Fluval evo 13.5

reefer938

New Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 7, 2021
Messages
11
Reaction score
3
Location
Kent
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Hello, I have a fluval evo 13.5 and was wondering if theres any reccomendations you have for the tank/system
 

mjszos

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 7, 2021
Messages
218
Reaction score
400
Location
Chicago, IL
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I have been running one for about 7 months now. Here is my list of upgrades:

Light: changed out the stock light for a Red Sea 50.
Pump: Swapped for Sicce Micra
Wavemaker: Added a Sicce Voyager Nano

Edit: I purchased the pump/wavemaker initially as back-ups, however the pump runs much quieter than the original. The GPH [i believe] is lower, so that's something to keep an eye out for. It's also tough to find something that fits, I'm sure I could have gotten creative but the Micra was what was available at my LFS. I would strongly suggest having back-ups of your life support equipment if you don't already.

Note; with the light change, you also lose your lid. I have been lid-free for about 4 months now and have yet to have any issues with jumpers, but my gut tells me its an inevitability. I've bought the Red Sea mesh kit to DIY one, but the channels on the frame were too narrow for it to fit around the glass. If you remove the lid, be wary of higher evaporation.

My next investment is going to be the InTank Media Baskets to replace the filter sponge, as well as add a filter to Bay 1. I have a feeling some of the issues I'm experiencing in my tank are being caused by this nasty sponge.
 

jfoahs04

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 2, 2021
Messages
804
Reaction score
1,436
Location
Boston
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Welcome! I’m running the same tank. I bought the tank used and it came with the Current USA Orbit IC light which the former owner upgraded to.

I tossed the sponge immediately and added the Intank media basket. I added the Kraken Reef lid so I don’t have to worry about jumpers. It’s looks awesome and definitely does the job. I am picking up my AI Prime light today and I’ll sell the current USA Orbit IC light. I want to potentially grow some SPS down the road and the Orbit won’t cut it. I have a nano powerhead which I think is essential for the coral and keeping the tank clean.

I’m holding off on upgrading the pump for now. The stock seems to be doing fine enough in terms of water volume circulated through the tank and the powerhead helps with the flow.

I MAY add an auto top off (ATO) system down the road, but I currently top off manually daily and have one of the water bottle ATOs for when we leave town for a while. It’s worked fine, so we will see.

I’m also debating turning chamber 2 into a small refugium with chaeto. But again, not a huge rush on that.
 

mjszos

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 7, 2021
Messages
218
Reaction score
400
Location
Chicago, IL
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Welcome! I’m running the same tank. I bought the tank used and it came with the Current USA Orbit IC light which the former owner upgraded to.

I tossed the sponge immediately and added the Intank media basket. I added the Kraken Reef lid so I don’t have to worry about jumpers. It’s looks awesome and definitely does the job. I am picking up my AI Prime light today and I’ll sell the current USA Orbit IC light. I want to potentially grow some SPS down the road and the Orbit won’t cut it. I have a nano powerhead which I think is essential for the coral and keeping the tank clean.

I’m holding off on upgrading the pump for now. The stock seems to be doing fine enough in terms of water volume circulated through the tank and the powerhead helps with the flow.

I MAY add an auto top off (ATO) system down the road, but I currently top off manually daily and have one of the water bottle ATOs for when we leave town for a while. It’s worked fine, so we will see.

I’m also debating turning chamber 2 into a small refugium with chaeto. But again, not a huge rush on that.

Not to derail this thread, but when did you order and how long did it take for your Kraken lid to arrive? I've been toying with the idea of getting one as I'm running open top... My tankmates are calm, but things can happen and I'd hate to see any of my little buddies go carpet surfing.
 

nickthereef23

New Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 27, 2021
Messages
9
Reaction score
15
Location
Las Vegas
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Hi there! I have the same tank and its been running for 3 months. I've essentially replaced most of the AIO stock components.

Here are my upgrades:

- Sicce Syncra 1.0 pump, slightly higher GPH
- Hydor Koralia Nano wavemaker
- 30W light by Hipargero off Amazon (did not want to spend a ridiculous amount of money on lighting) Also note that you will not be using the hood as a result. I like the aesthetic a lot more but realize the risk of having jumpers.
- Mini ATO, I got annoyed with topping off everyday due to increased evaporation
- Fluval Mini Skimmer in the 3rd chamber
- I'm still using the stock sponge/media but I also put in a bag of ChemiPure Elite carbon

So far everything is going really well and I test my water weekly with the API kit, plus do a ~2 gallon water change weekly. Right now I have a pair of clowns, a two-spotted blenny and a gold watchman goby. I have a mix of softies for coral (xoas, some xenia etc) and SPS (bird's nest). My nano is obviously still very young and I'm trying to mitigate what can go wrong but so far I'm loving the upgrades and the topless aesthetic along with the new light. I can post a picture later.

