# Getting an Aqueon Evolve 4, looking for tips...



## mosspearl (Jan 30, 2013)

Congrats! That light should do wonders for anything you plant in it. I'm still waiting to upgrade mine. Aside from that, I find my Evolve4 very easy to work with.


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## Barbgirl (Feb 24, 2012)

I only got the FugeRay - R today. I currently have it on an Evolve 8 but also tested it on my Evolve 4.

I did not take into effect that the support arm was only 155mm. So instead of being able to mount the light on the very back wall of the sump, I ended up clipping it on to the left side still in the sump section which works just fine. It doesn't look bad or anything, it just does not allow you to use the cover for the sump portion. I would post picture but when I try to take a picture at the moment my phone says "critical operating system error" >.> But as soon as I can (which will hopefully be tomorrow) I will if you are interested. 

For the actual sump section I immediately trashed the media it came with. There have been a couple different mods that people have done. For someone like me who is DIY challenged and am terrified of permanently modding anything I just stuffed a AC 110 coarse sponge I had around in the initial sump compartment with some quilt batting I had underneath it to completely take up the space. Then I took an AC media bag and put in about 1/2 cup of bio rings and sunk it right above the pump to ensure all the water had to pass through it. You could probably fit more but I didn't have any more around and my tank only has PFRs in it. 


Hope that helped and made sense!


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## Shawn123 (Jan 24, 2013)

I have this tank and like it, but you may have to modify the outflow. There is a little knob on the pump to turn the flow rate down, but even turned down the whole way the current is too strong, especially for a betta. I just wrapped a piece of cloth around it with a rubber band to temper the flow. I have also heard of people poking holes in the hose to let out some water pressure.


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## DefStatic (Feb 19, 2013)

So here is what I am looking at so far:

The Plan: One of two office tanks. This one for a Betta. Will be planted.

Fish: One Betta
Plants: Would like some sort of moss, one or two medium sized plants, and would like to make an attempt at HC for a carpet.

Tank: Aqueon Evolve 4
Light: Finnex Fugeray-R
CO2: DIY
Heater: Aqueon Mini Heater 10w
Thermometer: Just some hang on one or maybe a digital
Substrate: ???
Filter: Built in, but will look at suggestions from members for alternative setups.

Odds and Ends: I know I will need testing kits.

Anything else I should look at getting or expect to get? Is there anything contradicting about what I would like to accomplish?


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## mosspearl (Jan 30, 2013)

What I did to slow down the flow was stuff a small corner of sponge into the outflow. The water still flows, but it's much slower. Then again, I'm planning for shrimp, so I want a lot less flow. I've found that by playing with the sponge placement in the outflow, I can get more or less flow, so you can get what you're comfy with for your betta. 

I also adapted the media for the filter by adding some biomax, sponges, and a bag of purigen.


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## tgold (Aug 23, 2012)

Replace the power head with a Tom Mini Internal Filter. Use just the power head. These are small and quiet, relatively inexpensive. I have been running one for a year. Just the heads can be found on amazon or ebay, but the entire filter should be found in a pet store.


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## DefStatic (Feb 19, 2013)

So I stopped be a local PetCo, I knew they were already having a sale on the Evolves. Ends up for some reason the Evolve 4 was on clearance for $35, so I snagged one up.

Wow this was a lot smaller than I thought! LOL. But its all good, it is just for one Betta anyways, and the price was too much to resist.


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## DefStatic (Feb 19, 2013)

Well, I jumped the gun again and got a Betta LOL. I saw him and couldn't resist. HalfMoon DoubleTail Male. The most brilliant blue I have ever seen. In the mean time while I get the Evolve setup, I bought a 5 cup bowl for him to stay in.

What do I need to be aware of when keeping a Betta in this tank (other than flow) in regard to plants? Can I still do a low tech CO2? Am I going to run into problems keeping the tank balanced for a Betta and plants?

To reduce the flow, I am looking at this inline adjustable valve. Is it better to reduce the flow at the intake or the output?


