Fluval Evo 13.5 Build Thread

[Sharkbait19]

Coral update! Along with an astrea snail, I got an assortment of corals for $25 each! I’ll post pics once they’ve opened up, but four of them I think are forms of leather coral, and one is some kind of zoa. It’s hard to tell with petco’s vague labeling. One of the leathers refuses to open up (and I think the frag plug it is on has a little aptasia on it but hopefully the peppermint shrimp will do the job) and the zoa has some sort of algae growth and hasn’t opened all the way. I’ll post pics once they’ve all opened for IDs. Also, I think my margarita snail is dead. He hasn’t moved since I purchased him. I flipped him over today and he’s just tucked in his shell. I’m concerned.

 

[Sharkbait19]

Here’s the zoas. They glow orange in the blue light, but that’s hard to capture with the iPhone camera...

 

[najer]

Make sure you run fresh carbon due to the leathers going in.

 

[Mikedawg]

For me, I would stop adding anything else to the tank in order to minimize possible sources of "problems" going forward - so no more inverts or corals until your water parameters are within acceptable ranges, your tank has cycled through ugly stages, and you have had time to research fundamentals. Not to be critical, but impulse buying is what gets most of us in trouble.
Also, I would double check the advice you receive.
Good luck, many of us started with the same tank and you've got a good start - just go slow

 

[Sharkbait19]

For me, I would stop adding anything else to the tank in order to minimize possible sources of "problems" going forward - so no more inverts or corals until your water parameters are within acceptable ranges, your tank has cycled through ugly stages, and you have had time to research fundamentals. Not to be critical, but impulse buying is what gets most of us in trouble.
Also, I would double check the advice you receive.
Good luck, many of us started with the same tank and you've got a good start - just go slow

I agree. I’m just putting corals and cuc before my fallow period so I don’t worry about coral introducing ich after the fallow period.

 

[afishbestservedcold]

love the tank! maybe try buying somewhere other than petco : ) just my bias, i feel like their stuff is only meant to last a few days before sale vs. LFS has to keep it going longer and usually has a better set up

 

[Sharkbait19]

Here it is! My dream coral, an Australian torch! This is the final addition before a long fallow period. It was placed where my original leather used to be and the leather is on top of a rock in a nice water flow.



It will make a fine addition to my collection.

 

[Sharkbait19]

I figured it’s been a while since I’ve given a fish update. Comet the firefish is still completely spotless. He’s been more active and less stressed than ever since his tankmates have passed away— he’s rarely hiding, even at night. No spots, no flashing, no gasping. Still eating like a pig. I have copper meds and a running QT tank but am still deciding how to move him, and am a little reluctant. Though not too stressed, he still startles very easily and I am not sure if he’ll adapt to the new environment very well. Maybe I’ll move him this week. I know I keep saying that to myself.

I have a question though, regarding such an abnormal case—he was the first fish to appear with velvet, which went away in a day or two. He has not been affected at all since then and has actually been thriving since. Though I still have to go fallow for newcomers, is they’re a reason this particular fish gained an immunity to the parasite? Could he be wild caught, with a natural immunity? My other three fish, who beforehand were quite hardy and happy, died within a few days of each other. I know people don’t typically “get lucky” with diseases like velvet. Is there a particular reason Comet did not die like the others? I’m impressed and am happy to see him still alive, but am also trying to wrap my head around a reason why...

 

[Rickybobby]

I’m not sure why comet is still alive but treat him and isolate him for 76 days to be safe

 

[Sharkbait19]

I’m not sure why comet is still alive but treat him and isolate him for 76 days to be safe

Yeah, I'll treat him along with some kind of newcomer to be added in 76 days. It baffles me, but there is no physical or behavioral sign of illness. He sure is one lucky fish!

I do have one question about how long I should go fallow. Though it is presumably along the lines of ich/velvet, I don't know what exactly killed my fish, because they showed signs of about everything. Thus, I would like to go fallow for any type of possible parasite just to be on the safe side. That is what raises my question-- what is the maximum time? What parasite requires the longest fallow period? Would 76 days suffice, or should I be going more to a 90-100 day period?

 

[Sharkbait19]

Well, ironically, the day that I was supposed to move him to quarantine, one of my crabs decided to grab Comet in his sleep (something I’ve been afraid of for a while now what with them getting feisty with my fish and corals). Otherwise he either had some underlying issue, despite being completely healthy and active, or got stung by my torch coral. Either way, there goes my favorite fish, Comet.

