My first salt water reef tank experience: 38 gal Innovative Marine

Your tank is coming along nicely.Thanks for the video. I have been following this thread because I have almost the exact same setup. I just put the live rock and water in yesterday, so I am just getting underway. Any tips for a fellow 38 owner? Thanks.
 
rvlcf said:
Your tank is coming along nicely.Thanks for the video. I have been following this thread because I have almost the exact same setup. I just put the live rock and water in yesterday, so I am just getting underway. Any tips for a fellow 38 owner? Thanks.
Click to expand...

Ditto.

Interesting to know that someone else was doing the same exact thing as me yesterday.

my build thread
 
rvlcf said:
Your tank is coming along nicely.Thanks for the video. I have been following this thread because I have almost the exact same setup. I just put the live rock and water in yesterday, so I am just getting underway. Any tips for a fellow 38 owner? Thanks.
Click to expand...

Thank you and your welcome.

I ditched the glass cover and made a screen top with the DIY Aquarium Screen Top Kits - 1⁄4" Netting. I only got the 1/4" screen from bulk reef. I got all the other stuff at Home Depot, save some money on shipping and buy local. I made the top so it sets inside the tank. The top rest on the plastic clips that would hold the glass top. The glass top may help cut down on evaporation, but in the long run it was going to hold in to much heat.

Dump the cheap media baskets and buy the Innovative Marine 30 & 38 Value Deal. I only got the refugium basket but if you want to run media get both. My water parameters have been great with just LR and the refugium. I religiously do my weekly 10-15% water changes I believe this to be a very important step in maintaining the water parameters.

If you are going to buy an ATO and you go with Tunze get the nano version. The 3155 is to big for the tank. When I feed the tank I turn off the ATO. I don't like to listen to the high water alarm. When the ATO turns back on it dumps water in to the tank as part of its self check on start up. If I turn the ATO on and off more than 2 times in a day. I get the high water level alarm. It's not that big of a deal its just some thing to work around.

The only other thing I can say is go slow.

Siapin said:
Ditto.

Interesting to know that someone else was doing the same exact thing as me yesterday.

my build thread
Click to expand...

I will take a look thanks for the link.

Andy
 
Jack. I just got excited that someone is doing the same exact thing add me, pretty cool. Keep the posts coming.
 
apw63 said:
Dump the cheap media baskets and buy the Innovative Marine 30 & 38 Value Deal. I only got the refugium basket but if you want to run media get both.
Andy
Click to expand...

How would you keep gfo or carbon from going thru the holes? I've been considering the IM reactor, but this idea looks interesting.

BTW I'm going with the og Tunze Osmolator for two reasons: kalk chamber, and I already had the equipment from before, so I'll just suffer the drawbacks.
 
Siapin said:
How would you keep gfo or carbon from going thru the holes? I've been considering the IM reactor, but this idea looks interesting.

BTW I'm going with the og Tunze Osmolator for two reasons: kalk chamber, and I already had the equipment from before, so I'll just suffer the drawbacks.
Click to expand...

If you use the media basket you would need to put the bulk media in to bags, or buy bagged media. If you look on InTank's website there are some picture showing configurations.

If you already got it, it would not be worth buying the nano.

Andy
 
I have the 30g IM setup and I am wondering where in your tanks are you putting your float valves? The chamber where my return pump is located is so much lower than the two other media and two overflow chambers are. I just added the IM skimmer to my system over the weekend.
 
apw63 said:
Thank you and your welcome.

I ditched the glass cover and made a screen top with the DIY Aquarium Screen Top Kits - 1⁄4" Netting. I only got the 1/4" screen from bulk reef. I got all the other stuff at Home Depot, save some money on shipping and buy local. I made the top so it sets inside the tank. The top rest on the plastic clips that would hold the glass top. The glass top may help cut down on evaporation, but in the long run it was going to hold in to much heat.

Dump the cheap media baskets and buy the Innovative Marine 30 & 38 Value Deal. I only got the refugium basket but if you want to run media get both. My water parameters have been great with just LR and the refugium. I religiously do my weekly 10-15% water changes I believe this to be a very important step in maintaining the water parameters.

If you are going to buy an ATO and you go with Tunze get the nano version. The 3155 is to big for the tank. When I feed the tank I turn off the ATO. I don't like to listen to the high water alarm. When the ATO turns back on it dumps water in to the tank as part of its self check on start up. If I turn the ATO on and off more than 2 times in a day. I get the high water level alarm. It's not that big of a deal its just some thing to work around.

The only other thing I can say is go slow.

Thanks for the suggestions. the IM baskets are terrible. I'm sure I will grab the better ones. Was the peppermint just a molt, or is it toast?
Click to expand...
 
Apw63
Thanks for the suggestions. the IM baskets are terrible. I'm sure I will grab the better ones. Was the peppermint just a molt, or is it toast?
 
Fightingirish said:
I have the 30g IM setup and I am wondering where in your tanks are you putting your float valves? The chamber where my return pump is located is so much lower than the two other media and two overflow chambers are. I just added the IM skimmer to my system over the weekend.
Click to expand...

If you are asking about my ATO here's a picture to show location. You can also see my pH & temp probes in the second chamber. You can keep the level in the return where ever you like, so long as its below the second chamber lip. You can see the level I keep mine at. How is the IM skimmer working out for you?

Float-Switch-04_02_13-17_zps0eb04be0.jpg


rvlcf said:
Apw63
Thanks for the suggestions. the IM baskets are terrible. I'm sure I will grab the better ones. Was the peppermint just a molt, or is it toast?
Click to expand...

No problem happy to help. The shrimp is a goner. I seen his parts come out of the VorTech. He got cuisinarted.

Andy
 
Skimmer is still breaking in. It's pulling some stuff so far but have heard it coul take 6-10 days to really start pulling good skim. Thanks for the photo. I need to set up my reactor and a ATO.
 
apw63 said:
If you are asking about my ATO here's a picture to show location. You can also see my pH & temp probes in the second chamber. You can keep the level in the return where ever you like, so long as its below the second chamber lip. You can see the level I keep mine at.
Click to expand...

I haven't set mine up yet, but that's exactly where I'm planning to set mine up at.
 
Thanks guys for the thread. I am new to the hobby and haven't purchased anything yet. I have been looking at setting my tank up the exact same way. But I am so cheap I have been waiting for stuff on go on sale. I hate paying retail but these items don't seem to ever go on sale. I am learning quickly that this hobby is going to be costly. But that is deterring me yet. Of course the wife doesn't know yet how much all of this is going to be. Thanks again and keep the posts coming.
 
I would highly recommend moving the GSP. I had it as my first coral and now it covers a lot of my tank. It spreads really fast. I would isolate it onto an island or rock so you can keep it trimmed back. Another cool idea is to let it grow up the glass. Great build!
 
Shaun v said:
I would highly recommend moving the GSP. I had it as my first coral and now it covers a lot of my tank. It spreads really fast. I would isolate it onto an island or rock so you can keep it trimmed back. Another cool idea is to let it grow up the glass. Great build!
Click to expand...

Thank you for the advice in the GSP. I have it isolated away from all the other rock. I have heard that if not watched they will take over. Thank for the pat on the back, I really appreciate it.

Andy
 
I am about to order everything as soon as I get some love from any retailer (not successful yet). Are you happy with everything you purchased so far? Wish you had done anything different?
 
I think a PW 63 and me are on to something. the only difference him and I have is that I have the pro version of the radion. and I'm glad I got that upgrade. my only issue is the summer Sabal Refugio am like that I have, and the jury is still out on that one. other than that, I would change nothing.
 
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