Elise's first reef tank - Fluval 13.5

[dvgyfresh]

Thanks so much everyone for the suggestions! I will work on trying to keep the Magnesium and Calcium stable as the Alk starts to fall.
I will see if I can slowly work my Salinity up a touch. It used to be at closer to 1.025 and then I messed up and got it too high and killed some snails.

I am loving the adventure of this tank so far and I am learning a bunch

That’s a solid plan , instead of topping off with RODI you can switch to salt water to get thst
Salinity up. I love the adventure as well! It’s not the destination it’s the journey!

 

[Elise_]

That’s a solid plan , instead of topping off with RODI you can switch to salt water to get thst
Salinity up. I love the adventure as well! It’s not the destination it’s the journey!

Thanks, sounds like a good gradual way to up it a little.

 

[Elise_]

So I think my Jebao Sine SOW3 is too powerful for this tank. Now I am getting more things in I am wondering if I am blasting them a little too much.
My euphillia seem to like it but I noticed today with just the return pump on the Acans and the mushrooms seemed a little happier.

Question is do I...
1. Just see how things go when I install the slightly better return pump (If I can ever get the old flow head un-attached, apparently I was superwoman putting it on the first time!) and the random flow generator.
2. Perservere with the current wave maker and assume everyone gets used to it.
3. Get a smaller wave maker.

 

[UnrealReefer]

Great progress

 

[dvgyfresh]

So I think my Jebao Sine SOW3 is too powerful for this tank. Now I am getting more things in I am wondering if I am blasting them a little too much.
My euphillia seem to like it but I noticed today with just the return pump on the Acans and the mushrooms seemed a little happier.

Question is do I...
1. Just see how things go when I install the slightly better return pump (If I can ever get the old flow head un-attached, apparently I was superwoman putting it on the first time!) and the random flow generator.
2. Perservere with the current wave maker and assume everyone gets used to it.
3. Get a smaller wave maker.

I would give the corals the week to see if they adjust to it, you’d be surprised with how much flow things can handle , if they are still unhappy then make a change

 

[GHOSTLY]

Don't be too worried about flow. I have a 1200gph pump with a fluval c20. I plan tovget an icecap gyre

 

[Sharkbait19]

I still have the stock pump on my fluval and no powerhead. Only thing that did poorly was an acro.

 

[GHOSTLY]

I still have the stock pump on my fluval and no powerhead. Only thing that did poorly was an acro.

That's a reasonable response for the acro. How long have you been in this hobby shark? Also let's see your reef tank now! Give the fellow evo owner some inspiration

 

[Sharkbait19]

That's a reasonable response for the acro. How long have you been in this hobby shark? Also let's see your reef tank now! Give the fellow evo owner some inspiration

Tank has been up since August last year. I didn’t really think the acro would make it, but my lfs had $10 frags so there wasn’t a reason not to try it.
I don’t have any recent photos, I’ll get one tomorrow!

 

[GHOSTLY]

Tank has been up since August last year. I didn’t really think the acro would make it, but my lfs had $10 frags so there wasn’t a reason not to try it.
I don’t have any recent photos, I’ll get one tomorrow!

Sounds good! And I mean you can't complain for a 10 dollar acro

 

[jfoahs04]

So I think my Jebao Sine SOW3 is too powerful for this tank. Now I am getting more things in I am wondering if I am blasting them a little too much.
My euphillia seem to like it but I noticed today with just the return pump on the Acans and the mushrooms seemed a little happier.

Question is do I...
1. Just see how things go when I install the slightly better return pump (If I can ever get the old flow head un-attached, apparently I was superwoman putting it on the first time!) and the random flow generator.
2. Perservere with the current wave maker and assume everyone gets used to it.
3. Get a smaller wave maker.

I agree with the other poster that said to give it more time. People tend to underestimate how much flow their coral (and their fish) can take. Many of us are running more powerful wavemakers in the same tank with success (I'm running a Nero 3 that peaks at nearly 1200 gph during the pulse schedule periods during the day).

