Fluval Evo 13.5 Owners Thread

[olig]

@Garf thanks for you advice. It looks like I will be going out to buy a calcium and magnesium test kit at some point soon then. My KH has only dropped 0.5ppm from after last week's water change to just after this week's so I only need to add 0.25ml of the red sea KH I have per week at the moment. Hopefully as things start to grow more I'll need to start adding more. 

Do you feed your corals to get as much growth as you do? Thanks

[Guest]

 Hi all I just joined this forum and I’ve had my tank now for a little over a year that I took over from someone else that started it six months before I received it.  The first image is when I had just taken it over in July 2018 and the second image is a current image.  The following is a list of my upgrades and changes in what I have done to the tank:

 

*   Upgraded return pump 200 gph

*  Fluval 75 watt heater

*  Cham 1 Intank media basket in with floss, carbon/gfo bags, Fluval biomax

*  Cham 2 Refugium in with 3 mangroves, cheato, live rock pieces, pods

*  Cham 3 Return pump, heater, ATO sensor 

*  AI Prime HD light with computer fan mounted on light bracket

 

 I do a 25% water change every two weeks and have just recently added Kalkwasser to my ATO water.  I change the floss filter every 3 to 4 days, clean glasses every week, change chemical media every two weeks when needed with the water change. 

 

Let me me know what you think!

 

 

 

[Guest]

On 7/1/2019 at 4:27 PM, Isaacthedev said:

Is anyone running the BRS AB + OR PIRATES on their AI Prime in the EVO? how much do you lower the intensity by ? 

 Hi I just joined this forum and noticed your post. I have the AI prime HD light as well and use David Saxby’s light settings. The following is the link: 

 

https://www.aquaillumination.com/wp-content/uploads/signature/ai-signature-saxby.aip

 

 I to have the Fluval Evo and I reduced the light intensity at the highest point to 67% by using two fingers to pinch the whole scale down to that setting.  You can see a picture of my tank at the end of this thread. 

 

 You can see his tank and page on AI’s website here: 

 

https://www.aquaillumination.com/signature_series/david-saxby

[Proxo]

On 9/22/2019 at 11:37 PM, Guest said:

 Hi I just joined this forum and noticed your post. I have the AI prime HD light as well and use David Saxby’s light settings. The following is the link: 

 

https://www.aquaillumination.com/wp-content/uploads/signature/ai-signature-saxby.aip

 

 I to have the Fluval Evo and I reduced the light intensity at the highest point to 67% by using two fingers to pinch the whole scale down to that setting.  You can see a picture of my tank at the end of this thread. 

 

 You can see his tank and page on AI’s website here: 

 

https://www.aquaillumination.com/signature_series/david-saxby

So the highest points been the blues that sit at 90'ish, you turned down to 67? i'm confused 😄

[afcajax73]

On ‎9‎/‎28‎/‎2019 at 6:35 AM, Proxo said:

So the highest points been the blues that sit at 90'ish, you turned down to 67? i'm confused 😄

I'm a bit in the same spot as you at the minute, I think I need to reduce the intensity of my Prime HD a bit.

[vannevar_morgan]

Hey folks!

 

Just about to start off with an Evo 13.5, I have been running freshwater aquariums for years but saw a good deal on one of these (cycled with an AI prime, so excited for some Saxby settings) and couldn't resist! Picking it up in about a week and a half :).

 

As this will be my first try at a saltwater aquarium, I was thinking about trying to make the chemistry easier by adding a bit more volume through an external sump (I have a smaller FW aquarium I could use). Has anyone tried this/are there any build threads as to how to go about it? I have looked a fair amount but my google-fu has failed me aha. Or would it just be sort of redundant/unnecessary and not worth the bother? My less ambitious project idea was to make a HOB aquaclear fuge, but it seems like people on here have had pretty good luck with putting a refugium in chamber two so is this basically just gilding a lily?

 

Otherwise excited to join the hobby I am sure I will have many more questions once I actually get it up and running!

[Dave J]

On 10/17/2019 at 9:03 PM, vannevar_morgan said:

Hey folks!

 

Just about to start off with an Evo 13.5, I have been running freshwater aquariums for years but saw a good deal on one of these (cycled with an AI prime, so excited for some Saxby settings) and couldn't resist! Picking it up in about a week and a half :).

