Upgrades for the Fluval Evo 13.5

[CrazyDuck959]

Hello!

I am sorry if this has been asked before. But I’m trying to find a good new light for my Fluval Evo that has either a regular timer or a Bluetooth timer. My schedule has been changing a lot recently and I always end up turning the lights on and off at random times. I would like to have the stock light on a timer. But then I can’t use the blue light. And if I get a new light I can’t have a lid on the tank to prevent jumping out. I’m totally lost on what to do here. I can’t get corals if I don’t get my tank into a schedule. Anybody have any suggestions for me. And I’m not on a budget so if items are expensive it’s fine. Just looking for the best options here.

- CrazyDuck959

 

[blaxsun]

It's a tough call, as if you end up losing the lid for a different light you have a lot more evaporation occurring.

 

[CrazyDuck959]

It's a tough call, as if you end up losing the lid for a different light you have a lot more evaporation occurring.

Yeah been trying to figure out the pros and cons but at this point if you get one good thing you add another bad thing.

 

[blaxsun]

Yeah been trying to figure out the pros and cons but at this point if you get one good thing you add another bad thing.

I think you should get a bigger tank.

 

[Uriken]

I have a Fluval EVO. Getting rid of the lid was actually a plus in my book. The evaporation is somewhat dictated by your output flow nozzles and how much you are breaking the water surface through the adjustment. I made several changes with this tank stemming from the stock pump removal and going to a Sicce pump for more flow and than adding the "Fluval Nano Marine light" ($100.00) which works perfect and has full blown program control using your phone with the app. I also added the Hyyger Mini Wave Maker. The tank has been a great little reef growing everything from zoanthids to beautiful LPS and some low end SPS.

 

[CrazyDuck959]

I think you should get a bigger tank.

I don’t got space

 

[CrazyDuck959]

I have a Fluval EVO. Getting rid of the lid was actually a plus in my book. The evaporation is somewhat dictated by your output flow nozzles and how much you are breaking the water surface through the adjustment. I made several changes with this tank stemming from the stock pump removal and going to a Sicce pump for more flow and than adding the "Fluval Nano Marine light" ($100.00) which works perfect and has full blown program control using your phone with the app. I also added the Hyyger Mini Wave Maker. The tank has been a great little reef growing everything from zoanthids to beautiful LPS and some low end SPS.

Did you add anything to help prevent jumping fish in the tank?

 

[Uriken]

I only have 1 large Black Onyx Percula as I'm a coral lover mainly. Go to Kraken Reef if you want a custom lid that is designed to fit the EVO perfectly. They allow light to penetrate into the tank and it to breathe properly while keeping the jumpers in.

 

[aSaltyKlown]

You could go with an Orbit Marine or the Fluval Marine 3.0 and modify the lid.

Here are two that put it under, but I have seen some, where the lid was cut to accommodate it by trimming the original hole.

Fluval Evo 13.5 w/ under hood Current Orbit lighting

Hi everyone! I was wondering if anyone has seen a mod to add the Current USA Orbit light to the Fluval Evo but integrate it into the hood? Is this possible?

www.nano-reef.com

 

[CrazyDuck959]

I only have 1 large Black Onyx Percula as I'm a coral lover mainly. Go to Kraken Reef if you want a custom lid that is designed to fit the EVO perfectly. They allow light to penetrate into the tank and it to breathe properly while keeping the jumpers in.

Wow those kraken reef lids look great. How well does that light you said above do with corals and stuff? I here that the AI prime light is also good but very expensive.

 

[Derrick0580]

Intank media chamber 1
Eheim compacton 1000 return pump
Innovative marine diy mesh cover
Ai prime 16 hd light
Ai nero 3 wave maker
Tunze nano ato
Innovative marine 5 gal ato reservoir
Heater of choice

i have 2 evos and have these upgrades for them.

 

[JoJosReef]

Kraken lid works great. Light goes through perfectly.

AI prime is a great light. I can only recommend against the Orbit and Fluval Marine 3.0. I bought the Orbit and returned it because it arrived with salt encrusted on the inside of the light. Fluval Marine 3.0 gave a beautiful full lighting to the tank but was too weak. If you want to keep the bar-type lights to avoid the height of mounted lights and stay on budget, a kraken lid + 2x 21LEDUSA ReefbarPro Deep Blue bars fit the EVO perfectly and give great light for growing softies, LPS and nems--100% sure it'd do for SPS, but I don't have SPS because of my higher NO3/PO4.

Sicce 1.0 gives great flow and can support an RFG.

Intank Media Basket in chamber 1 is worth it.

Lots if good ways to run an Evo!

 

[Spare time]

You ca get a mesh lid kit for the tank

 

[toomanymatts]

I've seen the hood modified to add two reefbar LEDs. That's my plan down the road, then add KASA smart plugs to that. I already have one for the stock light.

 

[gibec]

sicce 1.0 pump, ai prime hd, 1x wavemaker of your choice are a must!
I have a mesh lid with no ATO atm and its not that bad. The most days I can take as vacation would be 3 days without topping off. I would add more water before going on vacation, salinity to 1.024. I would come back from a 3 day vacation and it would be at 1.026.
I need me a ATO, but used too much money as of now and wife getting worried im spending too much on the tank. I told her 800 dollars is all i need for the hobby and oh boy oh boy was i wrong. LOL

 

[Reefn34]

I have a Fluval EVO. Getting rid of the lid was actually a plus in my book. The evaporation is somewhat dictated by your output flow nozzles and how much you are breaking the water surface through the adjustment. I made several changes with this tank stemming from the stock pump removal and going to a Sicce pump for more flow and than adding the "Fluval Nano Marine light" ($100.00) which works perfect and has full blown program control using your phone with the app. I also added the Hyyger Mini Wave Maker. The tank has been a great little reef growing everything from zoanthids to beautiful LPS and some low end SPS.

What corals do you have under that light? Looking to get it for softies and rock flower nems

 

[Uriken]

When I had the Fluval Marine Light I could easily grow soft corals and some LPS like hammers and frogspawn. But I wanted some varieties of SPS later on and then I went with the Kessel 160 on a flex neck and it handles everything easily running at 40%. Truthfully I could have went with the Kessel 80 and it would have worked also at half the cost. The 160 is overkill on that tank.

 

[CrazyDuck959]

I just recently got the Fluval Marine 3.0 light just so I could use it with the lid. And that way it kept the same lighting spots as the stock light.

 

[Uriken]

I just recently got the Fluval Marine 3.0 light just so I could use it with the lid. And that way it kept the same lighting spots as the stock light.

The only thing I wish that Fluval would have done was make the lights mounting arm a bit taller to get the light up higher a bit. The light has the power to achieve PAR levels but when maxing out the mounting height on the light do the bracket it forces the light to have a smaller spread imprint. I run without the lid just for the sake of optimal gas exchange / evaporation.

 

[reaper93]

I own the fluval evo 5 and replaced the stock light with an AI Prime and love the colors it gives off. Obviously extremely overkill for a 5 gallon but I love it