Very Tiny Nano Thoughts

[hellohefalump]

So... I'm seriously thinking of doing a nano tank. And I mean TINY. I like the look of the aqua essentials opti white 12X8X8 inch tanks.

Is there ANY livestock I can keep in this? I was thinking of Crystal Red shrimp, but are they too big? Are there any shrimps that are really really really tiny?

lol maybe I could just breed daphnia in it?

Being such a tiny tank, it seems silly to use CO2 with a diffuser. I'm thinking of using 'easy carbo'. I've never used it before. Is that basically like adding carbon via a diffuser or is it something different?

Can you get heaters for tanks this small?

How do I measure how many litres it holds? so I can measure how much easy carbo and other ferts it needs and to measure my wpg.

I'm thinking of using a teeny tiny filter that hangs on the side - any opinions?

I want to do your classic iwagumi style tank, with mini landscape rocks from aqua essentials. I have yet to create a plant list, but they'll have to be little ones!

 

[LauraFrog]

My calculations (which were kind of muddled up) come out with 12 litres. Is this number logical or is it waaay too big? This is suitable for one betta or some small shrimp. Can't help you with the technical stuff, my planted tanks involve stuffing them full of easy plants like val and adding liquid ferts.

 

[jaoquinz]

Hi there! Looks like you're bitten by the tiny planted tank bug!

You have about 8.5L of water in that tank. You can have 3-5 small schooling fishes in there, neon tetras, rasboras. Don't bother with otos until your tank has matured and has enough algae to feed them. 2 of these would clean out the algae in your tank overnight.

If you want shrimp and new to them, start with red cherry shrimp first. When those haven't died off within 3 months, then get some crystal reds. They are more sensitive to water parameters and in such a small tank you really have to keep the WQ optimum.

Easy carbo or flourish excel would be an excellent alternative source of carbon to CO2. It would be higher maintenance ie. daily dosing as opposed to just changing the co2 yeast mixture every 2 weeks or so, unless you're using pressurised. Also if you're going with low carpetting plants and want them to pearl ie. HC, glosso or riccia you'll want CO2 for that to happen.

I have an Aquaone basic heater whcih is 8inch 25W. You only need the heating element part of the heater submersed and leave the top half above the water line. Makes it easier to control the temp anyways.

In such a small tank, WPG rule goes out the window. I give my tank about 22W for 2.5 gallons. Depending on what plants you're going for. A minimum of about 11W would be required, that would grow some dwarf HG and other mid light plants. You'll need about 16-18W for hi light carpet plants. HC can grow with about 11W if you're dosing enough carbon and NO3. If you're growing mosses and anubias, then you can just use the light in your room.

A small 100L/h HOB with room for some bio rings would do. Try to use the best and most homogenous substrate you can find. Any disruption in the scape ie.uprooting and replanting would be very unsightly in such a small tank.

Looking forward to your tank setup!

Daily water changes for the first week, and fighting off algae in the first month. Once your plants have settled in, you can go back to weekly WC and normal dosing routines. Then you should be sweet.

I outlined my attempt on a similar sized tank at http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=260475 Good luck!

 

[lljdma06]

I have a 2.5g that's been running for 2 years. 12"x6"x8". I keep some leftover dwarf rasboras and some small pygmy corydoras for now, though I may remove the rasboras and only keep the corydoras. It's planted and right now it's an overgrown mess of E. tennelus and marsilea that I need to fix. I think the journal is in my signature if you want to look at the pros and cons of that type of setup. Mine's low-light.

llj

 

[DevUK]

The Aqua Essentials Opti white is 12"x8"x8" so it's not that small, as tiny nanos go

I'm looking forwards to getting my 12x10x8 next week some time!

The little tank we had on the FoF stand this year (George Farmer's "little mountain" scape) was 12x8x8 and had CRS in it

As for heating, you could get a small 25w heater but it might look out of place. Alternative you could try and get hold of one of those Hydor 7.5w mini heaters which are flat and can go under the substrate, or alternatively into a HOB filter as I've seen some people do.

The other alternative is a reptile heat mat, or no heat at all...

 

[aaronnorth]

I would call tiny like a 2l vase from ikea

any shrimp are fine (unles they grow over 5cm), i wouldnt go woth any shoaling fish, yes they fit in, but there isnt enough room for them to have a good swim.

