New to this..

Mavvy · 09-07-2004, 02:29 PM

I've been lurking for some time, and thought I'd share a little. I obtained a 2.5 gallon from a nearby chain LFS several months ago, built a UGF for it (using the eggcrate-type stuff for overhead lights from Lowes, a Rio 90 pump, and an upflow tube that I had lying around) and used 'standard' gravel. It was great for a betta and two tetras, cycled pretty quickly, and then...I got bored. So, I said "Self (which is what I call myself when I'm talking to myself), why don't you try doing a mini-planted tank?"

And I did. Used the same gravel (what a pain) because I didn't want to take out the working filtration, and a 13-watt PC (labeled 'Top Aquarium Series) and put on a micro-sword (I think), an apoge...apogen..whatever that little lily-bulb thing is; a banana lily, and a piece of Cabomba trimming from one of my bigger tanks. Had to prune ferociously for about two weeks before I could get both lilies to go more compact, but I do believe I've reached close to what I want. (And Bubba the Betta is happy. The two neons are in my 29-gallon tank.) Here's a pic (the Rio on the right tends to put the tank in perspective):

I've also found a little hex tank, used, for $3 at a local lfs. Used a 10-watt 65K screw-in fluorescent bulb to replace the incandescent that was there, a RedSea mini HOD with some floss for the media, Schultz Aquatic Plant soil (worked great). I did a fishless cycle (took two weeks). It's now home to two baby black mollys (Mama Molly finally let go-but that's another story) named Ben and Jerry:

Bear with me if I didn't upload the pics correctly.

Wasserpest · 09-07-2004, 04:12 PM

Hi Mavvy, welcome to the Planted Tank!

Can't see the pictures, but it sounds like you are having fun! See if you can post the pics differently, planted 2.5 gal tanks are definitely on the smaller end of the scale, not an easy thing to maintain.

Mavvy · 09-07-2004, 08:43 PM

Thanks! I'll try to get the pics to show in the text field area.

Mavvy · 09-08-2004, 01:32 PM

Hmmm. Looks like I'm just gonna have to become a contributing member come next payday-it's the only way I can figure to post pics so that they show to all. Cheap enough, though.

I forgot to add before that I actually did a mini-CO2 setup on the 2.5 gallon tank. Used a one-liter soda bottle, half a cup of sugar, 1/4 teaspoon of Fleischmann's, and a pinch of baking soda-mixed the dry stuff-added warm (about 135 degrees) water to just the middle of the curve at the top of the bottle (leaving about an inch and a half of space between the liquid and the silicone tubing I sealed into the cap), and ran it directly into the venturi intake of the Rio. Comes out leetle eetsy-beetsy bubbles about every two seconds (most of which seem to dissipate into the water before they get to the surface), and lasts about three weeks before recharging. I add slightly less than a half-capful of Flourish once a week. Ph levels are normal, and while I don't have a CO2 tester, the plants (and Bubba) seem to be doing very well

. It's probably overkill, but, it's done, and it was fun in the doin'. If I did it on the hex, I'll probably run the line into the HOB's intake if I can figure a way to get a little airstone in there without screwing up the flow too much.

Incidentally-I'm here to learn from the people that have 'been there, done that', so education, and constructive criticism, are welcomed. TIA.

pufferfreak · 09-08-2004, 08:50 PM

go to snapfish.com and upload your pictures from there, then you can take the properties of the pic off snapfish, paste it here and put [img] in the front of it and [/img] at the end of the properties.....its free and thats what I do

Mavvy · 09-09-2004, 02:10 AM

Thanx, p/f!~

Mavvy · 09-13-2004, 01:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mavvy

Thanks! I'll try to get the pics to show in the text field area.

Well, heck. I tried to post the pix here, but they're showing way too big-so I put them on a separate site:

http://www.rcorrigan.com/fishpix.htm

The bottom tank is my ten-gallon...was my very first ever. Not very Amano-esque...but I like it and the plants and fishies seem content.

Nemomom · 09-13-2004, 01:39 PM

Mavvy, what kind of light fixture do you have on your 10g tank? It looks like it has little stands for it. One other thing. On that tank do you have a plastic covering with hinged door? Or is a bare top? thanks Nemomom

pufferfreak · 09-13-2004, 11:32 PM

Cool tanks! I like your 10, it looks like a coralife fixture. Am I right?

