Thank goodness – I’m about out of things to acquire. I’m looking at the AI Prime HD16 – a little pricy, but it seems like it has all the features and capabilities I’d ever need. At some point, I do want full programing capability for color and intensity. ![]() I have done light performance testing for the stock EVO 13.5 lights (that will be in an upcoming review) and they will do fine for the tank’s startup. ![]() It’s a perfect compromise that allows plenty of light in, lets me enjoy the views into the tank from above, and lets air flow over the surface for cooling. Innovative Marine makes a great 24″ x 24″ kit that let’s you trim the frame to your aquarium size and assemble your own mesh top yourself. The best compromise that I found is a mesh material that you assemble inside a frame on the perimeter of your tank. Fish are almost certain to jump out eventually with no top and that’s a risk I don’t want. However, going full topless on a marine tank is a no-no. That’s the main reason I want to go topless with this new tank, just as I’ve done with our Spec V. Unfortunately, the stock EVO cover fully envelops the tank and hinders airflow across the top. I have used these fans on our Spec V for many years, and it’s a very effective method to maintain temperature stability. The lid that comes with the Fluval EVO 13.5 is good, but it hinders a critical component that I’m going to add to our tank, and that is fans for cooling. I found this 2-1/2 Gallon container that is the perfect capacity and shape for our stand and tank. Just about anything will do, but I wanted to get one that fit efficiently in our stand. One accessory needed for any ATO system is a reservoir to hold the makeup water. I discuss these in my full AutoAQUA Smart ATO Lite Review. The AutoAQUA has some safety capabilities build in to prevent an overflow. It’s sensor based (as opposed to a float switch ATO) and is very small – perfect for a nano aquarium. The AutoAQUA Smart ATO Lite is one such ATO. However, new technologies and manufacturers are now making available low cost and reliable ATO systems. I knew that we would not be able to add RODI top off water often enough (especially if we went away for vacation) to maintain stability I made it a priority to get an Automatic Top Off (or ATO) System to automate freshwater replacement.ĪTO’s have historically (in the marine aquarium hobby) been complicated, bulky, unreliable, and expensive. The challenge is adding the water back often enough to not cause swings in salinity. The solution to the freshwater leaving by evaporation is simply to replace with more freshwater (in our case – RODI water). Over time, as more had more freshwater leaves the tank, the salinity of the water in the tank will rise. Water that evaporates from a saltwater tank is fresh (pure) water the salt and minerals in the saltwater are left behind. With marine aquariums, the impact of evaporation is greater. With a freshwater tank, when water evaporates, it’s not too big of a deal since what is left is still freshwater – there is just less of it. One huge difference between freshwater aquariums and saltwater aquariums is the effect of evaporation and the tank’s stability. I will be following up with a detailed review of the Aqamai KPS wavemaker in the future. There are cheaper circulation pumps that are constant flow, but I wanted a wavemaker that is programmable so I can adjust to the tank’s needs as it evolves. This wavemaker provides flow up to 1,050 GPH, which should be plenty of flow for an EVO 13.5. You can break the day up into 15 minute increments and customize each time slot for the flow pattern (Constant Flow, Wave, Smooth, Radom, Feed, Night) and intensity (as a percentage up to 100%). However, the Aqamai KPS is able to be programmed for a number of intensities and flow patterns that can be varied throughout the day. There are cheaper circulation pumps that are suitable for a nano aquarium. I think fish will be fine with just the stock EVO pump, but most corals will need some additional flow to stay happy and healthy. ![]() ![]() My ultimate goal for this nano marine aquarium is to house not only fish but also a few corals. However, I believe they are still good value for the added convenience and stability each offers. If you are on a budget, I’d consider all of these as ‘optional’. Beyond the basics that I covered in Part 1 of our EVO 13.5 series, I have a few other upgrade products that I wanted to include in our build.
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