reef-rc Fluval Evo 13G

[reef-rc]

It seems for me personally, favorite coral can come and go. On the Evo it's currently the cynarina. The thing is a giant of a coral in this tank measuring over 5" cynarina all around when expanded. Feeding this thing is a breeze with a mouth this big; hard to miss ;Drool. And still it's constantly wanting more food. Here's a quick shot just before I feed the fish today.

 

[reef-rc]

I am not sure how others acclimate their corals. This my version of the temperature/drip acclimation method from a shipment from two weeks back.



There are currently 5 small racks within the tank. Most of the zoas are intended for my 10G and is here mostly for grow out / staging until i move them.





Top View

 

[reef-rc]

I got a little time today so I thought I put together the red sea customizable DIY aquarium net cover for the EVO. I got these a few weeks back. Never done one before and I have been hesitant to put a cover on the tank since I am concern with heat trap.

 

[reef-rc]

Got the screen completed earlier today. It came out pretty decent for a first timer. While working on it, I was worried the net would be loose as I was doing it solo and was a little challenging to stretch the net while setting it in. Once I figured out where best to start, it came right into place and as a result the net is now pretty tight with very little give. I did have to add a cut in the net to accommodate the PH probe to keep things simple this first time around instead of going aroudn the probe.

imo the most challenging part of doing this was cutting the medal frame. Luckily I had the hand held rotor tool that cut metal. At one point I thought I might as well just pay the 3X cost for the clearview custom screen and be done with it. Glad I tried.

Compare to Innovative Marine out box aquarium net cover, red sea is slimer and more neat looking imo.

Glad to have this net in place before the Yellow Banded Possum Wrasse arrive tomorrow.

 

[erdrick80]

I just got myself an Evo 13.5. and it's a week into cycling. I hope mine comes out good just like yours. Reef-rc, you've come a long ways on your build man, wow.

 

[reef-rc]

I just got myself an Evo 13.5. and it's a week into cycling. I hope mine comes out good just like yours. Reef-rc, you've come a long ways on your build man, wow.

Congrats! Welcome to the EVO club.

Thank you for the compliment. I definitely like the Evo. The tank definitely had has it's up and down. Lately it's more up and has been generally pretty stable and I am planning on keeping that way.

Let me if you have any questions or how i could help.


------------
Latest update:

I just realized it's been over a month since the last update while responding earlier. The following is the latest:

• Latest shot - taken a week ago. Overall tank is doing good and there is continue coral growth.
  Last week something happened which had caused some of the hairy mushrooms to recede. I think it may be too much carbon is the only thing I recalled that was different.

• Frags - I had moved many of the zoa frags over to the 10G tank in January. You can see for yourself how dramatic that made on the 10G tank - https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/reef-rc-waterbox-cube-10-nano.525887/#post-5701589
• I have also moved most of chalic, blasto, bowerbankii and acan frags over to the 20G just to make room. Both bowerbankii were constantly touching the brain and so there was constant tissue issues.
• Paired Storm Clownfish - I got a paired storm clownfish. I have been trying to pair storm clownfish for some time but just not had much luck. I had one black storm clownfish in here which I moved to the 20G tank. These two are awesome; hardly any fighting. I think the white is the male snow storm clownfish.

 

[reef-rc]

Latest pic from today. I just took these shots after i did the earlier post. Figured I might as well instead of being lazy about it.

 

[NY_Caveman]

Are these Lobophyllia (circled)? Beautiful specimens. Love the Syracuse colors! I actually just picked up something very similar. Hoping it will grow to be the centerpiece in my 45 gallon AIO.

 

[reef-rc]

Are these Lobophyllia (circled)? Beautiful specimens. Love the Syracuse colors! I actually just picked up something very similar. Hoping it will grow to be the centerpiece in my 45 gallon AIO.

Yes I believe it is. It's similar to one green one next to it. The one you circled actually has three heads. One of it is covered under the frag rack. It has a unique color combination. I noticed it's relatively easy to feed also which should grow well.

 

[reef-rc]

I can't believe 2 months has passed. A number things had changed: bad and good. The following is a brief list with a number of random shots of the tank.