Mavvy · 09-14-2004, 01:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nemomom

Mavvy, what kind of light fixture do you have on your 10g tank? It looks like it has little stands for it. One other thing. On that tank do you have a plastic covering with hinged door? Or is a bare top? thanks Nemomom

N/M and P/F: Yup, it's a Coralife 28-watt unit. A marine-tank acquaintance gave it to me on the cheap. (I had to buy the legs separate, though.) It's actually got a 50-50 bulb in it, which hasn't harmed anything (although I'll probably swap it out sooner or later for a straight 6500K or maybe a little higher). For now, with the DIY CO2, it's fine.

N/M: It's a hinged glass top (the hinge is plastic). Got it at Petsmart.

Next for that tank is an oak canopy. I just need to take the time. It'll have either fingerjoint or dovetail detailing-I haven't decided yet. Guess it depends on what tools I pull out of the shed, and if I can find my dovetailing jig for my router.

Curare · 09-17-2004, 05:57 AM

Mavvy, that tank looks really nice, you're doing great!

But, just a quick one from an aquascaping POV.

all the river stones at the front tend to crowd the tank foreground, just a thought

Mavvy · 09-20-2004, 12:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Curare

Mavvy, that tank looks really nice, you're doing great!

But, just a quick one from an aquascaping POV.

all the river stones at the front tend to crowd the tank foreground, just a thought

Thanks! (Which tank-the 10 or the 2.5?)

I'm betting on the 10, and I took your advice-just rearranged them more...ummm...'realistically'.

I'm going to be completely revamping the 2.5 next weekend. I have another Redsea mini-filter coming in the mail-I'm going to pull the plants and the resident evil Betta and remove the UGF in the 'lil tank, and use not quite 2 1/2" of the Schultz aquatic soil for the replant. The Rio 90/UGF will be replaced by the HOB, which should allow me less turbulence and better CO2 dispersal. I found a little airstone (that I'll modify the intake of the HOB to accept) for better bubble 'breakup'.

I thinl this will give me not only better anchoring of the plants (I'm going to TRY some dwarf hailrgrass sprigs, along with what I already have), but will also keep the betta less battered-he doesn't much appreciate the (minimal) current from the Rio.

Mavvy · 09-26-2004, 04:02 PM

Okay...the 2.5 has been completely redone, with Schultz Aquatic Plant Soil, a small piece of driftwood, the Azoo Palm filter instead of the UGF/Rio 90 combo, same plants plus some dwarf hairgrass (first time around wasn't too successful, so this time I broke it apart into some very small sprigs and used tweezers to place them in the substrate), same ol' Bubba the evil resident Betta (who loves the new look and feel of his crib).

Oh, and I got hold of some glosso for a small patch in the 10-gallon tank. What a pain to plant. But, it's done, and now it's a waiting game to see if it grows out instead of up (though the lighting should be fine at almost 3 wpg, and the CO2 is working well).

Mavvy · 10-14-2004, 01:39 PM

Did I mention I HATE glosso?

Well...not really. But it's not worked out. So, I'm pulling it from the 10-gallon this weekend and trying some other low-growing/carpet-style plants for that little (4" x 7") patch, and I'm open for suggestions.

The 2.5, however, is another story. The hairgrass is spreading well, the other plants are doing great, and Bubba is king of the roost. I'll try to post updated pics over the weekend.

09-07-2004, 02:29 PM	#1
Mavvy Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 127	New to this.. I've been lurking for some time, and thought I'd share a little. I obtained a 2.5 gallon from a nearby chain LFS several months ago, built a UGF for it (using the eggcrate-type stuff for overhead lights from Lowes, a Rio 90 pump, and an upflow tube that I had lying around) and used 'standard' gravel. It was great for a betta and two tetras, cycled pretty quickly, and then...I got bored. So, I said "Self (which is what I call myself when I'm talking to myself), why don't you try doing a mini-planted tank?" And I did. Used the same gravel (what a pain) because I didn't want to take out the working filtration, and a 13-watt PC (labeled 'Top Aquarium Series) and put on a micro-sword (I think), an apoge...apogen..whatever that little lily-bulb thing is; a banana lily, and a piece of Cabomba trimming from one of my bigger tanks. Had to prune ferociously for about two weeks before I could get both lilies to go more compact, but I do believe I've reached close to what I want. (And Bubba the Betta is happy. The two neons are in my 29-gallon tank.) Here's a pic (the Rio on the right tends to put the tank in perspective): I've also found a little hex tank, used, for $3 at a local lfs. Used a 10-watt 65K screw-in fluorescent bulb to replace the incandescent that was there, a RedSea mini HOD with some floss for the media, Schultz Aquatic Plant soil (worked great). I did a fishless cycle (took two weeks). It's now home to two baby black mollys (Mama Molly finally let go-but that's another story) named Ben and Jerry: Bear with me if I didn't upload the pics correctly.

