George's IM Nuvo 14
- Thread starter georgec
- Start date
georgec
Guest
Current tank update. The clam didn’t make it, but the rest of the tank has been doing pretty well. Currently, fighting a little cyano on the sand bed. I sucked it off with a turkey baster.
I think I had a float switch going bad, because once I swapped it out, my ATO setup had been working well.
I think I had a float switch going bad, because once I swapped it out, my ATO setup had been working well.
georgec
Guest
Hi all, slowly getting out of lights on mode to improving and working on the tank. Here's where things currently stand:
- ATO Upgrade: Bought a Tunze Osmolator Nano last year, which is the main improvement to the tank. So much better than battling with my homemade floats and aqualifter pump. I wish I had just bit the bullet early on in reefkeeping and gone with this option.
- Tank: battling hair algae because I wasn't as diligent about water changes as I should have been the past few months
max_nano
Supporting Member
I liked my prime HD. The app is Bluetooth so connection is easy for the initial setup, then you probably won’t use it again unless you want to add white for a picture.
There are downloadable profiles for the light schedule which is a nice way to get a plug and play lighting spectrum. I believe you can then adjust the intensity to suit your tank, but the color channels are all done for you.
You can likely find the older version for about $100 or the one with the app is around $150 used? Someone else probably knows the model lineup better, I believe they added light channels and the app functionality for the prime 16HD but am unsure.
georgec
Guest
Thanks. What kind of mount do you have for it? Does it come with any sort of attachment hardware (didn’t look like it from what I saw online)
max_nano
Supporting Member
You can get a goose neck (bendy), a 90° Angle mount that slides on both axis to center on your tank, or a hanging mount for it. There may be other options, I got the 90 mount when I had mine
georgec
Guest
Latest upgrade: new light!
Thanks Pablo!
Current have it set:
- AB+ profile set at 50% when it gets fully acclimated.
- 9 inches above the water
- Running in acclimation mode over 4 weeks
Definitely welcome any feedback or thoughts.
Tank is 16Lx12Wx11D
I’m going conservative on the intensity because I’m worried about burning/bleaching the corals. Not sure if I’m being paranoid.
Thinking about building some sort of mini hood or shade. I get some glare from the light when I sit on the couch.
Thanks Pablo!
Current have it set:
- AB+ profile set at 50% when it gets fully acclimated.
- 9 inches above the water
- Running in acclimation mode over 4 weeks
Definitely welcome any feedback or thoughts.
Tank is 16Lx12Wx11D
I’m going conservative on the intensity because I’m worried about burning/bleaching the corals. Not sure if I’m being paranoid.
Thinking about building some sort of mini hood or shade. I get some glare from the light when I sit on the couch.
georgec
Guest
This is probably a basic question - is my tank's proximity to a window (east-facing) a likely contributor to my hair algae issues? The closest shade is down, but it's been up till recently. The window is a small side window that's one of three across the front of the living room.
Other Notes:
Other Notes:
- I've been manually picking it off rocks during water changes
- Trying to hit the tank with a turkey baster weekly to blow of detritus
- Got some more CUC this past week
- Have a media rack in the first chamber
- Floss (changed weekly)
- Carbon (changed monthly)
- Purigen (changed when needed)
- 2-3 gallon water change per week (better keeping this schedule in the past month or two)
- Current Parameters (Using Red Sea test kits):
- Alk: 8.6
- Ca: 425
- Mg: 1600
- Nitrates: not detecable
- Need to get a phosphate test kit.
- Bioload:
- Clown Pair
- CUC
- Feeding 1x / day, watching to ensure all the food gets eaten by the clowns
- Minimal coral feeding right now, but target feed maybe once a month (blend of reef roids and frozen Hikari mysis or cyclods - not full cubes, just as a small bit)
Coral reefer
Past President
Short answer, yes.
Longer answer, it depends.
What’s your photoperiod? Does it coincide with the sun?
Do you have anything that eats it?
Longer answer, it depends.
What’s your photoperiod? Does it coincide with the sun?
Do you have anything that eats it?
georgec
Guest
Currently on a 11-8 photo period (with hour ramp on either end), but just switched to a new light this week. Was on a similar period with my old lights. So, not fully aligned with sun cycle
Have had trochus snails in my tank for a long time. Just added a 2 turbos, which I've been told are better at hair algae removal.
georgec
Guest
Refugium added!
