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Aqueon 2 Evolve kit


djfrankn

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90GPH, that's very decent. I believe other popular pico kit out there has this rate of flow as well. This definitely seems very reef capable out of the box. I just read a review on the 4 gallon from Amazon and the guy said it's already pushing the water around too much at lowest setting. Sounds like a very nice tank for the price. I just wonder if 39.99 is the stable price for this tank., since petsmart is selling them for at least 8 bucks higher. I have been seeing the price of this tank drops from the original MSRP since day one, makes me wonder what's the stable price going to be on this one.

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Now a question. Any suggestions on DIY auto top off? Something that uses a small pump with a selenoide?. Yes, I know, some may ask why DIY. I want to keep cost as low as possible and prove (if I am correct) that with not so many $$$ you can run a little pico like it. I don't want to do any mods to it and eventually prove it with time that not so many extra things are required. Time will say. And btw, I still run my 75 reef.

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Now heading to radio shack. I am getting some parts for my next DIY proyect. I am going to build an underwater LED with 3 diodes for my future refugium design (inside the filtration chamber). The reason of why I am going to go with LED is beacause of heat concerns with the halogen that is sold as 10 watts underwater over the internet. I'll post pictures as soon as I finish it and then do a follow-up of results with it.

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I just finished posting the pics for my DIY Guide for an underwater LED light wirth 2 diodes that I am planning to use in one of the filtration chambers with chaeto. I am really happy with the result. The light is very bright and the two LED's add to much light to grow the algae more evenly. Tomorrow I will put it in my tank and keep an eye on the tank's temperature. Just to make sure there is no major fluctuations in temps. Here is a link if anyone is interested:

 

Guide to underwater LED

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maybe not a shrimp at all, some kind of crab, hopefully someone can chim in here. I dont know what it is, just taking a guess. so sorry. :(

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maybe not a shrimp at all, some kind of crab, hopefully someone can chim in here. I dont know what it is, just taking a guess. so sorry. :(

 

My Guess from pics and research on the web it looks like a porcelain crab .

 

Another hitch hiker , looks like a young snail..26926837.jpg

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I finally water tested my DIY LED underwater light. It is working great and as expected did not raised the temperature of my tank. In the pump chamber I am going to put a 100ml Purigen bag.

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So your gonna have nothing but cheato in the first chamber? No floss.

No, no floss. But Purigen in the second chamber. BTW, I am not a big fan of filter floss and I do not use it at all in my 75. Regards

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I work at Petco and I love the new evolve series! I got that two gallon kit when we first got it in store and now I also have the 8. I already had the light upgrade with (boost led par30 20k bulb wih clamp). I'm using mine as a little aquatic zen garden project, waiting for zoanthids to grow from tile to tile so I can make a lawn that glow under the royal blue LEDs. Sorry I can't post pics from my phone.

I have to note that the dimensions on the Petco website are wrong for these tanks, that are all an inch shorter an all the measurements ( l think they give the dimensions of the box it comes in) the 2 isn't 9x9x10, but 8x8x9. Even though the AIO chamber isn't ideal, it still keeps all the hardware out of sight. I'm running just chemi pure in my tank. When set up the 8 (which uses the same 90gph pump as the 2 and 4 so it'll need upgrading), I'm going to move everything into it so I can have more space for tiles to propagate on, and I'm going to use the larger led array that came with the 8 on the 2 and see if it'll support some frags on it's own.

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i just saw the evolve yesterday...it looks pretty cool glad to see more companies jumping on the bandwagon of products weve been creating for years., ..anyways..ive really been thinking of getting one. perhaps the 2 or 4 im looking to do a bonsai type reef..the only thing is my brain has been spinning on what to do with the filtration..can anyone post some dimensions or pics of the back filtration chambers...

 

im going to try and fabricate a professional looking mini media reactor/protein skimmer/uv sterilizer/kalk stirrer/gravity auto top off all in one..i know it sounds impossible and it may be..BUT its just a project ive been thinking about for a long time.....ive had to tear down and give up so many beloved reefs and tons of money, because im in the military and have to move quite a bit...i cant resist the reef itch. so im looking for a way to easily carry my reef with me...in the vehicle, in the hotel,or to a reef sitter..etc.etc..lol..and have all my equipment attached and easily plugged in..i want to keep it under 5 gallons and im only going to put small softie frags and a small bta, maybe a jawfish. so even though i want to cram all this equipment into a small tank, the most successful reef ive ever ran was a 10g with just a whisper 60 HOB filter and some carbon...Not to mention ALOT of TLC.

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Well, this week I put in a little tiny piece of xenia from my 75 in this tiny. So far it has grown a considerable size. I am taking pictures of it to do a time comparison. Also 2 blue legged hermits were added. I have to spot feed them. Tomorrow I'll post the pics.

