Evolve 4 pico reef in VA - FTS update Jan 9, 2014!

[airman_verde04]

FTS Jan 9, 2014

 

 

FTS as start up - May 25, 2013

 

 

So I got the Evolve 4 gallon tank for a betta fish about 2 year ago. Betta just died so I'm cleaning it out, saw some folks have good results turning them into pico reefs so figured I'd just back in the keeping a reef with this guy since I already have it till I can afford a nice 20-30g set up.

 

Started May 19. 2013

Equipment list

4g Aqueon Evolve tank

50w Theo Hydor Heater

stock LED lighting with added DIY Blue LED strip

9w 11" Beamworks LED light fixture

stock water pump

DIY - battery powered, ATO

 

 

Setup

3lbs of dry base rock

3-4lbs of live sand

chemi-pure elite

Purigen

 

 

Livestock

1 Big ass Citron Goby

1 Scarlet hermit crab

6-8 Dwarf Cerith

2 Nassarius Vibex

2 Nerite Snails

 

Coral
- Orange BamBams Zoas

- Eagle eye Zoas

- Fire & Ice Zoas

- Radioactive Dragon eyes

- Frogspawn

- Green Star Polyps.

Thats it for now! Nice to be back.

[Akiowalt]

Good plan. Keep it up.

[airman_verde04]

Thanks Akiowalt, I'm really excited.

 

I got everything I need so far, will fill it with water and start the cycling the tank once I build my ATO and find a place to put it. We'll start playing with placement tonight.

[dtitus1]

Check out my thread, lol I'm also in virginia. My advice, stock pump is fine, but mod it, and get a beamswork to replace the stock light it's the cheapest option. Mine is pretty new but have a lot of softies and a green clown goby and they seem to be going good so far. I really want to add a HOB filter on the back of the first chamber to help with detritus though, so far thats the only problem I have with this tank like when I change out floss or sponge everything seems to go back into the display.

[PicoPerson]

Sounds good! I cant wait to hear how it turns out!

[airman_verde04]

Check out my thread, lol I'm also in virginia. My advice, stock pump is fine, but mod it, and get a beamswork to replace the stock light it's the cheapest option. Mine is pretty new but have a lot of softies and a green clown goby and they seem to be going good so far. I really want to add a HOB filter on the back of the first chamber to help with detritus though, so far thats the only problem I have with this tank like when I change out floss or sponge everything seems to go back into the display.

 

Yeah, had that issue when I had my Betta in .. Not sure why, really grosses up the water but I'll have to see how it turns out.

 

If I mod this tank with additional water capacy, I'm going to drill it out and run a sump to it. :-D I'll probably be able to afford a new tank t that point.

 

I'll check out your mod on the pump. I just hate how noisy the damn thing is. But I guess I'll be running higher water flow now that it will be a reef tank.

[airman_verde04]

So I'm too lazy to upload pictures from my computer tonight, so I'm uploading these from my iPhone. But here is the current update on the tank setup.

 

So the stock pump vibrates like a mofo and makes alot of noise. I'm not sure how to get it to not do it, but if I can't fix it I'll end up upgrading it.

 

So I'm just testing out the tank with rock, still won't mix in salt water to cycle till after I figure out my ATO, I think I need wider hose because as soon as the pump stops, the vacuums doesn't release and the water just keeps flowing. If there is some kind of air value. If you visit my first tank build (10g nano reef, see in my signature) I used the same type of air powered ATO system. Didn't have any issues.

 

Anyways, here is the picture of the container I got for the fresh water ATO resivor.

 

I'm using a battery powered pump for the ATO, I'll add the wiring when I get the float switches in. But I added a on/off switch to the pump itself so I can turn the pump off when water changing, just after putting this on I learned it already had a switch. Haha, oh. Well, it will be easier for tank sitters to turn it off.

 

Got a FTS with my possible rockscape, just testing the tank out.

