Innovative Marine Nuvo 16

[Nepenthe]

So here's the progression of my first saltwater tank. It's been a great experience. Phew! Over 100 days, it's so hard to imagine! I still don't have fish, I'm waiting for that perfect clownfish pair. Starting this tank has been a fascinating, often frustrating, and defiantly expensive learning process, and I feel like I am constantly trying to accrue more information with the increasing needs of the tank. I've had freshwater planted tanks for years, and I was dying to make the leap into saltwater. I read tons of information, mostly on forums, and took lots of notes on the TOTM nano-reefs to see what components they had in common and went from there. The tank took almost two months to fully cycle, I never saw significant rises of nitrates or nitrites, the most NO2- I ever had was 5ppm. I even went out and purchased a different brand test kit to see if my results were off. I had a hideous outbreak of bryopsis which took over early on, and I think was what impeded the cycle. I ended up using the Kent Marine M method and blacking everything out while I went on a business trip for a week. When I came back the bryopsis was done for. Adding that Kessil has been the best move that I've made, growth went from slow to breathtakingly fast. I struggle with the idea of adding a fuge or a skimmer, but for now if it ain't broke don't fix it. Thanks for taking a look!

Day 1 - June 24, 2012

Day 15 - July 9, 2012

Day 24-29 - July 18-23, 2012 (dealing with bryopsis)

Day 46 - August 9, 2012

Day 77- September 9, 2012 (last picture before my move)

Day 106 - October 8, 2012 (two days after the move)

 

[rarelyseriousb]

Nice build. I like that a lot.

 

[Veganbrian]

Looks great! I love the green torch euphillia!

 

[Dixie_reefer]

Looks awesome! Where did you get those leds?

 

[Veganbrian]

Looks awesome! Where did you get those leds?

Looks like a kessil in the middle with the two innovative marine lights on the sides.

 

[AsphaltPays]

Great looking Nano

 

[creefer]

Nice. That nuvo tank is very nice. I nearly picked one up last year.

 

[revsgirl]

Looks great!!

 

[Nepenthe]

Thanks all, yes it's a Kessil flanked by the stock lighting, the Kessil was an absolute necessity.

 

[SeahorseKeeper]

I don't know how I missed this. Your tank looks great!!!

 

[slugwall]

Nice progression and love the tank!

 

[SloppyJ]

Love the nuvos! I want a 16 g for my office to replace my aquapod.

 

[MarvinsReef]

very nice start.

is it me or the right side looks like the water is slightly lower? is it the flow?

 

[Nepenthe]

very nice start.

is it me or the right side looks like the water is slightly lower? is it the flow?

Ha, nice catch, no it's a combo of the floorboards and the stand. I added some shims a couple days ago.

 

[MarvinsReef]

Ha, nice catch, no it's a combo of the floorboards and the stand. I added some shims a couple days ago.

sorry... a little OCD kicked in. :hammer:

glad you got it situated already. :bigsmile:

I'm a big fan of this nano. has very nice lines. I'm still looking for a nice nano for my boys so they can have their own "Nemo" tank.. although I told them they can just share with me. haha.

 

[Nepenthe]

Day 164 - November 28th

From a couple days ago. I figure I'd document before I traded and moved around some stuff this weekend.

 

[Mr. D]

Nice nano. I'd love to get one of these tanks but they're so expensive!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[bobbyM]

WOW thats really coming along nicely! Great work!

 

[Nepenthe]

Thanks all!

 

[Nepenthe]

Day 176 - December 12, 2012

So, I finally got the new MP10 ES to a place where everything is happy and also set up the Tunze ATO last weekend. I'm going to start adding Kalkwasser to the RDOI because by the end of the week before a water change my Cal is dropping to levels that I am uncomfortable with. I think that this is one of the reasons why I am having such difficulties keeping shrimp. Everything else seems to be happy. I've moved things around a few times in the weeks, and it ended up doing more harm than good (noticed the stung Paly grandis on the left side of the tank). I ended up trading out my purple moni for that purple gorg (it's killing me that I can't get a positive ID on the thing) it eats Cyclop-eeze like mad. Things are in a good place right now, I'm hoping I can just keep it going. I had the harsh realization that I'm running out of room though.

I'm going out of town for a week, it's my first long vacation without a tank sitter and I'm already getting paranoid. I have some clowns lined up for the first of the year also....Yay!