# Fluval Edge 6g - "River's Edge"



## bereninga (Mar 18, 2006)

I've never had a tank journal and it's probably best to start documenting and getting some ideas since I'm a bit rusty.

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*CURRENT SETUP (11/19/2015)*

*Tank*
6g Fluval Edge

*Lighting*
Fluval Edge 12g LED light
16" Finnex Planted+ w/ 2.5 risers and painters tape to reduce light

*Filter*
Eheim 2213
Glass inflow and outflow lily pipes
Koralia Nano 240

*Heater*
Hydor ETH 200 In-Line Heater
Finnex Max-300 Digital Aquarium Heater Controller

*Fauna*
Assassin snail and some other snails

*Flora*
Alternanthera reineckii 'Mini'
Blyxa japonica
Eleocharis "Belem"
Hygrophila araguaia
Rotala macrandra 
Micranthemum 'Monte Carlo'

*Substrate*
Flourite and gravel mix

*Hardscape*
Ohko stones (dragon stone)

*Ferts*
EI of
Macro solution: 5mL mix of KNO3, KH2PO4, K2SO4
Micro: 1.5 mL Flourish comprehensive + 1.5 mL Flourish iron
Excel 3 mL every day

*CO2*
5# tank
GLA PRO-1 CO2 Regulator
ADA Pollen Glass Large 20

*PREVIOUS SETUP (11/19/2015)*

*Tank*
6g Fluval Edge

*Lighting*
Fluval Edge 12g LED light
16" Finnex Planted+ w/ 2.5 risers and painters tape to reduce light

*Filter*
Eheim 2213
Glass inflow and outflow lily pipes
Koralia Nano 240

*Heater*
Hydor ETH 200 In-Line Heater
Finnex Max-300 Digital Aquarium Heater Controller

*Fauna*
3 Assassin snails and some other snails

*Flora*
Alternanthera reineckii 'Mini'
Blyxa japonica
Bolbitis heudelotii
Cryptocoryne wendtii
Eleocharis "Belem"
Hygrophila araguaia
Microsorum pteropus
Rotala macrandra 
Rotala rotundifolia
Micranthemum 'Monte Carlo'

*Substrate*
Flourite and gravel mix

*Hardscape*
3 Pagoda stones

*Ferts*
EI of
Macro: 5mL mix of KNO3, KH2PO4, K2SO4
Micro: 3mL Flourish comprehensive + 1mL Flourish iron
Excel 2 mL every day or every other day

*CO2*
5# tank
GLA PRO-1 CO2 Regulator
ADA Pollen Glass Large 20

*PREVIOUS SETUP (10/22/2015)*

*Tank*
6g Fluval Edge

*Lighting*
Fluval Edge 12g LED light
16" Finnex Planted+

*Filter*
Eheim 2213
Glass inflow and outflow lily pipes
Koralia Nano 240

*Heater*
Hydor ETH 200 In-Line Heater
Finnex Max-300 Digital Aquarium Heater Controller

*Fauna*
2 Assassin snails and some other snails

*Flora*
Dwarf Hairgrass Belem
Blyxa japonica
Microsorum pteropus
Cryptocoryne wendtii
Bolbitis heudelotii
Rotala Rotundifolia
Micranthemum 'Monte Carlo'

*Substrate*
Flourite and gravel mix

*Hardscape*
3 Pagoda stones

*Ferts*
EI of
Macro: 5mL mix of KNO3, KH2PO4, K2SO4
Micro: 3mL Flourish comprehensive + 1mL Flourish iron
Excel 2 mL every day or every other day

*CO2*
5# tank
GLA PRO-1 CO2 Regulator
ADA Pollen Glass Large 20

*PREVIOUS SETUP (9/2/2015)*

*Tank*
6g Fluval Edge

*Lighting*
Fluval Edge 12g LED light

*Filter*
Eheim 2213

*Heater*
Finnex Hang-On Electronic Controller Aquarium Heater, Titanium Tube

*Fauna*
2 Harlequin rasboras

*Flora*
Mixed mosses (Java moss, Xmas moss I think)
Blyxa japonica

*Substrate*
Flourite and gravel mix

*Hardscape*
3 Pagoda stones

*Ferts*
EI of
Macro mix of KNO3, KH2PO4, K2SO4
Flourish comprehensive + Flourish iron
Excel 1 mL every day or every other day

====

[STRIKE]*FUTURE PLANS*

 *Upgrade lighting* I currently am in the middle of making a DIY LED light fixture, but due to my inexperience w/ electronics I'm having a lot of trouble setting it up. I will probably end up getting a 16" Finnex Planted+ and call it a day. I've spent too much time trying to get the DIY LEDs to work and it's starting to get more expensive as LED systems are getting cheaper. I may try one more thing before giving up.
 *Get more plants* I need to stock up more heavily as I currently only have mosses and 3 blyxa, which aren't super fast growers. I'd like to add some HM and dwarf hairgrass. I can't get to this step until I figure out the lights first though because enough light is probably the most important part and the Fluval 12g LED is only in the middle of the tank.
 *Get more small hardscape* I have the major hardscape pieces, but I'd like more pieces that are smaller to get an aquascape I'm happy with.
 *Make sure fertilizing schedule is balanced* I need to test the water enough to see if the levels are optimal.
 *Add pressurized CO2 if necessary* This tank is pretty small, so I may end up sticking w/ using Excel for the carbon needs of the plants. Not sure if pressurized CO2 is better than Excel for plants. I have all of the equipment to set up a pressurized CO2 system, I just need a refill of the CO2 tank. I may be just looking for some more tinkering w/ this step though. Probably overkill.
[/STRIKE]


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## Robert in Sac Area (Sep 2, 2015)

I had an edge 6g that I did in an iwagumi with hc only. I used the included filter that I had to maintain every week and the standard light plus two high output desk lamps. It was amazing. Good luck with yours.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## bereninga (Mar 18, 2006)

Robert in Sac Area said:


> I had an edge 6g that I did in an iwagumi with hc only. I used the included filter that I had to maintain every week and the standard light plus two high output desk lamps. It was amazing. Good luck with yours.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk



Thanks! I love the tank but it's rly difficult to keep clean since the top is so narrow. Light upgrade was needed!

