My cozy fluval Evo build

[Glass Algae]

Tank is a Fluval 13.5 that finished cycling on may 8th 2020. ( I thank bio spira for the quick cycle)
Light: Current Orbit Marine LED
Substrate: Black caribsea
Media Basket: inTank
Wavemaker: Aqamai KPS nano
Return Pump:Eheim compact 1000 pump
Heater: Eiheim Jager 100w (soon to be 75w)
Lid: TopLids



Occupants:
Black Anemone fish 'Tilikum'
Scarlett skunk cleaner 'Tempura'
A buncha snails


Well Ive had my eye on a coral tank ever since 2012 and as a now disabled vet / glass blower with most of my time at home and decided to pull the trigger!

For one I ALREADY regret not going bigger! I wish i wouldve gotten a 20 gal cube at least. You live you learn.
Secondly I wish I NEVER listened to Big Als Petstore and got that Current Orbit light. Saving up for an AI Prime 16hd. Live you learn.
Thirdly I have been slowly acclimating my lights starting with 30 mins twice a day and every week increasing 30 till I have arrived at 6 hours back to back then off.

I recently got a TopLids tank lid and I absolutely love it. I also finally removed the stock fluval sponge filter and put in a inTank media basket loaded with filter floss at the top, followed by carbon pouch in the second chamber, and stock pellets under that.

I do a 10% water change weekly as well as filter floss. I try to do a 25 percent monthly and also remove the carbon bag and replace.

Had a brown algae blood that got pretty out of hand. I blame it on the stock fluval lighting. It was VERY hot white. I have since hooked up my Current USA Orbit LED which sits over my top lids lid until I receive a missing shim for the arm mount. This light has been nothing but trouble....

I in the last week have toothbrushed alot of the algae off of the rocks, as well, I have also taken to removing any build up on the glass or the sump wall as well as turn over the sand often. (love having my hands in the tank anyway lol) Since doing this maintenance and adjusting my Current Orbit light to: 35% white 100% blue and 15% Red and Green, it seems to have been stopping a bad re blooming.

I have also noticed spots of green algae that formed like spots on the surface of the brown algae very sparely. In 2 placees i have found very very small fine patches of hair algae no bigger than Roosevelt's head on a dime maybe even smaller. Im talking very few strands. The green spots dont seem to come off when i scrub with a toothbrush but they arnt getting more abundant.

In fact anywhere i seemed to scrub off the brown algae it has been slow to grow back, the hair algae on the other hand comes back very time in the same two spots.


Upon checking my params two days ago before I changed my water today (Aug 9th Sunday) and they read as follows
Salinity 34.6
Phos 0.01 (it had measured .73 a month or so ago but i attribute that to the stock foam block)
dKH 6.5
Trate 5-10
Trite less than 0.1
ph (Api test) 8.0 to 8.2

After water change today my nitrates seem to be between 2 to 5 so thats good.


Final initial update before I post progress pics. Tomorrow Aug 10th I plan to go to my local store Cuttlefish & Corals and grab my first coral. Ive heard horror stories of them melting away so I'm hoping I dont mess it up too bad and I have some good luck! Planning on a toadstool, they seem hardy and less boring than zoas. Zoas I also hear dmelt away sometimes so I didnt wanna risk :/

Heres some pics! Ill start with what the tank looked like at first and progress from there!

If you read this far thanks! Going to update this periodically and treat it as a sort of journal

 

[Glass Algae]

Spent the entire day yesterday recalibrating two of my eheims. I FINALLY got it to sit at 77.4 to 78.4. That was stressful.

Also in other news I already regret black sand. Not because of any magnetism or anything but purely aesthetic. When I move in February I think when I re set up the tank gonna just throw in some white sand and some bio Spira with my already love rock.

Also have had the lights off now for two days to curb the last bit of the diatom bloom (?)

Either way tomorrow is first coral day. Going to go for toadstool wish me luck!

Pic of my lights off aquascpae and black sand regret

 

[Glass Algae]

Update: Current USA went above and beyond and fulfilled my warranty twice, this time they also sent extra pieces as well just in case. Also the new improved bracket has way more depth and fits like a glove. So thanks again Current!!

 

[Regular_Reefer]

Looks good man! Is that the lid it came with? How does that shrimp do with eating left over food or is it even noticeable? I defiantly like the black sand as well, pretty cool setup you have there.

 

[Glass Algae]

Looks good man! Is that the lid it came with? How does that shrimp do with eating left over food or is it even noticeable? I defiantly like the black sand as well, pretty cool setup you have there.

