IM NUVO 30 BTA build

[Mr Cob]

IM (Innovative Marine) Micro Nuvo 30 gallon

Skimmer: Reef Octopus BH2000 HOB (with external pump)
Flow: K3 for now and stock return pump
Fuge: First chamber (added a plastic stand to keep everything off the bottom)
Liverock: Rubble added to 2nd chamber (added a plastic stand to keep everything off the bottom)
Substrate: DSB 3-7" (deepest in the back left corner..controlled by rock in the sand)
Livestock plans: RBTA and GBTA along with a pair of clownfish (I will also add anything that I feel grows too fast in my biocube reef)
Lighting: K2 Viper 150 w HQI (picking this up from Ben on a trade)
Additional filtration: Stock media basket in the last section, this tank has 2 drains, one on each end chamber. I removed the first one and made that one the fuge. I'm keeping the second one which is in the last chamber or the drain on the left. It will run a piece of foam, activated carbon and phosphate remover.
Temp: Added a fan to the back, hoping to have pretty stable temps since it's open top

So, I picked this up from Aaron (waterGun) this weekend and I'm really liking this tank. I'm not sure the rimless will work for me though...I like canopies but we'll see. I just feel so exposed in a rimless tank. lol

I wasted no time setting it up utilizing rock that I have been cycling and seeded rock/water from my 29g biocube system....


A little short on water...return pump not running at the moment:

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8045/8089212553_3cd7c54a0b_z.jpg



Still need to make the sand "high to low" more dramatic and probably take one of the tonga branches out:
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8332/8089212077_67125e4f3f.jpg




Skimmer and fan:
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8475/8089211158_c749ff92f1_z.jpg



http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8325/8089211111_bb27aae185.jpg




First chamber on the right (converted to fuge):
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8472/8089214283_c30bd70326.jpg


Middle chambers (3 of them, the outer two are bubble traps and the center is the return):
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8195/8089213498_c10658163c.jpg



Final chamber with stock media basket. Since I did not run the second I will always have a spare for quick clean basket swaps.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8056/8089214032_41e312580f.jpg



In comparison to my BioCube...there is none, aside from my BioCube as a complete system with the custom mods and canopy stand sump etc. But straight up tank to tank this IM Nuvo kills the BioCube. The rear built in sump area is HUGE...so much room to do so many mods. The dual drains are an added bonus. Really love the attention to detail they put into this tank, definitely a plus for advanced reefers.

[allan]

Looking good, rob.


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[rrasco]

Great looking tank, but...I thought you were downsizing? LOL! The cycle never ends.

[koa25]

Nice, Rob. You always get the cool toys ha ha. Looking forward to this build too.

[Mr Cob]

Looking good, rob.


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Thanks Allan! one day I will get to play with my dream tank..for now I'm in nano mode.


Great looking tank, but...I thought you were downsizing? LOL! The cycle never ends.


thx Dude, and that's what I thought.. plans changed and we will be in this home a little longer.. had a buyer for the 85g tank with partial trade..so I took it. I really have no clear plan now...which doesn't seem to matter anyways because it's always changing.


Nice, Rob. You always get the cool toys ha ha. Looking forward to this build too.

Thanks, Mike. Trading has been a good tool for me, thanks for the RBTA, it was by far the largest one I have traded for. It will probably stay in the biocube with the black clowns.

I'm in the market for a premium spawning pair for this tank. : )

[Mr Cob]

oh...and I did downsize... 85g to a 29 and 30!!! lol!

[Big_Pun]

looks good rob, you should get the spin streams from IM on the returns they work nicely


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMvEQKYY7so&safety_mode=true&persist_safet y_mode=1&safe=active

[Mr Cob]

nice Chris, thx for the tip. I will pick those up at some point.

[Scutterborn]

Those are awesome!


- Ben -

[Watergun]

Good luck Rob, that tank is pretty much flawless! Since your only using one filter cartridge there was a way to get that wall out safely since your not using it.

