IM Nuvo SR 60 Build Log

[thefrog]

I bought a pair of Snowflake Clownfish to start with. They've settled in well already, though they don't go near the rocks. Perhaps it's got to do with them being captive bred?

I chose two corals to start off with, both LPS I think. First off is a green/purple hammer:

And what I think is a Brain of some kind? I honestly forgot to ask at my LFS when I got it, too much excitement I think.

 

[thefrog]

I'm still having issues with my Ghost skimmer. I took it back to where I bought it and the retailer wouldn't take it back. They want me to run it for a few more days and then send them a video so they can inform the distributor. So it seems like they'll do the bare minimum to sort it out. Here's a video of it running http://youtu.be/tj9Aa_cc4y4

And another of the tank..

 

[thefrog]

Update on my skimmer: the LFS had the distributor express ship a new impeller straight to me. I dropped it in this evening and the difference is unreal, its way quieter now. :)

I'd like to stock up a bit this weekend, perhaps find a nem for my clowns, get some more softies and maybe a fish too. My parameters are all good and the tank's inhabitants are happy.

 

[moulton712]

Nice setup and pics. It seems like you are taking your time making sure things are right!

 

[thefrog]

So the SR60 is doing well. After a quiet few weeks we added a few more things. My wife likes the corals and inverts and does most of the selection in this area. I still enjoy the fish so I've been choosing those. We haven't stocked a great deal though, went from just the pair of clowns to adding a Bi-colour Blenny and a Fire Goby. I was quite surprised when my wife commented that we need a bigger tank as all the fish she wants to add won't work in this size. So I'll let this one run and see how things go later in the year. Perhaps we'll upgrade to a 5' or 6' foot tank around 120G.

This is the green and blue Goniopora:

This is the Golden Torch. Under blue lights the tips are blue and the length of the polyps are copper/bronze.

We also got this green Bubble Tip with the hope that it will host the clowns. So far the clowns have shown it little interest.

 

[shawnriv]

Everything looks fantastic! What and how are you dosing your system? That Goniopora is stunning! I want to get a Red Goni but not sure if I have the room. My tank is only 38G and eventually want a 125 that's five feet long.

 

[thefrog]

Everything looks fantastic! What and how are you dosing your system? That Goniopora is stunning! I want to get a Red Goni but not sure if I have the room. My tank is only 38G and eventually want a 125 that's five feet long.

Thanks! I'm not currently dosing the system as the load seems quite low for a 60G. I am doing weekly water changes, approximately 15%, and monitoring the basics like kH and Ca2.

 

[thefrog]

Another small update. I haven't added any more livestock, just let everything settle some more. My BTA has found an odd spot between some rocks. It disappears during the day and comes out late afternoon, evenings and mornings. I've tried feeding it directly again but it doesn't take the prawn I've offered. It did eat when I first got it but now its not. My wife wonders whether it was just starving when it arrived and now it's in a well fed tank with good lighting.

I measured some nitrate and phosphate last week (very low though). I bought some NO3:PO4 -X but haven't started dosing with it. The NO3 and PO4 went to zero after my weekly water change. I did add some activated carbon and this has cleared the water a little too, though I've got micro bubbles in the tank. I'm wondering whether it's my skimmer - I just need to test it out.

I've decided to try a media basket in one of the overflows and ordered the IM Custom Caddy Media Basket like this:

Unfortunately it was broken when it arrived today so I'll have to sort out a replacement. I'm not sure what I want to put in it yet. I was thinking the carbon and set up a refugium in the bottom. Now I don't know, not even sure what I need. Any ideas?

 

[thefrog]

The tank has been pretty stable the last few weeks. I finally got a replacement media basket and decided to fill it with Marine Pure ceramic spheres and a layer of activated carbon. I've also taken a bit of a risk and added a Bi-colour Angel. I only have the few LPS and the BTA so I thought the Angel will do limited damage. As I want to move to an SPS dominated tank anyway I thought the Angel will be fine. There is also a frag of birdsnest SPS as an experiment. My LFS said I should try it for a month or so and if it thrives then my tank can handle some more SPS.

 

[thefrog]

Three months in now, more or less. Parameters are stable:
SG - 1.025
NO3 - <5
PO4 - 0
Ca - 380/400
dKH - 7/8

Our BTA didn't make it unfortunately - the clowns didn't host in it and it did fine for the first few weeks, before crawling under a rock and dying. Current stock list:
Fish:
Pair Snowflake Clowns
Bi-colour Angel
Firefish Goby
Bi-colour Blenny

Coral:
Large blue-tip acro
Green birdsnest frag
Massive golden torch
Green/purple hammer
Green goni
Purple/green lobo

 

[thefrog]

I forgot to add the arco came with two acro crabs and a tiny coral goby. There are a few small zoas left but it seems the angel is slowly munching on them.

 

[XtremeATC]

Looking really nice... I have been eyeballing the SR tanks for a while now...

 

[mrcoffee2]

Three months in now, more or less. Parameters are stable:
SG - 1.025
NO3 - <5
PO4 - 0
Ca - 380/400
dKH - 7/8

Our BTA didn't make it unfortunately - the clowns didn't host in it and it did fine for the first few weeks, before crawling under a rock and dying. Current stock list:
Fish:
Pair Snowflake Clowns
Bi-colour Angel
Firefish Goby
Bi-colour Blenny

Coral:
Large blue-tip acro
Green birdsnest frag
Massive golden torch
Green/purple hammer
Green goni
Purple/green lobo

2 months was a bit early to introduce a BTA to a brand new tank.

 

[thefrog]

2 months was a bit early to introduce a BTA to a brand new tank.

Yes, I agree. I did it after discussing with my LFS - we tried to get a nem settled in early before I started adding too much coral.

 

[Mr.Rocc]

your snowflake clows are beautiful

 

[GreatWhiteTang]

Bta are generally easy and hardy.. 2.montjs with stable perams.. With the correct lighting.. Should be fine imo not too early

 

[thefrog]

Bta are generally easy and hardy.. 2.montjs with stable perams.. With the correct lighting.. Should be fine imo not too early

Well the BTA was quite happy until I changed the aquascape and had to move the BTA (same general location). It wasn't happy after that and deteriorated for the next couple of weeks. Lighting I reduced by 50% and gave a week ramp up on my Radion back to 45% (shallow tank). I think the move wasn't good for it and lesson learned - I will wait until the tank is more established and less prone to disruption.

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

Nice!! Thanks for sharing!

 

[Bobika]

Hello, saw that you bought the Tunze 3152 Nano for your SR60. I just bought the same tank and was thinking of buying the same ATO. Just wondering how it worked out and if you were happy with it. Thanks for your help!

Today was quite busy. Last night one of the Nuvo pumps stopped working properly. It was the same one that the dealer replaced for me due to excessive noise. The replacement didn't have a full o-ring around the impeller, just two pieces. So I think it just started pushing water past the seal and got noisy too. So I disconnected it and went to look for options this morning. I decided not to waste my time getting replacements of the original pumps and having more of the same B/S. I bought two $40 Aqua One 103 pumps as a test and they're perfect, making no noise at all and running smoothly. I'm deeply disappointed with the junk supplied by Innovative Marine - for a pretty expensive display system these pumps are terrible.

On a better note I also picked up an ATO system and plumbed that in too. I decided on the Tunze Osmolator Nano given the size of the SR 60 and the space at the back. I've hooked it up to 25L container in the cabinet. All running well. I also brought my salinity down from 1.027 to 1.026. Everything seems pretty happy and there are some interesting bits amongst the rocks.