09-07-2004, 04:12 PM	#2
Wasserpest Are these real? (View User Tanks) PTrader: (140/100%) Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Monterey, CA Posts: 14,648	Hi Mavvy, welcome to the Planted Tank! Can't see the pictures, but it sounds like you are having fun! See if you can post the pics differently, planted 2.5 gal tanks are definitely on the smaller end of the scale, not an easy thing to maintain. __________________ All my tanks Autodosing Water Change Temperature Monitoring Cheap Filter The Wasser-Controller

09-08-2004, 01:32 PM	#4
Mavvy Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 127	Further along.. Hmmm. Looks like I'm just gonna have to become a contributing member come next payday-it's the only way I can figure to post pics so that they show to all. Cheap enough, though. I forgot to add before that I actually did a mini-CO2 setup on the 2.5 gallon tank. Used a one-liter soda bottle, half a cup of sugar, 1/4 teaspoon of Fleischmann's, and a pinch of baking soda-mixed the dry stuff-added warm (about 135 degrees) water to just the middle of the curve at the top of the bottle (leaving about an inch and a half of space between the liquid and the silicone tubing I sealed into the cap), and ran it directly into the venturi intake of the Rio. Comes out leetle eetsy-beetsy bubbles about every two seconds (most of which seem to dissipate into the water before they get to the surface), and lasts about three weeks before recharging. I add slightly less than a half-capful of Flourish once a week. Ph levels are normal, and while I don't have a CO2 tester, the plants (and Bubba) seem to be doing very well . It's probably overkill, but, it's done, and it was fun in the doin'. If I did it on the hex, I'll probably run the line into the HOB's intake if I can figure a way to get a little airstone in there without screwing up the flow too much. Incidentally-I'm here to learn from the people that have 'been there, done that', so education, and constructive criticism, are welcomed. TIA.

09-13-2004, 01:39 PM	#8
Nemomom Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Baltimore, Maryland Posts: 29	Mavvy, what kind of light fixture do you have on your 10g tank? It looks like it has little stands for it. One other thing. On that tank do you have a plastic covering with hinged door? Or is a bare top? thanks Nemomom __________________ 2.5g -1 orange/red guppy -1 multi 5g -1 half black/red guppy -1 green moscow guppy 55g just needs setting up 2 cats-Romeo and Matisse 1 2 1/2 yr old son 1 crazy husband

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09-07-2004, 08:43 PM	#3
Mavvy Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 127	Thanks! I'll try to get the pics to show in the text field area.

09-08-2004, 08:50 PM	#5
pufferfreak Wannabe Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1/100%) Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Cumming, Georgia Posts: 1,028	go to snapfish.com and upload your pictures from there, then you can take the properties of the pic off snapfish, paste it here and put [img] in the front of it and [/img] at the end of the properties.....its free and thats what I do

09-09-2004, 02:10 AM	#6
Mavvy Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 127	Thanx, p/f!~

09-13-2004, 11:32 PM	#9
pufferfreak Wannabe Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1/100%) Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Cumming, Georgia Posts: 1,028	Cool tanks! I like your 10, it looks like a coralife fixture. Am I right?

09-17-2004, 05:57 AM	#11
Curare Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Fremantle, Western Australia Posts: 376	Mavvy, that tank looks really nice, you're doing great! But, just a quick one from an aquascaping POV. all the river stones at the front tend to crowd the tank foreground, just a thought

09-26-2004, 04:02 PM	#13
Mavvy Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 127	Okay...the 2.5 has been completely redone, with Schultz Aquatic Plant Soil, a small piece of driftwood, the Azoo Palm filter instead of the UGF/Rio 90 combo, same plants plus some dwarf hairgrass (first time around wasn't too successful, so this time I broke it apart into some very small sprigs and used tweezers to place them in the substrate), same ol' Bubba the evil resident Betta (who loves the new look and feel of his crib). Oh, and I got hold of some glosso for a small patch in the 10-gallon tank. What a pain to plant. But, it's done, and now it's a waiting game to see if it grows out instead of up (though the lighting should be fine at almost 3 wpg, and the CO2 is working well).

10-14-2004, 01:39 PM	#14
Mavvy Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 127	Did I mention I HATE glosso? Well...not really. But it's not worked out. So, I'm pulling it from the 10-gallon this weekend and trying some other low-growing/carpet-style plants for that little (4" x 7") patch, and I'm open for suggestions. The 2.5, however, is another story. The hairgrass is spreading well, the other plants are doing great, and Bubba is king of the roost. I'll try to post updated pics over the weekend.