NBTanker's Fluval Edge Nano

[NBtanker]

Hi everyone,

I am new to this forum as well as to the world of salt water fish keeping. This is my first post to introduce myself and my first ever nano reef. I have 2 fresh water tanks, one of them is an Edge also.

In my nano I have:

• 2 clownfish
  
• 2 snails
  
• 3 blue hermit crabs (one hitchiked his way in)
  

I made some lighting changes (not the final set yet). I changed the Halogen bulbs with one cool white MR11 LED and one Blue MR11 LED. In addition I have 2 white LED desk lamps over the corners plus a single wihte LED moonlight rigged into the light assembly.

 

I use the original filter media, and a Koralia Nano Pump, which I had to ghetto rig to install it because the plastic knob that goes in the back broke off on the first attempt to connect it to the magnet suction knobs.

 

I am debating wether or not to buy the super expensive light assembly made for this tank from nanotuners.com....anybody have any feedback on that piece?

 

Future plans, once I got better lighting and about 3 months of cycling completed I will start adding a few soft corals. Due to the size I won't be adding any new lifestock.

 

 

[MCS34]

I am also a recent addition to the saltwater world, picked up my Fluval Edge several weeks ago. \What soft corals are you thinking of adding?

[doppelganger]

your tank isn't cycled yet and u have 2 clownfish and 3 hermit crabs?

[mmcguffi]

your tank isn't cycled yet and u have 2 clownfish and 3 hermit crabs?

 

He didnt say that.

 

...or did you NBTanker? When did you set up your tank?

 

As far as that light from nanotuners goes, a whole bunch of us have been waiting for them to make/ship them for 1 month+ but the feedback from the people who have gotten them has been nothing but very positive. Check here for a few pictures

[doppelganger]

He didnt say that.

 

...or did you NBTanker? When did you set up your tank?

 

As far as that light from nanotuners goes, a whole bunch of us have been waiting for them to make/ship them for 1 month+ but the feedback from the people who have gotten them has been nothing but very positive. Check here for a few pictures

 

I hope you're right about that.

 

I agree, as far as the nanotuners light goes. Don't think can get any better innovative/quality products for the edge. If the price is right for you that is.

[NBtanker]

I am also a recent addition to the saltwater world, picked up my Fluval Edge several weeks ago. \What soft corals are you thinking of adding?

 

I haven't decided or done enough research to pick any corals at this time. From what I'm told from my pet store is that it takes at least 3 months before adding any coral, plus I need to work on better lighting. But once the time comes, I'm thinking anemones mainly because of the clownfish.

 

As far as cycling goes, it's only been 3 weeks since the setup. The live rock and live sand were bought straight out of the aquariums at the store. My water has been stable without fluctuating for 2 weeks straight. I've had the fish in for a week now and everything is fine. I get a tiny bit of brown algae growing on the glass and that's about it. From the research I've done I found most sites and pet store guys were telling me about 3-4 weeks of cycling, some said 2 weeks. My water is crystal clear, I get very little algae on the glass, the nitrate levels are super low, my test kit doesn't even change color to show any, the salinity is 30 and the gravity is between 1.022 and 1.023. It might be quick, but it seems to work....

By all means, if this is a terrible mistake then tell me, I'm here to learn, that's the only reason I signed up here. So please no bashing.

[mmcguffi]

Nope sounds pretty good to me, it sounds like your cycle is done then (since you bought the LR/LS from an established tank, and you are reading 0 ammonia and nitrites right?). I would raise the SG to 1.025 as that's what most corals and inverts thrive at but if you are going to keep it a Fish Only With Live Rock then what you have it now is acceptable.

 

That's some bull about the coral, if your params are all ok and you have the lighting and flow, you can add pretty much whatever coral you want! Anemones should be added only after a minimum of 6 months or so but that shouldnt really matter anyway because there is definitely not enough room to house an anemone in this tank. Good substitutes to host the clowns include frogspawn, hammer, torch corals but people report clowns hosting mushrooms, xenia, powerheads, float magnets and nothing at all so really it's all up in the air when it comes to finding a host!

 

Also a good rule is not to listen to advice your LFS gives, they only want to sell you stuff or dont really know what theyre talking about. Make sure you do the research before and know exactly what you need before you go and get it.

 

Hope that helps!

[DimePieceReef]

to NR! Nice set up! Get ready to be broke! haha..and just make sure you reasearch everthing and anything before adding it to your tank. If your sold on getting a nem let your tank establish itself for at least 6 months..and youll def have to upgrade in lighting for a nem. Im not sure how many gallons are in a fluval edge but I know some nems can get really big so just make sure you do your research. Clownfish dont need a nem though. Maybe think about getting a torch for your clowns instead of a nem? Also. Is that crushed coral? Ive read that crushed coral can cause a nitrate build however some people say they have had crushed coral for years with no probs. Just an FYI. Also. Since you plan on adding coral raise your SG to at least 1.025. Good luck and happy reefing!

 

edit:mmcguffit beat me to the punch! haha Im a slow typer.

[mmcguffi]

+1 on getting rid of that crushed coral. It can trap some nasty crap over time and bomb your tank when it gets out. Nice, white sandy bottoms look way better IMO anyhow

[NBtanker]

Thanks for the feedback! Good to know about the anemones, part of being on here is making research easier. I will definitely look into mmcguffi's suggestions to substitue anemones for frogspawn, hammer etc...

 

What I'm having a hard time with is lighting, I can't find anything locally, being stuck in New Brunswick CA (Army) so I'm browsing the web for LED's. I'm looking at all these lighting mods people are doing to their Edges but unless I can attach it one way or another to my aquarium and plug it in, chances are it's beyond my technical electrical skills. This is one reason why I'm considering spending 300+ $ on the nanotunes' light upgrade....which I would avoid if I could find a cheaper way.

 

On a whole different subject, one thing I'm trying to grasp the concept of is that of a fuge or sump...(same thing?! I don't know!) Is this a necessity with a SW tank or just something that makes it better or less maintenance or what?!

 

Again, thanks for the help!

[NBtanker]

+1 on getting rid of that crushed coral. It can trap some nasty crap over time and bomb your tank when it gets out. Nice, white sandy bottoms look way better IMO anyhow

 

I agree!! I wanted white sand, but would have had to order it online. So I got the stuff from the store. It's not crushed coral though, it's a mix of "bagged live sand" and actual live sand from an established aquarium to revitalize the bagged sand. It has some shells and coral pieces in it though. Starting over with a fresh new sand would seem like a pretty big enterprise, requiring a second tank....no!?

[mmcguffi]

Yea for the LEDs I ended up just ordering from nanotuners because I dont really have the time to figure out and build a custom setup and it would probably cost about $200 anyway. I also didnt want to #### up at all cuz that would make me pretty upset haha.

 

And a refugium and sump are usually the same thing. A refugium is an extra area separate from the display tank where other organisms can find refuge, like copepods or other guys that wouldnt last long in the main display. A sump is where you can hide your unsightly equipment. Usually though theyre effectively the same thing.

 

With the edge though it's pretty hard to plumb in a fuge/sump. Ive seen a couple people drill their tanks but dustin11 has a pretty good setup going

 

http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?...34723&st=20

[doppelganger]

No no... No bashing. Everyone was once new so you have to learn some where. As long as your parameters are okay then it's fine. Keep in mind tho, adding 2 fish that quickly can be a little bit dangerous. If I can give you any advise it would be to go slowly.

 

I agree with frogspawn/hammer if you'd like to try to get ur clowns to host. Euphy's are very beautiful and are quite easy to keep. Torch is a little harder but still another good choice. I agree to raise ur salinity to 1.024-1.025ish if you decide to keep coral.

 

A sump is not required but beneficial. If your very diligent with your water changes, you don't need a sump tho.

 

Keep a close eye on your parameters for the next few weeks just incase your cycle isn't over. Keep asking questions too!!!

[NBtanker]

Yea for the LEDs I ended up just ordering from nanotuners because I dont really have the time to figure out and build a custom setup and it would probably cost about $200 anyway. I also didnt want to #### up at all cuz that would make me pretty upset haha.

 

http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?...34723&st=20

 

 

You're right, that does sound like the best, most solid option. Is it all ready to go out of the box, comes with everything, place on top, plug in and voila?!

