IM Lagoon 25 build

[twitchy]

We just got our first house and wanted to get a tank that was more attractive looking than my current 40B. I really wanted to go rimless and after looking and researching decided on the IM lagoon 25. This build will be my attempt at creating a small low(ish) maintenance reef, trying to keep costs low with DIY, while not compromising the aestics of the tank.

I ended up getting the tank in March, and it has been killing me seeing it in the box everyday, finally got the floors done so I can set it up.

The white IM stand for this tank was exactly what I wanted, but couldn't justify paying more than the tank for the stand. Eventually decided to go with an Ikea base cabinet for the stand, and I was surprised at how sturdy it was for 70$.

 

[lou the reefer]

Do you have an idea with livestock?


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[twitchy]

Currently (in 40B) I have:
Wheelers goby
Pistol shrimp
Osc clown

Hope to add:
Another clown
Skunk Cleaner shrimp
Porcelain or pompom crab

Not sure about adding another clown, any suggestions on stocking? I kinda want a flasher wrasse but tank seems a little small

 

[ahuaia]

If you add another clown make sure it is a small juvenile so it won't be a sex yet your clown is female​ if it's the only one in the tank so making sure you get a mail is important clowns have three stages no sex mail femail so get one under an inch that should guarantee it's a no sex then it should work out not the most ideal method but it should work.

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[twitchy]

I'm going to have to wait a little for my clown to turn female, he was the male with my female who was my first fish and I've had for 5 years and 3 moves... She passed 2 weeks ago for an unknown reason, params were fine, no new fish, coral, or rock added to the tank in close to a year. She was an adult when I got her so I don't know how old she actually was. Does anyone know how long I'd have to wait to make sure he turns to she do I could add a young one?

 

[twitchy]

Designed and printed a filter floss holder for the overflow, printed out of ABS plastic. If anyone wants the design I can post it on thingiverse. First prototype so it might have to be tweaked some once I get the tank running and see how it works.

 

[serenity]

Looks great, I love my 25 Lagoon, I think you will too!

What is your lighting going to be? How about inflow pump?

I will tell you now, replace the pump it comes with, not enough flow. What skimmer are you going with? I went with the Ghost despite all of the bad reviews, I love it, the pump was annoying, so I wedged in some floss between the plastic that was making the noise, I am actually surprised how good this skimmer is.

 

[twitchy]

So far I love the tank, looks so clean.
I have not decided on lighting yet, I have a 300W Mars aqua eBay led on my 40B and it's way too big for the tank. Was thinking about getting an AI prime. What are you running?

I was planning on not running a skimmer, at least in the beginning. I ran a skimmer on my 20L for a while and ended up ditching it for weekly water changes. Once I get more bioload I may.
How much does it pull out a week? And what kind of stocking list do you have?

 

[serenity]

So far I love the tank, looks so clean.
I have not decided on lighting yet, I have a 300W Mars aqua eBay led on my 40B and it's way too big for the tank. Was thinking about getting an AI prime. What are you running?

I was planning on not running a skimmer, at least in the beginning. I ran a skimmer on my 20L for a while and ended up ditching it for weekly water changes. Once I get more bioload I may.
How much does it pull out a week? And what kind of stocking list do you have?

I agree 1000%, they look so clean, I love mine!!

I am running a single AI 26HD (will be adding a 2nd). I love the light, the prime will not be enough IMO, you will have shadows for sure, maybe a pair of them would be ok.

I dump the cup with thick brown crap 2 times a week. I only have 2 clowns in there now, I will be adding a couple fish this weekend, just not 100% sure what I am going to do, right before I got this one cycled, my Hawk decided to jump across the table I had my 20L on holding these 3 fish. I took down my 60 cube and kept those 3 fish.

I have a huge pack of inverts waiting for me to get home today from Reef Cleaners, so I am excited for that! They will help with the algae I have forming.

I have 30 pounds of sand and about 25 pounds of live rock in 2 rocks.

