Fluval evo 13.5

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
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.
It's tough for me to say exactly what it will do to the temperature because I have never had as much of a problem with that. My temperature swing is usually from 77 or 78 degrees to 80 or 81. I don't have any fish right now but my soft corals don't seem to care. I typically keep the house at about 77 degrees. I often keep the small lid over the filter off of the tank which may have something to do with it. The light itself does get quite warm compared to the stock light, but it has a gap on each side that helps get the warm air out immediately next to the light instead of sitting on top of the water. There is definitely better air flow with the new light. In the end, it doesn't increase the temperature any more than the stock light. Sorry I can't give you an exact answer . I would be tempted to buy one and see what happens , then return it if it doesn't work out. Another option would be to put in the blue LED bar that I put a link to above. When the light comes on today I can see if that one gets hot or not. An auto top off could help with the water issue, but I don't have one of those.
We used to have a husky. It's amazing that anything can grow hair so fast!
 

Johnb65

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 25, 2021
Messages
68
Reaction score
51
Location
Dublin
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
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.
I have the same issue unfortunately and the stock light gets hot to the point of burning. It’s heats the tank a lot in the warm weather and so far I’m cycling my tank and ive not worried so much but I’m going to need to keep my tank at maybe 82f all the time for consistency. On hot days I’ve had to remove the lid and use a fan to cool it but I’d rather have the tank lid on it all the time and temps be ok as I like the lid on mine. (And iI know many remove it and use their own lights.

So far I’ve not had much evaporation in over a month and only topped up a little. If your tank is getting to high temps a lot if you’ve the light on more, it’s probably why you’ve more evaporation than me.
9F5A6F8C-84C1-4E5C-9AE1-A629FE863B51.jpeg
 

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 issue unfortunately and the stock light gets hot to the point of burning. It’s heats the tank a lot in the warm weather and so far I’m cycling my tank and ive not worried so much but I’m going to need to keep my tank at maybe 82f all the time for consistency. On hot days I’ve had to remove the lid and use a fan to cool it but I’d rather have the tank lid on it all the time and temps be ok as I like the lid on mine. (And iI know many remove it and use their own lights.

So far I’ve not had much evaporation in over a month and only topped up a little. If your tank is getting to high temps a lot if you’ve the light on more, it’s probably why you’ve more evaporation than me.
9F5A6F8C-84C1-4E5C-9AE1-A629FE863B51.jpeg
That's interesting. My stock light gets warm on top, but I wouldn't consider it hot. Also, I don't get very much evaporation at all, but that may be because I live in Florida and the humidity is really high.
 

Johnb65

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 25, 2021
Messages
68
Reaction score
51
Location
Dublin
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
That's interesting. My stock light gets warm on top, but I wouldn't consider it hot. Also, I don't get very much evaporation at all, but that may be because I live in Florida and the humidity is really high.
I might try to drill small holes in the stock lid and attempt to make it look clean to let out some of the heat on hot days. That way I can keep the stock. I’m thinking it might make a difference. Something like this on the lid
6D3F27FE-9007-4B63-937B-8E800BA0B9DC.jpeg
 

jt8791

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 1, 2020
Messages
397
Reaction score
154
Location
Sabattus
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
4 fish in a 13.5? Now I feel bad giving someone else feedback for having 3. dang and I thought my last 20 was overstocked with 4 fish. Funny part was I almost bought one of these and the guy working at petco said they were a waste of money.
 

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
4 fish in a 13.5? Now I feel bad giving someone else feedback for having 3. dang and I thought my last 20 was overstocked with 4 fish. Funny part was I almost bought one of these and the guy working at petco said they were a waste of money.
I think it depends on what fish you stock. Four fish that swim in the water column would probably be too much; mixing up fish that use different habitats is an altogether different type of proposal.

I have two orchid dottybacks and a mandarin in mine. The dottybacks dart in-and-out of the aquascape; the mandarin is busy with the substrate and rock surfaces. I could probably add a neon goby or a pygmy geometric 'hawkfish', but I also have five sexy shrimp in the build and don't want them to be someone's lunch.
 

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
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.
I'd also check the positioning of your return nozzles. If they break the water surface, you'll get more agitation, and that will increase evaporation. I typically have to top up just once per week, and I replaced the return pump with a Sicce 1.0. Both nozzles point under water now.

My tank keeps up a steady temperature of 28-29C -- although it has dropped a degree with the passage of summer -- and I haven't noticed any detrimental effects on the inhabitants. If anything, the SPS seems to be quite happy. Have you taken off the portion of the hood that's over the "sump"? That can also trap heat.
 

reefer_evo5

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Jun 16, 2021
Messages
62
Reaction score
59
Location
United States
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I have this tank and for the longest time i had a problem with the stock lid building up heat in the tank what i did at first was removed the plastic cover for the chambers and placed a aquarium fan pointed toward the chambers. it worked and lowered the temp alot. I recently bought a DIY innovative marine mesh lid off of saltwateraquarium.com this helped alot more keeping the temp at a constant 78. there is a lot more water evaporation without the stock lid but the temperaature is alot better. I use to get a bunch of salt creep around the lid when i had the stock lid and now i dont get any with the new lid
 

ForTheLoveOfCoral21

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Apr 26, 2020
Messages
644
Reaction score
1,232
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Awesome little tank.

I have one that's doing great and here's what i have done!

