Aqueon Evolve Master Thread.

[jhs452]

Hey dan314.... the pump is on the bottom and the tubing runs tothe the short piece of nylon pipe

that fits thru the bulkhead. This creates alot more flow in my opinion. I tried. MAXI 400 w/ this mod and it was to much flow against the front glass so i put the stock pump pump back in. Seems to be alot of different mods out there...just trying to keep it simple.

[famousdan314]

So, I did the light install yesterday. Everything was looking great. About an hour later I walked by and noticed the light was out. I touched the bulb and it was super hott! My bulb burnt out!!! EPIC FAIL. I must have jinxed myself with the last post. I shipped the bulb back to either have it fixed or replaced. Hopefully I will have it up and running soon with some good pics. Here is a quick shot of my Nem and an emerald crab photo bombing in the background.

 

 

and for those of you who also enjoy freshwater fish and a little art, I finished a wood craving of a Demasoni cichlid and hung it in my office. I carved it from a picture of my favorite Demasoni cichlid who recently passed after having paired and producing several batches of fry. Its only my second wood carving so I was pretty pleased with how it came out. enjoy

 

[famousdan314]

Lets see some more updates on your guys' tanks.

 

So I broke down at the LFS the other day and picked up the double bright version of innovative marine's skylight while i wait for my par 38 to get repaired. The light is awesome with a sleek design, it comes with two separate drivers for your 4 moonlight leds and your 6 white led's. This light comes standards on innovative marines nano and nuvo tanks. Heres a couple pics, sorry just off the cell.

 

 

 

 

I can't get a happy steady temp in mine... for heavens sake all I want is a nice 79 degrees and it bounces from 81.4 to 86.7 during the day

The second pic was for reefer girl showing the custom lid top, which i have noticed keeps the temp slightly more stable and keeps evaporation down.

[tetraodon]

lookin good, i have a wave point, but im lookin into a par38

[Smite!]

I went with LEDTRIC's 18w Par38 ( http://www.ledtric.com/led-components/ledtric-par38-full-spectrum-18w-reeflamp/ ) and a very sturdy gooseneck from Coral Compulsion's site ( http://coralcompulsion.com/par38-lamp-clamp-fixture ) and love the way it looks! I'll get a pic or 2 up later.

 

That gooseneck will hold the bottom of the bulb 8" off top of water, with the 120 optic lense it covers the AE8 perfectly. Just be sure to adjust the gooseneck off the tank, it's hard to bend and could easily crack the back of your tank.

 

Had both at my door 3 days later both very good sites.

 

 

[FlowerMama]

My tank will be 4 mos old on 6/24. Letric Par 38 Plus. Upgraded the pump as well and have Hydor K 240.

[Smite!]

Changed the layout a bit to have more surface area for coral.

 

http://s212.photobucket.com/user/hellbound322/media/image-18.jpg.html][/url]

.

http://s212.photobucket.com/user/hellbound322/media/image-20.jpg.html][/url]

 

Upgraded the filter by following reefmaster's layout. Plan on doing a fuge in the middle chamber with cheato.

 

 

http://s212.photobucket.com/user/hellbound322/media/image-22.jpg.html][/url]

 

Drilled 1/4" holes in bottom and glued a plastic strip to block stock overflow, forcing the water through media.

http://s212.photobucket.com/user/hellbound322/media/image-23.jpg.html][/url]

 

Hydor 240 + 2 stock pumps (had one from a old AE4 I cracked) 1 pump with circulating hydor head.

[tetraodon]

i like the mods you put on that smite! do you use a protein skimmer and what brand?

So, I did the light install yesterday. Everything was looking great. About an hour later I walked by and noticed the light was out. I touched the bulb and it was super hott! My bulb burnt out!!! EPIC FAIL. I must have jinxed myself with the last post. I shipped the bulb back to either have it fixed or replaced. Hopefully I will have it up and running soon with some good pics. Here is a quick shot of my Nem and an emerald crab photo bombing in the background.

