Starting a new 13 gallon

Blaze0303 · Aug 9, 2016

Hey guys, new to the forum and saltwater tanks, I'll be buying a 13.5gal Fluval Evo on Friday. Does $300 sound good for the tank, fluval ps2 mini skimmer, live rock, live sand, green star polyp coral, and a pair of clowns. I will still need a heater and water. Does the price sound good, and what else will I need for starting up?

reeftanker17 · Aug 9, 2016

Welcome to reef2reef! !!!!!

lou dog420 · Aug 9, 2016

You might not need a heater, but you will defiantly need test kits! Welcome to R2R.

Blaze0303 · Aug 9, 2016

Thanks, will API tests be okay for now? Also I live in Daytona beach and my lfs sells seawater, have you guys ever used it?

morpheas · Aug 9, 2016

There might be some haggle room with this price. The market is pretty saturated especially with nanos and $300 might be a little on the high side. Also what kind of lights does it have? Are you wanting to keep any more corals in the future?

Yes, you can buy 5 gallon jugs and go to your LFS and buy premixed saltwater. Once you get deeper you can think of RODI units and the rest

lou dog420 · Aug 9, 2016

I have never used API test kits, but I hear that they are notoriously bad.

Blaze0303 · Aug 9, 2016

Thanks for the assistance, I was really wondering about using sea water. It's not premixed saltwater I'm talking about actual sea water. Thanks for the tips on API tests, what should I use?

As for the light, I've started gravitating towards using a nuvo 10 gallon tank with the innovative marine 18 watt skkye led light. My biggest problem is finding a stand for a square tank. Lol

The fluval Evo tank light is 16 watt

lou dog420 · Aug 9, 2016

Natural sea water should be fine. Check bulk reef supply, I think the they sell the innovative marine tanks and stands.cant go wrong with salifert test kits.

Blaze0303 · Aug 10, 2016

Thanks a lot, I'll look into the salifert tests. And I've decided to go with the rimless innovative marine nuvo 10g tank. Now I'm wondering if I should stick with their light which is a non programmable 18watt or I can buy tank only and use a different light. Their light will cost $100 if a get it with the tank, is there any better ones in that range? $100-150? Thanks a lot, this forum has been great already.

Nameless Ghoul · Aug 10, 2016

Welcome to R2R. I'm also from Daytona Beach.

Do you plan on keeping any corals other than the GSP? If not, you'll probably be OK with that light. I'm leaning toward this MarsAqua light for my next tank, either a standard 5.5 or 10 gallon.

Blaze0303 · Aug 10, 2016

I do plan on have more coral than that, it'll be lps. Not brave enough for sps, lol.

Nameless Ghoul · Aug 10, 2016

I'm not really into SPS to even worry about being brave enough for it. I love softies and LPS though.

Which LFS you going to?

Blaze0303 · Aug 10, 2016

I've gone to all of them in the past few days. Is there any you suggest?

HigherHomie · Aug 12, 2016

Blaze0303 said:
Thanks for the assistance, I was really wondering about using sea water. It's not premixed saltwater I'm talking about actual sea water. Thanks for the tips on API tests, what should I use?

As for the light, I've started gravitating towards using a nuvo 10 gallon tank with the innovative marine 18 watt skkye led light. My biggest problem is finding a stand for a square tank. Lol

The fluval Evo tank light is 16 watt

I live in ft Lauderdale and we use real sea water. Normally you can ask the store if they have tested the water. Most of the time, they do and they treat it. I MO it is the best water to use. It can have alot of things that mixed water just can't create. I have only mixed once and had to add supplements.

Chrisfish · Aug 12, 2016

Welcome to R2R, love nanos

I went from a 3 gal. To an 8 gal. Now I have a 30 gal, jbj to. It's a very addicting hobby.

Now I'm looking at 55-65, lol.

Blaze0303 · Aug 12, 2016

Thanks, most of this thread has changed now lol. And higherhomie thanks for the water tips, I'll definitely be using sea water.

Tank is now Nuvo 10
Light is a used AI prime
Live rock
Live sand
Upgrade return to maxijet 600
Spinstream
IM custom caddy with floss and chemipure blue

I was thinking of adding a hydor 240 but I dont think I'll need it with the maxijet / Spinstream combo.

Julio Salvatierra · Sep 2, 2016

I just got this tank and I would be careful with the ps2 it already took a crap on me. I will be returning to my LFS to see what they can do about this. Hopefully I can get something else that will fit

Blaze0303 · Sep 5, 2016

I ended up getting a nuvo 10 instead. Hope you get yours worked out.

reeftanker17 · Dec 13, 2016

Update?

Blaze0303 · Dec 20, 2016

Don't have many recent pictures, but everything has been happy and healthy! I ended up with a IM 10 gallon and bought a AI prime, upgraded the return to a maxijet 600 and I'm only using chemipure blue with filter floss in a custom caddy. Top off every 2-3 days and 10% WC weekly. Only fish are a Clown and Royal Gramma.