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Aqueon Evolve Master Thread.


dtitus1

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If anyone can give me some tips and suggestions on drilling one of these tanks I would appreciate it... especially the plumbing specs... thanks

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  • 4 months later...

What lighting is everyone using for there evolve 8? I had a PAR38 but its starting to go out. I'm looking for a new light and wondering what everyone else is using.

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  • 1 month later...
  • 2 weeks later...

Hey guys,

I had an Evolve 4 running for about 8 months until a chalice coral nuked it all. o.O I was pregnant at the time, so we decided to let the tank go and then turned it into a planted betta tank. A year later, my betta hasn't been doing too hot (he was an older fishy when we got him), so I'm looking into resurrecting the 4 into a reef tank again. The stock pump failed a few months (turning my community tank into a betta tank...) so I replaced it with a Aquatop NP80. When people first realized Evolve's potential for reef tanks, this seemed to be the swap out pump of choice. I'm not sure if I think it's enough flow. Then again, I used all the stock tubing so it doesn't fit together right which isn't a big deal for my betta, but I imagine I'm losing flow out of loose fittings and will tighten all that up when I switch it back to a salt water tank.

 

I also ran only stock lights (which gave out in less then a year, aqueon was good about sending replacement) but 6 months of running the lights, the whites are flickering so I'm probably going to get a Wave Point Super Blue and Micro Sun LED. Additionally, I plan on making the filter mod which is way better then my current filter mod. lol

 

Over all, I'm excited about the prospect of having this little tank be a reef tank again. I plan on having it be mostly ricordeas and zoas. It will serve as kind of frag tank with secondary mother colonies (cut out of my 85 gallon) and growing out frags from the second mother colonies.

 

What do you guys like to do for vertebrate stocking?

 

I had a green clown goby in the last one, but he was picky to feed. I'm thinking about maybe a tail spot blenny for the resurrection (who'd get moved to the big tank if he gets too big) and then have a ricordea garden with sexy shrimp.

 

FTS of the freshwater before the pump died and killed everyone that couldn't breath from the surface (ie everthing except the betta and amano shrimp)

 

15205872977_8cb17bbf93_c.jpgUntitled by lkoechle, on Flickr

 

And a video of when it was a reef tank:

 

https://youtu.be/VMKcNFRp7SU

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  • 6 months later...

Hi guys.

 

I'm brand new to this forum and this is my first post. I've been trolling around for a few weeks and finally got an evolve 8. I wanted to have a saltwater reef for probably 20 years and I used my 2 year old daughter as an excuse for my wife to let me do it. I just got the tank today set it up to cycle for a while.

 

So far, it is stock with a Hydor Theo 50 watt heater in the back compartment. I have a koralia nano 240 and a beams work 11" 18w light coming tomorrow.

 

I filled the tank with the boxed Pacific Ocean water and a bag of live sand. I know some people will frown upon this, but I got my live rock at PetCo. Some of the tanks looked to be pretty healthy and the employees didn't seem to know what was what, so I figured I could possibly get some good hitchikers and I did. My rock is loaded with feather dusters and copepods. There was a maxi carpet anemone in a rock and a Pom Pom crab which went into hiding since I set the tank up all for the price of the live rock. Knock on wood that I don't have any naughty hitchikers. I really hope these survive the cycle. Especially the Pom Pom crab. He is really cool. Also, I would like to find a rock to fit on top of the big one on the left to bring that part of the scape a little higher.

 

I would appreciate any tips and advice. I'm already hooked and hope some time next year to convince my wife to let me upgrade to maybe a 12 or 14 gallon.

 

Here are some day one pics after things settled. You can see the anemone in one of them. Not sure why they are sideways.

 

Thanks,

Nick

 

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I found a few smaller pieces of live rock at another lfs that we're exactly what I was looking for. Scaping is done. So far the critters are still alive and seem to be doing well. Fingers crossed that there is not much of a cycle since all the rock I put in was pretty well established.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Hi guys.

I'm brand new to this forum and this is my first post. I've been trolling around for a few weeks and finally got an evolve 8. I wanted to have a saltwater reef for probably 20 years and I used my 2 year old daughter as an excuse for my wife to let me do it. I just got the tank today set it up to cycle for a while.

So far, it is stock with a Hydor Theo 50 watt heater in the back compartment. I have a koralia nano 240 and a beams work 11" 18w light coming tomorrow.

I filled the tank with the boxed Pacific Ocean water and a bag of live sand. I know some people will frown upon this, but I got my live rock at PetCo. Some of the tanks looked to be pretty healthy and the employees didn't seem to know what was what, so I figured I could possibly get some good hitchikers and I did. My rock is loaded with feather dusters and copepods. There was a maxi carpet anemone in a rock and a Pom Pom crab which went into hiding since I set the tank up all for the price of the live rock. Knock on wood that I don't have any naughty hitchikers. I really hope these survive the cycle. Especially the Pom Pom crab. He is really cool. Also, I would like to find a rock to fit on top of the big one on the left to bring that part of the scape a little higher.

