# my 2.5 gal Nano build up



## weaselnoze (Dec 22, 2006)

here's the breakdown of the build..

Hardscape










The entire hood is made from plexiglass and painted

building the sides









fitting the sockets









testing the bulbs









it fits!









wiring it up parallel (first in home electrical project, how'd i do? )









omg no one died from electrocution! phew..









genius at work...









seal up that electrical box good!









fitting the top. starting to look like a hood!









sand it down. sorry dont have a picture...









prime it for good stickage!









a few coats of flat black and we're cherry









add a reflector for extra reflectiveness. i used a piece of dryer duct. 2.79 at ACE hardware









and we're done! how'd ya like that? go ahead, critique me


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

Beautiful project, nice wiring job, but why did you get a geek to pose for the one photo???:biggrin: 

Did you epoxy the "reflector" in place? And, will this get too hot and cause the acrylic plastic to melt? If so, a little cooling fan would fit in pretty easily.


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## weaselnoze (Dec 22, 2006)

i had the setup running for about 10 hours today and closely monitored the temp. doesnt seem to affect it a whole lot. the temp is raised maybe 4F. that put me in the 76-78 range which is perfect. we'll see what it looks like come summer time tho..


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## fish_lover0591 (Nov 11, 2006)

nice job. i like it alot  i never knew danios looked so cool . good job on the hood hope you don't have any melting issues though. I might just steal your idea  oh what about condensation on your bulbs ? that sort of shortens their life but they are cheap.


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## weaselnoze (Dec 22, 2006)

it generates heat however not a whole lot. they are fluorescent so they wont create as much as an incandescent will. ya 5 bucks a piece. i look from time to time and dont see any condensation on the bulbs. the hole in the back for the filter lets out a decent amount of humidity im sure. these are glow light danios. the coolest and the only kind i would recommend!


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## fish_lover0591 (Nov 11, 2006)

good to hear now you have me thinking about setting up a nano  but i have a few other things to do b4 i can


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## Rion (Dec 29, 2006)

Nice setup and build! I'm tempted to try this on a larger scale on my 29 gal when I end up redoing it. how much did the electrical supplies and plexiglass run you?


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## Subotaj (Oct 16, 2006)

Superb!


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## weaselnoze (Dec 22, 2006)

Rion said:


> Nice setup and build! I'm tempted to try this on a larger scale on my 29 gal when I end up redoing it. how much did the electrical supplies and plexiglass run you?


plexiglass aint cheap, so if you can find a different material go for it. i have tons of it around the house. you could even use thin plywood such as underlayment. if i did this over again i'd prob go with that. then you can use a waterproof stain on the inside and stain or paint the outside. the sockets were both 1.99 a piece (rip off). im sure u can get them for a buck somewhere. the cord and switch were from an old incandescent lighthood i found in the basement. i spent the most on the epoxy and the silicone.


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## Rion (Dec 29, 2006)

Yeah I was thinking about plywood and just water proofing the heck out of it, they are usually just a polyurethane mixture, right? I'm gonna have to visit the electrical section next time I'm at the hardware store. My build won't be for a few years though. Thanks for the info and build!


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## weaselnoze (Dec 22, 2006)

so the microswords are looking a bit sad. starting to lose the green color.. i think its time to start dosing. can someone help me get started?


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

Go to Dry Fertilizers and buy one pound of KNO3, of KH2PO4, and CSM+B (or substitute Flourish or TMG). Then go to Aquarium Liquid Plant Supplements at Big Al's Online and buy Seachem Flourish Excel, and, if you don't use CSM+B, buy either Seachem Flourish or Tropica Plant Nutrition Liquid (TMG).

Get 2 little plastic bottles, such as the ones saline nose wash solution comes in at the drug store. Clean the bottles well. Check how many capfuls of water it takes to fill the bottle, then multiply that number by: 1/60 tsp for KNO3 and by 1/240 tsp for KH2PO4. Add those amounts of those ferts to one of the bottles. Fill the bottle with water and shake it up. Dose one capful of this every other day. For the other bottle, multiply the capfuls per bottle by the recommended on the bottle dosages of the trace mix and of Excel and add that to the bottle. Fill with water and shake it up. Dose this every other day between doses from the first bottle. (You could add the Excel to the first bottle if you prefer - I do.) If you use CSM+B, use the capfuls per bottle times 1/240, and add to the second bottle, fill with water and shake up good. Dose instead of the other trace mix.

I find this to be an easy way to dose. I write the amount of the ingredients on each bottle, so a refill is easy to do.


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## weaselnoze (Dec 22, 2006)

ok this is gonna be a lil confusing. i will order the stuff first then come back with dosage questions. what would be the cheaper route? CSM+B or Flourish? also what is the difference btw Flourish and Flourish excel?


