Setting up a planted mini aquarium
 

Im thinking of buying a AGA 7 gallon minibow. It comes with a hood
that I think is 15 watts. I am wondering if I can plant a few easy
low light plants in this and watch them grow? I would like to put only
a few small fish in it also. My goal would be to make it a very stable
mini ecosystem, with everything in it doing a job to keep it stable.
For other equipment I obviously need some substrate and gravel (what
kind?). A filter (what kind?), a heater (hagen 50w?). The other thing
I was thinking I might need is the hagen Co2 system and perhaps a
powerjet to keep tto give the water some current? What do you all
think?

Halve

Setting up a planted mini aquarium
 

I have the 7 gallon minibow set up as a planted aquarium here on my desk. I
have Flourite as the substrate and nice piece fo driftwood that I siliconed
to the tank bottom to keep it from floating. I built a cork back and
attached it about 1.5" from the back wall. I use a Penguin mini filter and
the smallest heater Ebo Jager makes. They are both behind the backing, so
the tubes and wires are hidden. I also have a small Rio submergible pump
just in front of the backing to provide more water movement- I added this
after the tank was set up for a while because I didn't think there was
enough).

I stapled Java moss to the cork and it has grown in very nicely- covers the
wall quite well. I had a few stray bits of glossostigma that hitchhiked in
and are now producing a multitude of floating plants on the surface! The
main plants in this tank are crypts- several different varities, some Java
fern (Windelov) attached to the driftwood and R. indica in the back right
corner. I don't add CO2 to this tank, so the plants grow fairly slowly.
They do get fertilizer added 2x weekly (I use the Seachem line) and
Seachem's Excel for a carbon source, which I find works very well for this
small a tank.

The fish in it right now are 2 zebra danios and a female black swordtail.
The swordtail is going to move into my bigger tank and I want to add a few
more danios.

It's a fun little tank that doesn't take a lot of work or maintenance.

-Mak
http://www.thirtytwopaws.com/mak
Updates 6/22/03

Better to be occasionally cheated than perpetually suspicious.

It's more fun to color outside the lines.

Setting up a planted mini aquarium
 

Do you have to vacuum clean the tank or does it pretty much takecare of
itself?


"Mary Alice Kropp" wrote in message
et...
I have the 7 gallon minibow set up as a planted aquarium here on my desk.
I
have Flourite as the substrate and nice piece fo driftwood that I
siliconed
to the tank bottom to keep it from floating. I built a cork back and
attached it about 1.5" from the back wall. I use a Penguin mini filter
and
the smallest heater Ebo Jager makes. They are both behind the backing, so
the tubes and wires are hidden. I also have a small Rio submergible pump
just in front of the backing to provide more water movement- I added this
after the tank was set up for a while because I didn't think there was
enough).

I stapled Java moss to the cork and it has grown in very nicely- covers
the
wall quite well. I had a few stray bits of glossostigma that hitchhiked
in
and are now producing a multitude of floating plants on the surface! The
main plants in this tank are crypts- several different varities, some Java
fern (Windelov) attached to the driftwood and R. indica in the back right
corner. I don't add CO2 to this tank, so the plants grow fairly slowly.
They do get fertilizer added 2x weekly (I use the Seachem line) and
Seachem's Excel for a carbon source, which I find works very well for this
small a tank.

The fish in it right now are 2 zebra danios and a female black swordtail.
The swordtail is going to move into my bigger tank and I want to add a few
more danios.

It's a fun little tank that doesn't take a lot of work or maintenance.

-Mak
http://www.thirtytwopaws.com/mak
Updates 6/22/03

Better to be occasionally cheated than perpetually suspicious.

It's more fun to color outside the lines.

Setting up a planted mini aquarium
 

Hi, i have a 5gal tank (20liters), and i´d like to know how often you make
water changes. What type of light you use, and can you sepcify which and how
you fertilize the tank.
"Paige Gallegos" escribió en el mensaje
thlink.net...
Do you have to vacuum clean the tank or does it pretty much takecare of
itself?


"Mary Alice Kropp" wrote in message
et...
I have the 7 gallon minibow set up as a planted aquarium here on my
desk.
I
have Flourite as the substrate and nice piece fo driftwood that I
siliconed
to the tank bottom to keep it from floating. I built a cork back and
attached it about 1.5" from the back wall. I use a Penguin mini filter
and
the smallest heater Ebo Jager makes. They are both behind the backing,
so
the tubes and wires are hidden. I also have a small Rio submergible
pump
just in front of the backing to provide more water movement- I added
this
after the tank was set up for a while because I didn't think there was
enough).

I stapled Java moss to the cork and it has grown in very nicely- covers
the
wall quite well. I had a few stray bits of glossostigma that
hitchhiked
in
and are now producing a multitude of floating plants on the surface! The
main plants in this tank are crypts- several different varities, some
Java
fern (Windelov) attached to the driftwood and R. indica in the back
right
corner. I don't add CO2 to this tank, so the plants grow fairly slowly.
They do get fertilizer added 2x weekly (I use the Seachem line) and
Seachem's Excel for a carbon source, which I find works very well for
this
small a tank.

The fish in it right now are 2 zebra danios and a female black
swordtail.
The swordtail is going to move into my bigger tank and I want to add a
few
more danios.

It's a fun little tank that doesn't take a lot of work or maintenance.

-Mak
http://www.thirtytwopaws.com/mak
Updates 6/22/03

Better to be occasionally cheated than perpetually suspicious.

It's more fun to color outside the lines.