 

As this will be my first try at a saltwater aquarium, I was thinking about trying to make the chemistry easier by adding a bit more volume through an external sump (I have a smaller FW aquarium I could use). Has anyone tried this/are there any build threads as to how to go about it? I have looked a fair amount but my google-fu has failed me aha. Or would it just be sort of redundant/unnecessary and not worth the bother? My less ambitious project idea was to make a HOB aquaclear fuge, but it seems like people on here have had pretty good luck with putting a refugium in chamber two so is this basically just gilding a lily?

 

Otherwise excited to join the hobby I am sure I will have many more questions once I actually get it up and running!

Hi,  I too just joined this forum after I picked up an EVO 13.5.   I debated getting a rimless tank like a Waterbox Clear 16 and drilling it for a DIY 10-gallon sump but, at the end of the day, I decided to go with the simplicity of an all-in-one.  I really like the Waterbox cubes with their Starphire glass and superior baffle design, but I was concerned that the 10 gallon would be too limiting and the 20 gallon is just a little too big for the cabinet I wanted to use as a stand.  The Cube 15 would have been perfect in terms of water volume and size, but they discontinued it last year so I "settled" for the EVO 13.5   I have seen a couple posts of people drilling out the bottom of an EVO, but to me that kind of defeats the purpose of an all-in-one.  

 

I haven't decided on whether I want to try a fuge for this yet, running one in the middle chamber seems pretty small to do much good and a hang-on-back would distract from the visual appeal of the tank.  I've also read posts that having a fuge on such a small tank can strip out the nutrients needed for coral growth so I think I'm going to start without one and just keep up with weekly water changes.  

 

I did buy an Intank Media basket for chamber 1 (with the flow director and the little plug for the hole in the false wall) to help overcome the less-than-optimal rear sump flow in the EVO and I'm planning to throw a good sized bag of Seachem Matrix in the second chamber for added biological filtration.   I also upgraded the light to an AI Prime HD (since they are on sale right now and I couldn't resist) and I had a piece of plexiglass cut as a lid for the display part of the tank.

 

I'll be starting a journal on my build this weekend.

 

Cheers and enjoy the new EVO!!  

DJ

 

 

[Dave J]

On 9/22/2019 at 4:59 PM, Guest said:

 Hi all I just joined this forum and I’ve had my tank now for a little over a year that I took over from someone else that started it six months before I received it.  The first image is when I had just taken it over in July 2018 and the second image is a current image.  The following is a list of my upgrades and changes in what I have done to the tank:

 

*   Upgraded return pump 200 gph

*  Fluval 75 watt heater

*  Cham 1 Intank media basket in with floss, carbon/gfo bags, Fluval biomax

*  Cham 2 Refugium in with 3 mangroves, cheato, live rock pieces, pods

*  Cham 3 Return pump, heater, ATO sensor 

*  AI Prime HD light with computer fan mounted on light bracket

 

 I do a 25% water change every two weeks and have just recently added Kalkwasser to my ATO water.  I change the floss filter every 3 to 4 days, clean glasses every week, change chemical media every two weeks when needed with the water change. 

 

Let me me know what you think!

 

 

 

Tank looks great!

 

[Dave J]

On 9/22/2019 at 4:59 PM, Guest said:

 Hi all I just joined this forum and I’ve had my tank now for a little over a year that I took over from someone else that started it six months before I received it.  The first image is when I had just taken it over in July 2018 and the second image is a current image.  The following is a list of my upgrades and changes in what I have done to the tank:

 

*   Upgraded return pump 200 gph

*  Fluval 75 watt heater

*  Cham 1 Intank media basket in with floss, carbon/gfo bags, Fluval biomax

*  Cham 2 Refugium in with 3 mangroves, cheato, live rock pieces, pods

*  Cham 3 Return pump, heater, ATO sensor 

*  AI Prime HD light with computer fan mounted on light bracket

 

 I do a 25% water change every two weeks and have just recently added Kalkwasser to my ATO water.  I change the floss filter every 3 to 4 days, clean glasses every week, change chemical media every two weeks when needed with the water change. 

 

Let me me know what you think!

 

 

 

Your tank looks awesome!  Makes me glad I spent the money for the AI Prime HD seeing how much better it looks than the stock light.

 

[popek]

Does anybody run an uv sterilizer in their EVO ?

I am fighting dinos and so far had no success in getting rid of them, would like to try an UV sterilizer.

 

[Stevenskev1090]

Hi this might be old threat but figured I'd try. Does anyone know the real dimensions of the tank display along with the sump, I want to chang out the lid so I can change the stock light and was gunna make a clear mesh lid and was wondering if anyone else has done this and knows the exact dimensions.

