My (very) low-cost 7.92 gallons tank

[Lanpenn]

This week I'll defend my thesis about my brine shrimp culture.

Okay, let's go to the photos, once again.

How I do my partial water changes...

Still fighting against cyanobacteria

 

[Lanpenn]

Well, I know that since the last post, it has been about three months... but who cares? The thesis was approved and the artemias from the culture were transferred to the current cultivation I still have. I can call them "House of Term Paper".

The cyanobacteria issue is under the control as well as the fins rotting, because I had to took more drastic measures, once again changing the tank layout by removing rocks and leaves, this way is easier to siphon the detritus excess, although I know that the aquarium looks is poor.

I took so many photos that I don't know if I post all of them here because each post has a limit. Anyway, I'll post the last ones I got.

These pellets at background are a thing that I find curious. They resemble bloodworms tunnels, but I know that is not the case. What would be, then?

These white spots on the glass seem to be rotifers. They always appear some days later, despite I'm scrapping the biofilm on the glass every week

The current artemia culture is still working, although I am seeing several moribund and dead adults, but I suspect that they are dying by natural causes. I did another recipient for a future culture, by getting the cysts on the sides from the old culture, besides putting aragonite substrate. Let's see if on the next days we will see nauplii on the new basin...

Currently, I'm giving tiny BSFL as live food for my betta. He likes them also. I have a separated small plastic for these baby black soldier larvae... I put on the recipient some rabbit pellets and lettuce.

 

[Lcc86]

Love his colour!

 

[Lanpenn]

Well, the tank's okay. I have a collection of the current tank photos, but there are so many that is impossible to publish all of them here without collapsing the thread.

Since I received new equipment, now my aquarium has decent lighting (or at least something with functionality). My father bought me a cool lighting from the USA (which doesn't exist here in Brazil) and it took dozens of minutes to understand the instructions (in English). The gradual lighting functions of dusk and dawn are very interesting, indeed. I never saw anything close to this in my life.

So, updating the setup description:

• Lighting: Hygger® HG990 14 W, 68 LEDs, 817 lumens, 6500 Kelvin;
• Photoperiod: 10 hours;
• Fauna: Betta splendens:
• Flora: Elodea sp., Taxiphyllum barbieri and Salvinia minima;

The cons are that it should have more options for photoperiod and hours to set. Well, it is good for US$ 30. You will not find anything inexpensive and good like this here in Brazil, by far. Also, now is possible to have the lighting without the need for a lid, a relevant aspect during hot days, which cover most of the year. No more gambiarras (jury-rigging).

Anyway, I will try to select the prettiest photos (or the least ugly ones).

It looks like fish poop, but they are simple tubes with larvae inside from Chironominae. For some reason, they are loving my aquarium (there are also tunnels over my sponge filter). These are hard to catch and see, that explains why my Betta doesn't eat all of them.

No money for microscope. These white points on the glass are seeing like rotifers.

The magnificent

 

[Lanpenn]

As I posted yesterday, it has been two years since Betta splendens was with me.

New food I acquired recently. I have good memories when I gave to my nostalgic Caridina pareparensis parvidentata the Tropical Caridina Nano Sticks.

No live Artemia franciscana. So, I bought Tropical Dafnia Vitaminized instead.

Still, I will check the feces examination from the veterinarian when it is ready. Today is the last salt bath.

 

[Lanpenn]

As well as to update my aquarium setup, these are some pictures I took. My Betta is feeling better. Even the hole on his caudal fin has disappeared, besides the other fins becoming larger.

New aquarium setup (updated as of 21st June 2025):

• Aquarium size: 17.74" length x 11.81" height x 9.84" width, about 7.92 gallons;
• Substrate: 13.22 lbs gravel nº 0 Aqua Pedras;
• Heating: heater Roxin® HT-1300/Q3 50 W, adjusted to 80.6 ºF (temperature about 78.8 ºF)
• Filtration: Xynyou® xy-2835 sponge filter with air pump Tetra® Whisper The Shape of Silence™ (10-30 gallons);
• Lighting: Hygger® HG990 14 W, 68 LEDs, 817 lumina, 6500 Kelvin
• Feeding: Poytara® Betta and Tropical® Spirulina Super Forte from Monday to Thursday (twice a day), fasting on Friday, Tropical® Dafnia Vitaminized (twice a day)
• Photoperiod: 10 daily hours;
• Fauna: Betta splendens and Gyraulus sp.
• Flora: Elodea sp., Salvinia minima, and Pistia stratiotes
• pH: 7.5
• Maintenance: siphoning with partial water changes, about 12 liters (2.369 gallons), weekly
• Ammmonia/nitrite: 0/0 ppm

I uploaded several photos on Imgur, so I will not be able to put all of them here. Even so, I will put some of them: