# Fluval edge 12g - how tricky is it?



## UnderseaGal

Hi,

Well, after scratching my 6g beyond recognition and dreaming of a bigger tank, I'm thinking of upgrading my current setup to a fluval edge 12 gal.

I know it's tall and the opening is small, and I've heard about some issues with the lights. To circumvent these issues, my plan would be to stock it with a few, hardy live plants (my java ferns and my bacopa, to start with), some very minimalist decor (one rock, type thing), and use ADA soil so that I don't have to vacuum (I just went to an ADA seminar yesterday and I'm totally brainwashed... haha).

But one question remains - how tricky is it really to do all the maintenance from that small opening? Can I really get away with not vacuuming? It's the only thing that's holding me back.

Thanks for any insights you have about this!


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## jhj0112

It's not bad at all.. you have to take out some water before you put your hand to clean tank.. It really depends on what you want to stock in your tank.. Their stock LED is not the best but it does the job for freshwater.. I do gravel vacumming once in 2 weeks.. 
If you want to get the edge, I would recommend getting an used one from here or craigslist.. they are alot cheaper..  what do you want to stock with??? Let me guess.... pea puffers??


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## UnderseaGal

Hi jhj0112,

Thanks for the info. Do you think having ADA soil would help me in terms of not having to vacuum?

I wouldn't stock it with puffers (shocking, I know!).

The plan would be for my 6gal to become the puffer tank, and for the 12 gal to become a small community tank, where I would put my current stock (ember tetras and shrimpy), and add maybe 1 or 2 dwarf gouramis and some pretty shrimp.

Or something like that. 

My eclipse, despite being scratched, is functional, but it's in the middle of my place, and I think a nicer/bigger tank would be better there and allow me to have a few more fishes.

Oh, and I brought a sample of my water to the LFS yesterday and the tank is *still* not cycled!!! So I'm being a very good girl and not adding anything to it. Not even another shrimp!


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## jbyoung00008

The problem with all the nano tanks IMO is they all lack 1 thing. They either have a great filter and not so good lighting or they have good lighting and not so great filtration. It seems to be hard to find one that's all around good. Some are a pain to clean. Some are plastic and scratch.

My favorite is the Fluval Flora. We have 1 at work. It comes with a cool 3d background that goes in thte tank. Its glass. It has a great light and basic filtration that seems to work. I re vamped the 1 at work a month ago and its doing great. Ill take a picture of it tonight. The original kit comes with co2 but I don't recommend using it because its costly to constantly buy new co2 bottles and I don't think its needed. The one at work is growing plants no problem and all it has is eco complete as substrate in it, no co2. The fish are happy.

ADA is the way to go. Toss some in the flora and away you go. You might be able to find one used for a good price. Otherwise the kit comes with co2 and that's just wasted money since I don't think its needed.

Anyways Just my opinion  If you google Fluval Flora and click on Images. Their is a lot of people with nice tanks. That a good sign to me


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## UnderseaGal

Thanks for the input, jbyoung00008! I'll take a look at the fluval flora.


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## jhj0112

ADA is good stuff.. I have ecocomplete and wish I put ADA instead. however, you want to wait until cycle is completed as some BCAers told me that ADA will cause ammonia spike at first. I would get the test kit if you don't have one! Flora is another good choice like jbyoung0008 said


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## UnderseaGal

jhj0112 thanks for the input about ADA. Definitely keen on stuff that helps the aquarium run itself, and it seems like this substrate is a win for that.
I have all the test kits but then I got my water tested at the LFS and realized my test kits didn't work anymore. I guess they don't last forever.
I'll be getting another, fresher set when I start the new tank.

Thanks again!


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## nigerian prince

ii didnt get the edge just for the reason of that fixed lid with the small opening

petcetera has ebi/flora for under 70$ , and petsmart sometimes has the specV on sale for 79.99

and nanos pop up from time to time on here as well, my advise would be if youre going to buy them new, really shop around for sales


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## effox

ADA aquasoil does have to cycle, you'd want to put your plants in and do massive water changes daily to flush the soil before putting any tank inhabitants in, testing the water daily. Can takes 2 weeks to a month to cycle the soil, not just the filter.


