Fluval Edge 23L

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Camescu

Aquarium Advice Freak
Joined
Oct 13, 2013
Messages
354
Hi all

I'm thinking about converting my Fluval Edge 23L into a nano reef. I'm a SW noob so please bear with me.

As I understand it I will probably need better lighting than the LEDs that came with the tank if I want to grow anything on the live rock?

I won't need a Protein Skimmer for such a small tank? Not sure where the cut off is and why?

Deep sand bed, live rock and a power head are required?

What can I realistically hope to stock in such a small nano?

Any info greatly appreciated.
 
I believe that tank is about 6 U.S. Gallons. I suggest you read about the nitrogen cycle, as it is extremely important.

Here is my generic "Newbie" post:

Have you decided if you want a Fish Only, Fish only with live rock, or a reef?
IMO a Saltwater tank without Live Rock will be a disaster since you are a beginner.

Every Saltwater tank need the following:
Good Filter
Sand
Live Rock
Heater
Lighting
Refractometer
Test Kits
Aquarium Salt/ Pre made water
Ro/Di Unit
Powerheada.

Now to explaining each item

Filter- You can either make a sump or just use your HOB filter. What filter do you have on the aquarium? A refugium allows for extra biological filtration.

Sand- Buy dry sand, it becomes live anyway, and it's cheaper.

Live Rock- Normally you get 1-2 pounds per gallon. This will provide places to set coral and hiding places for fish and your CUC. It is also the housing for your Beneficial Bacter, which is what your biological filtration comes from.

Heater- This will provide the appropriate temperature for livestock.

Lighting- This is where you must decide if you want to keep corals or not. The three main options are T5, Metal Halide, and LED.
More info to come when you give me more info.


Refractometer: This will tell the salinity of your tank. NEVER get a swing arm hydrometer! THEY DON"T WORK! TRUST ME!!!!!!! Here is the refractometer I got and it works great:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Salinity-Ref...item4ab33c430d

It got to my house fast and early.


Test Kits: Get test kits for: Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, PH, Alkalinity Phosphates. For a reef tank add: Calcium, Magnesium, and maybe iodide.

Don't ever buy test strips, they are unreliable. Invest in quality kits such as: Salifert, Red Sea, Sea Chem, Elos, Hannah Checkers, etc.

API will not do much good for a reef.

Aquarium Salt: You have two options. Buy a bagged reef salt, this is the better option and will require an RO/DI unit. You can also buy if from an LFS, but it can contain bad elements, because most LFS only want a sale.

RO/DI Unit- This will filter the water needed for making saltwater and top offs.

Powerheads- These will provide flow for you tank. Aim for 20-50 times your tank size.


Now some people recommend getting a protein skimmer but if you are good with water changes then don't worry about it. You can always add one if you need one.

Just in case you don't know anything about cycling:
http://www.saltwateraquarium.com/cyc...water-aquarium

If you have any other questions just ask! The only stupid question is the one you don't ask! Happy Reefing and Welcome to the Salty Side!
 
A deep sand bed isn't needed. You pick how much you want.

For a 23l you can probably only keep a Clown Goby. However you can keep some amazing inverts and corals!
 
Your edge is an aio right? If so you don't have to worry about adding more filtration just modify what you have. For lighting led is gonna be your best bet, par30 or par38 bulb should be more than enough for you and easiest to mount. No on the skimmer on small tanks because wc's are easy enough to do frequently that you won't need another form of nutrient export. For flow you can add a small power head or upgrade the return pump for a stronger one ( suggest this if possible so you don't have to add excess clutter to a small tank). I'm sure you can find a heater to fit in your rear chamber aswell.
 
Cheers. Lots of great info to start researching there. For the record I am well versed with the nitrogen cycle in the freshwater world, am I right to assume the principles are the same in saltwater?

Gonna have to stick with the HOB as I dont have room for a sump. Hmm, HOB filter.... let me see. I wanna say aquaclear 20? If not that, then it is very similar. It came with the Edge and pretty sure it turns out (claims to) twice the capacity.

What is a refugium?

Live rock wise, if I am running a filter will the BB not tend to gather there more than the live rock? Or is the filter just for mechanical filtration in the SW world?
The heater I have in there is a preset 25c one. I can change if necessary of course.

Lighting, powerhead and Refractometer... no probs, i can research options and save accordingly.

Test kits - cheers for the heads up on API, I would have totally gone down that route as they are great for FW.

I'll look into the RO/DI. I heard they are kinda expensive and only worth it if you have large aquarium. otherwise you can buy the RO water? My LFS is spot on. Very helpful and has often given me free parts and is great on advice. very close to the sort of advice given in places like here.

Initially I'm thinking some coral with live rock. I saw the yellow clown goby (looks neat) and I was thinking about crabs and shrimp as well.

Stocking wise I had read on other fish forums about people stocking quite a lot in even 3 gallon tanks. Seemed mad as I thought everyone on the fish forums were similar to folk here and really cared about stocking levels etc. Muchos confusion.
 
Your edge is an aio right? If so you don't have to worry about adding more filtration just modify what you have. For lighting led is gonna be your best bet, par30 or par38 bulb should be more than enough for you and easiest to mount. No on the skimmer on small tanks because wc's are easy enough to do frequently that you won't need another form of nutrient export. For flow you can add a small power head or upgrade the return pump for a stronger one ( suggest this if possible so you don't have to add excess clutter to a small tank). I'm sure you can find a heater to fit in your rear chamber aswell.

AIO?

This is what its like
images
 
and this is what my current LEDs look like
images

I will have to dog out what rating mine are. but I will look into those PAR30 / 38 lights for sure.
 
I'd do an Aqua Clear 30... A refugium
Is sort of a refuge to grow pods, and good algae. It adds for extra biological filtration. Your beneficial bacteria will be mostly on your rock, very little on your filter.
 
I'd do an Aqua Clear 30... A refugium
Is sort of a refuge to grow pods, and good algae. It adds for extra biological filtration. Your beneficial bacteria will be mostly on your rock, very little on your filter.

Cool, where does the refugium live? What sort of thing are we talking here? Is it like a sump tank and therefore very external and bulky? if it is something small I can squeeze it behind the tank area.
 
Cool, where does the refugium live? What sort of thing are we talking here? Is it like a sump tank and therefore very external and bulky? if it is something small I can squeeze it behind the tank area.


You can mod a breeder box into one. Some aqua clear filters can be moded into them. Sometimes they are in the sump.
 
hmmmm, food for thought! there is some room in the chamber under the filter.
This project is going to be a very slow, well researched one. I'm going to enjoy it immensely.

Better head to bed or i will still be here at breakfast time. Cheers for the advice. I will be wandering over to this area of the forums more often.
 
You don't need a fuge, wc's will give you all the nutrient export you need. I only run 1 fuge and that's just for a place to cultivate pods for my 6 line wrasse. +1 on the aqua clear filter, should work perfect for you but I wouldn't recommend using the media that comes with it, go with a bag if chemi pure elite or purigen instead. Highly doubt the stock LEDs will grow anything but that edge could make a sexy little reef, may have to upgrade my office pico :)
 
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