Planning out an IM 30L

[DarthOblivious]

Howdy everyone! Greetings from Wisconsin!
After sitting by the sidelines for years watching the tanks in my LFS with more than a little envy and childlike wonder I finally have decided that I'm going to take the plunge and make a reef tank of my own. This wouldn't be my first aquarium (I've kept planted freshwater) but it would be my first saltwater.
I don't actually have the space to set one up right now, but I do have the resources to begin accumulating equipment for a time when I do have space. The BRS black Friday sale is a dangerous thing.
To that end I have some questions relating to where I should go next given the corals and Fish I am interested in keeping.

Incoming Info Dump

I suppose I should run through what gear I've already got stored away before I start asking questions about what to buy next (and if there is a better forum for this just tell me and I'll make a new thread there).

• IM 30L with APS Stand (I assembled the stand and checked the tank for leaks before sticking the tank back in the box)
• IM 30L Screen Top... and a BRS make your own lid (I didn't realize that the tanks came with one lol)
• Sicce nano powerhead (I figure even if it doesn't end up in the main tank I can use it to mix water)
• Eheim Jager 100w (I want to grab two more of these, one for backup in the main tank and one for heating mixed saltwater/emergency backup)
• 2 appropriately sized RFG units
• Refractometer
• Tunze Algae Scraper Nano
• About 20lb of Fiji Dry Rock my dad bought when he wanted to set up a salt tank a very long time ago

Beyond that, the consensus seems to be that the Tunze full sized ATO is the best choice in that category so will probably be the next thing I snipe when on sale. It also seems that people are massively in favor of having your own RODI unit so that's on the list as well. I know about test kits but those expire so they will have to wait until I'm closer to set up.

I also was planning on picking up a pair of 10g Aqueon tanks during a petco sale to make some cheap quarantine/medical tanks. I figure with some marinepure cubes I could transfer bacteria over reasonably effectively.

The main things that I need advice on are Lighting and Protein Skimmers (beyond anything I just haven't thought of).

In terms of Corals I was leaning more towards LPS with maybe a few Monti's and other easier SPS (Like Pavona and Lepto's), with some Photosynthetic Gorgonians adding movement.

For Fish I tend to get more excited by cryptic stuff like Wetmorella and Shrimp Gobies over Clownfish, though I think Blennies look like Rygel from Farscape, so I'll definitely have a tail-spot or another similar species. I do like the idea of having something like a cleaner shrimp or porcelain crab. Ultimately I'm a fan of animals that will show as close to natural behavior in the tank as possible, like spending time patrolling territory and hunting pods.

Please tell me what you think of my plan! I'm also curious as to what you would do with the tank in the same position I am. If setting this thing up is half as fun as researching it, I picked the right hobby lol.

*Edit* I Have watched the BRS 52 Weeks of Reefing Series BTW

 

[nautical_nathaniel]

Great choice for a first time tank!

The nano osmolator by Tunze (don't know the numbers off the top of my head) is still a solid ATO and has worked very well for me for almost two full years with no issues besides my cat biting holes in the water line (which Tunze replaced after I gave them some money for shipping). You just have to be careful and keep the sensor clean, which isn't too hard, I just brush it off with a toothbrush during water changes.

Lighting is going to be tricky since this is a wide tank, so one single light source probably won't work. I would suggest two-three AI Prime HD's or a similar setup. 24" black box lights will also work if you are on a budget It sort of depends on what you want to do with corals and such. I personally have a Maxspect Ethereal hooked up to my tank but I don't think it is very cost effective for your tank.

10g tanks make good QT/hospital tanks, just be sure not to pack them too full of fish.

Protein skimmer-wise, you can go with the Ghost Skimmer by IM, which fits perfectly but has so-so performance. There are a couple of other nano internal skimmers that will fit but again, performance isn't going to be stellar. Many are plagued with micro bubble issues but there are several DIY guides out there to make these skimmers work better and also fit better. There are a few HOB options that supposedly work better but you run the risk of having leaks. There's not really a perfect skimmer option for this style of tank.

Your fish plans look great, just make sure you research everything you're wanting to put in the tank and try to avoid impulse buys at the LFS