====

I got the Finnex Planted+ and now I realize how little light the Fluval provides. 

I can't use it yet since I just started a blackout today. I've been battling BGA for a long time now and a blackout is something I've never tried before to get rid of it. Hopefully it's successful and I can start fresh. I cleaned the filter and vacuumed and cleaned the glass and plants as best I could. On moss it's really difficult to deal with cyanobacteria. I also did a water change as well. 

After the blackout I can clean the tank (again) and hopefully start to get more plants if the cyano is gone. I have a feeling the moss will not make it since it wasn't in great shape today pre-blackout. So sad. But with endings, there will be new beginnings.


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## bereninga (Mar 18, 2006)

I uncovered my tank late last night. So far, I'd say that nearly all of the cyano is gone. Admittedly, there are still very small remnants left, but I will be planting a lot of plants today and tomorrow. I think they should outcompete the cyano and I also adjusted the time of the lights to 6 hours (previously 8) and they're on during the day vs mid-day to evening.

Micranthemum 'Monte Carlo' and Eleocharis Belem will be planted tonight as they came in this morning. Blyxa comes in tomorrow. Micranthemum 'Monte Carlo' is a lot bigger than expected as I've had HC before, but it's less demanding which is great.


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## bereninga (Mar 18, 2006)

After hours of planting, finally done!

I have more blyxa japonica left that simply has no room in this tank.


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## bereninga (Mar 18, 2006)

*Upgrade lighting* I gave up on the DIY LED light and got a Finnex Planted+. It looks great! I wish it had a separate plug for the moonlights though instead of a light switch.
 *Get more plants* I got a lot of plants now:
Micranthemum 'Monte Carlo'
Eleocharis belem
Blyxa japonica (these are kind of melting right now. I'm wondering if they're just acclimating to the new tank)
Rotala rotundifolia
I'd like to add more red accents like AR 'mini', but I'll wait until everything fills in before deciding on this accent plant.
 *Get more small hardscape* Once again, I will wait until the plants fill in / acclimate before adding more hardscape. This is kind of a big change and is not very urgent. 
 *Make sure fertilizing schedule is balanced* I made a macro mix and dose 5 mL M/W/F, and dose 3 mL Flourish comprehensive and 1 mL Seache Iron T/Th. I dose 1 mL Excel every day.
 *Add pressurized CO2 if necessary* I'm dosing w/ Excel for now. I will look into CO2 later on, but this isn't urgent and is on the backburner for now.

I'd like to add an inline heater since this tank is so small and the heater takes up a lot of valuable space. I may get the Hydor 200-watt ETH w/ a temp controller. Not sure which controller. The good thing is that I can use this heater once I upgrade to a larger (maybe 50-gallon again) tank in the future.


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## Tihsho (Oct 10, 2007)

How open do you have the ball valve on the output of the filter? Any chance you could post up a video of the water flow? I just ordered a 2213 and I'm curious on how strong the flow is going to be on such a tiny tank.


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## Tihsho (Oct 10, 2007)

@bereninga any updates?


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## end3r.P (Aug 31, 2015)

Subscribed... I'm getting a 6g Edge at some point soon, and I'll also run it with a 12g light and ferts + Excel (probably in Aquasoil), so I'm very curious to see what grows well in this. (I'd love to do a carpet, but don't know if I can keep one going with that setup.)


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## bereninga (Mar 18, 2006)

@Tihsho Thanks for reminding me! I'll get the video later tonight when I get home.

Update:
Plants have been doing ok so far, but the Blyxa is melting and getting very thready (is that a word?). I'm wondering if they're not getting enough light. I also inserted three root tabs in the tank to help.

I also received some Rotala rotundifolia from a friend. I somehow found room in the tank, but it's really fully stocked right now.

I also started using the Finnex Planted+ nearly 2 weeks ago. Cyanobacteria is coming back, so not sure what to do. I've been treating w/ H2O2, but there's just too much light. However, the cyano got a lot worse since I was away from Sat-Wed and no excel was being added. I have to do some damage control soon as I'm getting a lot of organic build up. I think I need more flow as the Rio 50 doesn't seem strong enough.

Last night, I installed the lily pipes, Hydor ETH 200w inline heater and the Finnex Max-300 Heater Controller. I left the mercury thermometer inside to see how accurate the controller was and it's spot on, so I'm happy with that.

I think the flow from the 2213 is actually slightly less now w/ the combination of the inline heater reducing it, and the lily pipe. Because of the opening of the Edge, the lily pipe directs the flow of the water closer to the surface vs down towards the bottom front when I had just the outflow pipe pointing towards.

Anyway, my next steps would be to try to get a handle on the cyano. I'm suspecting there's not enough flow and nitrates are not high enough since I didn't dose for a few days. Most of the cyano has been lingering on the moss vs other plants. I may just remove the moss entirely. Plus, the melting blyxa is also probably adding to the excess organic waste, so I might pull out or relocate the ones that are really struggling.

I also can contemplating on getting some Seachem Purigen but I'm wondering if that negatively affect nitrates since I already have very low levels. I'm interested in trying out the product to see if there's a difference in water clarity as nearly all users claim.

I guess one bright side of the journey is that I have a lot of plants that I've wanted. Growth has been somewhat slow though.