 

 

and for those of you who also enjoy freshwater fish and a little art, I finished a wood craving of a Demasoni cichlid and hung it in my office. I carved it from a picture of my favorite Demasoni cichlid who recently passed after having paired and producing several batches of fry. Its only my second wood carving so I was pretty pleased with how it came out. enjoy

 

nice looking tank, and that wood carving is awesome, id totaly pay for some of my favorite fish if i could find them in wood carvings

[FlowerMama]

Awesome 1st compartment basket mod. I'm going to have to be creative somehow and see if I can't do that but w/o risking little shards of plastic going into the tank and harming 24 corals (can't believe there are that many but they're all frags) and there's still room to grow in. Of course I'd do it at time of water change so I could asap vacuum that area out like I do when I clean it because alot of detritus stays back there. I have a piece of acrylic dividing and the water goes underneath and not enough flow to go through media, and too slow going into the right chamber. Yep, going to Lowes tomorrow after work to get the crate.

[famousdan314]

i like the mods you put on that smite! do you use a protein skimmer and what brand?

 

nice looking tank, and that wood carving is awesome, id totaly pay for some of my favorite fish if i could find them in wood carvings

 

Thanks on the compliments! I would totally offer to carve one for you, but that last carving took me way too long to make...like three months on and off when I had time, hahaha.

 

 

also, im getting the itch for this nuvo 24g tank.

 

http://www.aquariumspecialty.com/blog/innovative-marine-nuvo-nano24/

also like them on facebook to try and win one for free!!

 

https://www.facebook.com/AquariumSpecialtySC

[famousdan314]

Upgraded the filter by following reefmaster's layout. Plan on doing a fuge in the middle chamber with cheato.

 

Hydor 240 + 2 stock pumps (had one from a old AE4 I cracked) 1 pump with circulating hydor head.

 

I really like your filter mod, hows it working so far and what are you running as far as carbon, chemipure or ceraminc rings etc?

 

Also seems like you have a ton of flow in the tank, are you planning on doing a SPS tank. Also, how do you like the circulating hydor head, innovative marine makes one similar called spin stream not sure which one to get. Its like 15 dollars more expensive runs around $30.

[Smite!]

 

I really like your filter mod, hows it working so far and what are you running as far as carbon, chemipure or ceraminc rings etc?

 

Also seems like you have a ton of flow in the tank, are you planning on doing a SPS tank. Also, how do you like the circulating hydor head, innovative marine makes one similar called spin stream not sure which one to get. Its like 15 dollars more expensive runs around $30.

I really like your filter mod, hows it working so far and what are you running as far as carbon, chemipure or ceraminc rings etc? Also seems like you have a ton of flow in the tank, are you planning on doing a SPS tank. Also, how do you like the circulating hydor head, innovative marine makes one similar called spin stream not sure which one to get. Its like 15 dollars more expensive runs around $30.

So far it's working very well. The water levels are very close to the same in chambers 1 and 2 so the filter is keeping up with the pumps fine. The rotating head is okay, not sure if I'm going to keep it, puts a shadow over the back right side of the tank, with a tank this small I'd like to have all the area I can get. The flow is heavy I just didn't want any dead spots. Pump 1 with the head is on high, pump 2 on low. Equals out the 240 so everything doesn't just blow one way.

[Smite!]

i like the mods you put on that smite! do you use a protein skimmer and what brand?

 

nice looking tank, and that wood carving is awesome, id totaly pay for some of my favorite fish if i could find them in wood carvings

 

I'm not running a protein skimmer. Just regular WC's and top offs. It's only been up for a month now so we'll see how it does without one. Anyone else here running one?

[famousdan314]

I'm not running a protein skimmer. Just regular WC's and top offs. It's only been up for a month now so we'll see how it does without one. Anyone else here running one?

 

Not yet, trying to keeps things simple and just doing regular water changes. Seems to be doing okay so far, just got my first algae bloom. Well see how it goes, I'm also about a month up and running.

