My Fluval Evo 13.5 Nano Reef Tank

[mmbaba]

Ok, here goes...

So I started out with a stock Fluval Evo 13.5, one 20lbs bag of carribsea gravel / sand, about 12 lbs of dry live rock (2 pieces) and filled it with Pacific Ocean Water. I added some filter bacteria to accelerate the cycle which seemed to go pretty well.

I did purchase the recommended Fluval heater, wave maker (CP1) and mini protein skimmer (PS2) - I didn't use the PS2 after reading a lot of other build threads that indicated it was not necessary and would be better to use the space for a media basket.

It was pretty stable like that for a few weeks and parameters looked good so LFS provided me with a pair of clowns and a rock flower anemone (because I'm impatient, did I mention that already?). Note that the clowns are not identical size, the bigger one bullies the smaller one, I actually caught the bigger one with the smaller one locked in it's jaws earlier this afternoon - that's a thread for another day.

Things continued going well so about a month later I added a small piece of Hammerhead and Birdsnest corals (yeah, the LFS saw me coming...)

The Birdsnest came with some free algae which quickly took root in my tank - I will definitely have a thread about that later, still fighting it.

I have a small CUC consisting of 1x Astrea, 1x Margarita and 1x Green Emerald Crab - when the algae is bad, they cannot keep up and I'm not overly impressed with the snails, they seem to generate so much mess of their own! - another future thread.

I also added a three head piece of neon yellow candy cane coral which is beautiful under the blue light.

In terms of mods to the tank, over the months I have;

• Added custom media baskets to chamber 1 & 2 - I'll post a thread later, pretty happy with how these worked out.
• Upgraded the stock return pump to a Tunze 1073.008
• Upgraded the stock light to an AI Prime 16HD Reef
• Added a BRS mesh tank topper
• Added a random flow generator
• Removed the CP1 (because the flow from the new pump and RFG seems to be good)

I've started mixing my own saltwater (rather than relying on premix or LFS mix (with free algae)) and am keeping a much closer eye on my parameters over the past few months while I try to combat this algae.

Biggest challenge now is keeping the (free) algae under control and my newly discovered green algae on the rocks and glass which I only found when I switched on the white lights (it was invisible under the blue lights).

More to come...

 

[mdrieder]

Hey @mmbaba I'm glad to here your keeping a close eye on the parameters, I think you should start posting them on the thread. Also your on the right track moving away from premixed water (assuming your using RODI for your mix). When's the last time you changed your carbon? Your tank looks quite brown.

 

[mmbaba]

Hey @mmbaba I'm glad to here your keeping a close eye on the parameters, I think you should start posting them on the thread. Also your on the right track moving away from premixed water (assuming your using RODI for your mix). When's the last time you changed your carbon? Your tank looks quite brown.

Hi mdrieder, thanks for the response.

My parameters just before last water change were;
Temp = 78.3 (F)
Salinity = 1.026
pH = 8.2 (API)
Ammonia = 0 (API)
Nitrite = 0 (API)
Nitrate = 0 (API)
Alkalinity = 7 dkH (NYOS)
Calcium = 345 (NYOS)

The tank is not as brown as it appears in the photo (color balance is off), the water is actually very clear, I use ChemiPure Elite and I think it was changed a week prior to this photo.

What's making it appear brown (besides the color balance) is the large amounts of green algae on the glass and rocks plus brown algae on the substrate. The green algae is only visible when I switch off the blue lights and ramp up the warm white (hence the slightly brown color bias). I scrub the glass every 3-4 days, what's shown here is after about four days. I tried to get rid of it on the rocks using a toothbrush but it would not budge.

The brown on the sand is (I think) diatoms although when it get's bad, I do see long string-like algae anchored to the substrate waving in the current (see photo - red color to point it out). I've been trying to track this down for months. It doesn't have the bubble at the end that I've seen in pictures with people showing 'snot' bacteria (I'm sure it has a proper name). When it gets bad, I remove the top layer of substrate when I'm doing a water change, it can be mostly kept under control if I use a siphon on the substrate during water changes.