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## bereninga (Mar 18, 2006)

end3r.P said:


> Subscribed... I'm getting a 6g Edge at some point soon, and I'll also run it with a 12g light and ferts + Excel (probably in Aquasoil), so I'm very curious to see what grows well in this. (I'd love to do a carpet, but don't know if I can keep one going with that setup.)


With the 12g light on the 6g, I felt like it was still hard to grow anything other than mosses and low-light plants in the center. There are other lighting solutions out there to remedy the lighting issue, although it'll negate the minimalistic look of the Edge.


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## end3r.P (Aug 31, 2015)

bereninga said:


> With the 12g light on the 6g, I felt like it was still hard to grow anything other than mosses and low-light plants in the center. There are other lighting solutions out there to remedy the lighting issue, although it'll negate the minimalistic look of the Edge.


Hm. Okay. I'll have to skip the carpet then. Maybe dragon stone and a ton of Anubias nana petite and/or buces...


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## cosmic_shaman (Oct 2, 2015)

Subscribed! I just saw the Fluval Edge on Amazon while I was endlessly scrolling earlier; it's a beauty. 
I'm looking forward to seeing more of this tank as it progresses. I'm new to this and find it really fun and totally fascinating.


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## bereninga (Mar 18, 2006)

*Fluval Edge 6g*

@Tihsho here's a quick video I did to show the flow of my tank from the Eheim 2213. Most of it is actually from the powerhead (rear right of the tank), not the outflow of the filter via lily pipe (middle facing towards camera). Sorry, it's just an iPhone video and done quickly without much verbal explanation. The valves are wide open. 

Also just realized that I forgot to take out the mercury thermometer and magfloat. Oh well. Hahah 

https://vimeo.com/141237595


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## TheAnswerIs42 (Jul 10, 2014)

nice tank. I like your setup. do you dose with co2?


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## bereninga (Mar 18, 2006)

TheAnswerIs42 said:


> nice tank. I like your setup. do you dose with co2?



Not at the moment, which is probably attributing to my algae issues. I does Excel daily for now but want to move to CO2 as soon as I can get my tank refilled. I have a Milwaukee regulator but may invest in another one that doesn't have end-of-tank dumps.


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## bereninga (Mar 18, 2006)

Update:

Lost my only two fish today.  I turned the powerhead off last night because I thought they might've been getting too much flow from it, but I forgot that it was helping w/ the surface agitation, which is very little since the top of the Fluval Edge is so small. I turned the powerhead back on this morning to get more agitation and did my regular morning fert dose. I dosed Flourish comp, iron and Excel. When I dosed the Excel though, I think I should've diluted it or dosed near the filter intake because I dosed by the outflow not realizing that the fish were right under it, and they probably got sprayed. Not sure if 1 mL is that bad, but it wasn't diluted. Yeah, never dosing Excel or ferts near the outflow ever again.

Later in the morning, they were swimming around weirdly and then kicked the bucket. I think what I should've done in the morning off the bat is do a small water change to get more oxygen into the tank. Poor judgement on my part.

I've had these two fish for a really long time (2-3 years at least) and for the past couple of days, they weren't eating. The issues coincided w/ a change to lily pipes and light schedule change I did Monday. I'm thinking that I should get an air pump to help oxygenate the tank since the water surface is so small. I assumed that the plants would create enough, but apparently not. The light schedule change also probably stressed them.

It's a sad morning. RIP Hans and Franz. Here's the last video I took of them.

https://vimeo.com/141237595


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## Tihsho (Oct 10, 2007)

Sorry to hear about the loss of your fish. 

As I know you're going through the inline journey that I am, you might want to consider an inline atomizer connected to an air pump. Have it kick on at night to add extra aeration without having an air stone splashing a ton of water in the tank.


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## bereninga (Mar 18, 2006)

Tihsho said:


> Sorry to hear about the loss of your fish.
> 
> As I know you're going through the inline journey that I am, you might want to consider an inline atomizer connected to an air pump. Have it kick on at night to add extra aeration without having an air stone splashing a ton of water in the tank.


Thank you, @Tihsho.

I have an extra glass diffuser laying around, so I might go that route as I've been spending a lot lately on the tank. Glass diffuser isn't as ugly as the heater I had.

However, do you have any recommendations for an inline atomizer or where to get one? Thanks! I may get one in the future. Once I get my CO2 set up, it would be weird to have two diffusers in the tank.


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## Tihsho (Oct 10, 2007)

I'm actually going to do some experimentation in my tank when it comes to inline diffusers. My first attempt will be with with GLA's Atomic Inline Diffuser. Once I get that going I'm going to see if I can keep the tank consistent with it until I get my automation project rolling to measure CO2, O2, pH, and TDS. Once I do that I can get some actual data to show what diffusers are worth it, well for nano's at least. In the long run I'd like to get the Cal Aqua Inline 13mm diffuser.


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## bereninga (Mar 18, 2006)

Tihsho said:


> I'm actually going to do some experimentation in my tank when it comes to inline diffusers. My first attempt will be with with GLA's Atomic Inline Diffuser. Once I get that going I'm going to see if I can keep the tank consistent with it until I get my automation project rolling to measure CO2, O2, pH, and TDS. Once I do that I can get some actual data to show what diffusers are worth it, well for nano's at least. In the long run I'd like to get the Cal Aqua Inline 13mm diffuser.


Oh, that Cal Aqua one looks nice (with the price to boot!). Good luck on your automation project! I think it would be helpful to not have to monitor a tank so regularly and just enjoy it.

Now that I think of it, I can probably just join the air pump and CO2 lines to the diffuser I plan to use.


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## Tihsho (Oct 10, 2007)

Make sure you use a one way valve for both pressure sources and time the air pump to go on after the CO2 line loses pressure and goes off minutes before the CO2 kicks on (10 minutes should suffice.)


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## bereninga (Mar 18, 2006)

Tihsho said:


> Make sure you use a one way valve for both pressure sources and time the air pump to go on after the CO2 line loses pressure and goes off minutes before the CO2 kicks on (10 minutes should suffice.)