[allan]

Thanks Allan! one day I will get to play with my dream tank..for now I'm in nano mode.
: )

You ever want to get that out of your system, come over when I'm doing a water change. :)


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[Mr Cob]

Took the tonga branch rock out, the front rock on the right has large holes in it that I selected for the RBTA's...impossible to see in the pic. Also have a couple of deep sand bed areas in the middle there.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8184/8097507338_8afc6d6549_z.jpg




From the right
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8476/8097496087_f0fda75b23_z.jpg



7" deep sand bed on the back left corner
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8045/8097494915_2d1b81560e_z.jpg


Added a little LED fuge light and the skimmer is jamming. Also wanted to show the dual drains..
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8192/8097508434_a00f3afd48_z.jpg



And a rimless shot because it's so cool looking :)
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8470/8097497319_fafe0d0305_z.jpg



FTS
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8470/8097509024_360728e66b_z.jpg

[Texreefer]

I like it!

[hobogato]

that is a snazzy little tank rob! i really like what you did with the sand and rock

[Flyride95]

That tank looks awesome. Hey I have a question about rimless tanks. How do you guys keep it from getting a ring of salt creep at the top? My tank has it but it is hidden by the rim. And I don't mean a lot just a little bit. Do you somehow not get salt creep or just clean it regularly?

[Mr Cob]

thanks Mike and Ace... Flyride...got me...this is my first rimless. I will probably clean it regularly if I get any kind of salt creep, I'm anal about that stuff.

[Flyride95]

Ok that is what I thought. :)

[cbianco]

Nuvo?

I've been gone for toooooooooooooooo long!

Update my friend! How is it coming along?

Christopher :)

[Mr Cob]

Hey Christopher, thx for checking it out. The tank is coming along well. I will start adding the RBTA's over the next couple of weeks. Here are some recent pics of progress.

Picked up a 150w MH clamp fixture in a trade (14k bulb)
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8468/8146097161_1d068afdfa_c.jpg


Unfortunately I had to switch the octo hob skimmer out with the bakpak 2 in order for the light to fit. BakPaks run great with Rio 600 pumps..so I picked one up and it's skimming like a champ.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8045/8146099769_fe3e6e3d0b_c.jpg

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8325/8146141070_396ee72b2f_c.jpg


I removed the k3..it was too bulky and the stock flow seems to be great:
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8331/8146145220_411ffc034c_c.jpg


Some cable management and the bottom area of the stand will be for auto top-off:
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8323/8146113725_f26be00131_c.jpg


Added some razor caulerpa to help keep my DSB stacked up, and added a couple test corals + my darwin clown
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8325/8146128668_f82c56e316_c.jpg

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8053/8146111479_ef96d55cd0_c.jpg


from the left
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8046/8146129320_d0e0c10dc0_c.jpg



from the right (also have razor caulerpa on the back right side as well to keep DSB stacked up, it roots really well and should help)
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8471/8146099095_b611962d80_c.jpg

[RayAllen]

Looking good Rob.

[sdunn90fowlr]

Looks good! Curious, is the Nuvo 30 as easy to maintain as my little Nuvo 8. I just do a little water change every 3 or 4 days, about 1G. I love my little tank. IM has done a great job designing these tanks. No wonder they have received a review calling them one of the top Nano manufacturers. I've got my eyes on the 38 in the future. Only down side is, it is so much fun, that I find myself not really giving as much attention to my 185 FOWLR as I should.

[Mr Cob]

yeah, and it offers a lot of room for different configurations with such a large back sump area. I did not feel the need to drop it to a sump/refugium like I did on my BioCube.

[cbianco]

Good looking tank Rob.

How long until the anemones arrive?

Christopher :)

[jvene1]

Hey Rob, I know you've been in the hobby way longer than me and I don't know if you've seen these, but I thought about your tank when I saw this. http://www.coralcollection.net/product/acid-rain-bta Sick BTA. Update on the tank?