Easycarbo would be the best idea, it is an organic form of Carbon.

As for heaters, you could use a substrate heater or a reptile mat, or place it in a warm room.

l x w x d / 1000 = litres

(use cm)
dont forget that you need more lighting over a small tank to acheve a high lighting level than you would for a large tank, 18w should be fine though. A better method would be to use lumens per square inch, then compare this to your other tank.

HOB's are available from here:

http/www.aquaessentials.co.uk/index.php?...p;cPath=180_184
http/www.aquatics-online.co.uk/catalogue...-on-filters.asp

or there is the external 'Eden 501' (available from aqua essentials.

 

[hellohefalump]

thanks guys! For the great info!

The Aqua Essentials Opti white is 12"x8"x8" so it's not that small, as tiny nanos go

LOL my current setup is 100gals... it's always been in my thoughts that bigger=better. But I'm being converted by some lovely nano pics. But you see why I think this tank is beyond tiny?!

Aaron I think your idea of a under substrate heater is fantastic! I'd forgotten that option! Can you use a reptile mat underwater?

I'm not sure I'd be comfortable keeping fish in a tank that small, I'd feel sorry for them. Poor things be looking at my 100gal and wondering why they were in 'jail' even if it's a pretty jail.

I'll go with the cherry shrimp and see if I can keep them alive first. I've never kept shrimp before, because I think my bigger fish would eat them.

 

[hellohefalump]

one more question - can shrimp escape if you don't cover the top of the tank?

 

[DevUK]

If shrimp want out, they can climb up the silicone seals. They are master escape artists. Generally they'll go walk about if theres water issues, but stay put otherwise.

 

[aaronnorth]

reptile mats are not water proof, so you will have it under the tank bottom.

Substrate heaters are only ideal for small tanks for heating purposes only, not for making plants grow better - just thought i would point it out so you or anyone else goes out and buys one for the plants sake!

Shrimps can swim up the glass and they are amazing jumpers too!

 

[DevUK]

Substrate heaters are only ideal for small tanks for heating purposes only, not for making plants grow better - just thought i would point it out so you or anyone else goes out and buys one for the plants sake!

The hydor that I mentioned is good because it is a flat heater and can be stashed quite easily so that it doesn't destract from the already limited scaping space of a nano. I say under the substrate purely because it's out of sight. It can also fit into medium/larger sized HOB filters which again keeps it out of the way also.

Heating cables/substrate heating systems are useless for plants as you say. They'll heat your tank as required but have no affect on plant growth/root development, unlike what the marketing gumph would have you believe.

 

[hellohefalump]

thanks guys, I will look at both the hydor heaters and the cables for under the substrate.

Now I just have to wait for the 20th November, for the tank to become avaliable to order!

I'm going to do this properly. Because the tank's so small I'm going to be able to afford ADA aquasoil! So it'll have a good period of time before the shrimp can come in because of ammonia spikes. I will seed the filter anyway, with some media from my big tank.

I might order some plants from greenline now they're back up, see what they're like. I ordered one of their selection packages many years ago and was pleased with quality and price!

On aquaessentials, you get an arcadia arcpod 9w light with 5%off when you buy the tank. But I'm wanting to grow carpeting plants, probably HC. The arcpod only come in 9w and 11w. Can anyone recommend an alternative light somewhere in the region of 18watts?

Also, the mignon filters on aquaessentials come in 60lph, and then jump to 240lph. That's quite a difference! Do they do one in the region of 100lph? 60 won't be enough, but 240 would be like a wave machine!

 

[hellohefalump]

found this: link

I'm impressed! Does it have a thermostat though? Because I can't see one.

Heating cables look a bit scary and I can't find one with as low wattage as the above heater ^, so I think I'll be going with the tiny flat heater!

 

[mangoed]

My calculations (which were kind of muddled up) come out with 12 litres.

Using the internal dimensions (4mm glass), the capacity is approximately 11540cc = 11.54 L.

For each centimetre of vertical capacity lost (by not filling up to the rim, for instance) reduce by about 579cc (0.58 L).

-dan

 

[aaronnorth]

didyou take a look at the HOB's available at aquatics online?

They also do an 18w light, or it might be a 24w but i am not sure.