My Fluval Edge 6 Build.

[reeferx2]

Looking back at my first introductory post I realized it was simply a hot mess littered with over the top LED schematics and all sorts of useless info, so I'd like to re-introduce my tank and focus this thread on keeping track of things with my tank as they progress.

 

Edge 6

- Hydor Koralia 240

- Jager 50W

- Stock filter (will be using Chemi-Pure and sponge only after cycling is complete)

- 9 Lbs Fiji Premium

- 5 Lbs Live Aragonite (which I feel is not enough)

- Custom LED setup 3 Channel and DImmable - 10,000k, 8,000k, and 470nM

 

- Question, being that my LED's are dimmable..would dimming my 470's to their lowest setting be "considered moonlight?" I ask because the tank comes with 3 blue LED's that Fluval calls "nighttime" which are a totally different color from my 14K's.

 

Current water specs - Day 9:

Am: .15 ppm

Ni: 2.0 ppm

Na: 30 ppm

PH: 8.0

Spec Grav: 1.023

 

Current FTS: (excuse the messy wires and L channels up top, LED's are a work in progress)

 

 

 

 

Needed something to pass the time while this cycles, so I threw this together for my desk last night:

 

[kenham]

what do you plan on stocking ? Looks great!

 

i just made a custom cover for my tank at work

http://imgur.com/hp0NKmx'>

http://imgur.com/0tzdapi'>

http://imgur.com/ObxUVy8'>

 

Looking for critiques from other Edge owners!, thanks

[reeferx2]

Wow dude, that cover looks intense! What kind of fire power are you planning?

 

I'm looking to do a good bit of corals with a pair of clowns most likely.

[cju84]

Love your scape reefer!

[reeferx2]

Love your scape reefer!

 

thanks man! question for you, since I have someones attention..the reef plugs I commonly see being sold, are those only for use when you have drilled live rock? I always thought I'd be mounting coral with whatever they come on from my LFS.

[cju84]

thanks man! question for you, since I have someones attention..the reef plugs I commonly see being sold, are those only for use when you have drilled live rock? I always thought I'd be mounting coral with whatever they come on from my LFS.

 

You can definitely just use the plugs they already come on from your LFS. If the plugs are too large (like an eyesore), just trim the plug down.

 

You can make your own epoxy plugs as well if you want. Like for my candy cane coral (check my link), just used epoxy + super glue gel around the base and jammed that sucker in there.

[reeferx2]

You can definitely just use the plugs they already come on from your LFS. If the plugs are too large (like an eyesore), just trim the plug down.

 

You can make your own epoxy plugs as well if you want. Like for my candy cane coral (check my link), just used epoxy + super glue gel around the base and jammed that sucker in there.

 

thanks for clearing that up man! I need to spend another $15 on amazon for free shipping and don't know what to buy, I've covered almost everything!

[cju84]

thanks for clearing that up man! I need to spend another $15 on amazon for free shipping and don't know what to buy, I've covered almost everything!

 

Hmm.... API test kits, hydrometer and/or refractometer, thermostat, siphon, fish net, fish/coral food, salt, buckets/storage for water/water changes... you got all of those things?

[reeferx2]

Hmm.... API test kits, hydrometer and/or refractometer, thermostat, siphon, fish net, fish/coral food, salt, buckets/storage for water/water changes... you got all of those things?

 

Everything mentioned above except for food. I haven't made decisions on what fish or corals I'll be stocking so I'm holding off on this.

 

Just ordered Revive dip and red Aquastik putty, another $15 would have qualified me for free shipping! No worries!

[cju84]

Oh, a magnetic glass cleaner is very useful. I don't think they're $15 though (cheaper).

[reeferx2]

Welp, it's day 16 and I've got a few cool updates.

 

- LED shroud is complete, and doing an awesome job if I say so myself.

 

- My cycle has since ended as of sunday so I did a 20% WC; and now I'm running Chemipure and Bio-max only on my filter.

 

- Redid my 'scape, this way allows for all of my lighting to be used..I rather like this cove look.

 

- Finally got some livestock!! added my CUC, a fire shrimp, and one small zoa frag - impulse buy at the LFS!!

 

H20:

 

Am: .50

Ni: .25

Na: 0

PH: 8.1

Spec G: .022

Cal: 340

Alk: 9kh

Phos: 0

 

 

 

 

 

[cju84]

Scape looks awesome!!

 

BUT - you should NOT have any ammonia or nitrites, or your cycle is not complete. Anything above 0ppm for ammonia or nitrites is going to kill everything you put in your tank, including your CUC (most likely).

[reeferx2]

Scape looks awesome!!

 

BUT - you should NOT have any ammonia or nitrites, or your cycle is not complete. Anything above 0ppm for ammonia or nitrites is going to kill everything you put in your tank, including your CUC (most likely).

 

 

all of my parameters were at zero at the time of adding my crew, I thought that with their addition it caused a little bump. I'll retest again today.

 

If I'm still seeing ammonia or nitrites then what should I do?

