Fluval Evo 13.5 - First Reef Tank

namfuak

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I am finally getting around to posting this build.

I am new to reefing and my last tank was a freshwater paludarium. I decided to go with a nano size due to space restrictions, knowing full well that it could potentially be a little more challenging.

I started the tank on October 6th, 2020 with the following:
  • CaribSea Fiji Pink sand
  • CaribSea LifeRock
  • inTank media baskets for chamber 1 & 2
  • Cobalt Aquatics 50w Neotherm heater
  • Inkbird temperature controller
  • Jebao OW-10 Wave Maker

20201008_232012.jpg


The CaribSea LifeRock that I had access to locally at the time was a little limiting and I wish that I could have found a nano arch at the time, oh well.
 
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namfuak

namfuak

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October 10th, 2020

Added an Ocellaris Clownfish and a Yellowtail Damsel. And no, I wasn't trying to re-create Finding Nemo. Ammonia was undetectable within a week.

20201010_102948.jpg
 
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namfuak

namfuak

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October 23rd, 2020

My ultimate dilemma was that the stock lighting is extremely limited, having a touch-sensitive button to toggle between the whites, blues, and off. There was no way to mix the two or switch between them for day/night. I decided to add two actinic blue LEDs to the underside of the hood.

I didn't want them to be plugged into two different timers and wanted something a little more unified. I decided to use the Current USA dual ramp timer, but the issue is that the stock Evo light runs on 13.5V and the reef bars are 12V. I ordered an RSP-75-13.5 13.5V, 5.6A power supply. This power supply was able to provide 13.5V with enough current to power the dual ramp timer and the two outputs for the Evo and reef bar. I did some testing with the reef bars at 80% to check heat and make sure everything was okay as I would be running them at 13.5V instead of the 12V.

The tank looked much better and I was able to ramp the two lights up and down independently. Before I put these in I had noticed the tank had an issue with heat dissipation and salt creep. On top of that, with the design of the light and lid, it was an annoyance to take the lid off. I had always thought about using an AI Prime in the future.

20201221_140017.jpg


20201023_104258.jpg
 

terraincognita

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October 23rd, 2020

My ultimate dilemma was that the stock lighting is extremely limited, having a touch-sensitive button to toggle between the whites, blues, and off. There was no way to mix the two or switch between them for day/night. I decided to add two actinic blue LEDs to the underside of the hood.

I didn't want them to be plugged into two different timers and wanted something a little more unified. I decided to use the Current USA dual ramp timer, but the issue is that the stock Evo light runs on 13.5V and the reef bars are 12V. I ordered an RSP-75-13.5 13.5V, 5.6A power supply. This power supply was able to provide 13.5V with enough current to power the dual ramp timer and the two outputs for the Evo and reef bar. I did some testing with the reef bars at 80% to check heat and make sure everything was okay as I would be running them at 13.5V instead of the 12V.

The tank looked much better and I was able to ramp the two lights up and down independently. Before I put these in I had noticed the tank had an issue with heat dissipation and salt creep. On top of that, with the design of the light and lid, it was an annoyance to take the lid off. I had always thought about using an AI Prime in the future.

20201221_140017.jpg


20201023_104258.jpg
Nice little modification (b',')b
 
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namfuak

namfuak

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October 30th, 2020

I added a couple ultra green GSP frags to the back wall and a few zoa frags.

20201102_120956.jpg




November 4th, 2020

I ordered a few things from @BoomCorals. Communication was fantastic and the shipment arrived exactly as planned. Everything looked great.
  • Rasta Zoas
  • Daisy Cutter Zoas
  • Nuclear Green Palys
  • Dragons Breath Macro Algae (Halymenia Durvillei?)
  • Green Sinularia
I also added the following from a local LFS
  • (2) Ricordea Yumas
  • Frogspawn
  • Neon Green Mushroom
  • (4) Astraea Snails
  • (1) Nassarius Snail

20201112_184023.jpg



20201112_184137.jpg
 
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namfuak

namfuak

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Somewhere around this time I had also installed a Tunze 3155 ATO, utilizing a 5 gallon hedpak as a reservoir.

At this point I had realized that I'm in a little too deep and there's no stopping me. Most of my free time is spent reading and studying, getting to know problems and solutions to them before I encounter them. I tend to get like this with hobbies and I'm a bit of a tinkerer.
 
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namfuak

namfuak

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Sometime around November 11th, 2020...

I replaced the stock pump with a Sicce Syncra 0.5 and added a 1/2" RFG. The Jebao OW-10 Wave Maker I have in the tank seems like too much flow, but not sure what to switch it out with and don't want to keep burning cash.