So use a check valve for each line and then have the air pump go on ~10 mins after the CO2 stops. And then turn off air pump ~10 mins before CO2 turns on. Repeat. Do I have that right there?


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## Tihsho (Oct 10, 2007)

That was just an estimate when it came to the time. You will need to time how long it takes to depressurize the line when CO2 solenoid is off and the extra pressure drains. Then you will need to see how long it takes for the air pressure from the air pump to depressurize (should be less time than the CO2) and use those two values with a little extra on top to be safe.


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## bereninga (Mar 18, 2006)

Update:

Cyanobacteria is starting to come back. My nitrate and phosphate levels are normal. I have a good amount of flow in the tank. I'm wondering if it's due to dirty water (some plants were melting last week but seem to coming back strong now) or lack of O2 in the water. I can't figure out the cause. I already did a three-day blackout last month, which killed nearly all of it. Although I admit there was still a very, very tiny of it left.

I may do a four-day blackout and hopefully that will get rid of it entirely and once and for all. I feel like the blackout is the best method vs chemicals. I also just got a new and stronger pump, so I'll try to move that to a different location afterwards as the cyano seems to only be in the middle/front of the tank and not the back where the pump is located. Of all the algaes, probably the most annoying and unsightly. Not to mention is smells bad.


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## bereninga (Mar 18, 2006)

Quick visuals:



















https://vimeo.com/141746130

I just put in a new pump today. I decided on the Hydor Koralia Nano 240. The flow in the tank has significantly increased and hopefully will help w the battle of cyano. There def was a lot of organic waste from the melting blyxa. New growth, which is looking very good, is showing on the Blyxa so that's good news. 










I'll just keep up with the water changes to keep the water cleaner. I also agitated the dhg to clean off any organic matter on it. 

I've decided not to do a blackout since the algae issues aren't that bad. 

My next thoughts are setting up the CO2 system. Excel probably isn't enough. Now is a good time too since I currently don't have any fish.  I have a tank and Milwakuee regulator from back in the day. Hopefully it still works. I plan to upgrade to GLA or CO2Art, just haven't decided which yet.

Also I need to get an air pump to help with O2 to get rid of the cyano.


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## Tihsho (Oct 10, 2007)

Your tank looks much bigger than 6 gallons! I love these updated posts! I rewatched your vid on post #17 and realized how much more flow you have due to the power head, it seems the 2213 has little to not flow in comparison.


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## bereninga (Mar 18, 2006)

Tihsho said:


> Your tank looks much bigger than 6 gallons! I love these updated posts! I rewatched your vid on post #17 and realized how much more flow you have due to the power head, it seems the 2213 has little to not flow in comparison.



Thanks! I feel like my tank looks so tiny! I feel the need for more hardscape and just a better scape in general. Ah the neverending need to change things.

I agree that the flow looks much better. It's closer to the flow in my old 10g I had years ago. I also think that the enclosed top of the Fluval Edge slows down or inhibits flow, which called for the stronger powerhead.


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## bereninga (Mar 18, 2006)

After removing the moss in my tank and doing more frequent water changes and less melting plants, the cyano seems to have backed off considerably. I'm very happy about that. I manually removed some leftover of it and hopefully it'll be completely gone.

I set up my CO2 system a couple of days ago and trimmed back some of the stems. For CO2 I'm using a Milwaukee regulator which isn't behaving, so I may opt for a new one in the very near future. Not sure if I'll be going GLA or co2art yet. Anyway, I set the CO2 at a low rate for now and also set up the drop checker. So far, the drop checker has been blue. I guess I need to turn up the CO2 more. I just think that turning the CO2 up so quickly seems too drastic. Ah, the woes of a small tank.

I also put in the Purigen. It's only been two days, but not really sure if I noticed much of a change in water clarity. Maybe my tank is too small to really reap the benefits. Plus, I've been doing more frequent water changes.

I got a black background for the tank.

I also got some AR mini from another user here, but they arrived dead. It was disappointing since I made a little space for them, and I've always received great plants from other users here. Oh well. I guess there's a first time for everything.

I got a couple of Amano shrimps and two assassin snails. One shrimp died overnight. No idea why. I've tested my water parameters and they're pretty normal. However, my water hardness test kit doesn't exactly work. No matter how many drops I put in, the color never changes. So I think a new one is needed.

I'll update w/ some photos later.


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## Tihsho (Oct 10, 2007)

What issues are you having with your Milwaukee unit? I have one too and I'm not sure if I'm going to end up using it.


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## bereninga (Mar 18, 2006)

Tihsho said:


> What issues are you having with your Milwaukee unit? I have one too and I'm not sure if I'm going to end up using it.


Here's the link to my issues (skip below for the short version):
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/9-equipment/941522-co2-issues-w-solenoid-pressure.html

The CO2 is still distributing even w/ the solenoid off and also there's not much CO2 coming out even when turning the reg knob more clockwise. I'm told the solenoid probably isn't closing all the way or something is clogged somewhere. I will have to check once I get home. Hopefully it can be resolved quickly. Otherwise, time to go shopping! Hehe


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## bereninga (Mar 18, 2006)

Okay, I lied. No tank shots from last night. Sorry, folks! Not much changed anyway.

I had a night out w/ some friends and then when I got home, it was already pretty late. But I still wanted to figure out how the CO2 setup was doing. I looked in the tank and, well, the CO2 tubing disconnected from the diffuser. So then I decided that I might as well figure out what's wrong w/ the regulator since I was going to disconnect the diffuser anyway.

