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DefStatic's Office Evolve 4 - Home to Blue Phoenix

7K views 29 replies 9 participants last post by  DefStatic 
#1 ·
So I thought I would start a tank journal thread, since I never have. There is not a lot to say when building a nano right? LOL.

Inhabitant -
Fish: Halfmoon Doubletail Male (Blue Phoenix)

Equipment -
Tank: Aqueon Evolve 4
Light: Finnex Fugeray-R
Filter: Built in, with an added Fluval Sponge at the intake
Pump: Modified with an adjustable valve
Substrate: Petco Black Sand, about 3/4 a 5lb bag, with root tabs
Heater: Aqueon 50w adjustable
Also: CoralLife Digital Thermometer

Plants:
Amazon Sword
Asian Water Fern
Also: Zebra Stripe Rock

More posts to follow...
 
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#2 ·
I will start with a picture of my pump...



I learned from another location, from someone who supposedly helped design the Evolve series, that the pumps for the Evolve 4 and 8 are rated at 100 GPH. WAY too much for most fish IMO in a 4 gallon tank, let alone a Betta. From another user, on here I believe, I learned that at it's lowest setting, it is still putting out 55 GPH.

I researched some methods that others used to reduce the flow. I liked them, but I wanted something a little different. Also, I wanted to be able to fine tune the flow and easily.

So I went to Home Depot and put this together. The original tube was I believe 1" ID. Or something close. Either way, what I purchased was 3/8" OD x 1/4" ID Tubing, which fit right inside and snugly to the tubing that came with the pump. I also purchased a Quick-Connect Lead Free 3/8" OD Straight Valve.

I measured the length of the original setup, and matched the best I could with the new setup, which really wasn't that hard. I used the old tubing as a kind of flange or connector for the smaller tubing that is connected to the valve.

Right now, I have the valve turned a quarter closed. I feel that between this and the slightly smaller size of the tubing, I should have reduced the flow appropriately.

However, it does still seem a little fast for my Betta. He does ok in the current, where there is current. But I still find him resting near the filter intake.

So I also added a Fluval Sponge at the filter intake, hoping that would reduce the flow a little as well, and it really did nothing.

I am also open to better filtration ideas as well. I just have not had a chance to look into these.

I will reduce the flow even more once the tank has fully cycled. I do not want to reduce the flow anymore right now while the tank truly cycles.
 
#3 ·
Nice work on the pump adjustment.

My suggestion would be to revamp the sump compartment to convert into a huge bio filter using a Hamburger Mattenfilter. the volume of water and the course sponge should act as a baffle to prevent fry and shrimp from getting stuck and also use the surface area to host beneficial bacteria.
 
#4 ·
I wish I had more pics to go through kind of a step by step process LOL. However, it is an Evolve 4, nano, pretty straight forward tank.





I am open to suggestions. I do not know if I would like to do a carpet in the front left, infront of the rock. Or maybe some moss. Or maybe leave it alone.
 
#8 ·
I am certainly open to moss. There are a few out there that really interest me. I think doing any other kind of carpet would be tough, and I would fear it would get out of control fast.

Plus, while my light is better than the stock light, at the bottom of the tank I think it is still on the high low side. Also, I am not doing CO2 yet. I have a plastic diffuser that I was thinking of using in conjuntion with a DIY type style. I got it and a glass set on the cheap here. If I can get by without CO2 I will.

I have not started using any liquid fert yet either. Not sure if I should yet.
 
#7 ·
I wanted to get rid of the Asian Water Fern after reading about it, but I really like the look. But the even more important reason not to get rid of it, Blue Phoenix seems to have taken a liking to resting underneath them.

 
#9 ·
He survived the weekend on his own. Looks like I only lost half an inch in water. Temp is still right at 81 even. Timer appears to be working fine.

I will confess. I drove 30 miles to work to check on him Saturday LOL.

Water params seem ok. Right now I only have the 6-in-1 test strips.

PH: 6.8.
KH: 40
GH: 25
Chlorine: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: Well, this one finally started to change from white to a VERY VERY VERY slight pink to it.

I hope to get the API test kit next week.

There was a slight cloudiness still on Friday, which seems to have almost all gone away today.
 
#13 ·
I hope to get the API test kit next week.
Just ordered mine on amazon along with the gh / kh test kit

both combined under 26$ not a bad deal considering the master test kit alone at my lfs is 29.99

it seems that the 4 gallon is an ideal betta habitat and will be watching your thread and progress closely
 
#10 ·
I have made a slight adjustment to the added valve. I turned it another hair, maybe 1/3 closed now.

I do not dare turn it any further, as I do not want to stress the pump.
 
