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

[Calm Blue Ocean]

Looking good. I forgot to mention that keeping the screws at the bottom loose makes it much easier to adjust the water height in the body. I wasn‘t. paying attention when I installed mine and had to pull it out later to loosen them up.

This thing really is a bit lacking on instructions, isn't it? Like the bizarre drain tube. And now I'm wondering how the collection cup should sit. Does it just rest on the gasket or should it be pushed down a bit more? It's already putting forth a good effort. I'll bet I start seeing some good production pretty quickly. I'm getting a little vibration from the pump but it's not too bad. After having a supplemental air pump connected to the old skimmer and listening to that thing for the last few weeks, this doesn't bother me too much!

 

[TheWB]

This thing really is a bit lacking on instructions, isn't it? Like the bizarre drain tube. And now I'm wondering how the collection cup should sit. Does it just rest on the gasket or should it be pushed down a bit more? It's already putting forth a good effort. I'll bet I start seeing some good production pretty quickly. I'm getting a little vibration from the pump but it's not too bad. After having a supplemental air pump connected to the old skimmer and listening to that thing for the last few weeks, this doesn't bother me too much!

The documentation sucks. That drain tube doesn’t really work in an AIO and I had to cut mine down to a nub and use it to replace the cup drain plug that I didn’t get. You should push the cup down more, it’s supposed to seat all the way down as far as you can get it. The pump does make some noise but I don’t find it to be too bad either. My tolerance for the noise is mitigated by the fact that this skimmer is a monster for its weight class. Constantly pull super ugly gunk out of my tank.

 

[Calm Blue Ocean]

The documentation sucks. That drain tube doesn’t really work in an AIO and I had to cut mine down to a nub and use it to replace the cup drain plug that I didn’t get. You should push the cup down more, it’s supposed to seat all the way down as far as you can get it. The pump does make some noise but I don’t find it to be too bad either. My tolerance for the noise is mitigated by the fact that this skimmer is a monster for its weight class. Constantly pull super ugly gunk out of my tank.

Yup, I chopped the hose down so it was just long enough to support the plug. This skimmer really is a beast compared to the NuvoSkim. The pump is more than 3x the gph! And miracle of miracles, it can pull enough air through the CO2 scrubber without any help. Just a shame the company isn't the easiest to deal with.

 

[KJoFan]

The documentation sucks. That drain tube doesn’t really work in an AIO and I had to cut mine down to a nub and use it to replace the cup drain plug that I didn’t get. You should push the cup down more, it’s supposed to seat all the way down as far as you can get it. The pump does make some noise but I don’t find it to be too bad either. My tolerance for the noise is mitigated by the fact that this skimmer is a monster for its weight class. Constantly pull super ugly gunk out of my tank.

Do you find the cup to be super difficult to remove? Mine takes a ton of effort which is kind of annoying.

 

[TheWB]

Do you find the cup to be super difficult to remove? Mine takes a ton of effort which is kind of annoying.

Not gonna lie, I’ve spilled some wet skimmate in my attempts to get the cup off. I’ve taken to siphoning the water out of the cup before removal now. Lessons learned. How’s your Lagoon 50 doing, I haven’t seen an update in a long time. We want pics, we want pics lol.

 

[doh_nutz]

Not gonna lie, I’ve spilled some wet skimmate in my attempts to get the cup off. I’ve taken to siphoning the water out of the cup before removal now. Lessons learned. How’s your Lagoon 50 doing, I haven’t seen an update in a long time. We want pics, we want pics lol.

hahaha... I use a turkey baster to empty out my skimmer cup off my tunes 9004 DC and only remove the cup completely once a week to clean the film build up.

 

[Calm Blue Ocean]

Not gonna lie, I’ve spilled some wet skimmate in my attempts to get the cup off. I’ve taken to siphoning the water out of the cup before removal now. Lessons learned.

Hmm...maybe a use for that drain line after all! lol

 

[TheWB]

Hmm...maybe a use for that drain line after all! lol

That’s what I thought too but I needed the red plug and a short piece of the tubing to seal off the drain since I didn’t get the drain plug. You’d need a much longer drain hose to reach a secondary receptacle. In my case that would need to be inside the cabinet where it would then be forgotten about until it overflowed. Could add a module and some float switches to my Apex to monitor it but that seems complicated and expensive for the purpose. It’s just easier to use a turkey baster to siphon the water out before I take the cup off.

