Jim's Nuvo Mini 38

It will be a year week after next since I lost my 150. So I started shopping for something totally self contained, but more than a nano. I stumbled upon the Nuvo series, and decided on the Mini 38 (Innovative Marine). The price is right for a complete system:

• Tank
• Stand
• Lights
• Built in sump

I ordered it Tuesday the 11th, and received it Wednesday the 12th. This kind of delivery was unheard of in the past.

I also ordered two of the Spin Stream Nozzles (Innovative Marine) to give me circulation coverage without having to add internal power heads (this is a wait and see - If the Nozzles work as advertised, then my tank build will be cleaner). The return system uses a single 476 GPH pump split between two return paths. I have a JBJ NanoZapp 3 Watt Inline UV Sterilizer which I will be adding to one of the return paths.

Also will be gauging the three sponge filters (mechanical, carbon, and phosphates) system that the tank uses by default. There are two overflows directly into the sponge systems. The docs call for replacing the filter media once a month - good interval if it works, but I suspect it will be driven by the load on the tank.

I opted for the Reef Angel controller plus their dosing pumps attachment. I'm considering their moonlight options (two of them) if we can get the code worked out for moon rise/set options with additional dimming to simulate cloud movement. I am also requesting sun rise/set options to be able to put the tank on auto for almost everything. The controller comes with two float switches for an ATO system which I will implement using the Tom Aquatics Aqua-Lifter Dosing Pump. I have a Eheim Jager TruTemp 100 Watt heater and an AES Euro Skimmer (Rated for 24 Gallon tanks, but I don't believe in Full skimming) - This is on loan/trial, if it works great.

I will use 45 lbs of the Caribsea dry aragonite Flaming Reef Sand and 42 lbs of BRS "Reef Saver" ECO Dry Aquarium Live Rock for the base. Have the sand, the rock won't be here until the 18th. I will be using SeaChem Laboratories Marine Stability to seed the rock and sand. I used this on my 150 with amazing results.

Lights are 92 watt Skkye Light Tablet LED Illumination 14K. This unit is over half the cost of the system and provides:

• Daylight, Sunrise/Sunset, & Moonlight
• Extruded Aluminum Arm
• Rimless Clamp
• Frame Clamp
• Independent Power Cords (each for: daylight, Sunrise/set, Moonlight)
• Low Voltage Transformer
• Actively Cooled w/ low noise frameless fan
• Thermally Protected
• Low Profile
• Individual LED Reflectors

Below is a Par Value spread by distance from center and depth:

ParValues SkkyLight.JPG

They also provide a table which provides:

• Par Value:Corals

50-100:Mushrooms, Zoonathids, Soft Corals
100-200:LPS, Clams, few SPS
200-500:Acropora, Montipora, SPS
600-1000:Very few SPS
​

I'm not sure of the accuracy of their chart (anyone who has better info, please sound off). But based on the Par Values of the light and the table, I should be able to keep just about any coral that I want at the given locations in the tank.

I put the stand together this morning, about a one hour task. I will be adding a cross brace to the stand cause this is earthquake country, and it would not remain standing after even a mild 4.0.

My son came over to help me put the aquarium on the stand - in the garage at the moment, filled with water doing leak test. I spent almost two hours cleaning the tank with DI water before I could add water for the leak test. Who ever built my tank was rather sloppy.

If the leak test is successful, I will be draining and moving the tank and stand into the house this Saturday, and then waiting for the rock to arrive next Tuesday.

Important items for me:

• I love the size and dimensions of the tank.
• It's totally self contained.
• I comes with a quality LED system.
• It allows me to stock with the corals I like.
• It has dual overflows.
• It has a standard filtration system offering replacement filters.
• AND finally the price - Some people think it's pricey, but for what you get, I think it has value.

Well, that's all for now, I'll be posting next week after I start the final assembly. Below are some pics to date:

DSCN1640.jpg
DSCN1648.jpg
DSCN1651.jpg
DSCN1652.jpg

 

Interesting looking cabinet. From the par chart, it looks to be a very good light. Does it have any features like dimming, etc.?

