Evolution LED Lights, a lighting brand developed and distributed by Colorado-based ReefKoi Corals, has just released some teaser photos and a little product info about their new LED system geared toward the smaller tank crowd. Called the EVO Nano, this tiny light comes in two very powerful flavors, one sporting a dozen 3watt Cree LEDs and the other with a dozen Epistar emitters driven at the same wattage. The Epistar fixtures use an even combination of 14000K white and 460nm blue, and for an extra $50 hobbyist can get the model that packs Cree XPG 8000K and XPE 460nm LEDs. Each EVO Nano unit measures a mere 6″ x 5.5″, making it perfect for small aquariums that have high light demands. The PAR emitted from the Epistar model for example was 650 @ 6″,  300 @ 12″, 125 @ 18″. Clearly based on these numbers, the EVO Nano is suitable for just about every nano aquarium on the market since they rarely get very large in the height department.

More pictures and info after the break.

The total power consumption for the Nano also comes in a nice nano size, tipping the scales at a mere bumped 40watts, which not only includes the diode power usage but that of the fans as well. Two separate power cords feed juice to the fixture, which also keeps the blue and white channels completely separate. Despite the EVO line moving almost exclusively to being dimmable, these tiny Nano lights are said to be too small to be dimmed.

The price for the EVO Nano Epistar fixture is $150, with the Cree version at $200. Models are expected to start shipping later this month.

After decades of providing aquarium equipment to the masses, Reef Octopus is jumping into the part of the hobby that their various products have been servicing with the introduction of their own line of trimless aquariums. Being labeled as “Luxury Aquariums”, this line will feature two tanks, along with their matching stands and sumps, and an overflow system that is a little different than what we see from other large volume manufactured brands. The aquariums will come in a couple of different sizes, a 32 gallon and 48 gallon model, and will feature the same entry level options that have become a standard in our hobby: low iron glass and black silicone. Despite the tanks having a lot of the same features of offered by many other brands, the Reef Octopus Luxury Aquariums didn’t fall in line with every feature.

The first noticeable difference between the Luxury Aquariums and those built by the rest of the industry is in the overflow system. Instead of the big, bulky overflow boxes, the Reef Octopus aquariums feature a “black tube overflow”. As the name suggests, the overflow box is actually a plastic tube with a tiny footprint, which also happens to draw in water at a couple of different water levels. This overflow was designed for simplicity, as it uses a single large bulkhead fitting that has a single hole for the return plumbing and another for the drain. In addition to the single bulkhead, the overflow is fitted with a small silencer to keep things as quiet as possible, and the bellows found in the flexible plumbing also makes things run a little more hushed.

The other big difference in the Reef Octopus aquarium line is the fact that the hobbyist builds the stand. The stand is made of laminated MDF particle board, which again is almost a standard for non-customized aquariums, but it doesn’t show up at your door assembled. Instead, the aquarium keeper gets the wood, a sheet of instructions, and all of the hardware needed to get the tank functional. From a stability standpoint, this design means the stand may not be assembled as it should depending on the skill level of the hobbyist. Of course, most of aquarium keepers are DIY geniuses, but not all of us are unfortunately. This means there might be a few leftover pieces at the end of the build, and the stand may not be a sturdy, long term solution to holding your aquarium upright. The big bonus to this setup though is cost. With the stand being shipped as un-assembled wood pieces, there’s no big bulky package that costs an arm and a leg to get from point A to B.  On top of that, you aren’t paying the company to assemble for you either, which further drives down the price (hopefully).

And because no fully functional saltwater aquarium is complete without adequate filtration,  last offering in the Luxury Aquarium setup is a sump. The sump isn’t made entirely from glass or acrylic, but is instead made from white plastic and a clear front pane. In terms of accessories, the sump comes with a filter sock assembly, an adjustable probe holder, and an interesting adjustable baffle that we haven’t quite wrapped our brains around yet. It looks as if the single plastic sheet just lifts up, but this would cause the entire water level in the sump to drop as water evaporates. A fluctuating water level within the sump is obviously no good for protein skimmer function, but we’re just making assumptions on how the adjustable baffle works at this point. Despite their being two different sized aquariums, only one sump is listed on CoralVue’s website.

