I've had my Fluval Edge tank for almost 10 months now. I've owned a 29 gal and 10 gal tank before so I've had decent experience with freshwater tanks (not saltwater). I recently moved and wanted to get a small fish tank (4 gal at most) to add to my room, but my boyfriend talked me into getting the Fluval Edge because I could actually have a decent aquarium. We both liked the modern look of the tank too. I have 2 real wood logs, 2 live plants, 3 glolite tetras, 3 full-grown ghost shrimp (about 3" in length), 2 small suckerfish (they're almost smaller than the ghost shrimp), and about 2" in gravel bottom.
Now that it's been almost 10 months, I still love my tank and think every penny I spent on it was worth it. There are some funny quirks that serious aquarist would rather skip, but none of the quirks have deterred me from my love of the tank.
Pros:
-I love the modern look. I like how my cords and pump are all hidden and out of view. I hate buying those fake aquarium backings to hide everything.
-I like the 360 view. I like being able to look into my tank from the top and clearly see through to the bottom. It helps to keep track of my fish too.
-I like how it's a sturdy glass. Hagen didn't cheap on the glass construction. When you pick it up (it's a little heavy), you know you have a quality glass tank.
-Halogen lights give off a nice heat that actually helps heat the tank. I live in a place that has an average yearly temperature of about 67. So the extra heat from the lights help keep my tank warm.
-Halogen lights make my fish/plants look fine. I've had no "bleaching" issues with the lights. The fish retain their color just fine and I know what they look like when they are bleached (my fish were PALE when I moved).
-Filtration system works like a charm. I can stir up the bottom organic material to get it pretty turbid, but the pump/filters can clear it up in about 15 minutes. I change my filters regularly as is suggested, but you could probably go longer as long as you rinsed them every once in a while.
-I've had no problems with the tank that warrant any complaints. The minor quirks is as bad as it's gotten for me.
Cons/Quirks:
-The Fluval Edge heater (bought separately) only heats the water to about 2 degrees above the ambient temperature. This would be fine if I lived somewhere warm, but I live along the central coast of California and we're lucky if the weather gets hotter than 70 degrees. So sometimes my water gets down to 72 degrees even with the heater on or won't trigger quickly enough because the ambient temperature is within range. Get a different heater.
-The pump seems to be a little strong for my fish. My fish and shrimp swim fine in the tank, but since there's a small opening for food placement, tetras have to catch the food quickly or it gets pushed to the bottom before they can get to it. Not a big issue because the shrimp eat the excess food, I watch my fish to make sure they're eating enough, and I put flakes in at the corner furthest away from the inflow of water to keep the food on the surface longer, but it's still a little annoying. My fish do like to swim underneath the inflow of water and "play" in it, though. Anyway, delicate fish might not be ideal with the pump.
-Halogen lights don't disperse enough light to allow for flowering plants. Not a big issue again because I just replaced my more delicate plant (thinner leaves and flowered) with a plant with broader leaves and the plants are doing great. They're getting really big and my shrimp and suckerfish love the "levels" they can hide on.
-Lights do grow a green algae that can get pretty tough if left sitting long enough. If you've got a good suckerfish, shouldn't be a problem. Mine are pretty whimpy and did well the first few weeks I got them and now are kind of lazy.
-Hard to clean. Not a big issue again, but I bought a magnetic algae cleaner (non-Hagen brand), hand scrubber, and scrubber with handle. The scrubber with the handle works great, but can only be used for the back of the tank. Because of the opening, the handle gets in the way of allowing you to get the top, front of the tank. So the magnetic algae cleaner (really quite great) gets to the areas I can't or I just use the scrubber without the handle. I actually recommend the magnetic algae cleaners. The one I have makes life really easy.
-Had to buy the Fluval Edge fish net. Do NOT buy a NORMAL fish net with this tank! It will be worthless, stress your fish out, and make you want to do something bad to your tank, fish, or net. My boyfriend and I spent easily 1.5 hours trying to catch my fish/shrimp when I was moving and it was a huge frustration. The only way we got the shrimp finally (even with only a quarter of water left) was we put a plastic bag into the tank and herded the shrimp and fish into it. The Fluval Edge fish net, though, is a triangle shape and allows you to get into the corner of the tank with the opening. It's not perfect, but makes life a WHOLE lot easier. Definitely worth the buy to lower your fish and your stress level.