 

I got a good shot of the current mess that's behind the tank currently, haha. I'm going to get a plastic tub to hold it in safe from any water spills behind the tank.

 

The last shot is a wheel switch I added to cord that goes to my water pump. I hate pulling the plug off the powerstrip for maintenance, this way I can just turn the switch and turn the pump off before doing water changes.

 

That's it! More in a few weeks I'm sure.

[airman_verde04]

I'm still doing water tests, testing ATO and filter area and pump mod. Everything is running good, Im going to mix some salt tomorrow and cook the rock for a few weeks while I wait on my live sand, and some other gear to come in the mail to start the "official" cycle. Anyhoo, I wanted a little more Height in the rock, so. Pushed the rock back to the wall a bit, keep the front more open for sand, and stacked up some, I don't like fillong displays with a whole bunch of LR, like a nice balance of rock and sand. I'm at 3/4 of the tanks height now, I looks really good and flow is good. I think I like it!

[BattleAthletics]

I'm still doing water tests, testing ATO and filter area and pump mod. Everything is running good, Im going to mix some salt tomorrow and cock the rock for a few weeks while I wait on my live sand, and some other gear to come in the mail to start the "official" cycle. Anyhoo, I wanted a little more Height in the rock, so. Pushed the rock back to the wall a bit, keep the front more open for sand, and stacked up some, I don't like fillong displays with a whole bunch of LR, like a nice balance of rock and sand. I'm at 3/4 of the tanks height now, I looks really good and flow is good. I think I like it!

 

 

When are you getting the sand?

[airman_verde04]

 

When are you getting the sand?

 

Hahahaha! I didn't even notice.. Hahaha, my bad.

 

Sand should be here Tuesday, I special ordered a 5lb bag of live sand. Would have been a terrible waste getting 10-20lb bag. Going to get a hermit to entertain myself shortly after just for kicks. Trying the "instant cycle" with the live water by Nutri-sea. Figured I'd try it out just for hoots. Will still be waiting out putting new things in like a proper cycle, but Will be mostly FOLR till August. That's when I get my new light gifted to me by the lady. Plan to put some zoas in first after I upgrade the light.

[dtitus1]

Softies will live under the stock light just fine, I had zoas and mushrooms and gsp and they all lived granted the color of the light isn't very pleasing to the eye. Lol just sayin, if you see some softies you like at a store or something don't hesitate to pick them up as long as your tank is cycled.

[airman_verde04]

Sand just got in! Putting it in tonight! Got 5lbs of Caribbean live sand from ocean direct, dag this stuff is fine.

[airman_verde04]

Just got my sand in. Its super fine, way more fine than any sand I've had in the past. Talk about instand cloud storm. anyhoo. Its up and running! The live water by - Nutri-sea was right at 1.027 which is where I mix to with my salt, so we'll see how it tests in a week or so. Lets see how well this stuff actually "Instant cycles."

 

Its still a little cloudy.

 

 

Front the corner, stick on thermometer is temporary till my digital one gets in, in the mail.

 

[crazyfishgirl]

For my evolve 8 and 4 I used live sand, cured rock from LFS and nutri sea water and didn't see a cycle at all

[jesusgravy]

following

[airman_verde04]

For my evolve 8 and 4 I used live sand, cured rock from LFS and nutri sea water and didn't see a cycle at all

Nice! Yeah, I have dry rock In mine that cooked for a bit, I'm hoping it won't cycle at all! I had a bit nutri-sea left over. I wonder how long this stuff last after being opened? I'd like it not to go to waste and use it for my next water change at least.

 

And did you start using salt mix after starting it with the nutri-sea? I plan mix my own water after this point, buying nutri-sea for regular water changes would get pricey.