[cju84]

all of my parameters were at zero at the time of adding my crew, I thought that with their addition it caused a little bump. I'll retest again today.

 

If I'm still seeing ammonia or nitrites then what should I do?

 

If it's just a CUC in there I'd just keep them in and see what happens. Definitely don't' add anymore corals or a fish though.

[NStai]

Looks good! I've had my Edge setup for about 2 months - keep up with the updates I need some inspiration for mine!

[FlamingPrawn]

Last water change? Tank is still SUPER young. Gotta remember on these itty bitty tanks little things turn into BIG problems fast. I've had my edge going for... 2 weeks now? And honestly I haven't put anything in it besides rock,sand,water. Probably won't for another 2-3 weeks. Slow is your friend hermits are usually pretty darn resilient. Also, did you feed before you tested?

[reeferx2]

If it's just a CUC in there I'd just keep them in and see what happens. Definitely don't' add anymore corals or a fish though.

 

Just did a retest, params are the same except Nitrate has now joined the party at .5ppm. I'm going to give it another 12 hours or so before taking any action. Possible the livestock could have caused this?? I'm also leaning toward my first water change having not been enough. I only did about a gallon, would there be any drawback to performing another small one today?

 

Last water change? Tank is still SUPER young. Gotta remember on these itty bitty tanks little things turn into BIG problems fast. I've had my edge going for... 2 weeks now? And honestly I haven't put anything in it besides rock,sand,water. Probably won't for another 2-3 weeks. Slow is your friend hermits are usually pretty darn resilient. Also, did you feed before you tested?

 

My "last" water change was the tank's first, it was the day after the cycle was completed. I also added the livestock the same day I did the WC. Also, there's nothing in my tank to feed..so no.

 

Looks good! I've had my Edge setup for about 2 months - keep up with the updates I need some inspiration for mine!

 

 

thanks man! I just hope I make it out of this little hiccup unscathed now!

[cju84]

What was the source of the water you used for the change?

[reeferx2]

What was the source of the water you used for the change?

 

A combination of R/O and Nutri-Sea..used a bit of instant ocean to get the Salinity corrected.

 

 

I think I should start preparing a 10% water change before this gets out of hand. I wouldn't mind having that calcium number raised a bit.

[cju84]

I wouldn't even worry about calcium. Only if you're growing SPS should you test for that.

 

You should test the water you are using for the change and make sure those levels all read zero. If they DO all read zero, you can at least rule the water source out. Maybe one of your CUC dudes died, causing the spike. I don't think just adding those guys would have lead to the numbers you're seeing though.

[reeferx2]

I wouldn't even worry about calcium. Only if you're growing SPS should you test for that.

 

You should test the water you are using for the change and make sure those levels all read zero. If they DO all read zero, you can at least rule the water source out. Maybe one of your CUC dudes died, causing the spike. I don't think just adding those guys would have lead to the numbers you're seeing though.

 

Regarding the CUC, all it consists of right now is a ninja star snail, a scarlet hermit, and the fire shrimp - all impulse buys at the LFS while I wait for my reefcleaners order to arrive lol. The ninja star runs around at night, herman has been making his rounds, and seymore the shrimp stays in one place ALL THE TIME. So it would appear they're all fine.

 

My reefcleaners purchase arrives tomorrow. If these levels don't drop by then, I think a 10% WC is in order before adding the rest of my crew.

 

 

side note - my coral is already doing great, all polyps open and having a blast - been in the tank maybe 18 hours.

[reeferx2]

I'm noticing a spike in ammonia and nitrite..any chance the biomax had something to do with this?

 

haven't seen my hermit all day either.

[NStai]

Just did a retest, params are the same except Nitrate has now joined the party at .5ppm. I'm going to give it another 12 hours or so before taking any action. Possible the livestock could have caused this?? I'm also leaning toward my first water change having not been enough. I only did about a gallon, would there be any drawback to performing another small one today?

When I do water changes in my Edge - I only do 1 gallon at a time (twice a week or so at this point). I figure with the displacement from sand and rock there is only around 5 (or less) gallons in there. So a 1 gallon WC is 20% - which is significant.

[reeferx2]

the ammonia and nitrite levels are starting to drop. I had a feeling it was nothing serious, either the introduction of stock or the biomax playing around a bit.

 

herman the hermit has also come back out to play, speaking of the devil.

[reeferx2]

Few update shots, tank is pretty damn stable. Just waiting for my Reef Crystals to get here so that I can get my Calcium levels up, other than that everything seems great.

 

Went down to the fish shop yesterday and picked up a nice small Clown aptly named Bozo, a GSP, and another Blue Leg - love these creeps.

 

Zoas are growing like wild fire, frickin love it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FTS: had just dropped in a few bigger shells in for herman, cheech, chong, and bubba.

 

It's funny that there are like no snails in this picture, when there's about 16 in the tank lol.

 

 

 

When I was epoxying my Zoas a piece had broken off and to my dismay I thought they were lost forever. However instead, they found an awesome place to live in my rock work and they are thriving beautifully, even grew another polyp!