Fluval EVO 13.5 advice needed

[dalto.b]

I recently picked up an evo 13.5 aquarium.  I am using the intank media baskets and a Lifegard Aquatics Quiet One 800 pump.

 

I filled it up today for the first time and I had some questions that I was hoping someone more familiar with a tank like this could help me out with.

 

My first question is about the water level.  I filled it up to a little above the fill level.  When I turn the pump on the water level in the back drops to about 2/3 of the way up.  Is that normal or is it because I added a higher flow pump?  Should I raise the water level to compensate or will that cause problems?  I attached pictures of the back, the water level when the pump is off and the water level while it is running.

 

My next question is about this pump.  It is pretty loud.  Much louder than I would expect a submerged pump this size to be.  Is that something that will smooth out after some runtime or should I find a different pump?  It is in my bedroom so quieter is better.  It doesn't need to be silent but right now it is far from silent.

 

Thanks in advance for the help!

 

 

 

 

[Lugmos12]

@dalto.b

I have this same tank. All chambers are not supposed to have the same water level. Is the third picture the water level while the pump is On?

[dalto.b]

58 minutes ago, Lugmos12 said:

Is the third picture the water level while the pump is On?

Yes, that is with it on.

 

Fluval shows a heater in the section with the return pump but the water level in mine is way too low for that.

[Lugmos12]

@dalto.b I keep my heater in the first section, my intank basket in the first. I think your water line level is fine, could be due to the faster pump. 

[IVFluid]

water level in your sump is controlled by total water in your tank. Less water or more water, the level in the display stays the same because of the overflow weir. If you were to add water, the level in the backpack area would rise. If you let it run indefinitely without toping off, the backpack will run dry and the display will be at the bottom of the over flow. I keep my sump area pretty well filled because 1)more overall volume and 2) to keep my heater in enough water. Make sure your heater is in enough water. 

[TheBig053]

I have this tank and my water level is the same across all three chambers.  Like the poster above said, add more water until you get the desired level in the back. You can control the level in all three chambers better by plugging the hole in the center of the AIO wall. I used some rock/coral epoxy and its worked great. I keep my heater (cobalt neo-therm) in chamber three with the stock return pump. 

 

Also, if you want to keep the water level in the display a tad higher, use the stock surface skimmer as a flow director into your InTank media basket.

[dandelion]

Is the pump loud because it is rattling against the aquarium walls? If so, my fix is to cut some airline tubing along the length, then tie the halved tube around the pump, covering all six sides. It won't trap detritus like sponge would and it won't trap air and float like a whole airline tubing would.

[clownin around]

I would take the return pump out and check the impeller, could be knocking from inside the pump if the impeller is damaged or not in place correctly, I had this happen to me before on a new pump. If that doesn't help you could try tuning down the pump's output by closing the outside dial some. This along with adding some water to the back chamber as suggested by others should help. 

[dalto.b]

4 hours ago, IVFluid said:

water level in your sump is controlled by total water in your tank. Less water or more water, the level in the display stays the same because of the overflow weir. If you were to add water, the level in the backpack area would rise. If you let it run indefinitely without toping off, the backpack will run dry and the display will be at the bottom of the over flow. I keep my sump area pretty well filled because 1)more overall volume and 2) to keep my heater in enough water. 

Thanks!  I added more water until the level inside and outside the sump was the same.

 

1 hour ago, TheBig053 said:

I have this tank and my water level is the same across all three chambers.  Like the poster above said, add more water until you get the desired level in the back. You can control the level in all three chambers better by plugging the hole in the center of the AIO wall. I used some rock/coral epoxy and its worked great. I keep my heater (cobalt neo-therm) in chamber three with the stock return pump. 

 

Also, if you want to keep the water level in the display a tad higher, use the stock surface skimmer as a flow director into your InTank media basket.

Thanks, I had already plugged the hole before I filled it.  I also had the stock surface skimmer in place. 

