40 Gallon IM Nuvo

[silentcivilian]

Omg.. Where do I start.

Ahh, I know now.

I am back.

I know, the crowds have been waiting, fans still cheering, similar to that group of twisted individuals cheering and waiting for the return of the legendary artist Norman Greenbaum. That's right, I just ranked myself up there with old Norman.

Anywho, ill drop the self praise and move on to business.

So when we last talked I moved to a place no one does salt water, that was approx. 40 km from a NWT//Sask border and fly in only access with almost non-drinkable tap water and sometimes no power for days. My dog and I survived and I am a little better off toda. I'm only 4 hours from a salt water store now.

So I picked up a IM Nuvo 20 gallon.. put some water and rock in.. looked at it.. said no.. way tooooo small... so picked up a 40. I am happy I did, it looks fantastic, still have space in it to do some fun things.. I am excited.

So as it just got filled yesterday and has been running all of a day, not much to report on.

So ill throw up some specs.. equipment and get back to you all later.

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/picture.php?albumid=979&pictureid=7142

Just getting going...

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/picture.php?albumid=979&pictureid=7143

Topped up... actually almost 2 inches too high.. need some serious evap to happen.. the only reason I say evap is the salinity still a tad low.. so as it rises ill determine the ideal level.

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/picture.php?albumid=979&pictureid=7144

Just caught you looking at my rear you dog you! Like what you see?? I do!! Tunze 9400, Tunze Nano ATO, A heater!!, live rock used for filter as I hate sponges and love live rock so all you haters hate I do what I do... and what is that??? Light stands... that leads up to this picture.

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/picture.php?albumid=979&pictureid=7145

You horn dog you, first your staring at my rear now my headlights! A pair of AI Prime lights that is. Loving everything about them, built in lunar, fully controllable from the old cellular device.

Last picture for now, I swear.

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/picture.php?albumid=979&pictureid=7146

Today's shot when I got home from work.

I'm very excited to be back, don't expect anything fancy as location demands simplicity so lots of zoas.. maybe some ricos, some gsp maybe a leather.. a couple of simple low maintance fish and that will be it.

Glad to be back all, and a shout out to Grizz, read your thread buddy, sorry to hear about everything, keep your head up!

[Myka]

Welcome back!

This will be a fun thread if you keep up the humor! :) That's great you're not so far out of civilization anymore. Which is the closest LFS to you? PA? I've been totally liking the IM Nuvo 40. I use one as a Promo tank for my business at a local dive shop. I used a 2x24w T5 fixture, skimmerless, and it's been doing great. I'm sure you'll like it.

Grizz hasn't been around much lately. It would be great if he started posting again - I miss that guy!

[silentcivilian]

Actually I go to Bayside in Toon Town, worth the extra drive to get the good stuff.

Prince Albert doesn't really offer much beyond the odd fish at the Petland in the one Salt Water tank unless I'm missing an entire store that is hiding somewhere! The main reason I stop in to Prince Albert is to shop at the gun stores haha.

[Myka]

Haha, I knew the Petland there carried SW stuff, but I didn't realize it was that bad!

[Craigdillman]

nice tank!

only thing i would change is do a mod to change the cover over to the clear plastic stuff that top seems like it blocks a lot of light:)

[silentcivilian]

Awesome advice, that is the plan really. I'm not in a rush as everything settles and stabilizes.

The only thing that will go into the tank for a while will likely be some clean up crew. Once I'm satisfied that everything is happy move to fish and coral.

Didn't like my rock setup so I played around with it for awhile and came up with this.

Thoughts?? Doesn't have a lot of height to it, but has good spread and an abundance of caves and nooks which for the live stock is important I feel.

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/picture.php?albumid=979&pictureid=7147

[Myka]

I like it.

[silentcivilian]

Livestock thoughts:

Been beginning to brew about what to put in the tank, and here is the thoughts, just looking for inputs.

Bottom Dweller: Thinking pistol shrimp and goby shrimp in hopes they pair up
Roamer: Dwarf angel (thinking Lemon Peel or Fishers.. if available maybe a potters)
High Water Swimmer: Pair of Purple Firefish.
Then some other x-factor fish that will just make me satisfied.

Coralwise: Looking to stick with soft corals, zoas around the perimeter of the rock with some polyps and leathers closer to the top. The hope is to give the tank lots of motion and color.


Thoughts??

[Myka]

Dwarf Angelfish are 50/50 reef-safe at best. Imo, they're 50/50 in SPS tanks, and as soon as you start adding tasty critters like Zoas (and LPS, clams) then you're much less than 50/50. Ime, soft corals like gorgonians and leathers are really not likely to be touched, but Zoas are pretty tasty you know! ;)

If you really want to try it, I'd suggest you think about what you will do if it becomes a problem. If your Angelfish starts eating Zoas (this could be the first day or a year down the road), what will you do? Find a new home for the Angelfish, let it eat the Zoas, or find a new home for the Zoas?

An alternative roamer, how about a Royal Gramma or one of the smaller wrasses? Cardinals?