Kagt's Fusion 20 Reboot

kagt · Sep 22, 2019

Hi all, this is a reboot of my IM Fusion 20. I had the tank for a couple of years but when all my fishes died for some unknown reason, I got discouraged and broke down my tank. Thinking back I kinda rushed things so this time I want to take it slow and share my journey.

Equipment List:

Light: Nanobox Duo M
Filtration: 2x InTank media with Filterfloss
Heater: Cobalt Neotherm 75w
ATO: Tunze 3155
Stand: Nuvo APS 20
RODI: Spectrapure 75GPD 4 stage RODI
Salt: Fritz RPM

FTS: 09/23/2019

FTS 09/22/2019

Finally set everything up last night,The aquascape is kinda meh, but I think that's the best I could do with my limited creativity lol. Filled up the tank and put in some Dr Tims ammonia and Stability to to cycle the tank, now the waiting begins.

Did a test this morning:

Salinity: 1.026
Ammonia: 8ppm
PH: 8.2
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0

Ammonia is kind of high, not sure if I should do a water change or just wait it out. Anyways that's all for now folks

JoshH · Sep 22, 2019

Digging the minimalist scape, any plans for sand atall?? And you could probably just ride out the Ammonia issues, it's still cycling so it will probably be fine

kagt · Sep 22, 2019

Nope no sand I think, I like the look of barebottom. I want to ride it out too but I read somewhere that too high of an ammonia level could stall the cycle so I am kinda worried. Anyways I'll probably test again tomorrow and see what happens.

JoshH · Sep 22, 2019

It is a bit on the high side but the alternative is doing a WC and potentially throwing off the cycle even more.

Were you planning on covering the bottom in a particular type of coral instead? And is that Stax rock? I've been debating it for my new build to form a base, how did you like working with it?

kagt · Sep 23, 2019

Yea those are stax rock, they’re easy to work with but I don’t really like how they look on the sides. I think you can do some interesting things with them but it’s not for me lol.

I plan to put some lower light corals at the bottom, maybe a couple of Euphyllia.

juanrmattos · Sep 23, 2019

Great to see you back, I've always said "Once a reefer, always a reefer"...

The ammonia is a little high, probably too much Dr Tims, and is ok!, no point in testing or dosing anything else until it goes away... BE PATIENT!!!, this is where most people makes the mistake and then spend the next 6 months dealing with algae issues.

Rock work looks okay, we worry too much about making it it nice and forget about leaving space to place our corals.

Best of luck, will keep an eye out

JoshH · Sep 23, 2019

kagt said:
Yea those are stax rock, they’re easy to work with but I don’t really like how they look on the sides. I think you can do some interesting things with them but it’s not for me lol.

I plan to put some lower light corals at the bottom, maybe a couple of Euphyllia.

Fair enough, good to know now as they aren't really the cheapest option out there.

So this will be more of a softy/LPS tank? I might have missed it but what were your plans for livestock?

kagt · Sep 23, 2019

Been a busy day today, as you can see I redid the aquascape. I think this one is much better then the previous one. I just hope that there is enough space for the coral to grow on the branches.

kagt · Sep 23, 2019

juanrmattos said:
Great to see you back, I've always said "Once a reefer, always a reefer"...

The ammonia is a little high, probably too much Dr Tims, and is ok!, no point in testing or dosing anything else until it goes away... BE PATIENT!!!, this is where most people makes the mistake and then spend the next 6 months dealing with algae issues.

Rock work looks okay, we worry too much about making it it nice and forget about leaving space to place our corals.

Best of luck, will keep an eye out

Thanks, good to be back!
Sorry for the late reply, been pretty busy today as I redid my aquascape. I just hope that those branch have enough room for some corals to grow on them. I'm trying to be patient but it's so hard not to get too excited!

.

kagt · Sep 23, 2019

JoshH said:
Fair enough, good to know now as they aren't really the cheapest option out there.

So this will be more of a softy/LPS tank? I might have missed it but what were your plans for livestock?

