JR's IM 25 Fusion Lagoon Build

JeepinReefer

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Hi all. Thanks for stopping by my build thread. Let's kick things off with an obligatory full tank shot!

IMG_1528.jpg


Sorry, I had to ;). The aquarium should be here on Wednesday, along with a ton of equipment.

I plan to stock the tank with SPS and some LPS like acans, favids, blastos, etc., but ultimately there is a good chance this aquarium will become my coral quarantine system as I'm already planning and saving for a much larger system (150-200 gallons) for early 2019.

I'm upgrading the return to a Sicce 1.5 and will light the aquarium with a Kessil AP700. I know that is a ton of light for a 25 lagoon, but keep in mind that it has a large footprint for a 25 gallon. It is just really shallow. I didn't want a single LED puck/lens, so it was between two Kessil cannons, two XR15s, an AP700, or some similar lighting arrangement, and I decided on the AP700. Did I mention that upgrade planning is already underway? I'll just keep the intensity low to compensate as necessary. I haven't fully decided on flow besides the return upgrade, but I'm leaning towards a single Gyre 230. This may also be flow overkill, but I like the idea of the wide curtain of flow and will dial it back as necessary just like the light.

I anticipate growing chaeto in two of the compartments, maybe three. I don't put much stock in nano skimmers for nutrient export, so I'll probably only run a skimmer if the aquarium needs increased gas exchange to help the pH. I'll manage Ca/Alk/Mg with 2-part.

I guess that is it for now. Next weekend is looking to be a busy one!

~JR
 

dcuevas74

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I've had two of these over the years. You are going to love the dims. A scaper's dream. Look forward to following along and seeing it progress.
 
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JeepinReefer

JeepinReefer

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Caption for this picture: At least it was on sale!

IMG_1530.jpg


I got everything unboxed, the light mounted, Sicce pump and heater installed, and am getting ready to add water for the leak test! I'm waiting on a fuge light that will be here next week. It will be installed on the back after I remove some of the vinyl backing, so I won't officially fill it up with saltwater until after that comes next week.

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I'm absolutely in love with the tank and the fit of the AP700 over it.
 

kyleinpdx

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I don't put much stock in nano skimmers for nutrient export, so I'll probably only run a skimmer if the aquarium needs increased gas exchange to help the pH.

~JR

I held the same views until I got myself an eshopps nano skimmer. Thing is great. Here is the skimate after a few days on my IM 25.

upload_2018-1-4_19-55-36.png
 

pelphrey

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Any more info on the stand? That light looks amazing over that tank!
 
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JeepinReefer

JeepinReefer

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I held the same views until I got myself an eshopps nano skimmer. Thing is great. Here is the skimate after a few days on my IM 25.

upload_2018-1-4_19-55-36.png

Wow that looks like some funky skimate! I had a biocube once upon a time, and I sunk so much money into the nano-skimmers of the day. I could never find one that worked well. I'll look into the eshopps. Thanks for the recommendation.

Any more info on the stand? That light looks amazing over that tank!

Thanks! I'm really pleased with the light. Hopefully the corals will like it too.

The stand is an Ikea Sektion kitchen base cabinet. It was pretty sturdy to start, but it didn't come with a top or back. I used an extra door and screwed it down for the top, and an extra shelf turned vertically screwed in for the back. The back probably wasn't necessary, but I needed a wood surface to screw the kessil light mounts into, and extra support and stability won't hurt either. Got the idea from a 25 lagoon build thread on a different forum.
 

kyleinpdx

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Wow that looks like some funky skimate! I had a biocube once upon a time, and I sunk so much money into the nano-skimmers of the day. I could never find one that worked well. I'll look into the eshopps. Thanks for the recommendation.

Yeah I hear you there, this and the cadlights pls50 seem to be the only ones worth anything. I've been using that skimmer and DIY nopox dosing to bring my no3 and po4 from 20-50ppm and .5ppm to 2ppm and .05ppm respectively.
 
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JeepinReefer

JeepinReefer

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That’s a expensive light on that tank lol ! Looks great though !!

