# My 4 gal desktop nano



## awesometim1 (Oct 31, 2013)

Loving the scape  good job! 

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## beedee (Jul 1, 2010)

Wow, great looking scape! Thanks for sharing, awesome pix!


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## DizzyD (Apr 24, 2013)

Dude that scape looks awesome. What kind of rocks are those?


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## tdiggs (May 30, 2013)

Looks great! I need to get a nano cube of my own one of these days.

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## Firefly312 (Apr 24, 2007)

Thanks guys! 



DizzyD said:


> Dude that scape looks awesome. What kind of rocks are those?


Before all the algae, those rocks were a sandstone type color. I collected them in some desert mountains in western Arizona. I probably wasnt cautious enough when testing to see if they were aquarium safe, but after 7-8 months...everything seems fine. Although I have had some issues keeping nerites and shrimp in this tank...


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## cyberstretch (Dec 10, 2013)

Lovin the tank. Nice to see how it's evolved. I like the idea of a filter outside the tank but would that not be too powerful regarding flow. I woul like to do the same but worried it might be to much flow for shrimps. What filter is that ? 



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## Firefly312 (Apr 24, 2007)

Thanks! This is the finned px-360 compact canister filter. It has been amazing so far. The flow is perfect for the plants and I noticed instant increases in growth after I installed it. The fish don't seem hindered by the flow so I don't think it's too much for them. Shrimp on the other hand...I have had issues with, but I don't know if the flow played a part in that. I don't have much experience keeping shrimp.


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## Kehy (Feb 5, 2012)

The scape looks great, but I question the stocking level. Looks like a lot of fish for 4 gallons.


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## Firefly312 (Apr 24, 2007)

Thanks! Do you think? It might be slightly, but those fish are all very small. The Oto's are the biggest. Plus there's lots of plants, perfect filtration and flow, and I never skip my weekly 50% water changes. You may be right though...


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## Kehy (Feb 5, 2012)

It sounds like it's fine water quality wise, which is good. 
I just look at the guppy and recall how active mine were, and how much otos poop. That's what makes me think the stocking level could be a bit high, but if you've got it under control, then no problem.


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## SmellsFishy (Dec 9, 2013)

That looks great! I need to get a tank like that!


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## Firefly312 (Apr 24, 2007)

SmellsFishy said:


> That looks great! I need to get a tank like that!


Thanks! Yeah it was part of one of those Schuber Wright kits. I ended up replacing the filter and light that came with it though.


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## skindy (Jan 30, 2012)

cyberstretch said:


> Lovin the tank. Nice to see how it's evolved. I like the idea of a filter outside the tank but would that not be too powerful regarding flow. I woul like to do the same but worried it might be to much flow for shrimps. What filter is that ?
> 
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


You could always point the spray bar towards the glass if you wanted to try and buffer the flow somehow. It's what I plan on doing with mine. 

Nice tank, OP. Love the progression photos!


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## MABJ (Mar 30, 2012)

I love your scape, (looks reminiscent of my Almost-ADA, down to the filter lol) but I will caution you on stocking. 

Even if your parameters are fine, it's not good for certain fish to have such small space to live. I won't use the 'Human in a closet' analogy, as you definitely have a handle on fish keeping. 

But it seems to me you have barbs (aggressive) and guppies (active, and susceptible to aggression) along with ottos (which are also susceptible to aggression, and need quite a good deal of plant matter to survive.

If I were you, I'd reconsider the stocking. If you don't that's your choice, but I figured since you seemed open to comments, I'd give you my thoughts. 

(Since we have similar taste in looks at least, imagine a school of microrasboras and some tiger shrimp in that tank. Simplistic but beautiful ;P.)


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## Firefly312 (Apr 24, 2007)

You guys are probably right and I like the idea of microrasboras...I always wanted to try one of those types. But I'm still hesitant on shrimp since I had some bad luck with painted fire red's in this tank.


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## MABJ (Mar 30, 2012)

You could always go super simple with just the school of rasboras!


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## Firefly312 (Apr 24, 2007)

Heres an updated pic after a small trim and without the equipment. Im trying to find some good angled scissors, or just some really small ones, to trim this HC. Its getting pretty thick and I can hardly get my hand in there at a good angle to trim some of it. 







MABJ said:


> You could always go super simple with just the school of rasboras!


I think eventually that will be my plan. I love super small fish like that. What about those dwarf corys? Would they do well in a 4 gal?


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## MABJ (Mar 30, 2012)

Unfortunately my friend they wouldn't. They need more ground space/space in general.

Rasboras and snails would be your best bet. But if you supplement right, you could get a boss looking herd of bumblebee nerites in there with the rasboras. 

Tank is looking nice tho.


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## ElsaCooper (Nov 22, 2013)

loving the set up an am too intended to go after something somewhat similar .. was looking for it for a while but now getting due hints


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## Firefly312 (Apr 24, 2007)

Thanks guys! 



ElsaCooper said:


> loving the set up an am too intended to go after something somewhat similar .. was looking for it for a while but now getting due hints


I hope you find what youre looking for!  I would really recommend this filter and light for this size tank. It has worked perfectly for me.


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