-Small concern about the glass tank hanging over the base. I live in California where there are earthquakes. It'd have to be an earthquake of the century for it to shake the tank off the base (it's kind of "hooked on" by the lid/pump to the base) thanks to how heavy it is with the water and glass tank, but it does kind of run through my head. It has survived perfectly fine through a few high 3's and a low 4, though.
As I said, the cons aren't really cons, but more quirks. You have to be willing to put up with the small quirks, but it hasn't affected anything for me.
A few comments on other reviews:
-I agree that if you had dual breathing fish this tank wouldn't be the best for you.
-My halogen lights have had no problems whatsoever. I haven't had to replace them or clean them. They look a little dirty, but nothing bad enough that requires me to clean them. They do heat up the metal grating at the top of the lid, but not enough to burn me, melt the cover, or allow for rusting to occur (I suspect the rusting occurred because it was a saltwater tank and less because of the lights). It's kind of a nice warmth you can rest your hand on and it's fine. Plus, as I said earlier, the heat helps heat my tank. The sockets of the lights have been fine too.
-The halogen lights wouldn't be ideal for jumping fish. I wouldn't be surprised if the fish got hurt if they jumped at a light.
-The button at the top and the cover, for me, have also been fine. The button turns and you can remove the cover if you want, but I leave mine on for added protection. No issues there.
-Bottom intake water pipe-thing is pretty open for anyone who wants to breed fish/shrimp and/or have smaller fish. I'd buy the extra thing to put over it to make sure your fish don't get sucked up into the filter. For me, I don't need it, but it would be needed for smaller fish (as in anything baby size).
Anyway, when it's all said and done...if you want a nice looking tank and don't mind putting in heartier fish/shrimp/plants into your tank, this tank will work just fine for you. The quirks I've had with it are manageable and don't require that much extra work, money, or time. If you don't want to mess with the fuss and the look doesn't grab you, don't buy it. If you like the look as I do and don't mind the quirks, I'd say go for it. I'd recommend the tank to anyone based off of my current review. The quirks aren't bad enough for me to not recommend it and the pros outweigh the quirks. I only give it a 4/5 because of the quirks. It's not perfect so shouldn't deserve a perfect rating.
======== UPDATE ==========
12/16/10 It has been almost 11 months to the day I bought my Fluval Edge and ONE of the halogen lights finally died on me. Easy replacement (pull out the old one, put in the new one). I'm wondering when the 2nd one will die now.
I also mentioned in my review not to buy a normal fish net. I'm going to suggest to buy both. Buy a small regular rectangle net and buy the Fluval Edge net. At minimum, just do the Fluval Edge net and forget the regular one. I find, for whatever reason, I use the regular fish net for day-to-day things (smoothing gravel, moving things, catching the easy fish, etc) and will use the Fluval Edge one more for removing air bubbles and catching my hard-to-catch fish and shrimp.
One thing I did not mention earlier is a trick to remove air bubbles if your tank isn't level: Use your Fluval Edge net and simply shove it near the air bubbles at the top and "move" or "pull" the air bubbles out to the opening. Takes a few back-and-forth motions, but gets them out EVERY time with no other fuss. My tank is always 100% full without air bubbles. It always impresses people when they see the tank is 100% full too.
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08/10/11 I wanted to do another update now that it's been over 1.5 years of having the tank. It's been through 3 moves (pretty much the same fish, except I now have 3 neon tetras, lost a glolite tetra (from age, it was always my biggest one from the start), and 2 of my shrimp died (presumably from age too)) and I just wanted to warn people who decide to move their tanks. My first two moves I pretty much packed the tank (base, cover, and glass tank) as it would be set-up in a box and stuffed it so it doesn't shift. It was fine after both moves. This last and most recent move, I was a little less careful because the box I had would only fit the tank and nothing else and I was in a rush. Well...Everything did okay except the cover. I kind of threw all the random aquarium stuff into a box and put it into the moving van and I think the cover might have gotten a little warped. It no longer fits as well as it used to. It's not a huge deal, but I have to gently "shove" it down now instead of it kind of sliding (more-or-less) down. So, if you move, make sure you pack everything (especially the top) in a manner so they don't get warped or damaged.
I also wanted to update about lights. I still use the Fluval halogen lights, but I think I got a bad batch of lights once because I had to replace them within a month of each other. So, technically, in 1.5 years, I'm on my 3rd set of lights for both sockets. The ones in right now have been there for about 6-7 months so I'm assuming I got a bad batch of Halogen lights for the 2nd round.