 

[Calm Blue Ocean]

That’s what I thought too but I needed the red plug and a short piece of the tubing to seal off the drain since I didn’t get the drain plug. You’d need a much longer drain hose to reach a secondary receptacle. In my case that would need to be inside the cabinet where it would then be forgotten about until it overflowed. Could add a module and some float switches to my Apex to monitor it but that seems complicated and expensive for the purpose. It’s just easier to use a turkey baster to siphon the water out before I take the cup off.

I'm liking the sound of the turkey baster solution myself. I think I'm going to see if I can track down a proper plug for the drain since Mode doesn't seem to include it anymore.

 

[KJoFan]

Not gonna lie, I’ve spilled some wet skimmate in my attempts to get the cup off. I’ve taken to siphoning the water out of the cup before removal now. Lessons learned. How’s your Lagoon 50 doing, I haven’t seen an update in a long time. We want pics, we want pics lol.

Well, I got tired of fighting Dino’s and hair algae continuously and ended up tearing down the tank and selling it. Before it came down, I did start up an IM 25 lagoon bare bottom that’s been doing well since…February probably.

I also recently picked up a used SR-80 I plan to set up soon and start over. I think the 25 will continue on even after the SR-80 is up and going though.

 

[TheWB]

I'm liking the sound of the turkey baster solution myself. I think I'm going to see if I can track down a proper plug for the drain since Mode doesn't seem to include it anymore.

And what kind of BS is that. Sell the product incomplete out of the box without the plug? Unbelievable. There are some plugs, I think 6mm if I’m remembering whoever it was that posted about it correctly, that you can get off Amazon. There’s probably a link in my thread someplace but I don‘t remember what page. I’ll try to find it.

 

[TheWB]

Well, I got tired of fighting Dino’s and hair algae continuously and ended up tearing down the tank and selling it. Before it came down, I did start up an IM 25 lagoon bare bottom that’s been doing well since…February probably.

I also recently picked up a used SR-80 I plan to set up soon and start over. I think the 25 will continue on even after the SR-80 is up and going though.

I’m so jealous. If I was going to upgrade the SR80 is about as big as I can go. I’d love to have one. Tag me when you start the thread and show us some pics of the 25.

 

[TheWB]

I'm liking the sound of the turkey baster solution myself. I think I'm going to see if I can track down a proper plug for the drain since Mode doesn't seem to include it anymore.

I couldn’t find the post but I did find the plugs I was referred to in my Amazon viewing history. I couldn’t figure out how to share the url so I took a screen shot. It’s the 6mm plug.

 

[KJoFan]

I’m so jealous. If I was going to upgrade the SR80 is about as big as I can go. I’d love to have one. Tag me when you start the thread and show us some pics of the 25.

I probably couldn’t afford a new SR80 so I was glad to find this one with APS stand and a bunch of miscellaneous equipment for $800.

I’ll go dig up my 50 thread and throw up a few pics of the 25 so I don’t clog this nice build thread.

 

[Calm Blue Ocean]

I probably couldn’t afford a new SR80 so I was glad to find this one with APS stand and a bunch of miscellaneous equipment for $800.

What a find! Can't wait to see what you do with it!

 

[KJoFan]

What a find! Can't wait to see what you do with it!

It was definitely a steal. The tank isn’t new but seems to be well taken care of.

 

[Calm Blue Ocean]

I figured I've made a lot of changes over the last year and a bit so I should make a post of our current status.



Equipment:
IM Fusion Pro 50 Gallon AIO Lagoon w/ stand
Radion xr15 g5 Blues
MightyJet Midsize Return Pump
CADLights PLS-50 Elite II Skimmer
Tunze 3155 Osmolator
IM AquaShield UV Sterilizer
IM ATO Reservoir 5 gallon
IM Helio 200w PTC Smart Heater
Vortech MP40QD
ApexEL + PM2
TLF PhosBan Reactor 150 (CO2 scrubber)
Brightwell Xport-Bio cubes
Seachem Matrix

Inhabitants:
Mocha Clownfish x 2
Yellow Watchman Goby
Pink Streaked Wrasse
Red Lined Wrasse
Midas Blenny
Tiger Pistol Shrimp
Red Legged Hermit Crabs x 5
Blue Legged Hermit Crab
ORA Peppermint Shrimps x 2
Tiger Conch
Astraea Snails
Trochus Snails
Cerith Snails
Nassarius Vibex Snails
Blue Tuxedo Urchin