 

[Amstar]

This entire thread makes me sad .. please slow down and do more research

 

[Sharkbait19]

This entire thread makes me sad .. please slow down and do more research

I did my research for a long time, but build threads don’t really show all that, Velvet outbreaks happen, sometimes beyond anyone’s control. Granted, the firefish just randomly dropped dead with no particular reason. He looked completely normal and acted completely healthy yesterday. I’ll have to check parameters.

 

[Rickybobby]

I’m sorry to say but you have been given a ton of info. Enough so that some research isn’t needed it you didn’t want to hear it. You had a fish that was exposed to velvet or Brook or both and didn’t react. Time to start fresh my suggestion is to make a nice qt tank. One you and the fish will enjoy because they will be in there for a while!

 

[Sharkbait19]

I’m sorry to say but you have been given a ton of info. Enough so that some research isn’t needed it you didn’t want to hear it. You had a fish that was exposed to velvet or Brook or both and didn’t react. Time to start fresh my suggestion is to make a nice qt tank. One you and the fish will enjoy because they will be in there for a while!

I was actually planning on moving it this morning. That didn’t go well.
Sure, I didn’t react well in the beginning, but by time I did bad luck struck again. One thing that I have learned over the past few weeks is to not jump into anything without a definitive plan. I thought I had one, but was terribly wrong, and was not yet ready. Now, after being told a lot more facts and having learned a lot more information, I can start over, properly. Failure is the best teacher, and maybe I needed some failure to eventually succeed. My plan is all laid out though:

1. Upgrade filtration. Especially with a torch coral, my #1 priority is keeping my corals and future inhabitants in tip top shape.

2. In a few weeks, purchase a pair of clowns (or something like that) and begin a therapeutic copper treatment. They will remain in QT until January, when the 90 days have expired.

3. Find out if the emerald crab is truly the culprit of killing fish and munching corals (seems like it)

4. During the next 90 days, I will research my butt off. I went in with only professional experience in freshwater fish and enthusiasm in saltwater. Now, it’s time for me to continue to pursue this endeavor, but with the proper information, and the best advice I’ve gathered from all of you guys at reef2reef.


I know I’ve had a bumpy, inexperienced, and concerning start to my tank. But that doesn’t necessarily mean the end. I just have to pick myself back up, count my losses, and try again. Properly.

 

[Sharkbait19]

Just wanna update my thread: The torch coral is doing great, the leathers are all still questionably bouncing between good and bad, the Xenia is spreading like a, well, a Xenia, and the zoas have grown about four more heads since I got them. My hermit crabs are being crazy, flipping over my zoa frag plug every time I upright it (why would they do that??) and the emerald crab is still being a little bully.
It’s honestly nice not having to worry about the fish. My water has been cleaner than ever, my corals happier, and honestly, less problems to worry about! I found a good LFS which I will now go to for all my aquarium needs—they have great deals on coral and a wide selection quarantined fish. They’re very knowledgeable and helpful. So I’d say things are going quite smoothly!

 

[Sharkbait19]

Mint, my peppermint shrimp, was looking weird recently. However, he always acted fine.
Except for this morning in which he was awake, which was unusual. He was outside of his little cave for once, kind of just sitting around. He looked like he was going to molt today, based on how pale he was and how something was flaking off of him.

Well, I have no clue if he died from some kind of disease, or he molted then was killed. All I know is I just found him as my emerald crab’s lunch. What on earth happened?? I’m a bit upset about this one, and am even more angry at my emerald crab. He seems to not like anyone in the tank.

 

[Rickybobby]

My pep shrimp lasted a week for me months ago. Not sure if my dottyback was sick of sharing his cave or who knows what. This does happen. One thing I’ve been doing research on is iodine levels in the aquarium and inverts and corals

 

[Sharkbait19]

My pep shrimp lasted a week for me months ago. Not sure if my dottyback was sick of sharing his cave or who knows what. This does happen. One thing I’ve been doing research on is iodine levels in the aquarium and inverts and corals

Thanks. Yeah, I don’t really know why he started acting weird, but luckily no other inverts are doing bad. Unfortunately, the leather corals have all been looking bad, like something is eating them. Who knows? Maybe they’ll come back if it was the peppermint shrimp eating them.

 

[Sharkbait19]

My coral plan:

What do you think??