Setting up a 25 NUVO Fusion AIO Lagoon tips

[lButterl]

Hey everyone! Fairly new to the thread but have been lurking for a couple years but I was wondering if anyone has any helpful tips/recommended equipment for setting up the 25 NUVO Fusion AIO lagoon tank. I've been doing some research and asking both BRS and local aquatic shops what I should get but I wanted your guy's opinion as well. Trying to stay somewhat in a budget but with holidays coming up I get the work and make more for those hours so I'll have some extra cash in as well. The stands and wavemakers I was going to get from FB marketplace or find someone local that can hold the weight, but as far as other equipment goes such as heaters, lights, skimmers, ATO, RO/DI (I'm personally gonna wait on this since I live in an apartment), etc. that I would need to have a thriving reef tank would be great! I used to have a larger 95G predator tank back in middle/highschool but we moved far away so I had to get rid of most everything. Though I wanna start something smaller and more serene to look at you know? Any recommended products for each, addons, or tips would be really appreciated!

 

[Ron Reefman]

I have a 40g breeder aio and the only equipment I use 2 jebao wavemakers (both bigger than I need) a Reefbreeders ATO, and after about a year, I just started a HOB skimmer. I have a heater but very rarely need it as I live in SW Florida. I only use filer media and an old filter sock in the aio filtration area of the aio (no carbon, GFO or any other additives). But then I only have a mix of corals and a dozen anemones (RFAs and a Blackwidow Bubble Tip that has split numerous times so I now have 5). Snails, hermit crabs, serpent stars, sea cucumbers, and rock boring urchins are all collected when we go snorkeling in the Florida Keys. Oh, there are a few RFAs collected by me as well as a couple of babies that also appear to be due to the collected RFAs rather than the more colorful purchased RFAs. Currently there are no fish and I intend to keep it that way as it means less feeding, less detritus and less cleaning/maintenance.

 

[Dragen Fiend]

I'm currently setting up my IM 25 gallon lagoon as well. Will be posting my build thread soon.

1. IM helios heater. Seriously, the space savings and magnetic mounting are great for AIO tanks in general. I also prefer the controller over inkbird. This is my go to heater from now on. Plus 5 year warranty.
2. jecod DMP-20 wavemaker. Works perfect for this tank. I did a freshwater test for flow @ 70%.
3. I cheaped out on my stand. I got the Aqueon black pedestal stand 24x24 for $110 on sale at petco. I know people don't trust these. But I've owned these stands for years and never had an issue. Just inspect, install and level properly.
4. I have a noopsyche K7 mini light on it which will work great. I'm debating on getting a kessil 360XE though as I'm really taken back on the shimmer. Defiantly not budget friendly so I would stick with K7 mini or get the noopsyche
pro if I was you.
5. You can stick with the basic filtration socks that came with it. I went with some intank media baskets for simplicity.
6. My ATO and other things are all tied into Hydros. So it would be a different recommendation. ATO wise, cheap amazon ones under $50 work fine. I've been using them for a year now and never had issues with my other tanks.