My New Fluval Evo 13.5 Tank

[beebot99]

Hey.

Here's my first attempt into the world of saltwater. Having had many freshwater aquariums i've decided to try out this side of the hobby!

There's nothing special in this tank yet. I had it cycling for about 6 weeks before i added anything, and went with a few hermits. However, these guys only stayed for around 1 month before they were rehomed because they destroyed everything (RIP GSP)

So here it is as currently. I'm attempting to attach these mushroom corals on the right using some netting i saw people use online. (Net was cut from a spare media bag) and trying to attach some Xenia on the left. Some of the Xenia seems to be doing just fine and the rest was melting and just wasting away. I've no idea what's up with that.

The substrate is just Oolitic Aragonite sand.
Media is Fluval-FX, with some D-Flow inserts.
Salt is IQuatics Ocean Reef Pro.

The Fluval return pump has been upgraded to the Sicce Silent 0.5, and i'm receiving a refugium insert shortly to add some chaeto. My goal for this is to reduce Nitrate levels and to introduce some Copepods for the clownfish to munch on with the cope's having somewhere safe to multiply. Works in my head at least, a lot of what i know about freshwater systems kind of applies to saltwater but with some distinct differences that seem to be tripping me up. I haven't upgraded the light, mostly because I like having the lid and from what i've read, this light seems fine for easy-care soft corals.

Tank is stocked with a couple of snowflake clownfish, 1 Fire shrimp and a CUC consisting of 1 Cerith, 3 Turbo and 3 Nassarius.

I'm still super new to this, and trying to learn as much as possible so next time I purchase a coral it doesnt fall apart. I'm happy to receive any and all feedback for this tank. In the long run I'd ideally like to have easy care colourful corals that don't cost a fortune, and to be able to breed these snowflakes.

Thank you

 

[Glenner’sreef]

Looks great!!! Nice chunk of live rock on left.

 

[beebot99]

Thanks. It’s actually EcoReef rock. I don’t know whether that’s preferable compared to standard white rock but it’s supposedly very porous.

 

[Uncle99]

Nice start!
Enjoy!

 

[kevgib67]

Looking great!

 

[Budman93]

Hey.

Here's my first attempt into the world of saltwater. Having had many freshwater aquariums i've decided to try out this side of the hobby!

There's nothing special in this tank yet. I had it cycling for about 6 weeks before i added anything, and went with a few hermits. However, these guys only stayed for around 1 month before they were rehomed because they destroyed everything (RIP GSP)

So here it is as currently. I'm attempting to attach these mushroom corals on the right using some netting i saw people use online. (Net was cut from a spare media bag) and trying to attach some Xenia on the left. Some of the Xenia seems to be doing just fine and the rest was melting and just wasting away. I've no idea what's up with that.

The substrate is just Oolitic Aragonite sand.
Media is Fluval-FX, with some D-Flow inserts.
Salt is IQuatics Ocean Reef Pro.

The Fluval return pump has been upgraded to the Sicce Silent 0.5, and i'm receiving a refugium insert shortly to add some chaeto. My goal for this is to reduce Nitrate levels and to introduce some Copepods for the clownfish to munch on with the cope's having somewhere safe to multiply. Works in my head at least, a lot of what i know about freshwater systems kind of applies to saltwater but with some distinct differences that seem to be tripping me up. I haven't upgraded the light, mostly because I like having the lid and from what i've read, this light seems fine for easy-care soft corals.

Tank is stocked with a couple of snowflake clownfish, 1 Fire shrimp and a CUC consisting of 1 Cerith, 3 Turbo and 3 Nassarius.

I'm still super new to this, and trying to learn as much as possible so next time I purchase a coral it doesnt fall apart. I'm happy to receive any and all feedback for this tank. In the long run I'd ideally like to have easy care colourful corals that don't cost a fortune, and to be able to breed these snowflakes.

Thank you

Looking good. Should have no problem adding Zoas, toadstools, and other softies to fill it out. Maybe even an anenome after awhile.

 

[beebot99]

Looking good. Should have no problem adding Zoas, toadstools, and other softies to fill it out. Maybe even an anenome after awhile.

Thanks. I was curious about an anenome. Will it move around the tank and bother the coral? It’s not a massive tank so I wasn’t sure. I’m sure the clowns would love one though!

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Following along! Can't wait to see how the tank progresses!

