ADA Cube Garden Mini M, LEDs installed, almost ready for water.

[catchandrelease]

Sitting at my computer this morning i decided that my desk needed a planted shrimp tank. So, my desk has a perfect cubby with a shelf above it, and that cubby fits an ada mini m (36x22x26cm) perfectly. shelf above it is adjustable for the light. perfect fit.
So i got my hands on the tank and now i need to make many other decisions. This is where i need some good ideas, i have never done a nano tank before. I want led lighting, CRS, and whatever plants will look good in a nano. I will mount the leds to the above shelf, Co2 will be pressurized.
I want opinions on...
- What led lighting to go with (mounted to shelf above)
- filtration type (hob of canister)
- co2 introduction (pressurized)
- method for heating (outside tank)


Long story short... Blank slate and i want to make a top notch mini setup, i have my opinions, but want to hear yours...

Thanks guys.

[karatekid14]

2x Ecoxotic Sunner Strips (LED 8000k)
Eheim 2211
ADA Co2 Diffuser, pressurized paintball with a real regulator, not an ASA valve
Hydor 200w Inline Heater (overkill I know but that is the smallest model)

[catchandrelease]

with that filter i would lean toward inline reactor, why diffuser in your opinion?

[karatekid14]

Well personally I would go with a reactor, but because the Eheim isn't very strong I didn't know how much a 2 in. reactor would reduce the flow rate.

[Ibn]

You can also do an inline atomizer as long as your regulator can handle the higher pressure needed to run one.

[Couesfanatic]

I have a mini m with similar features.

Eheim 2213
GLA Paintball Co2 (real regulator setup)
Inline atomizer
Hydor Heater

I love the GLA C02 setup, not one complaint, except for filling up the bottles every 2 months or so. I would do a c02 reactor and not the atomizer if I did it again. I do see a very fine mist in the tank. Nothing bad, but it can be seen if you look for it.

For sure use the Hydor, its out of the tank and works awesome. I know nothing about lighting, im using the ADA Solar Mini. Its a nice light and looks great, but led would be cool.

My thoughts for you:
Eheim 2213
External Reactor
Hydor Heater
Cal Aqua Lily Pipes
5 pound co2 tank with full size regulator and all.

Pretty much what I have but do the LED lights instead of the Solar Mini, External reactor instead of atomizer and full size co2 instead of paintball. I'd rather have to fill up the co2 once every year instead of every 2 months. I do keep 2 bottles and switch them but if I was doing it again I would get the 5 pounder.

Buy plants that are small and have small leaves. Since the tank is smaller you are going to want to have smaller plants and fish. I know it sounds dumb, but a few boraras brigittae look much better in a mini m than 1 german blue ram. And Rotala stems look a lot better then a sword or anubius. You get the idea.

[catchandrelease]

My other tank has a hydor inline heater and i love it. However it also has a 2213, and im not sold on it. I also have an xp2 on that tank, And for a cheap filter, i love it.

[karatekid14]

I still think paintball co2 (GLA's seems very nice) would work fine. I have paintball on my 60-P at I believe 4-5 bubbles per second 8 hours a day, and it has lasted 2 months. The plants are green, drop checker lime green. You must have been pumping an insane amount in to a Mini-M to have it runout that soon. I agree you should, if going with a larger filter like the xp2, a reactor would suit you well. This sounds like it will be a quality build.

[Couesfanatic]

Its probably because I run my drop checker at yellow not lime green. 2 bps. The fish i've had can handle the yellow, so why not.

Paintball would work fine, but why not make it easier on yourself and get a bigger tank? All i'm saying is that I wish I did.

[catchandrelease]

Originally Posted by karatekid14

2x Ecoxotic Sunner Strips (LED 8000k)
Eheim 2211
ADA Co2 Diffuser, pressurized paintball with a real regulator, not an ASA valve
Hydor 200w Inline Heater (overkill I know but that is the smallest model)

I just checked out those LEDs. Those are exactly what I'm looking for. The only though I'm having now is that maybe I want a 24 hour lighting system. Either that it Orin those LEDs with a separate lunar switch to make it 24hrs.

Do you think those LEDs will be sufficient lighting?
I an also thumbing of using those in my 46 bowfront, I want to go with LEDs there too

[karatekid14]

Oh they would definitly be enough. I bought two of them off of a saltwater forum and I plan to use them on a setup exactly like what I recommended. They are very bright and have good coverage. I believe I will buy the dimmer that ecoxotic recently came out with so I can dial in the right amount of light. I don't know what you mean by 24hrs, as in the lights are on all day? That would probably cause algae issues and scare any creatures.

I don't know about the 46 bow, it is probably too deep and would be very expensive to light it well. Here is a link so you know the par of the LEDs at different depths.

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/li...ompendium.html

[etbarry]

Look into the inline dimmer aswell so if you start to get algae you can adjust to the perfect level. If your really trying to breed and get a little colony going you might want to pass on the co2 for now.

[catchandrelease]

Originally Posted by karatekid14

Oh they would definitly be enough. I bought two of them off of a saltwater forum and I plan to use them on a setup exactly like what I recommended. They are very bright and have good coverage. I believe I will buy the dimmer that ecoxotic recently came out with so I can dial in the right amount of light. I don't know what you mean by 24hrs, as in the lights are on all day? That would probably cause algae issues and scare any creatures.

I don't know about the 46 bow, it is probably too deep and would be very expensive to light it well. Here is a link so you know the par of the LEDs at different depths.

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/li...ompendium.html

thanks for the link.
By 24 hour i mean daylight (preferably dusk and dawn) and lunar lighting automatically set on a built in timer. so it simulates 24hrs worth of lghting.

[catchandrelease]

Originally Posted by etbarry

Look into the inline dimmer aswell so if you start to get algae you can adjust to the perfect level. If your really trying to breed and get a little colony going you might want to pass on the co2 for now.

I wont pass on the co2, i will have it set up, then at the very least i can turn it down, up, or off depending on the tanks overall health

[catchandrelease]

http://greenleafaquariums.com/led-aq...-mini-400.html

This is catching my eye, with the power controller to simulate dusk dawn and moonlight.
any other suggestions?

Also the GLA inline co2 diffuser may be on my list.