# 6 month old Fluval Edge



## cityhunter

My first attempt at a planted tank with a Fluval Edge which was bought 6 months ago, and I have been adding things to it ever since. It needs a lot more work with the layout and presentation, but I think I will just save my effort and energy on my next tank....


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## ozi

That's awesome, you did a really great job, considering how hard it is to access the insides of the edge tank. But I find it hard to believe you got that plant growth with the crappy light it comes with, are you using something else?


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## cityhunter

Thanks for the compliment. For the lights, I switched out the original halogen and replaced with the MR11 wide angle LEDs, also put in a 10w coralife mini bulb inside the hood cover... For the past few weeks though, I've hung a 65w Coralife power compact over the tank, and growth has really taken off. I only leave the PC on for 4 hours a day, and the LED for 8 hrs.


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## AquariAM

If you arent using Co2 that's highly impressive

-- A person who's particularly inept with most plants.

Are those hard to get your hands in the corners? With the little hole on top?


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## ozi

cityhunter said:


> Thanks for the compliment. For the lights, I switched out the original halogen and replaced with the MR11 wide angle LEDs, also put in a 10w coralife mini bulb inside the hood cover... For the past few weeks though, I've hung a 65w Coralife power compact over the tank, and growth has really taken off. I only leave the PC on for 4 hours a day, and the LED for 8 hrs.


LOOL, I used to run a coralife 65W on my 20G planted with really good growth. 
Careful with that light on such a small tank, you don't wanna start the algae war.


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## cityhunter

AquariAM said:


> If you arent using Co2 that's highly impressive
> 
> -- A person who's particularly inept with most plants.
> 
> Are those hard to get your hands in the corners? With the little hole on top?


I did have DIY CO2 in there for a few weeks initially, but I stopped it when I noticed that the fish was having trouble breathing.... Now, I just dose it daily with Floruish Excel. And I don't use any ferts - that's something which I have been comtemplating for quite some time...

That "little hole" is the other weakness of this tank (besides the bad lighting). I've been using a pair of chopsticks to do the planting in those hard to get to areas of the tank, but it is still a pain in the butt for sure....


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## igor.kanshyn

Wow, that's a perfect tank. This Fluval Edge tanks are quite small, 6 gallons, I think. 

You have a lot of healthy plants there!


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## cityhunter

I saw the Fluval Edge at a friend's place late last year, and I was immediately sold. It is quite small, but I love the unique design, and it works for me, as it is not too big and heavy so that I can just leave it on my study desk right beside my pc monitor. Originally, I was going to use it for salt water, but decided against it because of the weak lighting...


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## Ctstarter

Beautiful tank. What is the mix of species in the tank?


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## zenafish

where did you get your MR11 LEDs from?


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## laurahmm

It's nice to see another fluval here  How did you manage to keep it clear of algae? Your plants look so green and healthy....I just set up my tank around 1 month ago and getting an algae bloom... sighs... your tank looks gorgeous!

Laura


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## cityhunter

Ctstarter said:


> Beautiful tank. What is the mix of species in the tank?


Plants: Java Fern, Hydrocotyle sibthorpioides, Moss ball, anubias, baby tears
Fish: Neon Tetra, Albino guppy


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## cityhunter

laurahmm said:


> It's nice to see another fluval here  How did you manage to keep it clear of algae? Your plants look so green and healthy....I just set up my tank around 1 month ago and getting an algae bloom... sighs... your tank looks gorgeous!
> 
> Laura


Thanks for the compliment. I am using RO/DI water, and the tank is placed in a room with dark curtain blocking most of the sun light, so I think it helped with algae.

Unfortunately, since my last update, my tank has been invaded by BHA. I also had to pluck a lot of my java fern's out as 80% of them all of a sudden turned black, then transparent and eventually died within one week.. Not too sure what happened  I have put in some pennywort and stargrass to cover the bare spots for now. Let see how it goes... Here is a pic I took one week ago of the tank.


