# My new 6" cube - low tech



## suebe333 (Feb 17, 2009)

that is cute , what is it like a half a gallon ??


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## GlassCat594 (Mar 20, 2009)

Are you going to put fish in it. A betta maybe?

I am trying something similar with a vase and a betta. So far I have had little luck due to the fact I have no light for it yet. I will set that up soon.


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## Down_Shift (Sep 20, 2008)

That's less than a gallon right?


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## rrrrramos (Jan 24, 2008)

GlassCat594 said:


> Are you going to put fish in it. A betta maybe?
> 
> I am trying something similar with a vase and a betta. So far I have had little luck due to the fact I have no light for it yet. I will set that up soon.





NO3 said:


> Fauna: Hope to place a pair of Endler's in it when tank is ready



A tank made from trimmings, I just set something like that up too! If only you were closer up here I've got some Endler's that I'm trying to get rid of! 
Dig the layout so far


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## NO3 (Dec 24, 2008)

Almost a gallon.



suebe333 said:


> that is cute , what is it like a half a gallon ??





Down_Shift said:


> That's less than a gallon right?


Thanks. 
I have some Endler's in another tank, just need to move them when this one is ready.



rrrrramos said:


> A tank made from trimmings, I just set something like that up too! If only you were closer up here I've got some Endler's that I'm trying to get rid of!
> Dig the layout so far


If you look close enough in the 2nd pic, behind this 6" cube there is actually a 4" cube with a betta and some java moss in it. The 9 W light seems to provide enough light for both tanks so far. I have been growing the hairgrass emersed for a week with this light, just couldn't stand watching a waterless tank so finally scaped and flooded it this weekend.



GlassCat594 said:


> Are you going to put fish in it. A betta maybe?
> 
> I am trying something similar with a vase and a betta. So far I have had little luck due to the fact I have no light for it yet. I will set that up soon.


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## NO3 (Dec 24, 2008)

I's been a while, thought I update this journal.

Growth was super slow in the beginning with dosing 3 drops of Excel weekly. So I upped it to 1 drop daily. Over the span of a month, I kept increasing the dosage and finally got up to 5 drops/day now. The plants seem to like it a lot better. Growth is still slow but I am definitely seeing some daily progress.


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## Kayen (Oct 14, 2007)

That 4" cube is waaay too small for that betta, even that 6" and the 7" would be too small.
Is that the permanent home ?
Also on your new cube: should fill in pretty fast, looks good.


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## ClPat (Apr 30, 2009)

I agree with Kayen for the betta. Nice 6" though, I'm waiting to see it fill in. Should look nice.


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## NO3 (Dec 24, 2008)

Kayen said:


> That 4" cube is waaay too small for that betta, even that 6" and the 7" would be too small.
> Is that the permanent home ?


Really? I used to have him in a 4 gallon tank by himself and he looked confused. Didn't move around much, just spent most of his time near the top and sometimes even ignore food.

He finds food a lot faster in the 4" cube and and eats as soon as the pellets are dropped into the water. I do water change every other day to keep him healthy.


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## Aquamadman (Aug 10, 2007)

not to criticise or to prove anyone wrong here but Ive seen bettas live in plastic cups at the qauarium shop. I have no doubt that NO3's Betta will do fine in that vase right there as long as keeps up with the maintainance which isnt all that much with a tank that size.

I admire what you guys do with those little tanks. I would have preffered a slightly bigger tank though.


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## Dollface (Sep 30, 2008)

Aquamadman said:


> not to criticise or to prove anyone wrong here but Ive seen bettas live in plastic cups at the qauarium shop. I have no doubt that NO3's Betta will do fine in that vase right there as long as keeps up with the maintainance which isnt all that much with a tank that size.
> 
> I admire what you guys do with those little tanks. I would have preffered a slightly bigger tank though.


Those cups are only used to keep bettas in untill they're sold, they're not meant to live in them long term.


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## Aquamadman (Aug 10, 2007)

I know that but besides that Bettas are labyrinth fish. They can draw air from the surface so out of all fish, they are most compatible with such a setup if you dont include guppies or shrimp if of course the tank is maintained properly.


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## Dollface (Sep 30, 2008)

Aquamadman said:


> I know that but besides that Bettas are labyrinth fish. They can draw air from the surface so out of all fish, they are most compatible with such a setup if you dont include guppies or shrimp if of course the tank is maintained properly.


If you knew that they arn't spossed to live in those long term, then you shouldn't have offered it as an example. :S

A betta should really have atleast 1-2 gallons. I personally find that a 5.5 gallon is a great size for my betta, especially heavily planted. If you're looking for somthing smaller though a 2.5 would do nicely.


