Finally back to reefing after a 10 year hiatus !!! And jumping in strong with a the 13.5 Fluval Evo Reef Ready all in one system.
After multiple trips to my LFS (I live in Orlando so yea that's WWC and Top Shelf Aquatics) but for me, its Crabbi Pattis !!! Cute little place that is totally overshadowed by the two giants around the corner. I was drawn immediately to thier 6 year old frag tank, which is commendable !!! Zoas, Shroms, Acans, Leathers, SPS, LPS, and everything in between !!! Great selection of fish and inverts as well.
I grabbed about 17 lbs of PRIMO Live Rock, it had just come out of a 7 years old system that the owner broke down, and its packeddd with life. So I grabbed the classic Arga Alive Carribsea Figi pink (10lb) and aquascaped the tank with 4 solid pieces. The flow around the rock is amazing and provides every level of light and flow I could ask for, along with an insane amount of future homes for the inevitable 6 line wrasse who will be one of the 3 fish in this tank permanently.
I used turbo start, my first time with that. I tested for ammonia positively only one day, the 3rd, and after that have had 0 levels acoss the board. A bit of a nightmare when I finally check my salt and realized the store had given me about 1.35, so i did a huge water change and got it down to 1.26 with perfect 8.3 pH.
For equipment I bought the additonal protien skimmer designed for the first chamber of the overflow, i grabbed the InTank 2nd chamber media filter with filter floss and carbon in top (when needed), Bio media in middle, and chemi pure in the bottom. I bought a standard digital 50 watt heater for the return chamber and stuck with the standard pump and return head. My wave maker is by Hygger, its rated 1350 max and ive got it programmed down to a perfect rate for each of the 5 sessions in the small system. I added the NiCrew timer to the stock light with a nice ramp up and down for sunrise/sunset, and added an additonal 13 watt light next to the main system using suction cups to the lid.
I've added some photos of the stock so far, and yes the BTA is happy and planted, much easier to add now with perfect husbandry instead of later when the system is more stable and it can run across my coral lol. Zoas are basic and just moved so all closed, mushrooms are single cap frags brand new, and settling in. Blue ricordia has expelled guts because of my trying to stuff him in that rock space. The ricordia is super baby and opening up a bit more each day. GSP are GSP lol. Emerald Crab is the only critter in here currently to clean the very small amounts of algae starting to bloom.
Happy to be back, and look forward to sharing the progession and answering any questions !!! Happy Reefing.
After multiple trips to my LFS (I live in Orlando so yea that's WWC and Top Shelf Aquatics) but for me, its Crabbi Pattis !!! Cute little place that is totally overshadowed by the two giants around the corner. I was drawn immediately to thier 6 year old frag tank, which is commendable !!! Zoas, Shroms, Acans, Leathers, SPS, LPS, and everything in between !!! Great selection of fish and inverts as well.
I grabbed about 17 lbs of PRIMO Live Rock, it had just come out of a 7 years old system that the owner broke down, and its packeddd with life. So I grabbed the classic Arga Alive Carribsea Figi pink (10lb) and aquascaped the tank with 4 solid pieces. The flow around the rock is amazing and provides every level of light and flow I could ask for, along with an insane amount of future homes for the inevitable 6 line wrasse who will be one of the 3 fish in this tank permanently.
I used turbo start, my first time with that. I tested for ammonia positively only one day, the 3rd, and after that have had 0 levels acoss the board. A bit of a nightmare when I finally check my salt and realized the store had given me about 1.35, so i did a huge water change and got it down to 1.26 with perfect 8.3 pH.
For equipment I bought the additonal protien skimmer designed for the first chamber of the overflow, i grabbed the InTank 2nd chamber media filter with filter floss and carbon in top (when needed), Bio media in middle, and chemi pure in the bottom. I bought a standard digital 50 watt heater for the return chamber and stuck with the standard pump and return head. My wave maker is by Hygger, its rated 1350 max and ive got it programmed down to a perfect rate for each of the 5 sessions in the small system. I added the NiCrew timer to the stock light with a nice ramp up and down for sunrise/sunset, and added an additonal 13 watt light next to the main system using suction cups to the lid.
I've added some photos of the stock so far, and yes the BTA is happy and planted, much easier to add now with perfect husbandry instead of later when the system is more stable and it can run across my coral lol. Zoas are basic and just moved so all closed, mushrooms are single cap frags brand new, and settling in. Blue ricordia has expelled guts because of my trying to stuff him in that rock space. The ricordia is super baby and opening up a bit more each day. GSP are GSP lol. Emerald Crab is the only critter in here currently to clean the very small amounts of algae starting to bloom.
Happy to be back, and look forward to sharing the progession and answering any questions !!! Happy Reefing.
