The Great Downsize: KJoFan's IM Fusion 50 Lagoon

[KJoFan]

Just another night for the emerald crab. He does this most nights after lights out.

 

[KJoFan]

So things are chugging along. I got the Trident up and running and the light programmed. I was having issues with EcoSmart Live so picked up a WXM module and things have gone better so far. The downside is you can’t just use those preset profiles as easily. I also swapped out two of the Blue+ T5 bulbs for two Coral+.

I got the auto waterchange feature setup on the SmartAqua AWC/ATO controller. Long term I am planning on a 4g waterchange per week.

I’m waiting for my inTank media baskets, they are on backorder.

All in all things are going very well so far.

 

[KJoFan]

Not much new to report. Alk is slowly starting to decline, I’m guessing more because of the vast amounts of coralline on the rock more than anything. So on the list this weekend is setup my DOS and mix up my DIY All for Reef.

I pulled the copperband back to QT as I didn’t feel it was getting enough to eat competing with the others and didn’t want to start massive feedings and polluting the tank. I also observed it tussling with the Kole tang. I only put it back in QT this morning but so far it’s not interested in eating. Hopefully this isn’t the beginning of the end.

I’ve got a corkscrew anemone that came as a hitchhiker I’m going to have to do something about I think. From what I read they can get big and I don’t need it bothering corals and eating fish.

I do have a few diatoms and a little green film algae starting on the glass now.

On to some photos from today.

 

[KJoFan]

The bad: the Copperband didn’t make it. I think I’m done with them. I’ve tried a few over the years with no long term success.

The good: the DOS is up and going with All for Reef. Still dialing it in to figure out how much is needed to maintain alk. Alk has dropped about 1 dKH over the last week, currently at 7.7

Another upgrade arrived today:

I plan to run Seachem Matrix in the bottom of each one, Phosguard in the middle of one and Purigen in the middle of the other. Unfortunately the Purigen failed to arrive. I’ll run filter pads in the top of each.

It’s coming together, but I fear nutrients are a little high as I could clean the film off the glass twice a day. Or maybe too much light but I’m only running the Radion at 35% max. And the T5’s for only something like 6 hours per day. So I wouldn’t think so but hard to say.

AWC is changing about 1/2 gallon every 12 hours.

 

[KJoFan]

A few shots just because:

First dose of Aquaforest Life Source tonight:

 

[drawman]

Tank looks great and sorry to hear about the CBB! What fairy wrasse do you have?

 

[TheWB]

A few shots just because:

First dose of Aquaforest Life Source tonight:

Nice pics. I have that same blasto in almost the same spot in my tank. I wish I would have made my scape lower like yours.

 

[Viking_Reefing]

The bad: the Copperband didn’t make it. I think I’m done with them. I’ve tried a few over the years with no long term success.

AWC is changing about 1/2 gallon every 12 hours.

yeah, I’ve found that the only real way to keep them thriving is lots and lots of feeding frozen foods several times a day.

Are you happy with the AWC so far? I have one on order for my new tank.
How are the pumps? They give of the impression of being super weak.

 

[KJoFan]

Tank looks great and sorry to hear about the CBB! What fairy wrasse do you have?

Thanks. I've tried a few CBB over the years and can never keep them long term. I think I'm done trying that avenue for the foreseeable future.

I have a C. brunneus and a C. bathyphilus in there currently. They actually make a neat contrast to one another.

 

[KJoFan]

Nice pics. I have that same blasto in almost the same spot in my tank. I wish I would have made my scape lower like yours.

That blasto is probably one of my oldest corals at this point. It's been through multiple tanks, gone through some die off and re-growth. It seems pretty happy currently. I have a superman blasto I need to pick up from a local reefer I'll probably try to mount near the current one.

 

[KJoFan]

yeah, I’ve found that the only real way to keep them thriving is lots and lots of feeding frozen foods several times a day.

Are you happy with the AWC so far? I have one on order for my new tank.
How are the pumps? They give of the impression of being super weak.

Yes, I think you're right and in this small and new tank I couldn't do what was needed. The bullying by the kole didn't help either. I think that's what turned it off of eating all together.

I am happy with the AWC so far. It changes about .5 gallon of water every 12 hours and has worked flawlessly so far. The pumps are more powerful than you might think. They are super small but fill/drain very quickly. I don't know how far they could pump, as mine only have probably a 5' horizontal run and maybe 4' vertical run. So, your setup may vary their power, but I do think they could be used in a typical tank/sump setup as long as your reservoirs aren't super far away from your tank/sump.