The solenoid was off, but the CO2 was still being released. So then I turned the solenoid on and off a few times to see if much changed. The amount of CO2 coming out did vary, but not only ever so slightly. I think the solenoid is just stuck or not moving much. I tried to remove the bubble counter, but it's on there pretty good. I moved the needle valve and closing it all the way did stop the bubbles. So at least I know the needle valve works. I tried moving the knob to the right, and even at nearly 100 psi, the rate of the CO2 changed only a little bit.

The issue seems to be the solenoid and I guess I could try to open it. I've never opened one before, so that should be an interesting learning experience if I decide to do it. I kind of would rather just get a new regulator since I feel like this one is due for an upgrade anyway and the trouble isn't worth it. I mean, 9 years is pretty long to have a regulator and I'd rather just invest in a new one that will last for the next decade. Plus, even if I open the solenoid, what the heck do I do look for and how do I fix it?


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## bereninga (Mar 18, 2006)

Well, no real update here. Just growing a lot of algae since I'm waiting for my GLA regulator. I ordered it last week and it's been "Awaiting shipment" for days now. You would think they'd have these in stock and ready to ship once people order. I'm hoping to get it next week or early the week after. Until then, algae city!

To help w/ the algae control, I raised my lights an inch or two using these metal brackets I found in my toolbox. I also changed the lighting schedule from 4-2-4 to 3-3-3. I've been double dosing Excel in the meantime, but hair and thread algae is still taking over. I've been manually removing some of the thread algae but the hair algae and BBA is covering most of the foreground plants only. I will have to cut off the top layer I think.

I've still been dosing ferts though as I still want my plants to grow. I think I just planned very poorly. I should've been set w/ the CO2 system first and then upgrade the lights. I just didn't think getting a regulator would take this long. You live and learn!


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## bereninga (Mar 18, 2006)

Finally, some exciting news: GLA regulator arrives today! 

Hopefully there are no issues w/ it. In the meantime, I had a DIY CO2 system that I set up Saturday. However, the amount of bubbles has been pretty minimal as the temperature of the mixture isn't high enough. I was using a 20oz bottle, but the lack of heat and the low pressure didn't seem to be enough. Now sure how other people deal w/ those issues.

Also did a water change and manually cleaned up as much algae as I could. I raised the lights and changed the lighting schedule, but it seems as if that's not enough. I might resort to putting a screen on the LEDs to reduce the light. I'd use floaters, but y'know, Fluval Edge.


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## bereninga (Mar 18, 2006)

My new toy arrived today! Damn, this regulator is way heavier than the Milwaukee one. It's kind of late so I won't get to hook it up yet. So probably tomorrow evening.

And now photos of the algae I've been dealing with because of no CO2 and too much light. I raised the lights and reduced the schedule about two weeks ago but still losing. I think a screen over the lights is needed as well as an algae-eating army. Not sure what kinds of shrimp or fish will eat this kind of algae though. Any help is appreciated!


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## Tihsho (Oct 10, 2007)

That's one nice regulator. I've been contemplating a GLA reg over modding my Milwaukee so keep us posted on your review


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## bereninga (Mar 18, 2006)

I'm glad to finally have my co2 up and running. I should've done that first before setting up the lights. Smh. Rookie mistake!

Anyway, here are some things I've done recently. 

I cleaned up the DHG Belem. I removed the old emersed, algae-covered parts and replanted the new growth.

I also started triple dosing Excel. I also started to spot treat the rocks. Algae started to back off slightly. 

I added some painters tape to the Finnex light to block off some of the light as it's too strong. I think I still need to add more though. 

I did some repositioning since I did a trimming. I moved the rotala rotundifoila to one side and moved some Blyxa to the middle. 

The main issue I have is the foreground. Since the Monte Carlo is right under the lights, I'm constantly cleaning algae off them. But that's the only section consistently getting algae. I'm not sure how to approach that. I may end up going with the DHG Belem as the entire foreground. But that'll be a slow process and algae may still get there as well.

I've noticed that there's a lot of detritus that collects on the foreground and sometimes the Blyxa. I've been doing water changes twice a week but there's still a LOT of waste. I'm wondering if my filtration is too weak or needs more cleaning. 

The Blyxa has benefitted the most from the co2. It's a lot fuller and growth has increased noticeably. R. rotundifoila, well, that grows fast anywhere. 

Anyway, FTS below:










Next steps:
Add more tape to the light. 

I also got risers, so maybe that will help too. 

Maybe phase out more Monte Carlo with DHG belem. 

Clean filter more frequently.


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## mizukitty (Oct 27, 2015)

Nice tank! If you can get the algae in check it'll look super good and lush. Really good job!


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## bereninga (Mar 18, 2006)

Finnex risers are in!










They helped a lot and look a lot more legit than my last "risers":










I also got a few new additions today from Monster Aquarium in Flushing.

I got another assassin and also a nerite:



















The nerite shell is really pretty. I wish that I'd had them previously.

I almost got some fish today but... I think I'm not ready yet. I feel like I'm still messing around with my tank too much and don't want to stress out fish and kill them.

So I got three-for-two 1-2-Grow plants.

AR mini
Rotala macrandra
Hygrophila araguaia


FTS:










The new plants are still settling in, so they're looking droopy. But I'm glad to finally get my hands on AR mini! 

Seriously tho, NO MORE PLANT BUYING. I have some serious collectoritis and my so-called scape has just way too much variety now. I am finally happy to have some red in my tank though. I have no more room in my tank, so I rly have no choice but to stop buying new plants. Otherwise I'd need a new tank. Hmmm...

My wife likes the Monte Carlo, so I guess I won't phase them out afterall. I gotta let her have her plant in here. She also likes the DHG belem, which is also one of my favs. 

Anyway, the algae battle is still underway but I'm def happy that I feel like I'm winning (for now). I hope I didn't just jinx myself.