And now to the specs:

T-60 Reef Octopus Luxury Aquarium & Stand
Volume: 32 gallons
Dimensions: 23.6″ x 17.7″ x 17.7″
Item #: LUX-T60
Stand Item #: LUX-ST60
Stand Dimensions: 23.6″ x 17.7″ x 39.3″

T-90 Reef Octopus Luxury Aquarium & Stand
Volume: 48 gallons
Dimensions: 35.4″ x 17.7″ x 17.7″
Item #: LUX-T90
Stand Item #: LUX-ST90
Stand Dimensions: 35.4″ x 17.7″ x 39.3″

Reef Octopus Small 80 Sump
Item #: OCT-RS80
Dimensions: 18.75″ x 12″ x 16″

There’s no word yet on price or availability, but we expect the tanks, stands, and sumps to show up on pricing lists shortly.

Don't be scared by the big equation. It's all just for show. But we think we have a fun and interesting way to calculate aquarium addiction. Continue reading below to find out.

Let’s face it, we’re all borderline aquarium addicts here. We stuff our homes full of fish tanks, visit the local fish store at least three or four times a week, and are constantly distracted from work and family life because we can’t stop thinking about ways to improve our aquariums. But in a world where everyone seems to want to one-up each other with over the top aquarium builds and tossing a pile of cash at expensive gear and rare livestock, how do we go about measuring the intensity of one’s addiction? Should we count the number of hours each person spends working on their tanks? Is money any indicator? While both of those are great parameters to judge one’s lucidity, we have another in mind. We feel a good way to measure one’s aquarium addiction is to mathematically compare the total amount of space the aquarium(s) is taking up compared to the total amount of livable space in the home. Basically, we are basing the addiction on how much of it you live in every day.

What got us started on this idea was a brief conversation with a local aquarium buddy. We were swapping stories of our favorite tanks in the area, trying to outdo each other at every turn. One individual that we heard of had a total of nine large aquariums, each over 100 gallons in volume, and all of them inside his home. Obviously that put to shame anything we’ve ever owned, and it got us thinking about others who virtually live out of their aquariums and deserve a spot on one of those hoarding shows.

Shortly after college, I spent a year in a small, single bedroom apartment while wading through the not-so-promising job market. During that time, I got my hands on a top of the line 180 gallon tank from a friend who was taking a break from the hobby. My wife thought I was totally nuts, but we managed to squeeze the monster into the tiny 600 square foot apartment. Obviously this tank took up a significant portion of space, but that didn’t stop me from also adding a 24 gallon Nano Cube and a small counter top pico tank to the mix as well. The combined overall footprint from each aquariums was an estimated 18 square feet. This comes out to being only 3% of the total livable space in the apartment, which doesn’t seem like a whole lot, but there was little wiggle room in the tiny place we called home. This led many people to second guess my judgement, but what can I say, I’m an addict.

The 180 Gallon Aquarium Obsessed Tank in the 600 sq. ft. apartment

Taking this example and applying it to other situations, it might be a good way to judge how addicted you and your friends are. The calculation is nowhere near as complicated at the top of the page, fortunately. Instead, it’s just a simple percentage. We wanted to calculate the total percent of space taken up by the aquarium. Again, really simple. Just take the total number of square feet in the home (hereafter called “A”), subtract the total number of square feet taken up by the aquarium (now called “B”), divide that difference by “A”, then multiply by 100 to get a percentage of living space not used for aquarium purposes (referred to as “C”). To find out the percentage of space taken up by the aquarium, simply subtract “C” from 100% to get the total % of space taken up by aquariums (let’s call it “D” just for fun). The formula should read like this: D = 100% – (((A-B)/A) * 100). It’s plainly obvious that I’m not a mathematician, so please don’t skewer me with your comments.

If we apply this formula to an average situation, say a 1500 square foot house with a standard sized 90 gallon aquarium (48 x 19 footprint), we get a total aquarium space of less than 0.4%. That’s nothing compared to the situation above where a 180 gallon tank was housed in a tiny apartment. So who’s the bigger addict?

We do realize there is a flaw in the ideology. We thought this out as a way to mathematically show how addicted individuals with tons of aquariums in their home were. However, a small aquarium in a very tiny living space will appear to show that one is more addicted than someone with a massive aquarium in a giant house. Obviously the larger tank would require a greater investment of both time and energy, so maybe we need to have a far more complex formula that encompasses monetary investment, time investment, living space vs aquarium space, and maybe even time spent away from work in tank emergency situations. But it’s all for fun anyways.

