# 2-gallon Vase from Hobby Lobby atop Fridge



## weluvbettas (Aug 27, 2010)

Nice! What are you planning to do with it??


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## RipariumGuy (Aug 6, 2009)

weluvbettas said:


> Nice! What are you planning to do with it??


I can take a guess... His awesome Tank Planters with some sort of Asian plant. Just a guess! :icon_lol:

Looks great Devin!


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## weluvbettas (Aug 27, 2010)

ha ha probably!! Cant wait to see!!!


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## hydrophyte (Mar 1, 2009)

I am working on more pictures right now. Here is one plant that I stuck in there, an _Aponogeton_ sp. in a tank Planter.


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## RipariumGuy (Aug 6, 2009)

I saw the full tank shot of this setup in your Tank Planters.com thread... Awesome. If I can fine a good vase, I may just have to make one of these babies.


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## hydrophyte (Mar 1, 2009)

This thing has been fun. They have these sorts of vases at Hobby Lobby and at Michael's. The whole setup minus the plants + planters cost me only $29. 

The Tank Planters make it easy to switch out the plants to try new variations, and I think I will do some of that. I want to try some of the nice new stems that I got recently in trade.


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## hydrophyte (Mar 1, 2009)

Here is another new picture.










I have a few pretty nice houseplants set up there. When I raise the lamp some of the light spills over for them. 

And I added a platy too.


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## !shadow! (Jan 25, 2010)

wow that is nice looking what you have there. you have a way of making any aquarium blend right in or vase in this case. l love how the plants overhang over the vase like a jungle. What if you added some nice pebbles to the base of it? personally l think it would complete the look.


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## hydrophyte (Mar 1, 2009)

I could put pebbles in gravel in the bottom, but as it is the setup is very easy to clean because I can just lift out the plants and empty the whole container. I don't mind the look of the planters at all really. 

I am going to clean this thing up a bit and shoot a couple pictures and hopefully post a photo update later.


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## Newman (Jul 3, 2010)

looks nice hydro!
platy is an interesting choice for a while, is that a juvenile?


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## hydrophyte (Mar 1, 2009)

That platy will be fine in there for at least a few months. If it grows too large I can just put it back into the 50 where I had it.


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## Splendid Splendens (Dec 22, 2010)

Wow that looks awesome. There's a bunch of stuff on top of my fridge and it looks like crap. Hahaha I need to do something like that!
I'll bet the vase stays rather warm, too. Being atop the fridge and all.....


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## mylittlefish (Oct 5, 2010)

I just saw some gorgeous Orange Guppys at Meijer ... a grocery store with aquatics.

They would POP in that tank.

I agree with leaving out the pebbles..... but i also agree , that they would look nice.

Or

You could nestle the bottom in some pebbles and give the illusion of a pebble bottom.

Good Job!


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## hydrophyte (Mar 1, 2009)

Guppies would also be good in a setup like this. That's a good idea.

Our fridgetop was a mess too till I came up with this idea. Now there are just some nice plants up there...much better. 

There is some warm air rising up from behind the fridge, but I had to add one of those 7.5 watt Hydor heaters to get the water up into the mid-70s.

I like it pretty well with the planters just sitting right on the bottom. It is easy to clean this way.


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

I like the simple bottom and the individual planter in there. Looks cool.


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## hydrophyte (Mar 1, 2009)

Thanks very much.

This kind of setup is fun. I want to do another one somewhat larger maybe with CO2 and experimenting with a small LED fixture.


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## shoteh (Nov 13, 2007)

I like the planter in that small set up. I just got some of your planters in the mail and now this setup has given me some ideas on a future mothers day gift.


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## hydrophyte (Mar 1, 2009)

I think that this kind of thing could make a real nice gift. They can be easily set up in a windowsill or under a desk lamp. I put one in the window at my fiancée's office and it has been sitting there basically neglected but with water top-offs for months and the plant still looks fine and grows slowly.


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## Splendid Splendens (Dec 22, 2010)

I wonder if neocaridina would do well in a set up like that.


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## Franco (Jun 13, 2010)

I can't believe the vase cost $20. All of the vases at the Hobby Lobbys in central Iowa are less than $10 and usually on sale for $5 or $6. Hobby Lobby is were I get all of my betta bowls. Its weird the difference in price from one state to the next.
I've done similar planted vases with Amazon Swords. Simplicity and ease of water changes is always the best route to go.


