# Ryan's Fluval Edge...



## chaaban (Sep 27, 2009)

Hi there, I am new to this hobby and I am looking to start a nano planted tank using a Iwagumi Layout which will be started on a dry start. So far I have the folowing material on hand:

*Tank*- Fluval Edge

*Substrate*- ADA Aquasoil Amazonian II

*Heat source*- Small hydro heater

*CO2*- Hagen CO2 canister and CO2 safe tubing, with a glass difuser (I will be mixing my own mix in the canister, not buying the pouches)

*Plants*- UG (which I need help with, It came in the mail today and I dont know how to plant it, and I dont want to kill it! Please help!)
HC (doing great)

Supplies comming in the mail shortly:

*Hard scape*- Seiryu Stone

*CO2*- Drop checker , Bubble counter, and check valve (all these are glass made)

Pictures below...


----------



## chaaban (Sep 27, 2009)

Forgot to mention, that once the Stone comes in the plants will be re-arranged but I need to male sure the UG will stay alive, how do I plant it?

Thanks


----------



## Dollface (Sep 30, 2008)

You can seperate the UG and plant it in small clumps of one or two leaves.


----------



## rasbora (Sep 1, 2006)

Those are cool little aquariums. Did you get the factory stand?


----------



## chaaban (Sep 27, 2009)

Thanks DollFace, I have tryed that, and I will take a picture of it tonight to show you. 

Rasbora, no I didnt even know they had a stand for it.


----------



## ALIFER (Jul 22, 2005)

Looks like you might have different lighting over the tank. Are you supplementing or replacing the stock lighting? 

I'll be keeping an eye on Ryan's Fluval Edge ... :hihi:

-Rick


----------



## kelly528 (Jul 22, 2009)

Definitely keeping tabs on this! They are such gorgeous tanks!


----------



## rrrrramos (Jan 24, 2008)

In my experience UG is tough to kill, especially with a dry start. I literally just laid mine down on top of the AS and let it do its thing. So far so good! But yeah like *Dollface* said, planting it in small clumps works the best. Same with the HC. Interested to see how this works out, always been curious to see someone try and plant one of these guys.


----------



## chaaban (Sep 27, 2009)

Thanks everyone, I always like trying new things, so I decided to try this tank out as my first planted tank since it is fairly new to the market.

As for lighting, What you see in the pictures is just temporary and I will be trying out this light once I can get the money for it:

http://www.ultraleds.co.uk/acdc-cool-white-leds-dome-light-lumen-p-1707.html

Do you think this light will work? The reason I am looking to get this light is because I know it will fit in the "canopy" of the tank, so let me know what you guys think!

Pictures of the UG seperated, like suggested:


----------



## JoePhish (Oct 23, 2009)

Hey, I like what you got but what I'm realy interested in is your substate. What is that?


----------



## rrrrramos (Jan 24, 2008)

JoePhish said:


> Hey, I like what you got but what I'm realy interested in is your substate. What is that?


All the specs are posted in the first post. According to that it's Aquasoil Amazonia II...


----------



## chaaban (Sep 27, 2009)

Thanks rrrrramos, here's a link if your interested in purchasing it-

http://www.adana-usa.com/index.php?main_page=afa_product_info&cPath=12_21&products_id=266


----------



## ALIFER (Jul 22, 2005)

chaaban said:


> As for lighting, What you see in the pictures is just temporary and I will be trying out this light once I can get the money for it:
> http://www.ultraleds.co.uk/acdc-cool-white-leds-dome-light-lumen-p-1707.html Do you think this light will work? The reason I am looking to get this light is because I know it will fit in the "canopy" of the tank, so let me know what you guys think!:


The LED light you had linked is only 6-watts, do you think two would fit in the "canopy" of your Fluval Edge?


----------



## cale262 (Sep 22, 2008)

I bought some 10w LEDs for mine off of ebay but because I have less than 5 posts it won't let me post the link 


just goto ebay and search "_*Brightest MR11 12 V 10 SMD LED White 160 Lumen Wide Ang*_" and they should come up...