While drooling over, I mean researching the new JBJ Unibody LED, we stumbled upon an entirely new lineup of rimless Nano Cubes from JBJ USA. The Nano Cube RL, as it is called, is a sleek new aquarium that falls more in line with the tastes of the ever evolving aquarium keeper. The setup is still an all-in-one nano, which have been quite popular as desktop aquariums at work or as kitchen counter top accessories for many years, as it retains the built-in filtration. It doesn’t retain the old bulky old hoods of previous models, however. We assumed the release of the new rimless nano had a lot to do with the unveiling of the stylish Unibody fixture, which would look oh so good together, but there wasn’t a whole lot of information on rimless tanks, until now. Recently listed on Marine Depot, we get to see two models…an 8 gallon and a 30 gallon. When we first reported on the Nano Cube RL there was also a 5 gallon model, but we’re guessing it’s either been delayed or scrapped altogether.

Prices and specs below.

JBJ Nano Cube RL 8 Gallons:

Aquarium Specs:

• 8 Gallon Capacity
• 6 mm Bent Glass
• Tempered Glass Lid & Clips

Filtration:

• Acrylic Filter Wall w/ Overflow
• Media Basket
• Mechanical Sponge
• Activated Carbon Sponge
• Biological Ceramic Rings
• Single return Nozzle
• Designated Heater Column

Price:

• $170

JBJ Nano Cube RL 30 Gallons:

Aquarium Specs:

• 30 Gallon Capacity
• 8 mm Bent Glass
• Tempered Glass Lid & Clips

Filtration:

• Acrylic Filter Wall w/ Dual Overflows
• 3 Stage Filter Media Basket
• Mechanical Sponge
• Activated Carbon Sponge
• Biological Ceramic Rings
• Duo return Nozzle
• Designated Heater Column
• Designated Refugium Column

Price:

• $310

Update: The price on the larger 30-gallon aquarium has changed, at least on the Marine Depot website. The new price is $310 and this change is reflected in the specs above. ~ Thanks for the heads up Michelle

Way back in May 2010, I was given the green light to install an aquarium at work. My coworkers and I were super thrilled, especially my immediate supervisor, and the planning stages began. Unfortunately, that idea had to be scrapped as a higher authority didn’t want to allocate funds for an aquarium and a fear of overtime for tank maintenance was a big concern. Obviously I would have done it for free, but the answer was still no. I sulked about it for a brief time before walking away from the dream altogether. After all, one of my biggest concerns was that somebody wandering into the office would decide to feed the fish or toss in a few foreign objects. The image of a bag of Doritos being emptied into the tank haunted me for days! Despite this, the dream of having a tank at work was reignited a few months ago, and I’ve finally managed to get my hands on a small setup.

After experiencing a little change in management and coming to the decision to  just pay for everything ourselves instead of trying to pray away a few extra dollars to get the company pay for it, the aquarium build is back on. We decided to take the position of “it’s better to ask for forgiveness than beg for permission”. The tank, which is an Oceanic 29 gallon Biocube, is being purchased from a local hobbyist, who also used it for an office aquarium. And instead of it being in a public space where people could access it at all hours of the day, the small tank will be confined to my boss’s office. Fortunately, I spend a lot of time there, so I’ll get to see it constantly. Having the setup in an office will also give us the ability to control the environment to some extent, as the door will be locked when nobody is there and can fly under the radar with a little more ease.

So, enough blabbering about the backstory, let’s talk about the equipment. As I mentioned, the aquarium is a 29-gallon Biocube. It has the stock hood in place, but fortunately the lighting has already been upgraded with a set of Ecoxotic Stunner Strips, a product which we’ve reviewed (and loved) here on the AquaNerd Blog already. Naturally, we are excited. As for the rest of the equipment, that’s all still in the air. The rear chambers of the all-in-one nano will be revamped to include a small protein skimmer and a new pump (or pumps) will be added for in-tank circulation. The Tunze nano skimmer has always been one of my favorites. I used it on a previous nano aquarium and it worked well. And with newer models coming out, it might be time for a some nano equipment product reviews.

Moving on to the livestock…we have some ideas, but nothing is set in stone. Seeing as how this is a work tank, it’s going to be simple. The corals will be mixed, with plenty of flowy items to keep everyone entertained. The fish list is another story. There’s not going to be any clownfish, which have always been the big crowd pleaser, but we’re going to go a different route. Maybe we’ll try out some tiny wrasses and gobies, but again, this is still all in the air and could change at moment’s notice. I’m just happy it’s finally happening.

Digital Aquatics has expanded their lineup of accessories to their ReefKeeper aquarium controller with the release of a brand new module, the SL2. This tiny little module features individually isolated pH and salinity ports, along with one temperature port and two switch ports that can be used to regulate an auto-top off or perform some other custom program. The salinity probe is built off a conductivity probe with temperature compensation, which is great if you have multiple aquariums in the vacinity or are gearing up for a water change and want to see how salty the new water is. Salinity is given in parts per thousand (PPT) and the entire module is upgradeable via firmware updates. The asking price for this module is set at $80 and should be hitting store shelves soon.

