Looking to Upgrade Fluval 13.5 filtration

[Fishtank3]

Looking to upgrade the filtration in fluval evo 13.5. Currently have 3 or 4 live rock cubes? Not sure if that's what their called. Looks like pumice stone (store owner gave them to us) and a bag of carbon that the tank came with. Had the protein skimmer and had nothing but issues with it. I ordered the chamber 1 in take basket but not sure what to put in it to supplement the rocks and carbon in chamber two.

 

[blaxsun]

InTank media caddy? Typically filter floss in the first chamber, carbon or ChemiPure Blue in the second and bio media rocks like MarinePure in the third (that's what I ran on my 25-gallon AIOs).

 

[Sharkbait19]

InTank media caddy? Typically filter floss in the first chamber, carbon or ChemiPure Blue in the second and bio media rocks like MarinePure in the third (that's what I ran on my 25-gallon AIOs).

+1
I also cut up the stock sponge and put it in the baskets for extra bio filtration room (you can never have too much).
The skimmer isn’t really necessary in so small a tank - water changes do the same job.

 

[Fishtank3]

Thanks for the help. Excited to get it in the mail

 

[Simon_M]

Looking to upgrade the filtration in Fluval EVO 13.5. I had the protein skimmer and had nothing but issues with it.

I have a Tunze Comline DOC Skimmer 9004 DC in my AIO main DT that works really well, so I was tempted to also consider the Fluval PS2 Skimmer. However, I didn't find good reports of this working (and certainly not in the Fluval EVO 13.5), so I'm glad I wasn't tempted.

Almost universally, folks who had tried it, said that they latter regretted their purchase and preferred not to use it. And, as others have said, its use in a small tank is marginal e.g. better to increase water changes (and you can buy a lot of salt for the equivalent expense of a PS2, too).

 

[Crabmanns aquatics]

I did all the upgrades i could come up with on this tank over the last two years and here is what i did. First i trashed all the supplied filter junk and replaced it with an in-tank media in first chamber and loaded the second chamber with a bio block cut to fit with some flow room. i then replaced the stock return with a secce 110 to improve sump flow. This worked great for around a year but then i started having major nitrate issues. After some investigation i pulled the bio-media and placed it in a bucket of fresh salt. I let it sit for a few hours and tested nitrate. It was at 40+ ppm just from sitting in fresh. I then tossed all the bio-media due to the fact i have plenty of seasoned live rock in the tank and really see no reason for the bio on top of that. Basically what i found out is that all the crap i was trying to jam in the sump was the main cause of all my problems. All it did was create a major detritus trap. It barely every got cleaned out because it was so difficult to take apart and access the chambers. I pulled the bio-media from chamber 2 and replaced it with a cheap diy skimmer i was able to put together for about 30 bucks. i removed my in-tank chamber one basket and removed all media except duel density floss for solid removal. I am now looking onto retrofitting the media basket to hold a filter sock instead of floss. Chamber three where the return is located is where i put my ATO sensor and created a spot to drop any specific filter medias i may need to address any pop up issues with with po4 or no3. i only run specific medias as needed and never run anything permanently. I have also found with carbon dosing i can keep my no3 and po4 at perfect levels as long as i don't get to crazy with feeding. I ran a 72 gallon bow mixed reef for around ten years and never had half the issues I've had with this nano. Small tanks are a huge challenge but are sure the speed up the learning process of reefing. I thought i knew a thing or two before starting this tank but boy was i wrong!

 

[uhgster1]

I replaced the stock pump with a Sicce 1 and I got chamber one and two baskets. The chamber two basket has pond matrix in it (same as that pumice looking stuff you have. Chamber one is filter floss in the first section and Chemiclean nano in the second section. I take out the chamber one basket once a month and run the protein skimmer for a couple of days and swap them back. This has been the best routine for me.

 

[Simon_M]

My issue is that the Tank wouldn't complete the initial start up cycle. There was always a Nitrite Reading and the Nitrate Reading was always in excess of 30 ppm. After changing the Media and using Media Baskets the Nitrite dropped to undetectable and the Nitrate to 2 ppm.

I tossed the supplied Filter Material and added the InTank Media Baskets. I have Seechem Matrix in the first Media Basket 2nd/3rd Chamber with the InTank Divider removed. In the top Chamber I have Filter Floss that is easily inspected and replaced. In the second Media basket I have Seechem De-Nitrate in the middle Chamber. There is a Plug added in the Second Chamber that ensures all the water passes through each of the Chambers. In Chamber One there is also a U shaped Weir that is supplied with the InTank Media One Basket.

The original Fluval Return pump is used. It has a quoted/actual Flow Rate of 650 lph. Unlike a Cannister Filter, the Flow Rate does not drop with Media being added. The Return Pump either works or it doesn't. A sign that it doesn't work is if the level in Chamber 3 drops too far. 650 lph is a sufficient rate to not warrant replacement.

I do have the InTank U shaped Weir in Chamber 1. If the Water Level in the Tank drops through evaporation, the level in Chamber 3 drops if the Weir is in place. Without the Weir, then the level change is significantly reduced. When you look at the slots between the DT and the Filter Chambers, it can be seen that as the Water Level drops, so does the Flow into the first Chamber. This is evident by a drop in the Return Chamber. I have the Tank Level set about 1.5cm from the top. Providing you are in control of adding lost Water through evaporation then the Weir is a good addition, otherwise it is best removed. In Chamber One, the Flow Rate matches the Return Pump throughput. For Matrix that is OK @ 650 lph. For the De-Nitrate the maximum Flow Rate shouldn't be exceeded, otherwise it doesn't work and Matrix is better. Placing De-Nitrate above the flow between the 1st and 3rd Chamber keeps the Flow Rate to a minimum and it works. The Flow Rate suggested is about 3x what is achieved through each Chamber but outside of the Flow Path, it is much lower, hence how the particular Media can be successfully used.

I also tried the Fluval Heater in the third Chamber. The issue is that there isn't really room for both the Heater and the Return Pump. if the Pump touches any of the Side Walls, then the vibration is heard as noise. I moved the Heater into the main Tank - exactly in the middle where there is sufficient height to keep the top out of the Water - it isn't a submersible Heater. Not the most attractive arrangement.

 

[Simon_M]

Simple solution for anyone wanting to upgrade the filtration, would be to pull out the foam block that also has additional media. To block off the inlet from Chamber 2 into the Tank. Providing the water level is maintained in the Tank, this doesn't need to be there and it affects the flow.

In Chamber 1 you can put any fast flowing Media e.g. Matrix. In Chamber 2 you can put fast flowing Media in the middle height and slow flowing media e.g. De-Nitrite in either the base or high up - just not in the middle. I used the InTank, but a bag tied up or placed at the bottom would be just as effective.

The included pump is very effective. It does pump at the rated rate of 650 lph. Unlike a Canister Filter where a combination of height, tubing and media all reduce the flow, this pump does pump at the quoted rate e.g. into a jug where it can be measured.

650 lph is too fast for some media e.g. De-Nitrite, so putting the media in a bag out of the fast flowing sections e.g. not in the middle of Chamber 2, works very well. The combination of Matrix and De-Nitrite has all but eleminated Nitrate in my Tank.

So with hindsight, the InTank inserts are good, but by no means essential. Good to have alternatives, too.

Simon