IM Fusion Pro 2 40L AIO Build

[Ghostweim]

I am upgrading my tank again – will the third one be the charm? I currently have a Red Sea Nano Max 20g and really like it. Except, I want more corals… And my clowns are now laying eggs every other week… And the female doesn’t want anything around them... My poor fire shrimp has no antenna now after one of her rampages and my emerald green crab is hiding in the Kenya Tree. So I need more space!

After doing A LOT of research, I decided on an Innovative Marine Fusion Pro 2 40L. I am super excited to get more “floor space” for my corals. The plan is to do a tank transfer once the IM is up and running - and then tearing down the Red Sea. One tank is plenty for me! Some lucky soul will get a great deal on the Red Sea in about a month or so.

Equipment:
Tank: Innovative Marine Fusion Pro 2 AIO 40L
Stand: Innovative Marine APS Black
Return: Stock MightyJet 22W/24V 538 GPH DC Return Pump with Controller
Lights: 2x AI Prime HD 16’s (new)
Cycle: RapidCycle Aquarium Cycle Kit (Fritz Turbo Start 900 + Algae Barn Nitrocycle)
Testing: All Salifert kits
Skimmer: Reefglass (have on Red Sea and not sure if I will use on this tank)
Power Heads: AI Nero 3 and Hygger Mini (used on prior tanks)
Heater: Fluval M200 (new)
Filtration: InTank Custom Caddy and InTank Floss Caddy (new)
ATO: Duetto ATO (from Red Sea)
UV: Innovative Marine AuqaShield (from Red Sea)
Rocks: CaribSea Life Rock (from Red Sea)
Sand: 20lb CaribSea Arag-Alibe Special Grade (new)

Livestock (from current tank):
Black Ice Clownfish
Black Darwin Clownfish
Fire Shrimp
Nassarius Snail
Emerald Crab
2x Hermit Crab
2x Astrea Snail
Tuxedo Urchin

Corals (from current tank):
Kenya tree
Pulsing Xenia
2x Laptastrea
2x Acan Echinata
Alveopora
Teal Candy Cane
Toadstool Leather
Aussie Duncan
Green Frogspawn

 

[Ghostweim]

Tank arrived safe and sound and everything was packaged great. The driver placed it in our garage and wanted to leave right away - did not seem too keen on sticking around while the box was opened and inspected (but he did anyway).

Set up was pretty slick. The stand is very sturdy - but I wish the shiny panels did not have play in them since they rattle a bit when you bump them. I was also a worried that I would scratch the aluminum when putting the stand together, so took extra care.

 

[Ghostweim]

Tank is filled - no leaks (I wasn't expecting any). I read mixed reviews on the Mightjet pump and was amazed at the amount of water it puts out. And super quiet!! Right now I don't have any plans of swapping it out. Makes me wonder if I will need my Nero 3 in the tank at all.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Tank arrived safe and sound and everything was packaged great. The driver placed it in our garage and wanted to leave right away - did not seem too keen on sticking around while the box was opened and inspected (but he did anyway).

Set up was pretty slick. The stand is very sturdy - but I wish the shiny panels did not have play in them since they rattle a bit when you bump them. I was also a worried that I would scratch the aluminum when putting the stand together, so took extra care.

Great looking tank!! Can't wait to see what it looks like once it is filled!!!

 

[JoJosReef]

Hey, welcome to the IM 40L AIO club! There's a lot of us here, now, all working on our tanks. @Blopple @trophyhimbo

Yes, a nano fills up too fast, totally feel you:

Can't wait to follow your progress. I always wondered about the Reef Glass skimmers. What did you think? How about for the 40L?

 

[Blopple]

Woah, nice! Welcome to the 40L club.

You've gotta be pumped to have some more space especially for fish. What do you have planned?

How do you like the filter floss cup from inTank compared to the 'stock' caddy it comes with? I've looked at the floss holder (and want it), but just running floss on the top shelf of the stock caddy, and not sure what the benefit to the inTank one is.

 

[Ghostweim]

Ok - I have been TERRIBLE about updating my tank thread. I think this will be my New Year's resolution - to keep it updated.

I decided to add some Tampa Bay Saltwater rock to my tank for some added diversity. ( Thank you @LiverockRocks for a nice box of rocks and the cutest little urchin ever!) It arrived today and I have it in a small aquarium while I give it a good look over for hitchhikers. So far I found a hairy little fella in the bottom of the bag - am thinking he is a gorilla crab. My intent was to really look the rocks over and keep them in the small aquarium for a day or two, but am thinking I might transfer them later this afternoon.

 

[Ghostweim]

Hey, welcome to the IM 40L AIO club! There's a lot of us here, now, all working on our tanks. @Blopple @trophyhimbo

Yes, a nano fills up too fast, totally feel you:

Can't wait to follow your progress. I always wondered about the Reef Glass skimmers. What did you think? How about for the 40L?

