TerraIncognita's 13.5 G Fluval - Semi-Quick Start

[TerraIncognita]

Don't  forget to also check out my

Fluval 13.5G 08/03/2020

 

 

Hardware:

- Fluval 13.5 Stock Tank

- Pump Stock

- Heater 50W E-Heim

- Nano Hydor Power Head

- AI Hydra 32 Light

- Fluval Nano Protein Skimmer

- Amazon Bought $86 ATO Pump

- Digital Thermo

 

 

This thread is kind of late. But here we go.

 

Tank Purchased Empty from LFS: 06/28/2020

 

SetUp same day with:

15Lbs Live Rock (Cycled in Store Owners existing Display)

10LB's Fiji Pink Sand

Stock System everything

added: Fluval Nano Skimmer

2 Oz's of Dr Tim's Nitrifying Bacteria.

 

 

Added On 7/4: Live Stock

2 Clowns 1 Perc 1 Oce

9 Different Corals

 

Progress Photo: 7/12 Got a YWMG and Shrimp pair, but the Goby had flukes or something. didn't make it past day 2 :(.

 

 

 

[TerraIncognita]

 

Some up close coral shots I went coral crazy in the last 4 days.

 

im a little too chicken shit to put them in my brand new 3 day AJ 10 like I said I was going too. 🤷🏻‍♂️
 

but will probably make the move in the next 2 weeks. Cross fingers.

got some free spa hitch hikers.

 

also some hair algae despite coral dips. But worth the free 2 zoas.

 

 

Edited August 4, 2020 by TerraIncognita

[TerraIncognita]

Super happy with all my recent coraline growth. 

 

also super happy these two just figured out their symbiosis, been about 6 days exactly, I knew they were burrowed together, but they seem to be communicating properly now with body language, finally today seeing them out at all the various burrow entrances.

[Tamberav]

Randall's goby is my favorite shrimp goby. So beautiful. 

[TerraIncognita]

31 minutes ago, Tamberav said:

Randall's goby is my favorite shrimp goby. So beautiful. 

Thanks! Mine too!

[TerraIncognita]

I haven't posted here for awhile because I had a tragedy.

 

California had an earthquake around the 10th.

 

This was my first reef tank after IDK how many years, and I forgot about Earthquakes in California......

 

Worse I didn't notice for 2 days because I saw my goby out..... finally my GF who I should've listened to convinced me there was something wrong, I didn't want to do it, because it would involve having to move my ENTIRE rock scape to check for him....

 

And low and behold, yes... my pistol shrimp had been squished in his burrow......

 

Anyway..... After that, I had spike in params, obviously. Nothing else died, but I got a huge outbreak of either Cyano, or some type of red algae on my sand, IT wasn't slimy... but idk...

 

Sad boi hours....

 

 

once the light's come on, I'll take my final FTS for this journal. As you can see... rock work all down 😞 after search for the pistol.

 

 

but.... I worked magic, pulled some strings, twisted arms, and my land lord is letting me keep a bigger tank finally.

sneak peak to see my newly acquired as of Sat JBJ-RF45

 

after comparing the Red Sea, water box, and IM’s in similar tank size.

 

i decided I wanted to go with this JBJ 45 AIO and skip the sump.

 

the way it is designed also allows me to run it without a protein skimmer.

 

Overall, I was able to save $800 plus vs a sump system with the same display volume. So financially it was a no brainer.

 

 

slightly sad I won’t have a sump at all until I get my final as last big tank when I buy a home. But I don’t really care since all I really have this for anyway is so I can sit in front of my aquarium for hours like an idiot watching my fish swim.

 

 

[Tamberav]

A established tank should not have any problems with something dead and decaying in it...even something large.

 

Anyways good luck with the upgrade. Maybe make a steady rock structure and epoxy stuff together in case of another earth quake?