Nuvo 10 Build

[Sharebear]

For folks that have Nuvo 10 was wondering what you would consider as necessities?

1. Return pump- didn’t try using the one it came with... but I do have Sicce Micra+ (158GH) do you guys prefer using a different return pump? Going to be on my desk so would prefer a bit quieter?

2. Heater - Aquatop Titanium Heater (100W Heater & Control is what I purchased

3. Light - will be ordering AI prime HD 16

4. wavemaker??? I’m thinking Nero 3..?

5. Skimmer.. not sure about the availability in space...

6. Filter sock - any better version?
Thank you!!

 

[thewire]

Why not use their return pump? It's good enough. No need to waste additional $$ to get Sicce. Maybe get one for backup Sicce 0.5 or 1.0. Mightjet pump is enough. You don't need additional pump inside the tank.

I have Aquamaxx Bullet-1 HOB skimmer on mid section.

Use the tray bracket that came with it. Toss the filter sock away.

 

[Sharebear]

Ahhh, do you like your skimmer? Would it be possible to see how the tank looks like with the skimmer inside?

 

[SDLlama]

For folks that have Nuvo 10 was wondering what you would consider as necessities?

1. Return pump- didn’t try using the one it came with... but I do have Sicce Micra+ (158GH) do you guys prefer using a different return pump? Going to be on my desk so would prefer a bit quieter?

2. Heater - Aquatop Titanium Heater (100W Heater & Control is what I purchased

3. Light - will be ordering AI prime HD 16

4. wavemaker??? I’m thinking Nero 3..?

5. Skimmer.. not sure about the availability in space...

6. Filter sock - any better version?
Thank you!!

ATO: I think a good ATO is an absolute necessity. I have an AutoAqua Smart ATO Micro which I believe is no longer available. The XP Aqua Dueto appears to be the successor.

Return Pump: If your tank came with the IM Mighty Jet DC return pump, I'd recommend you stick with that. Mine has been very reliable and very quiet for the last 1.5 years and also has plenty of flow, enough to move the sand depending on which type of return nozzle you use.

Heater: A 100W heater is likely overkill, unless you keep the tank in a space that gets very cold. I have a Cobalt Aquatics 50W Neo-Therm that keeps the tank at a steady 78F, even when the room temp drops down to the low 60's.

Light: AI Prime 16HD is a great option for your tank. Can handle everything from fish only, to softies, to SPS in the Nuvo 10.

Wave Maker: Depending on what you want to keep as far as corals, a wave maker may not be necessary with the Mighty Jet DC return pump. I have a Chill Solutions thermoelectric chiller plumed in-line with my return which reduced the flow enough I felt it was necessary to add a wave maker in the display. I chose to go with the AI Nero 3 and couldn't be happier.

Skimmer: The IM NuvoSkim DC skimmer that sits in the second chamber and it's an okay choice. I'm not entirely thrilled with it, but I'm not sure other options would prove to be much better. It doesn't pull the best skimmate, but my water is also generally on the "cleaner side" with lower than normal bioload and regular 15% water changes. I mostly run the skimmer for the oxygenation and gas exchange benefits. I was struggling with high indoor CO2 levels leading to lowish tank pH (7.75 to 7.9). Opening the doors and windows would result in the pH steadily rising to 8.1, but I couldn't keep the doors and windows open all the time. Therefore, I recently decided to implement a CO2 scrubber about a month ago on the skimmer air line and now my pH is a steady 8.1 to 8.2, with an occasional peak to 8.3 when I open up the windows and doors. The CO2 scrubbing media also lasts a fairly long time given the low air draw rate of this skimmer when compared to larger skimmers on larger tanks. Based on the current media consumption rate, a 750ml container of media should last me almost 3 months.

Filter Floss: I'd recommend avoiding filter socks and instead going with a media basket and filter floss. I'm very happy with the inTank media basket and their filter floss media that you cut to size. The filter floss is nice as you don't need to clean or wash it, just toss it out and put a new piece in.

 

[Sharebear]

ATO: I think a good ATO is an absolute necessity. I have an AutoAqua Smart ATO Micro which I believe is no longer available. The XP Aqua Dueto appears to be the successor.

Return Pump: If your tank came with the IM Mighty Jet DC return pump, I'd recommend you stick with that. Mine has been very reliable and very quiet for the last 1.5 years and also has plenty of flow, enough to move the sand depending on which type of return nozzle you use.

Heater: A 100W heater is likely overkill, unless you keep the tank in a space that gets very cold. I have a Cobalt Aquatics 50W Neo-Therm that keeps the tank at a steady 78F, even when the room temp drops down to the low 60's.

Light: AI Prime 16HD is a great option for your tank. Can handle everything from fish only, to softies, to SPS in the Nuvo 10.

Wave Maker: Depending on what you want to keep as far as corals, a wave maker may not be necessary with the Mighty Jet DC return pump. I have a Chill Solutions thermoelectric chiller plumed in-line with my return which reduced the flow enough I felt it was necessary to add a wave maker in the display. I chose to go with the AI Nero 3 and couldn't be happier.