Corals:
Alien Eye Candy Cane
AquaCorals Weeping Willow Toadstool
Aussie Teal Duncan
Bali Green Slimer Acropora
Biota Branching Green Star Polyps
Candy Cane
Chip Pavona
Duncan
Forest Fire Montipora digitata
Frozen Alveopora
Gold Plume Sea Fan
Green Pocillopora
JF Fairy Sword Sinularia
JF Fruity Pebbles Montipora
JF Lipstick Branching Cyphastrea
JF Mango Cooler Zoas
JF Red Hot Montipora Setosa
JF Special Toadstool
King Midas Zoas
Kryptonite Candy Cane
LiveAquaria® Taro Tree
Neon Green Star Polyps
ORA Neon Birdsnest
Original Leng Sy Purple Rim Monti Cap
PC Rainbow Acropora???
Purple Candelabra Gorgonian (10/22/21)
Purple Hearted Emerald Zoas
RRC Red Roses Monti Cap
Snowflake Toadstool
Tracy Morgan Gorgonian
WWC Fallout Pocillopora
WWC Superman Blasto merleti
WWC Treabeard Blasto wellsi

Additives:
Tropic Marin Classic Salt
Tropic Marin All-For-Reef
Tropic Marin Elimi-NP

Testing:
Hanna - Alk, Phosphate, Nitrate, pH, Salinity
Red Sea - Calcium, Magnesium

Parameters:
Temperature 77F
Salinity 1.025
pH 7.8 - 8.1
Alkalinity 9.0
Nitrate 25
Phosphate 0.3

 

[TheWB]

I figured I've made a lot of changes over the last year and a bit so I should make a post of our current status.



Equipment:
IM Fusion Pro 50 Gallon AIO Lagoon w/ stand
MightyJet Midsize Return Pump
CADLights PLS-50 Elite II Skimmer
Tunze 3155 Osmolator
IM AquaShield UV Sterilizer
IM ATO Reservoir 5 gallon
IM Helio 200w PTC Smart Heater
Vortech MP40QD
ApexEL + PM2
TLF PhosBan Reactor 150 (CO2 scrubber)

Inhabitants:
Mocha Clownfish x 2
Yellow Watchman Goby
Pink Streaked Wrasse
Red Lined Wrasse
Midas Blenny
Tiger Pistol Shrimp
Red Legged Hermit Crabs x 5
Blue Legged Hermit Crab
ORA Peppermint Shrimps x 2
Tiger Conch
Astraea Snails
Trochus Snails
Cerith Snails
Nassarius Vibex Snails
Blue Tuxedo Urchin

Corals:
Alien Eye Candy Cane
AquaCorals Weeping Willow Toadstool
Aussie Teal Duncan
Bali Green Slimer Acropora
Biota Branching Green Star Polyps
Candy Cane
Chip Pavona
Forest Fire Montipora digitata
Frozen Alveopora
Gold Plume Sea Fan
JF Fairy Sword Sinularia
JF Fruity Pebbles Montipora
JF Lipstick Branching Cyphastrea
JF Mango Cooler Zoas
JF Red Hot Montipora Setosa
JF Special Toadstool
King Midas Zoas
LiveAquaria® Taro Tree
Neon Green Star Polyps
ORA Neon Birdsnest
Original Leng Sy Purple Rim Monti Cap
PC Rainbow Acropora???
Purple Hearted Emerald Zoas
RRC Red Roses Monti Cap
Snowflake Toadstool
Tracy Morgan Gorgonian
WWC Fallout Pocillopora
WWC Superman Blasto merleti
WWC Treabeard Blasto wellsi

Additives:
Tropic Marine Classic Salt
Tropic Marin All-For-Reef
Tropic Marin Elimi-NP

Parameters:
Temperature 77F
Salinity 1.025
pH 7.8 - 8.1
Alkalinity 9.0
Nitrate 25
Phosphate 0.3

Nice FTS. The tank is looking really good.

 

[Calm Blue Ocean]

Nice FTS. The tank is looking really good.

Thanks! You know how it is, though. I'll never say it looks good because that's when I get dinos or something lol.

I'd like to add a few more corals (even though I admit I have way more than I realized). I am looking for a Kryptonite Candy Cane to make a nice trio, another nice blasto or two (possibly something purple), and a Purple Candelabra Gorgonian. I've got the big Birds Nest in the nano that I want to get moved over since Big Mama has left the small frag alone, and a Green Pocillopora which has grown so much it has encrusted on the frag rack, even wrapping around to the bottom! I get tempted to take a frag of Xenia over, too, but I've seen what that stuff can do. Still not totally sure how to fill out the top of the big rock. The Green Slimer is looking a bit lonely.

 

[KJoFan]

Looking good! What lighting are you running again? I didn't see it in the equipment list.