Nano Tank Diary Without Pics (used To Be Nano Possibility

[atmmachine816]

I'v just been looking at all these nano tanks and got me thinking, could I do that? So what do you guys think of making my 2.5galon mini bowl into a nano planted tank. It would have a 10w compact fluescent bubl by all glass aquarium and I have a micro internal whisper filter, small sponge filters, and lee's corner filter as filter options right now. Would I need CO2 and is it possible to do it? I think it's possible right, just a really small tank.

 

[Graeme Edwards]

Go for it,
I would whatch what you do with the Co2, i overdosed my cube yesterday and killed 2 cherry shrimp.
When filtering go for biological and filter wool for the tiny debree.
Put some minaral in the base too.
Your idea is definatle possible but small planted tanks are hard to maintain.

Do a surch for "moodys aqua cube journal"

Graeme.

 

[Themuleous]

Dont see why you cant do it it is very small and getting equipment the right size is going to be your biggest problem, thats what I found with mine. With so much light over the tank (you'll be at around 4WPG) you'll need CO2, and it might sound overkill but pressurised would be your best bet if you can afford it as you can get a mini (as small as 2cm by 4cm) glass diffuser, a diffuser for yeast type CO2 is going to look huge in much a small tank.

Check out my nano journal if you want a few ideas

Sam

 

[atmmachine816]

Dont see why you cant do it it is very small and getting equipment the right size is going to be your biggest problem, thats what I found with mine. With so much light over the tank (you'll be at around 4WPG) you'll need CO2, and it might sound overkill but pressurised would be your best bet if you can afford it as you can get a mini (as small as 2cm by 4cm) glass diffuser, a diffuser for yeast type CO2 is going to look huge in much a small tank.

Check out my nano journal if you want a few ideas

Sam

LOL me affording a pressurized CO2 system, I wouldn't even get it passed my parents. That's what I thought about the co2. If I didn't have co2 then I'll probably have a huge algae outbreak right? I really would not want to run co2 on it, is there a possibility that I wouldn't have to run co2 on it?

 

[White Whale]

It can be done. I've tried. Plants might not last too long though, unless it's java fern. HERE

 

[AMS]

It will be really difficult with that much light. Youll need some type of c02, lots of ferts, and a good planting substrate. With less light your project will be a lot easier.

 

[Themuleous]

Yes unless you lower the light you're going to need ot the CO2. If you can lower it to something like 1.5 or 2 WPG you'd probably get away with not having CO2, but equally you'll only be able to grow easy plants, like java fern, java moss and anubias. Thats said you can make a great scape with just these plants Give it a go, cant hurt can it?

 

[Graeme Edwards]

You could try this as a subsatute for adding gas Co2
Im thinking of using this in my aqau cube, just alittle bit more manageble and cheeper than presurized.
Iv tryed DIY Co2 in the cube but its to hard to maintain a happy level in such a small tank, i may try it again though so whatch this space.


http/www.aquaessentials.co.uk/index.php?...products_id=302

Not realy cheeper, i mean cheeper than buying presurized Co2 system not the actual Co2.

 

[atmmachine816]

Well I have two problems then.

1. can't afford pressurized co2, I'm a kid
2. can't lower the lighting

A couple questions.

1.I can't afford to buy a 20lb. bag of the special plant substrate and nobody sells anything smaller so what would be my next best bet? gravel or sand?

2. Will I still be ok if I put in tons of plants and some fertilizer and some hornwort to fight the algae?

3. What type of filter should I use or do I even need one since there will be no fish for awile? Lee's corner filter, sponge filter, or something else?

4. How much llight should I give it a day if I'm not giving it CO2

5. Since it's a compact fluescent bulb is it less powerful?

Finally, I'm going to do this as long as it doesn't cost so much that my parents will freak out. If it turns out to be too much light I will either try CO2 or give the plants back.

Any tips. Thanks for everything so far guys.

Austin

O I might be able to get a 12" strip light over it if that's any better, though it would be over open water would that be bad?

 

[IovaykInD]

For tanks that small, 10 watts is really not that much. In tinier tanks, you need more wattage to be the equivalent of the same wpg in a larger tank. Meaning you'll need relatively less light in a larger tank than in a tiny one.

 

[Themuleous]

1.I can't afford to buy a 20lb. bag of the special plant substrate and nobody sells anything smaller so what would be my next best bet? gravel or sand?

2. Will I still be ok if I put in tons of plants and some fertilizer and some hornwort to fight the algae?

3. What type of filter should I use or do I even need one since there will be no fish for awile? Lee's corner filter, sponge filter, or something else?

4. How much llight should I give it a day if I'm not giving it CO2

5. Since it's a compact fluescent bulb is it less powerful?

Finally, I'm going to do this as long as it doesn't cost so much that my parents will freak out. If it turns out to be too much light I will either try CO2 or give the plants back.

Any tips. Thanks for everything so far guys.

Austin

O I might be able to get a 12" strip light over it if that's any better, though it would be over open water would that be bad?

1) I would get gravel, less compaction than with sand and if the plants aren't going to be growing that fast they ownt keep sand 'heathly' Just my thoughts though, never actaully used sand.

2) Yeh would have thought that sounds like a good plan.

3) You can get small hang on type filters

4) 8-10 hrs I would have thoght. If you start getting lots of algae just reduce it by an hr or two and see how it goes.

5) Sorry cant help with this one, havent the first clue about light buble I just stick to aquarium plant ones!

Can you not add a yeast type CO2 kit, they are only about £20 (not sure of the dollars) and it would at least get some co2 in there?

HTH

Sam

 

[atmmachine816]

I can get a yeast mixture thing but I don't have a lot of money right now and they aren't cheap since lfs's by me rips me off on them but I can't get them off the internet yet and I have to split my money between fish college and paintball and I'm waiting for a 120$ chechk for reffing and tournament games, so in two months I could get one. As for the filter I haven't been able to find a small hob filter yet and I might get a PO box this summer and then I might be able to get one off the internet.

Austin

 

[lljdma06]

Austin,

I wonder if flourish exel, a liquid CO2 supplement from Seachem would be more practical for a tank this size? DIY yeast is better, but finding a diffusor for a tank that size might be a challenge, whereas you wouldn't have to deal with a diffusor if you used the liquid supplement. You might have to dose everyday, but it might work. In addition, if you are going the low-light route, with anubias, java fern, and such, you might not need much as far as supplementation is concerned. Just a thought. Better than hornwort, try egeria najas. It is a better-looking stem-plant IMO and will serve your purpose well as it is an excellent algae-buster.

llj

 

[atmmachine816]

But the only problem is I can't find that locally and since I'm a kid I cant get it online right now. as for the low light way I'm going to have 4wpg no matter what, I can't change the hood it's too hard of a fit. As for the plants i can sometimes find anubias and java fern by me.