#15 · (Edited)
I just wanted to post a new pic from this week.

IDK if I posted a pic of what it looked like when first setup, if not I will. I cycled with no fish for a week, obviously this would not do much but verify the tank is setup and working.

1st Week Setup/No Fish


2nd Week Setup/1st Week Fish


3rd Week Setup/2nd Week With Fish:


You should be able to clearly see the cloudiness is 99% gone. This is also with no water changes since early Monday.
 
#18 ·
According to something I read on another site, the pumps for the 4 and the 8 are the same. So I can see that being an issue. What may be good for the 4 may not be good for the 8.

Because of the clearance and sales I saw everywhere, I am wondering if there is an updated version of all the Evolves on the way. Or if it was just a spring cleaning sale.
 
#19 ·
This is my first planted tank, so I don't really have much to compare LOL. I can tell you I am very satisfied. My only complaint would be the arm, but normally a light like this would literally site on the back of the tank, not a tank where the back is also the pump/filter area. Do not get me wrong, the arm is very sturdy, very adjustable, stays where you put it. But for my application it would have been nice if it were an inch longer.

The build quality is something to be appreciated. I mean, for $30, who knows what you are going to get. Not with Finnex, you know you are getting quality. All the heat is dissipated to the frame. Not that there is any heat, but what little heat there is goes there. I cannot feel hardly a thing directly under the light.

The option to have just the red LEDs on is nice, but something I doubt I would use.

As you can see from my pics, the light is just right. Doesn't have that washed out effect at the top. Isn't spreading all over places it shouldn't. Nice even spread throughout the tank. Colors are popping.

As for growth, well, can't really comment at this time. Maybe in another month. I would call this a fairly low tech setup as far as the substrate/ferts go. Medium to High Tech as far as the rest of the equipment LOL. But I am just using Petco Sand and Root Tabs. No CO2, no liquid ferts.

If I had the money, I would setup another Evolve 4 and either compare lights or compare this light with a better substrate and CO2.

If you look at the pic of the first week it was setup, and compare it to the 3rd week, you can see the Amazon Swords have really started to come into their own. They haven't gotten much taller, but they are starting to take their own respective spaces. Almost like they are staking their territory and moving around LOL. I really need to get in there and spread them out a bit more. But you can see the difference!

The "Asian Water Fern" is said to be quite a slow and difficult grower. I have not seen a lot of changes with it, however what cannot be seen is I already have a new stem growing out of one of the bunches with a new leaf. "

So yeah, I am going to keep a week by week pic log. I am more than satisfied with the FugeRay-R. I would recommend it to anyone with an Evolve 4 or 8. And any tank I think it would fit well in I will be using one of these. Although depending on the tank and what is growing, I might suggest one of the traditional Finnex lights.
 
#22 ·
I have not reduced the flow yet anymore, I am thinking about giving the extra valve yet another turn.

I am still waiting to do a 50% water change by mid month. Still doing 20% weekly changes. When I do the 50% water change, I am going to reposition my swords, and add new root tabs.

Dosing with API Leaf Zone, 1ml a week.

Also, I had my light timer set from 8AM to 8PM. I have since changed this to 9AM to 6PM. From what I have read, for the light I have I was over-exposing I guess you could say.
 
#23 ·
So I had a bit of a Nitrite spike. I really gotta get that dang API Master Test kit instead of these stupid test strips.

Looks like only 1ppm, can't really be sure. I had not done a water change in almost 2 weeks. So I did a 50% water change today. Added a new root tab by the swords.

I tried to move my swords, not happening. I gave just a little tug at the base, would not budge. I have no idea how much I can actually pull on them. I am fairly certain they are too bunched up.

I am thinking of ditching the "Asian Water Fern", but I do not know what to replace it with. My fish likes to hang out under them, so I need something similar.
 
#25 ·
Once I detected the Nitrite spike, I went back to semi-daily 20% water changes for a week. Before this, it started to creep towards 3ppm. I do not know if this is a mis-reading though from starting to use API Leaf Zone.

Either way, I stopped with the Leaf Zone and started doing 20% Semi Daily water changes again. I left the tank alone all weekend (as this is my office tank).

When I got back I was afraid what I might find. But everything was fine, and I did a water test, and there was no Nitrites.

Now it is back to dealing with an algae problem. Although I am told this is a good sign my cycle may be finished. Because of the algae, I switched out my Fugeray for the original LED for now.

My Argentine Swords have doubled. The new growth looks good. The old leaves seem to be melting or dying. Some of them are hanging in there, but I am told this is to be expected and perhaps I should just cut off the old growth.

