NUVO IM EXT 75

[hoffdawg]

After two years, I’m excited to pick out my own path. I tried to buy a used 40 gallon and then recovered by downsizing to a 25 gallon stay on budget. I didn’t budget appropriately, so a few up and downs. I also learned that only equipment has a budget, it seems like you have to buy what you want with coral. So there’s that…

 

[hoffdawg]

Here is a problem that I saw some people with this tank trying to solve. The most important thing to remember is that if you want to use the channel to hang any equipment then you have to preplan all of the attachment points.

I would love to hang more gear such as dropping a hanger rod for a UV, but that would require tearing the tank and stand down at this point.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Following along! Your electrical situation looks better than mine! My wires are all just lumped in a pile behind my tank, haha.

 

[John Neuzil]

Here is a problem that I saw some people with this tank trying to solve. The most important thing to remember is that if you want to use the channel to hang any equipment then you have to preplan all of the attachment points.

I would love to hang more gear such as dropping a hanger rod for a UV, but that would require tearing the tank and stand down at this point.

I believe one or several of the tslot makers have fittings that can go in after assembly.

 

[hoffdawg]

You are right! It looks like for the larger slot size you can use a “drop in t slot nut,” which I will be doing. It’s worth mentioning that there are two different slot dimensions: 5mm and 8mm. The only slot size available in the central area is the 5mm. The 8mm slot is around the perimeter of the tank. I wasn’t able to find a drop in t slot nuts for the 5mm.

 

[hoffdawg]

I made my own aquascape after reading a lot of posts and watching videos. It was an interesting experience that made me imagine where I want to be a few years from now.

I’m not sure that I actually grasp the whole “cave” concept. It would be interesting to find more information about fish and habitat design. I tried to imagine the size of each fish hiding in the rocks and reefs.

 

[hoffdawg]

Updates on the tank.

 

[hoffdawg]

Cycle is complete. Now trying to stabilize. Saw Alk, Ca and Mg drop in half every 3 days. Dosed with 3 part during cycle to try to stabilize. Used a bunch of 3 part. Now have things okay but testing daily, because I think this will plateau soon.

 

[hoffdawg]

it’s getting closer to being ready… UV installed tonight. Not exactly sure how I’m going to hang it so it’s sitting on the floor for now.

 

[hoffdawg]

Corals and placement ideas. May not end up this way but I put an idea together as a starting point.

 

[hoffdawg]

Update on tank. Haven’t posted all equipment yet. Acclimating corals with Orphek lighting and messing around with settings. Also dialing in kalk, evaporation rate and dosing. Still testing alk twice a day and Ca and Mg every other day. I have a pH meter set up and trying to hold 8.2 for now. It was at 8.1.

 

[hoffdawg]

ATI kit came back with high silicate, aluminum and tin in the water. The silicate and tin are from the RO water which is now RODI. Aluminum could be from new PVC (?)

Dosing Kalk 375 ml x 8 times, every 3 hours.

Dosing kH 15 mL x 6 times, halfway between kalk doses but skip two day time intervals to focus more at evening and night to keep pH up.

Balancing Ca (30 ml per day) and Mg (10 ml per day) dosing but having a hard time finding a test with consistent results. Right now using Hanna after Redsea and Salifert were consistent but not at the correct value. Hanna Mg tests is really something. Warning labels are concerning and inconsistency unless you shake it just right.

 

[hoffdawg]

Month 3. Still new tank. Lost the stock return pump and water change pump during water change. Must have had an electrical surge. I didn’t put the water change pump into a protected outlet. Lost 2 corals. I believe it’s because the pH dipped to 7.8 after 24hrs while waiting on a replacement pump.

I’ve increased Kalk, Alk and Ca dosing. Had to add a fan to try to get more evaporation so I can add more kalk.

Unrelated to losing the pump, my Ca went from 450 down to 300 within 72 hrs when I paused dosing Ca. I think my tank is most happy at 400 Ca and >8.2pH. Then big Ca swing down. Above 400 and at lower pH, the consumptions slows. Not sure if I will be able to hold it constant without a better controller. Although, tank is still new.

Now holding kH at 10.5, pH at 8.2+, and Ca at exactly 400 if I can. Weekly 15 gallon water change, reef nutrition, and plankton. I added trace elements based on the results of 2 consistent ATI tests, but have not added any trace elements during water changes. I plan to underdose and find my way up to balanced.

 

[lombeard]

Looking good! I like building tall structures, you'll need some tabling corals up top!

Are you sure you didn't get a bad Ca reading? Consumption of 50 per day is huge (my tank uses less than 10 and I have some large colonies).

 

[hoffdawg]

Here is an example:
6/13 @ 6am - 448
6/14 @ 6am - 422
6/14 @ 7pm - 430
*stopped dosing 50mL daily or 25ppm.
6/19 @ 7pm - 303 and 310
*Dosed 100 mL Ca manually and restarted 50 mL daily. That’s roughly 75ppm.
6/20 @ 7pm - 372

It’s hard to say because as soon as Ca gets below 400 it starts getting dropping rapidly. Right now I’m trying to hold at 390-400ppm and see how much consumption is real. For the last couple months, I was holding above 430ppm.

Barely any coral growth. But seeing Coraline algae show up.

 

[hoffdawg]

These have looked healthy since entering the tank. I’m convincing myself that there maybe some growth if I stare hard enough.

 

[hoffdawg]

These are on the watch list.

 

[TruRacr314x]

Any updates on this tank? I am looking at possibly getting a Nuvo 75 myself and was checking out your build.

 

[hoffdawg]

Tank is good. Love the glass. Pump died after 4 months. May have been user error. Now I slowly ramp down/up the pump and close/open the valves when doing water changes. I’ve put 2 Redsea 4” filter rollers in the sump with 1 sock. May use 3 filter rollers. I like the aluminum stand, easy to clean but hard to attach to.

i haven’t posted because I’ve been battling precipitation since day one. I starting dosing right away which I now regret. Then I I was dosing kalk to keep pH at 8. Coral struggled and hair algae took over. Substrate has hardened in some areas. Patiently letting things normalize. May remove sand.

 

[Brennan G]

Tank is good. Love the glass. Pump died after 4 months. May have been user error. Now I slowly ramp down/up the pump and close/open the valves when doing water changes. I’ve put 2 Redsea 4” filter rollers in the sump with 1 sock. May use 3 filter rollers. I like the aluminum stand, easy to clean but hard to attach to.

i haven’t posted because I’ve been battling precipitation since day one. I starting dosing right away which I now regret. Then I I was dosing kalk to keep pH at 8. Coral struggled and hair algae took over. Substrate has hardened in some areas. Patiently letting things normalize. May remove sand.

Any modifications needed for those nano reef mats ?