John's Fluval Evo 13.5

Just John · Jul 29, 2021

@uniquecorals has really earned my future business. I missed most of a previous sale and I got back 10 min. before it ended. I asked if I had missed all of the Lava Lamp mushrooms and this immediately popped up for $5. Thanks! You guys are awesome!!

Just John · Jul 29, 2021

Things have turned green and ugly over the last week. The sand is getting crowded. Time to move some things on to the live rock. The Ricordea garden is getting started and I clearly have too many zoas, but I want more. I am obviously addicted! My toadstool leather is getting bigger, but has never started to grow a stem/stalk. It just sits on top of the rock.

Fishingandreefing · Jul 29, 2021

Does anyone house a flame hawk in the 13.5? My friend is taking his tank down, my wife wants to have a pair of clowns and the flame hawk in it.

Just John · Jul 29, 2021

Fishingandreefing said:
Does anyone house a flame hawk in the 13.5? My friend is taking his tank down, my wife wants to have a pair of clowns and the flame hawk in it.

No, but they really are nice fish

Just John · Jul 29, 2021

That little green Rhodactis I originally bought grows like crazy. It got really big and has decided to split. Each of the new ones are quite a bit bigger than the original.

Fishingandreefing · Jul 30, 2021

What’s the purpose of having the hole in the fluval 13.5 overflow box? Can you just completely seal it?

Just John · Jul 30, 2021

Fishingandreefing said:
What’s the purpose of having the hole in the fluval 13.5 overflow box? Can you just completely seal it?

If the water level gets too low to go over into the back compartments, the pump will run dry. The hole lets just enough water in to keep the pump running if that happens. I plugged mine up since that hole means a lot less water goes in through the top when it is running normally.

Fishingandreefing · Jul 30, 2021

Just John said:
If the water level gets too low to go over into the back compartments, the pump will run dry. The hole lets just enough water in to keep the pump running if that happens. I plugged mine up since that hole means a lot less water goes in through the top when it is running normally.

Got you. Will do mine do. Just afraid a small goby will sneak through it in case I get one.

looks like at this point it will be a pair of storm trooper clowns and a flame hawkfish.

Fishingandreefing · Jul 30, 2021

Do y’all add this while cycling the tank? Just added sand and will dump some dr Tim’s and mysis in

Just John · Jul 30, 2021

Fishingandreefing said:
Do y’all add this while cycling the tank? Just added sand and will dump some dr Tim’s and mysis in

I just added this biological media and used some floss. I knew the cured live rock it should have the necessary bacteria on it, but I added some bottled bacteria anyway.

Amazon product

Here is my filter setup. It couldn't get much more basic:

Fishingandreefing · Jul 30, 2021

Playing around with the rock escape. Tomorrow will scoop from live sand and a small piece of live rock from my other tank. Hopefully it will be ready in a week lol

Just John · Jul 31, 2021

Fishingandreefing said:
Playing around with the rock escape. Tomorrow will scoop from live sand and a small piece of live rock from my other tank. Hopefully it will be ready in a week lol

I like the rocks! that's going to look good.

InvaderJim · Jul 31, 2021

Just John said:
That little green Rhodactis I originally bought grows like crazy. It got really big and has decided to split. Each of the new ones are quite a bit bigger than the original.

I started with two of these guys on a rock and now have about 8+. They split like crazy but look cool so I don't mind, so prepare yourself!

Fishingandreefing · Jul 31, 2021

Just John said:
I like the rocks! that's going to look good.

Thx

Just John · Jul 31, 2021

InvaderJim said:
I started with two of these guys on a rock and now have about 8+. They split like crazy but look cool so I don't mind, so prepare yourself!

I am amazed how fast they grow. I have a hairy rhodactis that grows even faster!

Just John · Aug 1, 2021

I moved a rock and discovered that the entire side was covered in hundreds of cryptic sponges. I also had pineapple sponges popping up around the tank. I guess I have been feeding the corals too much! I don't mind either one, but this was out of control. I scraped them down to almost bare rock and they came right back, so I decided to stop feeding for a while to see if that would get rid of them. After a week, both were completely gone, but so were all the hitchhiker feather dusters. Oh well.