No the lid is a replacement for the stock Fluval hood. I got it from Top Lids. Very worth the price tbh I'm very happy with it.

The shrimp is a champ I was over feeding a bit at first and he was doing a good job of cleaning that up but I give my clown and him a spray of a Lil mysis with a dropper everyother day and 6 pellets of a hikari for the clown and 4 for the shrimp seems to be doing great!

Also I'm having a bit of regret of the black sand but I'm hoping when I get coral in there it'll spruce up a bit ty for the kind words!

 

[Regular_Reefer]

I definitely overfed a first too, my clowns are like little sharks when it’s feeding time. I like the lid for sure that’s why I asked. Maybe your sand will be more appealing to you once you get some coral in there, I always thought the contrast was cool with the neons and brighter colors.

 

[revhtree]

I'm liking it!

 

[Glass Algae]

I'm liking it!

Tysm! Glad I could finally start a build thread. Wish me luck on first coral shopping today

I definitely overfed a first too, my clowns are like little sharks when it’s feeding time. I like the lid for sure that’s why I asked. Maybe your sand will be more appealing to you once you get some coral in there, I always thought the contrast was cool with the neons and brighter colors.

Exactly what I'm hoping once Corals are in it'll contrast good. Until then I guess I'll deal with being bored haha

 

[Glass Algae]

Update! First Corals in!


Dipped em and everything. Very happy with them so far! Thank you R2R for the confidence boost!

 

[Regular_Reefer]

Haha looks good man, those leather fingers grow like crazy, I’ve got one in mine that’s turning into a beast!!

 

[Glass Algae]

Haha looks good man, those leather fingers grow like crazy, I’ve got one in mine that’s turning into a beast!!

Any tips on how long I should wait before turning the light on? Or should I just wait for tomorrow morning cycle start? Not getting any bites on my thread asking in softies

 

[samnaz]

I happen to love the nice sand, think it looks great!

And I love that you named your clown Tilikum. After the orca, by chance?

 

[samnaz]

Any tips on how long I should wait before turning the light on? Or should I just wait for tomorrow morning cycle start? Not getting any bites on my thread asking in softies

This late in the day id just start tomorrow.

 

[Glass Algae]

I happen to love the nice sand, think it looks great!

And I love that you named your clown Tilikum. After the orca, by chance?

100 percent after that poor orca. I saw that doc a month before I got my tank, Im 30 and hadn't seen it yet. That tore me apart and I decided I will house a black and white clown in its honor.

Also thank you for all your input you have been amazing

 

[Regular_Reefer]

I had my light on when I added mine with my zoas that I picked up at the same time. They both extended and opened up almost instantly.

 

[samnaz]

100 percent after that poor orca. I saw that doc a month before I got my tank, Im 30 and hadn't seen it yet. That tore me apart and I decided I will house a black and white clown in its honor.

Also thank you for all your input you have been amazing

Hey I’m 30 too. I actually grew up in Orlando and saw Tilikum countless times. I had absolutely NO idea what he had been thru, all captive orcas for that matter, and it shook me to my core to learn of the suffering. Almost as sad is Lolita at the Miami seaquarium 50 years in tank not even as deep as she is long, her tank mate Hugo actually killed himself. It heartbreaking stuff man. I was so glad to hear SW is no longer continuing their breeding program. ....I’m totally hijacking with non reef related commentary sry all.

 

[Glass Algae]

Hey I’m 30 too. I actually grew up in Orlando and saw Tilikum countless times. I had absolutely NO idea what he had been thru, all captive orcas for that matter, and it shook me to my core to learn of the suffering. Almost as sad is Lolita at the Miami seaquarium 50 years in tank not even as deep as she is long, her tank mate Hugo actually killed himself. It heartbreaking stuff man. I was so glad to hear SW is no longer continuing their breeding program. ....I’m totally hijacking with non reef related commentary sry all.

I couldn't agree with you more. I saw Tilikum once when I was a kid I obviously had no idea. Seeing how sentient they are is painful. No feel free to hijack. That documentary is a big reason I pulled the trigger on a reef tank.

 

[najer]

Jumped across from your frag thread, great to see another evo.
You need to post the positioning pics, I have a small placement thought!
Following.

 

[Glass Algae]

Jumped across from your frag thread, great to see another evo.
You need to post the positioning pics, I have a small placement thought!
Following.

Here's where they are now

 

[najer]

Very nice, the green one is going to go up!