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## bereninga (Mar 18, 2006)

Well, I returned the nerite snail the next day after I got it. Note to self: don't ever put assassin snails with nerite snails! I read on other forums that a nerite snail would be okay as long as it's bigger than the assassin snails. Apparently that is not true. The next morning, two assassin snails were attacking the nerite! Luckily it was still alive and I returned it back to the store. I guess I can give up having any other snails unless I give up on the assassins.

I also just learned that rotala macrandra can morph into a different type of rotala, which I find pretty cool. Hopefully it will stay macrandra, though. There are still red leaves on it, so I'm feeling positive about it staying macrandra. I was concerned that I didn't have macrandra because I've had it before, but the leaves were a lot broader and not as thick. They were also more fragile. The ones I have now have thicker, smaller leaves and have some green hues as well. I'll post a pic later.

The monte carlo I have is also getting pretty thick. Anyone have advice on how to trim or maintain the plant?


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## end3r.P (Aug 31, 2015)

bereninga said:


> Well, I returned the nerite snail the next day after I got it. Note to self: don't ever put assassin snails with nerite snails! I read on other forums that a nerite snail would be okay as long as it's bigger than the assassin snails. Apparently that is not true. The next morning, two assassin snails were attacking the nerite! Luckily it was still alive and I returned it back to the store. I guess I can give up having any other snails unless I give up on the assassins.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



That claim about the Rotala sounds dubious -- maybe it can take various forms or change depending on what nutrients are available, but I doubt it's changing species...


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## bereninga (Mar 18, 2006)

end3r.P said:


> That claim about the Rotala sounds dubious -- maybe it can take various forms or change depending on what nutrients are available, but I doubt it's changing species...


Yeah, sounds kind of weird right? I guess the Internet isn't always right afterall. heheh There have been claims that once Rotala macrandra turns green, it never goes back.

Anyway, not a whole lot going on w/ the tank. Very little algae issues now since I've been triple dosing Excel and added CO2. I'm going to start cutting down on the Excel since I'd like to have fish one day.

The one bad thing about finally finding some balance in your tank is that there's nothing else to fiddle around with and all you can do is just look at the tank. I should probably improve on the artistic look of it since it is just okay right now, but not very special.


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## bereninga (Mar 18, 2006)

FTS:


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## end3r.P (Aug 31, 2015)

bereninga said:


> Yeah, sounds kind of weird right? I guess the Internet isn't always right afterall. heheh There have been claims that once Rotala macrandra turns green, it never goes back.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I expect you'll continue to fiddle anyways... I know I have. Looks great though!

Oh, and I triple dose Excel without any detriment to my fish. So far...


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## bereninga (Mar 18, 2006)

end3r.P said:


> I expect you'll continue to fiddle anyways... I know I have. Looks great though!
> 
> Oh, and I triple dose Excel without any detriment to my fish. So far...


You're right, I'll find something to do. We always do, huh? haha Also, thanks for the compliment! 

It's good to hear that triple dosing won't kill any fish. Right now, I only have three snails to keep me entertained. I'm thinking of getting some pygmy cories and maybe some x-ray tetras since my wife really liked them. I'd like some CPD's, but so expensive!


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## bereninga (Mar 18, 2006)

I did some trimming this weekend. The Monte Carlo was starting to get way thick, so this was my first time mowing the lawn. haha I also had to slim down the blyxa.

I added five ember tetras. They're perfect and I wish I got more! However, the size of my tank gave me second thoughts. 6 gallons is already so small. Since there are five of them, my wife decided to name them the Jackson 5.

Anyway, here are some updated photos. I finally got around to using my DSLR for it.

I also may do a rescape in a few weeks. I got some neat Ohko stone that I can't wait to use! I think I have a way better layout in mind. My current one was too improvised and rushed.


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## bereninga (Mar 18, 2006)

I recently lost my 5 ember tetras. 

How? Well, after moving the tank and stand to a temporary part of the apartment, I accidentally hooked up the outflow to go into the filter and the inflow to output from the filter. So the lily pipe outflow was pretty much like a black hole that sucked in two of my fish. Sadly, I didn't find them until two days later in the filter.

The other three kicked the bucket this morning. I have no idea how because they were acting fine last night after all equipment have been hooked up and this morning they seemed fine. I haven't changed my fert regime and they've been fine for weeks now. I did hook up new filter tubing, but I don't think that would've affected them. Maybe the whole moving situation was just too stressful for them as a whole.

I'm thinking about just forgetting the whole fish idea and just keep the plants.


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## dukydaf (Dec 27, 2004)

Sorry to hear about the poor tetras. 

I guess the stress from the petshop and the moving must have added up. Smaller aquariums are so unstable sometimes. The story with the filter is somewhat funny. I had a similar thing with Boraras and a large filter intake... 30 min after I added them, half of them were inside the filter 😕

Don't give up on fish they are the verbs in the unfolding plant story.

I must say your aquarium is so very peaceful. Subbed

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk


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## bereninga (Mar 18, 2006)

dukydaf said:


> Sorry to hear about the poor tetras.
> 
> I guess the stress from the petshop and the moving must have added up. Smaller aquariums are so unstable sometimes. The story with the filter is somewhat funny. I had a similar thing with Boraras and a large filter intake... 30 min after I added them, half of them were inside the filter 😕
> 
> ...


Thanks for the encouragement. I think I will take a hiatus from fish for some time.

I actually put a label on my tubing now because of that goofy mistake. I hope it was a quick death for them. It was traumatizing to see them floating in the semi-transparent case of the Eheim. I'm just glad to finally find them as I was baffled to what happened to them for two days.

I guess since I will be taking a break from fish, this would be a good time to really start considering a re-scape.

This tank has inspired me to try a mountainscape. I have some Ohko/dragon stone that I recently acquired from Craigslist that I'd like to use. Since I'm now fishless, I think I can do a rescape safely. I will probably start the old school way: drawing with pen and paper. I have challenges as I'd like to keep the stem plants and this sort of style doesn't have that. Plus, the stems I have do have somewhat bigger leaves. I'll brainstorm some ideas in the next weeks to figure out what I'd like to do.