To answer your questions:

• I'd give it a week or so to see if things get better before buying/installing anything else. Less is more many times in this hobby.
• If some/all of the coral don't improve, consider powerhead and coral placement. Even with a powerhead at 800+ gph in this tank, you can use powerhead placement and your rockwork to create zones with different flow levels. For example, place the powerhead in the upper/middle part of the tank and point it at the opposite wall. This keeps it from creating a sandstorm and, combined with your strategic rockwork placement, should provide some respite for your bottom-dwelling coral that prefer low-flow (like the acans). My Nero is pointed right at my sticks (birdsnest, digitata, and stellata). But I have frogspawn and duncan thriving on the other side of the tank where my rockwork and the deflection of direct powerhead flow makes for a low/moderate flow zone. Even with the powerhead is cranking at 1200gph. I also have zoas and mushrooms doing fine in high flow.
• One or both of the above should fix the problem. If it doesn't and you're not planning on growing coral that demands high flow, then downgrading certainly won't hurt. But again, I don't think you'll need to.

 

[GHOSTLY]

I agree with the other poster that said to give it more time. People tend to underestimate how much flow their coral (and their fish) can take. Many of us are running more powerful wavemakers in the same tank with success (I'm running a Nero 3 that peaks at nearly 1200 gph during the pulse schedule periods during the day).

To answer your questions:

• I'd give it a week or so to see if things get better before buying/installing anything else. Less is more many times in this hobby.
• If some/all of the coral don't improve, consider powerhead and coral placement. Even with a powerhead at 800+ gph in this tank, you can use powerhead placement and your rockwork to create zones with different flow levels. For example, place the powerhead in the upper/middle part of the tank and point it at the opposite wall. This keeps it from creating a sandstorm and, combined with your strategic rockwork placement, should provide some respite for your bottom-dwelling coral that prefer low-flow (like the acans). My Nero is pointed right at my sticks (birdsnest, digitata, and stellata). But I have frogspawn and duncan thriving on the other side of the tank where my rockwork and the deflection of direct powerhead flow makes for a low/moderate flow zone. Even with the powerhead is cranking at 1200gph. I also have zoas and mushrooms doing fine in high flow.
• One or both of the above should fix the problem. If it doesn't and you're not planning on growing coral that demands high flow, then downgrading certainly won't hurt. But again, I don't think you'll need to.

+1 for above but if you want sps I suggest higher flow. Ease them into jt though

 

[Sharkbait19]

That's a reasonable response for the acro. How long have you been in this hobby shark? Also let's see your reef tank now! Give the fellow evo owner some inspiration

As promised, fts:

You wouldn’t guess but there is a royal gramma and aurora goby in there with the clown. Bottom right is the pistol’s cave.

 

[GHOSTLY]

As promised, fts:

You wouldn’t guess but there is a royal gramma and aurora goby in there with the clown. Bottom right is the pistol’s cave.

I see a clown

 

[GHOSTLY]

As promised, fts:

You wouldn’t guess but there is a royal gramma and aurora goby in there with the clown. Bottom right is the pistol’s cave.

Also love that gsp rock. Is it touching anything cause it looks like its ready to take over!

 

[Sharkbait19]

Also love that gsp rock. Is it touching anything cause it looks like its ready to take over!

That is just pure gsp, no rock at all!
I’ve had it since it was a quarter sized frag, and it just keeps growing. It always gets close to something and I have to shift it over so it doesn’t touch lol. Time to start fragging, as well as my Xenia, cloves, and sinu.

 

[Elise_]

This weeks update for the tank. Not to much going on this week in terms of changes or new things as I have been crazy busy at work since the new corals arrived.
Sadly my bizzaro cyphastrea continues to slowly melt away, I think its a goner now.
The new corals from Cali Kid corals and Living Reef Orlando from the live sales a few weeks back are for the most part settling in ok and most were keen to eat today.
I managed to figure what I hope is a slightly better wavemaker positioning and there seems to be less strong flow across the bottom of the tank and my new hammer seems much happier.
One of my rock flower anemones decided to let go of its spot and float around to attach on the backside of the rocks on the left side where I sadly don't get to see it any more.
Only coral I'm currently a little worried about is my Favia, it seems to have a few exposed looking bits along the skeleton at the edges of the polyps, so we will continue to monitor that.
I still need to get a Phosphorus test kit and I am due to water test again tomorrow.

 

[Just John]

As promised, fts:

You wouldn’t guess but there is a royal gramma and aurora goby in there with the clown. Bottom right is the pistol’s cave.

Your tank has come a long way! It looks great!

 

[Sharkbait19]

Your tank has come a long way! It looks great!

Thanks! I’m really proud of it! Just need to get some more colorful corals in there…which would probably involve looking outside the $10-20 bin every now and then lol.

 

[GHOSTLY]

Your tank has come a long way! It looks great!

Hey John! Post your evo here, give Elise some inspiration too!