It’s been about a month since I’ve started this tank, so I figure it’s about time to start a build thread.
I’m building out a Fluval Evo 13.5 that I purchased off a member of this club (thank you)! I’m running the Current USA IC led on the Loop system (also with a nano wave maker) which was part of the package. I also added the Kraken Lids mesh lid which is awesome and should help prevent carpet surfers. I’ve got the Intank media basket in Chamber 1 (floss-carbon-bio media). Chamber 2 has the heater for now (may convert to refugium eventually), and the stock return pump in Chamber 3.
I started with standard aragonite sandbed, and all cured live rock sources from BRS members (again, thank you). Most importantly, I’m using natural sea water (NSW) from Winthrop. In an effort to keep it as “natural” as possible, I’m just using a sock to filter out macro elements and just storing in a bucket with a heater and cheap power head for 24 hours before adding. I’m adding a little bit of Reef Crystals to bump salinity from about 1.023/4 as collected to 1.025 for the display. Might be nitpicking, but I figure 1.025 is a good middle ground that will give me some more of a margin of error on salinity swings (a concern in the nano). I collected in the same spot, about an hour before high tide, and I don’t collect after heavy rain.
current livestock:
-CUC (trochus, nassarius, several small hermits)
-Several small Zoa colonies
-One medium paly colony
-candy cane (one, soon to be 2 heads)
-3 head Duncan
-Frogspawn
-Frilly/Hairy mushroom
-GSP (will eventually mount to back wall)
-Small piece of Xenia
-Tailspot Blenny
Cycle was fairly minimal thanks to using about 18lbs of cured live rock from nearby reefers. I had a small ammonia spike in week 1, but it didn’t even irritate the mushrooms or zoas that came with the live rock. I ran for several weeks with just the rock anyway and did a little bit of ghost feeding (frozen brine). First frags added last week, as was the blenny. I picked a few more up from Dong and other reefers this weekend. Now I’ll monitor (and maybe move some frags) for the next few weeks to see how things adjust. But so far, so good.
Future additions:
-Lighting upgrade - AI Prime 16HD (likely early Sept)
-Pair of clowns (mocha storm, black storm, Picasso, or something similar - open to suggestions for trusted local sellers) - likely mid-late September assuming things continue as they have been
-Small acan or brain colony
-A few more Zoa varities
-skunk cleaner shrimp
So far, things have been good. Coral and fish have adjusted well. I’ve got some bubble algae that I’m pulling when I see it, but not much. I’ll keep watching nutrients and hope that it eventually goes away with diligence.
some photos:
I’m building out a Fluval Evo 13.5 that I purchased off a member of this club (thank you)! I’m running the Current USA IC led on the Loop system (also with a nano wave maker) which was part of the package. I also added the Kraken Lids mesh lid which is awesome and should help prevent carpet surfers. I’ve got the Intank media basket in Chamber 1 (floss-carbon-bio media). Chamber 2 has the heater for now (may convert to refugium eventually), and the stock return pump in Chamber 3.
I started with standard aragonite sandbed, and all cured live rock sources from BRS members (again, thank you). Most importantly, I’m using natural sea water (NSW) from Winthrop. In an effort to keep it as “natural” as possible, I’m just using a sock to filter out macro elements and just storing in a bucket with a heater and cheap power head for 24 hours before adding. I’m adding a little bit of Reef Crystals to bump salinity from about 1.023/4 as collected to 1.025 for the display. Might be nitpicking, but I figure 1.025 is a good middle ground that will give me some more of a margin of error on salinity swings (a concern in the nano). I collected in the same spot, about an hour before high tide, and I don’t collect after heavy rain.
current livestock:
-CUC (trochus, nassarius, several small hermits)
-Several small Zoa colonies
-One medium paly colony
-candy cane (one, soon to be 2 heads)
-3 head Duncan
-Frogspawn
-Frilly/Hairy mushroom
-GSP (will eventually mount to back wall)
-Small piece of Xenia
-Tailspot Blenny
Cycle was fairly minimal thanks to using about 18lbs of cured live rock from nearby reefers. I had a small ammonia spike in week 1, but it didn’t even irritate the mushrooms or zoas that came with the live rock. I ran for several weeks with just the rock anyway and did a little bit of ghost feeding (frozen brine). First frags added last week, as was the blenny. I picked a few more up from Dong and other reefers this weekend. Now I’ll monitor (and maybe move some frags) for the next few weeks to see how things adjust. But so far, so good.
Future additions:
-Lighting upgrade - AI Prime 16HD (likely early Sept)
-Pair of clowns (mocha storm, black storm, Picasso, or something similar - open to suggestions for trusted local sellers) - likely mid-late September assuming things continue as they have been
-Small acan or brain colony
-A few more Zoa varities
-skunk cleaner shrimp
So far, things have been good. Coral and fish have adjusted well. I’ve got some bubble algae that I’m pulling when I see it, but not much. I’ll keep watching nutrients and hope that it eventually goes away with diligence.
some photos:
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