Aesthetics are important. I dislike traditional aquariums and wanted a product that concealed the pump, heater, cords, etc. I chose the Edge over the BioOrb because it's made from real glass, doesn't obligate me to use cheesy synthetic plants, and is well designed. I love the appearance of the product, but there are a few functional flaws you need to be aware of if you decide to purchase. First, its two halogen lights are insufficient. They effectively light up the center of the aquarium, but the edges go dark. This limits the ability to use aquatic plants that traditionally don't require CO2. The Edge does not come with a heater, however, the power cord can easily be run through the same conduit that conceals the pump. Do not purchase African Frogs as there is no air at the top (which is also one of it's better qualities). The box also says the aquarium is ideal for goldfish, but nothing could be further from the truth. Goldfish require large aquariums and produce a considerable amount of waste. They also grow quite quickly. It's difficult to clean the Edge, so go the low maintenance route. I added a heater, a few low-light aquatic plants, and some neons. No issues. The pump is more than adequate for the size of the aquarium. In fact, you may need to adjust the power to 50% as it's a little strong for fish. I highly recommend this product if you don't a mind a little maintenance and a limited ability to grow plants.
Buy Fluval Edge Aquarium Set, 6-Gallon Now
Fluval (Hagen)has an almost winner here. When set up it looks stunning, the plants grow right out the top of the tank even with no CO2 and with the standard lighting, but! just try to maintain this tank and you will shortly begin looking for another tank. The provided access port is so small it is near impossible to clean the substrate, or work with plants. Catching a determined fast shrimp will have you looking for glass cutters! I hope that when Hagen creates a successor to this tank they find a way to allow useble access.
Read Best Reviews of Fluval Edge Aquarium Set, 6-Gallon Here
You have to know something about tanks and fish.
One review here I completely disagree with. If you can do fish stuff then you can do this tank. Most people are too lazy though I think. This tank doesn't *make* fish dull or colourless looking, the stress levels and poor food do that. This tank can be the MOST beautiful tank out there...
Planted with white sand substrate is incredible... with neons, gold tetras and a few smaller tetra types of fish...
Just get a different tank if that's what you want.
The aqua-clear filters are the best kind of filter you can get. I've been crazy heavily into fish for more than 15 years...
Want Fluval Edge Aquarium Set, 6-Gallon Discount?
I have owned several 10 gal aquariums, and always love them for a little while and then get tired of the maintenance. I wanted something easy to take care of, and cool looking. I got both with this.
Looks: Without argument, this is the coolest looking aquarium I have ever seen (outside of celebrity homes). It has clean lines, no nasty residue showing all over it, and small enough to put almost anywhere. The only mechanics showing will be the tube in the back of the tank that can be covers by the Fluval bamboo wall. The top of the aquarium is glass touching water so you can look in it from all angles. The top covers the filter and surface of the water, so it looks like it is just a cube of water. The filter hangs on the back of the tank, concealed in a cover with the power cord coming out of the bottom so you don't see any of this.
The design is amazing, and don't be concerned about the fish health as long as you put fish in it that don't need a lot of room, or wont outgrow it. I will talk about that below.
Getting it started: They give you very detailed instructions on how to start your fluval edge. I also watched a YouTube video of a professional setting it up to make sure I wasn't going to kill my first batch of fish. The filter system is pretty easy to set up and once it is running, it is VERY QUIET. I can't hear mine unless I lean close and listen. The most important thing to me was making it look great. Because the opening is so small, you can't fit big decorations in it. I went with a small stone Chinese lantern, the Fluval Bamboo wall, a small fake bamboo plant, and 3 small real plants. (If you are new to real plants I recommend them, and will talk about them as well.) I also bought a bag of river rocks (about 4 smooth, round, palm-sized rocks) and placed them around the bottom. This turned out great looking and not too much going on in the small aquarium.
You will need to let your aquarium cycle with bacteria that is provided for a couple of days (at least). This makes the aquarium less perfectly clean, which will shock your fish. I gave mine only about 4 days because I was putting in a Betta fish and they are a very hardy fish that are used to a clean bowl every few weeks. My Betta (Frank, as I so affectionately call him) loved it. He didn't have any problem adjusting to the new environment (he was in a 1 & 1/2 gal bowl) and figured out where the air surface was quickly. (Betta's and frogs have lungs, and need to go to the surface to breath.) I used normal aquarium rocks as the bottom instead of sand, as that was recommended. I have had my aquarium for about 6 months, and it still looks great. The plants are thriving, the fish and frogs are doing great, and I change the filter only as often as needed. This is a well oiled machine.