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## hydrophyte (Mar 1, 2009)

The regular price for that vase was $40. I think that I got a good deal at $20. It is a nice smooth tapered glass vase about 15" tall and it holds two gallons of water.

RCS will do fine in a setup like this.


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## Newman (Jul 3, 2010)

so why not add a few?


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## Splendid Splendens (Dec 22, 2010)

You've totally inspired me, hydrophyte. As always!


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## hydrophyte (Mar 1, 2009)

I worked on this some tonight and here is a quick picture...










I added a big _Cryptocoryne pontederiifolia_ that I like a lot


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## seadreamer (May 6, 2007)

Oooo, I love the larger crypt in it. Gorgeous!


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## hydrophyte (Mar 1, 2009)

Thanks seadreamer. I might post another picture or two here I took a few more.


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## hydrophyte (Mar 1, 2009)

I have this setup looking good and I am taking lots of pictures of it. Here is the bird's-eye view.


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## Newman (Jul 3, 2010)

big leaves, little platy. I like it.


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## hydrophyte (Mar 1, 2009)

Thanks! I have a couple more pictures here to post too.


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## macclellan (Dec 22, 2006)

That's quaint!

Beats the top of our fridge by miles... dog treats, cooking books, receipts, lol


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## hydrophyte (Mar 1, 2009)

Yes it's a big improvement over what we had there too.


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## hydrophyte (Mar 1, 2009)

Here is another quick setup that I did with a single plant in a Tank Planter. This vase holds about 60 ounces. The peacock moss that I arranged around the base of the Amazon swordplant covers the planter up well. 










I put two RCS in there too and here is a quick macro shot.


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## palufreak (Mar 1, 2011)

Nice, my mom as a vase on a stand that probably holds around 6-7G of water... Shes using to hold a big candle in our powder room, but when she decides to remove it, I will take it for sure, you inspired me as well...


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## hydrophyte (Mar 1, 2009)

Thanks! There are all kinds of containers that can work well for this kind of setup. I find that the lighting is important too. It looks really cool if you can get a light to shine right down inside.


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## palufreak (Mar 1, 2011)

Just mesured the vase and it's actually around 2.5G but it looks like alot more... Yes I agree with lighting...


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## hydrophyte (Mar 1, 2009)

2.5G is actually pretty roomy. That larger one that I have is around two gallons and it has space for several nice plants and that platy.


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## Splendid Splendens (Dec 22, 2010)

I wish I could do that kind of stuff.
We have cats so everything has to be lidded securely. 
Can't even have a houseplant. I hate it.


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## !shadow! (Jan 25, 2010)

That shrimp looks amazing in with the contrast of the green leaves.


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## hydrophyte (Mar 1, 2009)

Thanks!


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## palufreak (Mar 1, 2011)

Yes very nice... I would only put shrimp in mine though... I would get a filter, heater, light and everything you would put in a normal aquarium...


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## hydrophyte (Mar 1, 2009)

So long as the bioload is low these little setups don't really need filtration. Mine does just fine with occasional water changes and not much else.


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## orchidman (Dec 15, 2010)

nice! how much light would this need? i can put one under my orchid lights, but im not sure how close to the bulbs it should be. since they are t12, im unsure. 

i like your alot. if i do one, it will just have normal substrate though


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## Newman (Jul 3, 2010)

yes cherry shrimp should like this 
you'll be checking on them for overpopulation in no time lol.


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## BlazednSleepy (Aug 21, 2010)

What do you do about water changes?

How often do you need to do it? And what kind of water was used? Water from a tank? or just conditioned water?

This is sooo awesome and inspirational.


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## hydrophyte (Mar 1, 2009)

I just change about 1/3 of the water each weekend. I use just plain conditioned tap water.


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## Newman (Jul 3, 2010)

any update pics of the vase with the platy?


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## hydrophyte (Mar 1, 2009)

The vase is actually empty right now. I might plant it again.

I have another journal around somewhere of my betta in a little 2G setup and that tank is set up in the same spot on top of the fridge. I will try to dig up the link to that one.


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## Newman (Jul 3, 2010)

did you get bored with it or something ?


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