Mila's Fluval 13.5

[AlohaReef]

I was going to get my daughter a small freshwater tank for her to look at and help me with, but persuaded myself into buying the fluval 13.5 and going for saltwater! Little did I know at the time that buying the tank would be the smallest expense of the hobby! Follow this thread and see what I do with this nano. My plans are to make a small mixed reef setup, with vibrant colors and a few fish! I do plan to upgrade tanks, but I think I will have this one around for a long time as well. Here's what it looks like after sand & scape. In hindsight, I should have spent much more time putting together my aquascape. I regret not taking the time to piece something together with epoxy for more nooks & crannies to add more dimension to the tank.

 

[AlohaReef]

I added water to the tank on 12/19/24 and added a damsel & Dr. Tim's one & only to kickstart the nitrogen cycle on 12/23. If you're wondering, I used live aragonite sand (maybe too much) and instant ocean reef crystals salt. In this image everything is stock with the tank.

I then added a sicce voyager pump, a chunk of live rock straight from the lfs. (probably should have cycled it first!!)

 

[AlohaReef]

Here's where things got a little crazy! I am fully customizing this tank and so far, still adding gear! Here's what I bought that I didn't initially realize was going to be an expense, but it was. (for me)

-Literally every Hanna checker you can imagine (Pro reef kit, Digital Salinity (refractometer is better), Ca, Mg, Po, No3, NO2, Ammonia, Copper. As well as an HM pH digital reader. As well as additional reagents
-3d printed media tray from 3d Reef on Etsy to hold media & free up the 2nd space for my heater. also comes with a plug for the hole in that 2nd container.
-Innovative Marine temp controller with probe & heater
-AI Blade 12" coral grow with HMS Mount & mounting clips
-Top lids Luxury lid with black screen & condensation lid
-Tunze Nano ATO
-Another tank for quarantines & hospital tank with filter and other gear needed
-Wifi Powerstrip
-Cable management
-All sorts of spare filters, filter floss, Brightwell's Microbacter Clean & all sorts of stuff.
-Jebao slw10 powerhead
-Sicce return pump
-way too many cleaning magnets & cleaning gear

I'm trying to decide which dosing pump to get, or if I should just start a Hydros collective as I prep the tank for corals!

 

[AlohaReef]

Good news! Tank is cycled. I started seeing Nitrates, Nitrites, and free ammonia went down to .0051. I did my first water change on 1/3 and will perform about 30% weekly or more if needed. I started dosing Microbacter clean the next day. (1/4 - 1/2 cap / day until diatoms clear up)

Bad news! Diatoms showed up on rocks & sand bed almost immediately after the water change. Probably because I keep my light on, but I could not resist! It looks so cool on the tank. Although it's a pest, it's still cool to see organic life in the tank! I have my first goby & shrimp & cleanup crew on the way. As well as phytoplankton & copepods. I also won some corals in the BBS auction. Yes, I know it's too soon for corals, but I'm going to see what sticks. I won pretty hardy stuff. Now I'm on the hunt for a dosing system and going to do my best to get my parameters stabilized.

 

[AlohaReef]

Today's the day! My livestock shipment from @SBB Corals came in today. Bad news was UPS delayed our shipment and it's frigid in the Midwest! The frags were wrapped well in an insulated container & triple bagged, plugs in cups, and oxygenated. However, the long trip had the bag temps down to well in the 60's at best. I quickly dipped the corals and got them in the tank. So far, they seem to be doing great! They even threw in an additional frag!

 

[Subsea]

Following along. I think it is cool to do this with your kid.

However, I suggest you chill out a little and allow biology to cycle your tank. With a small tank, partial water changes should negate need for any dosing in the first year. Also with respect to life support functions during power outages, get $28 automatic back up air pump.

Amazon product

 

[AlohaReef]

Following along. I think it is cool to do this with your kid.

However, I suggest you chill out a little and allow biology to cycle your tank. With a small tank, partial water changes should negate need for any dosing in the first year. Also with respect to life support functions during power outages, get $28 automatic back up air pump.

Amazon product

It's hard to chill out! This hobby is exciting and apparently I am a tinkering gear junkie! Weekly water changes for sure, but I am making sure to dose for the alk consumption but not going too crazy.

 

[Subsea]

It's hard to chill out! This hobby is exciting and apparently I am a tinkering gear junkie! Weekly water changes for sure, but I am making sure to dose for the alk consumption but not going too crazy.

Yes, I know the addiction. I have been hooked for 55 years.

 

[Subsea]

Incidently, where is Waterford?

 

[AlohaReef]

Incidently, where is Waterford?

Waterford is a northern suburb of Detroit near Pontiac.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Today's the day! My livestock shipment from @SBB Corals came in today. Bad news was UPS delayed our shipment and it's frigid in the Midwest! The frags were wrapped well in an insulated container & triple bagged, plugs in cups, and oxygenated. However, the long trip had the bag temps down to well in the 60's at best. I quickly dipped the corals and got them in the tank. So far, they seem to be doing great! They even threw in an additional frag!

Nice looking corals!

 

[AlohaReef]

Well, Mila's Fluval has made some major headway! We've added in a yasha goby, pistol shrimp, 2 mocha clowns, a peppermint shrimp, red marble star, sea hare, trochus snails, nassarius, blue leg hermits, Halloween hermit, rock flower anemone, emerald crab, porcelain crab, tons of lps & softies and a couple sps that haven't done too well in the tank. I imagine this tank will be euphyllia dominated. I am planning to convert chamber 2 to a refugium and in the meantime have started running purigen & chemi pure elite to help keep things stable. Fighting hair algae at the moment!
Here's how it looks with some new additions from today! We love watching all of the ecosystem. Very cool project so far!