Plants: I had never done plants before and assumed they would not make it as most of my house plants don't. I am not a plant person, by far. I went to the pet store, asked for plants that wouldn't overtake my aquarium, and bought 3 little plants I was told didn't need a ton of light. (The light in the top of the Fluval Edge is perfect, but not overly bright.) I put them in as I set up the aquarium. 2 went in the little boxes on the Fluval bamboo wall, with some aquarium rocks holding them in, and one went in the back behind my stone lantern. I put them in when the water was just barely over them, and then filled it up gently, not to displace them. I had to re-plant them once, cause they came out of the rocks, but once they take root they don't budge. I had a couple of stem losses, but over time they are doing awesome. So easy, no work. If you can't keep them alive, they sell plant nutrients that you add to the water that wont hurt your fish. Try the plants, they look so much better than fake, and help keep the tank clean.
Fish: I knew I wanted to put Frank, my male Betta, in the tank, but didn't know what else. I let Frank chill in there alone for a couple of weeks, let him get the tank fishy enough that it was at good levels for other fish. I read so many blogs about how the Fluval Edge was not safe for fish, and that you should only put in one fish, or three fish, or only certain fish. I understand their concerns, but I am not that picky. I believe you should be smart, and pay attention to the tank and it's occupants. If you notice a problem, act fast and ask your local pet store about any problems. I worried my Betta would bully the other fish. So, I read African Dwarf Frogs would be good tank mates for them. I bought 2 and put them in. (Make sure they are African Dwarf Frogs and not African Clawed Frogs. Some pets stores confuse the two, and sell one as the other. African Clawed Frogs are more aggressive, so look up the difference to make sure you buy the right one.) I made sure they could find the surface, and they did after swimming to the top glass and sliding along it until the found the air. Frank thought they should know he owned the place and started swimming up to them and trying to nip. After they swam away, and just moved whenever he came around, Frank got bored with it and they now will hang next to each other without any problems. I also bought a small Chinese algae eater (very pretty fish, kind of an orange-pink color) and made sure he had algae disks in case there wasn't enough algae build up. He is really funny, and likes to swim at my cats as they watch and get them riled up. He often will try to clean Frank, which he does not appreciate and they will due a little 20 second chase. I believe you don't have to worry too much about what fish you put in as long as you: check how big they get, how aggressive they are, and that they don't need special treatment (like salt or high heat).
Ongoing Care of the Fluval Edge: I have had no trouble keeping the water level high (as the water does evaporate and need a refill about every 2 weeks) and continue to keep track of my plants, water clarity, and tank occupants. Unfortunately, one of my frogs died, so I replaced him with 2 more. I have a total of 1 Betta, 1 small algae eater, and 3 frogs. I noticed one day, about months after buying my Fluval edge, that Frank had a light spot on his head, and it looked cloudy. His fins also looked clumpy and ragged. So I googled it and found out he had a fungus infection. I hurried to the pet store and bought a new filter and treatment tablets (all pretty cheap) and started as the box directed. Since most tablet treatments are for 10 gal tanks, I called the help number on the box and they said to cut it in half for the 6 gal Fluval. I changed out about a gallon of water for fresh water, removed the carbon out of the filter, and put in half a tablet. I noticed Frank's head started clearing up and him being active after a couple of days. I am now looking into ways to prevent this from happening.
Overall, this is a great aquarium for someone that wants the look without the hassle of an aquarium. It is stylish and fun, but not hard to set up or maintain. As with all pets, you need to just keep an eye out for warning signs and ask your local pet store any questions you have. I don't think you need to put a lot of fish in this small of a tank, but if you want more than I have just keep an eye on them. They may cause your tank to need cleaning more often. Also, I would get a small magnetic cleaner scrubby thing, simply to push any bubbles that build up at the top of the tank to the surface area, so nothing obscures your view.
Well, I hope this review really helps. I had to look up so much and read so many conflicting articles that I decided to just try it for myself. I hope this helps you make the decision on if this aquarium is right for you. Thanks for reading, and God bless!
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These are small rocks just like the pic shows. The rocks come in a wide range of sizes/shapes too from 1" up to 2"