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## Aquamadman (Aug 10, 2007)

It was actually more of an example of what these little fellas can endure compared to our friend's tank here but nevertheless you are right about the cups. I think Ill leave the decission up to NO3 about his Betta though I still think its compatible.


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## NO3 (Dec 24, 2008)

Update:

The tank was initially set up as a fishless tank but somehow it got infested with planaria. Maybe from the plants or the water I use to jumpstart the tank. So I decided to drop a few endlers fry in it and see what happens. Meanwhile continued the routine of dosing 6 drops of Excel daily and 6.5 hours of photoperiod with a 9W light and air pump turned on with a timer to keep the surface film off. No filter but just WC weekly. Totally low tech. 

Two weeks later, the planaria situation is completely under control. The plant growth is just beautiful. It has a little of brown algae, other than that, tank is trouble free. I like this tank more than my main tank now.


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## CKJ (Oct 3, 2008)

Love your vase tanks! Got any new pics?

I'm trying to think of something to do with my 1.5 and 2 gals!

Great ideas you have!

lol

Cindy


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## NO3 (Dec 24, 2008)

Not too much to update except tank and fish are doing well.


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## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

I like the rockscape and the HC in the larger cube!


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## ClPat (Apr 30, 2009)

Both tanks are very nice and I like what you've done with the smaller cube. The endler fry look great in there, you should replace them from time to time so as to not upset the sense of scale (I'm guessing you have adults somewhere, and in that case you almost certainly have an unlimited supply of fry lol)


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## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

I can attest to never ending fry...I woke up to a dozen more Tiger Endler this morning...


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## crimsonbull57 (Jan 7, 2009)

hey, you may have said already but where did you get the cubes? you've inspired me =)


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## NO3 (Dec 24, 2008)

Some people called them endless livebearers



Phoenix-cry said:


> I can attest to never ending fry...I woke up to a dozen more Tiger Endler this morning...


 
I got my cubes from Michael's. Their clarity do vary a lot so it's better to hand pick them than buying online.



crimsonbull57 said:


> hey, you may have said already but where did you get the cubes? you've inspired me =)


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## NO3 (Dec 24, 2008)

Wow...this tank is 8 months old already. It is still running strong and the HC and hairgrass are all filled in. The baby Endlers have even had their own babies a few times already too.

Will update with some pix soon.


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## honeythorn (Apr 17, 2006)

> It was actually more of an example of what these little fellas can endure compared to our friend's tank here but nevertheless you are right about the cups. I think Ill leave the decission up to NO3 about his Betta though I still think its compatible.


*Endurance is not the same as life*. Why on earth anyone would willing want to put a betta through what is the spatial equivalent of what happens in the dry season in the wild does not bear thining about.

Tank bred bettas may indeed have long fins which inhibit their swimming *slightly*, but that is not an excuse to keep it in a glass pot in which it has absolutely no swimming space. And that fish doesn't. Things like that are promoting popular and more importantly incorrect MYTHS that bettas should be kept in miniscule desk ornaments "because they can breathe air". So can a lot of fish but those don't get such treatment, why bettas? 



They are no different to bog standard gouramis in their care, and *being able to breathe atomspheric air does not make these fish magically immune to their own ammonia*. The build up in such a tiny pot with that betta in it must be incredibly rapid. Why put the fish through what is basically a constant cycle of ammonia and stressful daily ( probably twice daily on that thing ) water changes? 

I'm flabbergasted you downgraded him from an almost ideal and vastly safer 4 gallon to that thing. I'm honestly speechless and saddened. 

*Heavy planting* ( to minimise the not very drastic shock of actually having space to live in instead of a tub of his own waste) , a heater and gentle filtration plus actually leaving the fish to become accustomed to his space after being kept in a pet store cup . This can be done by keeping him in a breeding trap inside the tank for the first week to allow him to view and grow used to the larger space . 

Adding a lot of taller plant species like Apomogentons, vallis, and space fillers like Cabomba , as well as floaters like Riccia, water lettuce and frogbit, all reduce the likelyhood of a betta being alarmed by a new bigger home.


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## RipariumGuy (Aug 6, 2009)

Nice cube, looks really cool! I have to agree with the rest, the betta should be moved.


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## AlexXx (Dec 1, 2009)

I agree with honeythron, I own several betta, and have had many more over time, and they need at least 2.5 gallons or so to be happy, swim around, and spread their fins. Just because they are sold in those tiny cup does not mean they should be in them for a life time (which could be 5-7 years). 


Great vases btw, im tempted to try this!


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## NO3 (Dec 24, 2008)

Anyone see a betta in my pic last updated in June? The betta was moved long time ago, why do you guys keep digging it up when this journal is supposed to be for the 6" cube with *ENDLER'S* in it.

Let it rest people.


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