My 2 Gallon Cookie Jar

[TonyK]

This is my first attempt at a bowl. I got the plants off of a member here and just wanted to see what I can do. I have never worked with live plants before but wanted to try.
My plant list;
Crypt Wendti
Hygro Sunset
Java Moss
Java Fern
Salvinia
Substrate is 1" Miracle Grow Organic Potting Mix and .5" play sand. For a light I'm using a 23w 6500k cfl. I might go with a smaller wattage bulb depending on algae. I have been doing 50% water changes everyday since I set the tank up last Wednesday.
Plans are to let the bowl fill in then add son red cherry shrimp but, in no hurry to do that now.

This is the bowl 9/19/12


Here it is with a piece of driftwood 9/19/12


Here it is flooded 9/19/12

[TonyK]

Here is an update, Pictures were snapped this evening. Bowl seems to be going alright. Plants are looking healthy

9/23/12


Top View 9/23/12

[Sashawins]

That's very cool. How big is that jar? Approximately a gallon? or bigger? Really would like to try that myself and just curious of shrimp would need a heater in the winter.

[Gooberfish]

I have this same jar. Mine looks like Sh*^ though. You've got a good start going

[zankotsu]

I've been wanting to do something similar! No mechanical filtration? Can you have livestock without it?

[l8nite]

Looks really awesome!

[TonyK]

Thanks everyone for the compliment. Its been less then a week and I am seeing some growth out of the plants. BTW, I picked this jar up at Walmart for around $10.00. I originally used it for a Betta.

Sashawins- The bowl is a 2 gallon but, with everything in there I say somewhere around 1.5 gallons. I'm under the impression shrimp like it in the low 70's. When I get ready to put shrimp in there I will look into it more. Right now I just want the plants to fill in

zankotsu- There is no mechanical filtration in this bowl. The plants will be the filter for the livestock. This bowl might be to small for fish. I didn't plan on adding fish. From my research shrimp seem to have a really low bio load and would be perfect for a bowl like this. Here is a thread on a similiar bowl that has a wealth of info. If you want to set something up.

Here is Newman's thread on it and made me want to start this bowl http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/pl...rimp-bowl.html

[Knotyoureality]

Originally Posted by zankotsu

I've been wanting to do something similar! No mechanical filtration? Can you have livestock without it?

Bowls like this can't carry a heavy bioload without filtration, but well planted with regular wc they can easily support snails, shrimp and some small fish.

My largest no-tech tank is a 3g moderately planted vase that's home to a hundred or more pond and rams horn snails, 3 ghost shrimp and 4 "cobra" endlers (guppy/endler hybrid).

My smallest is a 4.5" diameter wineglass with hc, xmas moss, a couple tiny ramshorns, a med sized pond snail, and 3x cherry shrimp. (Okay, the *smallest* is actually a 1" x1" x 2.5" planted acrylic box, but I don't tend to count that as "stocked" as it only has 2 tiny ramshorn snails.)

[GMYukonon24s]

Nice Job on the jar!

[Newman]

Nice start!
do you think blyxa japonica would look good in here? right next to the DW.

[TonyK]

Thank you GM.

Newman, I think you are right. I do have empty space in front of the DW. I was wondering what to put in front of it. Thanks for your opinion.

[TonyK]

I have been doing daily water changes of 50% on this tank. I haven't been testing water quality but for right I don't plan on adding fauna. Should I continue doing the water changes? or slow it down a little?

[beginragnarok]

It looks like a good start. I like it. An industrious use of space.

Just watch out for that Hygro "Sunset" it is very much a weed and will out-compete the other plants for every nessessity. At least thats my experience over the past 9 months growing it. Also, watch your lighting. If you start to see algea growth raise up your light source or cut back on lighting hours.


Keep at it. Shrimp are awesome to keep by the way, so much personality.

[TonyK]

Thanks
I have already changed lighting some. I had the lights on 12 to 14 hours a day. the last couple of days only had them for 10 hours. I need to pick up a timer for the bowl. I turn the light at 7AM. When I get home at 5Pm Im turning the lights off. I don't really get to enjoy it with the light on. My goal is to let the plants take the bowl over then I will add some shrimp.

Originally Posted by beginragnarok

It looks like a good start. I like it. An industrious use of space.

Just watch out for that Hygro "Sunset" it is very much a weed and will out-compete the other plants for every nessessity. At least thats my experience over the past 9 months growing it. Also, watch your lighting. If you start to see algea growth raise up your light source or cut back on lighting hours.


Keep at it. Shrimp are awesome to keep by the way, so much personality.

[beginragnarok]

Originally Posted by TonyK

Thanks
I have already changed lighting some. I had the lights on 12 to 14 hours a day. the last couple of days only had them for 10 hours. I need to pick up a timer for the bowl. I turn the light at 7AM. When I get home at 5Pm Im turning the lights off. I don't really get to enjoy it with the light on. My goal is to let the plants take the bowl over then I will add some shrimp.

Check one of these out. http://www.petco.com/product/111981/...t=OnSiteSearch

This way you can actually look at your art. I started out doing the same thing. Turn lights on before I left the house then have to kill them when getting back. You don't need to spent $40 for the upscale timer to enjoy your labor. Cheers!