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## CrystalMethShrimp

Great! another fluval edge tank! I was sold as well by the unique design, it's very chic and classy.

I do need to ask you though, how much of a difference the mr11's and the 10watt CFL have on the tank? I currently have 2 x24 watt CFL fixture over the top which as you can guess defeats the purpose. Any ideas on how I can mod my lighting to be as bright as possible (like a marine tank)?

As for placing plants go to the surplus store on queen right besdie Steve's music store and get a pair of 18inch forceps for only $8.


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## CrystalMethShrimp

Btw How did you get your first photo to come out so crisp?
What camera and how many mega pixels?

Was the larger light turned on in that shot?

btw here's a photo of my tank 10mega pixels


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## camboy012406

cityhunter said:


> My first attempt at a planted tank with a Fluval Edge which was bought 6 months ago, and I have been adding things to it ever since. It needs a lot more work with the layout and presentation, but I think I will just save my effort and energy on my next tank....


wow, nice scaping maybe you can join the nano contest tank in jan.


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## Cravenne

I almost bought one of these! I think they are just beautiful.

Just wondering how water changes go...pain the the butt, or not bad?


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## cityhunter

CrystalMethShrimp said:


> Great! another fluval edge tank! I was sold as well by the unique design, it's very chic and classy.
> 
> I do need to ask you though, how much of a difference the mr11's and the 10watt CFL have on the tank? I currently have 2 x24 watt CFL fixture over the top which as you can guess defeats the purpose. Any ideas on how I can mod my lighting to be as bright as possible (like a marine tank)?
> 
> As for placing plants go to the surplus store on queen right besdie Steve's music store and get a pair of 18inch forceps for only $8.


If you use the MR11's and the 10 watt mini, it is sufficient for low light plants. Since I took the first picture, I have replaced my modded 10w mini and my PC light with a 1x24W T5 fixture placed on top of the cover.


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## cityhunter

CrystalMethShrimp said:


> Btw How did you get your first photo to come out so crisp?
> What camera and how many mega pixels?
> 
> Was the larger light turned on in that shot?
> 
> btw here's a photo of my tank 10mega pixels


I think I used a Canon XTi to take the first pic. The second pic I used a Panasonic LX5 to capture. Both cameras are 10 mega pixels. For both pics, I had the LED and the main light fixture turned on. The trick is not to use the camera flash, but using a higher ISO setting with a tripod. The "low" resolution is never a problem for me, and in fact I think the recent 10MP cameras with the bigger sensors (i.e. Panny LX5, Canon S95) are excellent cameras.

Btw, you have a very nice clean looking Fluval Edge. Maybe you can post a few close up shots if possible?


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## cityhunter

Cravenne said:


> I almost bought one of these! I think they are just beautiful.
> 
> Just wondering how water changes go...pain the the butt, or not bad?


Actually, water changes is quite easy, get a small hose in there, siphon out 10% of the water, use a cup to put new water in.... On average, it should take no more than 15 mins, but I usually mess around inside the tank while I do water changes, so it takes me up to 30 minutes to finish everything.


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## CrystalMethShrimp

cityhunter said:


> Actually, water changes is quite easy, get a small hose in there, siphon out 10% of the water, use a cup to put new water in.... On average, it should take no more than 15 mins, but I usually mess around inside the tank while I do water changes, so it takes me up to 30 minutes to finish everything.


lol me too. If I didn't mess around, just use a small cup they sell bettas in and scope water into a $2 beer pitcher then dump into a $2 bucket (both I get from Dollarama) then dump into toilet. Then dump clean r/o water into bucket > pitcher> cup held inside the tank so the water doesn't move everything around.

Takes 10 min.

yeah sure I'll post up some more shots and some videos too. Btw can you post up a few shots of your lighting modded? btw have you heard anyone whose switched to mr16 bulbs?


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