 

1 hour ago, dandelion said:

Is the pump loud because it is rattling against the aquarium walls? If so, my fix is to cut some airline tubing along the length, then tie the halved tube around the pump, covering all six sides. It won't trap detritus like sponge would and it won't trap air and float like a whole airline tubing would.

Thanks for the idea.  I tried this and it did quiet it down a little bit.  Most of the noise is still there though.

 

25 minutes ago, clownin around said:

I would take the return pump out and check the impeller, could be knocking from inside the pump if the impeller is damaged or not in place correctly, I had this happen to me before on a new pump. If that doesn't help you could try tuning down the pump's output by closing the outside dial some. 

I will check that next. Thanks for the advice.

 

[dalto.b]

OK, I tried a few different pumps and the quiet one 800 really isn't all that quiet.

 

That being said, I have some that are generally quiet but the get loud as soon as I install them in the EVO 13.5.

 

They are quiet when I hold them but when I put them in place the vibration transfers to the evo and it gets louder fast.  I tried the airline trick mentioned by @dandelion and it stopped the rattling when the pump would occasionally touch the wall but most of the vibration transfer is still there.

 

Anything else I should try?

[Lugmos12]

7 hours ago, dalto.b said:

OK, I tried a few different pumps and the quiet one 800 really isn't all that quiet.

 

That being said, I have some that are generally quiet but the get loud as soon as I install them in the EVO 13.5.

 

They are quiet when I hold them but when I put them in place the vibration transfers to the evo and it gets louder fast.  I tried the airline trick mentioned by @dandelion and it stopped the rattling when the pump would occasionally touch the wall but most of the vibration transfer is still there.

 

Anything else I should try?

 

Try moving the pump cable around, mine vibrates sometimes and it goes away when I move the cable around. You could also try putting some filter wool around the pump

[dandelion]

How about putting some felt pads under the legs of the tank? May have to wait till the next water change to do it.

 

have you tried adjusting the water level slightly also? Maybe the vibration is resonating with the natural frequency of your tank? A far stretch but easy to test.

[DMassey]

I am having the same rattling sound with mine.. I  try to putting felt pads underneath the legs to see if I would help but unfortunately it didn't. 

 

The pump side on mine doesn't have a lot of water. I'm wondering if I should add some?? 

[DMassey]

On 9/5/2017 at 11:05 PM, dandelion said:

How about putting some felt pads under the legs of the tank? May have to wait till the next water change to do it.

 

have you tried adjusting the water level slightly also? Maybe the vibration is resonating with the natural frequency of your tank? A far stretch but easy to test.

I tried this and it doesn't work. I've also gone through three pumps .. I think it's a tank design issue.

[DevilDuck]

An equivalent pump is the Sicce Synchra 1.0, it is quiet popular with this tank. I had the Synchra 0.5 and it was almost as quiet as stock.

[reef jockey]

I have the same tank with a Sicce 1.0 upgrade.  It's whisper quiet with only a slight hum when i get really close to the tank.

As for your water level, it depends on the pump that you have.  my sump level is only half way while my chamber 2 level is slightly higher.  As long as you maintain level a good level in your sump, you will be fine.

[Tippy]

I just set up 13 gal EVo tank and added mini skimmer but it’s not collected water, is this suppose to happen instantly? Also what level of water should tank be could this be a factor?

[4d-Rock]

For water level in sump, I think it also depends on the filtration/obstruction in the back.  For me, I use floss and a chunk of the original sponge in the first chamber inTank insert and the water level isn't nearly as low when I remove the sponge.  I have been using a trick I read here on the forums where you fill up to the dotted area first, then turn on your pump.  While it's running you then fill up your sump until you get to the desired level.  My sump level is still about an inch or so below the display but plenty high enough to keep the heater submerged.  I just monitor it and top off as needed.

 

For pump vibration, I cut out small chunk of anti slip silicon mat used for drawers, etc.  and put it under my Sicce 1.0 pump.  Then just played around with the pump and wire placement until I found the quietest spot.  Still has a hum you can hear it when sitting nearby, but it's a normal level that is acceptable.