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## UnderseaGal

nigerian prince and effox - thanks for the insights on sales and aquasoil.
I can't believe I have to cycle the soil as well!
Honestly, I'm still not done my cycle with my 6 gal and my patience is already running thin, but somehow I'll make it work. 

Thanks again!


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## Rockman

If it were me I'd go with something like a standard 15 gallon. Better dimensions (longer tanks are significantly better than tall in terms of swimming room), more flexibility with equipment, and decidedly cheaper for what you get. Ends up being a lot more newbie friendly, IMO. That being said, the Fluval ebi/flora is a decent little tank if you want a cube shape.


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## effox

Read up on the soil cycling and how to expedite the process prior to purchasing it. It may not be right for you if you're impatient\too keen on putting things in it before it's done.

I was doing 80-90% water changes every day, sometimes twice a day to get the ammonia down, even with an established filter.


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## UnderseaGal

Rockman - thanks for the input. I hear what you're saying re: ease of use for a newbie. But the space for the tank is in front of a patio door (north facing, curtain drawn), and it's not conducive to a longer tank - the standard canopied tank just doesn't look great there (that's where my eclipse is right now, and it's subpar - would look much better against a wall). The ebi and flora are also great, but I didn't think they came in a 12 gal? I have a 6 now and I'm definitely itching for something a little bigger.

You're right though, a standard tank would be much cheaper! I may still change my mind when I go to the store and look at all the options. 

effox - I'm keen, but I can manage it.  I've been going to my LFS 3 weeks in a row with a water sample (seems my test kits are all out of date - will get a new one), each week hoping to add a fish or shrimp to the tank, and each week being told "not yet". So far I've managed to resist. That said, I do have 5 ember tetras and a shrimp to look at, and somehow they all made it through the cycling so far, all looking in great shape (well, I've feared for Shrimpy's life twice already, but he was just molting).

I didn't realize the ADA soil stuff was so intense - I was at an ADA workshop thing last night and they didn't mention this. Thanks for the head's up - will definitely read up more about this.


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## effox

There was a method that I used a water change regiment that I did and it cycled in 2 weeks, which isn't horribly long to wait. Search around for it, it'll take a long time otherwise before it's not at toxic levels.


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## UnderseaGal

2 weeks isn't so bad. I'll see if I can dig up the exact protocol.
Thanks again!


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## battmanh

If you went to an ADA seminar, I'm surprised you aren't considering an ADA tank! A comparable size of ADA tank to the Fluval Edge would be the 45p. A cheaper alternative would be the Do!Aqua line of ADA but it doesn't have the starphire glass that ADA is well known for. I purchased a couple Fluval tanks before I even knew about ADA tanks and I honestly wish I could have taken all that money and from the start put it in to ADA instead.


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## UnderseaGal

battmanh - yes, the ADA tanks are stunningly beautiful. But they have 2 big downsides as far as I can tell: the lack of lid (not possible in my household), and the fact that you have to buy all the components separately, which is an overwhelming task for a beginner, and it seemed to me that it would get expensive very quickly. 

I figure with the fluval I have an all-in-one kit that allows me to get started and continue to learn the ropes, and I can always add fancy gadgets or upgrades down the road when I figure out what works and doesn't work in my house, in the location of the tank, etc. And to be honest I like the fact that there aren't all these things hanging from the tank, but that may be me being superficial. haha

But they did a draw for an ADA tank and let me tell you that I would have liked to win it regardless of the above mentioned concerns. 

As an aside, I did learn a ton of stuff at the seminar - great tips for everything from aquascaping to dealing with shrimps and what kind of light I want etc. etc.
Lots of very practical information, too! Fantastic seminar for a newbie like me.


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## jhj0112

I would to listen to what effox says  When I started my shrimp tank, I started it with 10 CBS and 25 RCS. I listened to every single thing he said.. I just sold enough shrimps to start my saltwater tank!  really nice guy! If you want to start shrimp tank, he and Frank(ebiken) are the guys!!


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## UnderseaGal

jhj0112 - thanks for the info, and congrats on starting your saltwater tank! 

I have learned early on in my participation on this forum that I should listen to what effox says. 

And there will definitely be shrimp in the new tank. For one thing, I love those stripey red and white ones. For another, the most enjoyment I get out of my 6 gal right now is watching Shrimpy doing silly things.
I mentioned in another thread that he recently learned that if he wants food he needs to swim to the surface like the fish... And he's terrible at it, but he still tries, and it's hilarious to watch. 

(don't worry - I don't let him starve, I gave him a tiny bit of an algae pellet the other day, and he loved it).


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## battmanh

There are glass lids that can be bought for the ADA tanks but yeah looking in to buying all the different components for an ADA tank would be a ton of work and could lead to a massive headache. The red and white stripey shrimp you're referring to are called red crystal shrimp just to make it easier for you in the future when you begin your hunt for shrimp! Here is an ad that I thought might be good for you: Fluval Edge 12 Gallon Aquarium Fish Tank w/ stand & many accessories

The price is quite high but if you could get them to bring it down to about $150-$200, that should be reasonable.


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## TigerOscar

http://www.bcaquaria.com/forum/classified-archive-29/fs-fluval-edge-12g-bnib-45361/

Or buy mine for $140 
Still new, thinking of setting it up but never did. I have pulled it out of the box however.


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## UnderseaGal

TigerOscar, is it the black or the white?


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## UnderseaGal

battmanh said:


> There are glass lids that can be bought for the ADA tanks but yeah looking in to buying all the different components for an ADA tank would be a ton of work and could lead to a massive headache. The red and white stripey shrimp you're referring to are called red crystal shrimp just to make it easier for you in the future when you begin your hunt for shrimp! Here is an ad that I thought might be good for you: Fluval Edge 12 Gallon Aquarium Fish Tank w/ stand & many accessories
> 
> The price is quite high but if you could get them to bring it down to about $150-$200, that should be reasonable.


Thanks so much for scoping these out, battmanh! And thanks for the shrimp name - that helps a lot for looking them up! Can't wait to have a few of these precious things.


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## TigerOscar

UnderseaGal said:


> TigerOscar, is it the black or the white?


White.....


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## jhj0112

If you want to get CRS ( crystal red shrimps) or CBS ( crystal black shrimp) or RCS ( Red Cherry Shrimp), contact Frank at ebiken. 

His shrimps are the best in the town and price is very reasonable. He is a sponsor here 

It is really entertaining to watch shrimps  

Tank has to be fully cycled before you add these as they are very senstive..


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## UnderseaGal

TigerOscar said:


> White.....


Tiger Oscar - very keen. PM'd you!
Yay!


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## UnderseaGal

Thanks for the contact, jhj0112 - will make sure to get in touch with Frank when the tank is ready. They warned me at the LFS about these being much more sensitive than the amano, and I wouldn't want to risk it, because they are more pricey!

Though seeing how long it's taking me to cycle the small tank, it may be a while... But I'll get there.


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## Steve

If you have biomedia like bioballs or ceramic rings in your 6 gal filter you can just bring some over to the new tank to help seed the filter and essentially instantly cycle your new tank =P


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## UnderseaGal

Thanks for the tip, Steve! I do have some BioMax filter inserts in my 6gal - just a few pellets, though.
The 6 gal isn't cycled yet, but it should be by the time I get the new tank set-up. 
I would love to be able to speed up the cycle, but to be honest, I have very little faith that this can be done. I was told that adding stability would make the cycling a lot faster and despite my best efforts it doesn't seem like it did anything!

Thanks again!


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## jhj0112

seeding won't help you much if you will use ADA.. so you are right underseagal.. it will take some time  one of the best advice that I got from BCA is "patient is a must in this hobby!"


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## jbyoung00008

Took a picture of the flora Ive been working on. Its a decent size but Im not sure on how many gallons . I will try to figure it out. It also has a glass lid. I agree with the person who said longer is better but if you are space limited than something like this is a good option. They are really appealing. I know Aquariums West had a bunch of them setup before as display tanks. You should go check them out if you haven't already. I have 5 Columbian tetras, 3 leopard danios and a couple ottos in this tank and a couple shrimp. Im still looking for the perfect combo of fish for this tank.

Bad picture but you can see the plants are thriving. Im not even dosing and fertilizer right now and should be. Very easy tank to maintain. 









Its a 7.9G but I think they make them bigger. Im looking


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## UnderseaGal

jhj0112 - When it comes to cycling, there's always a catch, isn't there?  I was planning on using ADA, but I would like a very pale substrate, and I'm not sure ADA comes in very pale, so we'll see.
Thanks for the encouragements... I will continue to be patient.

jbyoung00008: your tank looks great! The plants do seem to be thriving - all very green and beautiful...

My inspiration for the aquascape I want to do is this:

Amazon.com: 18 Watt Ultrabrite Planted system for fluval edge: Pet Supplies

One big central rock, and some small plants. I won't have carpet plants like in the photo because I don't want to use CO2 and I know the lighting isn't amazing. I was thinking java ferns for medium-size ones behind the rock and maybe anubias scattered around the rock... But I really have no idea what I'm doing when it comes to aquascaping. I looked at tons of photos and still have no idea. haha

I know it doesn't follow the 1/3 - 2/3 rule but I find that's harder to do in a square tank...


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## battmanh

The palest ADA aquasoil would be Malaya, that might work for you. The carpet in that picture looks to be riccia and I think that can actually grow without CO2 although it may be a bit slower. It seems may be you're looking for a more iwagumi style aquascape so you can look that up to get more inspiration.


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## UnderseaGal

Thanks for the info, battmanh. I just looked up Malaya and it's not quite as pale as I was hoping, but it might still work.
Thanks also for the tip re: riccia - I'm ok with slow.

And thank you *so much* for the tip re: iwagumi - that is exactly the style I had in mind, and I had no idea it had a name, but this makes looking up ideas much easier!


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## battmanh

Yay! Glad I could help


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## shift

I used a spare base to "upgrade" my edge lighting


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## Reckon

battmanh said:


> The palest ADA aquasoil would be Malaya, that might work for you. The carpet in that picture looks to be riccia and I think that can actually grow without CO2 although it may be a bit slower. It seems may be you're looking for a more iwagumi style aquascape so you can look that up to get more inspiration.


I've seen Riccia do quite poorly when submerged without CO2. If you don't use CO2 you should be letting Riccia float at the surface. It's a great carpeting plant though but will ALWAYs float unless netted down - that being said Riccia should be regularly maintained/trimmed so it doesn't grow out of the netting. The old growth underneath dies so eventually Riccia will grow out and float off whatever you've netted it to. It grows fast with CO2 so that would mean she'd have to get her hand into the small opening at the top on a regular basis to maintain Riccia. My guess is that'll get old quickly.


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## battmanh

Thanks for the correction and further information Reckon!


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## UnderseaGal

shift - sweet tank! And very clever with the lighting! Thanks for the inspiration.

Reckon - thanks for clarifying - Riccia is out. I asked about carpet plants without CO2 in another thread and my understanding is that options are limited, so that confirms the story.


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## Reckon

The Fluval Flora kit mentioned by a few of the guys before comes with a small CO2 injection gizmo, if that helps you make your decision. You can't run it for the typical 8 hour periods like the true high tech setups; you will use up the little CO2 canisters too quickly. However, if you use it in the same way Aquariums West does - which is pretty much on and off whenever you remember then each canister can last a little while and the plants get the 'food' they need, albeit irregularly. The Flora kit is pretty cheap now on sale for $80 at Petcetera. It's only 8 gal tank though.


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## jbyoung00008

You can always use other plants to carpet, that aren't really carpeting plants. Some Crypts stay smaller. If spaced out they would cover the gravel over time. Im trying this approach. I might add a few more but it seems to be working. It all takes time no matter what you do. You have been asking lots of questions on here. You went to the ADA seminar. You are well on your way to a nice tank.


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## nigerian prince

the flora/ebi is 64.99 at petcetera - come with everything one needs except the heater
Flora Aquatic Plant Kit - Petcetera


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## UnderseaGal

Reckon and nigerian prince - if all goes well I'll be in possession of Tiger Oscar's Fluval Edge tonight.  That said, since my 6 gal is quite scratched, I may consider the Flora as a replacement... haha, always thinking of the next tank.

jbyoung0008 - let me know how it goes with the Crypts.
Thanks for the support!  I hope I'm not asking *too* many questions... humm...


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