Fluval Edge As A Birthday Present

[NJ84]

Hi everyone!

Hoping you can help me out. It's my husband's 30th birthday in May, and I want to buy him a tropical fish tank - he used to keep tropical fish, before a house fire a number of years ago and has always talked about getting a new tank, so I've decided to surprise him. Now, being a girl I'd rather have a smaller fashionable tank rather than one like his old one (which was massive), so I've settled on the Fluval Edge! I was interested in the biorb but I understand the surface area of the water means you couldn't keep as many fish in it.

Anyway, I have no real idea about tropical fish, so I really want a list of what I need to buy to make the tank a tropical tank - what heaters, lights, filter etc I should buy. I plan to buy the tank and main accessories and then if there are extras, friends can buy them, so a list spread between 'essentials' and 'nice extras' would be really useful - thanks for your guidance!

 

[ian]

hello and welcome

i know you've made your mind up, but have you thought about these tanks?

http/www.warehouse-aquatics.co.uk/index.php?p=product&products_id=2704&cid=1

he could get more fish in and imo they look a lot better.

 

[fishmad135]

does it come with a heater or a filter? if not you will need those. net, water de-chlorinator, thermometer - these are all a must! Sand pebbles fake/live plants - extras. What type of look do you want in your tank?

 

[jennybugs]

... so I've settled on the Fluval Edge! I was interested in the biorb but I understand the surface area of the water means you couldn't keep as many fish in it.

You can get more fish in a 30L biorb than you can in the 23L Fluval Edge tank and the biorb has a much larger surface area - especially the 60L biorb. I have both and prefer the biorb personally. Both tanks look great. Have you even thought about a biube? 35L and easier to access for maintenance and planting etc.
Have a look here at mine...
My tanks

 

[NJ84]

Have you even thought about a biube? 35L and easier to access for maintenance and planting etc.
Have a look here at mine...
My tanks

Hadn't even heard of the biube before, I really like it! I know very little about tanks and someone told me that the fluval would hold way more as the surface of water and air is the important bit and as a dome, the biorb doesn't have much. Good to know, thanks! Are the biorbs made from acyrlic and not glass? How do you think that affects the overall quality? I don't want it to look cheap.

 

[arobinson1984]

The fluval edge doesn't offer many stocking options to be honest, they are not suitable for labyrinth fish such as bettas. Although the edge is rectangular as opposed to biorbs sphere shape, the top opening on the edge is actually very small offering only a little area for fish to gather air from the surface.

Andy

 

[jennybugs]

Hadn't even heard of the biube before, I really like it! I know very little about tanks and someone told me that the fluval would hold way more as the surface of water and air is the important bit and as a dome, the biorb doesn't have much. Good to know, thanks! Are the biorbs made from acyrlic and not glass? How do you think that affects the overall quality? I don't want it to look cheap.

The fluval edge has avery small surface area! The biube has a much greater surface area and access is very good.

The reef one tanks are acrylic and I find them easy to clean and maintain. Admittedly I am a fan of the 30L biorb and the biube (not tried a Life tank yet) and if you stock them lightly with small slim bodied fish and maintain them properly (ignoring the Reef One instructions) they will prove to be a nice starter tank that will serve you well. I have been running mine for years and love them I have a biube pure which has very clean lines (check out my tanks thread for photos) and certainly doesn't look cheap! The acrylic is of good quality and looks so much nicer than tany of the cheap plastic tanks you see at Argos etc!

Here's mine when I set it up recently after being in dry storeage for a while

 

[doresy]

Ho ho....a fashionable tank

If it were me I would be horrified at having a Fluval Edge as a present and even more so a Biorb

I would either suggest setting yourself a budget and taking him to a recommended fish shop and allow him the choosing himself (oh bliss!!!) or with that budget in mind allow the recommended shop offer suggestions (of a real tank set-up)

To find out your nearest good shop you just need to let the forum know your rough location and I am sure there will be a near by member bursting to recommend somewhere...