Found on Reefs.com

Back in September, AquaNerd contributor Keith Hatch stumbled upon a brand new open top aquarium from Deep Sea Aquatics (DSA) called the Neo Storm. The aquarium, which is basically a beefed up version of the Neo Nano, was first spied at the Super Zoo pet show in Las Vegas, and despite looking very similar to its smaller predecessor, the Storm has some fancy new features that allow for better water flow while still keeping the surface virtually ripple-free for optimum look down viewing. When we first laid eyes on the tank and heard a few details about its return plumbing, we weren’t exactly sure how it would all work. We weren’t doubting its abilities, rather we were curious how water was going from the rear chamber to the front two outlets. Fortunately, the guys at DSA have released a “how to” video demonstrating the proper setup of this tank, which clears away all confusion about how it operates.

The back wall of the Neo Storm aquarium, which is significantly taller than the rest of the tank, holds a three chamber drain and return system. The two smaller chambers that flank the much taller middle chamber serve as dual drains into the sump. The tall middle chamber is the return, which is where the Neo Storm stands apart from the Neo Nano. In the older Neo Nano, the water simply fills the chamber and flows over the top like a waterfall. This water was pushed over the chamber slow enough to be dead silent and not create a lot of surface movement, but the tank obviously lacked any real water flow. The Neo Storm, on the other hand, modifies the concept by pushing water both through holes in the chamber (which are submerged) and through two outlets toward the front corners at the bottom tank. As the chamber fills, gravity causes the pressure to build up forcing water through soft plumbing and gently out of the two return fittings. But not wanting to limit flow options for customers, DSA did something rather ingenious. They put multiple holes in the return chamber of the Neo Storm, but also included plastic fittings to fill these holes. The more holes that are plugged, the greater the pressure is within the chamber and the more water will be pushed out of the two returns at the front of the tank.

The aquarium industry has seen its fair share of high end controllable powerheads over the years, and it seems like this technology is finding its way into our return pumps more and more these days. For the longest time, aquarium keepers have had to rely on constant speed pumps to serve as the primary source of water movement between the display tank and its associated plumbing, or even closed-loop setups. These pumps came in a variety of shapes and sizes, but were very limited in functionality. And in a world of constantly changing technology, relying on single function products is quickly starting to lose ground to using equipment that can adapt and change to better suit the hobbyist’s needs. Because of this increasing demand for more control, companies are designing new products to meet the need and the latest offering to aquarium keepers in the world of controllable water pumps is a fancy new set of high flow, high pressure controllable sine wave pumps from Deltec. Already well regarded for their protein skimmer line, Deltec surprisingly has few products designed to just move water. But that hasn’t stopped them from going over the top with their new E-flow water pumps.

Being offered in three different models, the Deltec E-flow pumps use a brushless DC motor that allows them to run almost completely silently. On top of that, they are protected by an overload circuit that shuts the pump off if the impellers becomes blocked off. Once the blockage has been removed, the pump will turn back on automatically. In terms of controlability, the E-flow pumps come stock with a control panel that can be used to adjust water flow speeds. And once that flow is dialed in, there’s no need to fear about power outages causing the pump to revert back to a factory setting as the control panel will start back up in the last saved setting. But the fun doesn’t stop there.

Later this year, a separate multifunction controller will be available to control up to four pumps at once. This controller will operate much like our powerhead controllers by allowing the pumps to operate in multiple different wavemaking modes. The estimated release date for the controller is late April 2012 and we expect the pump and controller combo to really give traditional closed loop setups a run for their money. Of course, this setup will be far more cost prohibitive than a closed loop, but the energy savings will definitely be a much talked about selling point.

As we mentioned before, there will be three Deltec E-flow models available. Each of these models and their respective specifications are listed below.

