- Joined
- May 6, 2020
- Messages
- 65
- Reaction score
- 56
Intro:
I've been away from reefing for a decade. With the fast pace of life, I have missed the patience and focus that this hobby required for success. I'm excited to get connected back into it. I have never done a build thread, but felt it would be a good practice to record the activity for myself. If others get enjoyment from reading, or have advice, the better.
In late 2000s, I had to tear down a 65 gallon in wall system (134g total system) to sale my home. This was an upgrade from my first 40 breeder. I was close to implementing a 235 gallon display at my next home. It was an acrylic tank i bought ($450!) used (barely) from an insurance business. I carried it into my basement which had a 15x20-ish room behind the tank. That would have been awesome, but life and family postponed those plans. I sold that tank after not using it for 2 years. Since 2012, I have not had a tank in the house (filled or empty). Knowing that I'm likely to move again in 1-3 years, but still wanting to get back into the hobby, I decided to go with a smaller system.
Like many others, I took Innovative Marine up on the $99 pre-order Fusion 15. Since there are many IM 15 builds started, I decided to tip my hat to the other side of the pond naming this my 56.78 liter build. I mean, come on, it is 5678.
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Activity: October 16, 2022 - November 13, 2022
I ordered this tank on October 16, 2022 with the mesh screen, high tide riser and spin stream. I received it on November 1st. I was surprised by that turnaround since the pre-order stated it would be late November. Since I had a backpacking trip planned, I knew it would be mid November before I started to cycle this tank. But during the last two weeks of October, I decided to build a habitat and try to find a stand. The later being a bit of a challenge for this tank.
For the habitat, I ordered the Aqua Forest AF Rock (22lbs / 10kg) and put together a scape using maybe half of the box. I ended up making 1 adjustment to this first go at it. With only 11.5" of depth, I went vertical in an attempt to create a few "layers" on which to build a mixed reef.
It was interesting to work with dry rock. My previous two builds were from live rock, one sourced locally from a tear down and the other ordered from a company that no longer exists. That is one of I'm sure many different things to come from my prior experience.
Locating a stand was not easy. I was fairly sure I was just going to need to grab plywood and do my own. I looked into a few ideas for it and sketched it. But the day I decided to stop after work for materials, I saw a post for a 15" x 15" kitchen cabinet. $20. A 15" depth kitchen cabinet isn't a normal thing, and at $20, I picked it up.
I did have to remove the toekick as the short depth of the toe kick made it too unstable for supporting a tank. Then I had to create a top for it and throw on some paint. Lastly, I grabbed two 5lb bags of Ocean Direct sand from Petsmart for $4.99 each.
Then it sat like this for a couple weeks while I traveled, hiked (during Hurricane Nicole...) and returned home.
(Well, I did order more stuff but that is for another post.)
-Sp
Setup Status:
Tank - Innovative Marine Fusion 15 AIO Cube, Mesh Screen, HighTide Riser
Habitat - Aqua Forest AF Rock, Oceans Direct LiveSand
Stand - 15" Cabinet Modified, Painted black
Return - Stock IM 130 gph pump / Spin Stream
Filtration - Stock Filter sock
I've been away from reefing for a decade. With the fast pace of life, I have missed the patience and focus that this hobby required for success. I'm excited to get connected back into it. I have never done a build thread, but felt it would be a good practice to record the activity for myself. If others get enjoyment from reading, or have advice, the better.
In late 2000s, I had to tear down a 65 gallon in wall system (134g total system) to sale my home. This was an upgrade from my first 40 breeder. I was close to implementing a 235 gallon display at my next home. It was an acrylic tank i bought ($450!) used (barely) from an insurance business. I carried it into my basement which had a 15x20-ish room behind the tank. That would have been awesome, but life and family postponed those plans. I sold that tank after not using it for 2 years. Since 2012, I have not had a tank in the house (filled or empty). Knowing that I'm likely to move again in 1-3 years, but still wanting to get back into the hobby, I decided to go with a smaller system.
Like many others, I took Innovative Marine up on the $99 pre-order Fusion 15. Since there are many IM 15 builds started, I decided to tip my hat to the other side of the pond naming this my 56.78 liter build. I mean, come on, it is 5678.
--
Activity: October 16, 2022 - November 13, 2022
I ordered this tank on October 16, 2022 with the mesh screen, high tide riser and spin stream. I received it on November 1st. I was surprised by that turnaround since the pre-order stated it would be late November. Since I had a backpacking trip planned, I knew it would be mid November before I started to cycle this tank. But during the last two weeks of October, I decided to build a habitat and try to find a stand. The later being a bit of a challenge for this tank.
For the habitat, I ordered the Aqua Forest AF Rock (22lbs / 10kg) and put together a scape using maybe half of the box. I ended up making 1 adjustment to this first go at it. With only 11.5" of depth, I went vertical in an attempt to create a few "layers" on which to build a mixed reef.
It was interesting to work with dry rock. My previous two builds were from live rock, one sourced locally from a tear down and the other ordered from a company that no longer exists. That is one of I'm sure many different things to come from my prior experience.
Locating a stand was not easy. I was fairly sure I was just going to need to grab plywood and do my own. I looked into a few ideas for it and sketched it. But the day I decided to stop after work for materials, I saw a post for a 15" x 15" kitchen cabinet. $20. A 15" depth kitchen cabinet isn't a normal thing, and at $20, I picked it up.
I did have to remove the toekick as the short depth of the toe kick made it too unstable for supporting a tank. Then I had to create a top for it and throw on some paint. Lastly, I grabbed two 5lb bags of Ocean Direct sand from Petsmart for $4.99 each.
Then it sat like this for a couple weeks while I traveled, hiked (during Hurricane Nicole...) and returned home.
(Well, I did order more stuff but that is for another post.)
-Sp
Setup Status:
Tank - Innovative Marine Fusion 15 AIO Cube, Mesh Screen, HighTide Riser
Habitat - Aqua Forest AF Rock, Oceans Direct LiveSand
Stand - 15" Cabinet Modified, Painted black
Return - Stock IM 130 gph pump / Spin Stream
Filtration - Stock Filter sock