Fluval Evo 13.5 Build - First Aquarium!

[Ollie67]

Following! This is an amazing 13.5 evo, I have done of my own that is also my first tank,

My 13.5 evo thread: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/my-13-5-evo.1063521/

I'd love to take a look! :beaming-face-with-smiling-eyes:

 

[Ollie67]

Hey @Ollie67! Any updates on your masterpiece?

Oh jeez! It's been like almost 2 months since I've been on R2R! Summer's just been super duper busy, tank hasn't changed much but I recently went to Aquashella in Chicago and it was super cool! Didn't have a lot of $$$ to spend, but I got a nice digi (my first sps!) and a button scolly! I'll also post some recent pics here soon!

Time to go take a look at your thread!

 

[Ollie67]

Hi everyone! As of today, it is technically Day 193 of my tank running. Not much has changed since my last update. A lot of growth has happened though! My acans are pushing out a lot of babies, my mushroom dropped approximately five babies, and my candy cane has pretty much split into four heads! My zoas are also pushing out a lot of polyps as well.

Most recently, I have added a forest fire digi and a button scolly to my tank! Here are some photos (they haven't fully settled in yet!):

 

[Ollie67]

Here is a full tank shot, it was taken right before adding my new corals. I've also attached a cool photo I got of my goby under my mushroom, along with a close-up of the mushroom's babies!

 

[Ollie67]

Also!! Almost forgot, I also recently got an emerald crab for my tank! Hopefully he won't cause any trouble to my corals, I'll be keeping a close eye.

 

[WalkerLovesTheOcean]

Here is a full tank shot, it was taken right before adding my new corals. I've also attached a cool photo I got of my goby under my mushroom, along with a close-up of the mushroom's babies!

The tank is really starting to fill out with corals!! Looks awesome dude!!

 

[zerozero]

Just went through your thread today. Your tank has really come on beautifully. Your frogspawn looks magnificent.

A quick question, if I may. Did you start your corals on the sand bed and move them in to position later?

 

[Ollie67]

Just went through your thread today. Your tank has really come on beautifully. Your frogspawn looks magnificent.

A quick question, if I may. Did you start your corals on the sand bed and move them in to position later?

Thank you!! My frog is one of my favorite pieces!

Honestly, I started out with only a few (like 2-3) hardy corals on my rocks and didn't have anything in the sand. I kind of wanted to wait for all the uglies to get out of the sand earlier on as well. I may have temporarily held some corals in the sand while waiting to figure out a spot or for them to settle in. I did this with my hammer and candy cane.

Eventually, a few months later, I ended up buying some acans and decided to keep those in the sand!

 

[zerozero]

Thank you!! My frog is one of my favorite pieces!

Honestly, I started out with only a few (like 2-3) hardy corals on my rocks and didn't have anything in the sand. I kind of wanted to wait for all the uglies to get out of the sand earlier on as well. I may have temporarily held some corals in the sand while waiting to figure out a spot or for them to settle in. I did this with my hammer and candy cane.

Eventually, a few months later, I ended up buying some acans and decided to keep those in the sand!

Thanks for the info.

I have our first LPS, a Hammer, arriving in under two hours. Obviously very excited. We will also get a Duncan on another delivery today as well.

I notice you have your powerhead below the inlet for the return flow. I had it ours there initially but worried it would push detritus away from the return. Am I worrying too much?

 

[Ollie67]

Thanks for the info.

I have our first LPS, a Hammer, arriving in under two hours. Obviously very excited. We will also get a Duncan on another delivery today as well.

I notice you have your powerhead below the inlet for the return flow. I had it ours there initially but worried it would push detritus away from the return. Am I worrying too much?

Of course! I'm excited to see your new coral! I love duncans and hammers are awesome! I've got to say that LPS / euphyllia are some of my favorite coral :beaming-face-with-smiling-eyes:

My powerhead is currently in the middle of that back wall, the magnet is in my second chamber of the fluval. I do have it pointed towards the first chamber as much as I can. The reasoning behind this is that when I tried putting it in my third chamber, my frogspawn and torches were getting blasted with way too much flow even on the lowest setting. The placement of my powerhead there is solely for the sake of my coral getting decent flow based on my rockscape.

