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Our very first tank - the Fluval Edge 46 litre!

Hi Alto,

Thank you so much for your helpful advice! We had been considering adding some Endler's to make the Danio feel less threatened but didn't know whether that was a good idea so thank you for this. Ultimately how many Endler's would be ideal companions for our 5 Danio?

I can't tell you how relieved I am to hear that taking the moss out would be a good idea and will take a look at the suggested alternatives.

Valisneria nana
L palustris
Bacopa 'Compact'
C beckettii 'Petchii"
& other "easy" plants with smaller leafs & more moderate growth

I really like the plants suggested and I'll trying introducing a few of these once the tank is clean again. I'd been keeping clear of the red foliage plants as I'd heard they need a lot of light. The thought however of trying to move the fish and shrimp and starting again is too terrifying so I'll take it slowly and plant little by little with water and inhabitants in situ. To be honest a lot of our planting was done after setup.

liquid carbon solutions such as Seachem Excel

Earlier in this thread it was mentioned that Valisneria doesn't like liquid carbon, have you found it so? Would it be ok for the shrimp/fish too?

I have to admit I'm finding the whole process difficult and many sleepless nights/nightmares resulting over these 2 years. I woke the other night after dreaming I was trying to pick shrimp out of the carpet to put back into the tank??!! The worst recent nightmare was dreaming of finding shrimp in my mouth and trying again to get them back in the tank without swallowing them?! All Freudians out there may tell me what that's all about! It hasn't helped having 4 power cuts since Christmas, where 2 of which lasted over 8 hours. Being in control of the very "air" that something breaths is enormous, at least with our cat I know if he doesn't like what I'm doing he will take himself off to find a better home! This is why the friendly helpful advice in this forum has been a lifeline, for which I will always be so grateful.

Another tank clean this afternoon so I will remove the moss!

Thank you so much once again!
 
Glenda, the tank looks great and believe me you've made considerably less mistakes than a lot of people I've seen in here. The main reason for that is because you have listened to the advice and acted upon it while still keeping the tank the way that you want it to eventually look. I've been in your position as has every body else at some point and the only thing that worries me about your set up is the same thing that worries me with other new comers setups and it's the most important piece. Enjoy it ;) You're right, it can be a bit of a worry, you don't want things to go wrong or be responsible for fish deaths but you have to bare in mind that sometimes things like that happen and often it's not your fault.

I've learned over the years mixing my ferts to the decimal point and keeping everything just so although undoubtedly beneficial that it can take some of the enjoyment out of the hobby. I've also had to do things that in theory should have had all my plants dying when I've been away with no one to dose etc and tbh the plants have been exactly the same when when I got back :) To start with I was dosing at exactly 2 hours before lights on with stuff I've measured in syringes with 0. decimal point scales. Now I throw roughly the right amount of ferts in with a spoon and not always on the day I was meant too ;) Keep the basics right which is essentially a clean tank and make sure the plants have enough food and they'll be fine. Difference is we are just looking for a nice feature in our houses as oppose to having to get a scape ready for a competition in 4 weeks time and that's what you've got :thumbup: We can however use the knowledge of the people in here who do do that and apply it to our setups.

Pour yourself a glass and just have a stare into your creation for a couple of hours because you're doing well and it looks well.
 
many sleepless nights/nightmares
I have nightmares too - tank breaks, & fish are doomed .... but then it turns out they can swim in the air just fine :wideyed: ... & so I manage to get the tank set back up (love the magically appearing unbroken tank) but then I have to run all over the house to capture the air swimming fish who are fully embracing their freedom - only I know that it's time limited & they need to be back in the water ... of course they all get back in, just in time :angelic:

It hasn't helped having 4 power cuts since Christmas, where 2 of which lasted over 8 hours
Invest in a basic battery air pump - it should come with airstone or you can pick up a sponge filter - as this way water will be oxygenated.
As long as there isn't a ton of debris in the filter, it should be fine when power returns (very very rarely not so nice gunk can come out of the stagnant filter).
Most tanks come though power cuts just fine :)

I'd been keeping clear of the red foliage plants as I'd heard they need a lot of light.
L palustris might not be as red but it should grow just fine - if tank receives some ambient sunlight, it may even go red.


