Randomstylez
Community Member
Hi, thanks for viewing my build thread on my Fluval Evo 13.5.
I started this build on 6/13/2022, did around a 3 week cycle. I was given a set of 5 Red Mushrooms a week before my cycle was completed, I still have them but 6 now. They are always so big and open and built up my confidence for my first reef tank. These are the first pictures of my setup and testing the lights.
6/15, 2 days after setting this up I went and purchased Live rock from a not so local fish store. Since I'm located in Sothern Maryland the nearest one was in DC about 1:30 hours away. I went and picked up some rocks I thought would fit my tank well from their limited selection. Drove back put the rocks, then sand, and filled my tank with water from my RODI system that I added this saltwater mix to, Coral pro - Red Sea. I also decided that I wasn't going to be seeing the tank from the right side and turned it so the AIO back was away from my computer desk. After placing the rock in the tank I was thinking it might look better slanted but decided that It would look good as is.
6/23 I was given those mushrooms and placed them in the bottom right of the tank, I was concerned about them living while the tank was still cycling but They were given to me for free. Picked up a Eheim Jager 50W heater, but it wouldn't fit in the back of the tank. I eventually swapped it out for a Hydor Theo 50W heater which fits perfect in the back chamber and got the Inkbird thermostat controller.
6/26 My cycle was complete and I picked up some fish and inverts. I started out with 2 Black ice clownfish, 3 hermit crabs, 1 Margarita snail, and 3 Nassarius snails. I later added 1 Emerald crab. Everything has been doing great and I have not lost anything to date 3 weeks later. The picture below is a lot more than is listed here, this is because I have a second tank where the rest of these inverts went. These will probably be the max amount of inhabitants to this tank. I also set up a Chaeto reactor on Chamber 2 of the back, I didn't have a problem with nutrients but I am struggling to keep my PH at 8.0 or above, and I wanted a more natural way rather than dosing GFO or other methods as my ALK and Phosphate are perfect. I am considering setting up a protein skimmer using the Bullet 1.0 HOB to make a recirculating C02 reactor without pulling any skimmate. But that won't be back in stock until 8/31, so I'll wait.
Was given a free GSP on 6/30 from a local aquarium club member, this was later moved to the back wall of the aquarium because I would like to have the wall covered in GSP.
I tested my levels often for the first couple weeks after putting in fish to make sure I would notice any change. Here is everything I tested to ensure my livestock werent suffering anything I couldn't see to make sure it wouldn't be too late. I am easing off testing so much to once a week, a day prior to my weekly water change. Yesterday marked 31 days my tank has been set up, from cycle to now. My Nitrates stay pretty consistent, and I am still finding the best schedule for my Chaeto reactor which is likely way it does sway some. I'm not trying to chase any parameter, but I am trying to set up a consistent methodology that achieves success without having to be too invasive to the tank.
7/16 had been letting my tank establish itself more before I ran out and bought corals. My AI prime light arrived and my local aquarium club had a yard sale / event and I picked up everything else in my tank for 200$. Set up my AI prime for BRS 40% since I mostly have a LPS/soft tank. My AI prime parameters are 66% uv / 66% Violet / 50% royal blue / 50% blue / 4% green / 5% red / 25% cool white. I haven't messed with the lighting so much, and I really don't want to constantly adjust % by %, so I will leave this setting for a few weeks. My lighting schedule is 8:30 am ramp up to 9:30 am, ramp down at 7:30pm, power down at 8:30. Moonlight powers up to 25% from 7:30 to 8:30, then slowly ramps down throughout the night. I personally like the low light from the moonlight, it adds that more "real" feel. Will update if it starts to cause issues with the tank itself.
I don't know all the corals I got or their names and if you can help me figure them out that would be great. I do know the types and I asked questions from the seller about placement, light requirements, nearby neighbors, If you see an issye please feel free to let me know as I am still learning. But I added 15 corals on 7/16, I dipped them using Coral RX, and only saw 4-5 worms after a 6 min bath while being shaken and pulsed over with a turkey baster. I let them wash in another bowl for 3-5 mins before starting to place them into the aquarium. My tank has a medium flow toward the left, and a low medium coming back. I would like to purchase a nero 3 but I am concerned it is too much for this tank.