[Dave J]

10 hours ago, Stevenskev1090 said:

Hi this might be old threat but figured I'd try. Does anyone know the real dimensions of the tank display along with the sump, I want to chang out the lid so I can change the stock light and was gunna make a clear mesh lid and was wondering if anyone else has done this and knows the exact dimensions.

The display area is approx. 18.25"x11.25".  The exact dimensions of your lid will depend on what you use for lid clips, so you're probably better off to get the lid clips you plan to use first, and then measure from there.   I just made a lid for mine - I'm using Aqueon frameless lid rails and I had a piece of acrylic cut measuring 17.75" x 10.5" but I'm getting a fair amount of condensation under the acrylic so I may end up swapping to a mesh lid myself (need to get the ATO set up first though).

[DreTheReefer]

How goes it everyone?  I set up my Evo last week after I tore down a miserable 90g that I had completely ignored. Anyways I used some rock that I scrubbed and sand from the 90.  Everything is stock at the moment. I want to keep it simple and rely on weekly water changes mostly.  I’m planning on getting and intank media basket for chamber one and running floss, Chempure elite, and most likely Matrix since I have it or some other bio media.  For chamber 2 I’m thinking cheato. My question there is can I just put it in the chamber or do all you Evo pros recommend the media basket for chamber 2? Anyone using the jebao slw-10?  Don’t mind the hurting trach in the pictures. I just couldn’t bear to throw it out.  

[smirkis]

Here is a front peninsula shot of mine.

Side shot

[afcajax73]

How does everyone manage such an algae free tank?!?! 
 

what’s everyone running media wise?

 

im assuming my filter floss and chemi pure blue isn’t cutting it? 

[Garf]

21 hours ago, afcajax73 said:

How does everyone manage such an algae free tank?!?! 
 

what’s everyone running media wise?

 

im assuming my filter floss and chemi pure blue isn’t cutting it? 

It really depends on your tank, the amount and type of liverock, bio load, lighting schedule, ambient light, and your maintenance routine.  

 

Why are you running chemi pure blue? Do you know what is in it?  What params are you chasing?

 

I have two clowns and a tail spot goby in my tank, certainly not a low bioload in a 13.5 gallon tank. I started with about a 1:1 ratio of lbs of rock to water, with high quality live rock and sand from my established 5gallon.  I run only charcoal, and filter pad, which I change at least twice a week.  My nitrates and phosphate has always measured consistently low, which I find odd because I feed a lot, pellets every day, frozen twice a week, and Fritz AZOX, KZ LPS amino, and KZ coral vitalizer at least every other day.  I haven't performed a water change in over two weeks, and all I have is some light algae on the glass.  I am actually trying to get some algae on the rocks/glass for my tail spot to eat.  

 

You also have to realize people take pictures and show off their tanks at their best, Here is my tank in its current state, you can see it needs the glass cleaned and the gravel vacuumed.  The new pixel phone messes with the color (this was taken through a orange filter), so it looks dirtier than it actually is.  

 

 

Edit:

 

Next day after maintenance and water change.

 

 

[a_pmech84]

Just setup a evo 13.5 and figured I'd post it. I've read through some of this thread and there's a lot of good info and experience. I setup my evo Nov 30 so it's only been a couple of days. I also run a biocube 32 and its relatively new only about 5mnths old. I have some upgrades I plan to do pretty quick, the intank chamber 1 and 2 media baskets and the sicce 1.0 or 1.5 output pump to replace the stock pump as to avoid using a PH or WM. As for the stock light I'm currently undecided. It seems decent but I'm spoiled with the programmable light on my biocube. Would like to see a light upgrade from Steve's LED so I dont have to go topless. I dont care much for dealing with evap issues and I'm not big on ato, I think things like that make it to hands off for my liking. Anyway opinions or comments and maybe in a few weeks or so I'll have another post with a frag or two.

[smirkis]

On 11/30/2019 at 2:21 PM, afcajax73 said:

How does everyone manage such an algae free tank?!?! 
 

what’s everyone running media wise?

 

im assuming my filter floss and chemi pure blue isn’t cutting it? 