Skimmer: The IM NuvoSkim DC skimmer that sits in the second chamber and it's an okay choice. I'm not entirely thrilled with it, but I'm not sure other options would prove to be much better. It doesn't pull the best skimmate, but my water is also generally on the "cleaner side" with lower than normal bioload and regular 15% water changes. I mostly run the skimmer for the oxygenation and gas exchange benefits. I was struggling with high indoor CO2 levels leading to lowish tank pH (7.75 to 7.9). Opening the doors and windows would result in the pH steadily rising to 8.1, but I couldn't keep the doors and windows open all the time. Therefore, I recently decided to implement a CO2 scrubber about a month ago on the skimmer air line and now my pH is a steady 8.1 to 8.2, with an occasional peak to 8.3 when I open up the windows and doors. The CO2 scrubbing media also lasts a fairly long time given the low air draw rate of this skimmer when compared to larger skimmers on larger tanks. Based on the current medium consumption rate, a 750ml container of media should last me almost 3 months.

Filter Floss: I'd recommend avoiding filter socks and instead going with a media basket and filter floss. I'm very happy with the inTank media basket and their filter floss media that you cut to size. The filter floss is nice as you don't need to clean or wash it, just toss it out and put a new piece in.

oh! Filter floss... never heard of those hah! I will definitely research those

Ah good that the mighty pump is strong enough! Maybe I’ll get the Nero 3 a little bit after so my wallet isn’t hurting too much all at once..

Do you use a different nozzle for your tank besides the one it came with?

I was looking at neo therm but the store didn’t have it in stock haha so I just went with one with controller just in case... some stuff on Amazon ppl were worried Bc if boiled their fish alive...
could I see you what your co2 scrubber looks like? I have one for my big tank but currently I’m trying to keep the 10G on my desk so not too much space...

 

[littlefishy]

Mine was bought 5+ ys ago, sounds like a few stock changes happened now.
I use a Sicce 1.0 with a random flow nozzle (rfg). No need for a wave maker, mp 10, etc.
Ai Prime hd16 is perfect.
Get a media basket. I run no filter but use Wallmart floss if I'm stirring the sand at w/c.
Center chamber filled w live rock, no skimmer or heater (Fl)
Ato makes this a 5 min/wk maintenance tank!

 

[SDLlama]

oh! Filter floss... never heard of those hah! I will definitely research those

Ah good that the mighty pump is strong enough! Maybe I’ll get the Nero 3 a little bit after so my wallet isn’t hurting too much all at once..

Do you use a different nozzle for your tank besides the one it came with?

I was looking at neo therm but the store didn’t have it in stock haha so I just went with one with controller just in case... some stuff on Amazon ppl were worried Bc if boiled their fish alive...
could I see you what your co2 scrubber looks like? I have one for my big tank but currently I’m trying to keep the 10G on my desk so not too much space...

I've been using a VCA RFG (random flow generator) nozzle with their drop adapter for the Nuvo 10. It restricts flow a bit, as evidenced by the water level in the return pump chamber being higher after installing it, but does provide a bit of random flow in the tank. The random flow isn't anywhere near the amount possible with a wave maker, but may be enough depending on what inhabitants you have in the tank.

One thing to be aware of with the VAC nozzle though, it will occasionally create a vortex at the surface near the rear of the nozzle at the educator, and suck in air. This creates some noise as the bubbles rush to the surface and pop, resulting in some salt spray. Some possible ways to fix this are to either drop the nozzle further down from the water surface (not possible with the fixed height drop adapter) or reduce the flow through the nozzle. Either the minimum flow setting on my MightyJet pump wasn't quite low enough to stop it from sucking in air, or the drop adapter I received placed the nozzle slightly closer to the surface than normal.

I've also tried the IM Spin Stream nozzle, but that seemed to reduce flow even more and made much more noise due to the gear noise.

For the CO2 scrubber, I'm using a TLF PhosBan Reactor 150 and 750ml of TLF CDX media. I don't have a photo of the install, but the reactor sits behind the cabinet on the floor. If you're putting the tank on a desk, it might just be small enough to hide behind the tank. It's approximately 13.5" tall and 3.5" diameter.

 

[thewire]

Ahhh, do you like your skimmer? Would it be possible to see how the tank looks like with the skimmer inside?

So far looks good. Breaking in but I am seeing foam. See picture below. The white color thing is my ATO. I don't like the one that came with it so I 3D printed one.

Also, if you use inkbird cooling and heating controller, you can attached fan like the one I printed to attached PC fan on it.

You can get filter floss by the roll on Amazon lol

 

[Tuffyyyyy]

I had this tank set up forever, it's my 2nd favorite tank of all time. I always just had an upgraded return pump with the spinstream nozzle, I never had a wavemaker in there. I also never had a skimmer in my tank, it just always had a clownfish or two in it. I would really recommend an ATO and a temperature controller (like Inkbird or something) to make sure there aren't any temperature swings.

