Coming back. New nano Fluval 13.5

[cor4eyh]

Hello all,

It's been many years since I had a reef tank. Took it down in 2017 when a family member got sick and work was super crazy. I was sad to see it go but a relief it has been.

Feels like a ton has changed in reefing since then. New lights, new automations, new ATO's, new Pumps, new wave makers and much more knowledge.

I'm beginning a small reef that I'd like to keep track of here with some photos and share my progress so far.

In march of this year my wife said she wanted a fish tank again like she used to Have. She wanted something small and of course freshwater because she doesn't believe me when I say salt water fish only is nearly the same as freshwater just mixing the salt.

Anyway after she got her tank and was excited I said I wanted a tank as well. So for my birthday she got me a Fluval Evo 13.5 Nano.

Here are the first pics of it with my made aqua scape from old rocks from my old 50 gallon Cube tank.

 

[cor4eyh]

Hello all,

It's been many years since I had a reef tank. Took it down in 2017 when a family member got sick and work was super crazy. I was sad to see it go but a relief it has been.

Feels like a ton has changed in reefing since then. New lights, new automations, new ATO's, new Pumps, new wave makers and much more knowledge.

I'm beginning a small reef that I'd like to keep track of here with some photos and share my progress so far.

In march of this year my wife said she wanted a fish tank again like she used to Have. She wanted something small and of course freshwater because she doesn't believe me when I say salt water fish only is nearly the same as freshwater just mixing the salt.

Anyway after she got her tank and was excited I said I wanted a tank as well. So for my birthday she got me a Fluval Evo 13.5 Nano.

Here are the first pics of it with my made aqua scape from old rocks from my old 50 gallon Cube tank.

Upgrades already done,

Light timer that attached to the stock light and changes intensity. Pretty neat little guy if you have a fluvial and want one here's a link:



Also upgraded the Flow with an old koralia


Upgraded the return pump to the AIO eheim 1000 compact really increased the flow so much! It barely fits but does fit.



The lighting is pretty decent but I miss the daily blue lights so I ordered this and honestly am super surprised and glad it works as well as it does.



I also ordered the 1/2 inch random flow generators not yet arrived but looking forward to those from vivid creative aquatics.

Ultimate Return Line Upgrade Kit – Dual 1/2 Flex-Series RFG | Vivid Creative Aquatics

vividcreativeaquatics.com

Since I got the blue led strip and liked it so much it really only covered one side of the light because I wanted to keep the hood. So its mounted on one side of the light I ordered a second one and another one of those controllers to control those automatically.

its all a bit janky but its under the hood so it works.

Here is a tank pic as of today.

Ill add more pics of the upgrades later.

One of my local community members gave me a piece of live rock with some shrooms and Kenya trees, another gave me a green sinularia. Also got a BTA from a member which its foot was a bit damaged but its attached at the bottom of the tank and its bubble tips are very bubbly. Hopefully it heals and makes its way to the front lol

 

[jfoahs04]

Looks good! I went a similar span of time (2016-2021) between tanks and got back into it with the EVO too. Great little tanks.

 

[cor4eyh]

Here’s some photos of the upgraded lighting I added to this tank lid. Double sided Velcro tape and some cable management and that timer for this light. It’s all on a schedule and working really well!

before and after the blue light addition.

The end of the light got a tiny bit wet I blew it out and dried it before sealing everything with electrical tape.

so before I leave for vacation I’m going to try and feed the anemone some shrimp/scallops and hopefully the tank will be good for two weeks. I’ll also fill it with fresh RODI water to top it off a bit

 

[Ranjib]

looks awesome, im using the same light for one of my pico. Love those

 

[cor4eyh]

Currently dealing with Dino's.

As i stated before just go the tank in August. I had been cooking rocks in a trash can for sometime. Those rocks had a circulator and some bacteria and a heater to just keep a live.

When I went on vacation for two weeks right before I left I double checked everything in the tank and was good to go. Low and behold I think during my two weeks the lights were on 24/7. Between that, the amazing filtration, no fish, and no feeding. I brewed the perfect grounds for all the dinoflagelletes i could get it. I never took a photo of the tank when I got home because I just wanted to clean it.

Since then I've gotten a couple of fish and a clean up crew and a shrimp.

Long video on youtube if you want to see it.


Everything is looking pretty good aside from the Dino's

Aside from Dino's possibly hurting corals and fish are they really that bad?

If I were to turkey baste them off the rocks and corals daily will they hurt my fish?

I bought a UV sterilizer that should be coming this week.

Any help is appreaciated.

I figure with the new bio load and I removed my chemipure blue packets that some bacteria and nutrients might take over where the dino's have. Eventually finding balance.

I've done my research for sure and so many different things I can do but the one common thing is eventually the tank finds a balance and the Dino's will subside a bit.

 

[cor4eyh]

Here’s a FTS today and a shot of my dinos

 

[jfoahs04]

Why do you think you have Dino’s? What I see in those pictures looks like typical new tank diatoms to me. Just keep doing what you’re doing and they’ll go away in a few weeks once they’ve consumed your silicates.

*edit* nevermind. I see what you’re talking about. They may or may not be Dino’s - it’s best to confirm with a microscope. The issue with Dino’s is that they are unsightly, some strains are toxic to fish/inverts, and they grow so quickly that they out compete most other algae and take over. They can suffocate coral.