 

[beebot99]

Quick 10% done. Vacuumed the sand, looking nicer now. Only vacuumed the left side mostly.

The Xenia still refuses to play, having had most of it detach and some just melt/disintegrate. Guess this weed just doesn’t want to grow here, an expensive lesson. Here’s to hoping the mushrooms attach soon. At least I can claim that victory

Refugium should arrive today or tomorrow and I’ll get some cheato added with some copepods. Should help with minimising the Nitrate and the cope’s a side snack for the clowns.

 

[beebot99]

And the refugium insert has arrived! I’ve stuffed it with chaeto. Has a slot to run a hygger 6w light. Should be perfect to house some copepods and some nitrate control.
Had to remove the media basket from chamber 2 but I’m sure I’ve got enough media to continue holding the tank stable.

Refugium insert was from ReefPrint. Amazing service and a great product from first glance. Has a side panel to stop the light bleeding out too. Handy if I want to run the light 24/7 or nightly.

Comes with an insert to use it as a algae turf scrubber instead of a refugium but I don’t know what an algae scrubber does lol.

 

[CCiPhantom]

thats pretty dope!

 

[Budman93]

Thanks. I was curious about an anenome. Will it move around the tank and bother the coral? It’s not a massive tank so I wasn’t sure. I’m sure the clowns would love one though!

Once it finds a spot it pretty much just stays there

 

[beebot99]

1 mushroom has “mostly” attached. Which is awesome. Bit of a hair algae problem at the moment, going to try reducing the light timings.

The other mushroom is sat in a little dish with some rubble. I decided against continuing the net method, since the mushroom started to try poke out of it, damaging it in the process. Once it attaches to some rubble I’ll glue that to the rock.

In other news, the smaller clownfish has begun doing “shaking” or “spasms”. I think the slightly smaller one has started to accept the dominant one. Time will tell.

Also, I’ve just added some activated Carbon and within literally 30 seconds my Xenia started pulsing for the first time ever. What’s up with that?! It’s adorable lol.

 

[beebot99]

Brine shrimp hatchery set up. I know it’s not needed but I decided for the little effort it is, I can give the clowns some live brine which I’m sure they’ll appreciate. (Along side their normal food of course)

I’ve started dosing Iodide as I noticed the tank was using it all up. My salt does come with 0.06 when mixed but I guess my weekly 20% water change just wasn’t enough. Got it to 0.01 and next day it was gone. Will try dosing to 0.025 and see how quickly the tank uses that.

Xenia has bounced back. If I had to guess, adding as much Xenia as I did tanked the iodide levels and they competed until one was victorious. He’s doing well though.

Mushrooms continue to look awesome, even though the other one came off the rock. I suspect because of the hair algae. They’re now both in with the rubble.

All in all, I think it’s going well.

 

[Dave Clark]

And the refugium insert has arrived! I’ve stuffed it with chaeto. Has a slot to run a hygger 6w light. Should be perfect to house some copepods and some nitrate control.
Had to remove the media basket from chamber 2 but I’m sure I’ve got enough media to continue holding the tank stable.

Refugium insert was from ReefPrint. Amazing service and a great product from first glance. Has a side panel to stop the light bleeding out too. Handy if I want to run the light 24/7 or nightly.

Comes with an insert to use it as a algae turf scrubber instead of a refugium but I don’t know what an algae scrubber does lol.

How is your chaeto growing?

I just got the ReefPrint refugium and the Hygger 6w light. What are your settings for the light ... duration, color, intensity? I have mine set to run 24 hours, full spectrum, 100%. Thanks in advance.

 

[beebot99]

How is your chaeto growing?

I just got the ReefPrint refugium and the Hygger 6w light. What are your settings for the light ... duration, color, intensity? I have mine set to run 24 hours, full spectrum, 100%. Thanks in advance.

I set mine to match the tanks lighting in reverse. So when the main lights went out, the hygger came on. But to start with, i had it just matched to my display tanks lighting. Either way you cant really go wrong, since its just another crazy growing Algae.

Unfortunately some little bits escaped the insert and ended up in the DT. Bit annoying to keep finding it in DT but next time I'll grow it in a netted bag or something.

I had the intensity at max, and the colour set to just default spectrum. I could've turned down the light to about 75% since the Chaeto against the light went white, but it grew very dense so i'm sure it was just fine.