The thought however of trying to move the fish and shrimp and starting again is too terrifying so I'll take it slowly and plant little by little with water and inhabitants in situ.
I remember those days :eek:
After doing this several (numerous?) times, it's my preferred method when rescaping - it's definitely less stressful for me knowing livestock are safely elsewhere, & I believe less stressful for fish to be out of the commotion, I just make sure that my tank is up on water changes - I do 50% water change weekly, or even daily when establishing new plants/substrate etc - so when planning a tank shuffle I increase water changes to alternate days, then just set up my holding bin with 50% tank water & 50% tap (so it's really just another water change).

I remove hardscape first - you likely need to do this for plant & tank access anyway - sometimes shrimp are tucked away so I always place this in another (fish designated so no chance of soap residue) bin & add a little tank water to bottom (any shrimp will end up here).

I trim plants at the substrate where possible (most stem plants, NOT grasses including vallisneria, cryptocorynes, echinodorus) - in your case, as you rather need to remove the Vallisneria, I'd cut those at the base as well - so there's room to operate The Net, don't chase, just go slow & sneak fish & shrimp into the net.
Even if you're leaving fish etc in tank, you can still trim heavily - again easier to clean substrate, also then you can slowly ease plant bases/root systems out of substrate with good visibility: if it seems there will be too much of a substrate upheaval from removing root system, you can just cut & leave the remaining roots behind (most will slowly 'rot').
(If you decide to remove as much livestock as possible, don't stress over any missed baby shrimp - those guys are amazingly resilient)

Note that if you try to actually lift the Vallisneria, it's likely rooted throughout the substrate & may create rather a mess - I'm always cautious about disturbing substrate.
You can do a bit each day, just do your plant upheaval, then water change (just in case of any nasty's released from substrate), then continue with whatever tank maintenance.
When rescaping in an established tank like this (especially as it sounds to have gone through some times of limited maintenance) I like to have a bucket with treated, ~tank temperature water at hand - if you observe any livestock distress, you can quickly transfer them to the bucket.

If you've loads of algae in the tank, I'd plan on removing/clearing algae covered plants etc in a shorter time period, eg can you work on the tank daily - if spaced over weeks, incoming plants may not succeed in the struggle against the Algae Invasion - note the liquid carbon has some algicide activity.
You can also spot treat small areas with (first aid 3%) peroxide - with shrimp & a small tank you need to be careful with this.

I'm impatient & I like complete rescapes but you sound like you have an excellent plant, so just follow your instincts.


Tropica is an excellent source of plant basics, step through all the pages of their Guide etc
Planting in the aquarium


Fantastic tank done with liquid carbon
"Serenity Peak"

PS you asked about liquid carbon & Vallisneria & shrimp - in my experience, Vallis did just fine, as do most shrimp - just dilute the dose into a cup of water & pour into the filter outflow
 
I forgot to say, you did a fantastic job of scaping this Edge!

Re endlers, go ahead & add 5 or so BUT choose all boys so you don't get overrun with children :eek:
 
Thank you so much Alto and AverageWhiteBloke, I now have a lump in my throat and blurred vision (tears again)! I will answer properly tomorrow, running really behind due to 2 hours of work on said tank (moss nearly all gone)! I can't thank you enough :shy:
 
I remember when you set this up and you did a great job. I agree with alto, it is much easier to rescape without fish and shrimp. Much less stressful for the fish too. Ikea do big storage containers that make great fish holding tanks.
Round pelia is a great plant for shrimp and shrimplets and it grows in an attractive mound too. I grow it on mesh and when it gets too big l lift it out hanging upside down so it can be trimmed evenly and put back in.
If you syphon out most of your water in to your holding tank then you can lift the decoration and plants straight into the holding tank and it should be quite easy and quick to catch everything. Use as big a net as you can.
Good luck and stop stressing! I used to get what I call my 'high anxiety ' dreams where lots of dogs that weren't in the diary would turn up for grooming, Owners would come back before dogs were finished and just every thing would go wrong! Fortunately these things never really happened but it didn't stop me worrying about it!