I have to be honest in saying that I never felt a skimmer worked for any of my tanks. I ran it in my Red Sea Nano Max and have yet to even think about it in the IM 40L (although I think it would be grossly underpowered in the 40). I liked the Reef Glass for its compact size and it did skim just fine - it is just that I run kind of high nutrients for my corals so I had it off most of the time.

 

[Ghostweim]

Woah, nice! Welcome to the 40L club.

You've gotta be pumped to have some more space especially for fish. What do you have planned?

How do you like the filter floss cup from inTank compared to the 'stock' caddy it comes with? I've looked at the floss holder (and want it), but just running floss on the top shelf of the stock caddy, and not sure what the benefit to the inTank one is.

Thanks! I added a diamond watchman goby, pajama cardinal, and a chalk bass. They are both really fun to watch. I would really like to get a flame hawk and had one ordered but he didn't make it. Am waiting and watching Fishotel for another.

Given the reviews on the stock caddy, I didn't even try it and ordered an inTank right away. Had an Intank for my Fluval Evo and really liked it. Really like the one for the IM too and glad I picked it up. I have inTank filter floss on the top section and media in the second section - that is it.

 

[JoJosReef]

Ok - I have been TERRIBLE about updating my tank thread. I think this will be my New Year's resolution - to keep it updated.

I decided to add some Tampa Bay Saltwater rock to my tank for some added diversity. ( Thank you @LiverockRocks for a nice box of rocks and the cutest little urchin ever!) It arrived today and I have it in a small aquarium while I give it a good look over for hitchhikers. So far I found a hairy little fella in the bottom of the bag - am thinking he is a gorilla crab. My intent was to really look the rocks over and keep them in the small aquarium for a day or two, but am thinking I might transfer them later this afternoon.

Pretty sure that's a decorator crab. They may or may not be reef safe. I bought a decorator from ReefCleaners and it LOVED tasting my corals. I could literally have the crab in tongs and it would be trying to bite off a chunk of my acans. I understand not all decorators behave this way...

 

[Ghostweim]

Wanted to document where the tank is currently - before adding the new rock. Ignore the floating bag - that is my tiny little urchin.

 

[Ghostweim]

Pretty sure that's a decorator crab. They may or may not be reef safe. I bought a decorator from ReefCleaners and it LOVED tasting my corals. I could literally have the crab in tongs and it would be trying to bite off a chunk of my acans. I understand not all decorators behave this way...

Thanks! I actually wondered that first. He is awfully hairy and my photo quality could have been a lot better. Am thinking a "no" on putting him in the tank. I finally have my corals in a good place after the tank transfer. No munching for this guy!

 

[JoJosReef]

Thanks! I actually wondered that first. He is awfully hairy and my photo quality could have been a lot better. Am thinking a "no" on putting him in the tank. I finally have my corals in a good place after the tank transfer. No munching for this guy!

If you have a local forum, it would probably go very quickly to someone else. I got rid of mine in a day. Everyone wants a sump monster!

 

[Ghostweim]

If you have a local forum, it would probably go very quickly to someone else. I got rid of mine in a day. Everyone wants a sump monster!

Would you ever think about putting him in the sump on the 40? Just curious - others in the house would like to see him saved.

 

[JoJosReef]

Would you ever think about putting him in the sump on the 40? Just curious - others in the house would like to see him saved.

I had a gorilla crab living (and growing) in the return chamber of my IM Nuvo 10g for about 5 months before catching it and rehoming it to someone else's sump.

Certainly doable, but I'd try to enrich their environment a bit or target feed them occasionally.

 

[Ghostweim]

Sunday is water change day here and I thought I would do a small update and also add some new picts.

I swapped out the Hygger mini with another Nero 3 and am in the process of readjusting the flow in the tank. I also move the TBS rocks around a little and am trying to figure out what to do with the scape. Honestly, I think I need to pick up some more corals and fill in some empty spots. Am thinking a gorgonian (had one in my 20g), some mushrooms and maybe a frogspawn. I had a gorgeous frogspawn in my 20g, but stupid me thought it would be good to add a BTA. Nope - it moved around, stung all my nice corals and then died.

The little purple urchin that came with the rocks is still alive - yay! I put the crab in my sump and have not seen him for a couple of days now. I think he is hiding out under the UV light.

 

[Ghostweim]

My chalk bass was was acting strange last night - not out and about like normal. He did come out of his cave to eat and then went back in. This morning was the same and when I went looking for him, saw that one of his eyes is bulging. Will keep an eye on him and see how he does for the next couple of days. As far as I can tell/see there are no spots or other marks on his body so I hope this resolves on its own in the next couple of days.

 

[Ghostweim]

The chalk bass is still hanging in there. He hides during the day but comes out and is very active in feeding. Then he hides again until just before the lights go out - and then he comes out for a few laps around the tank. Still no spots on his body and the injured eye appears to be going down a bit with the swelling. Fingers crossed that he heals up since he was a fun little character that used to follow me around and watch me from the tank.

 

[Ghostweim]

A little Christmas photo drop. Gosh I love my duncans! But I do need to get some more coral to fill in the empty spots.

 

[Blopple]

Duncans are one of my favorites! I want some other varieties of them!