Here's a pic of the lights, they work great...


----------



## chaaban (Sep 27, 2009)

I dont think two of these will fit unfortunatly, any other sugestions?... The cheaper the better...:red_mouth


----------



## chaaban (Sep 27, 2009)

Cale 262, those look great, do you know if they will fit in the fixture of the fluval edge? Do they have a nice clean white light to them? And also do they give that "spotlight effect"? Im trying to get away from that.

Thanks!


----------



## chaaban (Sep 27, 2009)

Is this the link? http://cgi.ebay.com.sg/Brightest-MR...-Wide-Ang_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQitemZ390079024120


----------



## cale262 (Sep 22, 2008)

chaaban said:


> Cale 262, those look great, do you know if they will fit in the fixture of the fluval edge? Do they have a nice clean white light to them? And also do they give that "spotlight effect"? Im trying to get away from that.
> 
> Thanks!


They fit right into the fixtures, they give off a nice white light in a wide pattern unlike the supplied, spotlight halogens... I'll take some pics and post them later today.


----------



## cale262 (Sep 22, 2008)

Not the best picture but it gives you an idea...Lights are not as piercing and have much better coverage IMHO...


----------



## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

I want one of these tanks sooooo badly. I must wait till Dec though. Sigh. These both look great!


----------



## chaaban (Sep 27, 2009)

The upgraded lighting looks great compared to the stock, but before I order it, I would like some feedback as to if it will be sufficient lighting for the UG, HC, and possibly Dwarf Hair Grass, that I might put in there.


----------



## chaaban (Sep 27, 2009)

bump, for some input on these LED lights...


----------



## dkbmxr18 (Oct 25, 2009)

Sweet forum!

I ordered a pair of those LED's today on ebay. I'm going to be using them with low light plants including Java fern, Anubius, and Java moss. I have heard they will be okay but I guess time will tell! I'll be starting a journal w/ my edge tank pretty soon. Just found this forum last night roud: 

I'm just getting back into the hobby after a few years. The girlfriend bought me the edge for our anniversary. It's a big change from the 90g African Cichlid tank I use to have. I'd post a picture of my current setup but I need to have 5 posts first.


----------



## Triphazard (Oct 28, 2009)

How the hell did you get those rocks in there? i can hardly fit my hand let alone rock! good job!


----------



## cale262 (Sep 22, 2008)

Triphazard said:


> How the hell did you get those rocks in there? i can hardly fit my hand let alone rock! good job!




LOL, it's Aqua Terra Modular rock :wink: ...


----------



## dkbmxr18 (Oct 25, 2009)

Cale how long have you had those LED lights in there? Are they enough to keep the plants alive? Mine should be in today. I'm hoping they work out!


----------



## bherren1 (Feb 15, 2009)

i've looked the fluval edge over many times. it is definitely is a sexy looking aquarium. but, i don't think the current available model lends itself well as a planted aquarium. 

here are my critiques, albeit from observation not experience:

1. lighting is weak. i see that some who are trying to use the edge have found some *ok*, at best, substitutions and so far they just look like an unattractive stage spot light. 

2. the opening is small. i think it would be difficult to get some decent hardscape elements into this tank. cleaning the glass seems like it might be challenging after it is scaped and plants are growing without disturbing things. and it seems that it may require a fair amount of dexterity to trim and maintain an aquascape.

but we hobbyist are an enterprising bunch. i'm sure as time goes on people will find ways to work around these problems and come up with nice aquascapes in these attractive little glass boxes. i am subscribing to this journal and look forward to seeing what you can do with the fluval edge.

oh, you should start a group or club for fluval edgers if you or someone else hasn't already. it would be a great way to pool your resources and experiences....

i wish you the best of luck,


----------



## tanh3 (Oct 14, 2009)

My Fluval Edge with regular lighting


----------



## CL (Mar 13, 2008)

That was a very good idea to up the stock lighting!


----------



## cale262 (Sep 22, 2008)

Not trying to jack your thread but I thought I'd share...


