# Small planted tank?



## slakey (24 Dec 2008)

Hello all, new here.
Wasn't sure where to put this and thought this may be the best place, anywho on with the questions =]

Today I was thinking about setting up a smaller fry/quarantine tank.

So far I've looked at these tanks:

Arcadia Arc Tank 35L: http://www.warehouse-aquatics.co.uk/arc ... 3066-p.asp

If not that tank then something that'll fit on my bedside table which is 16inches long by 16.5inches wide, not bothered about height aslong as it isn't stupidly small or stupidly tall.

The only other I have found is a Clearseal 16x8x8: http://www.onlineaquariumstore.com/acat ... ingle.html

I don't want anything childish, as I am 18 lol.

Anyway onto the plant part. For this to be possible what would be needed?

What sort of lights depending on the tank. *Arcadia come with a Arc Pod light, will that be good enough for plants?*

What size C02 system?

What size filter? *I want it to be spotless so something over what it should normally have would be good*

Instead of having gravel or sand, I would like to have a sheet of planting, not entirely sur what would be a good plant for this, something easy as I'm not greatly experienced with plants. It's hard to explain, I want something that looks like lawn... lol

http://img72.imageshack.us/img72/1739/i ... cleqn6.jpg

Like that, but downside for the tank I'll buy. Maybe with some sort of small branch?

Should I use the plant substrate stuff? Or is there otherways?

If it isn't used as a quarantine/fry tank, I'll probably have a Dwarf Pufferfish in there.

Not sure what else to ask so I'll leave it there.

Thanks


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## samc (24 Dec 2008)

the arc tank normally come with a 9 or 11w light but most people add another one as most carpet plants need high light else they will start to grow upwards rather than along the bottom and form a nice carpet. you should deffinatly use substrate id would recomend a fertile one like ada aquasoil this is great stuff but more expensive than normal gravel but worth it. as for co2 you could use a DIY solution which is cheap but in the long run a pressurized one would be better. 
there are many types of filter avalible hang-on ones and normal external ones are good as they dont take any tank space up if you look on ebay you can pick a small external up for around Â£20. As for the wood i like redmoor wood which is what i think ur after you should look down your local fish store for some.
hope that helps.


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## slakey (24 Dec 2008)

Thanks for all the information 

Should I buy a pressurized c02 system or should I just buy ferts?

Also what kind of 2nd light will I need?

I'd like a external filter but do they do them that small?


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## samc (24 Dec 2008)

apparently you could use easycarbo which is quite cheap iv never tried just easycarbo so im not sure tho.
you can just buy another one the same as you get lyk this guy http://ukaps.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=3899&start=10#p43344
a small one would be something like an eheim 2213 they are pretty good


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## slakey (24 Dec 2008)

hmm those lights are exactly bright unless it's just how the picture has been taken?

also on ebay ive found a eheim 2213 and it says they're for tanks upto 250litres, won't that be too powerful?

EDIT: I take it back the picture on page 2 looks like the lights aren't that bright, put the first picture on page 1 they look great!


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## Mark Evans (24 Dec 2008)

hi just thought i'd add my 2 pence worth.

i had one of these and wanted to do the same. i bought an extra 11w lamp and a 9 w lamp.

heres planting....before i knew anything about aquascaping. riccia over gravel?...what was i thinking? actually this tank was a turning point for me  






now i did attempt at running this with just 2x 11w glosso got leggy. the extra 9 was the fine line....


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## slakey (24 Dec 2008)

thanks for the post, it's pretty much how I want mine, but a branch instead of the rock 

Am I correct in saying you've got a external filter for that tank?
If so, which one have you got?

So is a third 9W light needed? Or will it grow fine with 2 11W lights?


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## altaaffe (24 Dec 2008)

I'd only have one concern - you say you're after a fry/quarantine tank ?

In this instance I'd be looking at very low tech as Q fish and fry tend to want less light, highly aerated water (no CO2) and in general nothing to stress them out further than they may already be.  My fry tanks run on about 1 wpg and with bubble filters- in fact I have sagittaria subulata growing in a bare black gravel bottom in my CPD fry tank (just grows taller & slower)


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## Nabhan Khan (24 Dec 2008)

i really like the tetra aqua art tanks.
they come with a great tetra equipment.
and either a 11w or 15w light unit.


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## slakey (24 Dec 2008)

It might be for fry or quarantine, but I also had though of it being a shrimp tank, or a dwarf pufferfish tank.

Or anything else that's interesting and small *fish wise*.

The Arc's come with glass sheet to put over the top right? Will I need to adjust it so I can run a external filter?


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## aaronnorth (24 Dec 2008)

lampeye killifish (Aplocheilichthys kingii)


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## slakey (24 Dec 2008)

They're nice fish =]


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## Ed Seeley (24 Dec 2008)

aaronnorth said:
			
		

> lampeye killifish (Aplocheilichthys kingii)



The Lampeyes in shops are usually _Poropanchax normani_.  If you see any _Micropanchax kingii_ then let me know as they're dead rare and I'd love to get a shoal of those too!

I actually wouldn't put these in too small a tank as they do like to be in a good sized shoal and like good water movement.  Other types of killifish, such as the _Aphyosemion _species will do excellently in a small tank as a trio or small group as they aren't as active and will lay lots of eggs.


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## slakey (25 Dec 2008)

okay, thanks.

I might not buy that Arc tank, and make use of the 2ft x 1ft x 1ft tank sitting in my shed, just needa think if I should buy a hood or not, and where to put it.


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## samc (26 Dec 2008)

i think luminaires look better than hoods imo and have a good output, iv been looking recently and theres loads of 2ft ones second hand but cheap look on oodle.co.uk and aquarist-classifieds.co.uk they have some on there if u want one 
thanks


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## Simon D (26 Dec 2008)

slakey said:
			
		

> okay, thanks.
> 
> .......just needa think if I should buy a hood or not, and where to put it.



I'd recomend on top of the tank!! Call me old-fashioned but, I always find the conventional approach to hood positioning works best. LOL


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## viktorlantos (26 Dec 2008)

there's a nano series from Dennerle if you're looking for an alternate small tank: http://dennerle.eu/de/index.php?option= ... Itemid=184

comes with 10L 20L 30L. 
i have a 20L on my desk: http://www.flickr.com/photos/viktorlant ... 117984556/

you can buy these in a box with light, soil, glass hood etc for 110Eur approx (the 20L one).


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## Stu Worrall (26 Dec 2008)

those nao cubes look really cool vikto, wonder if theyre available in the UK as havent seen them before


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## aaronnorth (26 Dec 2008)

stuworrall said:
			
		

> those nao cubes look really cool vikto, wonder if theyre available in the UK as havent seen them before



They are advertised in PFK a lot so i should imagine you would - have you checked TGM?


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## viktorlantos (26 Dec 2008)

stuworrall said:
			
		

> those nano cubes look really cool vikto, wonder if theyre available in the UK as havent seen them before



thanks! still shaping up. i planned to have this my low maintenance tank. and put more attention to my 240Liter one.

on the Nano tank. not sure they are available in UK, but no worry. i usually order everything from the net 
bought my Arcadia OT2 Luminarie from Aquaessentials UK (to Hungary) for example. Dennerle sells mainly in Germany and Austria.

a couple places too look at:
http://www.interaquaristik.de/aquaristi ... 3dd7f07701

http://www.aquatropshop.de/product_info ... t02e0tibuh

https://www.zooroyal.de/de/aquaristik/n ... /shop.html

the great thing really that is everything included (in the Complete version). so only plants, wood or stone and shrimp/fish needed. and the light is failry enough to grow my Anubias, Riccia and rotala too along with mosses. And the filter gives great flow in the cube. filter media need to replaced in every 4-6 weeks which is 4-5 euro.


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## louis_last (27 Dec 2008)

Outside inside aquatics in Haddington sells a a range of Dennerle products including plants, the Nano tanks and accessories. 
I bought a 20l kit and the crysta-line pressurized co2 system and i am very happy with my purchase.


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