 

[cor4eyh]

Why do you think you have Dino’s? What I see in those pictures looks like typical new tank diatoms to me. Just keep doing what you’re doing and they’ll go away in a few weeks once they’ve consumed your silicates.

*edit* nevermind. I see what you’re talking about. They may or may not be Dino’s - it’s best to confirm with a microscope. The issue with Dino’s is that they are unsightly, some strains are toxic to fish/inverts, and they grow so quickly that they out compete most other algae and take over. They can suffocate coral.

I did the clear container and light test with a filtered set and it growed in the container.

Im pretty sure its Dino's but i baked my water and rocks for many months with live rock, sand, good water, and some bacteria i added to help the cycle.

Thats kinda why im asking if its not on the corals or on the rocks meaning i turkey baster it off will it eventually subside. its on the sand mostly.

 

[olonmv]

Looks really nice!! I have the evo also and just about every person who does, including me, plugged up the hole that feeds from display into chamber 2.

 

[olonmv]

Currently dealing with Dino's.

As i stated before just go the tank in August. I had been cooking rocks in a trash can for sometime. Those rocks had a circulator and some bacteria and a heater to just keep a live.

When I went on vacation for two weeks right before I left I double checked everything in the tank and was good to go. Low and behold I think during my two weeks the lights were on 24/7. Between that, the amazing filtration, no fish, and no feeding. I brewed the perfect grounds for all the dinoflagelletes i could get it. I never took a photo of the tank when I got home because I just wanted to clean it.

Since then I've gotten a couple of fish and a clean up crew and a shrimp.

Long video on youtube if you want to see it.


Everything is looking pretty good aside from the Dino's

Aside from Dino's possibly hurting corals and fish are they really that bad?

If I were to turkey baste them off the rocks and corals daily will they hurt my fish?

I bought a UV sterilizer that should be coming this week.

Any help is appreaciated.

I figure with the new bio load and I removed my chemipure blue packets that some bacteria and nutrients might take over where the dino's have. Eventually finding balance.

I've done my research for sure and so many different things I can do but the one common thing is eventually the tank finds a balance and the Dino's will subside a bit.

Looks a lot like diatoms. If it goes away at lights off then it may be Dino’s. In that case you’ll have to get a microscope to find which type. You can try a multi-day lights off routine to see if that takes care of them. I did lights out and a capful of peroxide during blackout period. It worked but luckily mine weren’t the stubborn type.

 

[jfoahs04]

I did the clear container and light test with a filtered set and it growed in the container.

Im pretty sure its Dino's but i baked my water and rocks for many months with live rock, sand, good water, and some bacteria i added to help the cycle.

Thats kinda why im asking if its not on the corals or on the rocks meaning i turkey baster it off will it eventually subside. its on the sand mostly.

I think that when it comes to dinos, it's best to be certain. Not only certain that you're actually dealing with dinos (the clear container test is helpful, but not perfect), but also to be able to identify which type of dino you're dealing with. Each species has its own traits, symptoms, and methods of treating them. Some are fairly harmless apart from being ugly, and some can kill your livestock. It's definitely worth it to grab a cheap microscope on Amazon and take some pictures so some of the experts here can give you a positive ID.

As far as will it go away if you keep blasting it with the baster, it really depends. Some people have success with that approach, and some people do not. I personally would not want to put the effort into daily manual removal only to have the tank get overrun anyway. Lots of good advice in the "Official" dino thread.

 

[cor4eyh]

Just a little update. Been a few months since I posted. This is now just over 1 year old.

4 bubble tips
1 green sinularia
1 Kenya tree
1 stick of Birds nest
And 1 stick of pc rainbow
My shrooms are mix and matched aside from the 1 Ricordia that’s pretty bleached.
Also one digitata

2 clown fish one mostly black and one mostly white.

1 6 line wrasse and of course a cleaner shrimp.

Many clean up crew

Things seem pretty happy.

I’m super lazy I do 20% WC once a month ish,

Feed mysis shrimp daily,

And refill the ATO.

Aside from that cleaning the glass and taking some of the refugium out I don’t do much.

Hope y’all enjoy!

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Just a little update. Been a few months since I posted. This is now just over 1 year old.

4 bubble tips
1 green sinularia
1 Kenya tree
1 stick of Birds nest
And 1 stick of pc rainbow
My shrooms are mix and matched aside from the 1 Ricordia that’s pretty bleached.
Also one digitata

2 clown fish one mostly black and one mostly white.

1 6 line wrasse and of course a cleaner shrimp.

Many clean up crew

Things seem pretty happy.

I’m super lazy I do 20% WC once a month ish,

Feed mysis shrimp daily,

And refill the ATO.

Aside from that cleaning the glass and taking some of the refugium out I don’t do much.

Hope y’all enjoy!

Tank looks great!

 

[cor4eyh]

hello all,

Little update today.

Sadly the white clown has passed away onto another level of goodness.
Lots of my corals are getting so big.

It’s time to frag and sell some stuff.

I’m wondering what this digitata mother colony might be worth?

I live in Portland. If anyone wants this big digitata rock let me know