I run the Intank media basket in chamber 1 with filter floss up top and chaeto below it for a refugium. chamber 2 is all ceramic bio balls. chamber 3 is just the heater/pump/ato. i have 2 clowns, 1 lawnmower blenny, 1 purple fire fish, 1 cleaner shrimp, and a few snails. 20% water changes weekly and i clean the glass daily. my tank is pretty mature tho and i ran it mostly empty for almost a year before adding livestock a couple months ago. if you let the algae get out of hand or go long without addressing it it'll become a problem so i try to stay ahead of it and never let it become a problem to begin with. regular maintenance is key in my book.

[a_pmech84]

Yes regular maintenance is key for me as well. I do weekly changes on my current cube tank and it does well. Thanks for the insight to your filter setup, I like the way the all in ones are so versatile.

[PlantedTanksarestillcool]

Hello everyone! I just found this thread and wanted to share what I've done with my Evo 13.5😁

• Light: AI Prime HD
• Return Pump: Sicce Syncra Silent 1.0
• ATO: Avast marine ATO w/ Diaphragm pump
• Controller: Apex Classic

In the first chamber I made a DIY eggcrate basket which I run filter floss, chemipure nano (3 bags), and biological media.

In the second chamber I house my apex probes in a holder I designed and 3D printed myself, as well as my heater.

The last chamber has my ATO and apex temp probe.

 

The stand I built myself to house the Apex and keep everything looking clean.

 

I have about 15lbs of live rock and 20lbs of sand

 

For stocking I have 1 frostbite clownfish and a cleaner shrimp as well as a small CUC of 2 turbo snails and 2 astrea snails.

 

 

 

 

Here is what the probe holder looks like. I needed something that would extend out vertically as space is very limited in the back as you all know.

 

This is what it looks like under the stand, not the prettiest but it does a good job of keeping everything organized and out of sight.

 

And a look at my fusion in case anyone was curious.

[reeferdrew]

Hey everyone! Found this thread yesterday and was wondering if anyone has any experience with transferring livestock to a larger tank.

I currently have a fluval spec v reef and looking to upgrade to a the evo 13.5, mainly just for more space for fish as I currently have none. I was just wondering what you all suggest about transferring. Do I wait for the 13.5 to fully cycle or can I add all of my biological filtration, rock, and sand to the new tank to avoid that. I know I am more than doubling my water volume which is why I am wondering about a transfer this large.

[olig]

Hi @reeferdrew when I transferred from my Evo 13.5 to a reefer 170 I just moved all my biological filtration across and moved the fish and corals at the same time - and at a month later things seem ok. I did add a bottle of bacteria at the time of the move to help the new rocks I added get there own bacteria and to counter any die off of caused by the move. 

[BodhisattvaKoba]

Hey everyone! Just set mine up tonight (first ever marine/reef tank). Two questions;

 

1. Does anyone else keep their heater in the intake compartment? (50W Eheim Jager won't fit in the return compartment with the pump)

 

2. Is the skimmer plate totally useless, or should I lower my water level?

 

Cheers! 

[NaturallyKait]

9 hours ago, BodhisattvaKoba said:

Hey everyone! Just set mine up tonight (first ever marine/reef tank). Two questions;

 

1. Does anyone else keep their heater in the intake compartment? (50W Eheim Jager won't fit in the return compartment with the pump)

 

2. Is the skimmer plate totally useless, or should I lower my water level?

 

Cheers! 

I keep my heater in the second chamber. I have a media basket in the first chamber. 

[Garf]

On 12/11/2019 at 1:30 PM, reeferdrew said:

Hey everyone! Found this thread yesterday and was wondering if anyone has any experience with transferring livestock to a larger tank.

I currently have a fluval spec v reef and looking to upgrade to a the evo 13.5, mainly just for more space for fish as I currently have none. I was just wondering what you all suggest about transferring. Do I wait for the 13.5 to fully cycle or can I add all of my biological filtration, rock, and sand to the new tank to avoid that. I know I am more than doubling my water volume which is why I am wondering about a transfer this large.

Hey drew.

 

I did the same thing, went from a spec V to EVO 13.5. I setup the EVO first with established liverock, new sand, and seeded it with some sand from the Spec V. I did not move any rock from the V, as I was using the move as an opportunity to clean out the green shrooms that overran the spec V. Waited a few weeks, then moved my two clowns (yes, I had two clowns for about 6 years in a 5g). Moved a couple hairy shrooms with the fish, as they are pretty hardy.

 

You really can't avoid a cycle by transferring it all over, especially if you are adding new liverock. The best you can hope for is a short cycle, as even stirring up the sand bed can cause a mini cycle.