Fred's Salty Adventure 13.5G Fluval EVO

Frederick Edwards · Jun 2, 2018

Hello fellow reefers, been awhile since I have been in the forum. Lost my job at a power plant and am currently working as a contractor in Page, Arizona. I'm currently residing in a 35 foot travel trailer and missing my display tank back home.

Going to get

*13.5G Fluval EVO.
Would like some opinions on the PS1 and PS2, is one better then the other and why do you think so?

*Fluval M Submersible Heater

*UV Sterilizer. Would like some suggestions on size and brand that has worked for you?

*Micron filter pad. Where to buy this?

*Will most likely replace the carbon with Purigen as in past experiences I have had better luck with purigen.

*Bio balls or other media needed?

Would also like to thank the people from this thread to help me get this new build going.

NY_Caveman · Jun 2, 2018

Nice, you decided. Looks like it is a good choice.

Frederick Edwards · Jun 9, 2018

Ordered an RODI today from @Bruno516. Thanks again!! Could use some questions answered from above and from someone who has experience with the 13.5 or nano's.

Mikedawg · Jun 9, 2018

+1 good choice. I used the PS 2 and it was okay; took a while to dial in and I made a mark on the setting indicator to make it easier to tune. I didn't have a need for a UV light and did upgrade my return pump to the Sicce 1.0 which gave a lot more flow and fits with a little jiggling and cutting return tubing. With the addition of a random flow generator pushed by the Sicce, I didn't need an additional powerhead/wavemaker. Might want to consider using Seachem's Matrix or something like Marine Pure, although there is some thought that it leaches aluminum, to replace bioballs. I ditched the sponge and used blue/white media pad from Intank. Purigen is a good choice I think. And, I found an eheim heater that fit in chamber with the return pump. To preserve the clean look of the tank I wanted to keep equipment in chambers if possible.
Good luck, it's a nice tank and I found the light sufficient for a wide variety of soft and lps corals.

Frederick Edwards · Jun 27, 2018

So here is what has been done since my last post. Here is the tank when I first got it and set it up where I wanted it two weeks ago.

Two days later my live rock came in from Salty Bottom. I am very pleased with live rock and the customer service. I ordered it online and then received a phone call from Debbie asking what I was looking for, I told her roughly the size and shapes I was after. She then sent me several pictures of different rocks, they were put in my tank the next day. I removed the filter media from the second chamber and added the Intank chamber one media box, on the top shelf I have filter floss, second shelf I have bag of carbon, poly filter, two chemi-pure blue nano, on the bottom, I have ceramic rings and 1.5" Marine Pure Bio Spheres. In the second chamber I filled with the spheres.

Today I added and scaped dry rock from Marco Rocks.

NY_Caveman · Jun 27, 2018

Frederick Edwards said:
So here is what has been done since my last post. Here is the tank when I first got it and set it up where I wanted it two weeks ago.

Two days later my live rock came in from Salty Bottom. I am very pleased with live rock and the customer service. I ordered it online and then received a phone call from Debbie asking what I was looking for, I told her roughly the size and shapes I was after. She then sent me several pictures of different rocks, they were put in my tank the next day. I removed the filter media from the second chamber and added the Intank chamber one media box, on the top shelf I have filter floss, second shelf I have bag of carbon, poly filter, two chemo-pure blue nano, on the bottom, I have ceramic rings and 1.5" Marine Pure Bio Spheres. In the second chamber I filled with the spheres.

Today I added and scaped dry rock from Marco Rocks.

That is some very nice looking live rock. Looks like some different kinds of coralline algae and a few sponges. I think you mixed it in well with the Marco. Have you found anything interesting in the live rock yet?

Frederick Edwards · Jun 27, 2018

NY_Caveman said:
That is some very nice looking live rock. Looks like some different kinds of coralline algae and a few sponges. I think you mixed it in well with the Marco. Have you found anything interesting in the live rock yet?

Yeah there are a few sponges and a couple mushrooms maybe, also there are some clear tentacle like fibers coming off of one of the rocks, not sure what it is! Also, if you look closely at the piece at the top, it looks like some kind of orange pod with an opening, not sure what that is either, but when I moved it, the opening closed and now, a hour later it is open, so I know that's alive, whatever it is!

Frederick Edwards · Jun 27, 2018

Oh, and in case anybody is wondering what that orange thing is on the left wall, it is a foam earplug that I stuck in the hole there to help the flow of the Intank media chamber. I figure the orange color should blend in nicely once I get some good coraline growth going.

Frederick Edwards · Jun 28, 2018

Today I took some pictures of some of the things I have discovered that came attached to the live rock. I sort of know what some are, but others I do not. Here are some pictures:

NY_Caveman · Jun 28, 2018

Nice! I see lots of cool sponges. Looks like a couple of Aiptaia too though. I would eradicate them right away.

Frederick Edwards · Jun 28, 2018

NY_Caveman said:
Nice! I see lots of cool sponges. Looks like a couple of Aiptaia too though. I would eradicate them right away.

Are you saying these are aptasia?

NY_Caveman · Jun 28, 2018

Frederick Edwards said:
Are you saying these are aptasia?

Yes. Look like Aiptasia to me.

Here was one i had in my rocks:
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/i-received-a-box-of-rocks-today.335926/page-4#post-4668620

And how I got it:
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/i-received-a-box-of-rocks-today.335926/page-4#post-4674763

Since you have no corals and the rocks are new, you could remove them and use boiling water probably like I did. Easy to do.

Frederick Edwards · Jun 28, 2018

NY_Caveman said:
Yes. Look like Aiptasia to me.

Here was one i had in my rocks:
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/i-received-a-box-of-rocks-today.335926/page-4#post-4668620

And how I got it:
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/i-received-a-box-of-rocks-today.335926/page-4#post-4674763

Since you have no corals and the rocks are new, you could remove them and use boiling water probably like I did. Easy to do.

OK. Yeah I just touched them with my poking stick and they folded up like an anemone, will go get some things tomorrow to get rid of them. Thanks for the help.

Frederick Edwards · Jul 1, 2018

So after some research and help from @Sonofives We believe these to be Cup corals, Phyllangia americana
or Astrangia asteriaformes.

Frederick Edwards · Jul 1, 2018

@Jomama @Rispa
Purchased Phyto Tank S kit from Poseidon Reef Systems and should be arriving in a few days to help me culture and feed my new creatures we have identified on the live rock.