Thanks for sharing. I'll be following along with this thread.

 

Doesn't support dimming as shipped, but there will probably be after market replacements for the primary power supply that will. Too early in the release to say though.

 

leak test good so far

leak test: First night looks good.

Also the AES Euro Skimmer is their model Nano Skimmer II which is good for up to 35 Gallon tanks.

 

leak test complete

48 hour leak test is good. While testing, opened up the return pump to observe servicing - doesn't match the documentation from Innovative Marine. I guess they may have multiple suppliers - would have been nice to have docs on all the pumps.

Will move into house later today and start the final assembly. The UV I purchased looks like it will fit perfectly on one of the returns. I picked up some cable cradles at Home Depot to cable tie all the electrical returns with the proper drip loop, and to make them neat and tidy. Finally found ATO switch mounts - on order.

Also took the plunge with the Dimmable Moonlights and WiFi controller.

 

That's unfortunate about the info on the pump.

Congrats on the moonligts and UV.

 

Thanks Seano

 

build started

Started the actual installation of the tank today. Installed all the equipment in the back chamber except for the ATO switches (waiting for brackets).

The nanoSkimmer just fits in the chamber.
DSCN1653 copy.jpg

The UV fit nicely on one of the pump return lines. But it was difficult to get the lengths of the hoses correct.
DSCN1657 copy.jpg

And finally all the plumbing lines for the ATO and Calc/Alk dosing lines in place and dressed down.
DSCN1663 copy.jpg

And a pic from the top looking into the back of the tank.
DSCN1664 copy.jpg

Before I could do the installs, I spent another hour cleaning the inside of the tank with RO/DI water to make sure the old tap water residue from the leak test was gone.

I ran the LED most of the day - sort of a burn-in to make sure no infant mortality failures - OK. The cooling fan for the light is not as quite as I had been led to believe, but the longer it ran, it did quite down.

Can't do much more until my rock arrives (scheduled for Tuesday). I can start the hook up of the Reef Angel, but also waiting for additional components for it. One heads up on the Reef Angel - the cable lengths for the temp and Ph probes are short. Looks like I'll have to mount the controller on the side of the tank.

 

moving along

Spent a good three hours today giving the sand a triple rinse in RO/DI water. The dry rock just arrived, too late in the day to do anything with it, so tomorrow it will be onward and upward. The sand should be dry by then also.

Had an interesting issue with the light mount. I noticed that the light wasn't level with the tank, even though the mount was butt up to the glass on both sides. Took a piece of the scrap from the cable ties and shimmed it up on the side that was low. Now it is noticeably level. Also surprised as to how much heat is generated by the primary transformer for the LEDs.

 

sand in aquascaping done - pics

WOW - the "Reef Saver" Eco Dry Aquarium Live Rock was exactly what their web site depicted. I have always been disappointed ordering rock on line in the past, but bulkreefsupply came through. There was more rubble rock than I expected, but I had more rock than I could put in the tank, so it was a great addition to the overflow where the heater is.
DSCN1665 copy.jpg

I also ended up with a deeper sand bed than I planned (2 1/2 inches), but perhaps it will help with the water parameters. Really like the look of the Flamingo Reef sand.

All the sand in and the aquascaping is done. I have been investigating which salt mix to use. Last time out I used SeaChem Marine Salt, but always had issues with low magnesium. Did some more reading from other users here at 3reef, and decided on Tropic Marin BIO ACTIF. Not many users of the new blend here, but I did a little searching on the WEB, and users are very satisfied with it. I was going to get my RO/DI water from one of the LFS, but they were closed again. Looks like they are closed three days a week now. I had heard that they were borderline to going out of business, being open only four days a week helps explain why. Bottom line I decided to spring for my own RO/DI. It shipped today, hope to have it by Monday of next week.

Below are some pics of the tank with sand and rock - water next week