Starting up a new IM Nano 10

10GNano4Me

New member
Hello to all and I hope this is the correct place to post. Starting over due to losing that last tank in the divorce. Long story for another day. Got bite by the bug again after helping my sister with her Coralife 29, 30...? Anyway I decided to start looking again for a small tank for therapy.
After researching and poking around I started my wish list. IM Fusion Nano 10, with the A1 Prime for lighting. I want to run blue floss, Purigen, and a bag of Chemi Pure Blue in an InTank Media Rack. I also plan on a Tunze 6040 Nanostream with the controller in order to get the desired flow.
I found a stand at my LFS and the Nano will fit perfectly. I decided that the aquascape in this tank would need some extra attention. I cut a piece of cardboard to keep with in the limit of a magnet. After looking at the live rock at the all the local sellers, I wanted to do something different. I had a lot of dead coral from my first and second tanks, a tall 30 and 55 saltwater fish only.
So after picking through some of it today, I picked out enough pieces to make something a little different. It is soaking in a bleach bath with a powerhead to keep it stirred up. My plan is to build it on the cardboard, using 2 part epoxy (Milliput), let it dry, then seed it and let it cook until I obtain the tank.
Hope to get some photos posted of the aquascape as I start on this adventure. I hope to meet some fine folks here, the last place I had dealing with were not very friendly. Hope my luck changes her.
Have a great day!
 
Aquascaping for my 10G

Aquascaping for my 10G

I thought I might add these shots of my aquascaping attempt for my upcoming build.
This is the view I have planned from the front.

This would be the right side view.


Left side view.


Hoping to get started with seeding it sometime this week. Thanks for looking in.
 
Welcome to Reef Central. I hope you get everything going like you expect to and enjoy your new venture. There are a lot of guys here that can help with questions you may have. Will be looking for the pics...
 
Thanks for the welcome and I'm sure a question will come up from time to time. It has been about 3 years since I lost my tank, so this is going to be my welcome back tank.
 
Tank has been ordered....

Tank has been ordered....

Only Christmas in February for me. Sent in a mass order yesterday, so things should start arriving by next week. I'm shooting for a tank build a week from tomorrow, barring bad weather and no broken pieces during shipping. I am still going to get that piece of aquascaped coral cooking in a 5 gal bucket with a bag of seeded rubble from the LFS. Pick up some RSCP water and some RO/DI for the top off water and we should have some build photo by next Saturday. Ya'll have a good day!
 
Water in the Cube!!!

Water in the Cube!!!

Most of my equipment arrived this past Monday and Tues. Getting everything put together, logging water parameters, and now time to sit back for a few moments to admire your efforts.
It has been a busy week, but I wanted to share and maybe get in with the community here and learn a little more.
Today is day 6 into my new adventure and having been out of the hobby, I've had a couple of scares so far. Made me wish I had made a checklist. I checked my salinity for the first time using a new Red Sea Refractometer and seeing LFS water reading 1.030 will make you wonder, WHAT? A few drops of RO/DI, and reading the instructions on how to calibrate, I was back in business.

LESSONS LEARNED !!!
Calibrate your refractometer or at least check it so you don't give yourself a coronary.


If you are cycling your tank without live rock and that NH3/NH4 skyrockets to a color that you didn't think you would see, don't concern yourself to much until after that first water change with the pH. I should have researched a little more I guess. My eyes aren't what they use to be so I don't trust the pH color guessing game. I have decided to go with a pH monitor and forgo the color test for testing the pH level

Here are a couple of shots of what I had gotten together so far.

DSCF0030_zpstradisus.jpg


DSCF0028_zpsmlju7bft.jpg
 
I love the look of the tank been wanting to set up another nano like this one. The black sand looks nice and love the rock work. Did you build that top or buy it?
 
That is the top that comes with the tank. I went to Lowe's and bought some black weatherstrip and put it around the edge to close the gap. If it wasn't for wanting to keep a goby, it looks great without the top. A lot of evap though. I'm planning on replacing the screen with some 1/8" square netting from BRS.
 
Keep the posts coming. Looks great, I love the black sand look, although I've always heard it dirtys real fast. The IM 10 is my leading candidate for an office tank. How do you feel about the lighting? Do you need more? What are you planning on keeping? Great job so far.
 
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