[crazyfishgirl]

I still use nutri sea for my water changes, the one time I mixed my own for the 8 gallon the fish were in distress, pale colors, breathing heavily. I had to cram them all in the 4 gallon while I did another water change with nutri sea, put the fish back and everything was fine so you might want to be careful switching from nutri sea to your own mix when you have fish. My LFS sells the jug for 11.99$ and I get 2 water changes out of it so I'm only spending 12$ every 2 weeks. That episode with the fish scared me, so I'm not going to be mixing my own any time soon. I do mix my own for my bigger tank tho

[airman_verde04]

I still use nutri sea for my water changes, the one time I mixed my own for the 8 gallon the fish were in distress, pale colors, breathing heavily. I had to cram them all in the 4 gallon while I did another water change with nutri sea, put the fish back and everything was fine so you might want to be careful switching from nutri sea to your own mix when you have fish. My LFS sells the jug for 11.99$ and I get 2 water changes out of it so I'm only spending 12$ every 2 weeks. That episode with the fish scared me, so I'm not going to be mixing my own any time soon. I do mix my own for my bigger tank tho

 

That would get pricey, not to mention all the bottles I'd go through. If I could afford it, I would so just use nutri-sea, however its not in the cards. I'm going to do small water changes over a 1-2 month period to cycle out the mutri-sea onto whatever salt I plan to use, probably reef crystals or instant ocean till I decide what super salt to use. I've used different stuff in the past so I'm not sure what I'll do this time around.

 

the owner of the LFS did tell me he goes through the nutri-sea really fast because tons of his customers love that stuff and use it exclusively in their tanks now.

[crazyfishgirl]

Small water changes would work, I made the mistake of changing a large amount at one time, so I could if I wanted to change out the nutri sea for my own mix over a period of time, I just find nutri sea more convenient for my small tanks. Which really doesn't make any sense since I'm already mixing my own for my big tank. Oh well.

[airman_verde04]

I just find nutri sea more convenient for my small tanks. Which really doesn't make any sense since I'm already mixing my own for my big tank. Oh well.

 

Hahaha, well at least your consistant with your tanks.

[airman_verde04]

Got some goodies, will be testing tank later.

 

Ordering my CUC from Reefcleaners tomorrow I think. Might pick up a zoa if the LFS frags some out when I pick up my fish in late June. I'm thinking I'll only have 1-2 types of zoas in this tank. one type of Acan, one breed of ricordia mushroom, maybe a frog spawn way down the road. Thats it really.

 

Will be putting in a order for my Citron Goby, I'll get my Sexy's probably in July then take a break adding livestock while the tank stabilizes with the bio load for a few months. Then get to more corals.

 

On to some pictures! Embarrasing as it is, most of my photos have been with my iPhone. Embarrasing thing is, I'm a professional photographer and have more than the right gear to take some stand out pics. I don't have a macro lens, but I think my friends have one that once I get some more life and coral, I'll take some good shots from a tripot, remote trigger, etc. Like a boss.

 

Some stuff the mail lady brought me today.

 

 

 

view from the top of my junk holder hidden behind my tank. Has all the cables tucked into it out of sight and safe'ish from water. My house is very small and has limited counter space or space for a tank stand. This was the best way to have pretty much zero cables visible.

 

view of my chambers. I modded the first chamber, blocking it with plexi so the water goes down then back up on the back side. I have filter floss, will add Chemi-pure elite later under the floss. May run purigen down the road in the back left chamber. Also, you can see my DIY ATO, and the 50w Hydor heater, looks really neat in there I think.

 

Just another random above tank view with the lights on.

 

 

New FTS with sand.

 

[BattleAthletics]

cool s c a p e

[airman_verde04]

cool s c a p e

 

Thanks! I use to like lots of rock, but I'm more into more minimal scapes now. going just under the suggested Rock lbs to gallon thing.

[gena]

Lookin' good, airman! That's a sharp looking tank and great scape too

 

Following

[airman_verde04]

Lookin' good, airman! That's a sharp looking tank and great scape too :DFollowing

Well Hello Gena, so glad you stopped by! I'm really happy so far with the set up. It's a cool little tank :-D

 

BTW, my first name is Angel, middle name David. Feel free to use either. :wub: :wub: :wub: