Setting Up A Nursery Tank

[Akasha72]

Hi everyone.
 
I'm currently wanting to set up a nursery tank. My N.Palmeri tetra's are spawning week in, week out now and I'm starting to find fry hiding in my plants. My panda cories are also spawning quite regularily, although not as often as the tetras!
 
I currently have a clearseal 18x10x10" tank which I have seperated into two compartments with a pane of glass which I took out of a picture frame. The glass is fixed in with silicone. One compartment is larger than the other. I designed it this way so I could have eggs and newly hatched fry in the smaller side and growing out fish in the larger. That way the larger fish wern't able to eat the newly hatched fry or the eggs.
 
The two main problems I have with this tank is the lid and the lack of lighting. The lid is a flimsy plastic affair and it's already got some cracks appearing in it. I have had a look online to see if I can get a better lid to fit this tank but there seems to be nothing out there to fit this size. The second problem of no lighting is something I could probably fix if I could get a better lid ... swings and roundabouts.
 
Perhaps I could look to see if there are some lightweight LED's that I could push through the plastic? Perhaps someone on the forum can advise me on that. It would need to be simple, I know nothing about electrics, I can't even wire a plug.
 
At the moment this tank will suffice. I have one lone cory fry and a lone tetra fry. The tank is large enough and if I can get over the problems with the lid and lights it's an okay home for now.
 
If my fry amount increases I will need to look at a larger option. I have already priced up a clearseal 24x12x12". I will again seperate into two compartments as this works well with what I need it for.
 
 
So, on to setting things up. Well, the smaller side doesn't need anything much and so I will probably leave this as a bare bottom with some leaf litter thrown in to provide some infusoria for newly hatched fry.
The larger side though I plan to add some sand and some plants and some wood/rocks etc. I'll also add some leaf litter aswell. (Before I can add plants though I need to correct the lighting issue otherwise nothing will grow)
 
I plan to just run sponge filters from an air pump as experience has taught me that fry (cory especially) are better with minimum current.
 
 
So, all that said now I'll open this up to you guys to maybe advise me on lighting and any other issues you can see with my plans. 
 
Thanks in advance

 

[Essjay]

Your tank sounds like my quarantine tank. Instead of that flimsy plastic lid I use a sheet of perspex which overhangs the tank by half an inch all the way round, with one corner cut off for cables. It was bought as a greenhouse pane, and I just cut it down with a stanley knife. This has the advantage that light shines through it so I don't have to try to fix a light under the lid.
For the QT I just use a small LED light strip. It is designed for use under water so it has suckered clips which I put on the front to support the small strip on top of the perspex. (The light in question may be designed for under water use but I don't like that idea which is why I use it on top of the perspex). The one I have may not be strong enough for plants, but any light that can be positioned to shine down through the perspex would work.

 

[Akasha72]

thanks essjay. I'll have a look at that link and see if I can make it work for me too

 
As to the lid - I had considered trying to fix some kind of perspex lid to it but how to fix it so it potentially hinges up to allow feeding/maintenance etc. I can't leave it loose as it would get knocked off by my curtains etc (tank is sat in my bay window) Something more to consider and open up to those people with a diy mind ... Vethian would think of something ... is he still around? I've not seen any posts from him recently
 
 
The tank has now been cleaned and some sand added to the larger compartment. I've just ordered another sponge filter. I've dropped a thermometer in as I want to see if I'm likely to need two heaters running or whether one will heat both sides successfully. The heater might be better in the larger side as the smaller side shouldn't take as much heating
 
I need to find some decor now. I could rob something out of my main tank possibly and that would be covered in infusoria ... decisions decisions

 

[Far_King]

I tend to use these if I need quick and easy lighting http/www.amazon.co.uk/Interpet-LED-Lighting-System-Triple/dp/B00GMHOUTM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1445860545&sr=8-1&keywords=interpet+led+aquarium+lights
 
Fully waterproof.

 

[Akasha72]

hi, yes I'd spotted them when I had a look last night. They are on my list for next month and I asked my Dad last night whether it would be possible to make a wooden lid for this tank. He's having a think

 

[Asteria]

Where abouts you from?

As I have a spare 60L tank sitting in my garage. It has a heavy lid to it.

 

[Akasha72]

I'm in North Yorkshire Asteria 

 

[Asteria]

I'm in Lincolnshire. Might be a bit far for you just to pick up.
It's up to you though if you'd like it.
However I will be using it this weekend to set up my new filtering system. But after that. It's yours if you would like it

 

[Akasha72]

thank you Asteria, that is a very kind offer. Lincolnshire is quite a distance but I'll give it some serious consideration and let you know

 

[Akasha72]

can someone remind me please ... I'm having a thick day ...
 
How long do you soak new bits of wood for? is it 24 hours or 48? ... my brains not working!! 
 
It's mopani wood 

 

[Far_King]

I soak new bits of wood for weeks if possible.  Tannins continue to leach for quite some time.

 

[Akasha72]

yes, I'm having issues Far king with the mopani wood. It's leeching horribly and has had to be taken out of the tank cos it's covered in fungus now and smells pretty bad. I've given up on it and I'll look for a small piece of bog wood instead 

 

[Far_King]

Fungus?  I've used mopani wood before but never had that happen.  Boiling water should have taken care of all of that.

 

[Akasha72]

it was soaked in a bucket with boiling water for 3 weeks but after a week in the tank it was covered in stinky fungus. I've never used mopani before and I'll not use it again now