IM 15G Nano Build

[13rodo]

Hey everyone,

I've been lurking on the forum for a while and y'all have taught me a ton. I figured it was finally time to join. This adventure started because one of my kids' cartoons mentioned a pistol shrimp. I didn't actually believe that was a real thing. Upon Googling, one of the first links was R2R talking about keeping them. I started reading a bunch about the hobby and decided to take the plunge about 6 months ago.

The tank is a 15g mixed reef that is mostly LPS. I just recently moved some of the SPS frags off the racks and mounted them. There are also a few zoas and a favia (recently mounted). All in all the tank has gone really well I think. I constantly battle GHA, but other than that it's been pretty fun.

The Tank

• Innovative Marine 15g
  • IM Custom Caddy in the overflow with filter floss & Chemi-Pure Elite
• Homebuilt RocketEngineer stand
• NICREW NavaReef 65W with Hyperreef Gen2 controller (kind of a budget light but it works pretty well imo)
• Innovative Marine Helio 50W Heater
• Innovative Marine MightyJet Return (326 gph)
• hygger Wavemaker (790 gph)
• AutoAqua Smart Water Changer Lite (also functions as an ATO... gets bad reviews but I love it)
• hygger 5W UV Light
• Bubble Magus MiniQ Skimmer
• Air pump with carbon scrubbing media (probably overkill, but the tank is in my office and doesn't get the best air turnover)

Livestock

Probably a bit overstocked here, but everything seems pretty happy​

• LPS
  • Dragon Soul Torch
  • Orange Cotton Candy Torch
  • Hologram Hammer
  • Toxic Splatter Hammer
  • Orange Hammer
  • Purple Tipped Frogspawn
  • Octospawn
  • Sector 001 Favia
• SPS
  • Tri Color Valida
  • Miyagi Tort
  • Oregon Blue Tort
  • JF Enchanted Forest Birdsnest
  • Purple Stylo
• Zoas
  • Scarlet Fever
  • Chuckie's Bride
• Yasha Goby
• Chalk Basslet
• Ocellaris Clownfish
• Randall's Pistol Shrimp (bought separately from the Yasha but they paired and made their burrow right in the front of the tank!)
• Blue Tuxedo Urchin
• Pitho Crab
• Emerald Crab
• Peppermint Shrimp

Future Plans

Looking to upgrade to an IM 75 EXT at some point (hopefully this year). If anyone has any thoughts about this tank or good sumps to pair with it let me know!​

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Congrats on your nano being 6 months! Looks like your tank is doing well!

 

[Calmwaters]

Looks great!

 

[Avgwarhawk]

Looks super!

 

[JumboShrimp]

Super-job!!!

 

[Justfebreezeit]

Tank looks awesome.

 

[MC Blowfish]

It looks good.

 

[13rodo]

Thank everyone! If anyone has some tips on GHA I'd really appreciate them. Since I started I've dramatically reduced feeding and my phosphates sit around 0.03ish now. This has helped the growth a ton, but still have to give the rocks some love about once a week. I don't think I can feed any less at this point. I do a pinch of Hikari pellets twice a day and the fish eat all of it.

 

[Justfebreezeit]

Maybe replace one of the feedings with frozen mysis and add a some blue legged hermits.

Blue legged hermits do some good damage to gha in nanos. They aren't miracle workers by any means however

Then it's just patience and manual removal during water changes

 

[13rodo]

Maybe replace one of the feedings with frozen mysis and add a some blue legged hermits.

Blue legged hermits do some good damage to gha in nanos. They aren't miracle workers by any means however

Then it's just patience and manual removal during water changes

For the frozen mysis how much (assuming a dice sized cube) do you usually do for a couple small fish? I started with frozen food but I feel like I was overdoing it a lot (half a cube usually per feeding).

 

[Justfebreezeit]

For the frozen mysis how much (assuming a dice sized cube) do you usually do for a couple small fish? I started with frozen food but I feel like I was overdoing it a lot (half a cube usually per feeding).

I cut the cube in half and defrost in it a small cup (The pee sample cups most coral come in these days work great) and feed about a third of it. Then i put the rest of the defrosted food in the fridge covered and use it for the next 2 feedings. If the food is defrosted more than 24hrs I toss it.

Its been along time since i've delved into this so I could be wrong or outdated. But dry food is much more nutrient dense. So overfeeding that is much easier.

 

[13rodo]

I cut the cube in half and defrost in it a small cup (The pee sample cups most coral come in these days work great) and feed about a third of it. Then i put the rest of the defrosted food in the fridge covered and use it for the next 2 feedings. If the food is defrosted more than 24hrs I toss it.

Its been along time since i've delved into this so I could be wrong or outdated. But dry food is much more nutrient dense. So overfeeding that is much easier.

Thanks I'll give frozen another try. I started on frozen specifically because of the ease of overfeeding and spiking nutrients (read all about it here). But I knew I was overfeeding and the pellets seemed easier to portion

 

[Justfebreezeit]

Thanks I'll give frozen another try. I started on frozen specifically because of the ease of overfeeding and spiking nutrients (read all about it here). But I knew I was overfeeding and the pellets seemed easier to portion

Both definitely have their place.

I've gone back and forth myself many times over.

 

[13rodo]

Tank is going pretty well! Here are some pictures:

 

[13rodo]

Also planning on building a 75 gallon tank soon. Already collecting some future residents :)

 

[Justfebreezeit]

How's that chalk bass treating you. I've been looking at one

 

[13rodo]

How's that chalk bass treating you. I've been looking at one

I love it! Really cool colors and always in the open.

Edit: It also plays nice with its tank mates.

 

[JumboShrimp]

Love, love, love the Chalk Bass. One of my favorite small fish. Under appreciated, until people see them in person when the lights hit them!

 

[13rodo]

Love, love, love the Chalk Bass. One of my favorite small fish. Under appreciated, until people see them in person when the lights hit them!

Completely agree! Pictures don't really do it justice. Everyone who sees the tank in person always asks about it.

 

[13rodo]

Both definitely have their place.

I've gone back and forth myself many times over.

By the way... I ended up settling on a mix of live baby brine shrimp in the morning (I setup a new batch of eggs each night) and some pellets in the evening. I also feed the brine shrimp at night before I setup for the next day for corals in the DT and frag tank. Seems to work well.