Fluval Evo 13.5

[Savagereef]

Just got the new fluval evo 13.5. This is my first SW setup. I got given a 220g tank which I set up as FW as it was my first tank. Now im into the hobby and wanted a SW tank. Saw this at my local lfs and thought it looked like a good start.

Didnt know it has been a highly anticipated tank. The overall build is good. I like the rectangle over the square personally. The glass itself is somewhat suspended above a frame. This gives the tank a floating look. With love rock in it ended up around 10g. I also like the crossed interlace black on the back area and as a water line on the rim of the tank.

 

 

The back filter area has a overflow into three chambers. The first is meant for the PS2 skimmer by fluval. Not sure if this is necessary in such a small tank. The second has a larger sponge with two open slots for biomax and carbon. The third has the "high output" pump. The pump is a bit weak in my opinion. But im not used to nanos either. Wondering if a bigger pump or additional circulator is most ideal. Community thoughts?

 

The light on the tank seems pretty solid. I dont have a par meter and am new to reefing but it seems powerful. The light unfortunately sits in the lid making the lid a neccesitty with stock lighting. Any DIYers out there have any suggestion for suspending the light?

 

I am new to the whole aquascaping of live rock and sand but tried my best. Looking for some feedback on the setup. Looking to add a fish and cleanup crew soon.

 

 

 

[ninjamyst]

Looking good!

[FlamingPrawn]

I just got mine last night too! Very excited. I think we're the first two i've seen. I'll be starting my build thread tonight. Couples things about it i've noticed.

 

Light is EXTREMELY bright... but not a fan of this "touch mode". No real way to put this on a timer...

Fluval designed this tank with saltwater in mind especially in the back compartments

I can't seem to find the gph on the return but it looks like a tank of a return pump.

I like the "floating" look they've carried over from the Edge series.

The honeycomb design around the glass is interesting, but it doesn't distract as the water level doesn't go up that high anyways

Fluval added a nice little touch included a surface skimmer in the box.

 

I would've loved to use my mini tide with this... but as mentioned by Savagereef, the lid is necessary with that stock lightning. I would much rather use my Minitide for but I'll give the stock a chance. Going to keep it simple and do a pair of clowns (or the fu man chu at my LFS) with a bubbletip and some other inverts.

[hinnenkm]

I just got mine last night too! Very excited. I think we're the first two i've seen. I'll be starting my build thread tonight. Couples things about it i've noticed.

 

Light is EXTREMELY bright... but not a fan of this "touch mode". No real way to put this on a timer...

Fluval designed this tank with saltwater in mind especially in the back compartments

I can't seem to find the gph on the return but it looks like a tank of a return pump.

I like the "floating" look they've carried over from the Edge series.

The honeycomb design around the glass is interesting, but it doesn't distract as the water level doesn't go up that high anyways

Fluval added a nice little touch included a surface skimmer in the box.

 

I would've loved to use my mini tide with this... but as mentioned by Savagereef, the lid is necessary with that stock lightning. I would much rather use my Minitide for but I'll give the stock a chance. Going to keep it simple and do a pair of clowns (or the fu man chu at my LFS) with a bubbletip and some other inverts.

These are beautiful tanks, we just got a few in at work! Why can't you use your tide? When I was looking at them, the cover comes off and it is a rimless tank. No reason not to take it off, use the ride, and then put a screen cover or something else (something simple) on when you're gone so the fish don't jump? Tide is a much better light

Savagereef, looks good! It will be fun to see what you, and others, start doing with these I have too many tanks already to get one of my own.... So I'll follow build threads ??

[FlamingPrawn]

These are beautiful tanks, we just got a few in at work! Why can't you use your tide? When I was looking at them, the cover comes off and it is a rimless tank. No reason not to take it off, use the ride, and then put a screen cover or something else (something simple) on when you're gone so the fish don't jump? Tide is a much better light

Savagereef, looks good! It will be fun to see what you, and others, start doing with these I have too many tanks already to get one of my own.... So I'll follow build threads

Yeah but I like to have a glass top or something to help with evaporation. But I might do this tank right and go the whole 9 yards and get a tunze ATO and mame skimmer. Still trying to find any dang information on this return pump.

[hinnenkm]

Yeah but I like to have a glass top or something to help with evaporation. But I might do this tank right and go the whole 9 yards and get a tunze ATO and mame skimmer. Still trying to find any dang information on this return pump.

That makes sense, either way have fun with it!

Looking forward to see which direction you go.

