Aqueon Evolve 8 - pros/cons?
- Thread starter LauraL
- Start date
Not really possible unfortunately. UL regulations do not allow a device to have multiple power cords which would allow it to have a separate power supply for the day and night lights. Adding an integrated timer adds way too much cost.
You can find these features in higher end marine lights or non UL listed products but you are looking at price points that are much higher than what the lights in the "Evolve" style category are in.
Andy
You can find these features in higher end marine lights or non UL listed products but you are looking at price points that are much higher than what the lights in the "Evolve" style category are in.
Andy
Hey Andy,
Do you have any information on what the approx. WPG equivilent of the stock light that comes with the Evolve8 would be? I'm just debating on if I should stick with the stock light or go with a clamp-on CF to have more WPG for a high-tech planted tank. Thanks for any info!
Do you have any information on what the approx. WPG equivilent of the stock light that comes with the Evolve8 would be? I'm just debating on if I should stick with the stock light or go with a clamp-on CF to have more WPG for a high-tech planted tank. Thanks for any info!
Watts per gallon rules only work when comparing same types of lighting to each other (ex.: fluorescent to fluorescent, LED to LED). They do not work when comparing LED to fluorescent due to the huge differences in energy efficiency.
The Evolve 8 light produces a peak PAR of 48 micromoles at the center on the bottom and has an average of 27.5 micromoles over the whole bottom footprint. At the surface the PAR is about 150.
A 20 watt CFL is going to be higher in PAR but I am not sure about anything lower in wattage.
I use the stock lights to grow crypts, anubias, some mosses, and a melon sword without issues. If you wanted to grow some high light stem plants (particularly those that turn pink or red under high light) you would want to upgrade the light.
Andy
The Evolve 8 light produces a peak PAR of 48 micromoles at the center on the bottom and has an average of 27.5 micromoles over the whole bottom footprint. At the surface the PAR is about 150.
A 20 watt CFL is going to be higher in PAR but I am not sure about anything lower in wattage.
I use the stock lights to grow crypts, anubias, some mosses, and a melon sword without issues. If you wanted to grow some high light stem plants (particularly those that turn pink or red under high light) you would want to upgrade the light.
Andy
Thanks Andy! This is my first tank that I have with LEDs. All of the others are standard fixtures that were either built-in CFLs or ones that I upgraded to use CFLs instead of regular tube florescent or incandescent bulbs. I'll have to research some more into the PAR ratings and see if what I want to do will work.
It's funny, but I'm actually going to swap out my Evolve2 that I set up a month ago on my desk at work for the Evolve 8 I just got on clearance at the local Petsmart. Cool thing is that the other guys in my office were so impressed with the Evolve2 that they both went out and got their own Evolve 8's.
So now we will have 3 Evolve 8 tanks all set up on each of our desks. I'm taking the Evolve 2 home to use as a Shrimp-only tank.
It's funny, but I'm actually going to swap out my Evolve2 that I set up a month ago on my desk at work for the Evolve 8 I just got on clearance at the local Petsmart. Cool thing is that the other guys in my office were so impressed with the Evolve2 that they both went out and got their own Evolve 8's.
So now we will have 3 Evolve 8 tanks all set up on each of our desks. I'm taking the Evolve 2 home to use as a Shrimp-only tank.Ideas?
Any suggestions on how to lower the flow of the pump to something acceptable for a Beta? I absolutely love the tank, but can't get the flow down low enough. Please help.
Any suggestions on how to lower the flow of the pump to something acceptable for a Beta? I absolutely love the tank, but can't get the flow down low enough. Please help.
Have you tried the flow adjustment on the side of the pump? Its a night and day difference between the highest output and lowest output. What i did with my evolve 2 was put a piece of sponge from an aquaclear filter that i had laying around inside the output of the pump itself. It went in between the tube and the diffuser at the end where the water comes out ( right inside the elbow i believe). Theres two downfalls of this though. One being that if you dont keep up with the maintainance then the flow will almost completely diminish. And the other being that the sponge could sometimes be a PITA to take out and sometimes i felt as if i put the piece of sponge in so far that i though it was going to get stuck.
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If your Evolve came with the larger SP 98 pump you can request the smaller SP 55 pump from Aqueon Customer Service which would be better for bettas.
Evolves were originally designed for the pico and nano planted tank and reef market and weren't really designed for bettas. New Evolve 2's come with the smaller pump but the first two years of production had the higher flow rate SP 98.
Andy
Evolves were originally designed for the pico and nano planted tank and reef market and weren't really designed for bettas. New Evolve 2's come with the smaller pump but the first two years of production had the higher flow rate SP 98.
Andy
Narwahl-- I have the Evolve 4 and am considering going up to the 8. Can you tell me the difference in viewing area volume from the Evolve 4 to the 8? Also the 4 has 2 blue lights on the fixture… How many does the 8 have? Also, are these Evolve models still being made or are they due for any changes in the near future?
Thanks!
Thanks!
