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Tiny tank experiment - do I need flow?

aec34

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10 Oct 2020
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Gloucestershire
I’m planning a small low-tech planted tank for work, a stuff-lying-around-or-recycled project, mostly with trimmings from my other tank(s). (Plus probably a bit of begging on the buy/swap forum for a stem plant....)

I’ve bought a cheap plastic cube which seems to be watertight. It’s just about a 20cm cube, and holds about 6 litres empty. No plan for CO2, just a usb led light. Substrate will be DIY soil/sand capped with gravel.

A6BF992F-4FC0-4AA0-AAB7-477D7787B9BD.jpeg

Is it worth getting a tiny pump for flow, if there is something which would be suitable for a tank this small? It would have to be external. I’m planning big weekly WC, likely with water from my main tank.

EDIT: I’m also running a 4-5l bowl with no flow fine so far, so wondering really how far the advantages of flow outweigh the cost/slight faff of added tech
 
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What about one of these?

I don't think there are any smaller and at only around £20 it is almost worth a try?
 
Is it worth getting a tiny pump for flow, if there is something which would be suitable for a tank this small? It would have to be external. I’m planning big weekly WC, likely with water from my main tank.
Hi, if you'll not use a filter then there is no need for a pump. Obsession over flow is only appropriate for CO2 injected or possibly Excel/Easycarbo tanks.

Cheers,
 
I find that small containers of water like this will go stale etc unless it's very well balanced. Due to small size, it's hard to balance em fast. I think you will need to water-change daily.

This type of container is good for wabicusa though.

Love to see your progress either way.
 
Thanks all - really useful. I was also thinking of only filling e.g. 2/3 full and encouraging growth above the water. My 5l bowl has a bit of algae on a few of the leaves, but one month in with massive weekly changes is looking pretty good.
The box has a really good lid, so that might be useful for having a go at a wabi type thing. Hmmm 🤔
 
Totally forgot I started this thread.
The short version is I tried it without a pump/filter, it looked amazing for about a fortnight, then went very green (too near a south-facing window) and despite my battling ended up looking very sad so I rehomed the plants and I gave it up as a bad job.
Cube with the lid on is currently being used to try to keep some spike moss / selaginella alive. (And I now have a 10 litre cube at work running a light and filter during working hours and noone’s complained so far…)
 
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