[ninjamyst]

should i upgrade my spec V to this? hmmmm......

[rizorido]

Hi there,

How much are these tanks sold for, if you don't mind me asking !

Did you buy it in the US? I don't think I saw them here in Canada !

 

Thanks

[FlamingPrawn]

Hi there,

How much are these tanks sold for, if you don't mind me asking !

Did you buy it in the US? I don't think I saw them here in Canada !

 

Thanks

I got mine for $145 for the 12 gallon. the 6 was $76. But I still get my employee discount. My 12 had to be special ordered as I haven't seen many places carrying them in stock yet.

[Savagereef]

FlamingPrawn- Legit you got one too! you get water in yours yet? The return on the pump is supposedly 132 gallons/h. Not sure if I believe its that high. Is the stock light good enough for most corals?

Price was $175 for me. The evo 5 was $100

Here is fluvals specs on the tank

 

http://www.fluvalaquatics.com/us/product/10531-evo-aquarium-kit/#.V5pJ1ZOAOkp

[FlamingPrawn]

FlamingPrawn- Legit you got one too! you get water in yours yet? The return on the pump is supposedly 132 gallons/h. Not sure if I believe its that high. Is the stock light good enough for most corals?

I can't even find wattage on the light haha. She gets wet tonight picked it up late last night... so if it really is 132gph that's over a 10X turn over per hour which I think is fair right? I feel like i remember reading somewhere 10X is more than enough. The light is super bright; however, as i mentioned above the lack of control and automation is what worries me. My lifestyle isn't exactly consistent so automated lighting is a big thing.

[ninjamyst]

My lifestyle isn't exactly consistent so automated lighting is a big thing.

that's what timers are for =P

[FlamingPrawn]

So i found out the return pump is rated for 132gph. Which is we're sticking to the 10X turnover/hr that's right in the ballpark. Still seems a little weak but I need to get some coral in to really test out the flow. Still waiting for inTank to come out with the media basket. How's is your's doing?

[EvilGreenOne]

I can't even find wattage on the light haha. She gets wet tonight picked it up late last night... so if it really is 132gph that's over a 10X turn over per hour which I think is fair right? I feel like i remember reading somewhere 10X is more than enough. The light is super bright; however, as i mentioned above the lack of control and automation is what worries me. My lifestyle isn't exactly consistent so automated lighting is a big thing.

Just found this thread as I was looking for thoughts on the tank. It will be my first Marine tank, but I have several FW tanks. Including a couple of Fluval Vista 16 Gallon tanks.

 

The Vista uses a touch system for the LED On/Off. I do not have a EVO to test with yet, but on the Vista tanks the light remembers what its last state was. I have one Vista that I installed a second Fluval light strip and controller into and just use a Coralife Power Center Timer/Power Strip I picked up for 20 bucks to turn them on and off. The problem of course is if you accidentally brush the power buttons and turn them off before the timer kicks in they don't turn back on automatically.

 

Can anyone who has one of the new EVO tanks confirm they work the same way? I would really like to start up a 13.5G EVO as my wife keeps telling me we have no place to put the 250G tank I really want. Would look great in my office next to my FW Barb Tank.

 

Also has anyone picked up the PS2 Mini Protein skimmer to use with it? Does it work well?

[ninjamyst]

Just found this thread as I was looking for thoughts on the tank. It will be my first Marine tank, but I have several FW tanks. Including a couple of Fluval Vista 16 Gallon tanks.

 

The Vista uses a touch system for the LED On/Off. I do not have a EVO to test with yet, but on the Vista tanks the light remembers what its last state was. I have one Vista that I installed a second Fluval light strip and controller into and just use a Coralife Power Center Timer/Power Strip I picked up for 20 bucks to turn them on and off. The problem of course is if you accidentally brush the power buttons and turn them off before the timer kicks in they don't turn back on automatically.

 

Can anyone who has one of the new EVO tanks confirm they work the same way? I would really like to start up a 13.5G EVO as my wife keeps telling me we have no place to put the 250G tank I really want. Would look great in my office next to my FW Barb Tank.

 

Also has anyone picked up the PS2 Mini Protein skimmer to use with it? Does it work well?

Fluval on facebook says you can use a timer with the light but not sure if it has to be THEIR timer or any timer.

[EvilGreenOne]

Fluval on facebook says you can use a timer with the light but not sure if it has to be THEIR timer or any timer.

 

It sounds like it works the same as the LED units on the VISTA tanks. So any timer should work.

 

Thanks for taking the time to let me know that they had given an answer on this!