 

Now to the SG and/or Salinity, do I add more salt to raise that? And, I know it's measured on the same device, the Hydrometer, but what's the difference between the two, considering they will always go up and down simultaneously?

[doppelganger]

uh oh... ur getting in to the chemistry part here's a good article for you:

 

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-12/rhf/index.php

 

The jist of it... salinity is the measure of weight of the salt and minerals compared to the weight of water. It's expressed in parts per thousand (ppt). Specific gravity (SG) is a weight to volume aka density. How much something weighs compared to the space it occupies. I really hope I'm right about this... suffice to say... they're related which is why you only really need to know one and either one works.

 

Whenever you want to raise or lower salinity, it must be done slowly. There are a few ways of doing it. The easiest is to top off with salt water. When water evaps, salt is left behind thats why typically you only top off with fresh water. If you top off with salt water, you're adding more salt and thus the salinity will slowly rise.

 

Another way is to mix up a higher salinity batch when you do your water change. So instead of making a water change batch that matches the salinity of your tank, if your doing a 10% water change, mixing a batch of a few points higher will be okay. That way, gradually, your salinity will rise as well.

 

Kinda make sense? I don't know if I explained it well so let me know. Just remember to NEVER add salt directly to your tank. Oh and I highly recommend if you have the funds (I think you do cuz ur getting a nice light ), invest in a refractometer. Hydrometers are pretty crappy.

[NBtanker]

uh oh... ur getting in to the chemistry part here's a good article for you:

 

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-12/rhf/index.php

 

The jist of it... salinity is the measure of weight of the salt and minerals compared to the weight of water. It's expressed in parts per thousand (ppt). Specific gravity (SG) is a weight to volume aka density. How much something weighs compared to the space it occupies. I really hope I'm right about this... suffice to say... they're related which is why you only really need to know one and either one works.

 

Whenever you want to raise or lower salinity, it must be done slowly. There are a few ways of doing it. The easiest is to top off with salt water. When water evaps, salt is left behind thats why typically you only top off with fresh water. If you top off with salt water, you're adding more salt and thus the salinity will slowly rise.

 

Another way is to mix up a higher salinity batch when you do your water change. So instead of making a water change batch that matches the salinity of your tank, if your doing a 10% water change, mixing a batch of a few points higher will be okay. That way, gradually, your salinity will rise as well.

 

Kinda make sense? I don't know if I explained it well so let me know. Just remember to NEVER add salt directly to your tank. Oh and I highly recommend if you have the funds (I think you do cuz ur getting a nice light ), invest in a refractometer. Hydrometers are pretty crappy.

 

 

Hahaha Ok, I will look into that. My Hydrometer already came apart and no longer holds water, so I'll be going to the store and giving them their junk back. I'll keep an eye out for the refractometer then. And thanks for your explanation, it makes sense, you explained it very well! It's exactly what I suspected.

 

Now, the brown algae growing on the back of the glass, I see it in a lot of people's tanks, so I'm assuming it's nothing to worry about, right!? I mean of course if it would consume my tank, I wouldn't be asking that question and I read articles on how to deal with it, but I mean a little bit seems pretty normal though, and dare I say good?! Or should I scrub it all off like I do with the front and side and top panes?

 

Sorry for the bombardment with questions, it seems that doppelganger and mmcguffi you guys have become my main go-to-guys right now, or maybe it's because you are the only ones reading my thread

[NBtanker]

Here are a few updated pictures, I did some re-arranging of my rocks to allow more light to cover a larger surface area.

 

Here is a side view:

 

Front:

 

Moonlight:

 

And just for extra pics (I know I know, it's not a reef...but it's ok, just look away if you must!)

 

Sorry for the poopy pic quality, still just iphone pics. Maybe I'll invest in a good camera one day...

[Riley007]

Your on the right track, I just received my NT light fixture for the Edge and it's excellent. You can't do better.

[NBtanker]

Your on the right track, I just received my NT light fixture for the Edge and it's excellent. You can't do better.

 

nice, good to hear!

[NBtanker]

nice, good to hear!

 

Finally after a long wait, I received the Nanocustoms light fixture and it's awesome!

 

 

 

 

Now it's ready for some more corals.