Sam's Nano Journal

[Themuleous]

Hi all,

I've finally got my nano tank up and running this weekend, so thought it was about time I set too and started my journal, so all you lovely people can see how is goes and of course give me lots of advice when it all goes pear shaped!

Tank stats

Size - 24 x 8 x 8 inches
Volume - 4gl / 20lt (ish, I didn't measure the water but it must be around that)
Substrate - 100% eco-complete
Lighting - 2x 18w Arcadia freshwater tubes (cheers George )
CO2 - JBL pressuried, with glass diffuser and bubble counter. 1 bubble every 4 seconds
Plants (arriving 9/10th March) - HC, HM, Anubias 'petite'
Filter - Eheim classic 2211
Fish - See sig

Water stats (obviously these will change once I start dosing ferts when I get my plants)

Ammonia - 0
NO2 - 0
NO3 - 5
PO4 - 0.25
pH - 7.2
KH - 5
GH - 7

Here is a full tank shot as it stands. The polysperm is just there to keep the fish happy and reduce their stress a bit. Ill update this once I've added the plants

One aesthetic question, do you think I should try and get a smaller heater? It is quite well hidden but sticks out a bit? I have a much shorter heater but its 100w so not sure if I want to risk it in such a small tank.

Let me know what you all think

Sam

 

[bennett]

awesome plan. i really like the idea of this.

if the heater is going to be hidden behind plants it won't make much difference will it?

i was going to ask what fish were in there, but then i saw the "see sig" bit and then i realised there were some little blurs in there!

are you going with carpetting plants mainly and a few smaller types?

 

[bennett]

i've got a 12g that i was planning to just fill with rocks and have a malawi style tank. but as i'm going to have to make a hood for my 24g i might as well make a hood for my 12g and make it all singing all dancing like this one (nutrafin kit just sitting around n all)

 

[Themuleous]

Cheers for the comments so far people

I'm hoping it'll b just that little bit different from the norm; the size is the main thing. I've always been one for doings thing small, the idea of a mini world really appeals and mini rasboras are cool, probably my favourite fish of the ones I've kept so far

As for the heater, yeh the plants will probably hide it to a certain extent. Not sure how much thou, will just see I guess, cant afford a new heater yet anyway!

are you going with carpetting plants mainly and a few smaller types?

I'll be carpeting with Hemianthus callitrichoides, and was planning a line of H. micranthemoides along the back of the tank, as it's just that little bit taller, but not really sure about that yet, kinda like the idea of it just being a 'lawn'

Pygmy rasboraaaasss!!!!

I just put my order in last night (got 13, had to make room for an oto ). Expect a lot of questions from me in the following weeks

Please feel free to PM me questions re these fish, I wont profess to being an expert as I've only kept them a few months now, but I'll do what I can.

A pic of the hood so you can see what I've done.

Sam

 

[bennett]

eery that the pic of your "hood" shows your tiny tank is in the same place as my tiny tank on my desk....

how did u make the hood? is it just a bit of metal bent around with reflectors added or is it something prefabricated? either way it's most cool

 

[Themuleous]

Haha, I moved it so I coudl see it better.

The hood is just two strips of 1mm metal that I got from a friend, its the same as used in car repairs. Then just bent it into the right shape and drilled holes so could attached the two reflectors. Thats about it really!

I am quite please with the way it's turned out. Should help with keeping the heat down too, being open at the sides and all.

Sam

 

[ksam]

lovelly tank, I really like how you've made the holder for the lights. Think I might have to give it a try, I don't want a hood for one of my tanks but totally broke so can't afford anything fancy

looking forward to seeing this develop

 

[Themuleous]

Well, this isn't really an update as such, but just to say my plants arrived about 10mins ago to work, so will get cracking on planting when I get home. Does anyone have any tips re planting HC and HM? Are they like riccia that you have to plant each individual stem a few cm apart or should I just plant the whole thing in one clump?

Will post a before and after pic once I’ve finished it.

Sam

Edit - it is prob a bit late for this edit but i meant glosso not riccia, idiot

 

[George Farmer]

Sorry I missed this Sam.

Looking very neat, you are obviously taking pride in your work which is a pleasure to see.

You'll get best results planting each plantlet (or tiny clumps) if possible. This is a pain and will take you hours. You may also be "rewarded" with seeing the HC constantly becoming uprooted. Patience is the key. zig may also have HC planting tips.

Definitely plant the HM seperate.

May I suggest planting with more fast growers if you're not already - 50% substrate covered. Get CO2 stable at 30ppm too before your regular lighting to avoid algae. Once the tank has run in and any possible initial algae blooms have subsided you can then remove the fast growers and cover with your HC, HM etc.

 

[Themuleous]

Sorry I missed this Sam.

Looking very neat, you are obviously taking pride in your work which is a pleasure to see.

You'll get best results planting each plantlet (or tiny clumps) if possible. This is a pain and will take you hours. You may also be "rewarded" with seeing the HC constantly becoming uprooted. Patience is the key. zig may also have HC planting tips.

Definitely plant the HM seperate.

May I suggest planting with more fast growers if you're not already - 50% substrate covered. Get CO2 stable at 30ppm too before your regular lighting to avoid algae. Once the tank has run in and any possible initial algae blooms have subsided you can then remove the fast growers and cover with your HC, HM etc.

No probs I did wonder thou! And yes I did spend a good couple of hours getting the substrate nice and slanted, if something is worth doing after all it worth doing right, although my dwarf clown pleco seems to take great pleasure in moving it about, little git!

Thanks for the HC and HM advice, I’ve got about 2hrs this eve to get it all planted, wish me luck! Managed to nick some tweezers from work, which should help. I hadn't thought about adding fast growers to start with but you make a good point, any suggestions re species or is the standard stem ones? Ludwigia, wisteria, etc? I have some hornwort in there but could add some more and a few floating water lettuce (Pistia Stratiotes) from other tanks. May pop to the LFS for some wisteria though, like that plant anyway. Yet more spending! (you gotta love planted tanks for the amount you have to spend, its a great excuse to be frivolous.)

Just in case I dont get it all done, would the HC and HM be ok just left to float adout in the tank for a few days? I see 'AndyTaylor' manged to get it grow out of the water! So would think so?

Would it also help to have the light on for a much shorter time? Say 8hrs to start with, or I could break it up, 4hrs on then 1hr off, the 4on? Just until the HC and HM get going?

Have got CO2 to 30ppm as far as I can tell from my test kits so that’s ready and made up the ferts last night. Hopefully my little dwarf rasbora’s will be too small to up root to many plants during the day!

Cheers again George

Sam

 

[George Farmer]

For fast-growers check out the algae article. There's other useful advice there too about starting up.

Lighting - go for 10 hours straight. Add a 2 hour siesta if you get algae issues (which you won't if you stick to the "rules").

 

[Themuleous]

Cheers, will do

Sam

 

[oldwhitewood]

Have you thought about a heating mat beneath the tank? I dont know if that would keep it at the correct temp but it might do for a small tank.

 

[Themuleous]

Yeh could do, will see how it goes with the heater and poss think about on of them when the funds are in better shape. Cheers for the suggestion.

Much egeria and hygrophila duely purchased

Sam

 

[Themuleous]

Hi,

Gonna have to make this short, but here is a pick of the tank after 2hrs of planting, HM at the back, HC pretty much everywhere! Will be tying the anubias to piece of bogwood, but it'll have to do for the time being. Jave moss in a pot waiting to be tyied to the bogwood arch, thats a job for sunday.

Think the fish like it.

Sam