2.5 Gallon Hex - Improvements

[Darkehorse]

Okay, so recently I got a pair of Dario dario (thanks Synnir ). I didn't realize how small they were so when I got them, I had to put them in my idle 2.5 gallon hex. Along with them, I put a Hornwort plant and a moss ball, and 4 ghost shrimp. It's a pretty cool setup. Right now filtration is provided by an undergravel filtered powered by an air stone. Heating is not an issue currently because room temperature stays around 78 degrees Fahrenheit. The light that came with the tank tends to heat it up so I can't leave it on for more than an hour; the temperature will literally go off the scale on the liquid crystal thermometer. So really I have three issues:

1) In the winter, the tank WILL need to be heated as we keep our thermostat between 68-70 degrees. Due to the limited tank volume, I really don't want to use an internal heater. Is there any external options? I know I could use an undertank heating pad like those used for reptiles, but there's no thermostat for that as far as I know, at least one that will work accurately with regards to the water temperature. Are there any other options, homebrew or otherwise?

2) I was considering ways to increase the filtration capabilities of the UGF. Has anyone come up with anything effective? I was thinking I could make a tiny filter bag out of a nylon stocking, filling it with mature media, and putting it in the tube that holds airstone just above the stone. Would that work? For that matter could you go the extra mile and make a three stage filter that sits in the tube or would the airstone not be powerful enough to propel the water through the filter? I know you can get those little caps for the tubes with charcoal in them, but to me that's pretty much worthless for filtration other than removing chemicals/medication. EDIT: I realize that due to the inherit properties of the UDF, you would only 'need' a two stage filter (biological/chemical) as there's nothing really physical that can pass through the gravel up through the air pipe/tube.

3) Regarding the light, I obviously need to replace it. I don't know how anyone could use this stock tank light without frying their fish or only having the light on for a little at a time like I do. Can anyone recommend a good replacement option that they know works well?

 

[Viettxboii]

in regards to the 3 stage filtration, you could try removing the ugf plate, and jab a sponge into a intake, and convert it into a sponge filte,r then the water outflow, try to create a a small tray above the water line and wont cover your lgihts and have some chem. and biological media up there, as the water will flow thru and flow bakc down into the tank, and since theres a lower flow, perhaps some more oxygenation of the bio. media will happen, thus being more effective.
Lighting, well im not sure i ahve the same problem with my 2 gal hex(its running on an internal power filter though..)
and heating, i dont know either, ive heard ppl use heating pads, but some precationary meausres may be tooken.

 

[Darkehorse]

in regards to the 3 stage filtration, you could try removing the ugf plate, and jab a sponge into a intake, and convert it into a sponge filte,r then the water outflow, try to create a a small tray above the water line and wont cover your lgihts and have some chem. and biological media up there, as the water will flow thru and flow bakc down into the tank, and since theres a lower flow, perhaps some more oxygenation of the bio. media will happen, thus being more effective.
Lighting, well im not sure i ahve the same problem with my 2 gal hex(its running on an internal power filter though..)
and heating, i dont know either, ive heard ppl use heating pads, but some precationary meausres may be tooken.

Thanks for the advice. I'm trying to picture how this would work. I just take an ordinary, untreated sea sponge, and stick the airstone tube down onto it? Or are there commercial sponges available that will fit right on the tube? Anyone else have any ideas?

-Darke

 

[Miss Wiggle]

1 - can i ask what your reasoning is behind not wanting to put a heater in, it'll only kick in when it needs to and a little one won't take up much room or cost a lot?

2 - add a little sponge filter like this http/www.fishforums.net/Super-simple-5-m...ter-t85297.html

3 - your plants are not demanding so i would think about getting a desk lamp and using that instead, remove the hood of the aquarium which will allow for greater evaporation, you can replace it with a glass cover or piece of mesh if your worried about the fish jumping or anyone/thing (children, cats etc) getting into the tank. the desk lamp won't be as hot and you can position one higher above the tank so less heat gets into the tank from it.

 

[Darkehorse]

1 - can i ask what your reasoning is behind not wanting to put a heater in, it'll only kick in when it needs to and a little one won't take up much room or cost a lot?

2 - add a little sponge filter like this http/www.fishforums.net/Super-simple-5-m...ter-t85297.html

3 - your plants are not demanding so i would think about getting a desk lamp and using that instead, remove the hood of the aquarium which will allow for greater evaporation, you can replace it with a glass cover or piece of mesh if your worried about the fish jumping or anyone/thing (children, cats etc) getting into the tank. the desk lamp won't be as hot and you can position one higher above the tank so less heat gets into the tank from it.

1) Well, even the smallest heater takes up a lot of room and is very cumbersome as far as placement goes, as well as having another object wired into the tank. I know I will NEED some sort of heater, but I'm just trying to weigh my options and go with the best ones. Are there very small canister filters that also heat? If this was an affordable option, I might try it.

2) I'll check this out, thanks.

3) That's a great idea. Actually the tank has a plastic lid in addition to the lighting hood, so I'm good in that respect. Thanks for the ideas.

-Darke

 

[Miss Wiggle]

can't think of any small cannisters that also heat, eheim do a range of filters with heaters encorporated but i feel even the smallest would eb overkill. you can get an external heater to clip on to a cannister if you can find a small cannister. it basically clips onto the output so after the water has gone through the filter it goes through the heater and back into the tank. no extra space taken in the tank than would be by the in/out pipes for the filter anyway. again even the smallest size is likely to be overkill but if it's on a themostat it probably wouldn't matter

 

[Lateral Line]

You can get thermostats which have a small sensor which sits in the aquarium and controls an external heat source such as an undertank. Here is an example although there are many others around.

The uplift tube of an air operated UGF must not be blocked. It is the free rising of the bubbles stream which entrains water creating the flow through the bed.

 

[Darkehorse]

You can get thermostats which have a small sensor which sits in the aquarium and controls an external heat source such as an undertank. Here is an example although there are many others around.

The uplift tube of an air operated UGF must not be blocked. It is the free rising of the bubbles stream which entrains water creating the flow through the bed.

Thanks for the advice. That thermostat is price overkill for the project, but I appreciate the idea.

Lat, if you place the filter bag UNDERNEATH the air stone, would it have the same effect of blocking the water flow?

-Darke

 

[Viettxboii]

2 - add a little sponge filter like this http/www.fishforums.net/Super-simple-5-m...ter-t85297.html

Im not a fan of UG filters, as i prefersponge fitlers such as that, which, i can load iwth media ot however i like it.but for bio media i would try having the water flow out into a tray with bioballs then fall back down into the water for that extra bio filtration.
And instead of gravel try using carbon for chemical filtration, i ssee the trays kinda like a wet/dry/bio filter filter, and the
the sponge filter as chemical bio, and mech filter.
I havent tried the idea though in my mind it would work.

 

[Lateral Line]

Lat, if you place the filter bag UNDERNEATH the air stone, would it have the same effect of blocking the water flow?

Yes. If the water flow is impeded in any way, the water will simply circulate in the uplift and flow through the bed will reduce to a very low level.