hey
I was wondering if anyone has ever tried something like the nano planted tank we can see in the practical fishkeeping articles
http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/pfk/pages/show_article.php?article_id=566
I might be considering setting up a 5 gal. However, I don't have any experience with plants. Can any one enlighten me on how hard or easy it would be? Should I abandon the idea? How much $ am I looking at here ?
If anyone could give me tips on how I should approach this project or a few links where I could get some info, it would be appreciated.
Thanks,
chiefs
Hi,
I just set up a not-so-nano 14 gallon. I bought the aquarium, but I had two incandescent fixtures already, which I put Compact fluorescent bulbs into. These are the spiral fluorescent bulbs at home depot.
www.plantedtank.net
This is a good resource, and there is a nano section. I'd say a 5 gallon with CF lighting, DIY CO2, plants, fish, substrate, wood/rocks, filter and heater will probably cost ~$100. Fertilizers are an extra expense. You can do it low-tech, and you you can forego lots of lighting and CO2 and fertilizers. You can do it cheaper, especially if you buy plants from people here. It can also be more expensive, depending on which route you go. Good luck.
Adam
I set up a 5g planted tank for my wife to have at her office. For substrate I used half a bag of Eco compete that I had left over form another project tank. For filtration and lighting I was able to use an Aquaclear mini filter from another tank and bought an 18 watt PC light. No CO2 on this tank at this point as I don't think it needs it yet. I'm using Seachem excel as a carbon source. In addition to the carbon I'm dosing iron and micro nutrients at every water change which happens twice a week (~20%). Decoration is a small piece of Malaysian drift wood and a variety of small stones that my wife collected on her trips in the arctic (all inert).
Plants include Ludwigia repens, Limnophila sessiliflora, bacopa australis, some small crypts, Echinodorus tenellus, E. angustifolius and a sprig of Hydrocotyle verticillata. All the plants except the Bacopa and Limnophila came from my other tanks and were chosen for their compact size or ease of pruning to keep compact. Fish include some Forktail Rainbowfish, neon tetras, an Otto cat and three cherry shrimp.
I run the temp at about 76 and set the light on a stand above the tank to minimize the heat input from the PC.
Excluding the items I already had I spent about $120 setting it up. With the water changes the tank has been very stable and easy to maintain. Here's a photo (excuse the poor photography).
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Thanks for the info guys ... and aqua, that's a great looking tank you got there...
Cheers,
chiefs