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## DefStatic (Feb 19, 2013)

Barbgirl said:


> I only got the FugeRay - R today. I currently have it on an Evolve 8 but also tested it on my Evolve 4.
> 
> I did not take into effect that the support arm was only 155mm. So instead of being able to mount the light on the very back wall of the sump, I ended up clipping it on to the left side still in the sump section which works just fine. It doesn't look bad or anything, it just does not allow you to use the cover for the sump portion. I would post picture but when I try to take a picture at the moment my phone says "critical operating system error" >.> But as soon as I can (which will hopefully be tomorrow) I will if you are interested.
> 
> ...


Hey, a fellow New Englander!

Well, here is the thing, and shame on me for this. I have been reading everything I can on fish, everything I can on plants, lighting, substrate, feeding, etc etc etc. I have not done any studying on water and filtering and stuff like that.

The existing filter appears to simply be a, well, filter. Like what one would put in a car LOL. This can't be great. So what do I do to improve that?


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## mosspearl (Jan 30, 2013)

You don't have to use the provided pieces that slide in place. I added biomax and filled the rest with sponges and a bag of purigen.


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## Barbgirl (Feb 24, 2012)

I just threw it away  opened up some space for a coarse sponge originally meant for an aquaclear 110. The aquaclear 70 might work as well but I had the 100 and was able to stuff it in the first chamber of the sump. I just filled the whole first chamber with coarse sponge.


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## DefStatic (Feb 19, 2013)

mosspearl said:


> You don't have to use the provided pieces that slide in place. I added biomax and filled the rest with sponges and a bag of purigen.



Any more details than that? I have no idea about this stuff. Prob why this Evolve came with such a simple filter LOL.

What happens if I start now with the Aqueon filter? Can I change later?


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## DefStatic (Feb 19, 2013)

So this is what I did to the pump for a modification. I used a plastic ball valve and some tubing just a size smaller than what came with it. Cut the existing tubing as sort of connecters to put it all together.

Any thoughts or qualms against this?


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## DefStatic (Feb 19, 2013)

So it works, but wow, even with this the flow seems to high. I am going to try to turn it to half closed and see what happens.


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## Pooky125 (Jul 30, 2002)

Yeah, the flow on the Evolves is quite strong. I folded up a piece of panty hose a couple of times and rubber banded it over the output. That seemed to stem it down to an acceptable rate.


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## DefStatic (Feb 19, 2013)

Pooky125 said:


> Yeah, the flow on the Evolves is quite strong. I folded up a piece of panty hose a couple of times and rubber banded it over the output. That seemed to stem it down to an acceptable rate.


What would be considered an acceptable rate? I dont want to stress the pump. The flow as it is you can barely see the water line move. When a piece of debris gets infront of the power head it blows it around pretty good.

And I put my Betta in today, and he doesn't seem to like the flow much. I am going to try to reduce the intake as well, by placing a sponge in between the slots and the filter. See if that helps.

I have read that you want to aim for only 4-5 GPH movement.


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## DefStatic (Feb 19, 2013)

I did not want to reduce the flow through the output anymore than the quarter on the added valve, for fear of straining the pump. I read from someone who supposedly helped design these Evolve tanks that the pumps for the Evolve 4 and 8 are rated at 100 GPH.

So I purchased a 2 pack Fluval Foam thing. It fit in perfectly over the intake slots.

Are there any thoughts about this method? Did I buy the wrong item? The flow seems to have reduces a little, trying to gauge by how he is reacting.


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## seuadr (Feb 20, 2013)

I have the evolve 8, so a little different, but:

i turned my pump output all the way to the bottom. i did some diy flow measuring with a measuring cup and figure that it is still supplying in the area of 55-60gph which is still a fairly brisk output and kinda/sorta conforms to the 10 changeovers an hour rule. the pump pulls through a generic mechanical filter, then a purigen pad, then 750g of bio blocks. I moved the pump (after extending the hose) under the first stage of the sump housing and built a little shelf for the bio blocks so you can pull them out more easily and to make sure that it pulls water through them and them only. I also found that if you aim the output nozzle straight up it agitates the surface pretty good but only really has current in the front right corner of the tank.. there is a nice dead spot in the middle and the back left corner for my fish to hang out if he so desires.


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