Fluval Evo 5.5 Gallon Reef

[Ryan Evan]

Hello all,

 

Here is my Fluval Evo 5.5 gallon! 

 

Rigged with a micro ATO, 180GPH return pump, and a Orbit Marine LED! and a heater. Thats all the equipment on this tank and it is looking great so far. 

 

Tank started 2/9/2017

 

Look forward to sharing with you all as it stocks up!

 

[Clown79]

Never buffer for ph. Ph changes throughout the day. It changes due to photosynthesis.

 If your alk is in normal range, you're fine.

 

As for dosing. You should dose to what your parameters start at.

 

Test after waterchange, dose to maintain those numbers.

 

Example:

After water change your

Alk is 8.5

Ca is 400

Mag is 1300

 

Thats what you should be maintaining otherwise everytime you do waterchanges, you will have major fluctuations. 

You also should be dosing to what your tank is consuming. 

 

Alk above 10 is pretty high and my experience, corals were not happy with higher alk numbers.

[Ryan Evan]

Just now, Clown79 said:

Never buffer for ph. Ph changes throughout the day. It changes due to photosynthesis.

 If your alk is in normal range, you're fine.

 

As for dosing. You should dose to what your parameters start at.

 

Test after waterchange, dose to maintain those numbers.

 

Example:

After water change your

Alk is 8.5

Ca is 400

Mag is 1300

 

Thats what you should be maintaining otherwise everytime you do waterchanges, you will have major fluctuations. 

You also should be dosing to what your tank is consuming. 

 

Alk above 10 is pretty high and my experience, corals were not happy with higher alk numbers.

So you are saying that although my calcium and mag and alk are all perfect after a water change and pH is low (as low as 7.6), corals and fish can handle that low of a pH?

[Clown79]

 

 

Most will tell you to not buffer ph. Buffering it causes more problems. When are you testing ph and do you test at the exact time of day?

 

Ph rises with photosynthesis, therefore when lights are off its low and gradually rises with the duration of photo period. 

 

I haven't tested ph in mnths. 

 

Alk and ph work together.

[Ryan Evan]

[Ryan Evan]

Above is a quick update. Added a nice long tentacle plate coral, some zoas, and a colony of mushrooms. All look amazing under the antinics- looks fake. I also have a medium-sized yellow fiji toadstool coming in the mail tomorrow from liveaquaria and I will post pictures of that addition tomorrow. Enjoy and let me know if you have questions. 

 

[Ryan Evan]

Here is an updated FTS, with a slightly different aquascape and a new Fiji Yellow Leather coral. Has been a few days since I got him and his polyps are finally showing a little. Hopefully itll look normal in a few more days.

[Hirsh]

Yellow Fiji leather is one of my all time favorites

[n3hihz]

On 3/23/2017 at 5:13 PM, Ryan Evan said:

Hello all,

 

Here is my Fluval Evo 5.5 gallon! 

 

Rigged with a micro ATO, 180GPH return pump, and a Orbit Marine LED! and a heater. Thats all the equipment on this tank and it is looking great so far. 

 

Tank started 2/9/2017

 

Look forward to sharing with you all as it stocks up!

 

Hi I was wondering what pump you're running in your fluval 5? Stock or upgraded?

[thespinningsadhu]

On 3/23/2017 at 4:13 PM, Ryan Evan said:

Hello all,

 

Here is my Fluval Evo 5.5 gallon! 

 

Rigged with a micro ATO, 180GPH return pump, and a Orbit Marine LED! and a heater. Thats all the equipment on this tank and it is looking great so far. 

 

Tank started 2/9/2017

 

Look forward to sharing with you all as it stocks up!

 

Hey! I just got this tank and can't find a better pump that will fit in the teeny chamber. Which one did you get? I need it.

[GregEmmitte]

20 hours ago, thespinningsadhu said:

Hey! I just got this tank and can't find a better pump that will fit in the teeny chamber. Which one did you get? I need it.

Mine has been a bit neglected but I use a power head

[thespinningsadhu]

I want to keep things pretty "natural" looking for lack of a better word. I've got a koralia 240 that I put in to mix the salt and it looks huge in there. Also the lid doesn't fit when the powerhead is in there. 

 

I saw the hack for the aqueon and I guess I'll try that. Unless the OP gets back to me with what he used. 

 

I also ordered one of those new nano spinner things from Marine Depot. It's supposed to randomize the current but also increase it up to 400%. 

[Clown79]

2 hours ago, thespinningsadhu said:

I want to keep things pretty "natural" looking for lack of a better word. I've got a koralia 240 that I put in to mix the salt and it looks huge in there. Also the lid doesn't fit when the powerhead is in there. 

 

I saw the hack for the aqueon and I guess I'll try that. Unless the OP gets back to me with what he used. 

 

I also ordered one of those new nano spinner things from Marine Depot. It's supposed to randomize the current but also increase it up to 400%. 

The spinners cut half the flow power from the return pump so upgrading pump is a good option. If the pump is to weak, the spinner won't turn.

[thespinningsadhu]

3 minutes ago, Clown79 said:

The spinners cut half the flow power from the return pump so upgrading pump is a good option. If the pump is to weak, the spinner won't turn.

Supposedly this is some new kind that actually increases output. That's the only reason I got it. Linkage: https://www.marinedepot.com/Accel_Aquatics_Nano_Vortex_Flow_Accelerator_Model_VFN_Returns_Plumbing_Parts-Accel_Aquatics-6H94588-FIFTRP-vi.html

 

They did a video explaining how it worked. There are several models. The one I use now severely reduces output but I decided to try this since the whole concept is to increase flow. I'll keep my receipt...