoas running the three Purple Hearted Emeralds out of town

WWC Treebeard Blasto looking really happy in his new location.

Rare fts showing all six fish!

Gracie making the rounds. Really, if anyone has ever asked "is a Pink Streak a good fish", the answer is emphatically yes!

Mystery acro I've been nursing along from two mostly dead nubs. Inconceivable! I might just name it myself and call it Princess Bride Acropora. And check that coralline! It's happening!

Duncan continues to defy the odds after serious tissue loss around the base.

Frozen Alveopora. When I first put it in the tank I thought it was going to melt away but since has put on many new heads.

And as a finale, a side view showing most of the corals.

 

[Calm Blue Ocean]

Now that the PLS50 is available again from Mode Aquariums I’d say just get one of those. It’s been a beast for me. They did raise the price a little bit but I think it’s still worth it.

This is definitely a front runner now that it looks like they are back in business. How big is the pump on that sucker? It looks way bigger than the IM pump. The only other real alternative for a beefy skimmer is to go HOB which always feels a bit bad with an AIO.

 

[TheWB]

The pump isn’t too large physically, it fits in chamber two just fine. I have no idea what the specs are or who makes it, it doesn’t say and there was never any info on the website that I can remember seeing. It is way bigger than the IM pump, that thing is tiny. The other skimmer that looks interesting and should fit is the one FijiCube sells. You might look into that one just to have an alternative. If the pump on mine ever goes out and I can’t get another one then I’d probably give the FijiCube skimmer a chance. HOB is always a bad look for an AIO unless you just don’t care. It would not fly at my house, my wife would see it and take it off of the tank herself