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## end3r.P (Aug 31, 2015)

Sorry to hear about the embers... but the planted part of the tank has really come along nicely! I really like the contrasting colors and leaf shapes. (What is that purplish plant on the left in the midground?) If you aren't set on a full re-scape, one thought would be to use some of the ohko stone to build up a more substantial hardscape in the current setup. This tank looks very healthy, so I'd vote for that over a re-do.


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## bereninga (Mar 18, 2006)

end3r.P said:


> Sorry to hear about the embers... but the planted part of the tank has really come along nicely! I really like the contrasting colors and leaf shapes. (What is that purplish plant on the left in the midground?) If you aren't set on a full re-scape, one thought would be to use some of the ohko stone to build up a more substantial hardscape in the current setup. This tank looks very healthy, so I'd vote for that over a re-do.


Thank you! That means a lot to me, especially after the initial major algae issues. The plant in the left, front midground is Hygrophila araguaia. Initially the plants' leaves were somewhat small. But as of late, the leaves have grown very long. I've been trimming it somewhat aggressively to keep it small. I stumbled upon it at the store and, of course, collectoritis kicked in. hahah

The re-scape probably wouldn't happen in a few months anyway since I'm so indecisive and always debate in my head about this and that. The current hardscape I have now is pagoda stone and I think the Ohko stone wouldn't really match it well. I agree that I do need more hardscape or a better arrangement. I might move the H. araguaia because now that it's taller it's covering the second stone.

This scape needs so much work. The healthy plants is what keeps me happy with it though. hehehe


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## Ugly Genius (Sep 27, 2003)

Those are some great photos! Very nice shots with the DSLR.

It's actually quite amazing to see how quickly your skills increased (or returned) since this tank started. It's been -- what? -- two and a half months!

In my opinion hold off on the rescape and keep doing what you're doing here. Keep your eye out for new hardscape pieces, of course -- one should always be on the lookout for good hardscape pieces -- but don't rush to tear this one down. You've got a good thing going and I'd just ride it out to see where it ends.

Getting and maintaining a good plantscape is so much harder than setting up a good hardscape, in my opinion. I'd use this time to hone your skills on the former. (Besides, from what I've read here, you've had your share of challenges and you beaten them from what I can see.)

If you're not happy with the hardscape for whatever reason, you can use this time to practice using plants to fix a hardscape to your liking.

That's my advice, at least. I see a healthy and pretty tank and I think you should let it grow.


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## bereninga (Mar 18, 2006)

Ugly Genius said:


> Those are some great photos! Very nice shots with the DSLR.
> 
> It's actually quite amazing to see how quickly your skills increased (or returned) since this tank started. It's been -- what? -- two and a half months!
> 
> ...


Thanks for the feedback! I think I will try to keep up w/ the DSLR photos since it makes my tank look better than it actually is. haha

A lot of the progress is attributed to the knowledge coming back to mind and also the obsession of being on here so much. A lot of great aquarists are on this forum and there's so much useful information here. Without this forum, I might still be stuck w/ red gravel, fake plants and a skull in my aquarium.

I guess I never thought about "plantscaping" as another aspect of this hobby, but you're right. Plantscaping can make a difference even when the hardscape isn't perfect. This tank is still young and more maturity could help its look.

I'll post updated photos in a few days as I just trimmed last weekend.

Btw, if anyone has any ideas on planstcape improvement, I'm open to hear ideas. One caveat: no plant species can be removed or eliminated.


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## bereninga (Mar 18, 2006)

Growth is a bit out of control in this tank.

Micranthemum Monte Carlo is starting to get thick again and I just trimmed it two weeks ago! I'd like to switch to HC, but not sure how the growth will be with it and the look is already so similar that it might not be worth the effort to switch. I'd like a foreground that I could trim down once a month or so. Trimming this carpet also makes the tank so dirty with random leaves everywhere.

Also, the Rotala macrandra growth is too fast. I've given up on the trimming-and-replanting technique and just cut the tops off last night. Stem plants are no fun in this tank because the tank height is very short and trimming has to happen too often. The Rotala rotundifolia doesn't grow as quickly as macrandra for some reason. I've also just started to trim the tops off for them.

I've been trimming the H. araguaia frequently as well to keep it low and leaves small. I probably trim 2x/week or so.

I guess the downside of high tech - trimming nearly every day! The AR mini and DHG belem have been the least maintained. DHG belem I just need to ruffle them once in a while to clean out plant debris that collects in them. Is that a normal issue? If I don't do it, algae starts to grow on the debris in them.

I can update w/ photos later tonight.


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## bereninga (Mar 18, 2006)

FTS










Don't mind the bit of dust algae. Heheh

Any recommendations welcome!


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## bereninga (Mar 18, 2006)

I moved the AR mini since I felt like it was covering the main rock too much. I had a ton that I had to chuck, but it'll all grow back soon.

Other than that, this tank is chugging along. DHG Belem is getting pretty thick. I trimmed the Monte Carlo a week or two ago. And I trimmed it VERY low.


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## bereninga (Mar 18, 2006)

Finally, I did a rescape today. It was meant to be a mountain ridge-like scape, but ended up looking more like an edge of a river instead, probably because of the plant selection. Time to figure out the balance again. I didn't realize how huge of a plant mass you can get in such a small tank. Back to the starting point now. 










Tank looks a little dirty right now. Also the AR mini already isn't liking being put closer to the lights. Hopefully it can adjust. Since this is a Fluval Edge and it looks like an edge of a river, I think I'll title this "River's Edge". ;D


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## bereninga (Mar 18, 2006)

*Fluval Edge 6g - &quot;River's Edge&quot;*

Three weeks later...










