Jumping back in. Need some advice

[btmedic04]

Hey folks. I'm getting back in to reefing after 3 years, a house, a car, 3x cast iron skillets and an ex wife later and would like some opinions on my equipment selection. I have parts from the 55 gallon I was setting up before life intervened, however I now live in an apartment and don't have the space for it or the 55 gallon brute can for making water. Ive decided on a nano tank and will run my RO/DI when required by hooking it up to my bathroom sink and filling 5 gallon buckets in my bath tub. With that in mind, I've decided to sell off the parts to that system (watch the FS/T forum) for the following:

Innovative Marine Nuvo 20
Sicce Syncra Silent 1.0 to upgrade the return pump
Eshopps Nano Protein Skimmer
Innovative Marine MiniMax Desktop AIO Media Reactor
Cobalt Neo-Therm 75w Heater
Ecotech Vortech MP10QD
Aqua Illumination Prime HD LED Light with Prime LED tank mount
Icecap ATO

Hardware wise, how are these choices? The rest of the set up in my mind is as follows:
20-25lbs BRS reef saver rock
15-20lbs Caribsea special grade sand
BRS high capacity bulk GFO for the media reactor
BRS bulk premium rox 0.8 carbon for the media reactor (if too small for the reactor, then it will go in a mesh media bag)

Eventual upgrades:
Apex controller (will the nano be enough, or do I go for the full deal?)
2nd MP10QD if I need more flow

Goals

My last tank (a 20 gallon tall) was a strictly softie set up. This time around, I'd like to try my hand at LPS and possibly a few easier SPS Corals. I also enjoy zoas and will have a zoa island. As far as stocking goes, Im thinking 2 clowns, a tailspot blenny, and a preferably a yasha goby and pistol shrimp pair. Cuc will consist of 2-3 of each nerite, nassarius, and cerith snails and possibly an emerald crab or a couple of hermits for their antics. With the above listed equipment and targeted coral types, will this be too big of a bioload or will this be ok?

Thanks for your help folks!

 

[thegrun]

Looks good. I don't see you needing a second MP-10, one will give you all the flow you need in a 20. The bio-load will be fine provided you keep up on the water changes. Initially I don't see a need for GFO, but maybe down the line. I would not add the Emerald Crab, they get too big for a 20 gallon system and the tank dosen't have enough room for the fish to hide from it at night.

 

[Uncle99]

I would not add the Emerald Crab.

+1.....yup...good advice

 

[btmedic04]

roger that, ill pass on the emerald and stick to 4 trochus snails, 4 nassarius, 4 ceriths and maybe a couple of dwarf hermits with a small collection of shells for them to upgrade into.


I ordered the tank, stand, sicce 1.0, eshopps nano skimmer, neotherm heater and im destop media reactor over the weekend. it all shall be arriving throughout the week

 

[Fish559]

I have this same tank. I love it. It's been up more than a year - it's amazing.

You absolutely 100% must buy the InTank media baskets. They are awesome. I run chemipure blue in one, some marine pure balls in the other. Filter floss on top. Works great.

I have the same heater. It's perfect for the tank. I use the Tunze nano ATO, and the Reef Glass skimmer. Also works great.

I tried a Sicce pump. Super loud. I went with an Eheim pump. It's been great.

Get the Radion XR15. Just do it. They're the best lights. I've tried lots of lights. These are the best. The RMS mount arm is perfect for the IM Nuvo 20.

And one MP10 is more than enough. I run mine about 60% on Reef Crest - works perfect.

There you go. These tanks are so nice. You won't be sorry! Good luck!

And as for bioload - dose some NoPox and you'll be fine. I have 6 fish in mine!

 

[btmedic04]

Awesome thanks Fish559. Hopefully the sicce pump I got is quiet, otherwise ill return it for the eheim. From what I've heard, sicce's are generally quiet but we shall see. I contemplated a reef glass skimmer, however I have a 6 month old kitten that likes to pull things down to him to investigate since he cant jump (he has CH) and didn't like the idea of him pulling the drain out of the collection container. The eshopps nano fits in the second chamber. I'd love a radion xr15 pro, but it and the mount is an additional $350 over the cost of the ai prime hd plus mount. My plan is to upgrade it later on down the road and use the prime on a future frag tank. Ive been looking at the IM frag tank for that purpose since I don't foresee massive frag production. Thank you for your settings on your MP10. I wasn't too sure how low or high to run it without blowing my sand all over the place. I had been debating on a jebao/coralbox but in the end, the smaller footprint won me over. What fish do you have in yours and how much nopox are you dosing?