Here is my current full set up and what everything looks like, all my hobbies on one desk.
I started this build on 6/13/2022, did around a 3 week cycle. I was given a set of 5 Red Mushrooms a week before my cycle was completed, I still have them but 6 now. They are always so big and open and built up my confidence for my first reef tank. These are the first pictures of my setup and testing the lights.
6/15, 2 days after setting this up I went and purchased Live rock from a not so local fish store. Since I'm located in Sothern Maryland the nearest one was in DC about 1:30 hours away. I went and picked up some rocks I thought would fit my tank well from their limited selection. Drove back put the rocks, then sand, and filled my tank with water from my RODI system that I added this saltwater mix to, Coral pro - Red Sea. I also decided that I wasn't going to be seeing the tank from the right side and turned it so the AIO back was away from my computer desk. After placing the rock in the tank I was thinking it might look better slanted but decided that It would look good as is.
6/23 I was given those mushrooms and placed them in the bottom right of the tank, I was concerned about them living while the tank was still cycling but They were given to me for free. Picked up a Eheim Jager 50W heater, but it wouldn't fit in the back of the tank. I eventually swapped it out for a Hydor Theo 50W heater which fits perfect in the back chamber and got the Inkbird thermostat controller.
6/26 My cycle was complete and I picked up some fish and inverts. I started out with 2 Black ice clownfish, 3 hermit crabs, 1 Margarita snail, and 3 Nassarius snails. I later added 1 Emerald crab. Everything has been doing great and I have not lost anything to date 3 weeks later. The picture below is a lot more than is listed here, this is because I have a second tank where the rest of these inverts went. These will probably be the max amount of inhabitants to this tank. I also set up a Chaeto reactor on Chamber 2 of the back, I didn't have a problem with nutrients but I am struggling to keep my PH at 8.0 or above, and I wanted a more natural way rather than dosing GFO or other methods as my ALK and Phosphate are perfect. I am considering setting up a protein skimmer using the Bullet 1.0 HOB to make a recirculating C02 reactor without pulling any skimmate. But that won't be back in stock until 8/31, so I'll wait.
Was given a free GSP on 6/30 from a local aquarium club member, this was later moved to the back wall of the aquarium because I would like to have the wall covered in GSP.
I tested my levels often for the first couple weeks after putting in fish to make sure I would notice any change. Here is everything I tested to ensure my livestock werent suffering anything I couldn't see to make sure it wouldn't be too late. I am easing off testing so much to once a week, a day prior to my weekly water change. Yesterday marked 31 days my tank has been set up, from cycle to now. My Nitrates stay pretty consistent, and I am still finding the best schedule for my Chaeto reactor which is likely way it does sway some. I'm not trying to chase any parameter, but I am trying to set up a consistent methodology that achieves success without having to be too invasive to the tank.
7/16 had been letting my tank establish itself more before I ran out and bought corals. My AI prime light arrived and my local aquarium club had a yard sale / event and I picked up everything else in my tank for 200$. Set up my AI prime for BRS 40% since I mostly have a LPS/soft tank. My AI prime parameters are 66% uv / 66% Violet / 50% royal blue / 50% blue / 4% green / 5% red / 25% cool white. I haven't messed with the lighting so much, and I really don't want to constantly adjust % by %, so I will leave this setting for a few weeks. My lighting schedule is 8:30 am ramp up to 9:30 am, ramp down at 7:30pm, power down at 8:30. Moonlight powers up to 25% from 7:30 to 8:30, then slowly ramps down throughout the night. I personally like the low light from the moonlight, it adds that more "real" feel. Will update if it starts to cause issues with the tank itself.
I don't know all the corals I got or their names and if you can help me figure them out that would be great. I do know the types and I asked questions from the seller about placement, light requirements, nearby neighbors, If you see an issye please feel free to let me know as I am still learning. But I added 15 corals on 7/16, I dipped them using Coral RX, and only saw 4-5 worms after a 6 min bath while being shaken and pulsed over with a turkey baster. I let them wash in another bowl for 3-5 mins before starting to place them into the aquarium. My tank has a medium flow toward the left, and a low medium coming back. I would like to purchase a nero 3 but I am concerned it is too much for this tank.
Here is my current full set up and what everything looks like, all my hobbies on one desk.
