Fluval Edge 12G

[rtelles]

A few months ago I broke down my 12g planted freshwater edge setup to focus on my 40B reef. Since then, I'd had my edge sitting unused in a closet. I'd always wanted to use it as a nano, but I was worried about fluctuating parameters and the potentially high cost of some of the components, notably a nano light that could support some low-medium light softies and lps. However, I read a number of threads about edge reef maintenance that suggested that I was overthinking the process, so I decided to give it a go.

 

Current Equipment:

-Fluval Edge 12G (Minor crack in the top glass pane. The tank is still watertight, but I can't fill the water all the way to the top. I plan to seal it at some point to add an overflow)

-Stock Aquaclear 20 filter

   -Purigen

   -Filter Floss

-Koralia Nano Powerhead

-50W Aqueon Heater

-Wave-point 12-Inch 16-Watt Super Blue and DaylightMicro Sun LED 

-Edge Stock Lighting (to lower the overwhelming blue tint of the wave-point)

-Live Rock and Live Sand from my main 

 

Livestock:

-Snow Onyx Clown (added a few days ago. Story below)

-Snowflake Clown

-Yellow Clown Goby

-Yasha Goby/Pistol Shrimp

-Skunk Cleaner

-CUC (a few snails and hermits)

 

Corals: All were fragged from my main, aside from the frogspawn.

-Hammer (5-6 heads, clowns are hosting)

-Duncan coral (two frags, one with 2 heads and the other with 5)

-Frogspawn (2-3 heads)

-Xenia frag

-Kenya tree

-Various small mushrooms

 

Having a main tank that has been established for a number of years now (the first two by the previous owner and 8 months with me) with an abundance of live rock and sand was immensely helpful, since I was able to kickstart and expedite the cycling process.  I threw some sand and a few piece of live rock in the edge and added toms and little bit of flake food. The cycle only lasted a few days.

 

I added a yellow clown goby and a yellow watchman goby. I sadly lost the yellow watchman goby within a few days. I checked my parameters, and everything was pretty stable, with no ammonia nor nitrites and an imperfect but not horrible nitrate reading, so it's possible that he had a rough acclimitization process and wasn't in great shape when I picked him up. Full disclosure, I stupidly didn't look too closely when I purchased him, since he was the last YWG available, and he was pretty pale and listless, so it was absolutely my fault for not being vigilant and making sure that, for example, he was eating and active. Lesson learned, though it should have already been at this point.*

 

I added the yasha/pistol shrimp combo a week later with no issues. I then added the wavepoint light and a few corals.

 

A week later, I added the small snowflake clown, along with a juvenile true perc, with relatively disastrous results. They got along fine for the first week or two, sleeping together and displaying very little aggression. However the snowflake was incredibly aggressive as soon as I introduced the hammer coral, and the poor perc was relegated to the top left corner of the tank. Although I understand that this is normal clown behavior and that they would probably figure it out over time, I decided to rehome the true perc and wait a while before adding another clown. However, I visited Quantum Reefs to pick up a few items and there was a beautiful snow onyx that was slightly larger than my snowflake and still unsexed, so I opted to pick him up and add him, hoping his size would curb the snow's aggression, and it's worked rather well. They're now both hosting the hammer coral and seem to have already paired up. They've been doing the clown shaking thing and swim around the tank together. 

 

In total, I've had the tank up for about a month now and aside from a few small diatom blooms, everything's been surprisingly stable and everyone's getting along now. I change a few cups of water every day before bed and add about 1/3 to 1/2 a cup of rodi water in the morning as a top-off. Future plans include adding more live rock that I am currently curing, an overflow to a small sump, and maybe a better light, as well as an auto-top off, but for now I'm pretty happy with the setup.

 

*Quick Tangent: The same thing happened with a kole tang I purchased from a different reputable LFS that I really respect and like. I purchased him after he had been quarantined, so I assumed he was okay, but it wasn't until I got home that I realized his fins were all sorts of ragged and that he could barely swim in the light current in my tank. I did what I could, but he only lasted a few days, and was an expensive mistake. 

Edited February 2, 2015 by rtelles

[Shoelace]

Excellent.  Yeah, it's really nice when you have an established tank to run along side.