Nuvo Fusion 20l late build thread

[Bkcoogler]

So after being a voyeur for a few months I'm starting a thread about my Nuvo Fusion 20l tank that's been running for about 6 weeks now.

I've decided to run it skimmerless, relying on a biological filter; including live rock, live sand, chaeto and a kick *** cleaner crew. I replaced the sky lights from innovative marine with an AI Prime.

As of now this is what resides:

- 25lbs of live rock
- 3lbs rubble rock in refuge
- chaeto with led light in refuge
- 20lbs of Indo-Pacific live sand

- 3 nassarius snails
- 3 blue leg hermits
- 4 small turbo snails
- 5 astrea snails
- 1 tiger conch

- small cleaner shrimp
- small six line wrasse

(Coral frags)
- frogspawn
- kenya tree
- duncan
- nuclear green zoanthid
- green toadstool leather


*Pictures to follow*

 

[Bkcoogler]

Tank with ramp down lighting.

Cleaner shrimp and frags.

Refuge with rubble rock and chaeto.

 

[Mikilios]

We need pics!

 

[Bkcoogler]

Full tank with lights during ramp down.

Cleaner shrimp and frags.

Refuge with rubble rock and chaeto.

 

[Bkcoogler]

I'm having trouble uploading hosted photos. Until then I'll post this one of my tank during ramp down lighting.

 

[Bkcoogler]

I didn't mention that before adding the coral I was using a salt premix from my LFS but I switched to Red Sea Coral Pro. The salinity was WAY off from what their suggested measurements so it took me a day or so to get everything lined out. On Monday we added the green toadstool leather coral and the nuclear green zoanthid. The green toadstool leather immediately took to it's new home while the zoa took some time.

This morning we woke up to find the zoa fully extended and beautiful. Here's a picture of it and my duncan.

 

[Bkcoogler]

The last two days have been hectic with my little tank. Two weeks ago I ordered a pair of Premium Picasso Clownfish and an Electric Blue Hermit through Live Aquaria. Because of my work schedule I requested Saturday delivery. Last week I was told because of the weather they were being held... So I requested for them to be delivered this Saturday instead. Fast forward to yesterday, I received the hermit and today I received the clowns. I rushed home early from work both days to take care of the little guys.

Now, I knew we were running a risk based on what I've read by introducing the clowns after the six line wrasse. This was the reason we were hoping to have them in last week (giving the six line less time to feel like he owned the tank). Well our fears came true today when my boyfriend placed the clowns in the tank; the six line went into beast mode. He darted and charged at the clowns every opportunity he got. My bf rearranged the live rock three times, each time the wrasse would retreat, hide and this behavior would last only for a couple of minutes before he'd go into attack mode again. It was obviously not going to work. We needed to act quick or we were going to lose our new prize pair of clownfish. The wrasse was caught, our LFS said they'd trade him for a more suitable tank mate and so ended up getting a Tailspot Blenny.

The clownfish look fine, they're huddled in a corner of the tank. (I assume they'll become more comfortable with time). The Tailspot immediately hid and I haven't seen him since.

 

[Bkcoogler]

 

[Bkcoogler]

More pictures of my current inhabitants.

 

[Bkcoogler]

Today we checked out a local coral shop where they were having a food demonstration; it was being put together by a aquarists group here. In addition to the demonstration they had a sale on all their corals. We picked up another zoa, an acan and a birdsnest.

I've read that birdsnest are considered an easier SPS, does anyone have any experience with them? Any tips?

I'll get some more pics added soon. Also, we finally spotted our tailspot blenny for the first time since he was introduced on Friday. Glad to see the little guy is getting a little more comfortable.

 

[Bkcoogler]

The new coral additions seem to be working out just fine, it's come time that I'm going to need to epoxy some of the frags to the live rock. My CUC knocks a few of them over from time to time, especially my electric blue hermit. Any recommendations on a reef/fish safe epoxy?

