They Look Cool But Are They Practical In The Long Run?

[peegee617]

Beauty always comes at a price, doesn't it? I have a new Fluval Edge 6 gal tank. I really like the sleek look of this design and the fact that it's like a cube of water but I can already see it has some major shortcomings when it comes to maintenance. So, I thought I would start a journal not only of my first adventure into fish keeping after forty years (gasp) but also on the ins and outs of this design of tank.
 
I was thinking of putting one of my Betta's in it but I am just a bit concerned about access to the water surface -  the opening is barely 7" x 4.5"
Anyway, I filled the tank a couple of days ago with sand that I should have washed first and ditto with a piece of driftwood, so all I have had since was muddy water which the filter wasn't making much of a dent in. So, since I hadn't started the cycling process I changed all the water I could syphon out tonight.  It's not clear yet, but it's a lot better than it was. Here are some pictures with my very helpful assistant China.  
I bought the tank second-hand and the gal gave me those two plants. Could someone tell me what it is? I plan to put other plants in there - really easy ones that aren't too fussy about light since as you can see the light from the LED bar is not exactly even throughout the tank.
Tomorrow I'm off to buy a water test kit and some ammonia. I feel like I should buy a lab coat too..... ;-)
 
 

 

[Blondielovesfish]

Aww, China's adorable!
 
I've never had experience with the edge tanks but are you able to have the water line a little lower so the betta can have access to the surface? 
 
The plants look like a type of anubia (?), could you take a picture of it not being in the substrate?

 

[peegee617]

I could lower the water level, but that would kinda defeat the idea of the tank as a cube of water so if it doesn't work for a Betta I'll put something else in it. They are smart fish though, so I would imagine that he'd figure out where air access was.
 
I'm reluctant to pull the plants out of the sand and cloud the water more. Plus, and this brings me to Practical Inconvenience #1 - if I have to go in the tank I have to take some of the water out first to allow for the displacement.
If it helps the plants both had quite a bit of root, and it was very light-colored and fine. It came from the base of the plant, not a rhizome of any kind.
 
And China says "I know"

 

[pike01]

plants look like amazon sword ?

 

[Ch4rlie]

Your tank is looking good, liking the wood and sand substrate you have in there.
Water will clear up buy itself so don't worry about that too much 
 
I actually have a Fluval Edge 46l / 12 gal one but admittedly I have not set it up yet due to lack of space in my flat 

 
Like, you I have discovered these Edge tanks are not without their problems, access to corners of tank for maintenance clean being number one annoyance for me as well as my 46 l tank is deeper than your 6 gal one and therefore quite difficult to actually reach the bottom of the tank!
 
A lovely contemporary looking tank to be honest and I can't wait to set mine up one day but still no idea what am gonna put in it! 

 
But I'll certainly follow this thread as would be really interested how things turn out and how you get on with this with help from China! 

 
Plant looks a bit like Anubias Afzelii but not completely certain though.
 
http/www.floridaaquatic.com/aquarium_plant_anubias_afzelii.html

 

[peegee617]

They do somewhat, but I've had those before and am pretty sure these aren't them. Thanks for the suggestion though 

 

[Ninjouzata]

This doesn't have a lid, does it?
Without a lid it is not suitable for a betta as they can and will jump.

 

[peegee617]

Hmmm... my last post related to the amazon sword suggestion, not yours Ch4rlie. 
 
Fluval have a magnetic glass cleaner. Have you tried it? Seems like that would be a good way to clean the glass, particularly on a deep tank like yours, IF you can get it round the corners without it disconnecting.

The tank is covered - the top is sealed glass with an opening in the middle. That too is covered, so jumping out is not an issue.

 

[Ninjouzata]

In that case, you should be fine with a betta.

 

[peegee617]

Well, I thought about not posting today for reasons that will become apparent but darn it all I'm sure I'm not the first person who has succumbed to their weakness ;-)
No luck getting the test kit today. I shall try my LFS tomorrow when I pick through their new delivery of plants (excited)   I did get ammonia from Walmart, but it doesn't state the concentration so don't know how to calculate the quantity. I'm also not sure if I should use it because of that thing I haven't told you about yet.....
 
So.....here comes the big surprise (not)..... needless to say while I'm in the pet shop I have to look at the fish. Petsmart sell so many little fish that are going to get HUGE in no time at all. I agonized for a long while over a beautiful African Featherfin Catfish (Synodontis eupterus), reasoning that he only gets 9" and my tank's all of 16 so he'll fit easy... but I knew it would be stupid (not to say cruel) to get him so I walked out, quite proud of my resolve and self-discipline.
Then I fell into Walmart and there was yet another forlorn-looking crowntail with a tear in his beady black eye, and he was looking right at ME. So, and here's how my reasoning went.... he might die here. He's in cold water and it's probably full of toxic levels of just about everything. My tank might not be mature yet but my other Betta's get fresh uncycled water and they do fine, and my tank is lovely and warm after all..... 
 
I guess I'll be doing fishy cycling after all. Hmm... better read up on that.
 
 Anyway, we shall see how he fares. He was trying to gulp air from the top of the water (which if you recall does not meet air but glass) so because I was worried he might drown I lowered the water level about ¼" so he could gulp all he wanted. I figure once he's got over the stress of the move I will slowly increase the water level and hopefully lure (teach) him where the opening is. 

 

[peegee617]

And here are some rather poor pictures of him. We'll have a proper studio sitting when he is feeling more himself 

 
I've called him Beelzebubbles (thank you Black Adder) because the devil tricked me into buying him....

 

[Blondielovesfish]

Awww he's gorgeous!
 
Until you get your test kit, do daily water changes of at least 75% to make sure he doesn't die from high ammonia levels. When you get your test kit you'll be able to monitor the water and perform water changes when necessary. 

 

[Ninjouzata]

Welp, it happens to a lot of us. That is how I got Discord, the one in my picture. I had never seen such a beautiful CT before (actually thought CTs were ugly before that) and so..home with me he went
Your new boy is pretty by the way.
 
I do wonder if the ammonia you got at Wal-Mart was the right kind, could you post a pic? Even if you can't use it now, you may want to use it in the future so probably best to find out if it's the right kind.

 

[Ch4rlie]

A nice looking Betta, and yes, your quite correct, you are not the first this has happened to! Oh well.
 
As long as you know what you need to do, lots of water changes and keeping an eye on water parameters etc
 
Hope he likes your fluvial edge tank! 

 

[peegee617]

It's household ammonia. The ingredients list tells me its plain old Ammonium hydroxide and surfactants. Should I be looking for something in the pet's section?  Seems odd to do a water change to reduce ammonia build-up and then add some more.  I ain't doing nuthin' until I read some more!!