My Fluval Edge Tank - With Fish!

[SensesFail]

Cool, at least I know what is happening with the tap water/tank water over time.

Just dosed my 1st 1.25ml (ish) of Ammonia.

Do I test now or wait 24 hours?

you could test ammonia just to make sure its 5ppm. I would then just test 24hrs later testing for ammonia and if it has dropped you could test nitrite. When the ammonia is dropping id test both the ammonia and nitrite keeping a log. Eventually when you test on the 24th hr and their is no ammonia you can then start testing every 12rs only dosing on the 24th hr until the nitrite is 0 and ammonia is 0 12hrs after dosing. (when it gets to that stage you in effect test 12hrs after dosing and then leave the tank without ammonia for 12 hrs until dosing time comes round again)

 

[Gazanimal]

Cool.

I'm keeping a log as I go anyway (excel doc) just so I can keep tabs on things.

I'll test the ammonia levels, to make sure it's 5ppm, but hopefully it will be according to the dosage calculator.

I'll be back with results!

 

[Gazanimal]

Ammonia - 4.0ppm

Dosed another 0.25ml

Ammonia now - 5.0ppm

 

[SensesFail]

Ammonia - 4.0ppm

Dosed another 0.25ml

Ammonia now - 5.0ppm

Spot on now the waiting game for the filter to work with it

 

[Gazanimal]

Yep, the lovely waiting game begins.

Couple of things I noticed is the mountainous amount of bubbles I'm getting at the top of my tank. I know that air is trapped by the filter as it cascades the water back into the tank, but it seems a lot. Plus the sand at the front of my tank has moved so much that I can see the glass bottom again, even though I've turned the filter down.

Not sure which temperature to believe either.

Set the heater to 28c and it's coming on & turning off ok, but the stick on thermometer I have on the side of my tank is only reading 25c. I thought there might be a slight difference (+/- 1c), but not 3c.

 

[Si_B]

Even thermocouple-based measuring devices aren't quoted as better than 1 Deg C usually, So a stick on, or a setting on a thermostat, could easily be 2 or 3 degrees out.

If you can borrow a better quality thermometer, I dunno, maybe a medical or a weather one, you could use that as a baseline to find the error on the stick on thermometer. Then I would ignore the setting on the thermostat and just tweak it 'til the correct temperature is at the thermometer (allowing for the error to the 'good' thermometer).

 

[SensesFail]

Yep, the lovely waiting game begins.

Couple of things I noticed is the mountainous amount of bubbles I'm getting at the top of my tank. I know that air is trapped by the filter as it cascades the water back into the tank, but it seems a lot. Plus the sand at the front of my tank has moved so much that I can see the glass bottom again, even though I've turned the filter down.

Not sure which temperature to believe either.

Set the heater to 28c and it's coming on & turning off ok, but the stick on thermometer I have on the side of my tank is only reading 25c. I thought there might be a slight difference (+/- 1c), but not 3c.

Im not too clued up on the filters you get but can you position the outlet on these or is it in a set place? if its in one place could maybe place an ornament there for it to hit off hopefully someone with an edge can shine some light onto it

As for the temperature i use one of these: Thermometer

Pardon the website i used haha but iv had no problem whats so ever with it. I use a fluval E series heater which shows the temperature on it i think that temp is around 0.5-1 C out compared to the thermometer but i just go off the thermometer rather than the temp displayed on the heater. If the heater flashes red i know its too hot or blue too cold. For the price of the above thermometer it may be worth getting another and seeing if thats any better. I have 1 fitted to the tank but i have another which i may throw in, in a hidden but easily read place but with the heater having one i know just to take what it says deducting the relevant amount. If it is your heater then just tweek it accordingly turning it up but just keep an eye on the glass thermometer in case something happens within the heater and it starts becoming more accurate lol.

 

[Gazanimal]

Here's what the Fluval Edge filter looks like

The left tube is the intake, and the water cascades back out in front the of filter media.

The small `knob` above the tube on the left is a handle to control the flow, move it to the right to slow the flow down, which I have done but I'm concerned it'll be too slow

As for the bubbles, it must be just a side-effect of the closed lid style of the Fluval.

 

[SensesFail]

Here's what the Fluval Edge filter looks like

The left tube is the intake, and the water cascades back out in front the of filter media.

The small `knob` above the tube on the left is a handle to control the flow, move it to the right to slow the flow down, which I have done but I'm concerned it'll be too slow

As for the bubbles, it must be just a side-effect of the closed lid style of the Fluval.

im just throwing this in but is it filled to the max line? if so the bubbles if theres enough surface agitation will some what oxygenate the tank

 

[Gazanimal]

Yeah it's filled up.

I primed it with treated water as I didn;t want it coughing and spluttering but it's running fine now.

Turned the flow right down, but I'll ask some of the other FLuval users how they have theirs set. Plus with no ornaments in yet to disturb the flow it's a bit faster than it should be I suspect.

 

[Gazanimal]

Just done my test for today:

Day Two: pH = 7.6 / pH High = 8.2 / Ammonia: 4.5ppm

1st day after dosing the ammonia, so not expecting much to happen

 

[SensesFail]

Just done my test for today:

Day Two: pH = 7.6 / pH High = 8.2 / Ammonia: 4.5ppm

1st day after dosing the ammonia, so not expecting much to happen

The ammonia has dropped by 0.5 which is a start nitrite wont really show until alot more ammonia has been processed.

 

[Gazanimal]

Day 3: pH = 7.6 / pH High = 8.3 / Ammonia: 4ppm

Another 0.5ppm drop in ammonia.

When should I start checking for Nitrite/Nitrates?

 

[Newbie_87]

With regards to the flow rate on the filter...we added that prefilter sponge to the intake (for future shrimp) and that slowed it down a tad. Also i've heard of people adding sponge to the top of the filter stream. You can always try and deflecting the flow through an ornament etc. That's all I can suggest lol!

 

[Gazanimal]

I've got the pre-filter sponge too, thought I best had as that pipe looks too good to lose Shrimp up.

I'm going to look at some tank ornaments soon so that will re-direct the flow a little too.