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I can't thank you all enough for your wonderful advice, encouragement and kind words about our tank (not to mention sharing your odd nightmares too)! It has helped enormously.
Invest in a basic battery air pump - it should come with airstone or you can pick up a sponge filter - as this way water will be oxygenated.
As long as there isn't a ton of debris in the filter, it should be fine when power returns (very very rarely not so nice gunk can come out of the stagnant filter).
Most tanks come though power cuts just fine
Thankfully I bought one before the power cuts just in case. I pop the ceramic media from the filter in on top of the airstone to keep the water flowing through. I had read about doing this on the forum. Is this a good idea?
I hadn't planned on rescaping just intensive cleaning to get on top of the algae and a little plant trimming/removal. I had a go at catching the fish and shrimp this weekend with the plan of moving them to a stress free holding bucket. I managed a few shrimp with a plastic drinking "glass" but it was not a huge success as the Fluval Edge makes hiding places totally inaccessible. Not only that, one poor fish was so desperate to get out of the way he lodged himself in a vertical position behind the heater?!!! I managed to free him and he seems non the worse for it, but needless to say I will be leaving the inhabitants in situ for the rest!
Note that if you try to actually lift the Vallisneria, it's likely rooted throughout the substrate & may create rather a mess - I'm always cautious about disturbing substrate.
I have removed most of the overgrown or damaged plants following your advice Alto and have continued with the 40 to 50% water change, vacuuming, glass and filter cleaning every other day. I can see a difference already with many leaves greening up and algae reducing. The fish and shrimp are far more active, with the fish shoaling out in the open again (when it's still in the room of course).
Round pelia is a great plant for shrimp and shrimplets and it grows in an attractive mound too. I grow it on mesh and when it gets too big l lift it out hanging upside down so it can be trimmed evenly and put back in.
That's a great tip thank you Idcgroomer I shall look into this plant!
I've been in your position as has every body else at some point and the only thing that worries me about your set up is the same thing that worries me with other new comers setups and it's the most important piece. Enjoy it
I have always been scared to death of this tank and this weekend was the first time I actually did enjoy it, I even started planning another bigger tank!!???!!! For about a year I've struggled with thinking of a way to stop the aquarium, but had no idea how. I know I couldn't have even been in the house if the tank was being "dismantled" and the fish and shrimps re-homed. They're now part of our family and I couldn't bear them to be hurt or stressed (or worse) so if they were going to be, then it may as well be me doing it!!! Besides the tank was a 28th wedding anniversary present to myself and my husband, it stands for a lot and I will not give up on it!
I know I will have loads more questions soon but for the meantime, thank you so much!!!!
 
You're an excellent fish "mom" :)

Thankfully I bought one before the power cuts just in case. I pop the ceramic media from the filter in on top of the airstone to keep the water flowing through. I had read about doing this on the forum. Is this a good idea?
I hadn't planned on rescaping just intensive cleaning to get on top of the algae and a little plant trimming/removal. I had a go at catching the fish and shrimp this weekend with the plan of moving them to a stress free holding bucket. I managed a few shrimp with a plastic drinking "glass" but it was not a huge success as the Fluval Edge makes hiding places totally inaccessible. Not only that, one poor fish was so desperate to get out of the way he lodged himself in a vertical position behind the heater?!!! I managed to free him and he seems non the worse for it, but needless to say I will be leaving the inhabitants in situ for the rest!

Placing the ceramic media in this way is just fine, it's likely not very effective as most flow will just go around the obstruction (unlike a filter where flow is basically forced to travel through the area where media is placed).

You definitely want a net to catch with - or you can set up a "fish trap" (there are loads of videos for this sort of thing as well) - with the Edge it's always important to plan (practise) access In/Out
I wouldn't want to try capturing fish & shrimp without removing most of hardscape first BUT as you're happy with the present scape & substrate, your plan is as good as any :D

If disturbing the substrate you can add extra Prime (Seachem claims a unique formula & I've seen data from back when detailing Prime "removal" (ie binding) of nitrogenous compounds (think ammonia, nitrite, nitrate etc) ... it's too bad all this information disappeared rather than making it's way into their "seagrams"- do they even still have the "seagrams" on the site - :oops: I've not checked) - at any rate, you can safely dose Prime at 10 X recommended volume to help protect livestock against any nefarious compounds released from substrate & assorted tank gunk.

The fish and shrimp are far more active
Rewarding isn't it :)


I even started planning another bigger tank!!???!!!
:lol:
You'll be glad to know that the new larger 72 litre Edge offers much better access (it's not the most economic tank but it really is lovely) - there's a video but can't find the link at this time :(
 
I have always been scared to death of this tank and this weekend was the first time I actually did enjoy it, I even started planning another bigger tank!!???!!!
Oh man, the bug has bit :D on the plus side though bigger tanks give you a bit more room for error. Any problems manifest a bit slower with there being more volume of water. They just cost a few shilling more but hey, I've spent good money on things I've had less enjoyment out of.
 
