# 4 Gallon Nano



## chizamp (Apr 12, 2008)

Ok, first off, this is my first attempt at an aquarium of any kind, so don't expect anything spectacular. I recently bought the 4 Gallon Finnex setup off ebay. 

Tank: 4 Gallon Finnex glass tank (12" x 7.5" x 10" high)

Lighting: 13w PC fixture (silver aluminum hood, with polished reflector, acrylic lens)

Filter: HOB filter (31.5 gallon per hour flow, sponge and carbon cartridge filtration)

Heater: Visi-Therm Stealth 25watt heater

Substrate: ADA Aqua Soil Amazonia II Powder

Plants: Tropica Fern, Fissiden Fontanus, Peacock moss (Taxiphyllum sp.) Dwarf Sag (sagittaria subulata) Dwarf Hairgrass (Eleocharis parvula) HC 'cuba' (Hemianthus callitrichoides) Anubias Nana 'petite'

Inhabitants: Red Cherry Shrimp (Once tank is cycled)


Ok, now on to some pictures...


This picture was taken when I first set the tank up. I had bought that Tropica Fern from Petco. It is actually a pretty good looking plant considering it came from Petco. I believe this picture was taken on 05/02/08. I was waiting for my other plants to arrive from MrJG.










Once the plants arrived from MrJG (thanks again!) I went ahead and planted them. Here is a picture taken on 05/08/08.









And here is a shot of the tank from today, 05/09/08. As you can see I moved a few of the plants. I still am not sure if I like this setup or not. I might be moving some more stuff around. I ordered some excel and a nice pair of long tweezers so once those arrive I plan on draining the tank and breaking up the HC and spreading it out more in hopes of making a nice carpet with it.









And here is one more picture from today of the full tank shot.










Like I said, this is my first attempt at an aquarium of any kind, so I know it is nothing spectacular. But, any feedback or criticism is always welcome. If you have any comments or idea's then please share. Thanks for looking, and I will be updating this as the tank matures so be sure to lookout for updates.


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## PinoyBoy (Mar 14, 2008)

one thing i learned is that the rhizomes of the ferns shouldnt be burried.
its also nice. make the substrate slope and uneven to not give a flat look.
nice driftwood. also seperate the hairgrass and plant them seperately.
this should prevent algea build up. and space the HC apar also if u want
a nice carpet. but dont make the spaces between them too big.


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## chizamp (Apr 12, 2008)

Pinoyboy, thanks for the feedback. I will separate the dwarf hairgrass some more when i separate the HC. And to the rest of you, 114 views and only one comment? I know it's bad, but I didn't think it was THAT bad. :icon_lol:


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## waterfaller1 (Jul 5, 2006)

Hi Chizamp..looking good! I love my 4 gal finnex, it is my only tank that has stayed algae free.


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## @[email protected] (Oct 24, 2007)

good so far, but it needs some stems.


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## chizamp (Apr 12, 2008)

waterfaller1, thanks. Do you have a journal for your tank?

@[email protected], thanks for the advice. Any specific stems that you would recommend?


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## rekles75 (Feb 25, 2008)

Hey chizamp

Good to see you got your tank set up. It is off to a good start. 

I am no expert but I do think you should stagger the substrate a little and add some back groud plants. 

Maybe something that fills the back in real good if you are not going to use a back ground. Dont use any Vals though as excel will melt them, as I recently found out.


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## waterfaller1 (Jul 5, 2006)

chizamp said:


> waterfaller1, thanks. Do you have a journal for your tank?


 No, sorry..I never started one for that tank. I have pics though.


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## chizamp (Apr 12, 2008)

waterfaller1 said:


> I have pics though.



I would love to see them. :thumbsup:


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## waterfaller1 (Jul 5, 2006)

chizamp said:


> I would love to see them. :thumbsup:


Ok..I will post a little thread in a bit.:icon_cool


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## @[email protected] (Oct 24, 2007)

rotala rotundifolia, limnophila sessiliflora (asian ambulia), cabomba carolina, and weighted down hornwort are all good background fillers and should grow good in your tank.


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## chizamp (Apr 12, 2008)

@[email protected], thanks for the suggestions. I will search and get some more info on these plants.


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## kiwik (Aug 24, 2007)

maybe an update? i wanna see how this turns out.


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## HatchetHaven (Mar 9, 2008)

This looks like a cool tank... Deffinatly get that fern's rhizome out of the substrate, or it may go a little brown if you know what I mean. Ferns like to be attached to wood by the rhizome. Hygrophila corymbosa 'Siamensis' and H. Corymbosa 'Siamensis 53B' are both nice stems.


