# Help with lighting for a Fluval Edge



## flyboy320 (Feb 6, 2010)

As you can tell from my post count I'm new here (and new to aquariums)...

I have just bought a Fluval Edge (6 gal) for my 5 yr old son. We have a few fish (guppys & mollys), and have just planted a few plants (Cryptocoryne wendtii and lutea). We got the mentioned plants as the LFS said these are good for low light conditions. I didn't know about fertilized gravel before we did the tank up, so it contains "generic" ordinary gravel.

I plan on using Flurish and Excel for fertilizing. My concern is the stock lighting with the tank will not be enough for the above mentioned plants (two 10w halogen). I have scoured the forum, and have seen some great ideas for this tank, and I'm wondering which I should implement.

First option is doing nothing, just using the stock lights.
Second is to replace the lights with MR11 LED types (search eBay for "Brightest MR11 12 V 10 SMD LED White 160 Lumen Wide Ang")
Third is to attach a 10W fluorescent bulb to the housing (similar to ones you can buy at Ikea)
Fourth is to add two lights on either side of the housing bought from Ikea called "Lack" (see attached picture)

So which mod would work best for the Cryptocoryne plants? Should I add the Ikea lights as well as the 10W fluorescent and the LED's...

I have attached a few picts. The second one shows just the stock lighting, and the third shows the stock lighting as well as the two Ikea LED lights.


----------



## ryno1974 (Dec 6, 2009)

I dont have a fluval edge, but I do have a couple of planted tanks. They are great tanks, but frustrating too. Lighting is obviously important, but the last picture you posted looked pretty good. If the watt per gallon count is around 2 -2.5 you should be ok. I dont know what the spectrum etc of the bulbs are, but pure WPG should be OK.

I like the third pic, looks good in the tank and the lights are not overbearing on the outside.

Good luck.


----------



## Ed209 (Aug 21, 2007)

Hello,those tanks look nice.
http://www.rexgrigg.com/light.html
This guy seems to know a lot about planted tanks. It's worth reading.
That old watt per gallon rule probably doesn't apply to your size tank.


----------



## jon021 (May 19, 2009)

the crypt wendtii should do fine in the lighting you have now. I have 2 of the green variety in my 2.5 gal betta tank that only gets natural sunlight and its growing fine, its not growing as fast or as large as the ones in my other tanks but it still sprouts new leaves. In your tank, it should do fine as long as you fertilize. If you want some more low light plants, might i suggest some java fern, or windelov java fern if you want something different, java moss and some anubias. All the plants i mentioned should do well with the lighting you have.


----------



## flyboy320 (Feb 6, 2010)

Thanks for all the help guys.

I went ahead and ordered the LED lights I mentioned as replacements for the stock halogen ones, so that should help somewhat.

Also thanks for the suggestions on plants jon021, as I don't know much on plants yet (what a steep learning curve it's turned out to be...  )

I have been fertilizing using some solid tabs for the roots, using Flurish weekly (although it's only been up running one week so far), and using Excel in place of a CO2 system.

That brings up one question I have. Since its been running for one week only, when should I do my first water change? Should I wait a few weeks first?


----------

