New Fluval Edge 6 gallon tank

MermaidTail · Feb 4, 2016

Hello all- looking forward to learning from you all.

I recently set up a 6 gallon Fluval Edge tank in my office, with the help of a local specialty aquarium shop. I have CaribSea live sand, as well as live rock. I used saltwater from the shop to fill it. There's a 50W heater submerged, regulating temps to 78 degrees. All is running nicely and already looks really great. The end goal is to have a thriving nano reef, with one or two small fish.

But I'm reading conflicting information about how these first few days are supposed to go. I know patience is key, but also, diligence, so I want to inquire about what I should be doing during this beginning time...

1. Should I be adding/monitor anything yet? (It's been running for two days) or will the live rock and live sand take care of the cycling for me?

2. When should I start doing measurements checks, and what should I be measuring?

Thanks so much for your help.

CodyRVA · Feb 4, 2016

Nice start! You'll need to either feed the tank with fish food, this will create your ammonia or add pure ammonia to the system. Note: if you add pure ammonia, you must make sure its pure and has no detergents. Once you introduce an ammonia source, just sit back and wait. Patient is an absolute must. Eventually ammonia will fall, nitrite will rise, then fall, and nitrates will rise. At this point you'll do a large water change to remove the nitrate and the tank is cycled. You can test every 3 or 4 days, no need to test every day unless you want to! At this stage you'll want to test for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate, maybe PH towards the end when you add your fish/clean up crew. You'll see diatoms cover the rocks, it'll look bad, everything will turn brown, but this is good! So, be patient, give it time, and move slowly. Good Luck!

MermaidTail · Feb 4, 2016

CodyRVA said:
Nice start! You'll need to either feed the tank with fish food, this will create your ammonia or add pure ammonia to the system. Note: if you add pure ammonia, you must make sure its pure and has no detergents. Once you introduce an ammonia source, just sit back and wait. Patient is an absolute must. Eventually ammonia will fall, nitrite will rise, then fall, and nitrates will rise. At this point you'll do a large water change to remove the nitrate and the tank is cycled. You can test every 3 or 4 days, no need to test every day unless you want to! At this stage you'll want to test for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate, maybe PH towards the end when you add your fish/clean up crew. You'll see diatoms cover the rocks, it'll look bad, everything will turn brown, but this is good! So, be patient, give it time, and move slowly. Good Luck!

Hey thanks- this is helpful. I was reading about and speaking to the gentleman at the local reef shop about cycling and he suggested the live rock/sand will take care of it for me, so I wanted to clarify.

CodyRVA · Feb 4, 2016

Yes they are essential, but you still need a waste product to cycle the tank. Since you have live rock and sand, I would just feed the tank with fish food. Excess fish food and fish waste are what feed your good bacteria to keep the tank cycled and healthy. I would personally feed the tank small amounts of food each day and let it run for several weeks as is before adding any live stock. While some fish are hardy and can survive living in a tank that is cycling, its pretty cruel and hard on the fish.

MermaidTail · Feb 4, 2016

CodyRVA said:
Yes they are essential, but you still need a waste product to cycle the tank. Since you have live rock and sand, I would just feed the tank with fish food. Excess fish food and fish waste are what feed your good bacteria to keep the tank cycled and healthy. I would personally feed the tank small amounts of food each day and let it run for several weeks as is before adding any live stock. While some fish are hardy and can survive living in a tank that is cycling, its pretty cruel and hard on the fish.

Totally- I'm in no rush to add livestock, have prepared- per advice - to wait at least 21 days for a full cycling. Thanks again for your help! Any preference on fish food? And suggested amounts? I read that a VERY small amount is needed. Your thoughts?

CodyRVA · Feb 4, 2016

No problem! I tend to stay away from pellets and flakes, they are very nutrient dense, I run a very low nutrient system. I would get frozen foods like PE Mysis, or LRZ Reef Frenzy when you finally have live stock. PE Mysis, or something similar, comes in frozen sheets. Break off a small piece, maybe the size of an eraser tip, nothing too big. Eventually, you'll want to thaw the frozen Mysis in water before adding it, it has a lot of oils and nutrients, but is very good for the fish.

