Fluval Evo 13.5 Build

[Larry101]

Hey! - I recently started a Fluval Evo 13.5 tank 2 months ago and I finally decided to create a build thread that I will hopefully be updating monthly.

Equipment: Stock light w/ Truelumen 12-inch blue led, Via aqua 50-watt heater, Inkbird heater and fan controller, Ac infinity fan mounted on the hood, 3d printed media basket, carbon (Changed weekly), GFO (Changed bi-weekly), Filterfloss (Changed ever 3 days), Stock return pump, Carib sea live sand, reef rock 2.1 - 11 pounds, instant ocean reef crystals

Livestock: 2 mocha clowns (currently in a qt tank after ich outbreak), 3 scarlet hermit crabs, 3 narsarrius snails, normal toadstool, long polyp toadstool, weeping willow (from aquacorals.com - highly recommended for special soft corals), neon green sinularia, photosynthetic purple gorgonian, 2 branching hammers, wall hammer, frogspawn

Problems in the tank right now: I need more flow in order to keep the detritus suspended - I'm highly thinking about purchasing the jebao sw-2 wavemaker, There are lots of flowing particulates in the tank - because the fish are in qt the copepods are multiplying and are in the water column currently but it also appears there are still some free flowing particulates in the water that aren't pods (suggestions to combat this problem would be appreciated)

 

[WIReefer]

Welcome to R2R!!! I love those fluvals!!! Nice looking rock and congrats on the build!

 

[Larry101]

Thanks WIReefer! The reef rock 2.1 was a great idea the brs 160 gave me, you get the nice purple coralline look right from the start without any of the hitchhikers from live rock.

 

[Larry101]

Here is my diy hood ventilation hack to keep the temperature regulated in the Fluval 13.5 (I was having problems with the temp getting too high). I like the look of this because it keeps the stock look of the tank (which is what I was going for).

Basically all I did was Dremel 2 square, one for each fan. Then I simply fished the wires through the holes and siliconed the cans to the hood. Here is the link for the fan I used: Amazon product

 

[Larry101]

Well, it has been about 2 months now since my last update and a lot has changed.

Gear Updates​

I decided to change my light out with an AI Prime because the stock light doesn't have that great of a spectrum and controllability compared to the prime. I also 3d printed a light shield to help with the light spillage into the room (I will be making another one in black color once my black filament arrives). With that, I also had to put on a screen top as I have clownfish which are known jumpers. I went with this kit by innovative marine. The total time it took me to put it together was around an hour. Tips I have with that specific kit is to use a milter saw if you have one available to cut the edges of the top because a hacksaw won't get as straight of edges and will take longer. Another tip I have is once the screen is put on the frame using a hairdryer to tighten up the slack on the screen to make it a sleeker look.

Livestock Updates​

Unfortunately, my male clownfish perished in July due to ich so I currently only have 1 clownfish in the tank. I'm not sure when I should be comfortable adding another one to the tank since the ich incident with the male clownfish. I also bought another hammer coral that is the wall variety, a nice sized neon green toadstool, and a pink alveopora that has been not extending since I got it 4 days ago (hopefully it is just still acclimating to my tank. Also one of my branching hammer corals isn't doing so well. Its mouth opens every day and doesn't seem to like the tank, should I move it do a different location because it could be getting too much light?

Here is the hammer that isn't doing so hot

 

[MrDLHughesY]

Yeah I would move the hammers down to lower in the tank as they are in too much light up there and will probably end up bleaching eventually.

I have this same tank awesome little tank I’m just in the process of an upgrade think I’m going to go with a dd reef pro 900

 

[Larry101]

Yeah I would move the hammers down to lower in the tank as they are in too much light up there and will probably end up bleaching eventually.

I have this same tank awesome little tank I’m just in the process of an upgrade think I’m going to go with a dd reef pro 900

Yeah, that's what I assumed was happening to the hammers. What do you think I should put in its place? The dd reef pro 900 is an awesome tank btw

 

[Sharkbait19]

Beautiful build! My first tank is a fluval 13.5 too!

