# My Evolve 4 Red Rili and Dario Tank



## rnaodm (Jun 9, 2012)

Nice, I'm torn between the aqueon 4g and the petco 6.6g.

Hopefully Ill be buying one or the other on the 1st


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## dubels (Jun 14, 2012)

I really like my Evolve. But that 6.6g is really well priced. I got the evolve because I was trying to justify the size. I am running out of room for tanks in my small place. If all goes well with my shrimp tanks I think I am going to get one last small glass 5 gallon and start a breeder tank for CRS with a HMF filter. What do you plan on doing with the 6.6g? 

I have a small cheap pump from a water fountain I might try to replace the stock pump with. The flow is really too strong for such a small tank. I want to remove the sponge from in front of the output.


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## rnaodm (Jun 9, 2012)

Im going to use dirt for the base, topped with some small natural brown gravel. Already picked up the miracle gro organic/gravel

Im not too versed on the types of plants available.

Maybe black lava rock, no driftwood


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## FisheriesOmen (Jan 14, 2012)

Definitely go for the 6.6g, that thing seizes to impress me and has a wwaayy better footprint than the Evolve for shrimp.

Really like how the tank looks atm. and you can always just say overflow, I don't really think there is such thing as a "False Wall" cause then it wouldn't be a wall lol

Good Luck with the tank!


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## Dave6265 (Nov 18, 2011)

Make sure you put some screening in front of the inflow for the filter. I have neo yellows, and the juveniles would go right through the slits and disappear in the back.


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## dubels (Jun 14, 2012)

I have some really dense foam in front of the intake right now to the overflow. I was planning on getting some filter floss. When I did my first water change I found 3 shrimp in the back of the overflow so I went out and got a denser sponge. If it gets really bad I think I might do a pantyhose around the sponge. If the pantyhose method slows the flow too much I might try and get a stainless steal mesh or find something else.

Right now I have the problem of the shy dario darios getting kicked out of the little caves I made under the driftwood. The shrimp love it under there and I just see the dario darios freak out from time to time being chased out by the shrimp. I might need to move them because even when I feed them bloodworms they get chased around. 

I was using the term false wall because I was going to get a 5 gallon glass tank and create an all in one tank with a "false wall" made of acrylic, but I found this evolve on sale at petsmart. I went with the evolve because it fit perfectly on top of the metal filing cabinet without taking up space on my desk. 

Thanks for the comments.


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## TeteRouge (Jul 26, 2009)

I siliconed a piece of screen in front of the overflow/filter inflow on my Nuvo. Its hardly noticable and quite effective. Must remember to check it for debris tho, clogging would be a mess.


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## FisheriesOmen (Jan 14, 2012)

Never knew shrimp could be so savage......


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## dubels (Jun 14, 2012)

Shrimp are not that savage. The darios that I have are just extremely shy. Today when I feed it bloodworms I had to use the turkey baster to feed it directly because it kept on getting freaked out by the shrimp trying to eat the bloodworm. The darios are known for being picky eaters too. Maybe it will justify just one more nano tank...


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## dubels (Jun 14, 2012)

New pictures. Looking forward for the shrimp to grow a bit.


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## shinycard255 (Sep 15, 2011)

I recently just picked up one of these today and have been wondering how you blocked off the overflow from shrimp getting in there?

I did notice that the flow is insane in such a small tank. Did you just wrap a little bit of foam around the output and hold it down with a rubber band?

Edit: Can you also show a pic of how you stuffed your filter so I get an idea of how to do mine??


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## acitydweller (Dec 28, 2011)

What a very nice setup. Nice work!


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## dubels (Jun 14, 2012)

shinycard255 said:


> I recently just picked up one of these today and have been wondering how you blocked off the overflow from shrimp getting in there?
> 
> I did notice that the flow is insane in such a small tank. Did you just wrap a little bit of foam around the output and hold it down with a rubber band?
> 
> Edit: Can you also show a pic of how you stuffed your filter so I get an idea of how to do mine??


I'll try and get a picture of that today. I just shoved some foam and filter floss in to that area. Made sure the sponge was thick enough to force the filter floss flush agaisnt the overflow and small hole below it. TBH the small hole is the worst. Didn't realize that was the problem until a few weeks in. My rili loved climbing in there and then back into the pump area.

Yeah I did just wrap some foam around the outlet. It directs some flow directly above it cause some agitation to the surface.


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## simplechamp (Jul 22, 2012)

I removed the nozzle from my Evolve 2 and it helped mellow out the current quite a bit. Still would like it a little lower, was thinking of looking for a small valve to splice into the tubing coming out of the pump.


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## dubels (Jun 14, 2012)

I think I might try removing my nozzle tonight. I also heard cutting the uptake between the pump and the outlet helps. I prefer not to cut that tube. I wonder if I can make something to emulate a lilly pipe outlet for the Evolve. After I slowed down my flow I noticed a lot or surface scum so I have it aimed at the surface right now.


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## Noahma (Oct 18, 2009)

dubels said:


> New pictures. Looking forward for the shrimp to grow a bit.



your poor scarlet badis looks like he might be a bit hungry. Seems that your LFS might not have realized they will not eat flake food. Frozen foods that look "alive" will perk their interest though


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## shinycard255 (Sep 15, 2011)

dubels said:


> I think I might try removing my nozzle tonight. I also heard cutting the uptake between the pump and the outlet helps. I prefer not to cut that tube. I wonder if I can make something to emulate a lilly pipe outlet for the Evolve. After I slowed down my flow I noticed a lot or surface scum so I have it aimed at the surface right now.