November 17th, 2020

Added a Seneye mostly for the PAR meter, but I was also going out of state for Thanksgiving and wanted a way to keep an eye on things.

At one point I had a little bit of a diatom bloom, but the CUC I bought did an amazing job.

Added a few more corals
  • A few zoas
  • Mummy's Eye Chalice
  • Unkown Chalice (blue with yellow mouths and neon green edge growth)

20201117_094000.jpg
 
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namfuak

namfuak

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November 18th, 2020

I had ordered a custom mesh lid from @Kraken Reef and it came in. I ordered this on the 8th and received it around the 16th. I couldn't believe how quick this was. Kraken was extremely communicative and answered all my questions. The lid looks great.

I also picked up an AI Prime 16HD from my LFS and got it all put together. I love the amount of control with the Prime and I decided to use a profile similar to the AB+.

Added the following:
  • Stylophora
  • Green Goblin Favia?

20201118_155701.jpg
 
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namfuak

namfuak

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December 1, 2020

Added the following:
  • Small Cleaner Shrimp
  • Radioactive Dragon Eye? Zoa Colony
  • Clove Polyps


December 9th, 2020
  • Fireworks? Psammocora Frag
  • Dayglow? Favites Frag
  • Bob Marley Zoa Frag
  • Purple zoa frag similar to red hornets


December 17, 2020

Added a purple stem torch



December 21, 2020

Updated pictures


20201221_120638.jpg


20201221_120745.jpg
 

brandon429

why did you put a reef in that
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Fantastic build here thats a very sharp setup, popping colors
 

Servopkg

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Somewhere around this time I had also installed a Tunze 3155 ATO, utilizing a 5 gallon hedpak as a reservoir.

At this point I had realized that I'm in a little too deep and there's no stopping me. Most of my free time is spent reading and studying, getting to know problems and solutions to them before I encounter them. I tend to get like this with hobbies and I'm a bit of a tinkerer.
LOL - Arn't we all - nice build so far. Looking forward to what you'll do with it.
 
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namfuak

namfuak

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Fantastic build here thats a very sharp setup, popping colors
Thank you, Brandon! I always appreciate your insight and willingness to help others. Your posts have helped out tremendously.

Love it! I love my evo and you did an amazing job
Thank you! I haven't seen your evo, but love the aquascape on your rebuild!

I like that lid! I built mine from a red sea kit after I had a Clown jump but yours looks much nicer!
Thank you! I was going to get that kit, and then decided on the clear acrylic. I wish I could just go open top, but worried about fish jumping and two small children.
 
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namfuak

namfuak

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December 23rd, 2020

Everything is going great. I had some bryopsis that crept up on a rock that I had some zoas glued to. It started to overtake the rastas and decided to dip the bottom of the rock in H2O2 to try and put an end to it.

Coralline algae is starting to pop up all over the place. The dragons breath macro algae has about tripled or more in size and had to split it up a bit. I don't see much macro algae around locally and hoping I can sell or trade a bit at some point. I think it adds a lot of pop to the display and hoping that it helps curb my nutrient level. So far things have been pretty stable at 8-10ppm NO3 and .03 PO4.

I picked up quite a bit at the ARC live sale and I'm going to need to start to decide where I want to attach zoas and corals. I have no more room on the magnetic frag racks.

I picked up a few other things at my LFS
  • Orange Crush Acan Echinata
  • Pink Diamond Zoa
  • Dragon Eye Zoa
  • Pulsating Xenia (hoping to keep this contained)

When our children came, I had stopped diving and spearfishing and always regretted it. It's been about 5 or 6 years. The last 3 months or so I have been getting back into shape and having this tank and pushed me a bit to get back into diving. I went out last weekend and was able to fit back into my wetsuit which was definitely an accomplishment. It felt so good to be back in the ocean!
 
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namfuak

namfuak

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I've noticed that I am dropping about .5-.6 dKH a day. Do spirorbis worms take up enough alkalinity to be noticeable if in sufficient numbers? I've been dosing sodium carbonate at night and morning.
 

shootingstar_reef

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I've noticed that I am dropping about .5-.6 dKH a day. Do spirorbis worms take up enough alkalinity to be noticeable if in sufficient numbers? I've been dosing sodium carbonate at night and morning.
I believe with the amount of corals you have, this steady decline is normal. Coralline algae is also a big consumer of alk.

Build looks great! I set up my 45g also during Oct but have only been brave enough to add a couple pieces of coral. Maybe I should get more.....
 
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