Fluval Evo 13.5 NSA

[Blackbeard Aquatics]

This is my first saltwater aquascape. I decided to challenge myself since I will be staring at this all day at my desk. I'm going to be 3Dprinting my own chamber baskets.

Filtration:
Chamber 1:
Filter floss
Chemi pure elite
Additional reef rock in bottom.

Chamber 2:
Activated carbon
Chaeto refugium

Chamber 3:
Sicce 0.5 silent return
Nano heater of some kind.

 

[lapin]

Looks good

 

[namfuak]

I really dig the rock. I wish I would have gone with something similar to give me more of a sandbed. Looking forward to you getting this going.

I have the Sicce Syncra 0.5 in mine with a Cobalt Aquatics 50w Neotherm heater and it fits just fine right down at the bottom at the side of the pump.

 

[Blackbeard Aquatics]

This is my first saltwater aquascape. I decided to challenge myself since I will be staring at this all day at my desk. I'm going to be 3Dprinting my own chamber baskets.

Filtration:
Chamber 1:
Filter floss
Chemi pure elite
Additional reef rock in bottom.

Chamber 2:
Activated carbon
Chaeto refugium

Chamber 3:
Sicce 0.5 silent return
Nano heater of some kind.

This is my first saltwater aquascape. I decided to challenge myself since I will be staring at this all day at my desk. I'm going to be 3Dprinting my own chamber baskets.

Filtration:
Chamber 1:
Filter floss
Chemi pure elite
Additional reef rock in bottom.

Chamber 2:
Activated carbon
Chaeto refugium

Chamber 3:
Sicce 0.5 silent return
Nano heater of some kind.

 

[namfuak]

Are you keeping the stock lighting? I would maybe see if you can prop the hood up at the right height so that you can see the spread and get a real feel.

Love how wide open the middle is allowing you to get some good light on the floor (assuming whatever coral is mounted to the top there doesn't grow in and shadow it).

 

[Blackbeard Aquatics]

Are you keeping the stock lighting? I would maybe see if you can prop the hood up at the right height so that you can see the spread and get a real feel.

Love how wide open the middle is allowing you to get some good light on the floor (assuming whatever coral is mounted to the top there doesn't grow in and shadow it).

I'll keep the stock light during the cycle and for the first few hardy corals. Once all the parameters are stable for a while, I'll upgrade to an AI Prime 16HD and I have a local place that can custom cut me an acrylic lid with feeding ports and whatever I need. At that point is when I will introduce some SPS on those top shelves with my low low light, lower flow stuff underneath. Now I just need to plan out my stocking options. I'd like to have a mated pair of maroon lightning clowns but I'm trying to decide my CuC and a couple others that won't grow huge. Anyone have suggestion on what to stock?

 

[namfuak]

Currently I have a clown, read head goby, and a cleaner shrimp. The interaction between the cleaner shrimp and clownfish is awesome. He's constantly trying to be cleaned.

There is a thread here regarding favorite nano fish that might help you out. I think a tailspot blenny would be a great addition.

As far as CUC, your mileage may vary with crabs. Some people love them and some people end up hating them. I have four smaller astraea, one trochus, 1 nassarius, and 1 stomatella (came as a hitchhiker) and they seem to do a great job.

 

[Blackbeard Aquatics]

Once my cycle is done, I'd like to start a decent pod population. I remember people talking about a combo between a pistol shrimp and another fish... they like to hang together

 

[MNFish]

Chamber 2:
Activated carbon
Chaeto refugium

Looking to add a refugium to my chamber 2 as well, do you have a light in mind for this?

I really like your aquascape!

 

[Blackbeard Aquatics]

Definitely not done yet. Once the mortar sets a bit more. I'm gonna go back over with a really thin mortar and brush it on. Then add a lot of crushed rock and sand to blend it

 

[Blackbeard Aquatics]

Chamber 2:
Activated carbon
Chaeto refugium

Looking to add a refugium to my chamber 2 as well, do you have a light in mind for this?

I really like your aquascape!

Haven't decided on a fuge light yet. I'm wondering if when I upgrade my display light. I might take the stock light that is comes with and place a red film over it and just run the whites. But I need to research the spectrum and make sure it will work. Just a thought I had.... ballin' on a budget lol

 

[Blackbeard Aquatics]

A little bit closer. But still so much left to do.
Sicce 0.5 pump is in.
Now I just need my water, heater and a wavemaker.
Add some fritz turbo and off we go!

I love how this turned out... I almost want to run it like a peninsula so I can see all the angles but that's not how I designed my scape. Very hard to see the depth in a picture. Can anyone recommend a CUC?

 

[3sgterror]

I also 3D printed a chamber one media basket. I can't speak highly enough of this model. Fits perfect, has a water director built in, 2 chambers with space underneath for whatever else you want.

The only thing I did to it was put a little slit in the middle to allow in to sit slightly lower.
Media Basket

While you are at it. Print this plug also. It fits perfectly.
Fluval Plug

 

[Blackbeard Aquatics]

I already covered the hole with a strip of rubber for now but i do plan to print a plug.

 

[Blackbeard Aquatics]

I also 3D printed a chamber one media basket. I can't speak highly enough of this model. Fits perfect, has a water director built in, 2 chambers with space underneath for whatever else you want.

The only thing I did to it was put a little slit in the middle to allow in to sit slightly lower.
Media Basket

While you are at it. Print this plug also. It fits perfectly.
Fluval Plug

Does that chamber 1 baskets shelves come out or is it all one piece?

What do you mean by "put a slit"? Got a picture?

 

[3sgterror]

Does that chamber 1 baskets shelves come out or is it all one piece?

What do you mean by "put a slit"? Got a picture?

Chamber basket is all one piece. the shelves aren't removable.

Look at the in-tank basket here. See how it has the slit running up the middle? That is to accommodate the strip in chamber 1.

If you print that basket as is, it will sit on top of that strip in chamber 1 and is relatively flush with the top of the tank, but it stuck out ever so slightly. I needed it lower because of the sump cover that I created, which can be seen here. Happy to post that model if you would like a rear sump cover.

 

[saltybees]

Nice set up! Gogo evo!

 

[najer]

Love the scape. :)

 

[A2dahlberg]

So you glued it first then cemented? I was hoping the glue would hold by itself.

 

[Blackbeard Aquatics]

It will hold to a point. I glued and set it with props. But mine was all hinging on one point. I probably went overboard with the mortar, but I would suggest doing it if you are going to keep it up over a long period