Deltec E-flow 16

Technical data

• Minimum/Maximum water flow: 5000/14000 lph (1300-3700 gph)
• Minimum/Maximum power consumption: 20/180w
• Maximum head height: 9.0 meters (29 feet)
• Performance selection: 17 stages
• Inlet size: 50 mm (2″)
• Outlet size: 40 mm (1.5″)
• Price (from D-D The Aquarium Solution): £1099.99 (~$1730)

Deltec E-flow 12

Technical data

• Minimum/Maximum water flow: 5000/11400 lph (1300-3200 gph)
• Minimum/Maximum power consumption: 25/130w
• Maximum head height: 8 meters (26 feet)
• Performance selection: 12 stages
• Inlet size: 540 mm (1.5″)
• Outlet size: 40 mm (1.5″)
• Price (from D-D The Aquarium Solution): £959.99(~$1510)

Deltec E-flow 10

Technical data

• Minimum/Maximum water flow: 5000/9000 lph (1300-2400 gph)
• Minimum/Maximum power consumption: 20/80w
• Maximum head height: 6.0 meters (20 feet)
• Performance selection: 7 stages
• Inlet size: 40 mm (1.5″)
• Outlet size: 32 mm (1.25″)
• Price (from D-D The Aquarium Solution): £1099.99 (~$1730)

Information and images sourced from D-D The Aquarium Solution and Advanced Aquarist

From Left to Right: Unibody 36, Unibody 54, and Unibody 108.

Late last year, JBJ made their big splash onto the LED lighting scene with their all new Unibody LED fixture. Originally only shown off in one size, the 54watt Unibody, we’ve recently come to discover, via the JBJ USA Facebook Page, that there are actually three completely different models in the lineup. We assume that this trio of sizes is meant to mirror the three different sizes of the rimless JBJ Nano-Cube aquariums that were also just released, but obviously these small yet powerful LED fixtures can target a whole range of other nano to mid-sized aquariums. The three models being offered are the Unibody 36, Unibody 54 (the original model), and Unibody 108. And from what we can tell, the major features are shared universally by all three models, with the only differences being the number of emitters in each model and obviously the size.

The Unibody 54, which was the first model to hit the market, has three rows of six LEDs and the total power consumption is 54watts (hence the name Unibody 54). We assume the two other models, the Unibody 36 and 108, share this naming structure, but we are unsure of how the LEDs will actually be laid out on the CNC machined aluminum block. Regardless of how things are actually laid out, we’re sure each fixture is designed to provide maximum coverage.

The two new Unibody models aren’t quite available on the aquarium equipment market as of yet, but given the fact that pre-production models are already being tested and inspected, we expect the new models to be hitting store shelves in no time. Prices also haven’t been revealed as of yet, but going off the price of the Unibody 54 ($350), the Unibody 36 will probably come in at in the mid-$200′s and the Unibody 108 most likely flirting with $500. Again, these are all speculative points on our part, but we’re confident these will be in the same ballpark as their actual prices.

A little more about these lights: The JBJ Unibody LED fixtures are both sleek and stylish, being made from a solid block of machined aluminum, not unlike the very snazzy Apple Macbook laptops. Each fixture sports multiple rows of blue and white triple spectrum diodes, with both colors being on separate channels and both being completely controllable. The controller can dial in the color spectrum anywhere between 6500K and 20000K, giving users a great deal of control over how blue or white their aquariums look.

Want a job in the aquarium industry but don’t feel like your skills will allow you to compete against biology graduates? Do you have a passion for aquariums but don’t want to maintain them both at home and at work? If the answer to those two questions is yes, then you might want to consider getting a job at an aquarium equipment company where you can use your passion for the hobby to drive a successful career. With the popularity of LED aquarium illumination on the steady rise, job openings for reliable help in the sales and customer service departments for companies that produce this type of lighting are exploding. Looking to expand their operations, Ecoxotic has recently listed a job availability for an “account representative”, which is being described as a position designed to field phone calls and become intimately familiar with their product line to better help customers. The position is full-time and located in beautiful Southern California, where the company is based.

Full job description posted below.

From a San Diego Craigslist listing:

Vista based LED lighting company is looking for a fulltime process oriented Account Rep to establish and maintain the valued relationships with our customers. This role is designed to keep the sales funnel replenished through hundreds of outbound phone calls per week, all documented within our CRM system, SalesForce. Please only apply if you have the tenacity to call every customer once a week to take care of their needs- whatever they may be. They may have a question about our product, need a tracking number, check the status of their order, check our current inventory levels, or place an order. We truly believe steady sales come from consistently contacting our customers, creating a partnership by providing excellent customer service and being their vital resource to generate more sales of their own.

Responsibilities
• Outbound Calling for Existing Dealers and New Dealers
• Documenting every step of the sales cycle in our CRM System
• Customer Service- Answering Incoming Calls and Emails from Dealers
• Up selling New Products and Promotions
• Quote Dealer lighting requirements

Qualities
• Personable and very comfortable on the phone
• Resourceful and diligent
• Process Oriented with the ability to follow directions and follow through
• SalesForce and/or ZenDesk experience is a plus but not necessary
• Willing to learn our product and industry knowledge

Compensation: Hourly + Bonus Structure