Kellie's IM Fusion Pro 2 - 40L AIO - My dream upgrade

[Kellie in CA]

Just found your build thread and it's giving me hope that my 40L tank will look beautiful in a couple years! Very informative on how you are using the space and those corals look so happy even without a skimmer... sorry about the crab!

Thanks! This is my favorite tank yet. I love shallow tanks because I am very hands on, and they are so easy to work with.

 

[V A R I A N T]

How is your tank progressing?

 

[Sharbuckles Reef]

Tank looks fantastic! Just had the same one delivered a couple days ago. I really like how you scaped this, giving me inspiration for mine.

 

[Kellie in CA]

It’s been a while since I did an update. I haven’t been too keen to post because I’ve been dealing with the hell of Proro Dinoflagellates. This is by far the most frustrating thing I have ever dealt with in all my years of reef tanks. After trying just about every possible cure I could find, I was finally able to get a good diatom bloom after months of silicate dosing. Things are finally improving. The hardest thing for me is that you basically have to let your tank look like total crap for months to finally beat this. Hopefully a few more weeks and I’ll be good again.

I did lose a few pricey corals through this long process… but I’m trying not to dwell. There is still a lot of good going on in my tank!

My dendros just produced babies again! This only happens about once a year, but it looks like about 6-8 new tiny heads have popped up.

 

[JeffD675]

Your tank looks amazing and because of it, it has helped me narrow down to either your exact tank OR the RedSea Reefer G2 200XL.

Two different tanks and setup but it's the size I'm looking for. Any tips for new saltwater reefers like me on AIO's? Was in freshwater for ten years but got out of the hobby.

 

[Kellie in CA]

Your tank looks amazing and because of it, it has helped me narrow down to either your exact tank OR the RedSea Reefer G2 200XL.

Two different tanks and setup but it's the size I'm looking for. Any tips for new saltwater reefers like me on AIO's? Was in freshwater for ten years but got out of the hobby.

Thank you! I've been really happy with the IM tanks. I've always gone pretty low-tech with the AIO's and I've done pretty well. I prefer them because I'm a renter and it seems safer for me to have all the water contained in one place with no plumbing to worry about.

 

[JeffD675]

Thank you get getting back. Seems like as long as I'm not too lazy with my weekly water changes, I "should" be fine.

 

[harkey]

I’m so torn whether to get the 40L but seeing this now I think I might just have to! Going from 20G to a 40G

 

[Kellie in CA]

Welp, after 2 YEARS of dealing with Proro dinos on my sandbed I did something drastic yesterday and just pulled all of the sand out. When I say I have tried everything to get rid of the dinos, I literally have. (UV, bottled bacteria, Aquabiomics rubble & sand, phyto, increased temperature, high nutrients, blackouts, etc, etc, etc..........) Including the last 6 months of silicate dosing with near daily manual removal of dino patches. I could get a small population of diatoms going here and there, but the Proro would always overtake it.

My corals were really taking a hit with having to keep all my levels elevated and water dirty. I lost quite a few pricey pieces to this battle, but when I noticed my prized rainbow trachy starting to recede, that was the last straw.

I am SO over dealing with this. I am going to continue dosing silicate, phyto, and bottled bacteria and MAYBE in a few months I will start adding a sandbed back in slowly. During the removal I had to add about 6 gallons of fresh saltwater and the corals are looking so much happier already.

 

[Daniel92481]

Sounds like you are beyond frustrated! I probably would have given up by now lol. You know what a healthy, thriving tank is so keep at it! Keep that turkey baster handy for sure. Good luck with your fight.

 

[Kellie in CA]

Pulling that sand bed was the best thing I ever did! I just finished adding brand new (thoroughly washed) sand a couple days ago. Tank is looking clean and corals are coloring back up nicely! Heading over to Cali Kid on my lunch break to pick up a new addition.

 

[Kodski]

Pulling that sand bed was the best thing I ever did! I just finished adding brand new (thoroughly washed) sand a couple days ago. Tank is looking clean and corals are coloring back up nicely! Heading over to Cali Kid on my lunch break to pick up a new addition.

Something to be said about simplistic beauty.. Beautiful tank!