I upgraded the lid to a custom lid by Reefing aint easy

upgrade the light from Stock to an AI Prime 16Hd with diffuser

Added the IN TANK media baskets for chamber one and chamber two

Added an ATO
 

Tankkeepers

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 27, 2020
Messages
1,746
Reaction score
1,536
Location
47906
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
I'll have to be the negative one here and say get rid of it and get somthing else the light can and will grow coral but the 13.5 Evo I had developed a leak half way up on the corner due to the silicon letting go and they would not honor their warrenty
 

Tankkeepers

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 27, 2020
Messages
1,746
Reaction score
1,536
Location
47906
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
That was 6 months after I got the tank I transferred everything to a biocube and it been going strong for almost 2 years now
 

Tankkeepers

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 27, 2020
Messages
1,746
Reaction score
1,536
Location
47906
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Mostly stock and you can overcome lighting requirements with food as long athe light is strong enoff to let the coral produce some of its own food
 

Tankkeepers

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 27, 2020
Messages
1,746
Reaction score
1,536
Location
47906
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
My tank good luck just watch the silicone they don't use enoff to make the tank look cleaner
 

Attachments

  • 16333483670101395888044044484491.jpg
    16333483670101395888044044484491.jpg
    385 KB · Views: 58

Sun.singh2009

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 10, 2021
Messages
31
Reaction score
39
Location
Dallas
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
So I upgraded the light on my Fluval to a Aquaknight V2 and it’s worked out great. Originally I went with a mesh top but the evaporation was really bad. I had to replace water twice a day. I really didn’t want to use a ATO unit because of the location of the tank. So I decided to custom make a glass top for it and it’s worked out great so far!
 

Attachments

  • 4B575125-A364-4109-8200-6D132EE8FDF3.jpeg
    4B575125-A364-4109-8200-6D132EE8FDF3.jpeg
    183.9 KB · Views: 47
  • 92820BB6-26AD-4F8D-BF7B-847597A6E10A.jpeg
    92820BB6-26AD-4F8D-BF7B-847597A6E10A.jpeg
    176.9 KB · Views: 36
  • A0AAD851-29A8-4BF9-8910-20ABC5BE3C50.jpeg
    A0AAD851-29A8-4BF9-8910-20ABC5BE3C50.jpeg
    164.4 KB · Views: 47
  • 43B3DFCB-22FE-4635-BAF9-38980C693E48.jpeg
    43B3DFCB-22FE-4635-BAF9-38980C693E48.jpeg
    167 KB · Views: 44
  • 2FCB7261-E2C6-4A97-A85D-27E3CB2A50C9.jpeg
    2FCB7261-E2C6-4A97-A85D-27E3CB2A50C9.jpeg
    170.7 KB · Views: 52

Bayfront_reefer

New Member
View Badges
Joined
Jun 16, 2018
Messages
22
Reaction score
25
Location
Miami, Florida
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
1635906330696.jpeg

Heres my tank, I kept my Evo stock. I would say to get the protein skimmer, definitely helps if youre going to be feeding. Keep the lid as evaporation in such a small tank can cause a big problem. I kept the sponge in mine but I filled the pump chamber with a few packs of chemipure blue nano packets. I also put a high surface area media into the protein skimmer chamber under the skimmer. Works great. top off maybe about a cup of water weekly if that. I run the light on a mechanical timer, 12 hours a day. Most afternoons ill set the lights to the blue mode for the last hour or two. Lots of growth, been running nearly three years.
 

Johnb65

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 25, 2021
Messages
68
Reaction score
51
Location
Dublin
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
1635906330696.jpeg

Heres my tank, I kept my Evo stock. I would say to get the protein skimmer, definitely helps if youre going to be feeding. Keep the lid as evaporation in such a small tank can cause a big problem. I kept the sponge in mine but I filled the pump chamber with a few packs of chemipure blue nano packets. I also put a high surface area media into the protein skimmer chamber under the skimmer. Works great. top off maybe about a cup of water weekly if that. I run the light on a mechanical timer, 12 hours a day. Most afternoons ill set the lights to the blue mode for the last hour or two. Lots of growth, been running nearly three years.
Wow that’s a great sign using the stock light! I want to get some Goniopora also but wasn’t sure if the stock would be ok…
 

iamahab

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jun 10, 2021
Messages
215
Reaction score
111
Location
seattle
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I have the evo 13.5 and was wondering if anyone here knows if the hob refugiums work with this? I have a 1 gallon breeder box i'm using right now but the risk of it overflowing is too high to be comfortable with it. I am currently using a intank basket and skimmer in the chambers so using one as the refugium isn't a option. Any help with this is appreciated
 

Johnb65

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 25, 2021
Messages
68
Reaction score
51
Location
Dublin
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I have the evo 13.5 and was wondering if anyone here knows if the hob refugiums work with this? I have a 1 gallon breeder box i'm using right now but the risk of it overflowing is too high to be comfortable with it. I am currently using a intank basket and skimmer in the chambers so using one as the refugium isn't a option. Any help with this is appreciated
No idea how the HOB would work but I was actually considering putting the smallest light I can find into the return chamber and some chaeto to see would it act as a mini fuge. The heater and R pump is there but there’s still some room
 

Mastering the art of locking and unlocking water pathways: What type of valves do you have on your aquarium plumbing?

  • Ball valves.

    Votes: 76 50.7%
  • Gate valves.

    Votes: 76 50.7%
  • Check valves.

    Votes: 37 24.7%
  • None.

    Votes: 34 22.7%
  • Other.

    Votes: 9 6.0%
Back
Top