# DIY nano 2.8 gallon shrimp tank



## fshfanatic (Apr 20, 2006)

Nice work. Looks nice and "clean".


----------



## Zulu (Aug 18, 2005)

I envy your source of rocks.


----------



## Y0uH0 (Dec 19, 2005)

Nice looking tank,looks larger than it actually is.


----------



## A Hill (Jul 25, 2005)

looks nice! did you do tha mattenfilter thing as well?


----------



## darkfury18 (Apr 1, 2006)

thanks for the compliments guys  I didn't do the mattenfilter on this.. i thought about it but I wasn't sure how I was going to clean the sponge once it gets dirty..


----------



## Roy Deki (Jan 13, 2004)

Nice work...What type of light are you using?


----------



## darkfury18 (Apr 1, 2006)

thanks Roy.. I'm using a 20W halogen light that I got at home depot for $7.. 

I'm kinda surprised at how well it's doing, especially the najas with just a 4hr photoperiod so I'm adding some taiwan moss and riccia to see if it can survive..


----------



## jgc (Jul 6, 2005)

Clean a Mattenfilter - that's why you have shrimp, right?

I think my mattenfilter leaks to much, but it has never gotten really dirty - too many shrimp in that tank.


----------



## the_noobinator (Jun 10, 2006)

i'm doing this real soon (with mattenfilter included), and then i'll be in the market for some shrimp!


----------



## darkfury18 (Apr 1, 2006)

I decided to do a rescape on the tank.. not sure if it's better or not..










Also a shot of one of two bee shrimps in the tank


----------



## darkfury18 (Apr 1, 2006)

the_noobinator said:


> i'm doing this real soon (with mattenfilter included), and then i'll be in the market for some shrimp!


good luck .. it's pretty easy to build one... just make sure you don't smear any silicone on the glass


----------



## darkfury18 (Apr 1, 2006)

Just a quick update. Switched to a GE Edison halogen, not as yellow as the previous light.


----------



## t-sav (Aug 19, 2006)

Looks nice. I see you also switched to sand. Did you place it on top or did you completely remove the pebbles?


----------



## jbrown (Jul 24, 2006)

darkfury18 said:


> Just a quick update. Switched to a GE Edison halogen, not as yellow as the previous light.


Great job on your tank...wonder if you got a chance to read this on Halogen lamps. I have been wondering about using one myself on my nano just as a spot light on couple of high light requiring plants in my nano...but after reading the above link, I dont know what to make of it. 

Again, great job on the diy tank.


----------



## Burks (May 21, 2006)

How are the shrimp doing?

I really like the design of the tank. Just recently purchased a 2g tank myself (made of plastic) and will be housing RCS in it.


----------



## darkfury18 (Apr 1, 2006)

t-sav said:


> Looks nice. I see you also switched to sand. Did you place it on top or did you completely remove the pebbles?


Thanks, I just placed a thin layer on top of the old gravel


----------



## darkfury18 (Apr 1, 2006)

jbrown said:


> Great job on your tank...wonder if you got a chance to read this on Halogen lamps. I have been wondering about using one myself on my nano just as a spot light on couple of high light requiring plants in my nano...but after reading the above link, I dont know what to make of it.
> 
> Again, great job on the diy tank.


Hmm.. I'm not sure either, but I like it though. This tank wasn't intended to be a highlight tank so I only have the lights on 4-5 hours a day. And even though it is inefficient, my moss pearls with the old 20 watt halogen but not with the 8 watt fluorescent that i use sometimes . The new bulb is 35 watts, but it has a better CRI and I just love the shimmering effect that a spot source creates. I would say just give it a shot.. a halogen bulb isn't all that expensive just to try it out to see if you like it. I'd recommend the GE Edison unless you can find something whiter.


----------



## darkfury18 (Apr 1, 2006)

Burks said:


> How are the shrimp doing?
> 
> I really like the design of the tank. Just recently purchased a 2g tank myself (made of plastic) and will be housing RCS in it.


All the shrimps seem happy enough  One of the bee shrimps is MIA but the cherries are doing well, I even have a pregnant one in there :thumbsup:


----------



## darkfury18 (Apr 1, 2006)

Just a quick update on my nano :bounce:


----------



## guitardude9187 (Aug 22, 2006)

looks like a forest


----------



## bpimm (Aug 2, 2007)

Man is that marsilia minuta? That's crazy tall, mine stays under 1".

I just love the little tanks. how's the halogen working out?



darkfury18 said:


> > Great job on your tank...wonder if you got a chance to read this on Halogen lamps. I have been wondering about using one myself on my nano just as a spot light on couple of high light requiring plants in my nano...but after reading the above link, I dont know what to make of it.
> 
> 
> Hmm.. I'm not sure either, but I like it though. This tank wasn't intended to be a highlight tank so I only have the lights on 4-5 hours a day. And even though it is inefficient, my moss pearls with the old 20 watt halogen but not with the 8 watt fluorescent that i use sometimes . The new bulb is 35 watts, but it has a better CRI and I just love the shimmering effect that a spot source creates. I would say just give it a shot.. a halogen bulb isn't all that expensive just to try it out to see if you like it. I'd recommend the GE Edison unless you can find something whiter.


I also am using a halogen spot on my 2 Gal hex nano. I'm using a Solux 35 watt 4700K bulb and I like the shimmering look plus the HC is pearling so I think in the long run it should work out. I use them in bigger tanks for accents also.

My nano:
http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m57/bdpimm/2 nano/IMG_2410.jpg

If you are thinking of trying a halogen, go for it. it's hard to get enough florescent light in a small enough space for a nano

I'll look up the GE it might be a less expensive alternate.


----------



## Aquamadman (Aug 10, 2007)

İf İ am not mistaking the foreground plant that u are using is Glossostigma Elanitoides .
İf so then u are probably using to little light for the plant to stay low on the ground thus feeling the need to grow closer to the light , causing it to look like the forest that you have now .
İt`s no problem if you like it this way but if you want it to grow closer to the ground consider getting better lamps for your aqua .
Don`t get it wrong İ am not critisising your aqua because i think it looks good 
Keep up the good work 

Cheers


----------



## chaznsc (May 1, 2006)

sweet! i love nanos


----------



## darkfury18 (Apr 1, 2006)

This tank has undergone so many transformations and since I started this thread. It feels quite nostalgic to look at all the old aquascapes. Here are a few of the more recent scapes roud:









Oct. 2009









March 2010









April 2010









August 2010


----------



## Diegosaenz (Aug 4, 2010)

They have clearly improved, every re-scape keeps getting better and better!


----------



## Clare12345 (Dec 20, 2008)

However, I am in love with the one from 8-02-07. What is that plant going up like that??


----------



## CL (Mar 13, 2008)

Awesome tank. Props to you for keeping it running and posting an update :thumbsup:


----------