I would appreciate any tips and advice. I'm already hooked and hope some time next year to convince my wife to let me upgrade to maybe a 12 or 14 gallon.

Here are some day one pics after things settled. You can see the anemone in one of them. Not sure why they are sideways.

Thanks,

Nick

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My only advice is to watch your water parameters closely, and get rid of the beams work ebay light. If you want a good quality light you'll end up replacing it. I suggest a fluval led watt with higher output like the 18 watt version, or a nanobox led, or a part led bulb. Best of luck and happy reefing.

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Thanks. I'm actually getting an AI Prime and a CAD Lights 11g rimless after Christmas. This tank has got me hooked, but is temporary and will become a quarantine tank in the future. This is what things look like now. The toadstool is mad because I just moved the rocks and epoxied it in place. Everything is doing good so far.

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  • 4 months later...

Hey There Everyone,

 

I just bought a new Aqueon Evolve 8 this past weekend and just set it up. Really liking it this far with the upgrades I did and it is super quiet.

 

Here are the tech specs:

Pumps: Aquatop 302 (130gph) for main pump and a Jebao 40gph pump for my HOB refugium
Powerhead: Hydor Koralia Nano 240
Lighting: EVO 18W Green Element LED (2xActinic, 4x10K)
Heater: Neotherm 50W
Skimmer: Coraline Biocube Skimmer
Refugium: Finnex HOB Refugium, Finnex Fugeray 12" Light, Miracle Mud
Substrate: Arag-Alive Special Grade Reef Sand

Rock: Buna Live Rock 15lbs (coming Friday)
Water: Nutri Seawater (The tank is small enough and I have no time/space for mixing, 1-2 gal/week changes depending on Ca/Mg/KH needs and organics removal)

The HOB refugium from Finnex is pretty great (~1g) and fits along the entire backside of the aquarium perfectly. I am planning on growing a diverse group of plants in there: Ulva Lettuce, Red+Green Gracillaria, Cheatomorpha, and 1 Red Mangrove propagule. The refuge lighting is really strong (5W), so I am hoping for some good growth and nitrate/phosphate removal. Also planning to add a copepod starter culture.

Here is how I arranged my sump. The water will flow through the surface skimmer and into chamber 1. In this chamber, there is a Coralife Biocube Skimmer, Corse Sponge, Filter Floss, and Micron Pad. From here, the water will flow into chamber 2. Here there is an InTank filter rack (I have the Innovate 8 size fits PERFECTLY) with 3 compartments with 2 bags of Purigen sandwiching a bag of Chemipure Elite. There, the water flows underneath chamber 1 with live rock and Matrix as a "dark refugium." Hopefully, the intense mechanical filtration I have will remove most of the detritus, so it can't build up down there. Why does this tank have the false bottom! Then, the water will flow back to the remainder of chamber 2 where the pump and heater are located. Then, back into the tank. Also, the refugium pump is in this chamber sadly. It is really far from ideal. I want the pump to be in chamber 1 to receive nutrient-rich water and dump in chamber 2 to nutrient-poor water. This will require drilling and plumbing, but I will probably do it eventually. Thoughts?

As for livestock, I will see. Once I get my liverock and cycle, I will test for nutrient removal capacity. If it is really quick and strong, then I am thinking of getting 2 small A. ocellaris, 1 banded shrimp, 1 red tuxedo urchin, maxima clam, and cleaner crew (scarlet reef hermit crab, nassarius snails, nerite snails, and Mexican turbo snail. Probably going to have to settle for less, but if my super huge filtration capacity can handle the ammonia efficiently and the ORP stays high with the addition of my first few inverts, then we will see!

As for corals, I really need to see. I will create some shadier areas for corals with lesser lighting requirements and areas of low flow out of the way of the powerhead, so the possibilities are pretty grand. I love the looks of many LPS Hard Corals, like some Brain Corals. Also like Zoas, Leathers, and my favorite Bubble Coral. Spacing might be an issue, so I will have to see. There are so many possibilities and this is further down the road, so I will revisit it then.

Let me know of thoughts and ideas you have. I am a beginner reefer, so I need all the help I can get!

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Hey There Everyone,

 

I just bought a new Aqueon Evolve 8 this past weekend and just set it up. Really liking it this far with the upgrades I did and it is super quiet.