Let me know if you remove the nozzle and how well is works after. I'm curious if it will slow down the flow a bit


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## Qwedfg (Mar 7, 2012)

Really like your tank!

I have an aqueon 2 and 4... they are pretty nice tanks imo. I am just about to get some shrimp in my 2 gal and some of them will be juvenile so I am interested how you blocked the small hole?

My thought atm is to put some reef putty in there and then either hoping my hairgrass will cover it or buying some black silicone and covering it.


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## dubels (Jun 14, 2012)

Noahma said:


> your poor scarlet badis looks like he might be a bit hungry. Seems that your LFS might not have realized they will not eat flake food. Frozen foods that look "alive" will perk their interest though


The Scarlet Badis eats worms. I only feed one tank flake and that is the tank with chili rasboras and CPDs. I found out that with snails in the tank I don't need to feed the scarlet badis because it will hunt for snail eggs. I have sat and watched it eat a whole sack of eggs and ignore the blood worms by its head.

shinycard255: I will remove the nozzle when I get home from work today. 

Qwedfg: I used a sponge and dense filter pad. I cut a sponge so I can use the OEM filter cartridge to hold the filter pad there. The sponge is sandwiched between the filter pad and the cartridge. Its cut so it blocks both the small hole and the overflow. I haven't had to clean or replace the filter pad yet. I have been thinking about getting a stainless steel screen for that area but I need to source one that will be small enough to keep baby shrimp out. 

I'll post an update once I get done with my trim.


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## acitydweller (Dec 28, 2011)

regarding the nozel, have you tried to either pointing it towards the water level to increase surface agitation or towards the right wall to diffuse against the glass?

i have two of these tanks and havent seen a need to touch the powerhead or nozel. adding two stages of the prefiltering is however a different story.


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## dubels (Jun 14, 2012)

I tried point the nozzle at the surface and to the right wall to diffuse but the current becomes too strong for the scarlet badis.


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## acitydweller (Dec 28, 2011)

you can ziptie part of a filter media bag to the nozzel. use a lbag with larger pores to allow for more water flow. Pantyhose/stockings with some holes cut into it could serve the same purpose.


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## Qwedfg (Mar 7, 2012)

dubels said:


> Qwedfg: I used a sponge and dense filter pad. I cut a sponge so I can use the OEM filter cartridge to hold the filter pad there. The sponge is sandwiched between the filter pad and the cartridge. Its cut so it blocks both the small hole and the overflow. I haven't had to clean or replace the filter pad yet. I have been thinking about getting a stainless steel screen for that area but I need to source one that will be small enough to keep baby shrimp out.
> 
> I'll post an update once I get done with my trim.


I was under the impression that the small hole led to the bottom of the AIO not the portion with the filter pad? If it was in the filter box then it would be pretty simple to cover, Ill have to check it out when I get home.

Also I put AC Filter pads in the tube between the pump and outlet and it seems to cut the flow alot. On my 4 gal I had to cut the tube because it was too much for my betta even with filter pad in there.


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## dubels (Jun 14, 2012)

The small hole is in the filter box. I filled my tank that way to avoid getting the waters too murky. I filled it from the filter box and expected the water to come over the overflow but instead it emptied out from the small hole.


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## dubels (Jun 14, 2012)

Update 8/8/12 Fighting an algae out break.

So far I have found green spot algae, black bush algae, and staghorn algae. I have otos in the tank and will introduce amanos when I get the chance but right not the tank is going on a black out after I cleaned up the algae on the glass. 

I cannot figure out why my tank is having algae problems. I am using a 13w 6500k bulb 15 inches above the substrate and have it on a timer for 6 hours. I dose micro and macro ferts only with water changes and have no co2 in the tank. Since the algae out break I have been dosing 1/2 doses of excel to combat it but it has not been helping. I really want to get this figured out because I hate seeing my tank all blacked out.


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## dubels (Jun 14, 2012)

The tank has been revived. Still a work in progress. Don't mind the dirty acrylic been working at removing all the over grown plants. You can still see some of the roots that used to go the height of the tank. 

You can see the some snails munching on my DIY kale flakes.









Was too lazy to get the DSLR out, the auto focus was struggling here: 








There is a male-female pair of dario darios in the tank but the female mainly hides under the moss by the base of the driftwood.

Current stocklist: 
2 - Dario Dario
1 - Clown Killi
4 - Amano Shrimp 
6 - Pygmy Cories


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## nomad1721 (Jan 3, 2011)

Wow! That tank has really grown out. I really like the picture of the Dario Dario, such cool little fish!


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## dubels (Jun 14, 2012)

It was a bit out of control. The subwassertang grew from a small trimming that came with the original rili shrimp into double the size it is today. I want to replant the tank and take out some of the ferns and replace the anubias with a nana or petite, but that is going to wait. I have a suspicion that something is up with the female dario/badis. The male dario's color really came out after the addition of the female and feeding of live micro worms three times a week. 

This has to be my favorite tank right now. Really has survived a lot of neglect over the past 8 months. Low maintenance and has gotten me back into fish again. No more shrimp only bias, well at least for all tanks but two.


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## DTDPlanted (Apr 2, 2012)

Nice tank I'm hoping my evolve grows in that well!


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## Zoidborg (Jan 29, 2014)

Love it! can't wait till my evolve grows out like yours.


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