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## Sticky230 (Mar 30, 2008)

nice tank. these finnex ones are smooth... with small tank, you should slope the substrate if you can. lower in front then raised in the back. you could go as low with .5 inches in front without problem. it really makes a difference giving small aquariums depth. you can do it with a fork so you don't make a mess in the tank if you 'd like.


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## asimkhatri (Sep 17, 2007)

nice tank..

waiting for update's


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## chizamp (Apr 12, 2008)

This is a FTS. Notice all the algae in the bottom right corner...










Here is a bird's eye view. The Dwarf Sag spread like wildfire. I really don't like the aquascape of this tank, I think I am going to change it. Any suggestions?










Here is one more tank shot. You can see the brown algae everywhere. I really need to do something about it. I am hoping the nerites will do the trick.











So all and all my tank isn't looking all that good. So I need some input on ways to make it better. Let me know what you think. Thanks.


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## chizamp (Apr 12, 2008)

asimkhatri said:


> very neat


are you looking at the right pictures? :icon_lol:


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## Ugly Genius (Sep 27, 2003)

My advice would be to try not to make this first tank your magnum opus. Rather, use it for observation. Learn how plants grow, how quickly, and what their needs are. Plants are the paint of this art, and much like a painter studies color, light, lines and texture, you have to learn all you can about plants, light, ferts, and carbon.

I guess what I'm trying to say is to keep making the mistakes you're making and correct them one at a time.

I would not worry too much about the brown algae. That stuff usually goes away of it's own accord. New tanks usually get it and then it goes away forever.

_EDIT: I should add, you did really well for a first tank!_


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## waterfaller1 (Jul 5, 2006)

I would suggest a smaller,taller stone. Or, can the one you have be placed so it has some height?
{this is funny, I was checking to be sure I spelled "height" correctly, and found this tidbit of information... 
http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/askasci/bio99/bio99809.htm

I think the plants look nice and healthy..good job!:thumbsup:
You might try a black background to hide the filter & heater.
edit: Sorry, I did not realize I had posted in this thread and promised pics...here you go~
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/planted-nano-tanks/67615-nano-update.html


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## chizamp (Apr 12, 2008)

Thanks for the feedback. I just ordered the nerite snails and i also ordered a plant package and some cherry shrimp. So i will be rescaping and finally adding some shrimp to the tank later this week. Pics to come. As for the "stone" it is actually a bunch of fake rocks i got from Petco. I really don't like them. I will try and find some new stones for the rescape. I will probably have some Dwarf Sag after the rescape if anyone is looking for any.


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## @[email protected] (Oct 24, 2007)

the plants are too big for a foreground in that tank. in a tank that small, they could be a background, and then use HC or glosso or HM as a foreground (if you have the light and CO2 for them).


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## rekles75 (Feb 25, 2008)

Ugly Genius said:


> My advice would be to try not to make this first tank your magnum opus. Rather, use it for observation. Learn how plants grow, how quickly, and what their needs are. Plants are the paint of this art, and much like a painter studies color, light, lines and texture, you have to learn all you can about plants, light, ferts, and carbon.
> 
> I guess what I'm trying to say is to keep making the mistakes you're making and correct them one at a time.
> 
> ...


 
Very well put UG. Chizamp as you know I also have this finnex 4 gal. I have rescaped it at least 5 times in the last 6 months, I get plants that I find are too big or dont look right in the scape. But at the same time I learn what plants grow what size and how quickly it does so. 

I have since torn the whole tank down added a bag of ADA aquasoil and began the HC emmersed growing method and I added some rocks I found outside. After it fills in I will go with some downoi and dwarf sag in the back ground and I think it will look great. This is my first scape I actually planned out. Any other time I would just be too excited and buy all kinds of plants from the S&S and plant them. 

I am excited about this tank too, but I am taking my time with it also. If you look at some of the best looking tanks on this forum and look at the members join date, they have probably been doing this for a few years. I personally dont think your tank is too bad, your plants do look healthy. But I alos think they should go in the back of the tank. Besides dwarf sag propagates very fast after it is established. I had to learn that the hard way also.


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## chizamp (Apr 12, 2008)

Yes, I will be doing a rescape later this week and I will be moving the dwarf sag to the back of the tank. Do you have any shots of your finnex tank, rekles75?


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## rekles75 (Feb 25, 2008)

I am taking pics but I just set this up last week, and I dont think anything has changed. Like I said it is emersed so there is no water yet, except for underneath the substrate. I may update my old journal with the one pic. It wasnt very good because the tank is fogged up though.

EDIT: ok I got the pics up http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/p...sharing-my-4-gal-finnex-again.html#post686815


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## merk1_99 (Nov 11, 2008)

Are you still growin the HC with just the stock 13 watt lighting? Just curious b/c I have the same tank and lighting and would like to try HC.


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