----------



## cale262 (Sep 22, 2008)

I upgraded my filtration today, found a nice small canister that just barely squeaks into the back of the filter compartment, almost as if it was made for the EDGE...

the ZOO MED 501...










Maybe we should start up and "EDGE" thread...


----------



## bherren1 (Feb 15, 2009)

see, you guys are coming up with more and more innovations. sweetroud:. not just a new thread but a club. just what the world needs, a few more "pimps" to keep all of the other "pimps" in check :hihi:. but seriously, i'm glad people are trying these things. they look do cool.


----------



## dkbmxr18 (Oct 25, 2009)

My java moss came in last night which I put on rocks and laced in the foreground in front of the driftwood. My LED's should be in today. I'll post pictures soon!


----------



## chaaban (Sep 27, 2009)

Upgrading that filter seems like a great idea, will definetly upgrade once i get the money.


----------



## dkbmxr18 (Oct 25, 2009)

My LED's finally came in today! We'll see if they are enough to keep my Java fern, anubias, and Java moss alive! Here is a comparison between the stock and LED lights.

(my moss just came in so it has a little brown still.....and my tank is a little cloudy from rescaping last night)
Stock








LEDs









Looks waaay better IMO. Think they will keep the plants alive?

p.s. we really need a EDGE thread.


----------



## volatile (Feb 13, 2007)

Those lights look way better. Too bad they aren't able to get the edges of the tank though. How many watts are the lights again?


----------



## Church (Sep 14, 2004)

Hmmm. I'm guessing these tanks would make really cool "island" scapes.


----------



## dkbmxr18 (Oct 25, 2009)

Here's the specs of the lights I put in:

*Bulb Type*
MR11 10 White LED G4 Base
*Life time*
30,000 Hours
*Color*
White (5500 to 6500K)
*View Angle*
140 Deg
*Light output*
160 Lumen
*Operating Voltage* 
12 V AC DC (125 mA)
*Consumption * 
2.1 Watt

I have an idea on how I can add a low wattage CFL without compromising how the tank looks out of the box. Or will 2x 2.1w LED be enough?


----------



## kcirtappatrick (Mar 16, 2009)

cale262 said:


>


I really like these filters! I use them on my nano tanks. They work great!


----------



## chaaban (Sep 27, 2009)

Ok, before I go ahead and order these LED's are you guys sure they are sufficient enough for HC, UG, and possibly dwarf hairgrass in the future.

Also dkbmxr18 if you can post a link of the light strip your talking about, I think that it would be a good idea to add that light to the LED's.

Thanks everyone!


----------



## dkbmxr18 (Oct 25, 2009)

A little DIY today...

I went to Petsmart and got a 15w aquarium bulb and then went next door to Home Depot and got a base for it. I cut the head off an extension cord and hooked it up to the base. I mounted the light to the stock portion of the lighting system in the front with some aluminum foil behind it so it wont heat up the plastic as much. Right now it is just held on by electrical tape but tomorrow I plan on getting some zip ties from work and making it much cleaner. The extra 15w added to the LED's SHOULD be enough to accommodate the plants light requirements...I hope!!

here is some pictures:

These pictures are before I put the foil behind the light. I also put some foil underneath the cover so no light comes through.










all turned on:










We'll see how it works! :thumbsup:


----------



## FrostyNYC (Nov 5, 2007)

Is that new bulb you installed incandescent? If so, are you worried about heat?


----------



## dkbmxr18 (Oct 25, 2009)

FrostyNYC said:


> Is that new bulb you installed incandescent? If so, are you worried about heat?


Uh oh, I don't know? What kinda bulb should I put in there instead???


----------



## yikesjason (Jul 2, 2008)

There is a 10w CFL that is meant to fit in the same space as those incandescent bulbs. You can find them at WalMart.

Link


----------



## dkbmxr18 (Oct 25, 2009)

I just pulled it out, it was pretty hot after being in there a few hours. I'm going to rig up one of these CFL's instead tomorrow... back to the drawing board!


