Craynerds Nano Planted Tank Journal.....

[craynerd]

Hi Guys,

Well after sams marvelous nano tank i am to jump on the band waggon! Sorry...your idea and credit for the inspiration.

I`m an impatient person and always jump into things and rush! I did this a little with my current tank, its going nicely as it happens BUT this i want to make PERFECT! I know how i ""want" the aquascaping to look eventually (obviously stem plants ect to reduce algea at first) and i therefore want to make the hardware fit the bill, perfect!

With it being so small, not particullarly in length but certainly depth and width, i want to reduce the space taken in the tank by m hardware. So i have come up with the idea of a 4 gallon sump! I know this may sound rediculous, but at the end of the day its going to be a challange, don`t get me wrong i don`t want to do anything for the sake of it, but if it will work and makes it work better then i`m prepared to do it! As high-tec as it takes....even if the tank is only tiny!

Here are my thoughts on why a sump would work and help:

1) PRIORITY...we all plant tank to make them look good, they are our gardens! So in such a small tank i dont want to see a filter, heater, CO2 unit. If i had a sump i could certainly put in a filter (although the same result would be obtained via an external filter!), i could add my heater...the tanks so small i`m sure heatloss would be minimal especially with that little amount of water to heat!) and i could add my CO2...if i could think of a way to diffuse it in on the way back into the tank and with mimum disturbance, thus reducing CO2 loss! The looks are especially important for the overall style/look i`m trying to get, its gonna be very minimalistic so a heater, therm and diffuser would not look good in there (with it being so small!)

2) Add a sump and i increase water volume...improving water quality for plants and for potential fish i add. I think this is also important, the tanks so small that increasing water volume allows for more error!!

3) An easy place to add my fertz! And a tidy, compact and easy access control area for all hardware!


This idea could go down the pan from the word go, but i would certainly like to hear your opinions before i get underway!

Regards
Chris

 

[Themuleous]

Well, well, well,

You have stolen my idea hey? nice one Chris go for it!

As to the sump, if it were me I wouldn't bother, I have got equipment that doesnt really show at all and I don't find it detracts from the scape at all, like Justin you can always take it out when you take photos. I have an external filter (eheim 2211) and the filter is the biggest piece of hardware in a tank, so getting that outside the tank helps loads.

Although, Ive not had any personal experience, I would have thought that the effort required for sump, the extra kit and the hassle of sorting flow rates, etc, out would all seem a bit to much for such a small tank. Basically, if you're going to add a sump, seems a shame to 'waste' it on such a small tank, IMO anyway. But thats up to you, the extra water volume would be a bonus. Although I think you'll find that small tanks lose heat faster than big tanks because they have a higher surface area to volume ratio than big tanks.

Sam

 

[craynerd]

lol.OK the sump idea is scrapped! I`ve spoken to a few marine tank owners and also a few other peeps on TFF with sumps and they have persuaded me to stay clear since i won`t be able to maintain a stable CO2 balance as loss will be too quick due to increased gas exchange due to the sump and piping to the sump.

SO: i after a lot of research and again using advice from other "Xpertz" i have decided to use:

A series of components to eliminate hardware in the tank yet maintain stable and perfect plant growing conditions inside the tank. My main concern is to keep equipment out of the tank since the quality of my overall "LOOK" will be seriously reduced if there is stuff in the tank!!!

I`m going to use a canister filter, the Eheim 2211 as recommended by loads of people i`ve spoke to (and after i bought it realised Sam has also used it for his nano ) then from the filter outflow is an inline external heater made by Hydor. Then i`m going to use a yeast based CO2 canister into the inflow of the filter to deliver my CO2 microbubbles back into the tank. All that i will have in the tank is an outflow and inflow from and to the filter!!!

Bascially, its all that my sump idea wanted to do, but this way seems more appropriate.

Just got to wait until my equipment is delivered and i shall update further:

Now i have to think about substrate...don`t know whether to use laterite or eco-complete as Sam has used...any suggestions?

Any more comments?