Good luck :)
 

davidcalgary29

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 24, 2020
Messages
2,722
Reaction score
3,381
Location
Peace River, Alberta
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
But what do you want in your build? This may be an unpopular opinion, but most of the original components are just fine as-is. I have a mixed reef in mine with the stock lighting.

Of the upgrades that I've installed, the only ones that have made a noticeable improvement have been a replacement of the stock return pump with a Sicce 1.0 and replacing the stock "filter material" with an inTank basket in Chamber one or two.
 

jfoahs04

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 2, 2021
Messages
804
Reaction score
1,436
Location
Boston
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Not to derail this thread, but when did you order and how long did it take for your Kraken lid to arrive? I've been toying with the idea of getting one as I'm running open top... My tankmates are calm, but things can happen and I'd hate to see any of my little buddies go carpet surfing.
I hear you, I bought before I had any livestock. Just didn’t want to chance it and my fiancée is new to this so I really didn’t want her to wake up to a fish chip on the floor. IMO, I think it’s a nice looking lid and doesn’t take away from the rimless look at all (which is important to me).

I’m probably not going to be much help. One of my LFS stocks them, so I bought it in person with no wait. He did say that the lead time is conservative and they often ship out earlier than the website (www.thekrakenreef.com) says. Right now it looks like 2-4 weeks (less than a week for expedited), so not bad. Was 6ish when I looked. I’d contact them via the website (they have an active account here on R2R too). You could also check with some LFS near you too.
 
OP
OP
R

reefer938

New Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 7, 2021
Messages
11
Reaction score
3
Location
Kent
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I have been running one for about 7 months now. Here is my list of upgrades:

Light: changed out the stock light for a Red Sea 50.
Pump: Swapped for Sicce Micra
Wavemaker: Added a Sicce Voyager Nano

Edit: I purchased the pump/wavemaker initially as back-ups, however the pump runs much quieter than the original. The GPH [i believe] is lower, so that's something to keep an eye out for. It's also tough to find something that fits, I'm sure I could have gotten creative but the Micra was what was available at my LFS. I would strongly suggest having back-ups of your life support equipment if you don't already.

Note; with the light change, you also lose your lid. I have been lid-free for about 4 months now and have yet to have any issues with jumpers, but my gut tells me its an inevitability. I've bought the Red Sea mesh kit to DIY one, but the channels on the frame were too narrow for it to fit around the glass. If you remove the lid, be wary of higher evaporation.

My next investment is going to be the InTank Media Baskets to replace the filter sponge, as well as add a filter to Bay 1. I have a feeling some of the issues I'm experiencing in my tank are being caused by this nasty sponge.
Thank you for the reply really helps.

I have the NICREW 50W coming tomorrow, going to give that a go on the tank.

With this change I'm going to be loosing the lid, but I only keep clownfish in the tank. So would I need a lid? Since they only stay in one area of the tank.
 

namfuak

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 10, 2020
Messages
248
Reaction score
263
Location
Anaheim
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Not to derail this thread, but when did you order and how long did it take for your Kraken lid to arrive? I've been toying with the idea of getting one as I'm running open top... My tankmates are calm, but things can happen and I'd hate to see any of my little buddies go carpet surfing.

Back in November, I ordered a Kraken lid with some custom cutouts and I received it a week from my ordering date. I can't speak for what their lead times are now, but they were extremely quick and it turned out fantastic.
 

jfoahs04

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 2, 2021
Messages
804
Reaction score
1,436
Location
Boston
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Thank you for the reply really helps.

I have the NICREW 50W coming tomorrow, going to give that a go on the tank.

With this change I'm going to be loosing the lid, but I only keep clownfish in the tank. So would I need a lid? Since they only stay in one area of the tank.

Clowns can and will jump. They're not the worst offenders, but I'd definitely consider a lid. There are some cheap DIY options that'll work if you don't want to spend $100ish on a nice one.
 

mjszos

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 7, 2021
Messages
218
Reaction score
400
Location
Chicago, IL
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Thank you for the reply really helps.

I have the NICREW 50W coming tomorrow, going to give that a go on the tank.

With this change I'm going to be loosing the lid, but I only keep clownfish in the tank. So would I need a lid? Since they only stay in one area of the tank.

Happy to help. I'm a firm believer that any fish is a jumper if conditions are correct. So a lid is on my list in the near future, I just haven't brought myself to pull the trigger. Hoping it doesn't bite me.

Back in November, I ordered a Kraken lid with some custom cutouts and I received it a week from my ordering date. I can't speak for what their lead times are now, but they were extremely quick and it turned out fantastic.

Got it! I assume you used their expedited shipping method?
 

Just John

Valuable Member? Seriously?
View Badges
Joined
Jan 31, 2021
Messages
5,249
Reaction score
19,185
Location
Clearwater, FL
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I have the same tank and wanted to upgrade the light without losing the lid. I decided to upgrade to the Fluval Marine 3.0 led. I mainly got this one because it fits into the same slot as the stock light. It's Bluetooth controlled with custom schedules, etc. It's a lot better, but not as good as some lights you could get if you got rid of the lid. I added a blue strip to the underside of the lid. I am happy with how this setup works. If you want more info, let me know and I can post some some tips for this light and find a link to the strip I bought.

Light on lid.jpg

1631125174118.png
 

Reef Jockey

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jun 20, 2021
Messages
485
Reaction score
950
Location
Under the sea
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I have the Evo myself for about 4+ months now. didn't need to cycle because it came from a friends house so all the inhabitants have been thriving. Here are the changes i made so far
InTank media basket in chamber 1
Used to have the nano skimmer in chamber 2 but was difficult to dial in so have a developing algae scrubber there now
upgraded return pump to Sicce 1.0
upgraded light to Current USA Orbit w/loop control
so far so good, the two clowns are a mated pair and have laid eggs 3 times in the last month
started with 4 RBTA's that split several times already
 
OP
OP
R

reefer938

New Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 7, 2021
Messages
11
Reaction score
3
Location
Kent
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Clowns can and will jump. They're not the worst offenders, but I'd definitely consider a lid. There are some cheap DIY options that'll work if you don't want to spend $100ish on a nice one.
I'll have a look right now, thank you.
 

Sun.singh2009

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 10, 2021
Messages
31
Reaction score
39
Location
Dallas
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I have the same tank and wanted to upgrade the light without losing the lid. I decided to upgrade to the Fluval Marine 3.0 led. I mainly got this one because it fits into the same slot as the stock light. It's Bluetooth controlled with custom schedules, etc. It's a lot better, but not as good as some lights you could get if you got rid of the lid. I added a blue strip to the underside of the lid. I am happy with how this setup works. If you want more info, let me know and I can post some some tips for this light and find a link to the strip I bought.

Light on lid.jpg

1631125174118.png
Which light did you get again? What size was it? I def need that lol.
 

Just John

Valuable Member? Seriously?
View Badges
Joined
Jan 31, 2021
Messages
5,249
Reaction score
19,185
Location
Clearwater, FL
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Which light did you get again? What size was it? I def need that lol.

Here are a couple of notes from an old post of mine about that Fluval Marine 3.0, in case you get it.


The $150 Fluval Marine 3.0 (15" - 24") fits really well, except it requires some trimming to keep it completely level. You don't have to trim it, but you will probably want to at some point. As you can see in the photo from my previous post, there is a small gap along the sides, but it's not too big. In the picture below (pic. from their website) you can see a thin strip on the holder that goes down the side of the tank to prevent the light from falling in. That should be cut off of one end, as I mentioned. If you have a Dremel tool, it's easy to cut or grind it off in two minutes. A hack saw would work too. Don't worry, the light can't fall in when it's in the lid and this does not need to be done to use the light. The other end goes in the feeder hole. The timing functions are more useful than I would have thought. That alone is a good reason for a new light IMO. Everyone says consistency is key for good growth. That guarantees it with lighting. (Just a helpful hint if you get it, it will be much easier to delete all of the time points under Pro and then add them back in as you go along. You'll see what I mean.)

1619104002207.png


This is the blue light strip I put under the hood. It adds a lot of blue and makes things look more colorful under whites. It seems well made and waterproof. (fyi- The Amazon description says that it has white lights in it too, but it doesn't. It is all blue LEDs.)

 
Last edited:

AquaMum

New Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 13, 2021
Messages
1
Reaction score
1
Location
Modesto
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I have the same tank and wanted to upgrade the light without losing the lid. I decided to upgrade to the Fluval Marine 3.0 led. I mainly got this one because it fits into the same slot as the stock light. It's Bluetooth controlled with custom schedules, etc. It's a lot better, but not as good as some lights you could get if you got rid of the lid. I added a blue strip to the underside of the lid. I am happy with how this setup works. If you want more info, let me know and I can post some some tips for this light and find a link to the strip I bought.

Light on lid.jpg

1631125174118.png
Can you tell me if your having any issues maintaining a steady temperature? The stock light get so dang hot my tank temp jumps to 85 degrees and Down to 76 when it’s off. The evaporation is ridiculous. The cover is supposed to help reduce the evaporation but the light contradicts this. I have a Siberian Husky that constantly is blowing his coat so I have to have solid lids on all of my tanks. I’m tired of fighting the temperature though.
 

A worm with high fashion and practical utility: Have you ever kept feather dusters in your reef aquarium?

  • I currently have feather dusters in my tank.

    Votes: 73 37.8%
  • Not currently, but I have had feather dusters in my tank in the past.

    Votes: 66 34.2%
  • I have not had feather dusters, but I hope to in the future.

    Votes: 25 13.0%
  • I have no plans to have feather dusters in my tank.

    Votes: 28 14.5%
  • Other.

    Votes: 1 0.5%
Back
Top