I was going to do this one on the cheap, but I just couldn't do it lol, I had to get an Apex Jr., then a EB8 b/c I need more outlets lol, then that turned into me finding an Apex Gold brain for sale on here, so then I got a WXM for my single MP10wQD (adding a 2nd), then why not add a Lunar module, then why not just use the Apex for ATO so I had to get a Break Out Box, hahaha, this hobby never ends. I have about $2000 in this stupid 25 gallon tank or more lol.

I will take a pic of it tonight for you, assuming you would like to see it haha.

 

[twitchy]

I agree 1000%, they look so clean, I love mine!!

I am running a single AI 26HD (will be adding a 2nd). I love the light, the prime will not be enough IMO, you will have shadows for sure, maybe a pair of them would be ok.

I dump the cup with thick brown crap 2 times a week. I only have 2 clowns in there now, I will be adding a couple fish this weekend, just not 100% sure what I am going to do, right before I got this one cycled, my Hawk decided to jump across the table I had my 20L on holding these 3 fish. I took down my 60 cube and kept those 3 fish.

I have a huge pack of inverts waiting for me to get home today from Reef Cleaners, so I am excited for that! They will help with the algae I have forming.

I have 30 pounds of sand and about 25 pounds of live rock in 2 rocks.

I was going to do this one on the cheap, but I just couldn't do it lol, I had to get an Apex Jr., then a EB8 b/c I need more outlets lol, then that turned into me finding an Apex Gold brain for sale on here, so then I got a WXM for my single MP10wQD (adding a 2nd), then why not add a Lunar module, then why not just use the Apex for ATO so I had to get a Break Out Box, hahaha, this hobby never ends. I have about $2000 in this stupid 25 gallon tank or more lol.

I will take a pic of it tonight for you, assuming you would like to see it haha.

Let's see the tank
Was one AI 26 not enough light or is it a shadowing/spread issue?
I was worried about the prime not being enough light, but I love the features and price point.
Going to get it filled and add some l sand and LR tonight, and hopefully finish my ATO. Still don't have a container how much fw do you go through a week?

 

[serenity]

Let's see the tank ��
Was one AI 26 not enough light or is it a shadowing/spread issue?
I was worried about the prime not being enough light, but I love the features and price point.
Going to get it filled and add some l sand and LR tonight, and hopefully finish my ATO. Still don't have a container how much fw do you go through a week?

I will get you a few pics up tonight!

I don't feel like 1 AI26HD is enough, I have some bad shadows so I am going to run them next to each other and lower the watts.

I think for sure 2 Prime's at a minimum will be needed.

This thing just doesn't seem to lose water lol. I setup 5 gallons last Sunday, left for Las Vegas Monday am, back home Thursday, a week later I still have 2.5 gallons left in the container. I actually had a 55 gallon ATO container built for my 500 that will be coming in Feb 17, and was going to use that for now, but no way, the water will become stagnant before I can use it IMO. I can always toss a pump and heater in there, but that seems like a waste of electricity, so I am going to take that container and put a max of 10 gallons in it.

I have a custom acrylic top being made for it, should be here in 6 weeks.

 

[twitchy]

That's good to hear with the fresh water resivor, I was hoping I could get away with a 5 gal bucket. How do you like the user interface and customization options with the 26?

Who did you get your top from? I have a BRS diy screen top on the 40B and I was planning on using it on the lagoon 25, but it looks so good open top... Tempted to leave it

 

[twitchy]

Finally got some water in it

 

[serenity]

IM Lagoon 25 build

That's good to hear with the fresh water resivor, I was hoping I could get away with a 5 gal bucket. How do you like the user interface and customization options with the 26?

Who did you get your top from? I have a BRS diy screen top on the 40B and I was planning on using it on the lagoon 25, but it looks so good open top... Tempted to leave it

For the lid I'm using octoaquatics.com he said he was the first to do it so what they heck lol. I looked at artfully acrylic too. All about the $160 range. Seems like a lot for a lid, but I lost a $50 fish so lesson learned.

My ATO is currently a Tunze nano, but that will be replaced Saturday using my Apex. Going to hook up the Tunze on my daughters 32 cube.