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

CSM+B is by far the cheapest, but none are expensive for a nano, because you use so little of any of them. Flourish is a trace element mix, comparable to CSM+B, only in liquid form. Flourish Excel is a source of carbon for the plants, a substitute for CO2. Seachem calls all of their plant nutrient substances "Flourish XXXXX". There is Flourish, Flourish Excel, Flourish Iron, Flourish Nitrogen, etc.


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## Guillermo (Dec 19, 2005)

Way to go WN !! I like DIY stuff a lot, that hood is priceless. I like those danios also. Great job.


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## fresh_lynny (Mar 9, 2006)

Beautiful job! Your fauna is pretty awesome too....Choprae are my favorite Danio by far.


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## weaselnoze (Dec 22, 2006)

thanks for the comments guys. i got a great deal on the danio choprae. couldnt pass it up!


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## weaselnoze (Dec 22, 2006)

*Update*

UPDATE! 

well the tank has been set up for 2 weeks now. the anachris doubled its length twice now (trimmed them at 1 week then again at 2 weeks). the micro sword has been looking a little sad and virtually no growth. i spread it out to encourage health. i added some java fern in a clump in the forground and tied some more on to the driftwood. i removed the 3 ghost shrimp and the oto and replaced them with 8ish cherry reds. i started dosing yesterday and hopefully i will see some growth and healthy plants. 














































when i do photography, i place the nikon sb-800 on the bottom of my tripod and place the setup overtop the tank. i use commander mode and shoot wireless.


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## fish_lover0591 (Nov 11, 2006)

Nice It looks good you could try hairgrass if the microsword isn't doing too well


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## macclellan (Dec 22, 2006)

hmmm, in my (albeit limited) experience, MicroSword doesn't do too well in PVG (plain vanilla gravel), but rather prefers a fine substrate, e.g. sand. It might not be the lack of ferts that is your problem. I have some MS in a 2.5g and it is bright green sending out runners like crazy in a mixture of sand and eco complete. It is also less tall and spindly than your's looks. IMHO, swap out your substrate to something finer. . . 
Try and score some pool filter sand at home depot for like $5, or if you got the $, buck up for a bag of eco complete, you'll only use like 1/8 of the 20lbs though, but if you have another tank . . .


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## weaselnoze (Dec 22, 2006)

so this is my second day of dosing. i swear the MS is a lil better but the anachris looks pale. its losing green and a lil wilty. whats up? to much excel?


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## chinaboy1021 (May 30, 2003)

microswords take a very long time to settle in. also they require high co2 and light. it's a very demanding plant, also i dont think your substrate is sufficient.

i like your tank, very nice addition to desktop.


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## dougiefresh (Sep 5, 2006)

Weaselnose,
the stuff you have done looks nice. Good job. You saw on my son's tank post that I have some of the chopraes as well. I love their coloration. 

Have you thought about bubbling some diy co2 in there? Much better than excel. Since your handy, it will be simple for you and would be the best bang for your buck. Will also give lots of plant options. I barely put any ferts in my son's little tank and you saw the growth explotion that can be had with the diyc02. 
Ciao,


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## macclellan (Dec 22, 2006)

weaselnoze said:


>



Nice lint roller next to the tank. Is that for the hair algae? :bounce:


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## emjhay (Nov 11, 2006)

ur tank is sexy!!! i suggest to add more gravel....
if you want some runners.. get some Dwarf Hairgrass they are easy to keep(my opinion )


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## weaselnoze (Dec 22, 2006)

dougiefresh said:


> Weaselnose,
> the stuff you have done looks nice. Good job. You saw on my son's tank post that I have some of the chopraes as well. I love their coloration.
> 
> Have you thought about bubbling some diy co2 in there? Much better than excel. Since your handy, it will be simple for you and would be the best bang for your buck. Will also give lots of plant options. I barely put any ferts in my son's little tank and you saw the growth explotion that can be had with the diyc02.
> Ciao,



tell me more about the paintball C02. i've always contimplated that..


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## defishfan (Feb 16, 2006)

It's really cool how big the Anacharis looks in such a small tank! Watch out for the Excel, it melted all of my Anacharis. I wish I could find cool small fish like those in my local LFS. Unless I only want goldfish or platys, i'm always out of luck. Congrats on the tank.


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## weaselnoze (Dec 22, 2006)

the excel DESTROYED the anachris after 2 doses. cheap s#!t. lol i am replacing it with rotala magenta. we'll see what it looks like!


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## dougiefresh (Sep 5, 2006)

weaselnose,
That replacement plant will look great for a week or so. You are picking another demanding plant for your setup and it will probably detoriate fast as well. Although not as exciting, try Rotala rotundifolia and consider adding the diy co2 yeast system. Do you drink gatorade???


