Mini-tank experiment
May 13, 2009 8:26 am Daily life, fish
There is a whole category of aquarium keeping that refers to “nano” and Pico” tanks. Often these are planted tanks and the fauna themselves are secondary. They have a bad reputation because they tend to be impulse buys for children and the fish die from all kinds of mistakes, from overstocking to poor maintenance.
I hear a well done tiny tank can be a lot of work, and that’s right up my alley. I tend to be a tank putzer. I like doing water changes, and staring at the bubbles. It’s taken me a while to learn enough self control not to stress my fishes with constant maintenance.
I’ve begun a fishless cycle on this tiny tank, using 20 drops of ammonia to reach a ppm of .4. I usually prefer no substrate on a smaller tank to keep it clean, but I want as much surface area as possible for nitrifying bacteria. The filter is a tiny biowheel, so that will help.
This tank tends to run warm, (the filter is right in the water and heats it up) so I’ve chosen to forego a heater, it still stays around 73 degrees with the light off, higher with it on, and we’ve not even hit summer yet.
The warmer temps would suggest a couple of male guppies, but I’m also leaning toward 3 white cloud mountain minnows, since it is an unheated tank. I would definitely have to keep the light off and watch the temp in the summertime if I went with minnows, but I would have to consider a heater in the winter for guppies… hmmm…
Snails are another good choice for at tank this size, but the filter requires a pretty high water line, leaving very little room for any snail to hang around above the water line, so I’m thinking not.
The blue foam core board on the side and back serves multiple purposes: backdrop, to block incoming light from the window to the left to cut down on algae, and insulation against large temperature swings from said window.
The bubbler took some putzing to get the airflow right. Not too much, not too little. The bubbler will help keep bacteria growing too.
May 13th, 2009 at 9:29 pm
This is the kind of tank I would like to get for Shirley, so she can have a “Dorothy.” I want to do it right, though, so when we’re ready, can you help us get set up? Probably this fall?
May 14th, 2009 at 8:23 am
How fun! you realize that this will be your tank- in that you will have a new job around the house? of course you do, you are a MOM.
I will keep you in the loop on how this little tank goes. I would love to be a part of Shirley bug’s lifelong love of fishies.