 

Editing this post instead of replying to myself:

 

Just for FYI / Documentation and Google:

 

The light unit on the EVO 13.5G has a CPI rating of 14000K and an output rating of 1382 LM.

 

The light unit on the EVO 5G has a CPI rating of 11000K and an output rating of 759 LM.

[FlamingPrawn]

 

It sounds like it works the same as the LED units on the VISTA tanks. So any timer should work.

 

Thanks for taking the time to let me know that they had given an answer on this!

But if you use a timer how are you supposed to differentiate and make it go from 10,000k to the actinic at XX:XX hours?

[EvilGreenOne]

But if you use a timer how are you supposed to differentiate and make it go from 10,000k to the actinic at XX:XX hours?

 

That you can't do with the standard setup. On the tank I have multiple LED strips in I tried using the Coralife timer to only turn on one that was set to blue at night. But since on that cheap timer when day is off night is on and vice versa I was still running the actinic lighting for longer than I wanted. The solution there was to use multiple timers.

 

You would probably end up having to rewire the light to be able to control each one individually via a timer and to be honest that would be a PITA. The control unit is water tight and mounted on the underside of the hood. I've never tried to take one apart, it may be filled with potting compound to protect the electronics.

[Blaze0303]

I was very excited when I first heard of this tank because I've used fluval tanks in the past, and I'm in the market to buy a small tank to start a saltwater reef. But honestly I would not recommend this tank for reefing. Of course if you delid it and run a different light it would work, but the cost would be up there at that point. I was checking one out in person yesterday and the light is only 16watt and runs very, very hot! The return is just okay and would probably need upgrading. Also, I can confirm the light goes to its last state when it loses power, so yes a timer would work.

 

I would only suggest this to a beginner that wants to run fish only.

[FlamingPrawn]

I was very excited when I first heard of this tank because I've used fluval tanks in the past, and I'm in the market to buy a small tank to start a saltwater reef. But honestly I would not recommend this tank for reefing. Of course if you delid it and run a different light it would work, but the cost would be up there at that point. I was checking one out in person yesterday and the light is only 16watt and runs very, very hot! The return is just okay and would probably need upgrading. Also, I can confirm the light goes to its last state when it loses power, so yes a timer would work.

 

I would only suggest this to a beginner that wants to run fish only.

 

Agreed the light isn't going to support much. Wish smiz was still doing his tops I'd buy one ASAP. I plan on removing the light and running my nano box as always. My pair of Black Ice clowns come next week so i'm excited!

[ninjamyst]

I was very excited when I first heard of this tank because I've used fluval tanks in the past, and I'm in the market to buy a small tank to start a saltwater reef. But honestly I would not recommend this tank for reefing. Of course if you delid it and run a different light it would work, but the cost would be up there at that point. I was checking one out in person yesterday and the light is only 16watt and runs very, very hot! The return is just okay and would probably need upgrading. Also, I can confirm the light goes to its last state when it loses power, so yes a timer would work.

 

I would only suggest this to a beginner that wants to run fish only.

I plan to upgrade both the light and the pump. You are probably thinking why I am spending $160 on the tank then, it's not even low iron glass. I like the dimension. If I get a custom tank, it will cost me more than $160. If I get a bare rimless tank, the AIO insert will cost even more. So in the end, it's about the same.

[Blaze0303]

I plan to upgrade both the light and the pump. You are probably thinking why I am spending $160 on the tank then, it's not even low iron glass. I like the dimension. If I get a custom tank, it will cost me more than $160. If I get a bare rimless tank, the AIO insert will cost even more. So in the end, it's about the same.

 

I was on the fence with this and the Nuvo and finally settled on the Nuvo, but I get where you're coming from, i'm going to upgrade my return and have to buy the media basket.

[ninjamyst]

I was on the fence with this and the Nuvo and finally settled on the Nuvo, but I get where you're coming from, i'm going to upgrade my return and have to buy the media basket.

 

If IM makes a Nuvo in similar dimension, I will be all over it. I want a peninsula tank under 20 gallons.

[Savagereef]

How bad is the stock light really? I have some corals in there now that seem very happy. Im new to reefing so not 100% sure what each should look like in "perfect conditions". My duncan is fully open, hammer coral is fully extended as well as small patch of gsp. Is it ok for softies just not SPS?

[FlamingPrawn]

Also Ninja, the Lifegard 800 fits perfectly. I cut the return hose too short to accommodate the stock pump... gotta go get longer tomorrow because right now it's not all the way to the bottom.