"12 g fuval edge questions"

Raesunrae

Hi Everyone,

I'm new to this site and as well I am trying to introduce myself back into a Freshwater tank. I will try to be as quick and to the point on my past experience as well as what I have now taken interest in...

Previous experience with 55 Fresh and 65 Saltwater 4+ years ado. Sold tanks due to job relocate.

I live in an apartment now and decided to buy a Betta and put it in 2 gallon unfiltered bowl. That lasted less than a week because I felt bad for him so I bought a 3G filtered tank and moved him in there. That lasted 3 weeks and after reading so many conflicting stories about tank size, I bought a 12G Fluval Edge!

I was advised by PetsMart that cory cats would go well with a betta, so I bought 2 white CC. I find now will need a LOT more swimming room as they grow (currently only 3/4".) So I plan to take them back. I want to do a couple African Dwarf Frogs because I read they do well with Bettas and a fully live planted aquascape tank but I am at the final stages of cycle since getting the 12G Edge.

Where my tank sits on my pass through bar leaves a slight imbalance to the water height which allows full tank in front and about 1/4" lower water in the back half allowing breathing room for my Betta and Cory's in which they are thriving and get along very happy with each other.

1.) I want to keep my Betta. He's the whole reason I started this again. He loves having the Corys as his tankmates but if I have to take them back would African Dwarf Frogs be another choice and how many? (if I keep the water level below top glass of course)

2.) I really would like to do a total live plant aquascape but need the right lighting. Tank stock lights have the 40+led lights and 3 moonlights with 7600k. Total 6 watts. I was looking at adding a single Innovative Skkye single LED 10000K 9watt or 6500K 6W with 120 lumens per watt. Is this too much? Will it grow algae? I could use any money saving advice on lighting needs if possible! :)

3.) I added Black Tahitian Carib Sea Super Natural sand as substrate with a couple Anubias, Wisteria, and banana plants again on the advice of PetsMart and out of a ridiculous desperation to get my Betta in a proper environment before I thoroughly researched what my ultimate goals were going to be! I want to add more plants and create a really cool modern underwater freshwater display. Will this substrate be sufficient??

Thank you very much for any advice you can give me..

Rae

Raesunrae

Hi everyone,

I bought a Fluval Edge II 12 G with the 42 Led lights which basically only equals 6 watts. I have spent NUMEROUS hours trying to find a lighting mod that won't break the bank or require a DIY as I am not technically experienced in trying to do a lot of the DIY mods as you will see on my questions I am about to ask! LOL!

Until I figure out how to upgrade the lighting, I purchased a stainless steel flexible gooseneck desk lamp and put a GE Energy Smart Daylight 6500K 13 watt spiral cfl with 825 lumens. I placed it on top of the top box and bent the neck down over the front top of my tank. It actually looks very stylish and has really increased the light inside the tank a lot!

Okay...here goes..I would like to know how many watts per gallon I have now? The cfl is 13 watts which states is equal to 60 watts incandesent lighting. I know that the 13 watts is what I am actually using energy wise as compared to 60 watts BUT does this mean I now have a total of 66 watts of lighting over my tank (60w cfl + 6w stock led?) or 19 watts (13wcfl+6w led?) I am trying to figure out how many watts per gallon I have now. I would like to add more plant varieties like some type of carpet plants but I'm not sure my lighting is sufficient.

Current plants and livestock:

1 Betta
2 Albino Cory cats (small now but may be going back due to learning more)
5 Galaxy Rasbora/Celestial Danio arriving end of week

Anubias
Amazon Swords
Java Fern
Jungle Val
Wisteria
Water Trumpet (Wendii Green)
Mopani Driftwood
Flourite Dark substrate

Thanks so much for any help you can give me!

fishysrfun

I don't know about the other stuff but cory's are supposed to be in groups of 5 or more.
Good Luck!

Raesunrae

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Raesunrae

Yeah...I didn't realize that until after buying them. Of course the "chain petstore“ I got them from didn't tell me either. I took them to the family owned fish store over the weekend and they took them because I was told by someone that the chain stores euthanize returned fish. Anyway, they're gone :( Hopefully to a better home with the right tank and groups that they should be kept in. Thanks.
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