 

[Viking_Reefing]

I am happy with the AWC so far. It changes about .5 gallon of water every 12 hours and has worked flawlessly so far. The pumps are more powerful than you might think. They are super small but fill/drain very quickly. I don't know how far they could pump, as mine only have probably a 5' horizontal run and maybe 4' vertical run. So, your setup may vary their power, but I do think they could be used in a typical tank/sump setup as long as your reservoirs aren't super far away from your tank/sump.

That sounds promising, thank you

 

[KJoFan]

The bad news first: I lost my Kole Tang this week to what I think must have been a bad case of gill flukes. One night I noticed his mouth staying open and labored breathing. I dosed some prazi pro and left it overnight.
I got home the next day and found what I expected to find, the Kole dead. I’ve had this happen before in another tank with a wrasse. It’s strange and goes quickly.

The good news: I added this guy yesterday. A Blue Spot Jawfish. I was concerned because it got missorted by UPS and was delayed by a day. Fortunately, once I made the shipper aware they contacted UPS and upgrades delivery to Saturday. I wasn’t sure how things would turn out but it arrived safe and sound and active after 48 hours. These folks have my repeat business for sure.

Aside from the fish drama things are coming along. I’ve had a little trouble keeping alk stable but I think it’s a lot due to windows being opened and closed off and on affecting ph and thus alk readings and growth. I’m eyeing one of those new Ice Cap CO2 reactors though.

 

[Foxwood_reefer]

Following your journey. I myself own the same tank. What kind of skimmer are you running?

 

[KJoFan]

Following your journey. I myself own the same tank. What kind of skimmer are you running?

I’m just running the IM mid size skimmer. I’ve had no complaints up to this point. No small skimmer is really as great as the full size ones. So as long as it pulls something and isn’t annoying loud I’m happy.

 

[Foxwood_reefer]

I’m just running the IM mid size skimmer. I’ve had no complaints up to this point. No small skimmer is really as great as the full size ones. So as long as it pulls something and isn’t annoying loud I’m happy.

I have the nuvo DC midsize skimmer. I'm getting inconsistent skimming. You are correct though, nano skimmer is not the same as the sump skimmer. Maybe I'm just looking for dark skimmate that never exist on nano skimmer.

 

[KJoFan]

I have the nuvo DC midsize skimmer. I'm getting inconsistent skimming. You are correct though, nano skimmer is not the same as the sump skimmer. Maybe I'm just looking for dark skimmate that never exist on nano skimmer.

No, it doesn’t produce dark skimmate, you’re right. I haven’t found a nano skimmer that produces the dark stuff a full size skimmer can produce. I figure if it’s foaming and at least tea/dark tea colored, I’m happy with it.

 

[KJoFan]

Some photos during today’s water change:

 

[Tahoe61]

Very nice. Beautiful colors.

Boy big fish frustration, sorry.

Is that Tubs Blue Zoanthids on top?

BSJ are amazing, one of the most interesting fish I have ever owned. Full of personality, mine used to watch me just like a dog would.

 

[KJoFan]

Very nice. Beautiful colors.

Boy big fish frustration, sorry.

Is that Tubs Blue Zoanthids on top?

BSJ are amazing, one of the most interesting fish I have ever owned. Full of personality, mine used to watch me just like a dog would.

Yeah, some bad luck in the fish dept lately. But, I guess on the upside, if there is one, is the two recent deaths were fish I didn't think I could keep long term in this tank anyway, and saves me having to chase the Kole around trying to catch it. But, Koles are one of my favorite fish, so certainly sad to lose it.

I love the BSJ. I had one many years ago that eventually succumbed to that mysterious BSJ disease, but I am hoping to give this one as much good time as possible. It's set up shop in the tank and ate aggressively today, so I'm pretty pleased. I could just watch him for hours, poking his head out and looking around. None of the other fish pay any attention to him, which is also good.

Those are indeed Tubbs Blues in the colony shot. Probably one of the corals I've now had the longest. They've survived a few tanks/moves etc and still going strong. Not one you see much of these days, but I always like them. That entire rock though is a bit large for the tank, and I'm debating selling it. Maybe I'll keep some Tubbs off it and restart the colony.