The Hydor Koralia EVO 4400 is a movement pump for aquariums until 440 liters. Let’s discover it together in our review.
This article is also available in: italiano
The movement is basis of the Berlin method, and surely it’s the basis of the correct functioning of any aquarium, wether it hosts corals or just fish. The movement, indeed, allows the correct oxigenation of the whole tank, avoids that debris is deposited in the corners of the aquarium and then rot, brings food to all the polyps of the corals, helps corals clean up their mucus, allows the fish to swim upstream to strenghten the muscles and maintain good health. So, it’s a fundamental element for each aquarium.
But speaking of movement, we usually tend to refer only to very sofisticated movement pumps, that’s why we chose to present you a pump that instead makes of simplicity its strong point.
The presentation video of the Koralia Evo 4400
As usual we wanted to present you the Koralia Evo 4400 even in our videoreview, so that you can get an even better idea than just looking at them in pictures.
Technical characteristics of the Koralia Evo
The Koralia Evo are a family of three pumps specifically designed for generous aquariums. Let’s see their technical characteristics.
| Rate | Consumption | Suggested volume for freshwater | Suggested volume for marine | |
| Koralia Evo 3200 | 3.200 l/h | 4 watt | 180-370 liters | 112-200 liters |
| Koralia Evo 4400 | 4.400 l/h | 4,5 watt | 250-500 liters | 160-275 liters |
| Koralia Evo 5600 | 5.600 l/h | 5 watt | 350-650 liters | 208-385 liters |
Why today we trust Hydor’s declared rate
We all know how difficult is to measure the flow rate of a movement pump. And if you never realized it, we’ll immediately explain: when you have a return pump the operation is pretty easy, because you only have to buy a flow detector, like our DigiSavant DIGIFLOW 6710M, that goes inside the output pipe and, besides various lacks and frictions, you’re done.
But when you have a movement pump everything gets more complicated. Every company experimented, in time, a different method of measurement. Back to 2011, some companies had some quite extravagant methods of calculation, like, for example, placing a plastic bag in front of the pump and measure the time when it fills it. For this reason, years ago a research was conducted in collaboration with the Penn State University and sponsored by Ecotech Marine, that measured scientifically the flow rate of every movement pump sold in 2011.
At that time, we wrote an article commenting this new method (it was the italian “Tunze e Vortech… qual’è la reale portata delle pompe? E quanto questo è realmente importante?”) with all the data emerged from the study, but I’ll anticipate the results we are interested in: the Hydor Koralia 5, 6, 7 and 8 measured at time, had the values most in line with what declared. Even for the small Koralia 5 the measured value was significally higher than the declared one.
Since we don’t believe that Hydor changed its measuring method since then, we are reasonably certain that the declared values for this Koralia Evo, as well as for the whole line, are definitely accurate.
The contain of the package
The package contains the pump, the instructions and the warranty, but also a very useful accessory of which we talk about too little.
The small plastic pipe that you see on top of the package, and that we represent alone here below, it’s a very useful tool to preserve the supply cable. In fact, in our aquariums, we usually host snails and fish that can damage the soft plastic cable on which can grow some algae. With time they could also damage the sleeve that covers the cable. For this reason use this sleeve on the cable, next to the pump, and this little attention could preserve it for years and years.
It works with glass of 15 mm of thickness
The Koralia Evo can be used on glasses of a maximum of 15 mm of thickness. And all thanks to this great invention of Hydor, the magneto suction cup. Who usually reads our channel knows how I appreciate this small invention (which is a Hydor patent).
The magneto suction cup, how the name itself suggests, it’s a system that pairs a suction cup and a magnet. In the picture you can see the two parts of the magneto suction cups, and separating them wasn’t an easy job, since one magnet is enough for glasses of 15 mm. This system, besides assuring a very strong grip, can also eliminate vibrations and make the pump extremely silent. Then there are also 3 rubber pads that support the pump from the stand, blocked by 3 small rubber o-ring. The result is an absolute calm in the aquarium.
Another point in favor of this magneto suction cup it’s the fact that the base has a sphere connected to a peg grafted into the body pump. In this way the pump can be directed everywhere. Sure, this system is less compact, but this is all space that we need to orient the pumps.
The suggested aquariums:
If we considered the nominal flow rate of 4.400 l/h we could affirm that a couple of these pumps would be perfect for an average marine aquarium with fish and soft corals or LPS until 440 liters, since we consider a movement of 10 times the volume of the aquarium provided by two alternating pumps. If we would use them in aquariums with hard corals SPS the volume should be about 220 liters.
Speaking of freshwater aquariums these numbers can still be incremented until about 800 liters, due to the less demand of movement that the freshwater aquarium has compared to a marine one. Are these numbers different from the ones declared by Hydor? Not really. In fact, Hydor considers the performance of a single pump, while I considered a couple. So, if you double Hydor’s values you’ll find more or less the ones I said.
Consider, in fact, that pumps should always be used in couple and, if you are insure about how to place them, we can check our article with explanatory video (in Italian): “How to position a wave pump in marine aquarium – a guide“.
The impeller of the pump is a classic double helix impeller. The difference from the usual is a small plastic plate inserted between the helix and the magnet and is used to hold it in place. The impeller goes very easily into its own plastic graft, which continues the body pump.
The assembling and the disassembling of the pump are two very easy operations. Extremely simpler than usual. To remove the shell you only have to press the two buttons you see in the picture below and in a few seconds the pump is free.
Hydor Koralia Evo: our final comment
As we said in the opening, movement equals life for the aquarium. As well as light is. So, this isn’t something we can bypass. Once we found the right size and place we’re done. If we could also use a couple of extremely affordable pumps like the Hydor Koralia Evo of this review it would be even better, wouldn’t it? The pumps cost 61 euro on the producer’s site (here) and a bit less on Amazon (sponsored link, purchasing through this link we could have approved a percentage, but your price won’t change).
If you have a marine or freshwater aquarium that needs motion, even of big size, and at the same time you aren’t interested into a flow controller, these are the pumps you need. Absolutely silent and with 4.400 liters of flow rate generated by 4,5 watt only. The flow is wide and gentle, great for our aquariums, but also ecological, given the low consumption. Know that they develop 1000 liters per watt, an amazingly high value. For example, they make a great difference between the Vortech, which have a consumption of 1 watt per 500 liters: for the same amount of water they have a power consumption of the exact double.
The price for once is absolutely adequate because the flow rate is very high, and probably correct, seen the study of the Penn State University we mentioned. For this the only reason not to buy them is if you prefer a dinamic regulation of the flow. But remember that until several years ago there weren’t controllers and the aquariums were beautiful anyway.
In summary: high flow rate, low consumptions, total silence. What more can we ask for from a movement pump?
PROS
Very easy maintenance;Magneto suction cup system; Very silent; Ridiculous consumption, 1 watt per 1000 l/h; Suitable for thicknesses until 15 mm; Wide and gentle flow; Directionable.
CONS
Space; The pump isn’t adjustable;
Hydor Koralia Evo 4400 – summary chart
| Quality of the construction |  |
| Quality | |
| Quality price ratio | |
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Disclaimer: we thank Hydor for proving us the pump Koralia Evo 4400 for this review.
