• You are viewing the forum as a Guest, please login (you can use your Facebook, Twitter, Google or Microsoft account to login) or register using this link: Log in or Sign Up

Few question regards purchases

FishKeeper55

Member
Joined
20 May 2020
Messages
172
Location
UK
So I have spent most of the day with daughter having a look online and in our local aquatic shops, we have made a decision to go with very small nano 30 -40 litre tank because of the weight and size, so this will limit us as to what we can have and do with this, I'm not convince the tank is the best but is Quibq 30LED tank, not impressed with the overhand light as it only points in middle, I do wonder if i would be better getting stand alone LED light unit, I'm hoping this should be ok for small aquascape, 1 betta and maybe couple shrimps? if not please let me know. I have been reading a lot about substrate and because there is so much different type still confused with what to go, ideally will need about 6-9L, some of the plants we had a looked at they don't need this but I don't think it will harm, small bag of gravel just for the front section of tank, if in future decide to plant carpet plant can always remove this and add substrate, , I was thinking about which substrate to buy how about Tropica Aquarium Soil we are located in hard water with PH around 8.5, also if someone could recommend some plants as all this is work in progress and prefer to ask first then spend.

Any advice is welcome
 
The light on that tank appeared bright enough when I saw it in person but there was no water in the tank at the time, probably not sufficient for growing all carpets but I think hair grass should be ok under it, probably the best if you plan to house a Betta and Shrimp together as the Betta may go for the shrimp. It would be best to grow the carpet along with shrimp to get a good population going so that introduction of a Betta won’t cause shrimp carnage.

The Tropica soil would be fine to use, there are two types one is a base layer powered soil and the other is small prilled soil balls. Both will slightly drop the KH and pH of the water to a certain degree between water changes for the first few weeks/months (depending on water change frequency and amount).

Most plants do fine in hard water.

:)
 
Thanks for your reply, I have seen a video review on youtube, the lamp is 5w but lumen output is unknown, can always get better lamp in future I think, regards this Tropica soil sounds like you have to cover this with gravel or something and if I'm right only on bottom of tank at 1cm so there goes my math of 6-9L , so maybe not the best for me compare to the likes of Fluval Stratum, where the plants will be located I would prefer just to use single product in the whole tank , specially now you have mention about having carpet grass, trust me Betta is not my choice but lost that fight with teenager. Any other substrate you could use? trying to give the plants best chance at growing and surviving.

Link to video about the tank

 
I’ve not watched that video but will suggest some of my favorites :)

A lot depends on budget, then goals, then ease of care/maintenance

Tropica Growth Substrate (and similar nutrient rich base layers) must be covered by several cm’s of fine gravel
Tropica aquarium Soil (I’d use the Powder version in a nano tank) is a stand alone substrate which can be used instead of gravel

Jurijs mit JS Nano Aquascape Tutorial


Chris Lukhaup Dennerle 30


Beta Compact 30 Nano tank (note optiwhite glass front, and filter area including basic filter media/pump, heater can also be hidden - this is my favourite re hidden technology and ease of maintenance but is also the most expensive)


 
Skip the Fluval Stratum in favour of Tropica Soil (much more consistent manufacture and none of the reported shrimp issues)

My nano tank
ADA 30cm “garden cube” - glass clarity and minimal seams is important to me - I have used alternate branded glass cubes (decidedly poorer clarity despite being “low iron glass”, much more visible joins), including black silicon (too distracting though nicely finished)
Eheim Mini up filter
ONF Flat Nano plus - fantastic spectrum
Tropica Nano CO2 (not an economic CO2 choice but convenient :rolleyes: )

Shrimp photo here
 
Thanks Alto, I watched the 1st and 3rd video, in first he's using Tropica Aquarium Soil then thin layer of Tropica Soil powder, you have mention early on you would use just the Tropica Soil Powder alone? Can I ask why? or have I got your reply wrong.

I have heard in past about ADA tanks but unfortunately this is not just for me, this will be mainly maintained by my daughter so she can appreciate how hard this is and learn a lot, money is not much of a problem but have to be reasonable, if this setup work I might get something like that for my self downstairs just bit bigger, I don't think the tank will be change for anything else at this moment as startup I think it serves the purpose even when I'm not fun of it, your setup is more of my choice but the other will have to do for now.
 
Look at costs of the Tropica Soils - locally there is little difference so I prefer to use just the one substrate
(Powder looks “better” in smaller tank, should you rescape or move plants about much, the “top layer” will be lost anyway, Powder is much easier to plant in as it “holds” the plant more closely, you’ll get few “floaters” after filling, livestock movement etc)

Check that chosen plants are low light, low CO2 - re the degree of condensation on that glass lid + low level lighting (design and tech) - so as to avoid frustration with tank
Check that you can remove the filter material for cleaning without debris dumping back into filter chamber, and that filter plastic is sturdy enough not to easily break
For a “carpet” plant I’d use moss (see Tropica videos)
Buy larger plant specimens to start, ie pot versions rather than tissue culture

If you have a Soda Stream beverage system, carbonate some tap water for daily tank addition :)
 
9L Torpica soil Powder is about £36 so will go with single substrate as you suggest.

Filter media looks to be in cartridge form, so you would lift that up with all the media inside, not sure if will damp any debris, in past long time ago I have always used external filters.
 
Order had been made now for that Tropica soil powder and few other bits so we need to wait few days now. There is new video posted from aqua green that explains a lot about substrate and base layers ect which I found interesting to watch, my experience was only with gravel in past so some of the stuff he talked about might been well know to some you.





Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk
 
Back
Top