I've used all of the LED's out there most recently the Gen 4 Pro and it was nice. But bang for the buck I'm impressed with the AI 26HD. I was going to go with the 52HD but you get more watts (like I need them lol) with 2 26's. So I wanted to try 1 at first, and I tried to convince myself 1 was enough but my 10 yr old walked up to the tank and immediate said why is there a shadow in the back, what's back there [emoji24].

I agree 1000%, it looks so awesome with no lid but I want a wrasse so I have to have a lid. Plus I have a 2 yr old who likes to put her fingers in the tank lol. Daddy, touch fish. She asks that about elevendy hundred times a day haha.

Here is the skimmer. I dumped it Saturday and came home to this tonight. (Dumped in a huge pack of inverts that came today sorry it's cloudy)

This was 100% full almost 2 weeks ago

I traded offices with my kids play room and my office (thank you wife), can't find my gel filters. I'll find and get a shot not so blue.

Custom 55 gallon ato

Temp holder. Going to have GEO build me a custom Apex holder for my storage hood thing from ikea

Too lazy to hook this up. Tomorrow I guess.

Didn't mean to hijack your thread with my pics. But I wanted you to see. There were only a couple threads I could find with this tank with little to no pics.


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[serenity]

Finally got some water in it

Looks so good with no lid.


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[twitchy]

For the lid I'm using octoaquatics.com he said he was the first to do it so what they heck lol. I looked at artfully acrylic too. All about the $160 range. Seems like a lot for a lid, but I lost a $50 fish so lesson learned.

My ATO is currently a Tunze nano, but that will be replaced Saturday using my Apex. Going to hook up the Tunze on my daughters 32 cube.

I've used all of the LED's out there most recently the Gen 4 Pro and it was nice. But bang for the buck I'm impressed with the AI 26HD. I was going to go with the 52HD but you get more watts (like I need them lol) with 2 26's. So I wanted to try 1 at first, and I tried to convince myself 1 was enough but my 10 yr old walked up to the tank and immediate said why is there a shadow in the back, what's back there [emoji24].

I agree 1000%, it looks so awesome with no lid but I want a wrasse so I have to have a lid. Plus I have a 2 yr old who likes to put her fingers in the tank lol. Daddy, touch fish. She asks that about elevendy hundred times a day haha.

Here is the skimmer. I dumped it Saturday and came home to this tonight. (Dumped in a huge pack of inverts that came today sorry it's cloudy)

This was 100% full almost 2 weeks ago

I traded offices with my kids play room and my office (thank you wife), can't find my gel filters. I'll find and get a shot not so blue.

Custom 55 gallon ato

Temp holder. Going to have GEO build me a custom Apex holder for my storage hood thing from ikea

Too lazy to hook this up. Tomorrow I guess.

Didn't mean to hijack your thread with my pics. But I wanted you to see. There were only a couple threads I could find with this tank with little to no pics.


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All good with the pics, looking great, I've never had a reef controller, but one day I might. Being able to check on things over internet if I'm out of town would be so nice.
I would be interested in seeing your lid when it comes in, if you remember snap a pic and share... In another 6 weeks I'll be sick of the ugly one and I want a wrasse too haha

How high is your 26 off the water?

 

[twitchy]

And a little sand and live rock, the stock pump sucks. Too loud to be putting out so little flow... New pump might beat out lighting as my first upgrade

Also thinking about black sand, I've never run black sand, but I think it'd look really good on this tank with the black silicon.
Anyone have black sand with a IM fusion?

 

[twitchy]

I've been working on the ATO, finished wiring the control box and printed the float sensor bracket. The switch on the control box controls which of the 2 outlets will receive power. So I can have one outlet connected to my ATO pump, and when I do water changes I can have one outlet go to a pump for salt water.

Bracket holds 2 float sensors, the bottom one controls the pump, and the top one is an emergency shut off that cuts power to the outlets and sounds an alarm.

The control box also has an expandable third float sensor that can be put in the ATO bucket to prevent the pump from running dry.

 

[serenity]

That looks awesome! You should print me one

 

[twitchy]

That looks awesome! You should print me one

I can post the file or if you're ever near the space coast hit me up