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Ok Gang,

For some reason, the wife would like to have a Nano Tank (Cube) for Xmas . She will not take care of it though, that would be my job (yesssss). I was perusing the web for some information and pretty much didn’t find anything that I thought would be feasible.

Maybe you all could help me out in identifying proper options; the best would be if you know particular brands (where applicable). Here is my vision:

- It should be somewhere around 2 to 3 US Gallons.
- It should have a glass top as we have a cat who would like nothing better than to go fishing .
- It will require a filter, external canister style would be cool but is not required, HOB can work as well, just nothing that takes space away on the inside of the tank
- It will need a heater as the room temperature can fall to 60, if the oil is empty then even lower. Summer temperatures are around 80.
- It should have lights that range somewhere between 18 and 25 Watts.
- It will be planted (maybe Eco Complete as a substrate, or small dark gravel with Laterite).
- I will use Flourish Excel, dry ferts, and some form of trace fertilizer to grow the plants.
- I need small fish that will be good for it.

Please let me know if you have any knowledge where, how, and what I could do to get this tank going.

Thanks in advance,

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

Hi LF

The smallest I've seen Nano Cubes is six gallons. I know that's more than you were looking for but it'll give you a lot more options and more breathing room for less space. 2 gallons is really not a lot. I've got a 2.5 gallon betta tank that's lightly planted/ decorated. I can post a pic if you want to see how small it really is with gravel/ filter...

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=10677&N=2004+2020

This specifies a 50/50 bulb for reefs, but I know you can get a 24 watt daylight bulb for it. Filter built into the hood (trim plants to they don't get caught in it), so you'd only need to add a small heater. It's probably a bio-wheel type filter, so it may make some lapping noises - keep it out of the bedroom.


EDIT: Whoops, forgot to add the fish part Maybe cherry barbs and cherry shrimp... red fish and shrimp against the green plants - Christmas colors!

good grief, I'm a nerd.

Last edited by NowherMan6 at 05-Dec-2005 12:09

Last edited by NowherMan6 at 05-Dec-2005 12:10

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Back in the saddle!

Thanks NowherMan,

good grief, I'm a nerd

Welcome to the club

I will consider that size if I can't find anything better .

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

I only suggested the 6 gallon because it comes with a lot built in and it's a pretty easy set-up. It's also the smallest tank I've found that comes with a PC light, rather than incandescent. There are eclipse 3s and little goldfish set-ups, but I don't think that's what you're looking for.

I guess in order to get 18-25 watts over a 2-3 gallon tank you're going to have to build something yourself. I have a 9watt PC bulb that I can hang over my 2.5, but I thought that was even a lot!

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Back in the saddle!

Hey Ingo,

A new tank! How exciting!

Do you get TFH magazine? I was just perusing the Nov issue last night and saw a few nano cubes listed on the Holiday Product Showcase section. LMK if you don't have it and I'll post the websites.

As far as stocking is concerned, it depends on what your wife likes. Does she like betta? I personally like a group (4-5) of male Endlers for that size tank - their bright colors really go well with planted tanks. Red cherry shrimps would be good bottom companions/clean-up crew.

Have fun!

-P

You probably already saw it but there was some information on the tropica website about the Nano Cubes, they may have more than what I saw, I wasn't really looking for them at the time. www.tropica.com
Check out the articles, they may also have more info. They do look neat so I see why the wife wants one. Lucky you get to take care of it!
Oops! My bad, they have Aqua Cubes on their site, but the info couldn't be too much different. They also look really neat!

Last edited by luvmykrib at 05-Dec-2005 17:09

"If you're afraid you'll make a mistake, you won't make anything."
-Family Circus

I can see where she's coming from.

The real small nano tanks can be beautiful if you know what you're doing.

For something that small you don't even need an aquarium. Any square glass container that holds 2-3 gallons would do. There some nice glass cubes available for decoration. Plus with these small tanks open top is the only way to go to get the full beauty.

Something like this you want to keep very very low maintenance but highly decorative. That volume of water is very small as is the container, you don't want your hand going in there often to trim or plant.

Whatever appraoch you take I'd forget about using the likes of Eco Complete or stuff like that. Go with an inert substrate.These special substrates are a little too rich for a small volume of water. Actually the approach I'd take (see below) requires no substrate except for decorative purposes.

For a really small attractive display I'd go this way :

Small one piece cube shaped piece of glass 2-3 gal vol.

Whatever substrate you find pleasing to eye, just make sure it's very fine grain. This for aesthetic purposes only (bigger grain makes the tank look smaller) as you won't be planting anything ,sand would be nice.

A mound of rocks , the visisble ones covered in moss. Taiwain or Spiky moss would be nice as they have a small frond size. Nice small piece of branchy driftwood sitting on the rock mound. Driftwood covered in a mound of Anubias Nana Petite.

Plenty of filter choices , Azoo Palm is good for real small tanks. Lots of cheap really small internal filters to be had. Micro HOB's are quite easy to find these days, they are very very cheap.

