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View Full Version : After crashing my 37g planted tank, I want to get back into it with a smaller one



Misterfishy
01-19-2003, 2:54 AM
Haven't been here for awhile.

In short I got really busy with stuff, didn't have time to change co2, then since that was messed up, why bother fertilizing, pruning, on and on until the plants are dead. I really don't have time anymore for all the pruning and stuff since I got a job, so I have money but no time basically.

I still love fishtanks and plants of course, so I'm thinking about setting up a really small plantd tank. Just wondering what size is good, I'm thinking 2 gallons or so for my desk but maybe even smaller. Since I'm going to probably sell my 2X55 watt light setup, or at least half of it, I'll have money to spare for plants, gravel, smaller lights, and co2.

A couple questions since I've never done a small tank.
1. Circulation/filtration. How and how much for a couple gallons of water? Can it be stagnant?
2. Lighting. I know the wpg rule is different for smaller tanks, by how much? Is 10wpg too much do you think?
3. C02. How is co2 dissolved into the tank water without having a big ugly reactor in there?
4. Finally, what do you all think abou having a small external pump and a mini-sump under the tank. Remember it's only a few gallons in the tank, think a sump would be worth the asthetics gained (by not having equipment in the tank) or is it too much work to have a sump. I think it would be cool but I've never seen a sump in action.

Feels good to have that fishkeeping spirit back after a few months. Can you believe I was thinking of dropping fishkeeping entirely a few weeks back?

Cichlid Woman
01-19-2003, 10:03 AM
Welcome back! Went into withdrawal, huh? :D Make it easy on yourself! There are lots and lots of gorgeous aquarium plants that do well with one watt of light per gallon. That means no CO2 to deal with.

Question: the small tanks (2 gallons or so) come with incandescent lights instead of fluorescent, don't they? Bummer. I think Eclipse makes maybe five-gallon tanks or smaller with fluorescents now. Might want to check those out--lights, filtration, etc. is all built right in to the system, I think. Sorry, I don't know the wpg numbers for smaller tanks.

Gonna put any fishies in there?

-- Pat