Helipirate's 38G IM Nuvo

[helipirate]

Hello, I am new to the forum and new to aquariums. I picked up a new Innovative Marine 38 gallon Nuvo last week. I thought the stand that was offered with it was very flimsy so I welded up my own.
http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff184/helipirate/797435F3-6AB4-4050-B473-4FF5485C5207-1126-0000010F263E4395.jpg (http://s242.photobucket.com/user/helipirate/media/797435F3-6AB4-4050-B473-4FF5485C5207-1126-0000010F263E4395.jpg.html)

I filled it up with water, salt, 25lbs of live rock and 20lbs of live sand.
http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff184/helipirate/A149DE8B-FF0F-4459-B75C-D2E9165C0DA6-1126-0000010EFC66D02D.jpg (http://s242.photobucket.com/user/helipirate/media/A149DE8B-FF0F-4459-B75C-D2E9165C0DA6-1126-0000010EFC66D02D.jpg.html)

After about two days I found some hitchhikers. One Aiptasia Anemone that I am still figuring out how to remove since I have read its a pest. 3 Collonista Snails, and a couple tiny worm things, possibly Bristle Worms.
http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff184/helipirate/D520AB7C-7862-4201-A145-CA0766A4A091-1126-0000010F3A5EBFE7.jpg (http://s242.photobucket.com/user/helipirate/media/D520AB7C-7862-4201-A145-CA0766A4A091-1126-0000010F3A5EBFE7.jpg.html)

One the third day I started getting tons of micro bubbles, I have no idea what to do about that. Later that day I added an IM Skimmate Protein skimmer. The first one had a leak in the collection cup so I took it back and got another one. It had a leak in the same place so anything collected would leak right out of the cup. I just filled the bottom of the cup with epoxy and let it cure for 24hrs and the leak is fixed. The Protein skimmer probably isn't helping with the micro bubbles but I think the cause is the circulation pump since they started before I put the skimmer in.
http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff184/helipirate/2CE7E5FB-4DDE-4EF8-920E-7C1E63814B53-1126-00000112DD302141.jpg (http://s242.photobucket.com/user/helipirate/media/2CE7E5FB-4DDE-4EF8-920E-7C1E63814B53-1126-00000112DD302141.jpg.html)

Anyway I am just waiting for the cycle to be completed. So far there is no ammonia, nitrites or nitrates. PH is 8.2. I added a dead shrimp two days ago to help with ammonia but still showing nothing. Hopefully it will start soon. Plans for the aquarium are some clown fish and anemone, and anything colorful and neat we can put in there as our understanding of how to work the tank and grow develops. Any tips would be very helpful! Here is the whole tank.
http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff184/helipirate/FD293357-0407-4049-9E5F-7675B62E4143-1126-0000010ED1CEAA53.jpg (http://s242.photobucket.com/user/helipirate/media/FD293357-0407-4049-9E5F-7675B62E4143-1126-0000010ED1CEAA53.jpg.html)

[rjinator]

Looks good!

[adevice]

Loving that stand, though personally I'd probably end up with stuff below and want to enclose it.

I've been battling Aiptasia Anemone for too long, I almost want to say get rid of that rock, but if you've got one you have probably have many. Start with aiptasia x, imo.

The worms are probably fine.

[rjinator]

peppermint shrimp work well with aiptasia control

[chad p]

I like the scape and that may be the coolest stand I've ever seen. Just awesome and unique.

As for the aiptasia, I'd just pull out the rock that it's on and scrape it off with a knife or a stiff brush. You might as well do it now while the tank is nice and bare. Good luck with it and for a new reefer...you're in the right place. All the info you need to be successful is on this site.

[helipirate]

Thanks everyone. I used aptasia x and it seemed to work. Now if I could get some sign of the cycle even being in progress I would be happy. I am impatient!