Reef of Enchantment-IM 25 Lagoon Build

[Jrvaldeznm]

Introduction

Hello all, I am new to reefing but have been in the aquarium hobby seriously for over 10 years. Prior to this I have kept multiple planted freshwater aquariums (https://imgur.com/a/CzMxe). While I love the freshwater side of things and plan to continue to maintain my current setups, I needed a way to evolve and improve on my craft, which made reefing a natural choice.

I want to thank the production team at BRS for their highly informative content on Youtube, and for helping me better understand what it really takes to be successful in this hobby. I also want to take the time to thank my LFS Southwest Reef for being there to bounce ideas off of and being a consistent source of knowledge and support.

Below you will see my build and initial setup with updates to equipment as they are made and a current photo. If you have any specific questions or comments on my progression, I am always willing to hear you out and learn. Thanks and and wish me luck!

November 28, 2018

• Jrvaldeznm
• Nov 29, 2018

10/5/2018

• Jrvaldeznm
• Oct 10, 2018

IMG_0603 2

• Jrvaldeznm
• Aug 25, 2018

Submerged and 1.5 weeks into cycle! Lights are off for the first month, but I turned then on to...

IMG_0884 2

• Jrvaldeznm
• Aug 25, 2018

Sand and equipment in place. Equipment dry fit.

IMG_0516

• Jrvaldeznm
• Aug 25, 2018

Initial Hardscape Layout

Current build as of 12/28/2018

Tank
Innovative Marine 25 Gallon Lagoon with black APS Stand

Lid
Acrylic Safe Top Lids with Royal Blue Night Lights

Water
Filtered water with BRS 4 stage RODI and booster pump

Salt
Aquavitro Salinity

Overflow
Stock overflow with IM covers

Return
IM Variable flow return heads
IM Mighty Jet Mid-Size at 1.3 setting

Flow
Ecotech Vortech MP10WQD
Battery Backup
3D printed Cover for Vortech

MP10 is currently on Tidal Swell Mode at about 40%

Heater
Finnex Titanium 100W

Filtration
inTank caddies filled with filter floss, Eheim Substrat Pro, and Marine Pure Blocks
Aquamaxx NF-1 Protein Skimmer
Chaetomorpha Refugium with IM ChaetoMax Light

Rock and Sand
Dry Rock
Carib Sea Reefers Special Blend

Lighting
2 Kessil A160we Tuna Blue with Spectral controller

Testing
Hanna Kh and Calcium
Red Sea Nitrate/PO4 test kit
Refractometer
Eco Testr 2 pH Pen

ATO
IM Hydrofill Controller
Cobalt Aquatics MJ-900 Pump with DIY Spigot (Check Valve and Siphon break drilled).
IM 5 gallon reservoir

Supplements

Seachem Fusion 1 and 2 (Calcium and Alkalinity)
Seachem Reef Plus (AA's and trace elements)

Feeding
Sustainable Aquatics Pellet Food
PolyLab Reef Roids
Reef Frenzy Nano

Cable management
IM Shelf for APS stand
DJ power Strip

Stock List

Current Fish
2 Oceallaris Clownfish, Mocha Snowflake
1 Helfrichi Firefish
1 High Fin Red Banded Goby/Red Banded Pistol Shrimp Combo
Margarita, Trochus, Astrea, and Cerith Snails (2 each)
Tuxedo Urchin
Fighting Conch

Proposed

...

Current Corals
Sunset, Green and Setosa Montiporra
Stylophora and Pocilopora
Zoas/Favia
Euphylias: Tan/green tipped and green purple tipped frogspawn, Purple and Yellow Hammer
Short Tentacle Duncan
Trachyphyllia radiata
Australian and Turquiose Blastomussa
Jedi Mindtrick
Burning Land Chalice
Pink Cosmos
Superman and Very Sexy Acans
Zoas and Palythoas​

To upgrade/to buy

...
​

 

[hdsoftail1065]

Nice scape, looks like your moving is the right direction. Nice job!

 

[Jrvaldeznm]

Nice scape, looks like your moving is the right direction. Nice job!

Thank you! I am still piecing together my livestock choices, and the timing to of when to put them in to minimize aggression. I am most worried about the clown's aggression. I am also thoroughly overwhelmed with the choice of corals and have no idea what I want, colors, placement, growth patterns, etc. I know I may be overthinking it, but I would like to minimize preventable complication with more forethought, especially since I am a ways off from stocking the tank. I am leaning away from SPS at the moment since this is my first reef tank, but could be convinced otherwise. Softies and LPS seem manageable.

