Evo 13.5 Hood/Light Mod

[jharrower]

Hi guys. Had the Evo 13.5 for a while, all is good. I get really bad salt creep though so want to remove the lid.

That will need a new light (current one is stock in the lid). It’ll need to hang over the tank but the AI Prime is a bit too expensive for me.

Any ideas?

 

[blaxsun]

As soon as you remove the lid your evaporation will increase exponentially and you may end up needing an ATO.

 

[jharrower]

As soon as you remove the lid your evaporation will increase exponentially and you may end up needing an ATO.

Thoughts on a good light?

 

[blaxsun]

Thoughts on a good light?

I like the AI Prime 16HD.

 

[Andresnyc93]

I had this same issue and made my own lid with fine mesh. Yes evaporation is a lot worse but also getting oxygen in the tank will be much easier. As far as light goes are you planning on adding any coral? If you are lighting isn’t something you want to cheap out on as some corals require more intense lighting than others but if you plan to keep corals that aren’t too needy on par then you can get away with using one of these.
Current USA Orbit Marine LED Light, 24"-36" | With LOOP IR Controller for Wireless Lighting & Wave Pump Control (4101)

 

[jharrower]

I like the AI Prime 16HD.

Anything cheaper?

 

[Tom Does Disney]

I also have a 13.5 Evo...

what do you want to keep? thats the best place to start.

 

[Nanojoe]

I used the current marine orbit awhile back. It was an okay light. it did the job if your corals are not light demanding. Right now i have a 24 cube with a stock no name brand light and its actually doing very well for a nem and a few softies.

 

[Andresnyc93]

I used the current marine orbit awhile back. It was an okay light. it did the job if your corals are not light demanding. Right now i have a 24 cube with a stock no name brand light and its actually doing very well for a nem and a few softies.

I was able to keep some nem’s and some goni’s in a 13.5 fluval with this light. Thing is you gotta set it up properly because the original schedule the light comes with is horrible and gives you a lot of GHA because of the intensity of the whites but once tuned down kept them very well

 

[Woodyman]

Anything cheaper?

Depends on what your planned stocking is.

If your end goal is SPS just buy the prime up front and increase the intensity as needed.

If your going with only fish, or fish + some softies you can go cheaper.

Determine what your coral goal is first, and buy the correct light up front saving the headache of having to upgrade to another light down the road as the tank grows.

It is easier and cheaper to oversize a light and turn it down for a year then to buy one for the first year or so and then another light when you realize that light can't support what you wanted.

 

[Nanojoe]

I was able to keep some nem’s and some goni’s in a 13.5 fluval with this light. Thing is you gotta set it up properly because the original schedule the light comes with is horrible and gives you a lot of GHA because of the intensity of the whites but once tuned down kept them very well

yeah its full blast.. not ideal. The bluer spectrum really does a lot of good. Softies dont care.