So I believe I have two algae issues;
Green stuff on the rocks and glass
Brown stuff on the substrate that (quite quickly) turns in to long strands waving in the current.

The parameters above are the only test kits I have right now. If there's something critical to tracking this issue down that I don't have, please let me know.

Thanks.

 

[mdrieder]

@mmbaba Thanks for clarifying, my best recommendations with the smallest investment is to get a better nitrate test kit (I use and prefer salifert 20$) and to get a phosphate test kit (I have the Hana ULR but it was expensive and don't recommend it). Nitrate and phosphate are what's contributing to the green algae and the API test is almost worthless unless your levels are off the charts (speaking from experience). The brown Algae on the substrate are likely Diatoms but id need to see it at its worst to give a more educated opinion. Diatoms are closely correlated with silicates in the tank. They should typically burn themselves out eventually provided the top off water and water change water doesn't have silicates but from what you have told me this doesn't seem to be the case. Also how old is this tank? It kind of sounds like its only a few months old...

 

[Idech]

Hello ! I also have a Fluval Evo 13.5 with no modifications to it yet. The basic equipment is fine with me. The only thing I hate is the lid but it keeps water from evaporating so I’m keeping it for now. I’ve added a Hydor mini Koralia for water movement and that’s it.

I have diatoms as well and I’ve managed to make it stop by using Phosguard for 2 weeks. I took it out because I thought it was killing my Bali green slimer. But so far it looks like it’s not coming back.

I started having what I think is hair algae (not sure, I have to do some research) and some type of fluorescent algae or other. I just ordered a cleaning crew that should help (1x banded trochus snail, 1 x nassarius snail and 3 x cerith snails).

Oh, and your bigger oscellaris is the female and smaller one is the male. Males change sex so there is always one female around. The bigger male becomes the female. If they are fighting, I think you will need to separate them and try a new fish. It’s like in people, not all women and men are a match.

Here’s my 2 months old tank :

 

[mmbaba]

Wow, there's a lot to unpack there, thank you @mdrieder and @Idech for your responses...

Roger that on the test kits, I appreciate the guidance on phosphates and nitrates. You're right, the tank is young (approx 5 months). With respect to the Diatoms burning themselves off, should I just let it get bad and wait or should I continue trying to keep it at bay with my current over-regular water changes (approx every 5 days)?

@Idech, thanks for the heads up on the Phosguard, I'll take a look at that. I bumped up the CUC with a couple of additions last night (2x Hermit Crabs, 1x Cerith Snail and 1x Astrea), I'll see how they get on before bringing in any additives. You've just blown my mind with the Oscellaris, I need to do some reading on that but finding a home for one of them won't be easy...

 

[Idech]

I bumped up the CUC with a couple of additions last night (2x Hermit Crabs, 1x Cerith Snail and 1x Astrea),

In case you didn’t know, Astreas can’t right themselves. So if one falls on it’s back, you need to put it back on its « feet » or it will die. Ceriths are okay in that department.

You've just blown my mind with the Oscellaris, I need to do some reading on that but finding a home for one of them won't be easy...

The easiest is to bring it back to the LFS (any LFS) and maybe they’ll even give you a little discount on something you buy.

 

[mmbaba]

I got the camera out this evening and got some snaps - I'll worry about fighting algae another day

 

[Idech]

Beautiful ! What do you use for a lid ?

 

[mmbaba]

Beautiful ! What do you use for a lid ?

I used the BRS Screen Top kit with the Neat Aquatics Feeding Portal and Rimless Frame Corners. Took a couple of hours to put together (I hadn't worked with any of that gear before) but pretty happy with how it came out - I hated how the stock light was integrated in to the lid - the way I had things set up, it was a complete PITA to remove for cleaning although I did like how it looked.

Only problem now is that the evaporation is much higher so an ATO is already in the mail...