This, or something like this....
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=19763

MermaidTail · Feb 4, 2016

CodyRVA said:
No problem! I tend to stay away from pellets and flakes, they are very nutrient dense, I run a very low nutrient system. I would get frozen foods like PE Mysis, or LRZ Reef Frenzy when you finally have live stock. PE Mysis, or something similar, comes in frozen sheets. Break off a small piece, maybe the size of an eraser tip, nothing too big. Eventually, you'll want to thaw the frozen Mysis in water before adding it, it has a lot of oils and nutrients, but is very good for the fish.

This, or something like this....
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=19763

Great- thanks again. For my 6gallon tank, two days old, do you recommend this food go in now? In a few days? A week?

CodyRVA · Feb 4, 2016

I think you can add some now, again, very small amounts, you've only got 6G, probably only around 4G minus the rock and sand. Add a small amount to the tank and let it sit. Test every few days and see what happens.

MermaidTail · Feb 4, 2016

CodyRVA said:
I think you can add some now, again, very small amounts, you've only got 6G, probably only around 4G minus the rock and sand. Add a small amount to the tank and let it sit. Test every few days and see what happens.

Thumbs up, thanks!

cameronh · Feb 4, 2016

Nice! Welcome to reef2reef as well! This is my old six gallon fluval edge. It was a 100% native tank, except for the live rock. Water came straight out of the ocean as well as the fish.

MermaidTail · Feb 4, 2016

cameronh said:
Nice! Welcome to reef2reef as well! This is my old six gallon fluval edge. It was a 100% native tank, except for the live rock. Water came straight out of the ocean as well as the fish.

Very cool! What fish did you have? Was was upkeep?

cameronh · Feb 4, 2016

MermaidTail said:
Very cool! What fish did you have? Was was upkeep?

I just had 2 blennys and a pipe fish as well as a common sea star. Upkeep was pretty easy. The only annoying this is, the small opening at the top and you constantly have to take water out if you want to stick your hand in lol. And if the power cuts off the water in the power filter will overflow into tank causing your tank to overflow. So when you fill to the top, keep it at about a half inch to avoid all that. Just giving you a heads up

neat tanks though. I had mine setup for quite some time.

MermaidTail · Feb 4, 2016

Yeah, reaching in can be a bit annoying but I love the look of the tank. Thanks for the heads up!

cameronh · Feb 7, 2016

Yep, I remember it now lol. How's it doing?

MermaidTail · Feb 7, 2016

cameronh said:
Yep, I remember it now lol. How's it doing?

Going well- cycling. But ended up adding another live rock to get a better set-up.

Here are some recent pics:

cameronh · Feb 7, 2016

MermaidTail said:
Going well- cycling. But ended up adding another live rock to get a better set-up.

Here are some recent pics:

Looking good!

MermaidTail · Feb 7, 2016

cameronh said:
Looking good!

Thanks! Can't see in the pics, but all the rocks are starting to get some slight algae growth, which is what's supposed to be happening right? Also- any thoughts on whether or not the stock lighting that comes with the tank is suitable for any sort of coral? Or is a lighting upgrade definitely in the future?

cameronh · Feb 7, 2016

MermaidTail said:
Thanks! Can't see in the pics, but all the rocks are starting to get some slight algae growth, which is what's supposed to be happening right? Also- any thoughts on whether or not the stock lighting that comes with the tank is suitable for any sort of coral? Or is a lighting upgrade definitely in the future?

Yes, algae is a good thing haha. When you start noticing it on your glass it's close to the time to add a clean up crew. Those stock lights are fine for soft corals and they will do great under those. I never really put anything else under them other than softies.

MermaidTail · Feb 7, 2016

cameronh said:
Yes, algae is a good thing haha. When you start noticing it on your glass it's close to the time to add a clean up crew. Those stock lights are fine for soft corals and they will do great under those. I never really put anything else under them other than softies.

Awesome. There's a frag meet up in town next month I'll check out. Should be ready around then to start adding color. Suggestions for beginner softies?