For lighting even a desk lamp that can be adjusted so the light can be over the center of the tank will do. Anything with a 9 or 11 watt PC bulb will do fine.There are small HOB lamps to be found which would be the most attractive option.

Ferts- well with Anubias and Moss only you won't need much of anything. Maybe a drop of Excel. Dosing micros and Macros in the tiny quantities required would be a real pain. Use water from your big tank for water changes , that water should have the desired level of nutrients already inside.You could go without water changes but the small tanks look real mucky fast, I'd go with the excel and water changes.

Heaters I know nothing about.

Live stock - Betta/couple of male Guppies/ Attractive shrimp like Cherries or Candycane or my own choice - a small school of Microrasboras ( a tiny tiny but fun fish, very colorful)

This would be a very attractive display, a living piece of decoration (which I think is what the wife is looking for)but with almost zero maintenance. Trimming the moss once in a while would be all that's really required.

Heres a photo of one of Oliver Knott's nano set ups to give you an idea of what I mean. He does them in banks of 3 which is a great attractive idea.

http://www.pbase.com/plantella/image/34582993

Last edited by bensaf at 05-Dec-2005 20:26

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Some days you're the pigeon and some days you're the statue.

Remember that age and treachery will always triumph over youth and ability.

LF,

Rightnow where I work we have some odyssey set ups with filter and light for around 60 bucks. The smallest ones we have are 9 gallons which might be too big for what you have in mind. The lighting for this tank is a 24w power compact. They are pretty sweet little tanks. My store actually has a mini reef set up right now in one.

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Hi there,
I have seen in the Petcetera stores near me, Nanocubes in 1, 2, and 3 gallons.
They come with a 9w power compact flourescent light,
and a hang on the back filter.
They run around 35-70 dollars canadian depending on size.
I will check next time I am in what the actual "Brand Name" of these tanks are.
They are little beauties.


Come Play Yahtzee With Me!
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Wow,

Thanks everyone for all your information. It will take me a while just to analyze what you have told me. Bensaf – I was afraid to click on the link you provided, I did it anyways and now I am green with envy . These tanks in the pictures are about 7 US Gallons and gorgeous.

Hm, it sounds like 6 gallons can give you a lot of options, but it has one distinct disadvantage (or two) – size and weight are rather big for just a counter top where other “stuff” as to be as well. A 6G would be already around 60lbs and is not very mobile anymore.

Again, thanks for the input so far, I really appreciate it. Keep the info coming .

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

upikabu,

I just had some time on the bus and skimmed through TFH, as you suggested. Here are some of my comments to the displayed Nano Tanks:

The first one I saw is called Otto, from [link=Capson International]http://www.taiwantrade.com.tw/capson" style="COLOR: #ff6633[/link]. This company sits in Taiwan and I don’t know if I can order directly (and safely) from them, there are no prices on the web site, and the light looks odd . Sizes are good, the smallest seems to be just around 1G.

Next one I saw was the Pico-c from CPR Aquatic. I don’t like this one at all as the filter unit occupying the entire right side of the tank and distracting from the tank itself when viewed from the front.
Interestingly, the same company makes a refugium, called Aquafuge, maybe I will look into that one some more.

The I saw the Deco Kit 3 G, from TOM Aquarium & Reptile Products, Oscar Enterprises. Looks interesting, but the picture is really bad (poor choice of design). I went to [link=Their Site]http://www.oscarent.com" style="COLOR: #ff6633[/link] and couldn’t find this tank at all .

In addition, I saw an advertisement for the [link=Picotope]http://www.jbjlighting.com/sys_pico.html" style="COLOR: #ff6633[/link] tank from JBJ in the beginning of the TFH magazine. This one looks interesting, has the right size and all, but no top (cat having field day). Cutting some kind of glass plate to size is tough as the front is curved and a HOB is used.

I will keep on looking,

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

These tanks in the pictures are about 7 US Gallons

So just do a smaller version. Use Nana Petite instead of the Nana that was used in that pic.

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Some days you're the pigeon and some days you're the statue.

Remember that age and treachery will always triumph over youth and ability.

Use Nana Petite instead of the Nana

... and flower stems instead of driftwood branches

No seriously, I understand. Makes perfect sense.

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

Hi,
About a year (or so) ago there was a flury of posts here
about Nano tanks. Several web sites were located and
their addresses posted. They were about "tanks" that
ranged from 1 gallon down to just 3 or 4 inch cubes.
The posts discussed possible inhabitants, substrates,
filters, and plants. One even had plans and pictures of
an inside filter made from a small plastic film can.

In the upper right corner of the various forums where it
normally says "Show activity for the past 14 days" click
on it to show archived threads and questions. You might
find interesting material in the Aquascaping, Technicial
Tinkering, or Plant sections, perhaps in the GF secion.
Not sure which anymore.

Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--