Did a little work on the tank today with one of my early Black Friday purchases. Turned the middle chamber into a fuge.
It was a little tight working on the tank, but it worked out ok:
- Made a template for the light
- taped onto the glass and used a razor to cut the outline and then peeled it back.
- peeled back the black covering and double checked the opening shining a light into the chamber
- mounted the light
I cut some egg crate and zip-tied some silicone matt to the sides so it would hold in the chamber. Hoping this keeps the chaeto from floating free.
[mention]PeetaJai [/mention] thanks for the chaeto.
Any recommendations on how often to run the fuge light? I’m starting at 4 hours off cycle with my lights and planning on turning up from there depending on how it goes.
Did a little work on the tank today with one of my early Black Friday purchases. Turned the middle chamber into a fuge.
It was a little tight working on the tank, but it worked out ok:
- Made a template for the light
- taped onto the glass and used a razor to cut the outline and then peeled it back.
- peeled back the black covering and double checked the opening shining a light into the chamber
- mounted the light
I cut some egg crate and zip-tied some silicone matt to the sides so it would hold in the chamber. Hoping this keeps the chaeto from floating free.
[mention]PeetaJai [/mention] thanks for the chaeto.
Any recommendations on how often to run the fuge light? I’m starting at 4 hours off cycle with my lights and planning on turning up from there depending on how it goes.
georgec
Guest
Did a little more work on the tank.
Replaced my Sicce pump with the IM MightyJet Desktop DC pump, and replace the outflow nozzle with a Vivid Random Flow Generator nozzle.
The MightyJet is supposed to have ~300GPH flow vs
This freed up a good bit of space allowing me to move the rock work back.
A couple of notes:
- It appears that the flow is a bit turbulent/random out of the nozzle
- the MightyJet is a tight fit in the return chamber and I had to shave down the intake nozzle some to give it room. There definitely isn’t room for the intake cover in the pump
- it’s not dead-silent, but pretty close after running for a day.
- I’m running the pump in sine mode. Wish they had built a reef crest / random mode into the controller.
- here’s the link to the nozzle I’m using.
Tank is a lot happier this days with some regular TLC.
Replaced my Sicce pump with the IM MightyJet Desktop DC pump, and replace the outflow nozzle with a Vivid Random Flow Generator nozzle.
The MightyJet is supposed to have ~300GPH flow vs
This freed up a good bit of space allowing me to move the rock work back.
A couple of notes:
- It appears that the flow is a bit turbulent/random out of the nozzle
- the MightyJet is a tight fit in the return chamber and I had to shave down the intake nozzle some to give it room. There definitely isn’t room for the intake cover in the pump
- it’s not dead-silent, but pretty close after running for a day.
- I’m running the pump in sine mode. Wish they had built a reef crest / random mode into the controller.
- here’s the link to the nozzle I’m using.
Tank is a lot happier this days with some regular TLC.
georgec
Guest
Water changes don’t seem to be cutting it to keep up with Alk in particular. I know Alk (Blue) will show larger swings vs Calcium (Green). Bump up a week ago was the last water change.
Doing a 2-3 gallon water change weekly in the tank.
This evening:
Salinity 35
Calcium was 400
Alk 7.14
pH 8.2
Temp 78
I used to dose two part, but wondering if dosing kalk might work with my small tank.
Based on a calculator http://reef.diesyst.com/chemcalc/chemcalc.html it looks like I’d need to top dose ~ 30 ml daily.
I would use one of my BRS dosers. Don’t want to just add to my top off water given the small tank, and that stuff seems to eat pumps up.
Thoughts on starting with kalk before going to something more complex like 2-part?
Doing a 2-3 gallon water change weekly in the tank.
This evening:
Salinity 35
Calcium was 400
Alk 7.14
pH 8.2
Temp 78
I used to dose two part, but wondering if dosing kalk might work with my small tank.
Based on a calculator http://reef.diesyst.com/chemcalc/chemcalc.html it looks like I’d need to top dose ~ 30 ml daily.
I would use one of my BRS dosers. Don’t want to just add to my top off water given the small tank, and that stuff seems to eat pumps up.
Thoughts on starting with kalk before going to something more complex like 2-part?
