Aqua Medic EVO Protein Skimmer

• DC needle-wheel pump – pulls water and air together through a spinning needle wheel to build a fine, even bubble structure rather than large, inefficient bubbles.
• Conical foam cup – Aqua Medic's cone shape concentrates dried skimmate above the waterline, so the cup needs emptying less often than a straight-sided design.
• Height-adjustable mounting – the 101 and 501 use an adjustable holding bracket, so wet or dry skimming can be tuned after the skimmer is installed.
• Fitted silencer – reduces pump noise on the 101 and 501, which sit inside the display or sump where hum is most noticeable.
• Fully strippable – pump, needle wheel and cup separate by hand for cleaning, no tools required.
• Low power draw – from 3.5 W on the 101 Internal Nano; see running costs below for all three models.
• Universal transformer – the 110–240 V/50–60 Hz input runs unmodified on Australian 240 V/50 Hz power.

Add up the water actually being skimmed – display volume plus sump plus any connected refugium – and choose the model rated above that total. A 101 Internal Nano rated to 100 L is sized for tanks up to roughly that total system volume, not a 100 L display sitting on top of a 50 L sump.

What if my system falls between two ratings?

Move up a size. Aqua Medic's rated volume is the ceiling for a lightly to moderately stocked reef system, not a heavily fed, heavily stocked one – see Performance below.

Can the EVO 1001 mount outside the tank?

Yes. The 1001 is built to hang externally on the tank or sump wall, or sit inside a cabinet sump, with only the pump submerged. The 101 and 501 are internal-only designs.

Aqua Medic publishes a single rated aquarium volume for each EVO model rather than separate figures for light, medium and heavy bioload, which is how some competing skimmer brands present their ratings. No light/medium/heavy breakdown is published by the manufacturer for this range, so none is stated here. Treat the rated volume in the table above as the ceiling for a lightly to moderately stocked reef system – on a heavily stocked or heavily fed tank, size up to the next model rather than running a skimmer at its published maximum.

Check the footprint and total height in the specifications table against your sump chamber or cabinet clearance before ordering, and add the immersion depth to your minimum water level in that chamber – the pump intake needs to stay submerged at the water level you plan to run.

• Skimmer body with pump fitted
• Height-adjustable holding bracket (101 and 501)
• Transformer, 110–240 V input

Suitable for marine reef and FOWLR aquariums running live rock and a typical bioload for the rated volume.

Not suitable for freshwater aquariums. Protein skimming relies on the surface polarity of salt water to strip organics into foam; it does not work in fresh water and should not be fitted to one.

All three models run continuously, 24 hours a day. Estimated annual running cost below assumes continuous operation at the maximum power draw and a typical Australian retail tariff of 30c/kWh – actual cost will be lower if the skimmer draws less than its maximum in normal operation.

Manufacturer noise figures in decibels are not published for this range; all three fit a silencer as standard and are built for use inside a display or sump rather than a plant room.

Empty and rinse the collection cup every few days on a newly cycled tank, dropping to weekly or so once the tank matures and skimmate output settles. Strip the pump and needle wheel monthly and soak in fresh water to clear salt creep and detritus – the pump housing separates by hand, no tools needed.

Covered by Aqua Medic's manufacturer warranty against defects, in addition to your rights under Australian Consumer Law – consumer guarantees apply regardless of any manufacturer warranty term. Ships as a standard parcel item; the 1001 is the largest and bulkiest of the three but still ships as a standard parcel, not a freight consignment.

Can I run the EVO wet (higher water level) or dry (lower, drier skimmate)?

Yes. The 101 and 501 mount on a height-adjustable bracket, so the water level inside the skimmer body – and therefore how wet or dry the skimmate collects – can be tuned after installation.

Does the EVO 1001 need a separate controller?

No. The DC Runner 1000 pump and its speed control are built into the unit; no separate controller purchase is required to run it.

Will the EVO work in a sump with a shallow water level?

Check the immersion depth in the specifications table against your sump chamber's water level before buying – the pump needs to stay submerged at your running water level, not just at maximum fill.

Can I use the EVO in a freshwater planted tank?

No. Protein skimming only works in salt water; it will not function in a freshwater or planted setup.

How often does the cup need emptying?

Daily to every few days while a new tank is cycling and producing heavy skimmate, settling to weekly or so on a mature, stable system.