[tetraodon]

I'm not running a protein skimmer. Just regular WC's and top offs. It's only been up for a month now so we'll see how it does without one. Anyone else here running one?

im running one, i hear different opinions all the time, guess its just one of those things

[FlowerMama]

Hey Smite! Drum roll pls.....Ta Daaa! Dang, that was alot easier to do once I took out a 8x8 glass pan and filled it w/ water. The dremel does a great job of sanding down the snipped edges! I tell you my husband woulda been proud of me (I know he still is.) Now I have to find the piece that goes on before the round disc so I can cut off frag disc posts when needed. I won't be drilling til Sun when it's water change time and buy a piece of plastic to cover the opening btw chamber 1 and 2 (and I'll superglue a couple holes I drilled there too which proved to be useless)

[famousdan314]

Hey Smite! Drum roll pls.....Ta Daaa! Dang, that was alot easier to do once I took out a 8x8 glass pan and filled it w/ water. The dremel does a great job of sanding down the snipped edges! I tell you my husband woulda been proud of me (I know he still is.) Now I have to find the piece that goes on before the round disc so I can cut off frag disc posts when needed. I won't be drilling til Sun when it's water change time and buy a piece of plastic to cover the opening btw chamber 1 and 2 (and I'll superglue a couple holes I drilled there too which proved to be useless)

 

What do you use to glue the crate together, before I was just using zip ties. Really like this mod I'm gonna put one together also. Good thing I had extra egg crate lying around from my last project.

[FlowerMama]

What do you use to glue the crate together, before I was just using zip ties. Really like this mod I'm gonna put one together also. Good thing I had extra egg crate lying around from my last project.

Used the Super Glue Ultra Gel hold. But I had it out of the water and the glue wasn't sticking, so Smite! reminded me to put it under water. Then I'd flip it over. I even let it sit there for like 10 mins each side. Good to go. And it's easy, just 3 blocks wide, and 9 long for the vertical. Horizontal are 3x8. Very pleased with it.

[famousdan314]

So far it's working very well. The water levels are very close to the same in chambers 1 and 2 so the filter is keeping up with the pumps fine. The rotating head is okay, not sure if I'm going to keep it, puts a shadow over the back right side of the tank, with a tank this small I'd like to have all the area I can get. The flow is heavy I just didn't want any dead spots. Pump 1 with the head is on high, pump 2 on low. Equals out the 240 so everything doesn't just blow one way.

 

How many 1\4 inch holes did you put in the bottom of chamber 1 to keep up with the flow?

[Smite!]

Hey Smite! Drum roll pls.....Ta Daaa! Dang, that was alot easier to do once I took out a 8x8 glass pan and filled it w/ water. The dremel does a great job of sanding down the snipped edges! I tell you my husband woulda been proud of me (I know he still is.) Now I have to find the piece that goes on before the round disc so I can cut off frag disc posts when needed. I won't be drilling til Sun when it's water change time and buy a piece of plastic to cover the opening btw chamber 1 and 2 (and I'll superglue a couple holes I drilled there too which proved to be useless)

Drum roll?! More like solo! Thank thing is way cleaner than mine! Great job. I used normal super glue which made it very hard, leaked everywhere. Definitely go for the gel.

 

Glad to see it went well for you!

 

Just so it's clear I'm not taking credit for the design, here is referman's original upgrade post I had found and followed:

http://www.nano-reef.com/topic/316839-reefermans-evo-8/

 

On another note I've been getting my coral from a local reefer here in Southern California. he has soo many different types of zoas/polys/acans ect my eyes were crossing! very cool guy, glad to have come across him.

 

I picked up a red and green war coral, a duncan and he threw in a cool looking polyp along with a decent sized red and blue acan thats about 2"x4". It had been stung by another coral so he offered it to me to attempt to revive it. About half the colony is dead. Any advice and experience with this would be appreciated! Im thinkimg i may attempt to frag off the ones that are still alive. I'll get some pics up when the lights are on. That'll probably do it for corals for this tank. Sit back and watch it grow.

 

I'm thinking of adding a gold neon eviota goby or two. But that's down to road!