Hey, sorry for the late reply, I plan on a sps dominated tanks with some lps. For livestock I plan to either go for plan single six line wrasse and call it a day, or plan B which is a Helfrichi Firefish, 1 or 2 possum wrasse and maybe a royal gamma.

kagt · Sep 28, 2019

Quick update: did a test today and params are:
Ammonia: 0.5 ppm
Nitrate: 0.1 ppm
Nitrate: 5 ppm

Does this mean my tank is almost ready for fish?

ImNemo · Sep 28, 2019

What did you seed the tank with? Dr. Tims?

kagt · Sep 28, 2019

I just use Stability that's available from my LFS and dr tims ammonia chloride I got from Amazon

ImNemo · Sep 28, 2019

I would keep dosing the stability daily until your ammonia and nitrite is zero.

kagt · Sep 28, 2019

Yep, that's the plan

WallyB · Nov 2, 2019

kagt said:
Hi all, this is a reboot of my IM Fusion 20. I had the tank for a couple of years but when all my fishes died for some unknown reason, I got discouraged and broke down my tank. Thinking back I kinda rushed things so this time I want to take it slow and share my journey.

Wishing you success!! (Long term success)

I had a ALL Fish Wipeout just like you had. Lost a 8 year old Power Blue Tang that was my friend being around for so long. Just because I was hasty adding a single Healthy Looking Clownfish. Never happened before after risking new fish all the time. Only takes once to wipe out a tank (It was Velvet Disease)

I learned one thing from that, and it saved me a bunch of times (avoiding a similar wipe out).
QT. It's a must if you want fish for Long Term (and all your fish). If fish dies in QT it's just that one Fish.
And if fish just get's sick you can treat it (no corals in QT like in a DT)

Best No-Med method regardless of if fish look sick or not, is Tank Transfer Method. Doesn't cover all diseases, but after I started doing that, NO l fish ever got ICH into my Tank. AND I cured a few fish from Ich (Trained them to Eat Properly in the process....Finick Eaters, like Copperband Butterflies, Anthias)

Once you get ICH into your Tank, it's ICH contaminated forever, unless fish are removed, or all die, and then you long Fallow Period). TTM cures ich too. (Read up about it. Someone suggested it to me like I am to you now)
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/tank-transfer-method.192655/
(yes the downside TTM is you need two small QT setups. Simple but two.).

Just FYI, for the future, if you startup the tank and want to add fish.

In your case with a 20 Gallon Tank, maybe start off getting all your fish, and don't add corals, rocks, etc. (just make your 20 a QT at the Start, and then once fish make it (Last Fish a Month..Minimum), and still healthy...move on with your Grander Tank setup (Rocks/corals, etc), and no more fish without QT).

WallyB · Nov 2, 2019

kagt said:
Hey, sorry for the late reply, I plan on a sps dominated tanks with some lps. For livestock I plan to either go for plan single six line wrasse and call it a day, or plan B which is a Helfrichi Firefish, 1 or 2 possum wrasse and maybe a royal gamma.

Forget the 6 line Wrasse. Meanest fish in the World (for it's size). This is a bit graphic, but I someone posted this on my thread I had one in QT. (His 6 line was very territorial after settling in his tank. One day, he zipped around and pluck out the eyes of other BIGGER fish, and then stopped attacking since he knew he won). I returned him the next day. Read up on the 6 line. Many horror stories. Not all but many.

A 8 line wrasse is also beautiful but not mean.

And if you can get a Helfrichi Firefish, it's my most favorites fish in the World.
If I could only have one fish, especially in a small tank it would be a Helfrichi Firefish.
I have all kinds of fish (including the a Purple Firefish pair in another tank). The Helfrichi is so stunning, that even in my Coral and Fish Tank, you can see him like 30 feet away.
A peaceful fish. He comes out exactly at the same time of day, for 2-3 hours, and vanishes. I rush to feed him when he shows.
This is what he is like. Not shy at all to film closely to glass.

AdamB · Nov 2, 2019

Welcome back to R2R and good luck with your tank.
Dose another time with Dr.Tims ammonia and if your nitrite and ammonia are at within 24hrs you are ready to go ..

kagt · Nov 3, 2019

Tank was finally cycled, went to browse my LFS and came back with a Six line wrasse, he/she will be the only fish in the tank so I am not worried about aggression. Will add pics when he comes out of hiding.