My "Asian Water Fern" is the oddball right now. They have been taking over fairly well by algae. Two of the bunches have a few new stems/tiny leaves sprouting. One hasn't really done anything. I have read that I planted them wrong. They came barely attached to some sort of greenish stem or plastic. And I planted them just so that the rhyzomes could attach themselves to the substrate. So they are kind of just barely hanging in there. I guess I need to get a small piece of drift wood to attach them to.

I am torn on keeping them or getting rid of them. I was surprised to see all the new growth on them. But they have been seriously over run with algae.

I am going to get some Flourish Excel and see what happens.
 
#26 ·
So after setting up my 30 gal at home with an Aquaclear 50, I took a closer look at the media chamber for the Aquaclear and the Evolve, and noticed they are almost the same size.

So I went to Petco today and picked up 2 sponges and the carbon insert. They did not have the biomax rings, which is why I picked up an extra sponge.

I also picked up this Fluval Nano black sponge that fits perfectly over the intake.

I stuffed the first sponge down to the bottom. Then the carbon bag on top of that. If I had the biomax rings I would have put that next, which would have put it at the water level. Instead I used another sponge. I also have the Nano Sponge placed infront of the intake.

As per standard Evolves, the water goes into the intake area into the media, then there is a spill way on top into the pump chamber.

Anyone have any thoughts? Should this setup be good? I am going to order the biomax rings online and replace the second sponge with that.

I did a 50% water change at the same time. Should I have any worries about my existing cycle? Which I still am not sure has even completed.
 
#27 ·
*** Update 5/6/2013 ***

So I really need to clean this thread up, and update. I see how people fall behind LOL as I am now.

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-dHjTpvSa658/UYfTByuyVTI/AAAAAAAACeE/****-b0x1Hc/s1280/IMAG0852.jpg

I removed the "Asian Water Fern" or African Water Fern LOL. I saved it though! It was getting significant new growth, however I think it was just too slow a grower for my tank, and was causing an algae problem. Even after changing back to the Evolve light, in a weeks time I would be swarmed with algae.

The other problem was I was out of the office for a day, and some unconfirmed person fed my fish. Well, over fed would be more appropriate. I have not found out who yet. You can see I clearly have a sign that has been there the whole time. I found 6 or 7 pieces of food on the sand/rock/plants uneaten obviously and a few pieces on my desk.

When I got to work the next day, my fish was still alive, but I had a huge bacteria or algae bloom. My rock was entirely covered, and all my plants were.

I have since hidden my food. And the next day I came in on the weekend and removed the water fern into a plastic container of water. I cleaned the rock totally and sat it under a desk light for an hour. I cleaned all my Argentine Swords the best I could, sucked up any and all algae on the sand and cleaned the acrylic. It was the worst I had ever seen it.

I then went to a petco and picked up a tube of Wysteria, which you can see added in the pic. I am not a huge fan of it but at the same time I like it. I have read these really help soak up extra nutrients.

After two days, I can say I have not seen a resurgence of the algae, yet. I am going to add some Ozmocote tabs I bought as well. My swords are suffering pretty bad.
 
#28 ·
I am sad to report that, while this tank lasted nearly a year at my office, I had to go away for 2 weeks and the first weekend I was away, my fish died and the tank fell apart.

I have no idea what happened. Everything was fine the day before I left, he even was making bubble nest. I suspect foul play over the weekend, perhaps by a careless cleaning person.

On top of that, there was some mis-direction on what to do after that happened, and the tank was emptied and nearly trashed. I recovered the tank but it was a total loss.

No more tanks at the office. This one has come home with me and has been cleaned up the best I could. Some of the algae that built up dried onto the acrylic and left marks, but for the most part the tank is salvageable.

All plants were a total loss as well. I tried to salvage some but they all wasted away. So I will be starting from scratch again.

I will post some updates when I can. Thanks!
 
#29 ·
I am sad to report that, while this tank lasted nearly a year at my office, I had to go away for 2 weeks and the first weekend I was away, my fish died and the tank fell apart.

I have no idea what happened. Everything was fine the day before I left, he even was making bubble nest. I suspect foul play over the weekend, perhaps by a careless cleaning person.

On top of that, there was some mis-direction on what to do after that happened, and the tank was emptied and nearly trashed. I recovered the tank but it was a total loss.

No more tanks at the office. This one has come home with me and has been cleaned up the best I could. Some of the algae that built up dried onto the acrylic and left marks, but for the most part the tank is salvageable.

All plants were a total loss as well. I tried to salvage some but they all wasted away. So I will be starting from scratch again.

I will post some updates when I can. Thanks!
Very sorry to hear this. I hope foul play was not involved. :( Good luck with it at home.
 
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