Bad:

• I lost all my Ricordea Yuma Mushroom grow-out. I have not figured it out why but I believe it may be related to leaving the active carbon in the tank too long. Typically I don't use carbon on the tank and if I did, only use for a few days before I take it out. A few months ago I left them in there for over a week. I had the same issue with yuma mushrooms in the 10G tank; they were wiped out within days at the same time frame.
• There is NO MORE ROOM for any more corals!!! ;Facepalm

Good:

• Overall the tank is doing well and slowly growing.
• Added 1 additional red and green Lobophyllia a few days ago on an impluse buy.
• BamBam orange zoa has been doing very well. Growing relatively fast; almost completely filled the grow-out rectangle disk.

TOP VIEW:


VARIOUS SHOTS:

 

[reef-rc]

Test your instrument!

Back in February I got this nice salinity checker for convenience. Sure the manufacture suggested to calibrate the device monthly with regular use . What's a few months not calibrating as you go?

4 months later, it turned out my salinity is @ 1.023 instead of what I thought was 1.026 after calibration. I even doubled checked against the refractometer which I thought was put out to pasture back in February.

Luckily no harm was done due my laziness. I just have to gradually increase the salinity over time in the coming weeks to get back to the level I like the tanks to be at.

Now...where is the calibration fluid and do I have enough for the next few months .

 

[reef-rc]

Update:

• Tank salinity is slowly going back up to 1.026
• I started to frag some Bam Bam zoas
• Blue Snowflake Clove Colyps have really started to cover the back wall nicely. Will be looking to take the frag and use that on my 10G nano
• I think it's called Pink and Gold zoa or just Gold zoa. These have been taken off and now grows directly on the glass; they have since separated from the original frag disk.
• BAD: I am having a little issue growing certain types of mushrooms. I think it's too much light for those I have on frag racks. Other mushrooms on the bottom seems doing good and opening big like they should. Will move two frags down and see.

A few shots of the tank:

 

[flchamp89]

Update:

• Tank salinity is slowly going back up to 1.026
• I started to frag some Bam Bam zoas
• Blue Snowflake Clove Colyps have really started to cover the back wall nicely. Will be looking to take the frag and use that on my 10G nano
• I think it's called Pink and Gold zoa or just Gold zoa. These have been taken off and now grows directly on the glass; they have since separated from the original frag disk.
• BAD: I am having a little issue growing certain types of mushrooms. I think it's too much light for those I have on frag racks. Other mushrooms on the bottom seems doing good and opening big like they should. Will move two frags down and see.

A few shots of the tank:

Legendary stuff. Very impressive.

 

[reef-rc]

Legendary stuff. Very impressive.

Thank you sir. Just hoping I am able to maintain the good streak so far.

Tank is basically pack so I just plan to let it ride and propagate frag as allowed.

I do have two additional unique soft coral frags scheduled to arrive Wednesday:

• Lemon Twist Paly

• Utter Chaos Zoa

I am looking forward to these as they seem to be a little unique and will look to grow them out so I can have them also in my 10G tank eventually. Above pic is what they are supposed to look like; will see how they actually look in person when arrive.

 

[flchamp89]

Where did you get the lemon twist? Link?

 

[reef-rc]

Where did you get the lemon twist? Link?

Top Shelf Aquatics (this was my first order with them)
Lemon Twist

I received it yesterday. First impression is that it does not look exactly as described - WYSIWYG Softie Frag.

idk..going to give it a little time before coming to a conclusion. Looking at it yesterday it was more mustard color. I'll get a pic out later this evening when tank comes on.

On the other side....
The Utter Chaos zoa did looked exactly as described from another vendor so I am glad when I saw that. Will be putting both up for comparison.

 

[flchamp89]

Top Shelf Aquatics (this was my first order with them)
Lemon Twist

I received it yesterday. First impression is that it does not look exactly as described - WYSIWYG Softie Frag.

idk..going to give it a little time before coming to a conclusion. Looking at it yesterday it was more mustard color. I'll get a pic out later this evening when tank comes on.

I agree it's a disaster. Please PM me for my address. You don't need to flaw your tank with second rate corals. Help the little people lol.

 

[reef-rc]

I agree it's a disaster. Please PM me for my address. You don't need to flaw your tank with second rate corals. Help the little people lol.

;Hilarious...i like it!

 

[flchamp89]

;Hilarious...i like it!

100.00 bucks yikes. I'm a redneck I don't have 100 in my whole tank lol

 

[reef-rc]

100.00 bucks yikes. I'm a redneck I don't have 100 in my whole tank lol

I did slurp this time around looking for "unique" piece. i am not sure it justify the price though; problem at times with online

as coral frags go...i am done. it's packed.