 

Here are the tech specs:

Pumps: Aquatop 302 (130gph) for main pump and a Jebao 40gph pump for my HOB refugium

Powerhead: Hydor Koralia Nano 240

Lighting: EVO 18W Green Element LED (2xActinic, 4x10K)

Heater: Neotherm 50W

Skimmer: Coraline Biocube Skimmer

Refugium: Finnex HOB Refugium, Finnex Fugeray 12" Light, Miracle Mud

Substrate: Arag-Alive Special Grade Reef Sand

Rock: Buna Live Rock 15lbs (coming Friday)

Water: Nutri Seawater (The tank is small enough and I have no time/space for mixing, 1-2 gal/week changes depending on Ca/Mg/KH needs and organics removal)

 

The HOB refugium from Finnex is pretty great (~1g) and fits along the entire backside of the aquarium perfectly. I am planning on growing a diverse group of plants in there: Ulva Lettuce, Red+Green Gracillaria, Cheatomorpha, and 1 Red Mangrove propagule. The refuge lighting is really strong (5W), so I am hoping for some good growth and nitrate/phosphate removal. Also planning to add a copepod starter culture.

 

Here is how I arranged my sump. The water will flow through the surface skimmer and into chamber 1. In this chamber, there is a Coralife Biocube Skimmer, Corse Sponge, Filter Floss, and Micron Pad. From here, the water will flow into chamber 2. Here there is an InTank filter rack (I have the Innovate 8 size fits PERFECTLY) with 3 compartments with 2 bags of Purigen sandwiching a bag of Chemipure Elite. There, the water flows underneath chamber 1 with live rock and Matrix as a "dark refugium." Hopefully, the intense mechanical filtration I have will remove most of the detritus, so it can't build up down there. Why does this tank have the false bottom! Then, the water will flow back to the remainder of chamber 2 where the pump and heater are located. Then, back into the tank. Also, the refugium pump is in this chamber sadly. It is really far from ideal. I want the pump to be in chamber 1 to receive nutrient-rich water and dump in chamber 2 to nutrient-poor water. This will require drilling and plumbing, but I will probably do it eventually. Thoughts?

 

As for livestock, I will see. Once I get my liverock and cycle, I will test for nutrient removal capacity. If it is really quick and strong, then I am thinking of getting 2 small A. ocellaris, 1 banded shrimp, 1 red tuxedo urchin, maxima clam, and cleaner crew (scarlet reef hermit crab, nassarius snails, nerite snails, and Mexican turbo snail. Probably going to have to settle for less, but if my super huge filtration capacity can handle the ammonia efficiently and the ORP stays high with the addition of my first few inverts, then we will see!

 

As for corals, I really need to see. I will create some shadier areas for corals with lesser lighting requirements and areas of low flow out of the way of the powerhead, so the possibilities are pretty grand. I love the looks of many LPS Hard Corals, like some Brain Corals. Also like Zoas, Leathers, and my favorite Bubble Coral. Spacing might be an issue, so I will have to see. There are so many possibilities and this is further down the road, so I will revisit it then.

 

Let me know of thoughts and ideas you have. I am a beginner reefer, so I need all the help I can get!

looking good, all of the evolve series tanks are too small for clowns, idealy a pair needs at least 30 gallons or fights will happen. if by banded shrimp you mean a coral banded, then i wouldnt try them, in small spaces they become very aggressive. my favorite inhabitants for this series of tanks is the pistol shrimp/goby mix. dont get anything thats too active. softies are always great, leathers can be a pain sometimes, but not always, bubble coral can be kept but will need to be moved as they can be aggressive. i would reccommend upgrading the light if you want to keep LPS, as well as upgrading the skimmer to a cadlight PLS-50, the wood driven ones get expensive to maintain, if you can find the air stones. that being said if you have a fuge and regular water changes, a skimmer in this size tank isnt necessary. feel free to post any questions here, i think im the only one who is still active on the forum, and feel free to follow my page as well.

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Thanks for the reply! Yeah, I knew I probably couldn't do the clowns. There's a neon goby at my LFS that I've had my eye on (he is supper funny and active), hopefully he will still be there by the time that I am done cycling. My friend gave me the same advice on the coral banded shrimp, so I might get a pistol shrimp instead. I just added the LR that I got in the mail from Live Rock N Reef today. Probably going to rearrange it a ton before I add any livestock. Only a few hours after I added the rock and had 4ppm+ ammonia, I am now undetectable! Now to get through the nitrite peak, but I am surprised at how quickly nitrosomonas consumed all that ammonia!

 

As for lighting, I might upgrade to the 3W x9 Beamswork if I want to get any LPS. I am not handy and I like the AIO look, so I won't be doing any custom PAR led fixtures for this tank. Do you think 27W total from that fixture is enough?

 

Thanks for the advice on the skimmer, I took off my Coralife because it annoyed me and looked like extra clutter. I will see how things go for the first few weeks with water parameters and then livestock behavior before I invest in a skimmer.