 

[Chrisfish]

Welcome to R2R, really like your aquascape

 

[Jrvaldeznm]

Welcome to R2R, really like your aquascape

Thank you so much! Slow and steady wins this race and it took me a while to get it just right.

 

[NMdesertReefer]

Coming along nice, I wish we had a good store here for corals all we have it's petco.

 

[Jrvaldeznm]

Coming along nice, I wish we had a good store here for corals all we have it's petco.

We have a little better selection up here that may be worth the trip! I have been doing a lot of trade with Southwest Reef over the past few weeks, and there selection does not disappoint. I have also considered buying online as an option in the future if there is something particular that I need, but this is always a gamble.

 

[NY_Caveman]

We have a little better selection up here that may be worth the trip! I have been doing a lot of trade with Southwest Reef over the past few weeks, and there selection does not disappoint. I have also considered buying online as an option in the future if there is something particular that I need, but this is always a gamble.

I was wary of ordering livestock online too. I have had two fish and two corals shipped though, and was very satisfied. I recommend going with reputable dealers with solid guarantees.

Tank is looking great!

 

[SPR1968]

I love the aquascape design, it looks very modern and natural, very nice indeed.

And thanks for the detailed write up

And welcome to R2R as well!

 

[Jrvaldeznm]

I love the aquascape design, it looks very modern and natural, very nice indeed.

And thanks for the detailed write up

And welcome to R2R as well!

Thank you for the compliments, I just let the stone tell my where it needs to be be placed, but I had a couple of people on the Aquascaping forum help finish the final details.

 

[norfolkgarden]

Nice work! And welcome to R2R.

It's always nicer to buy locally and support a local business and equally important see what it looks like under their lighting instead of just a picture.

But I have been very satisfied with at least half a dozen online orders of coral and fish.

 

[Jrvaldeznm]

Nice work! And welcome to R2R.

It's always nicer to buy locally and support a local business and equally important see what it looks like under their lighting instead of just a picture.

But I have been very satisfied with at least half a dozen online orders of coral and fish.

It's hard not to with great photos from places like Tidal Gardens and Battle Corals. Those sites are like inline art galleries! I could only imagine how they would appear in person.

 

[Jrvaldeznm]

I love the aquascape design, it looks very modern and natural, very nice indeed.

And thanks for the detailed write up

And welcome to R2R as well!

How do you create a link in your signature? I do not seem to have that option...

 

[NY_Caveman]

How do you create a link in your signature? I do not seem to have that option...

Not certain, but I think the option to link requires a Supporter or Partner membership. I see you have it typed out now which is probably the best option.

 

[Jrvaldeznm]

1.5 Weeks into cycle. All is good. Lights are still off for now, for the next several weeks. ATO is in place. Cable management is the best it can be at this time, but I want to either get a shelf from IM or the new Cable Caddy from Marine Depot....Decisions Decisions. I will probably start testing in a week or so to see where I am at in cycling.

I am in the middle of planning my layout as far as coral placement! So many options to play with.

 

[Ferrell]

Looks great. Just remember to take it slow and don’t too many changes at once. Change and wait. I know of what I speak. Lol. Good luck!

 

[Jrvaldeznm]

Looks great. Just remember to take it slow and don’t too many changes at once. Change and wait. I know of what I speak. Lol. Good luck!

Thank you for the wise words, patience wins this battle no question. In the mean time It gives me time to recover funds and plan coral placement!

 

[Jrvaldeznm]

This week, I received my copepod/phytoplankton shipment from AlgaeBarn, man I am thoroughly impressed with their shipping speed, then again it pays to be only a state away. The chaeto was washed and put into its caddy. The copepods were acclimated to the tank and introduced without. Pumps/powerheads/filter pads. The light cycle for the chaeto is currently on a 4 hour photoperiod since there are literally no inhabitants inthe tank at the moment. I also started turning onthe lights and have the intensity set to 5% for 5 hours a day so I can look at the tank.

 

[Jrvaldeznm]

This week, I added the IM DIY lid to the tank. To say that this was a challenge is a huge understatement. I take pride in being adept in DIY projects, but this was difficult. The mesh that it came with was not only garish but also came in the shape of a rhomboid, which made getting a square nearly impossible. Also, it kept dipping into the tank water! I finally bough more mesh from Lowe's but they did not have the right size of spline, so I finally ended up using some 1/4" airline tubing to fix the screen in place. Needless to say, I am relieved that this is done, but the custom acrylic lids that are 3x as expensive started to seem really tempting close to the end....

 

[Esage]

Tank looks great! Are you liking the skimmer? Does that skimmer fit in the second chamber?