It certainly is, and thanks! I really like the fit of the light over the tank. Based on what I'm planning for the tank, there will probably be a lot of overkill, but I just keep telling myself that I'm working towards an upgrade ;).

Current status update includes Real Reef Rock 2.1, CaribSea special grade live sand, saltwater, and an IM Chaetomax fuge light on the back of one of the second chambers. The Chaetomax is probably more overpriced than the AP700, but if it grows chaeto really well it might be worth it because the form factor is great. The water is still a bit cloudy, but once it clears up I'm going to take the socks out and begin a fishless cycle with Dr. Tim's ammonium chloride and a bottle of Biospira.

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Other things I have planned include a new model Apex, Maxspec Gyre 230 with Icecap Apex control module, breakout box (maybe DIY) with a mechanical float switch for ATO, and probably an Apex Dos once daily dosing becomes required. I'll manually dose 2-part for a while. I also plan on making a DIY nano probe rack, float switch mount, ATO input line holder and eventually a dosing tube rack, all out of some Lexan. Figuring out how to get all of that equipment tucked into the return pump compartment is going to be a challenge.

Thanks for stopping by!

~JR
 
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JeepinReefer

JeepinReefer

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I spiked the tank with ammonium chloride to 2 ppm, and added a bottle of Biospira. I had the day off yesterday, so I went on a tour of the LFSs, but I utilized restraint and the only livestock I picked up was some chaeto. I also got some Seachem matrix which I put in a mesh bag in the back chamber. I had a feeling that I may not have adequate biological surface area with my medium aquascape of real reef rock (doesn't seem very porous) and very shallow sand bed. Once fully cycled and stable, I may slowly remove the matrix while monitoring nitrogen compounds to see if the bacteria can support the tank without the matrix.
 
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JeepinReefer

JeepinReefer

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The cycle is moving right along:
Ammonia: 1/15/2018 - 2.0+ ppm, 1/16/2018 - 0.8 ppm, 1/17/2018 - 0.0 ppm
Nitrite: 1/17/2018 - 1.0+ ppm

Today I added a quarter dose of ammonium chloride to raise the ammonia to ~0.5 ppm to keep the nitrosomonas from starving while the nitrobacter population establishes.
 
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JeepinReefer

JeepinReefer

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Following! I think I will be doing something like this in the future!

Thanks for stopping by, Chris. I hope this will be an interesting and successful build to follow!

This is my first time doing a cycle with ammonium chloride and Biospira, and so far I'm really liking it. Decades ago I did the damsel cycle method, then evolved to the ghost feeding method. I'm sure I tried bottled bacteria at some point, but I usually just waited for the bacteria to grow naturally while ghost feeding. This method has been very controlled and I like that a lot.

Today the aquarium is at 0.0 ppm ammonia, and 0.5 ppm nitrite, so I added another quarter dose of ammonium chloride to keep it going. I need to make a fish decision so I can stop with this ammonium chloride dosing! At this rate the nitrite should be nearly non-detectable in a day or two. I bet the bacteria would survive well enough without continued dosing, but I don't think I'm doing any harm with the small doses a couple of days apart. I'll test my nitrate before adding anything and do a water change if needed.

I was an aquacultutist by profession for a few years for a toxicology business, so I'm a big fan of captive bred fish. I'll probably get some clowns, cardinals, or maybe a dottyback. Honestly, a clown pair is probably the way I'll go due to ease of availability and to save money for corals! I anticipate acan or favia frags will be the first corals, probably in another 10 days or so.

Thanks again to everyone for stopping by.

~JR
 

wlittlefield

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Loving your build.

I've just plugged in the Cheatomax yesterday so I'm excited to see how it works out. I've also got the magnafuge light so it'll be interesting to see which works better (or how much better really). I'd throw in a vote for the eshopps skimmer. I'm not sure it will make or break the tank but it does good work, quietly, and fits in the middle chamber which is nice.
 

Reigun

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Nice build! I am also starting up a Lagoon 25. What section did you put your skimmer in?
 

Mastering the art of locking and unlocking water pathways: What type of valves do you have on your aquarium plumbing?

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