You definitely want a net to catch with
I was using one!:oops:
You're an excellent fish "mom"
So sweet but having killed most?:arghh: Thank goodness we haven't any children!

I am seriously looking into liquid carbon, I use Tropica Premium ferts (had a problem with algae on the Specialised) and want to make sure it will be compatible with that + shrimp +fish +our plants (Vallis)
You'll be glad to know that the new larger 72 litre Edge
Oh my!!!!! I was thinking along the Juwel Rio 180 but we adore the look of the Edge. That said the "balanced" glass box on the tiny stand that is the Edge gives my nightmares too! Any visitors have to keep a safe distance for fear of knocking it over!!! I know:nailbiting: neurotic again!

Oh man, the bug has bit :D on the plus side though bigger tanks give you a bit more room for error. Any problems manifest a bit slower with there being more volume of water. They just cost a few shilling more but hey, I've spent good money on things I've had less enjoyment out of.
Once I've got the hang of it :confused: (don't hold your breath)!
 
Any visitors have to keep a safe distance for fear of knocking it over!!!
well that will prevent any scratches & people won't be able to "tap" the glass to say "hello" to the fishes :rolleyes:

It's really not that easy to knock a tank over when full of water - local shop has several Edge displays & they are still safe :D
The 72 Edge has a wide, low footprint (& I really like the green! of the planted version though suspect any version can be fitted with plant suitable lighting)


So sweet but having killed most?:arghh:
sadly we've all done that through inexperience ... recently I had some sort of illness in both tanks (& lost some of my favorites) - I felt terrible for having spread the illness to both tanks - I was overconfident & had assumed it was the usual run of the mill "whitespot" so didn't take extraordinary precautions (I'm generally careful between tanks but far from stringent)


When dosing the liquid carbon, just dilute the dosage into ~500 ml of water & pour slowly into the tank in the filter outlet flow & livestock will be fine.
You can start with a lower dose & then increase to recommended levels, eg, take the weekly dose (or "start up" dose) & add it daily
I think for best plant growth effects you want to move to a daily dose anyway.


I was using one!:oops:
:sorry: you mentioned getting the shrimp into a glass
& yes, I've tried to catch fish in glasses too ... can usually get a few, just not terribly efficient

Looking forward to photo updates :)
 
won't be able to "tap" the glass to say "hello" to the fishes
You wouldn't know we had any fish, even we wonder at times!!! They certainly don't come out when anyone is near the tank so feeding is a case of popping it in and running out of the room in the hope they will come out in time before it gets lost in the substrate!!!
It's really not that easy to knock a tank over when full of water - local shop has several Edge displays & they are still safe :D
This info' has made my millennium!!!!!!

Sorry to hear about your recent tank illnesses, it's heartbreaking.

As for the glass and net catching, it was a plastic "glass" for shrimp (I do have one of the gorgeous glass shrimp catcher but is too lovely to use) and net for fish but the fish had other ideas! Up until recently we thought we only had 3 fish left and then we spotted the others during the power cut! I panicked as I'd cut back on food!!!! How much should you feed fish? One tiny mouthful each...2...3? Not easy to use the "if any is left over after an hour" because most of it is on the floor in an area the fish don't go:banghead:

To think that when we set out with this tank the whole idea was to have gently shoaling fish to calm us during hectic days??!!! I'd just settle for seeing fish.
When dosing the liquid carbon, just dilute the dosage into ~500 ml of water & pour slowly into the tank in the filter outlet flow & livestock will be fine.
You can start with a lower dose & then increase to recommended levels, eg, take the weekly dose (or "start up" dose) & add it daily
I think for best plant growth effects you want to move to a daily dose anyway.
I will, you've convinced me and I am now trying to decide on the best one to use with the Tropica Premium ferts, at the moment I'm torn between the Seachem Flourish Excel and Easy-life Easy Carbo, any thoughts? I plan to introduce it very, very slowly day by day:)

As for photo's .....too ashamed at the moment and need at least to get it looking a little better.

Thank you so much for your encouragement and mentoring!
 
The juwel 180 is a lovely tank to work with, I have one. As many folk do, I removed the internal filter and run an external.

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The juwel 180 is a lovely tank to work with
Thanks Lindy, I've already been collecting ideas together on a Pinterest board!!! Do you have a link to photo's of yours? Also what and how do you set up an external filter (I adore the glass lily pipes would they work)? If there's a youtube video you could recommend I would be so grateful. It's a long way off yet as I want to get this first tank looking healthy first.

