Fluval Evo 13.5 Build Thread

Sharkbait19 · Jan 8, 2021

Update: I ordered the InTank media baskets for both chambers 1 and 2. I finally grew fed up with the poor filtration performance, and hope that this upgrade will make tank maintenance a whole lot easier. In addition, I will likely be getting my first new fishes, a pair of clowns, pretty soon, and will have them quarantined and medicated for about a week or so before they go in. They are pre-quarantined, but after such a fiasco during my first go at this, I think I should be more safe than sorry.
I can certainly use some fish in my tank soon, as all the mushroom corals are closed up and unhealthy because there is nothing to really feed them right now. I'll keep you guys posted on how that goes.
I look forward to getting the new fish, and you can expect to see many posts in this thread in the coming weeks. Happy reefing, everyone!

Sharkbait19 · Jan 10, 2021

It’s an exciting day in reefing for me! I went to the LFS this afternoon and bought a clown pair!! Meet Nemo (ocellaris) and Luxo Jr. (Maine Mocha)!

Additionally, I found a pistol shrimp! They thought they had none but it was buried underneath some nassarius snails. I can’t get a photograph right now because he buried himself away.
I got a blasto frag and an elegance coral, which completes the coral stocking. I’m very excited by these additions, but am also nervous about ECS. Hopefully with proper care, I’ll keep the elegance for a long time!

This is where this thread becomes exciting again! Thankfully, I know much more now, so it should be a good kind of exciting!

Thanks for following, and happy reefing!!!

Sharkbait19 · Jan 13, 2021

I did a rescaping in favor of the elegance being too large for its spot. It’s a bit barren on the left side but I think that’ll be good for the clownfish.

Sharkbait19 · Jan 15, 2021

Update: The Media Baskets have arrived, so I will be installing them either today or tomorrow. My fallow period is officially over (yahoo!) so I can put the clowns in today! Despite this, I am waiting until tomorrow to move them, as I first need to do yet another rescaping and don't want to stress the clowns. I am rescaping again, as I have made the decision to return my elegance to the LFS. It is not dying or dead, it is in perfect shape, but I have been stressing a lot over the simple paranoia of it retracting ECS from the generally unstable parameters in my tank. It is the centerpiece of my tank and by far my favorite and most beloved coral, which is exactly why I'd hate to see it die. I'd feel better knowing it's in the right hands. It's simply best that someone of more experience takes care of this beautiful piece.

Sharkbait19 · Jan 15, 2021

I’m now leaning towards not returning the elegance. I’ll tell you what I wind up doing. Likely, the clowns will actually go in today.

Sharkbait19 · Jan 16, 2021

It’s back! A tank with fish in it!! I’m excited and relieved to be done with such a long fallow, and am glad I had everyone’s support and help these past few months!! With a new filtration, and loads of more experience, I think I’ll be keeping these guys for the long run!

Also, I swapped the elegance for a hammer colony, as I was just too nervous about it contracting ECS. I am a little nervous about the hammer getting irritated by the clowns, but the clowns already don’t seem to care about what I think.

Sharkbait19 · Jan 31, 2021

Update: my tank has reached stability, and coralline algae is now growing a everywhere! All corals are flourishing and my tank is happy! That’s the good news. Then there’s the bad news. About a week ago, my cleaner shrimp died of some mysterious cause. This is the second, and probably last shrimp, that I’ll try for a while. Secondly, my clownfish somehow contracted velvet (or brook, hard to tell) and are now back in QT. I am doing FW dips daily and am raising the copper to a therapeutic level. I am afraid that Nemo looks quite bad, although Luxo jr has a light of hope in her. I wish I removed them sooner, but wanted to ensure that I was doing the right thing. However, once they became dusty, I knew what was up. The FW dip seemed to have worked, though I know how relentless velvet is.

najer · Jan 31, 2021

I wish you all the very best but I can't watch you go through the decline again, first time around you were told you needed to go fallow for X days, sorry I don't know the details, I think you were told that parasites and diseases can come in on inverts also, you need to be X days fallow after the last addition, check your journal, hope the clowns are ok. Un followed as this makes me sad so a response is typing at fresh air.

Sharkbait19 · Jan 31, 2021

@najer, I’m really sorry to hear you say that. I’ve tried my best, and am very disappointed in myself for allowing this to happen again. I do appreciate you following my build thread for this long and for believing in my tank, and I am upset to see you go. Hopefully one day, I will be able to give good news in this thread, and be as experienced as you are. I’ll continue to follow your build, though, as I find it to be a very beautiful tank. Best of luck to you.

AnotherReefHobbyist · Jan 31, 2021

I know this is somewhat of a negative point in the thread, but I am couriers to see how this tank turns out so I will be following

Sharkbait19 · Jan 31, 2021

Believe me, I truly believe that in every tank, once the ugly stage is overcome, beautiful results await. I’ve been dealing with parasites in my tank since day 1 when I brought live rock home from Petco. It will take time, but I do believe that a little failure must occur to provide success. Thank you for following.

Mike from TN · Jan 31, 2021

I’m still following along Brother!

Sharkbait19 · Feb 7, 2021

Update: clowns are alive and well! They seem very healthy a week later, so I think things are going very well! I’ll continue treatment, and in six weeks, after a proper fallow for brook/velvet, they’ll be back in! Other than that, the DT is doing very well! Everything is healthy and thriving, algae is finally under control, and params seem to have reached stability. I look forward to keeping this thread up to date with more good news!!

For all who have read this thread to this point, I offer very valuable advice based on my experiences—never buy anything with the word “live” in it from Petco!!

fishlover1478 · Feb 7, 2021

Sharkbait19 said:
Update: clowns are alive and well! They seem very healthy a week later, so I think things are going very well! I’ll continue treatment, and in six weeks, after a proper fallow for brook/velvet, they’ll be back in! Other than that, the DT is doing very well! Everything is healthy and thriving, algae is finally under control, and params seem to have reached stability. I look forward to keeping this thread up to date with more good news!!

For all who have read this thread to this point, I offer very valuable advice based on my experiences—never buy anything with the word “live” in it from Petco!!

lol do you mean like sand or rock or do you mean fish and invertebrates

Sharkbait19 · Feb 7, 2021

quirkylemon103 said:
lol do you mean like sand or rock or do you mean fish and invertebrates

All of it.

Sharkbait19 · Feb 12, 2021

Update: clowns are pretty much recovered but they’ll stay in QT for six weeks to ensure the parasites are gone from them and the DT. Also, to my unfortunate surprise, my emerald crab killed my brittle star. He grabbed him and ripped him open right in front of me. Although I have grown attached to the emerald crab as he has been here since the beginning, it is the safest choice to remove him and get rid of him.

Rest in piece, Patrick....

Sharkbait19 · Mar 6, 2021

Exciting update:
The clowns have a week left of copper and will soon be returning home! However, I may wait a little longer than the required fallow just for a little reassurance.
My naughty emerald crab was to be brought to the LFS when I had a bubble algae outbreak on some LPS frags, so I do kinda need him now...
My trumpet coral, which was being infested by palys, was looking awful. So, a little over a week ago, I scraped all the palys off. I also accidentally removed some flesh from the trumpet, but it’s growing back, and looks really good so far! It even has two new heads!

I decided to get into the fragging part of reefing, as I watched my Xenia grow out of control. I also 3D designed and printed from scratch a frag rack, which came out really well! I’m really pleased with the results!