help starting fluval edge 6g

[hydrozzz]

hi everyone! my name is bryan. i was told about this site from a friend of mine (Chraddam). im new here but not to reef aquariums.in the last 6 yrs, ive had a 75g, 72g bowfront, 32g halfback hex, 35g hex, and a jbj 12g nano cube. ive done fish, sps, and lps corals. i havent done an aquarium in 2 yrs since moving to florida. my questions are in upgrading the halogen lighting to led's and cf.possibly hetal halide if i can fit it and eliminate heat prob. i will be setting up the tank this weekend and am gonna work on lighting while it cycles. any input would be appreciated

 

[JonnyJ]

So far the best I have done is adding mr11 LEDs. However picod on here and nanoreef upgraded them too mr16s. She upgraded both the bulbs and the sockets for around 60 dollars, and added a compact floresent under the hood to keep the stock look. She is growing all sorts of coral. I'm sure she will chime in.

That will be my next step. My tank is cycled and so far I like it. I haven't even added a heater lol :/ I guess my ambient room temp is good considering I don't get any temp swings.

 

[picod]

Hello Bryan,
Welcome to MR! I am new on this site too and also new to reefing.. Everyone I have met here has been great!
I have a Fluval Edge too. I do not have a thread on MR yet, but this is my thread on nano-reef.com:
http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=224629
This is a thread dedicated to the folks that own the Edge:
http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=229244
Best of luck..
danielle

 

[hydrozzz]

thanks guys!! picod i will be reading your thread this weekend i may have some questions for you if thats ok?

 

[picod]

Of course!

 

[hydrozzz]

ok ive steered away from the lighting for the moment because im considering drilling the tank for a small sump..maybe 6 gal in a 10 gal tank. im thinking of eliminating the seaclear 20 filter and having a hole drilled in back off the tank and run an intake up in the lip ( eliminating daily top of to keep waterline in the lip) and run the return with a pump over the lip into the left side of tank..then a powerhead on the right. is this something that can be done with the edge?

 

[Chraddam]

Bryan, i know this sounds crazy, but...keep ALL of the filtration you can. In that small environment, you want to remove as much crap as possible. And i am not sure about a powerhead if you are going reef and seahorses or any tiny animals...personally, i think the seahorse idea would be awesome.

And for lighting-dude, retrofit the canopy on that mother effer and get LEDS in there...

 

[hydrozzz]

ok so ive ordered lights and sockets..here is what i went with
2x http://www.ledwholesalers.com/store/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=418
and this
2x http://www.ledwholesalers.com/store/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=237
and i bought 4 sockets.....will i bee able to wire 4 sockets into the existing wiring or do i need to get a transformer too?
also going to install a 10w 50/50 pc

 

[hydrozzz]

i ordered led's and a powerhead last night
2x http://www.ledwholesalers.com/store/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=418
2x http://www.ledwholesalers.com/store/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=237
and this powerhead http://www.aquacave.com/koralia-nano-power-head-by-hydor-1685.html

 

[hydrozzz]

danielle when u rewired the sockets for the mr16 bullbs did you use the existing wiring and transformer or did you have to get a new power source? i ordered 4 mr16 bulbs and sockets..2-4.6 watt 380 lumen white and 2-1.5 watt blue leds..can all that be wired into the existing?

 

[JonnyJ]

please post where you bought the leds at

 

[hydrozzz]

ive tried twice jonny..it wont let me

 

[hydrozzz]

ok they are a couple posts back

 

[hydrozzz]

stand i bought today


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[picod]

Hey Bryan,
Sorry been real busy with work today...
You really need to refer to an electrician to double check this one, but, I believe that you can wire those bulbs into the existing housing because with all of those four bulbs your total wattage is 12.2w which is less then the 20w housing requirement, and I believe they are all 12v.
I wired the two mr16s into the housing, but there is only a total of 6w.
That is the same powerhead that I have, but drs.foster and smith has is for $14.99:
http://www.fosterandsmithaquatics.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=15955
Keep us posted!
danielle

 

[hydrozzz]

Hey Bryan,
Sorry been real busy with work today...
You really need to refer to an electrician to double check this one, but, I believe that you can wire those bulbs into the existing housing because with all of those four bulbs your total wattage is 12.2w which is less then the 20w housing requirement, and I believe they are all 12v.
I wired the two mr16s into the housing, but there is only a total of 6w.
That is the same powerhead that I have, but drs.foster and smith has is for $14.99:
http://www.fosterandsmithaquatics.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=15955
Keep us posted!
danielle

thanks danielle
i actually ordered it from that site. im thinking of wiring the blue lights on a different transformer now so i can put the lights on seperate timers to mimic dawn to dusk. im guessing i could use an old 12v transformer correct?


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