I have started using liquid CO2 this week and there's already such a difference. The fish and shrimp seem very spritely again. When I have photo's showing some improvement I will post them along with the tank at it's worst ...gulp.
 
This is ukaps so I'll suggest George Farmer's Aquascaper pages
Facebook
Youtube
Lots there to keep you going for a bit ;)

Glass lily pipe - adorable certainly :wideyed: but also very fragile :eek:
You can begin with more economical versions to get your practise in, but small differences in shape/design can significantly alter flow characteristics, so it's worthwhile looking through the journals etc to find how specific models performed ... it's not unusual for people to switch back to spray bars (the outlet type included with most (external) canister filters)

Try to find a shop with display tanks/filters up & running so that you can listen to specific filters (why I always return to Eheim) & try putting the filters together & take apart for cleaning etc

Same for tanks, look at the various shapes & types of glass (the Edge has very thin glass with good clarity despite not being "optiwhite" or "low iron" etc) & cabinet builds ...sometimes kits are very well priced (but not if you're going to change out the lights, the filter etc) Sometimes there are exceptional deals to be had in the Swap section (though you likely won't have any warranty on the components).
I'm not a fan of any of the curved glass or rounded edges as it distorts perceptions, other people really like this affect.


Tropica also has a lot of good information (done very concisely) on their website & youtube channel


the Seachem Flourish Excel and Easy-life Easy Carbo, any thoughts?
:oops:
I've used Seachem Excel as it's readily available & I'm a great fan of Seachem in general (they've done a lot of R&D), you can start with one, then try the other brand on your second bottle
(if there's a considerable price/availability difference, choose the most convenient/least expensive)
 
Brilliant advice and links as always @alto
Try to find a shop with display tanks/filters up & running so that you can listen to specific filters
that's a great point as the tank will be situated in our living room so noisy filters may be out (although there may be something comforting in hearing it still running in my case)! At the moment I have a spare set of filter pipes for the Edge so I have a thoroughly clean set to go straight in during maintenance. Perhaps if I did the same with the lily pipes?!!! They are so stylish.:cool:
the Edge has very thin glass
:nailbiting: are you trying to worry me again???!!!!!!!:lol: Oh I looked at the larger Edge (the green one and the matching mid-century inspired cabinet is gorgeous) but it would seem they didn't produce it for long:bawling:. There are some lovely minimal, chic white or black cabinets sets from other makes though, the Eheim Proxima is gorgeous and then this is quite something, perhaps a little big just yet...
1421828769340

and this 850 gallon tank (may need a bigger bucket for water changes)! Gorgeous interior too!
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I shall definitely take your advice Alto and have a good browse at working models (the planning is one of the most exciting and enjoyable bits).

As far as the liquid carbon I bought Neutro Co2 from @Aqua Essentials (https://www.aquaessentials.co.uk/neutro-co2-liquid-carbon-small-p-6361.html ) on a recommendation from @ian_m and have been using 1ml per day for 6 days and touch wood seems to have made quite a difference already. I'm now cleaning/40% water change every 3 days now and I actually look forward to it!:woot: Who knows I may make an aquascaper yet:hilarious:
 

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Who knows I may make an aquascaper yet
I've every confidence!
anyone so interested (& determined) can't be stopped :geek:


:nailbiting: are you trying to worry me again???!!!!!!!:lol:
:D
just that you can mimic the effect of "optiwhite" with lesser quality glass (& it is still good quality glass in the Edge) when using 4-5mm glass vs older style tanks that used rather different tank build techniques - I occasionally wander into a shop that seems to have all tanks from the last century, clunky, heavy, lots of visible sealant ... but sturdy :lol:
I've not chipped, scratched or broken my little ADA tank yet, but I'm never tempted to lean on it the way I do my old Oceanic tanks :oops:


Oh I looked at the larger Edge (the green one and the matching mid-century inspired cabinet is gorgeous) but it would seem they didn't produce it for long:bawling:
That's a shame, I know they've run into production problems after the first prototypes were revealed (maybe at Interzoo 2014???) but it seems to have gotten sorted so I was hoping they'd finally show up here (I'm in Canada)


the planning is one of the most exciting and enjoyable bits.
:)

Stunning photos but I don't have the windows to go with ... ;)
 
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