Sorry that this is severely underexposed. That little patch in front just has to grow out. Not sure if I want to keep the blyxa in here. There's not really a place for it

I'm getting a bunch of BGA that I've been removing vigorously. My nitrates have been a bit low maybe. I also changed from the Koralia nano to a Rio 50. The Koralia is just way too strong. I might do some H2O2 for the random spots of algae. Not sure how I'm getting algae other than BGA with dosing Excel 3x the amount. I think the water quality could be cleaner.


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## jozef3d (Jan 11, 2016)

Where did you get the risers for the light from?


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## bereninga (Mar 18, 2006)

jozef3d said:


> Where did you get the risers for the light from?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I bought them off from another member here on TPT. I think a couple of users here make them. Just search for Finnex risers. I got mine second hand. Worth it if you can't hang your lights.


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## jozef3d (Jan 11, 2016)

Great thanks!!!


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## jozef3d (Jan 11, 2016)

bereninga said:


> I bought them off from another member here on TPT. I think a couple of users here make them. Just search for Finnex risers. I got mine second hand. Worth it if you can't hang your lights.



Do happen to remember who? I'm thinking of getting these lights and I might just PM them . How much did they charge for a pair?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## bereninga (Mar 18, 2006)

jozef3d said:


> Do happen to remember who? I'm thinking of getting these lights and I might just PM them . How much did they charge for a pair?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


PM @Fuze for the risers. Pricing and details are here: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/153-sale-trade/931961-fuzes-finnex-risers-back.html


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## end3r.P (Aug 31, 2015)

Looking good! I was a big fan of the old setup, but this one is also very cool. I especially like the ledge/overhang that you made with the rock in the front.


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## bereninga (Mar 18, 2006)

end3r.P said:


> Looking good! I was a big fan of the old setup, but this one is also very cool. I especially like the ledge/overhang that you made with the rock in the front.



Thanks! I'm starting to appreciate the last layout because this one is extremely hard to clean. Not only is the hardscape a challenge to clean, but the small Fluval Edge top makes me crazy. Luckily I'm still flexible enough to manage but my patience is running out. Also, I'm starting to get a ton of BGA because of water quality issues. I'm thinking that it's from the stones. Also, my nitrates get very low at the end of my micro fert days. I added an air stone to add some oxygen, but I don't think it's enough. I used to have a stronger flow with the Koralia nano, but I now have fish that I don't think could withstand the flow of it.

Anyway, here's an updated full tank shot:









Just did a trim of the Monte Carlo last night and of the R. macrandra Japan, which is now not visible since I had to cut so short. It grows too fast and big behind the blyxa.


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## end3r.P (Aug 31, 2015)

bereninga said:


> Thanks! I'm starting to appreciate the last layout because this one is extremely hard to clean. Not only is the hardscape a challenge to clean, but the small Fluval Edge top makes me crazy. Luckily I'm still flexible enough to manage but my patience is running out. Also, I'm starting to get a ton of BGA because of water quality issues. I'm thinking that it's from the stones. Also, my nitrates get very low at the end of my micro fert days. I added an air stone to add some oxygen, but I don't think it's enough. I used to have a stronger flow with the Koralia nano, but I now have fish that I don't think could withstand the flow of it.
> 
> Anyway, here's an updated full tank shot:
> 
> ...



Have you considered and "island"-type layout? Bare sand all around the edges and plants growing up and around some kind of central piece of driftwood or rock display in he middle? Might be easier to maintain. 

In the meantime the tank looks great.


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## bereninga (Mar 18, 2006)

end3r.P said:


> Have you considered and "island"-type layout? Bare sand all around the edges and plants growing up and around some kind of central piece of driftwood or rock display in he middle? Might be easier to maintain.
> 
> In the meantime the tank looks great.



Love this idea! I think once I go low-tech, I'll go with this approach. This tank will go low tech some time this year. 

==

Meanwhile, here's an update:









Cyano is coming back pretty strong lately. I may have to do water changes twice a week to battle it. May be on the verge of blacking out. Not sure the cause but the water quality has been lower since I started using the Ohko stone. Lots of debris sticking on things, even the rocks themselves. Plants are all healthy though! The only issue is the Cyanobacteria. I think the enclosed top is restricting water flow. One of the huge downfalls of the Fluval Edge is flow IMO. I never realized how much surface turbulence plays a big part of a tank's balance.


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## bereninga (Mar 18, 2006)

Not much for an update. I'll be doing more frequent water changes to battle the BGA. Meanwhile, here's some eye candy. 



















I've been thinking of getting a cube. Maybe an ADA one. But I need a top to it. My wife doesn't like the idea of a completely open top.


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## bereninga (Mar 18, 2006)

I figured that I would try a wideangle shot of this:


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## bereninga (Mar 18, 2006)

So I shortened my Planted+ time period to two hours less and stopped dosing ferts altogether. My plants are doing better and the BGA is backing off significantly. Now I'm kicking and saying to myself, "Why didn't I do this earlier?" I feel like such a dummy.


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## JuanSan (May 20, 2014)

What is the update on this tank? Looks so nice!


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## bereninga (Mar 18, 2006)

JuanSan said:


> What is the update on this tank? Looks so nice!


Thanks! I've actually taken this down and am working on a new project. It was a nice tank, but the tiny hole at the top was just too frustrating to work with when you go high tech. The Fluval Edge is great if you go low tech though.


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## BettaBettas (Aug 21, 2016)

ABSOLUTELY AMAZING PHOTO SKILLS lol and ik its a small aquarium but if you didn't know it was small, you could of said it was inhabited by a whale XD

good job keep us updated!


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## BettaBettas (Aug 21, 2016)

aw man I remember this journal from so long ago! ^^^ you should update it, just sayin' its a hit tank! enter some contest. not kidding.


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