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## pineapple (Jan 22, 2004)

Nice work. I expect you could make a good acrylic aquarium which would look much nicer than that All Glass job. If only All Glass would pay some attention to aesthetics.....


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## dufus (Nov 13, 2006)

Yea, you should try to make a small Bowfront. All you have to do is heat and bend.


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## weaselnoze (Dec 22, 2006)

ok so i think they sold me rotala indica (rotalafudoiojsdf or whatever..) under the name of rotala magenta. sorry!


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## Jimbo205 (Oct 12, 2006)

weaselnoze - absolutely stunning! Just beautiful. 

Gives me some ideas for my 2.5 Gallon. 

Although mine I am trying to do El Naturale with shrimp, soil and soilmaster select. 

But yours just looks plain stunning! And I love the step by step photos. 

I am not nearly as handy (nor patient) but I live vicariously through you. 

Thank you.


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## weaselnoze (Dec 22, 2006)

@ jimbo- thank you for your kind words! but wait! slow down a sec.. i have no idea what the hell i'm doing! about the only thing i'm proud of is the hood. i cant get anything to grow but the anachris.. which i killed with excel. yea i murdered it. i redid some stuff tonite and added 3 more plants. check back in about 15 minutes to see the updated picture. again thank you but really it wont last long the way it is..


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## weaselnoze (Dec 22, 2006)

well here is a bit of an update. removed anachris (cuz i killed it!), java fern, and driftwood. added rotala indica, unknown ludwiga, 'broad leaf sag', and water sprite. i really could use some help IDing the ludwiga and the sag thingy. my lfs is notorious for misnaming their plants. i took a book with me. i still dont have enough or the right kind of substrate, so this will all go to hell in a matter of time. well i would appreciate all comments.


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## dufus (Nov 13, 2006)

ludwigia repens probally.
what did they call it?
Does the sag thing have a little bulb on it? if so it is a crinum"(water onion)
that's indica alright, the round leavesa on the bottom happen under low light and or too dense clumpings(which i think they are)


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## weaselnoze (Dec 22, 2006)

no bulb. i think it is Sagittaria platyphylla. what do u think? the ludwigia was just called ludwigia i think. according to tropica.com its either Ludwigia repens or Ludwigia repens "Rubin". i cant tell...


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## dufus (Nov 13, 2006)

I think the lidwigia is repens, don't know about rubin.
I haven't ever had a sag, so i wouldn't know. it could be a sag or val.


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## joejoeg (Jan 11, 2007)

its deffinently ludwigia repens. (grows like theres no tomorow) i hope you didint pay to much for that little thing :O, i cant get rid of clippings 7 inches high for free!. and the other guy isnt a val its to bold and short for a val. im going to have to pass on identifing that ''sag''


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## fish_lover0591 (Nov 11, 2006)

looking good i just started my own little nano


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## alohamonte (Jul 25, 2006)

That's not Val. It's Brazilian MircoSword. A grassy slow grower, good for nanos.


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## weaselnoze (Dec 22, 2006)

we werent talking about the microsword. we were discussing the ID of the short broad leafed plant in the left 3rd of the picture. its some sort of sag.


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## weaselnoze (Dec 22, 2006)

update: the tank was way to much work, i couldnt keep the plants alive and my girlfriend hated me for the amount of time i spent with my tanks. i transfered the fish to my ten gal and kept the nano for the shrimpies only. i couldnt keep up with the 2x a week water changes so the shrimp died. the danios only lasted 2 months or so in the ten gal. not sure why cuz the other fish in there do just fine. 

planted tanks are fun but i just cant keep up with the maintence nor can i afford the testing equipment or chemicals. it was fun and i learned a lot but i don't think its for me. 

i have my ten gal still with 3 tiger barbs, 3 neons, an oto and a sailfin cory. they get along great and are very healthy. the tank has no plants other than 2 large java fern clumps attached to driftwood. 

thanks for all the help and advice guys!


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## Choco (Dec 8, 2007)

weaselnoze said:


> update: the tank was way to much work, i couldnt keep the plants alive and my girlfriend hated me for the amount of time i spent with my tanks. i transfered the fish to my ten gal and kept the nano for the shrimpies only. i couldnt keep up with the 2x a week water changes so the shrimp died. the danios only lasted 2 months or so in the ten gal. not sure why cuz the other fish in there do just fine.
> 
> planted tanks are fun but i just cant keep up with the maintence nor can i afford the testing equipment or chemicals. it was fun and i learned a lot but i don't think its for me.
> 
> ...


that's sad :icon_frow ...I really like your tank and especially the DIY light. I thought water change in a nano is easy! I take a 750ml jug to scoop out the water and add new water with my 3 gallon nano.

now that you have no use for the DIY light, you should sell it to me :hihi:


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