Also, our Picasso Clowns continue to hug the waterline in the top right, we've been hand feeding them with a dropper... Hoping to get them a bit more comfortable in the tank.

 

[ToadSprocket]

About ready to start with a similar setup to yours, waiting on tank delivery. Is your fuge external or the back chamber? What's your water change schedule and how are your Params holding up? Looking good !

 

[Bkcoogler]

The refugium is setup in the back of the tank, I bought a submersible led that I keep running all the time. Since then my chaeto has doubled in size...I also have a healthy supply of pods.

I saw you ask on another thread if anyone has had success with SPS. I added a birdsnest a couple of weeks ago and it seems to be doing very well. As for my parameters, I've been incredibly lucky... The only small spike I had was in Nitrates...they've been sitting around 20ppm for the last week. I generally do a 25% water change weekly.

 

[ReefWreak]

Glad to hear your birdsnest is doing well. Birdsnest (S. Hystrix), most montiporas, pocillaporas, and stylophoras are pretty easy to keep, and they'll teach you about lighting, flow, and nutrient load through their coloration.

Too brown? low light or high nutrients. light/white color? too much light or not enough nutrients. No growth, calcium/alkalinity too low. Burnt tips? cal/alk too high. They're actually pretty simple to take care of once you get the hang of it.

Ideally get a piece that has been doing well from someone else, start it at the bottom of your tank to not burn it with your lights OR when you add it to your tank turn your lights down low and then raise the intensity up week by week.

Good that your chaeto is doing well, that's a good sign that your nitrates are being taken up, and when you trim down the chaeto, that's all nitrates and phosphates that are going in the garbage can. Pods are always good to have too.

How are you liking the AI prime? I've been recommending it to a few people, but rarely has anyone reported back with results (or purchased it to my knowledge). Good software? Looks good? Easy to use and set up timers and stuff?

 

[ToadSprocket]

Glad to hear the birdsnest is doing well under the prime. Not seeing a lot of feedback on the light or any long term growth results, as reef wreak mentioned. Mine is backordered but I'll get a thread going in the next couple weeks to track my progress.

If you don't mind me asking which fuge led did you go with? Saw many of them mentioned but nothing submersible that people are happy with.

 

[MakomekTVN]

I think you can get away with the birdnest with AI prime. I have AI prime on a 20g Nuvo that I tored the back chamber out and made a sump on the bottom. I was gonna get 1 more prime but ending up adding 2 t-5. One Prime is not strong for sps.

 

[Bkcoogler]

I disagree that the AI Prime isn't strong enough, my settings are turned way down. I think I consistently run at around 20%. As for growth results, I'll see if I can do some side by side comparison of how much growth I've gotten. My frogspawn, fuzzy mushroom and duncan have more than doubled in size.

Also, this week I swapped out the stock media basket for the upgraded one from IM with some filter floss in it. We also added a blue spot jawfish yesterday who seems to be very very happy.

 

[Bkcoogler]

ReefWreak I have nothing negative to say about the prime. The software, the build quality and the performance are all very good. I really like being able to set a program easily from my phone/iPad.

 

[ReefWreak]

ReefWreak I have nothing negative to say about the prime. The software, the build quality and the performance are all very good. I really like being able to set a program easily from my phone/iPad.

Thanks for letting me know. Now the only question is long term growth/coloration, but time will tell. I imagine that the guys at AI knew what they were doing, and I've seen some beautiful setups with AI Hydra 52s and 26s, so I'm sure the prime will be great as well.

Glad to hear the software is good. I was pleasently surprised seeing someone locally with an AP700 over his tank and seeing how nice the kessil (and apex as well) app was.

 

[Bkcoogler]

I'm doing a water change tonight, I'll see about getting some photos or a video to show how everything is looking tomorrow. We love the prime enough that we are going to buy a second one for our 10 gallon Nuvo that's sitting, waiting to be setup.