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No, no floss. But Purigen in the second chamber. BTW, I am not a big fan of filter floss and I do not use it at all in my 75. Regards
Are you going to drop the bag of purigen in the 2nd chamber or build some sort of tray ? i dropped the purigen and chemi pure elite in the first chamber with some floss on top.
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Hi blaksheep67. Well, first. I have the stock lights. I've been thinking of upgrading them but, since they are led's, it is going to be a possible proyect in the near future of desolder and solder diodes with probably around 60 degrees built in optics. I found them over the internet and I may buy them from the supplier. I don't want to upgrade the light since I want to keep it simple and efficient plus cost efficient. So far the Xenia in there has grown in a week (I chose the xenia because it is a coral that adapts to different conditions very easily and I have it in my 75 reef).

What I did is as follow: I made a DIY LED submersible light (if you want the thread let me know and I pm to you) because of heat concerns in such a small volume of water. Less heat = less evaporation rate. I put a thick chunk of chaetomorpha in the first chamber of the overflow with the led in it. I think that since the chaeto volume is thick it should work as my filter floss (all the water passing by it is going to be processed by the bacteria and the critters). Then, I added my purigen bag kind of on top of the circulation pump. I noticed that the resine tumbles pretty good when the water runs through it.

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I am attempting the 8 gal as my first saltwater tank....so far so good. I have soft corals and candy cane (mounted high, near the lights) and all are doing very good. The tank has been running since January 1.

I'm in the process of adding additional lights.

 

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@DiamondDave: What are you running in the overflow chamber?. BTW, it is good to hear that yours is running good and you even have an lps in there :) . One little piece of advice, give it a little time before adding more animals to the tank (I would recommend you a 2-4 weeks period between addition) to prevent any problems with the bacteria populations since it is such a little environment.

 

I added a green paly polyp and so far it has been the 3rd day and is doing good. In a couple of weeks I am going to add a small branch of bird's nest. The light upgrade is coming next month since I have as fist priority the hydor smartwave controller as an addition to my 75.

I am definitely gonna go the DIY LED swap out for the lights (I am curious about the idea). ;)

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Now a question. Any suggestions on DIY auto top off? Something that uses a small pump with a selenoide?. Yes, I know, some may ask why DIY. I want to keep cost as low as possible and prove (if I am correct) that with not so many $$$ you can run a little pico like it. I don't want to do any mods to it and eventually prove it with time that not so many extra things are required. Time will say. And btw, I still run my 75 reef.

 

 

I plan on building something like the one in this post for my top off http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=232262

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Hey everyone!

 

I am what you call a new newbie but multiplied by 10. I got the evolve 2 tank yesterday with intentions of adding a few Angell fish no biggie . But then I stumbled on this post and alas my dream of starting a seawater tank came true lol but I have a dilemma. Im super inexperienced and clueless as to what to buy what chemicals or if I need to make any modifications to tank etc . Would someone plz help explain in English lol I don't know what the abbreviations are :/ oh and b kind this is my first time every replying or even writing in a thread lol thank you in advance...

 

 

Fyi I raised my beta since it was born :)

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Hey everyone!

 

I am what you call a new newbie but multiplied by 10. I got the evolve 2 tank yesterday with intentions of adding a few Angell fish no biggie . But then I stumbled on this post and alas my dream of starting a seawater tank came true lol but I have a dilemma. Im super inexperienced and clueless as to what to buy what chemicals or if I need to make any modifications to tank etc . Would someone plz help explain in English lol I don't know what the abbreviations are :/ oh and b kind this is my first time every replying or even writing in a thread lol thank you in advance...

 

 

Fyi I raised my beta since it was born :)

 

 

Hey there justj. I am getting back on updating my thread since I have been really busy with work load for this past weeks. You say that you bought a Evolve 2? And that you have the intentions of keeping angelfish (I am assuming the dwarf angels, right?) in this tank, correct?. Well, best advice I would give you if you want to do that, take it back to the fish store where you bought it from and exchange it for something "at least" 20 gallons or more. First, without being disrespectful, you are too knew in the hobby and you don't have the experience, yet, to keep something so little as a 2 gallon tank (pico tank) and if you want to put some fish and have the fish "happy" they need more room than 2 gallons of water. It is a beatiful tank but in the same time it is quite demanding when it comes to check ups as for water changes, adding fresh water to compensate evaporation (top offs), etc. Do your research first before you do anything else. Even with any animal you want to keep as for diet, lighting, water movement requirement and compatibility (either if you decide to keep the 2 gallons tank or follow the advice and get yourself a 20 gallon tank combo) before you do any addition. There is a lot of forums online (though, this one is my favorite) and post your questions as they may come to your mind. Read, read, read and then ask, ask, ask. There is never a dumb question. And in mos forums there is always people eager to respond promptly. Regards. Frank.

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