 

 

Duncan

 

 

Matt

[FlowerMama]

Pretty patriotic colors on that colony. I heard feed each head to help revive and also give it a boost by dipping in Revive. Definitely ask in the acan thread though, they'll know for sure. I'm drilling in the holes in the 1st chamber this afternoon.

 

In which order should you put the media? These are the things I have just not sure which to use or not. Floss and Chemipure Elite for sure. Then I also have a Fluval 1.9 oz carbon pad, a 2.3 oz biomax bag, about 1/4 of a cup of Seachem Matrix rocks. I have 4 sps so really am trying to keep nitrate under 5 or at least stable at 5- lately it's been like 7 or 8 but I do think once I fix the filter flow that will help. I have the MJ400 in the right compartment along w/ the heater.

[FlowerMama]

Well, can't drill yet, the batteries are charging so I TRIED to put the basket in and realized I forgot to take out some of the center cuts so the basket will slide in but now I'm using some wire cutters to cut away some of that inner track they had to hold the stock filter pad in place. I probably could have made it one cube less long and wouldn't have had to do this.

 

Alright, basket is in the tank as of about 4 hrs ago. I decided on the biomax on the bottom, 2nd shelf the chemipure elite because I wanted water space above and below and then the floss on top. I had black shavings I had to take out w/ a net from the drilling but it appears I got it all. I didn't drill the holes evenly by any means because the drill is big but I do have flow and it's better flow than what I had before. Tell you what though, I knew I had pineapple sponges in both chambers but what I didn't expect was when I unhooked the MJ400 output tube, 1/2 of it had the sponges growing in it. Got them all out. Think I'll buy some pipe cleaners from the craft shop to take care of that next time. I know they appear and disappear but do sponges grow from spores? Is that what happens?

[famousdan314]

Drum roll?! More like solo! Thank thing is way cleaner than mine! Great job. I used normal super glue which made it very hard, leaked everywhere. Definitely go for the gel.

Glad to see it went well for you!

Just so it's clear I'm not taking credit for the design, here is referman's original upgrade post I had found and followed:http://www.nano-reef.com/topic/316839-reefermans-evo-8/'>http://www.nano-reef.com/topic/316839-reefermans-evo-8/

On another note I've been getting my coral from a local reefer here in Southern California. he has soo many different types of zoas/polys/acans ect my eyes were crossing! very cool guy, glad to have come across him.

I picked up a red and green war coral, a duncan and he threw in a cool looking polyp along with a decent sized red and blue acan thats about 2"x4". It had been stung by another coral so he offered it to me to attempt to revive it. About half the colony is dead. Any advice and experience with this would be appreciated! Im thinkimg i may attempt to frag off the ones that are still alive. I'll get some pics up when the lights are on. That'll probably do it for corals for this tank. Sit back and watch it grow.

I'm thinking of adding a gold neon eviota goby or two. But that's down to road! http://s212.photobucket.com/user/hellbound322/media/image-24.jpg.html'>

Duncanhttp://s212.photobucket.com/user/hellbound322/media/image-25.jpg.html'>

Matt

 

Hey Matt,

Where about in so cal are you? I'm from chino hills area. I just visited a pretty cool shop in yorba Linda called fish collection. They got crazy discounted corals and small frags perfect for out tanks. He separates his frags from as low as $5 to $50+. Worth checking out, they're moving location in about a month or two. Also, every Friday through Sunday corals are 20% off!

[Smite!]

Good to know. I'm in Garden Grove/ Santa Ana. Might be worth the drive.

 

I've been having great luck on CL believe it or not. Lots of guys with cool zoas LPS and SPS. I'll PM you another SOCAL forum that I utilize for the marketplace. Everyone is fairly close to us with huge selections and at times great deals.

 

All corals in my tank are from CL so far. Updated pic

 

 

http://s212.photobucket.com/user/hellbound322/media/image-26.jpg.html'>

 

I found my 240 hydor was too much so I removed it, everything else is doing great. Still haven't bought a form of macro algae for the fuge section but I plan to try the light out this weekend and see how my temps do.

[BattleAthletics]

 

IDK why I cant get a decent scape pic.