 

Attached are some photos of the rock scape I have at the moment. Let me know what you think.

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Thanks for the reply! Yeah, I knew I probably couldn't do the clowns. There's a neon goby at my LFS that I've had my eye on (he is supper funny and active), hopefully he will still be there by the time that I am done cycling. My friend gave me the same advice on the coral banded shrimp, so I might get a pistol shrimp instead. I just added the LR that I got in the mail from Live Rock N Reef today. Probably going to rearrange it a ton before I add any livestock. Only a few hours after I added the rock and had 4ppm+ ammonia, I am now undetectable! Now to get through the nitrite peak, but I am surprised at how quickly nitrosomonas consumed all that ammonia!

 

As for lighting, I might upgrade to the 3W x9 Beamswork if I want to get any LPS. I am not handy and I like the AIO look, so I won't be doing any custom PAR led fixtures for this tank. Do you think 27W total from that fixture is enough?

 

Thanks for the advice on the skimmer, I took off my Coralife because it annoyed me and looked like extra clutter. I will see how things go for the first few weeks with water parameters and then livestock behavior before I invest in a skimmer.

 

Attached are some photos of the rock scape I have at the moment. Let me know what you think.

 

 

youre well on your way to a nice reef. i would stay away from beamswork, my experiance was they are not quite good enough for reefs. for LEDs going by wattage is not accurate, because they put out much more power than they use. PAR lights are no where near customs, all you need is a goose neck and the PAR bulb, http://coralcompulsion.com/led/PAR-BULBS .i recommend you look at reefbreeders, https://www.reefbreeders.com/shop/nano-lite/. those companies are great and provide very good service. there is a member on here that makes some nano lights, cant remember who though.

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  • 1 month later...

It is almost 2 months later and my tank is doing great! I want to upgrade to an AI Hydra Prime lamp, but the corals have been doing well for over a month under the Beamswork. After a few weeks, I finally have my nitrates down to 0.125ppm with daily 0.2mL vodka dosing. My first few zoas didn't even seem to mind my 5ppm nitrates after cycling, but figured why not got lower. The Coralife nano skimmer I have in the sump works REALLY well for a tank this small, and after some fine tuning, I now produce 5mL of dark tea colored wet skim per day! I also use the two-part Seachem Fusion daily and Seachem Reef Plus twice a week. For good measure, I do weekly one gallon water changes with Red Sea's Coral Pro Salt. Even though it has higher alk and calc than what my tank seems to run, doesn't seem to shock any of the inhabitants.

 

So far, been running my tank under these parameters:

s.g. 1.026

Temp 78

pH 8.1

Alkalinity 11dKH

Calcium 425ppm

Nitrates 0.125ppm

Phosphates 0ppm (need a better kit than Seachem's for lower levels, but seems right considering the GFO and vodka dosing)

 

My diatomaceous algae has finally dwindled down with the reduction of my nitrates, but now there seems to be a bit of bubble algae. Nothing scary, since it has stayed at very low levels for a few weeks now and has started to go away on its own. I had hundreds of hydroids in the medusa stage before I added any livestock, but now they seem to be almost all gone. Have had no deaths or illnesses as of yet, fingers crossed. Don't have much coraline growth, but I do see some sparse patches. Actually, my refugium seems to have some coraline growth over the chaeto, which, come to think of it, I really need to prune! All in all, I am really pleased!

 

Here is the live stock (non-coral):

 

1 Ocellaris Clownfish

1 Randall's Prawn Goby

1 Coral Banded Shrimp (he is nice, so far)

1 Maxima Clam (ultra blue)

1 Scarlet Hermit Crab

1 Nassarius Vibex Snail

1 Astrea Turbo Snail

1 Mexican Turbo Snail

1 Cerith Snail

1 Nerite Snail

1 Feather Duster

1 Red Tuxedo Urchin

1 Flame Scallop

1 Lettuce Sea Slug

1 Yellow Sea Cucumber

1 Blue Linckia Star (he is way too big, need to give him away)

 

Coral:

1 Red Lobophyllia

1 Toadstool

1 Green Favites

1 Green-tipped Hammer frag

1 Green Branching Acropora

Lots of zoanthids, forget their common names!

1 Blue Cespitularia

1 Bubble Coral (so far no attacks on the Cespitularia next to it!)

7 random mushrooms

 

To me, all their colors look great and everyone seems to be happy. Surely it's overstocked, but the inhabitants are doing well thus far and the parameters look good to me. I just turned on the lights in the picture, so nothing is extended (I.e the wimpy looking Toodstool)

 

Still want to get a few more corals. Let me know if anyone has any suggestions. Thought I would share my progress!

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  • 10 months later...

Anyway to raise water level? Perhaps, some type of add on surface skimmer? any premade ones work for the Evolve 4?

 

Just started the cucle today!

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