IM 25 Lagoon Boonedocks Build

[W Haymaker]

So many great builds on this site and so many Lagoon builds on here I look up to. I have subscribed to several of them and it's made me reluctant to post a build thread because of it. The saving grace is how everyone pitches in to help others succeed here so I know it's about the community and not a competition.

Boonedocks....I'm sure others here have greater distances (which I'd like to hear about!) but I'm 90+ miles from any reef related store hence the name of this build.

Here's the plan. You need to go bigger right? So I am going from a 24g Fluval M60 (1.5 yrs old) to a 25g IM Lagoon. I'm pacing myself. The Fluval is in the living room and most of the contents will be transferred to the Lagoon 25 which will be located in my bedroom. I have a 50g Lagoon for the living room but I'd say I'm several months before that happens. Even though it's only 1g gain between the two, the overall display footprint increases from about 276 sq inches to 368 with the Lagoon.

Ultimately the focus of the 25 Lagoon will be anemone dominated. I had 3 sunburst (I think?) purchased on R2R in either Oct or Dec 2018 and based on splits I'm up to 12. I'm hopeful I'll see more growth in their overall size vs number of splits down the road.

Overall inhabitants are the following.
12 anemones
3 clownfish (size and hierarchy established and they are buds....currently)
Cleaner shrimp
Fire shrimp (rear sump - exiled by the clowns. Will introduce in the new display tank first)
Derasa clam
20+ cerith snails (unplanned but successful tank breeding)
5 trochus snails (4 adults and 1 known baby- also unplanned)
1 Pincushion urchin
Blasto
Trumpet Coral
Birdsnest
Hulk zoas
Armour of God zoas
Favia (War maybe)
Hollywood stunner
Mushrooms
Nuclear paly
Some other encrusting coral. Name escapes me.

The corals are doing good but will eventually be a part of the 50g Lagoon down the road.

Would like to incorporate different colored anemones to break it up as well as some rock flower anemones in the near future.

A stand build is close to complete. I'll post some pics and further details on my next step. Looking forward to questions and advice as I go. This build is moving along quick for me!

 

[W Haymaker]

Here's some progression of the stand build so far. Looking to build it with flush mounted doors with an upper drawer. Doing my best to keep it furniture grade but not to take away from the tank itself.

 

[Taxus812]

Looking good !
I like how it will have some clearance between the stand and the floor. My tank is in my bedroom (with wood floors) and I hate the fact I can’t clean under it if I spill.

 

[najer]

Nice work on the stand, enjoy.

 

[W Haymaker]

Looking good !
I like how it will have some clearance between the stand and the floor. My tank is in my bedroom (with wood floors) and I hate the fact I can’t clean under it if I spill.

Thanks! I knew with tank size/weight I could do the legs this way....or hope so. I do like the clearance for clean up.

 

[W Haymaker]

Nice work on the stand, enjoy.

Thanks! It's been a good challenge.

 

[W Haymaker]

The plan is to get the new tank wet this weekend. I'm heading out to the garage shortly to install the drawer slides. Tonight I plan on building the drawer itself. Chances are I will not get the doors built for at least another week.

Here's some pictures of my existing setup. I need to figure out how this rock will be transferred into the new tank. The tall one that looks a little bit like a pillar will be a challenge. I will have to break that one apart as the new tank is only 12 in tall. Some of the anemones attached very close to where I was hoping to break the rock apart. At least have a couple days yet to brainstorm.

 

[W Haymaker]

I'm also going away from sand and utilizing travertine tile. I've had those soaking in the sump of my existing tank for a few months.

 

[W Haymaker]

The stand cis ompleted now minus the drawer and doors. I also completed a IM diy cover. It's only the second one I built but for some reason I can't seem to get the mesh to align in the frame worth a darn. It will hold fish fine but I'll likely redo it in the future.

Water has been mixing throughout the day and we'll leave it through tomorrow. I'm planning on filling the tank tomorrow night and then start transferring everything Saturday morning.

 

[OutsideBrian]

Looks like a good start, that diy stand looks impressive

 

[W Haymaker]

First time using an Eheim heater. Working on calibrating it to where I need it. Shooting for 79 degrees. Problem is I didn't calibrate my calibrator. Hopefully it gets me close. [emoji3]

 

[ReeferReefer]

Looking good so far. I am interested to see how the tile looks!

 

[W Haymaker]

Happy Friday! Before the water goes in we had to test it out with this fluid first.

 

[W Haymaker]

It's wet!

 

[W Haymaker]

Bottom looks very sterile. I'm still thinking long term but initially it's just not the same as sand.

 

[TheWB]

Bottom looks very sterile. I'm still thinking long term but initially it's just not the same as sand.

I initially tried to do a substrate out of flat cut Stax rock. It didn’t look right and I switched to sand. The tiles might look sterile now but after some more Rock is added, some coralline growth and some corals covering up some of the tiles I bet it ends up looking really good.

 

[W Haymaker]

I initially tried to do a substrate out of flat cut Stax rock. It didn’t look right and I switched to sand. The tiles might look sterile now but after some more Rock is added, some coralline growth and some corals covering up some of the tiles I bet it ends up looking really good.

Thanks! It will take some time but I think it will work out long term Appreciate your build as well. I've been subscribed to it since January. Nice work!

 

[W Haymaker]

A little bit of blue light in the morning makes it look just a bit better. It's nice to see the fire shrimp in the main display. Hopefully clowns don't try and kill him again. Tankless right at 79 so it's pretty happy with that as well. Soaking the Tunze 3155 Ato sensor in vinegar and water overnight. Making sure those are good and clean. Should have done it months ago. After a couple cups of coffee this morning I think I'll get started! Hope everyone has a great start to the weekend.

 

[najer]

A little bit of blue light in the morning makes it look just a bit better. It's nice to see the fire shrimp in the main display. Hopefully clowns don't try and kill him again. Tankless right at 79 so it's pretty happy with that as well. Soaking the Tunze 3155 Ato sensor in vinegar and water overnight. Making sure those are good and clean. Should have done it months ago. After a couple cups of coffee this morning I think I'll get started! Hope everyone has a great start to the weekend.

Have fun, take loads of pics!

 

[W Haymaker]

I'm down to the last stack of rock. Kind of looks like what I imagine a medieval surgery table would have looked like. Have to see how this breaks apart for me. Is a move like this nerve racking to everybody else? Granted this is only my second tank but I'm nervous every time I move something.