[NoAhoysLeft] My 15 gallon Innovative Marine desktop AIO progress pics

[NoAhoysLeft]

Hi there guys. Just doing what the welcome message recommended and starting up a thread so I can keep track of progress on my first saltwater aquarium.

This is how it looks right now. I plan to add a little more dry rock to it (on the right side).

I will update with pics as I go!

Thanks for having me.

Edited:
LINKS TO ALL MAJOR MILESTONES for my tank!

1. Cycling with Tim's One and Only, Tim's Fishless Fuel, and Fritz Turbostart 900 (This post- You Are Here!)
2. Changing my aquascape (I wasn't feeling it with my original one...)
3. Adding dwarf Mexican red leg hermit crabs + an ocellaris clownfish pair! Cycling finished (Yay! Videos and pictures!)
4. Adding my first corals + every 4 days water change 10-15% (On 10/31/2023 Halloween [torch, hammer, blasto wellsi], and 11/10/2023 my Birthday! [splatter hammer, ricordea])
5. Torch looking depressed, ordered KFC dip. Green algae beginning to grow.
6. Torch still looking quite bad, but the other corals seem alright. Ugly stage starting for real!
7. UPDATED EQUIPMENT AND STOCKING LIST

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Hi there guys. Just doing what the welcome message recommended and starting up a thread so I can keep track of progress on my first saltwater aquarium.

This is how it looks right now. I plan to add a little more dry rock to it (on the right side).

I will update with pics as I go!

Thanks for having me.

Best of luck with the tank!

 

[NoAhoysLeft]

Best of luck with the tank!

Thank you. Just adding Tim's One and Only & Fishless Fuel right now to get the ball rolling.
Cautiously optimistic and looking forward to this tank's evolution!

 

[NoAhoysLeft]

Playing with the scape while I still can.

Also, I accidentally overdosed ammonia just by a tad. I knew Fishless Fuel was a bit strong (from my own experience using it in FW cycling) and purposefully underdosed it, but it still ended up over 2 ppm ammonia.

So today I went and bought a small Friztyme Turbostart 900 from the fridge at my amazing LFS and dumped it in the tank. Hopefully that will help ease things along.

I think my first inhabitants to the tank will be blue legged hermits, once I can ensure the parameters are livable for them.

 

[IJustThinkItsNeat]

Playing with the scape while I still can.

Also, I accidentally overdosed ammonia just by a tad. I knew Fishless Fuel was a bit strong (from my own experience using it in FW cycling) and purposefully underdosed it, but it still ended up over 2 ppm ammonia.

So today I went and bought a small Friztyme Turbostart 900 from the fridge at my amazing LFS and dumped it in the tank. Hopefully that will help ease things along.

I think my first inhabitants to the tank will be blue legged hermits, once I can ensure the parameters are livable for them.

Fritz is awesome! Hopefully it knocks out the ammonia!

Tank looks great! Any idea what your first fish will be?

 

[NoAhoysLeft]

Fritz is awesome! Hopefully it knocks out the ammonia!

Tank looks great! Any idea what your first fish will be?

I don't have a clue quite yet. There's the dilemma of thinking some territorial fish are very cool (ocellaris clown pair, small damsels, etc) versus wanting to keep my options open (more peaceful fish). It's hard to choose!

If you have any nano tank favorites or suggestions I'm always open to them!

 

[Fapman]

Excellent I have the same tank.

 

[IJustThinkItsNeat]

I don't have a clue quite yet. There's the dilemma of thinking some territorial fish are very cool (ocellaris clown pair, small damsels, etc) versus wanting to keep my options open (more peaceful fish). It's hard to choose!

If you have any nano tank favorites or suggestions I'm always open to them!

I'm just starting out with my first nano. I added a Pink Streaked Wrasse and then a Hector's Goby. Based on experience with other tanks, I highly recommend getting territorial fish last. It's a lot harder to plan stock for the smaller tanks!

 

[NoAhoysLeft]

I'm just starting out with my first nano. I added a Pink Streaked Wrasse and then a Hector's Goby. Based on experience with other tanks, I highly recommend getting territorial fish last. It's a lot harder to plan stock for the smaller tanks!

Heard you there! Thank you for the tip and good luck with your nano tank!

 

[ReefingGinger]

Welcome to the IM 15G club! Just started mine not too long ago. Their great little tanks! Good luck and keep us up to date!

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Playing with the scape while I still can.

Also, I accidentally overdosed ammonia just by a tad. I knew Fishless Fuel was a bit strong (from my own experience using it in FW cycling) and purposefully underdosed it, but it still ended up over 2 ppm ammonia.

So today I went and bought a small Friztyme Turbostart 900 from the fridge at my amazing LFS and dumped it in the tank. Hopefully that will help ease things along.

I think my first inhabitants to the tank will be blue legged hermits, once I can ensure the parameters are livable for them.

Love the aquascape!

 

[Fapman]

I'm just starting out with my first nano. I added a Pink Streaked Wrasse and then a Hector's Goby. Based on experience with other tanks, I highly recommend getting territorial fish last. It's a lot harder to plan stock for the smaller tanks!

I'm also on the hunt for a Pink Streak Wrasse; they're such elegant and unique fish. In my IM15 tank, I currently have 2 Clownfish, 1 Target Spot Dragonet, and a Tail Spot Blenny. Your collection sounds fantastic!