 

[Larry101]

Beautiful build! My first tank is a fluval 13.5 too!

Thanks! I know the Fluval 13.5 is such a sleek tank!

 

[Sharkbait19]

Thanks! I know the Fluval 13.5 is such a sleek tank!

Yup! How are all your fish and corals? I just recently started and have a finger leather and a pulsing Xenia, along with a clown, royal gramma, firefish and sharknose goby. Those hammer corals look neat!

 

[Larry101]

Yup! How are all your fish and corals? I just recently started and have a finger leather and a pulsing Xenia, along with a clown, royal gramma, firefish and sharknose goby. Those hammer corals look neat!

I had a pair of clowns but one of them, unfortunately, died due to ich. As for the corals I have toadstools, finger leathers, hammers, a gorgonian, and an alveopora in the tank.

 

[MrDLHughesY]

Yeah I would move the hammers down to lower in the tank as they are in too much light up there and will probably end up bleaching eventually.

I have this same tank awesome little tank I’m just in the process of an upgrade think I’m going to go with a dd reef pro 900

I would put something there that likes a lot of light maybe a piece of sps I have some birdsnest sps about that height and a green playing monti.
With the alveopora where my do you have that placed? that also could be getting to much light try and put it on the sand bed on a slightly shaded area under your arch.

 

[Sharkbait19]

I had a pair of clowns but one of them, unfortunately, died due to ich. As for the corals I have toadstools, finger leathers, hammers, a gorgonian, and an alveopora in the tank.

Awesome corals! Sorry about the clown. My sharknose goby I discovered has ich (and I didn’t quarantine ;Facepalm), so I’m battling that, or at least making sure no one else gets it. I also have an awful diatom problem right now.

 

[Larry101]

I would put something there that likes a lot of light maybe a piece of sps I have some birdsnest sps about that height and a green playing monti.
With the alveopora where my do you have that placed? that also could be getting to much light try and put it on the sand bed on a slightly shaded area under your arch.

That's a good idea for the alveopora! I have it on the sand bed right now but it is in direct light. I will put it into a shaded area and observe. Also I just realized the hammers might have a different problem rather than light. It appears there is some white fuzzy stuff on the hammer coral skeleton.

 

[MrDLHughesY]

Awesome! My sharknose goby I discovered had ich (and I didn’t quarantine ;Facepalm), so I’m battling that, or at least making sure no one else gets it. I also have an awful diatom problem right now.

How old is your tank ?

 

[MrDLHughesY]

That's a good idea for the alveopora! I have it on the sand bed right now but it is in direct light. I will put it into a shaded area and observe. Also I just realized the hammers might have a different problem rather than light. It appears there is some white fuzzy stuff on the hammer coral skeleton.

Is that a new coral ? Has it ever opened fully? What’s your water chemistry?

 

[Sharkbait19]

How old is your tank ?

About three weeks, but cycled in days. It was my fault for not inspecting more and quarantining the goby before releasing him. No one else has ich though, and the sharknose has been cleaning everyone.

 

[Larry101]

Is that a new coral ? Has it ever opened fully? What’s your water chemistry?

I have had it for 4 months. It used to open fully if you look at some earlier photos in the thread.

Parameters: 78 degrees, Specific Gravity 1.026, Ph 8.2, Nitrates 5ppm, Phosphates .03ppm, Alkalinity 8.2 DKH, Calcium 420ppm

 

[MrDLHughesY]

About three weeks, but cycled in days. It was my fault for not inspecting more and quarantining the goby before releasing him. No one else has ich though, and the sharknose has been cleaning everyone.

Did you start the tank from new ? If so then I can’t see the tank being cycled in a few days. Diatoms will go eventually. How often do your water changes ?

 

[MrDLHughesY]

I have had it for 4 months. It used to open fully if you look at some earlier photos in the thread.

Parameters: 78 degrees, Specific Gravity 1.026, Ph 8.2, Nitrates 5ppm, Phosphates .03ppm, Alkalinity 8.2 DKH, Calcium 420ppm

They all look good, I would maybe dip it then place it lower in the tank then just observe it.