Owners Thread: Innovative Marine Fusion 40

[Mrs Fish]

Hoping to get the tank wet today

Hoping to get the tank wet today

Back from my trip to Arizona, and today is the day the tank will get wet ! Couple of questions ...

1. I think I read that I should not run my skimmer right away - is that right? Also not sure if I should also run ChemiPure and Carbon too - even though this is my 3rd time doing this ... apparently I am still confused !

2. When preparing the initial fill water, did you heat it up before putting it in the tank with the LR and LS ? I have 5g buckets and a separate heater - happy to create and mix water and warm it up bit by bit over the day ... but just wondering what others did. I admit I'm contemplating running up to Petco to get a few boxes of ready mixed :}

3. I have Chemi Pure Elite and carbon infused Eheim blocks (and filter floss) ... again, not sure whether to run these from the beginning or not - thoughts? I have two IM Caddy's - was thinking of putting rubble LR in one and the Carbon / Chemi pure / floss in the other ... but would love some suggestions / ideas of what others are using.

4. I'm thinking of modifying my Aquamaxx Hob-1 so that it doesn't draw from the same section as it return to (seems like it might be recycling skim water partly).

Right now, look at the tank straight on, I have: LEFT 1: caddy (ChemiPure, Carbon, floss), LEFT 2: Aquamaxx hob-1 skimmer, CENTER: Radion 15w mount, heater & probe, RIGHT 2: secondry heater probe (otherwise empty), RIGHT 1: Caddy (empty right now!).

Thank you so much ... lovely this group!

Sue
(Mrs Fish)

 

[Reduck]

You don't need to run anything while you are cycling. Water can heat in tank. Unless it's freezing cold it'll be fine. Even the skimmer can be off for the first few weeks.
Just let the cycle run it's course. Towards the end when you are seeing nitrate, then install the cpe and other filtration. Skimmer return should probably be in the center chamber. If you can get it to fit.
Good luck with the startup!

 

[Reduck]

Oh and go with the lr rubble right away so it gets growing bacteria. It can run in any chamber you can get it in.

 

[Mrs Fish]

I'm going to be adding bio-spira to speed up the cycle - picking up large pieces of LR and the rubble today ... I have the live sand already, so I'll be filling it half full and then heading to my LFS to pick up the LR and complete the setup.

When did you add a couple of fish to get everything going?

(Sorry for all the questions !!)

 

[choss]

Tunze 9004

Tunze 9004

Quick question - for those of you running the Tunze 9004, I'm planning on mounting it in the left chamber (when facing the tank). For those of you running in outer chamber, did you remove the small acrylic ledge for the media baskets? I'm about to cut it loose but want to make sure there isn't some way to mount the skimmer and keep it in there. Thanks!

 

[bizacon]

I'm going to be adding bio-spira to speed up the cycle - picking up large pieces of LR and the rubble today ... I have the live sand already, so I'll be filling it half full and then heading to my LFS to pick up the LR and complete the setup.

When did you add a couple of fish to get everything going?

(Sorry for all the questions !!)

Add a clean up crew (cuc) once the system is complete... people use to add fish to help the cycle, but really its more humane to do the bacterial and wait it out while everything goes to work.

Just depends on how fast your tank cycles, but on average like 4 weeks

 

[Reduck]

I'm going to be adding bio-spira to speed up the cycle - picking up large pieces of LR and the rubble today ... I have the live sand already, so I'll be filling it half full and then heading to my LFS to pick up the LR and complete the setup.

When did you add a couple of fish to get everything going?

(Sorry for all the questions !!)

Yes, what biz said. Please wait for the cycle to complete before adding any other life. First life will probably be clean up crew. When you are cycled to zero ammonia and nitrates. It's going to be about a month, even with the live culture assist. Be prepared to do a wc at least twice during this time. Check parameters once a week.
Ready, set, cycle!

 

[OsiViper]

Well, need to tweak the Temperature probe size a tad bit but it works..

 

[Reduck]

Well, need to tweak the Temperature probe size a tad bit but it works..

Wow. Can't belive you got it in there? That's a small opening!

 

[OsiViper]

It fits really easy when you design it to fit in the tiny spot with the reactor.

 

[OsiViper]

It fits really easy when you design it to fit in the tiny spot with the reactor.

After about 5 attempts that is..

 

[vlapinta]

I bet that is what it is... the rock. I guarantee the lfs was not cooking it for 8 months. That can be a real PITA. I would just follow the regiment that Reduck, slowly but surely it will go away.

I agree bizacon. It has to be the rock! It has been a pita but I am determined to win this battle lol!! I just bought the media reactor and the phosban.
Thanks for the help again!

 

[bizacon]

I agree bizacon. It has to be the rock! It has been a pita but I am determined to win this battle lol!! I just bought the media reactor and the phosban.
Thanks for the help again!

Make sure you get a few bottles of wine. I would recommend red

 

[Reduck]

After about 5 attempts that is..

Practice makes perfect. Or something like that...

 

[Reduck]

Make sure you get a few bottles of wine. I would recommend red

Grey Goose. Much better. You can dose with it too...

 

[Reduck]

I agree bizacon. It has to be the rock! It has been a pita but I am determined to win this battle lol!! I just bought the media reactor and the phosban.
Thanks for the help again!

Don't wait for it to arrive to start the battle. Do your big wc ASAP to get the nitrates down. It will help starve the algae...

 

[bizacon]

The garden continues to grow. The hammer on the right is a pink and almost black...looks killer at night.

 

[Reduck]

The garden continues to grow. The hammer on the right is a pink and almost black...looks killer at night.

They're beautiful! Nice layout. I love hammers. I think they are underrated. They flow so nice. If I didn't have so many other corals on the sand bed...I'd do the same thing..

Got my ato tank today. Fits well and the dosing container fits in front of it. 5g should last me about a week....now the bottom right of the stand is full. And it's still neat. Top right is holding almost nothing. Left side OTOH, let's put it this way. I was going to neaten the rats nest up when I installed the qd drivers....was being the key word...maybe when the new radion gets here...maybe..

 

[OsiViper]

Something appears to be ticking the right branch of my candy cane off.

 

[bizacon]

Something appears to be ticking the right branch of my candy cane off.

It looks like both or is it the camera angle? Looks like they both are melting..