My Photogenic Nuvo 30L Mixed Reef

JSilbs Reef · May 8, 2023

Hi Everyone!

After lurking on the site for a while and my tank running now for a little over 1 year I thought I would finally start a build thread!

Tank is an IM Nuvo 30L Coral and Invert only build.
2 AI Prime 16HD lights
1 Vortech MP10 (looking to possibly add a second)
ATO
Finnex 150W heater
filter floss and Marine pure biofilter gems in back chambers

I am a photographer for a living so I love taking pictures of the tank any chance I get. Seeing the progression and growth over time in photos is really awesome. The details and colors of the coral and everything in our tanks is truly mind-blowing and I enjoy trying to capture that in my free time.

Hopefully you all enjoy this build thread and the photos! Look forward to interacting with everyone and hopefully learning more in this journey!

To get this thread started here is a set of progression images from the beginning till today.

Start Date March 19th 2022:

FTS July 29th 2022:

FTS December 8th 2022:

FTS May 8th 2023:

JSilbs Reef · May 8, 2023

Currently my favorite piece in the tank.

HG Micromussa!

This was the frag in December 2022:

Gumbies R Us · May 9, 2023

Those are some amazing pictures!!!

JSilbs Reef · May 9, 2023

Gumbies R Us said:
Those are some amazing pictures!!!

Thank You!

Going to try to post a new pic or two each day if I can, Hope you like the rest!

JSilbs Reef · May 9, 2023

A few new pictures!

Pincushion Urchin:

Malaysian Black Torch:

3sxp · May 12, 2023

Hi, just wanted to thank you for this thread! I have an IM 30L and am just getting started converting it from freshwater to saltwater. Your equipment list is particularly useful. 2x AI Prime HD for lighting seems to be the standard on these tanks -- I'm researching lights now (currently just added a pair of clownfish after setting up last month). I'm curious, if you get a chance, when you added the urchin and how you feed it, if at all. I'd like to eventually add a Halloween urchin but am assuming I need many months (if not a year) of algae growth before going there.

I've run this tank since about 2016 as a planted freshwater tank -- the profile is great, but the lighting can be tricky as far as algae goes. A lot of people who have these tanks seem to struggle with algae at some point. Your tank looks super clean -- assuming you do pretty regular water changes, glass cleaning?

Thank you again for any details! I'm just excited to find someone actively using this tank.

JSilbs Reef · May 12, 2023

3sxp said:
Hi, just wanted to thank you for this thread! I have an IM 30L and am just getting started converting it from freshwater to saltwater. Your equipment list is particularly useful. 2x AI Prime HD for lighting seems to be the standard on these tanks -- I'm researching lights now (currently just added a pair of clownfish after setting up last month). I'm curious, if you get a chance, when you added the urchin and how you feed it, if at all. I'd like to eventually add a Halloween urchin but am assuming I need many months (if not a year) of algae growth before going there.

I've run this tank since about 2016 as a planted freshwater tank -- the profile is great, but the lighting can be tricky as far as algae goes. A lot of people who have these tanks seem to struggle with algae at some point. Your tank looks super clean -- assuming you do pretty regular water changes, glass cleaning?

Thank you again for any details! I'm just excited to find someone actively using this tank.

Good luck on the conversion! Its a great little tank. As far as the lighting I find the Ai primes to be perfect for my needs. My rock work is pretty minimalistic so I get good coverage throughout with only one area on the far right side that's slightly shaded. I also only have the blues at about 45% and those are my highest % on any of the spectrums. (maybe why I have less algae issues as they are not anywhere near full power but I honestly don't know this is my first tank so beginners luck so far

). I can try to post a picture of my light schedule at some point but its just a random one I created in the first week and have just left it.

Ive been lucky so far with the algae and hoping to keep it that way lol! I have the typical diatoms on the sand and have had some bubble algae and cyano but was on top of it early and stopped both of those from being an issue so far. Yes, I do a 5 gal water change each week and once a month a 10 gal water change where I clean out all the back chambers. I also scrape the glass probably once a week.

As far as the urchin I would wait at least 6-8 months. I made an impulse buy without any research at the LFS about 1.5-2 months in and it died in 2 days. I tried again at about month 7 and have had this guy since and he's doing great! in terms of feeding, If and when he ventures up onto the glass I will feed him a small piece of seaweed otherwise I just let it do its thing.

Good luck on your setup, look forward to seeing how it turns out!

JSilbs Reef · May 12, 2023

Duncan coral:

Snail at work:

Lebowski_ · May 12, 2023

You take great photos

JSilbs Reef · May 15, 2023

Lebowski_ said:
You take great photos

Thanks!

JSilbs Reef · May 16, 2023

Just caught 2 of my rock flowers spawning?! pretty cool to witness so had to grab a picture

3sxp · May 30, 2023

Hey again! Thank you for all these photos, they're gorgeous! Would love to know what you're using for a camera+lenses as well. I have a Fujifilm XT4 and was thinking of getting a macro lens...

Curious your thoughts on your pump in this tank. I don't have a powerhead -- just a syncra 150 as a return. With the dual heads I thought I would be getting enough flow. Everything I'm adding is low flow -- BTA, zoas, leather, mushrooms, chalice. But I'm debating a more sophisticated powerhead. However, they can be dangerous to anemones so if I can do without I think it might be better. Trying to ask other IM 30L folks since the profile of this tank is unusual.

JSilbs Reef · Jun 29, 2023

3sxp said:
Hey again! Thank you for all these photos, they're gorgeous! Would love to know what you're using for a camera+lenses as well. I have a Fujifilm XT4 and was thinking of getting a macro lens...

Curious your thoughts on your pump in this tank. I don't have a powerhead -- just a syncra 150 as a return. With the dual heads I thought I would be getting enough flow. Everything I'm adding is low flow -- BTA, zoas, leather, mushrooms, chalice. But I'm debating a more sophisticated powerhead. However, they can be dangerous to anemones so if I can do without I think it might be better. Trying to ask other IM 30L folks since the profile of this tank is unusual.

Sorry for the very late response have been away for a little while. Thank you, appreciate the compliments on the photos. Im using a canon r5 and a canon 100mm macro lens. Also I have 1 mp10 for extra flow.