----------



## yikesjason (Jul 2, 2008)

If you can get to a WalMart, the bulb I linked to is a screw in bulb and you can use the same socket you already have.


----------



## volatile (Feb 13, 2007)

Looking forward to seeing your results with the Walmart bulb dkbmxr18! If this works out well, I can see a lot more people buying one of these things. :icon_smil


----------



## dkbmxr18 (Oct 25, 2009)

There is a Walmart right down the street. I'm going to pick one of those up today. I got one more light timer while I was at home depot yesterday since they were on sale for $3. Depending how bright this 10w is I might have it come on for a half hour before the LED's and stay on a half hour after the LED's because they are pretty dang bright. Maybe even have it take a nap in the middle of the day to fight algae? We'll see. I'll be posting results on here. Gosh I really with I started my own thread/journal instead of taking over the Ryan's fluval edge thread.


----------



## voodooaria (Oct 13, 2009)

Hey, I have been researching this tank for either freshwater or a reef tank. The lighting that I was going to go with is this in the cool, wide lens. This gives a really nice crisp color and no spot light effect. Just my .02 incase anyone else was looking for them!


----------



## yikesjason (Jul 2, 2008)

will that bulb work in with the transformer in the edge?


----------



## volatile (Feb 13, 2007)

Pretty sure that LEDwaves.com bulb just plugs into the included socket in the Edge. I googled a few days ago and saw some people who used the Edge as a reef tank and did the same thing with their Edge lighting. 

dkbmxr18 good idea, maybe you can have one of the ops move your comments and the responses to your own thread so we can keep yours and Ryan's separate? :icon_cool


----------



## yikesjason (Jul 2, 2008)

I was wondering because this was in the notes.

_# If you have electronic transformers that are designed for halogen bulbs, most likely they will not work with this LED light bulb.
# This bulb is compatible with 12 Volt magnetic transformers. _


----------



## cale262 (Sep 22, 2008)

I started a new thread for sharing Edge info as not to further hijack Ryans thread...

The Official Edge thread - sharing of info, ideas and pictures...


----------



## voodooaria (Oct 13, 2009)

yikesjason said:


> will that bulb work in with the transformer in the edge?


 
You should just be able to swap out the standard bulbs with the LED and be good to go.


----------



## dkbmxr18 (Oct 25, 2009)

Home on my lunch break. The Walmart 10w bulb is going to be perfect for this setup. I'm going to do some grinding on the base when I go back to work so it has a flat spot that will make it easier to mount to the stock light bar. The bulb is pretty dang bright and compliments the LED's really well. I'll be posting in the new EDGE forum for now on. Thanks for all the help everyone! I'll post pictures of the finishing touches tonight.


----------



## chaaban (Sep 27, 2009)

Very nice addition to the LED's, now will someone assure me that those lights together will be sufficient enough for the UG, HC, and dwarf hair grass? Just so I know for sure before ordering them.

Thanks

P.S...i dont mind post away!


----------



## volatile (Feb 13, 2007)

yikesjason said:


> I was wondering because this was in the notes.
> 
> _# If you have electronic transformers that are designed for halogen bulbs, most likely they will not work with this LED light bulb.
> # This bulb is compatible with 12 Volt magnetic transformers. _


The SW reef tank thread mentioned this as well but they just plugged in those bulbs and they worked.

It was in one of these two threads. 1 2


----------



## chaaban (Sep 27, 2009)

Thanks for the links, I quickly scanned thru these threads and could not find a picture of the lights installed, I would like to see if the lights will cover the entire tank and not have that "projection" look..


----------



## Dollface (Sep 30, 2008)

It they're only in that top cover, the light spread probably won't cover the entire tank. depending on the LEDS, most have a very small veiwing angle so the light is very focused, giving that spotlight effect. 

The more I see these tanks, the more I want one, so cool.


----------



## mywasteoftime (Nov 3, 2009)

Thanks for this great thread. Was googling the Edge tank and found this site. Now I'm starting my checklist for a tank after 15 yrs away from the hobby. Looking fwd to more tips and tricks.
Cheers


----------