 

[Sharebear]

What...do you guys use as a stand? I was thinking of just putting it on my desk... but seems like it will be heavier than I expected haha

 

[Theescotland]

all great choices in equipment, but from what i have read.. 9/10 times in a tank that small a skimmer will not be needed. especially if you are keeping up on water changes. i believe BRS did a video on this.

 

[thewire]

What...do you guys use as a stand? I was thinking of just putting it on my desk... but seems like it will be heavier than I expected haha

Ikea!

 

[Sharebear]

Ikea!

I sorta wanted to put it on this side of the 8 cubicle ikea.... thing but idk!!!
10 gallon + rocks are like 130-140lbs...
do you think it will hold?

 

[MarkyMark_]

I sorta wanted to put it on this side of the 8 cubicle ikea.... thing but idk!!!
10 gallon + rocks are like 130-140lbs...
do you think it will hold?

I wouldn't even consider it. Not only are most pieces of ikea furniture not rated for significant amounts of weight, many of them are made out of particle board or MDF which will wither away like wet toilet paper when water penetrates the material

 

[Sharebear]

I wouldn't even consider it. Not only are most pieces of ikea furniture not rated for significant amounts of weight, many of them are made out of particle board or MDF which will wither away like wet toilet paper when water penetrates the material

Ahhh I wish I knew how to work with metal....
I was looking at some of the 10 gallon stand from BRS but all of them seems to be made out of wood?
Confusing how it can hold such a weight...

 

[MarkyMark_]

Ahhh I wish I knew how to work with metal....
I was looking at some of the 10 gallon stand from BRS but all of them seems to be made out of wood?
Confusing how it can hold such a weight...

Furniture constructed from solid wood is usually very strong. For example I have my 20 gallon cube on an 80 year old solid wood cabinet and I am 100% confident it will hold. I found it for $30 on FB marketplace

 

[thewire]

I wouldn't even consider it. Not only are most pieces of ikea furniture not rated for significant amounts of weight, many of them are made out of particle board or MDF which will wither away like wet toilet paper when water penetrates the material

Definitely not those. I am using ikea nightstand. I used the same night before on my NC12 cube.
or find some used stand on CL or Marketplace.
Here is mine

 

[SDLlama]

A lot of mass produced aquarium stands these days are made of laminated or painted MDF. Sure, it's not as good from a strength or longevity standpoint as solid wood, painted plywood, or aluminum, but if it's laminated or painted/sealed I wouldn't be too concerned. For example, the stands of the Red Sea Max Nano and Red Sea Reefer Nano, 170, 250, and 350 are all painted/sealed MDF.

I personally use a JBJ Cubey stand (CN-10) for my Nuvo 10 and I'm not currently concerned with it's structural integrity. It has a smooth high-gloss finish that prevents water absorption, so the only chance for water to soak in and weaken the core MDF material is at the joints. However, given the layout and construction of the stand, I only see this happening with a leak of something stored inside the stand, not very likely from the tank itself. I'd be far more concerned with water damage to the flooring under and around the stand before being overly concerned with potential water damage to the painted/sealed MDF stand.

For what it's worth, the Nuvo 10 only holds approximately 7 gallons total depending on amount of rock, sand, and equipment in the rear sump. I'm betting the total wet weight of the tank is much less than your estimating.

 

[Sharebear]

A lot of mass produced aquarium stands these days are made of laminated or painted MDF. Sure, it's not as good from a strength or longevity standpoint as solid wood, painted plywood, or aluminum, but if it's laminated or painted/sealed I wouldn't be too concerned. For example, the stands of the Red Sea Max Nano and Red Sea Reefer Nano, 170, 250, and 350 are all painted/sealed MDF.

I personally use a JBJ Cubey stand (CN-10) for my Nuvo 10 and I'm not currently concerned with it's structural integrity. It has a smooth high-gloss finish that prevents water absorption, so the only chance for water to soak in and weaken the core MDF material is at the joints. However, given the layout and construction of the stand, I only see this happening with a leak of something stored inside the stand, not very likely from the tank itself. I'd be far more concerned with water damage to the flooring under and around the stand before being overly concerned with potential water damage to the painted/sealed MDF stand.

For what it's worth, the Nuvo 10 only holds approximately 7 gallons total depending on amount of rock, sand, and equipment in the rear sump. I'm betting the total wet weight of the tank is much less than your estimating.

Ah! I was actually looking into JBj cubey stand of the APS stand but the price difference is like double....
Man I thought nano tanks would be cheaper to start but oh boy I was wrong

 

[tnw50cal]

I really can't add much other than I do use the filter socks when I clean(blow detritus into the water stream). I just remove the 1st chamber basket, put in the filter sock, clean and then replace the basket. I have my 2nd chamber filled with bio-media as mine is a bare bottom tank. No skimmer for me.