Fluval Evo 13.5 Owners Thread

[Friendofish]

Hello again. Recently, I’ve noticed that my Evo tends to get pretty hot (like 81° minimum). I think it’s causing problems for my coral and I’d like to fix it but I can’t get rid of the lid bc of jumping fish and curious cats. I also can’t get a screen lid bc I don’t have the money to buy one or the space to build one. Any suggestions on how to cool it down? Maybe a fan or something? Where would I even put such a fan?

[Lovecoral]

Lol that’s so funny, but amazing I’ll look into that timer. Running at 1% would that just be super low light? That should be fine I think. I hear that consistency is lost important for them 

[Ash1176]

10 hours ago, Friendofish said:

Evo tends to get pretty hot (like 81° minimum).

Yah the Evo stock lights run stupid hot! Get yourself a inkbird temp controller, if tank is too cold it turns on the heater if the tank is too warm it turns on the fan, it’s acts as a fail safe if you heater stays stuck in on positon, it’s about 40 bucks (Inkbird Temperature Controller ITC-308S)   then get yourself a little tiny fan, $20 on Amazon

i keep mine on top pointing towards the lights, it used to go up to 82 even 83 as I have extra lights under the lid too, but now temp is really consistent and doesn’t go above 79! 
 

 

[Friendofish]

14 hours ago, Ash1176 said:

Yah the Evo stock lights run stupid hot! Get yourself a inkbird temp controller, if tank is too cold it turns on the heater if the tank is too warm it turns on the fan, it’s acts as a fail safe if you heater stays stuck in on positon, it’s about 40 bucks (Inkbird Temperature Controller ITC-308S)   then get yourself a little tiny fan, $20 on Amazon

i keep mine on top pointing towards the lights, it used to go up to 82 even 83 as I have extra lights under the lid too, but now temp is really consistent and doesn’t go above 79! 
 

 

Thanks for the suggestion! I didn’t realize that you could cool the light itself from the outside...I always thought you had to cool the tank/water. Could you possibly take a pic of your fan from a different angle? I’d like to copy the way you have it mounted but I can’t really see it lol. 

[Ash1176]

8 hours ago, Friendofish said:

Could you possibly take a pic of your fan from a different angle?

It’s just sits on top of the back lid above chamber 3, and pointing down towards the light

I’ll take a pic tonight when I’m back from work!

[Lovecoral]

Has anyone had to replace this light with a new but same fixture? I can’t find a replacement piece on fluval but some of the blue lights flickered last night. I want to be prepared in case

[MrJoel]

3 hours ago, Lovecoral said:

Has anyone had to replace this light with a new but same fixture? I can’t find a replacement piece on fluval but some of the blue lights flickered last night. I want to be prepared in case

Mine started flickering and going out. When I looked at it the Silicone had degraded and salt had crept in and corroded the electronics. I had trouble finding the replacement from Fluval but found many unused ones listed on eBay. Apparently lot of people by the 13.5 and upgrade from day 1. I got the light and a new lid for  a very reasonable price. 

I also check the Silicone regularly now so I can catch the issue before it gets bad again. 

[Ash1176]

16 hours ago, Friendofish said:

different angle?

Here you go

[Lovecoral]

On 8/31/2020 at 2:46 PM, MrJoel said:

Mine started flickering and going out. When I looked at it the Silicone had degraded and salt had crept in and corroded the electronics. I had trouble finding the replacement from Fluval but found many unused ones listed on eBay. Apparently lot of people by the 13.5 and upgrade from day 1. I got the light and a new lid for  a very reasonable price. 

I also check the Silicone regularly now so I can catch the issue before it gets bad again. 

That’s amazing thanks!

[aSaltyKlown]

On 8/31/2020 at 2:30 AM, Friendofish said:

Thanks for the suggestion! I didn’t realize that you could cool the light itself from the outside...I always thought you had to cool the tank/water. Could you possibly take a pic of your fan from a different angle? I’d like to copy the way you have it mounted but I can’t really see it lol. 

Check out this thread.  About half way down it shows a nice fan mod in the hood.  I have also seen some with a single fan as well.

 

[ValerieR]

The fluval timer works ok, but has no battery, so blackouts or unplugging will generally restart the settings and clock, at least on mine. 

[J-boogie242]

Anyone looking to sell a fresh evo 13.5?   My GF would be in debated to me. More for the proper start up

[Lovecoral]

On 9/3/2020 at 11:07 PM, J-boogie242 said:

Anyone looking to sell a fresh evo 13.5?   My GF would be in debated to me. More for the proper start up

I have an evo 13.5g and want to upgrade but not sure how soon. Where are you located? Anywhere that it has to be shipped would likely be risky and expensive 

[smirkis]

After my nem split recently

[aSaltyKlown]

After about six weeks of diving back into the forums and Youtube videos, I have pulled the trigger in an Evo 13.5.  This will be my first tank after a 7 year break.  My first tank was a 27g cube that I had for about 1 1/2 years.  

 

My plan for this tank will be softies and a couple LPS, two Black Ice (maybe one Black Ice and one Frostbite) as well as stick with the stock lights(for at least a year) and limit the amount of media unless it is needed.  I would like to have a Randell's Goby and Red Banded Pistol pair, but not sure if that will be possible in this tank.

 

Other than the tank, I ordered a 20lb box of Caribsea Shapes-Liferock(only use about 10-12lbs), 20lb bag of Special Grade Arag-Alive, Fritz RPM salt, 2 RFG's, refractometer, API Master test kit, Salifert PO4 test kit, and some Dr. Tims One and Only.  Should have the rock by Wed (start the scape), the tank by Friday.  Hopefully I'll be able to get the tank wet next weekend.

 

Happy Reefing!

 

 

 

[wh1skey6]

For those that are using the stock light but not the hood, how are you mounting it? (Besides @lachies cut method)

 

I could probably 3d print something but I suck at CAD.

[Nang Yuan]

So its been just over 3 months.....

[afcajax73]

looking good 🙂

[mipster]

Bit by bit, it's coming along.

 

[lambogriffin]

Custom glass top built by me, Amazon, and Lowe's, total cost around $20-30. The evap with the screen top was KILLING ME. Glass virtually eliminates evap loss, and I think it looks more rimless-y than with the black screen frame sitting in there. 😃

[afcajax73]

Ah yeah, that’s great that pal! Good job on that. Looks tidy. 

[lambogriffin]

This thread is too quiet.. here's ~11 month shots from today 😁 I stopped trying to grow algae in the back middle chamber a while ago, threw purigen in there. No ragrets. 

[Ash1176]

Here my Evo in all it’s glory! 
still stocking up on fish and coral though:)

 

 

[lambogriffin]

7 hours ago, Ash1176 said:

Here my Evo in all it’s glory! 
still stocking up on fish and coral though:)

 

 

Dig the rock work 👍

[Ash1176]

12 hours ago, lambogriffin said:

 

19 hours ago, Ash1176 said:

Here my Evo in all it’s glory! 
still stocking up on fish and coral though:)

 

 

Read more  

Dig the rock work 👍

 

Thank you! 
i might close up that gap where the cave is, there will still be a cave, but just a bit smaller, it Will give me more room on the sand