I've seen many different placements of powerheads on the fluval, and most work just fine! Honestly just depends on the aquascape and coral placement usually. I do have flow going into my return, I obviously wouldn't want it getting pushed away. I think your placement is just fine! That's what CUC is for too! I think some of the crew I have eat detritus.

 

[zerozero]

Of course! I'm excited to see your new coral! I love duncans and hammers are awesome! I've got to say that LPS / euphyllia are some of my favorite coral :beaming-face-with-smiling-eyes:

My powerhead is currently in the middle of that back wall, the magnet is in my second chamber of the fluval. I do have it pointed towards the first chamber as much as I can. The reasoning behind this is that when I tried putting it in my third chamber, my frogspawn and torches were getting blasted with way too much flow even on the lowest setting. The placement of my powerhead there is solely for the sake of my coral getting decent flow based on my rockscape.

I've seen many different placements of powerheads on the fluval, and most work just fine! Honestly just depends on the aquascape and coral placement usually. I do have flow going into my return, I obviously wouldn't want it getting pushed away. I think your placement is just fine! That's what CUC is for too! I think some of the crew I have eat detritus.

Thanks of the reply mate. I'm still trying to find powerhead placement that works for my coral. I upgraded my return pump to a Sicce "Silent" Syncra 1.0 and though the increased flow is welcome the noise is not.

I'll wait on my new lights before sharing more pics. It took two days to get from The Netherlands to Scotland (looks like they used a biplane), with a further 48 hours in customs. It cleared customs at 09:03 this morning. Hopefully will be with me some time on Saturday.

Looking at your's and other Fluval Evos I'm having a re-think on my rock scape. Thanks so much for the advice.

 

[Ollie67]

Thanks of the reply mate. I'm still trying to find powerhead placement that works for my coral. I upgraded my return pump to a Sicce "Silent" Syncra 1.0 and though the increased flow is welcome the noise is not.

I'll wait on my new lights before sharing more pics. It took two days to get from The Netherlands to Scotland (looks like they used a biplane), with a further 48 hours in customs. It cleared customs at 09:03 this morning. Hopefully will be with me some time on Saturday.

Looking at your's and other Fluval Evos I'm having a re-think on my rock scape. Thanks so much for the advice.

No problem! It doesn't hurt to experiment and see where you get the best flow, it took me a bit to find a place that works! I currently have the Sicce Syncra 0.5, and I'm pretty happy with it. It's not the strongest return, but that's where my powerhead helps. I know a lot of people also have the 1.0, but I've heard complaints about it being too much flow out of the return for some people in such a small tank. That, and I have my tank in my bedroom so I wanted to make sure it's a bit quieter.

And sounds good, I look forward to seeing some. What lights did you pick up!

 

[MONTANTK]

What light are you running?

 

[Ollie67]

What light are you running?

I've got an AI Prime 16HD, with a 10hr 51% schedule. I am using the Pennywise Daylight Pop schedule, which I found on the AI Prime facebook group.

 

[Ollie67]

Hello all, it’s been a few months… Will be providing an update here soon. Not much has changed, just a couple smaller things. Hopefully everyone has had a good new year so far!

 

[Ollie67]

Hi everyone, I'm alive! Tank has been doing great since my last update over a year ago. My 13.5 survived a move this last March. Otherwise, it has been smooth sailing. A few corals didn't end up making it over the last few months, but the majority have been thriving. I just recently traded my smaller rock, which got completely covered by red discosoma mushrooms, for a green fuzzy mushroom island. I think it looks great and opened up some space in the tank. I have also added a pink-streaked wrasse into my tank recently. He has settled in well!

I am considering upgrading to a 40g long or 80g system sometime in the next few months to give my coral and fish more space. Debating whether I continue with AIO or learn how to use a sump...

 

[Ollie67]

Here are some photos of how the tank looked before the recent change. While I liked the discosomas, they definitely crowded the tank. The clowns loved hanging in them though! It's crazy to think all those spread from only one mushroom frag I got a little less than two years ago!