 

[NoAhoysLeft]

Big days recently for my first ever saltwater aquarium.

So, a couple days ago, I finished quarantining my hermit crabs. I added them, then. They have enjoyed eating some algae and shrimp wafers so far, but I am researching more ways to supplement their diet until my tank is more mature. They aren't even really a CUC yet, since I am feeding them directly.

The reason I added them was because my tank was able to process 3 ppm ammonia into nitrates ALREADY overnight (within 24h).

I waited a few more days, kept testing my ammonia and nitrates (just to be safe). Ammonia was still testing zero! So, whatever waste the hermit crabs were creating was being handled well.

I did not bother testing nitrites the entire time, but I knew for certain nitrites were present in my tank (because I tested Hanna HR nitrates, and the reading was thrown off all the way up to 75, because of the presence of nitrites). My tank is actually cycled now, because I tested nitrates again, and they were much, much lower at 15 today.

My salinity was a bit low at 1.023 specific gravity within the tank.

Today I was able to add my pair of ocellaris clownfishes, which I have been contemplating for the last 6+ months as I saved up for and acquired all my aquarium pieces and tests.

First, I temperature acclimated them by floating the bag for 30 mins. Then, I did a small water change (10-15%) just a few gallons, to make sure the clownfish would have an easier time and some cleaner water. The water that I added was a few gallons of slightly higher salinity (1.026) so that I could slightly raise my tank's salinity before the fish were plopped in. I didn't feel comfortable plopping them into 1.023, even though realistically they would've been okay. Right now, my salinity is sitting around 1.0249.

Then, I netted them, plopped them in, and watched them wiggle around!

An exciting day for me in my FOWLR+invert tank.

Maybe some day months from now when I see coralline algae and such, I may consider adding some easy softies and LPS. Slowly, one or two at a time. But that is for the future! Right now I am very pleased to watch my first ever saltwater fishes wiggling around.

It has been several minutes, knock on wood (knock knock) , but they are still doing just fine.

I think that is a good sign I didn't dramatically mess up!

Yet....

 

[SliceGolfer]

Good luck with your build! A point to mention is the Salifert Ammonia test. Are you looking through the bottom or holding the vial against the card and looking through the side as per instructions?

 

[NoAhoysLeft]

Good luck with your build! A point to mention is the Salifert Ammonia test. Are you looking through the bottom or holding the vial against the card and looking through the side as per instructions?

I did both at that time yes

 

[IJustThinkItsNeat]

I'm also on the hunt for a Pink Streak Wrasse; they're such elegant and unique fish. In my IM15 tank, I currently have 2 Clownfish, 1 Target Spot Dragonet, and a Tail Spot Blenny. Your collection sounds fantastic!

I was "just browsing" when I saw the Pink Streaked and HAD to bring him home. I was so worried the tank was still too new and checked the ammonia all the time. He's the number one fish I wanted to add and I'm so happy he's doing well!

 

[IJustThinkItsNeat]

Big days recently for my first ever saltwater aquarium.

So, a couple days ago, I finished quarantining my hermit crabs. I added them, then. They have enjoyed eating some algae and shrimp wafers so far, but I am researching more ways to supplement their diet until my tank is more mature. They aren't even really a CUC yet, since I am feeding them directly.

The reason I added them was because my tank was able to process 3 ppm ammonia into nitrates ALREADY overnight (within 24h).

I waited a few more days, kept testing my ammonia and nitrates (just to be safe). Ammonia was still testing zero! So, whatever waste the hermit crabs were creating was being handled well.

I did not bother testing nitrites the entire time, but I knew for certain nitrites were present in my tank (because I tested Hanna HR nitrates, and the reading was thrown off all the way up to 75, because of the presence of nitrites). My tank is actually cycled now, because I tested nitrates again, and they were much, much lower at 15 today.

My salinity was a bit low at 1.023 specific gravity within the tank.

Today I was able to add my pair of ocellaris clownfishes, which I have been contemplating for the last 6+ months as I saved up for and acquired all my aquarium pieces and tests.

First, I temperature acclimated them by floating the bag for 30 mins. Then, I did a small water change (10-15%) just a few gallons, to make sure the clownfish would have an easier time and some cleaner water. The water that I added was a few gallons of slightly higher salinity (1.026) so that I could slightly raise my tank's salinity before the fish were plopped in. I didn't feel comfortable plopping them into 1.023, even though realistically they would've been okay. Right now, my salinity is sitting around 1.0249.

Then, I netted them, plopped them in, and watched them wiggle around!

An exciting day for me in my FOWLR+invert tank.

Maybe some day months from now when I see coralline algae and such, I may consider adding some easy softies and LPS. Slowly, one or two at a time. But that is for the future! Right now I am very pleased to watch my first ever saltwater fishes wiggling around.

It has been several minutes, knock on wood (knock knock) , but they are still doing just fine.

I think that is a good sign I didn't dramatically mess up!

Yet....

Yay critters! Sounds like things moving right along!

 

[NoAhoysLeft]

I think the picture speaks for itself, but just in case: I think my clownfish hate this fake nem.

THIS IS A JOKE! I TOOK IT OUT RIGHT AFTER.

 

[shadowlink12]

What stand are you using I habe been searching forever for a stand for mine!

 

[shadowlink12]

What stand are you using I habe been searching forever for a stand for mine!