Chris

 

[Themuleous]

Sounds like a plan stan BTW where did you get the 2211 filter from? I had to order mine from Germany in the end.

As to the substrate, the only thing I've found with eco-complete is that is very light and trying to plant HC in it, is a compelte mission because it just floats out of the hole you've made. When I get round to doing my big tank I'll use laterite mixed with black gravel as I hope this will help sort this problem and the small grey/brown bits won't show up in a bigger tank, so not spoiling the whole black gravel look.

Hope this helps matey BTW what look you going for in this tank? wants on the plant wish list at the moment?

Sam

 

[craynerd]

lol, i have just ordered mine from Germany as well!!! Thats why i said at the end of the post, i`ll just have to wait for delivery. It worked out at £30 inc. delivery which i didnt think was bad, since i was gonna spend £15-20 on an internal!

Thanks for the info on the eco-complete. I think i will end up going with laterite as much as for curiosity than anything. I`ve heard loads of people talk about it yet not even seen it! I think i will order some tomorrow and apparently it will be in for Thrusday.

The "LOOK" : Well i`ve got Amanos Nature Aquarium World Book1 and he has given me lots of inspiration. I`ve also looked on quite a few Zen websites for designs and it is going to be 3 rocks all uneven but "triangular" in shape and consecutively smaller. Two together and one a small distance away, just off center. Glosso carpet throughout the whole tank and then riccia on areas of the rocks with dwarf hair grass around the rocks. Black background and lots of it showing. Very minimalist.

Obviously i understand that i`ll need stem plants in for ages to get the conditions right, but i hope to clone from my other tank so cycling shouldn`t take as long and therefore even the algea balance maybe reduced as well?


Thanks for your input sam.
Chris

 

[craynerd]

Well the filter arrived! woot.

Ehiem classic 2211 like Sam is using.

I baught it because its a canister filter, now i want everything outside the tank. How will i insert my CO2 into the filter so its all external?

 

[ChrisP]

Put your Co2 output into the filter intake.

 

[RYO]

I run 1 of my tanks co2 into the filter intake (at the bottom mind) i did try with the connection outside tank but had trouble getting an air tight seal. The plastic the crooks are made from don't seem to like glue.

This is Georges drawing he sent to me as his set up. I used a 6mm drill and forced a line connector int the hole. i suppose you could use silicone to seal it.
Hope that helps

 

[craynerd]

it does mate! In the diagram, is the water inlet, simply the pipe that collects water FROM my tank to the filter. Basically i just need to somehow get my CO2 into that pipe, so the bubbles are taken into the filter with the "dirty" water?

 

[ChrisP]

Yeah you have the right idea. No need to drill a hole though, just wedge the Co2 output in the filter intake grill.

 

[RYO]

yup that's it m8 , as i said i used the little blue connectors you use for tubing

http/www.aquaessentials.co.uk/index.php?...word=connectors

that sort of thing but straight lol (sorry cant explain better hard day)

 

[craynerd]

Could i not use a T connecter mid way up the inlet to mix the tank water and CO2? however would this not cause the CO2 mix to be sucked out...i.e does this sort of system plumping not cause suction on the CO2 tube input?

 

[craynerd]

Well i`ve been uterly convinced!

TOTAL change of plan!!

It was gonna be my shrimp tank but nope, i`m going for another high tech planted! George and many others on here have filled my head with ideas and i`ve gotta have another go!

The tanks changing, i want more depth, probably 18 x 12 x 12 or similar, yet to finalise. Either way my Eheim Classic 2211 will be fine. I`ll be running the ADA lily pipe on the outflow and pressurised CO2 through a FishVet Bubble counter and diffuser. Lights will be the same plan, open top design with standard T8 probably arcadia again since i have success with them in the other tank.

Now i need to start saving!

Chris

 

[Bloo]

Good luck ! looking forward to see it develop

 

[Themuleous]

Haha, another change of plan, I can see you're someone who is constantly changing things and trying different stuff!

Save indeed, it'll prob cost a pretty penny. Looking forward to seeing it all up and running

Sam