Coral reefer
Past President
You could likely just do alk since ca seems to be ok with just water changes
georgec
Guest
I thought you always had to dose the two together?
georgec
Guest
So, had the PAR meter today and was able to measure lighting in my tank. Glad I was able to borrow it, because it's definitely different than I thought it would be:
I was a little hesitant to turn the light up too much given past problems accidentally bleaching corals from too much light using a black box LED. Seems like with proper acclimation, I should be good turning it up a notch.
- Light: AI Prime HD (older one, not the current AI Prime 16)
- Height: The light is 8-9" from the surface of the water to try to get even spread throughout. I didn't test at other heights because I was satisfied with the readings
- Settings Tested: 50%/75%/100% using the AB+ profile
- Where I measured: I did measure out a grid to spot check bottom/middle/top | left/middle/right. However, I thought having measures with the rockwork and where I would place corals would be helpful too (image below)
- Findings:
- I had a lot more room to turn up the light.
- Assumed I'd be runnning at 50%, but those values range 80s near the bottom to 100 near the top.
- At 100%, PAR topped out near the top/middle around 180s-190
I was a little hesitant to turn the light up too much given past problems accidentally bleaching corals from too much light using a black box LED. Seems like with proper acclimation, I should be good turning it up a notch.
georgec
Guest
So, today’s project was setting up a dosing pump to dose kalk. Based on tank volume and consumption, I only need 30ml per day to keep up with what my water changes aren’t providing.
I used this Reef Chemistry Calculator: http://reef.diesyst.com/chemcalc/chemcalc.html
Yes, that’s a quart-sized mason jar that’s my kalk reservoir. I drilled a hole through the lid and glued the tube in place just off the bottom to avoid any precipitate. You guys are probably laughing at the small size, but it should be good for at least 2-3 weeks at my dosing rate.
Dosing hourly over the full day right now with a BRS doser. Ignore the Ca label. I was using it for 2-part before. It’s hooked into outlet 8 / solid state outlet on my Apex EB8. I seem to remember issues with some dosers shutting offer with the triarc outlets.
If my needs pick up to the point where kalk doesn’t cut it, I’ll switch over to 2-part.
I used this Reef Chemistry Calculator: http://reef.diesyst.com/chemcalc/chemcalc.html
Yes, that’s a quart-sized mason jar that’s my kalk reservoir. I drilled a hole through the lid and glued the tube in place just off the bottom to avoid any precipitate. You guys are probably laughing at the small size, but it should be good for at least 2-3 weeks at my dosing rate.
Dosing hourly over the full day right now with a BRS doser. Ignore the Ca label. I was using it for 2-part before. It’s hooked into outlet 8 / solid state outlet on my Apex EB8. I seem to remember issues with some dosers shutting offer with the triarc outlets.
If my needs pick up to the point where kalk doesn’t cut it, I’ll switch over to 2-part.
RandyC
Supporting Member
So, today’s project was setting up a dosing pump to dose kalk. Based on tank volume and consumption, I only need 30ml per day to keep up with what my water changes aren’t providing.
I used this Reef Chemistry Calculator: http://reef.diesyst.com/chemcalc/chemcalc.html
Yes, that’s a quart-sized mason jar that’s my kalk reservoir. I drilled a hole through the lid and glued the tube in place just off the bottom to avoid any precipitate. You guys are probably laughing at the small size, but it should be good for at least 2-3 weeks at my dosing rate.
Dosing hourly over the full day right now with a BRS doser. Ignore the Ca label. I was using it for 2-part before. It’s hooked into outlet 8 / solid state outlet on my Apex EB8. I seem to remember issues with some dosers shutting offer with the triarc outlets.
If my needs pick up to the point where kalk doesn’t cut it, I’ll switch over to 2-part.
Whatever works!
Next time, you could consider using 1/4" push connect adapter and 1/4" acrylic tube for inside the container. Glue can come undone pretty easy when unscrewing the lid.
JIUWU White Fittings Bulkhead Connector 1/4-Inch Tube Quick Connect RO Water Filter Pack of 5 https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00YGR2...i_glc_fabc_6tR1FbAJNV55G?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
The 1/4" acyrlic tubing can be bought from TAP plastics. It's around $5 for a 6ft 1/4" OD x 1/8" ID