# Completed 1g from fake aquarium update 29/07/05



## vwboy53 (Mar 31, 2005)

Hi all,
I am thinking of starting a 1g planted tank using one of the "tanks" :icon_eek: which are used for the fake aquarium thing, which is battery operated and has fake fish.

A few thoughts I have are to create lighting by using an array of white LED's. The tank would therefore have enough light to grow crypts and other low light plants. (inspired by thread in other forum).
Further, It would be very low maintainence, meaning water would be changed not often, and no filtration or pumps. Think it's possible? :icon_roll 

Any ideas / comments would be greatly appreciated. roud:


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## vwboy53 (Mar 31, 2005)

Well I thought I would post some pics to what the "tank" looks like. :icon_roll


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## figgy (Feb 27, 2005)

I'd give it a whirl. You ARE gonna take the stuff out right? 

Figs :tongue:


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## vwboy53 (Mar 31, 2005)

figgy said:


> You ARE gonna take the stuff out right?


Well... a toothbrush would make a fantastic ornament for java moss :icon_mrgr but I think I will clear it all out as there is very little space.

Any recomendations for small low light plants?


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## vwboy53 (Mar 31, 2005)

Well, I thought I would show some updates
Before:








After









The lighting - this is a tester: 









Note it is a larger circuit board, and will only have white led's (15000mcd).

Will fill tank and add plants once lighting is completed. Just waiting for parts...


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## vwboy53 (Mar 31, 2005)

*Completed 1g from fake aquarium*

Well I built the light set up and am overall happy with the project. The lighting is very bright, and so I reduced my LED's to 10, not 20 as originally planned. Overall cost was $17.45 AU but with all my spare parts left over, it would be approx $8.00 AU .

Now I just have to see how it goes in the long term, in terms of growth of plants and algae.


Here are the pics of the lighting and the overall tank.


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

Looking forward to see how plants will do under LED light!


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## Buck (Oct 13, 2002)

Im confused, I dont get it


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## mekros (Oct 9, 2004)

Dude,

How much did the tank cost you? I'm thinking of setting up something tiny like that for the office, but I want to do it cheapish. I've seen the Azoo razzles for sale, but I don't think it's worth coughing up the money for one. How did you waterproof the base (and electrics) operating the motor turning the fake fish?

Mek


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## vwboy53 (Mar 31, 2005)

For the lighting, I just hot glued a piece of clear plastic on the lid, sealing off all the lights. Since the lights should last for 10+ years, I don't think accessability is much of an issue.
The tank itself detaches from the stand, and therefore the electrics of the motor are already sealed. I left the previous electrics so that I could easily revert back to how it was (not likely) plus I could always add those fake fish and turn the motor on causing water movement without a pump.

Another benefit is that since the tank is detachable, I can change the water very easily.

The unit costed me $20 AU many years ago, but now you could find these for about $10 AU at cheap bargin stores.


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## StUk_In_AfRiKa (Jan 30, 2005)

Wow it's actually looking pretty good  Can't wait till you get the plants in there!


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## vwboy53 (Mar 31, 2005)

Currently I just tossed in a little bit of Riccia and a few rocks. I never done this before so I want to choose the right type of plants. Imagine an Amazon Sword growing in it!!!


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## vwboy53 (Mar 31, 2005)

Well I just added plants and substrate. Bottom layer is Kitty Litter followed by very small gravel.










Plants are:
-thin val
-rotala indica
-small growing crypt, name???
-banana lilly
-riccia

I just put them in here because that was in my other tank.

What do you think?


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## mekros (Oct 9, 2004)

The picture doesn't show up 
Sounds impressive, I'll have to post pics of my nano tank now that i changed a few things in it too


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## vwboy53 (Mar 31, 2005)

Can anyone else see the picture?

If not, here is the url directly:
http://www.geocities.com/vwboy53_2000/lr10.jpg


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## skabooya (Apr 15, 2005)

ya, i can see the pic


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## StUk_In_AfRiKa (Jan 30, 2005)

The gravel and rocks look nice but the tank is so dark on the sides. Is there any way you could fix that? Plant-wise it looks a bit bare but I'm sure when everything fills in it'll be a nice little tank. I wish I would have kept my fake aquarium from years ago...


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## vwboy53 (Mar 31, 2005)

I agree that it appears dark on the sides. The lighting is primarily in the middle with only 10 LED's . I thought it would be enough considering the brightness, but I should have stuck with my original plan of 20 LED's .

I will modify the lighting by adding another 10 Led's. But I will extend the fixture by putting a small PCB each side, thereby covering the entire lid.

To do this, I will have to change my transformer (got an old laptop one I will use) and change the resistors and how the leds are wired. It shouldn't be too much work.

As for the plants, I believe they will all grow far too large (with exception to riccia) for this tank. I will try to look for a anubias nana petite, and some glosso or hc . I dont think stem plants will do well in here cause of short hieght.


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## vwboy53 (Mar 31, 2005)

Well I upgraded my lighting. I add 10 new led's in total. And to expand the lighting areas, I added two new small pcb's either side of the main board, allowing some led's to direct light onto the previous darker areas.

here is the tank with 10 LED's









And here is the tank with 20 LED's


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## mekros (Oct 9, 2004)

I can't see the pics again =( It must be my connection.

Mek


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## vwboy53 (Mar 31, 2005)

Direct Links:

Before Shot:
http://www.geocities.com/vwboy53_2000/lr10.jpg 

After Shot:
http://www.geocities.com/vwboy53_2000/lr11.jpg

:icon_wink


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## skabooya (Apr 15, 2005)

oh ya it looks much better.


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## vwboy53 (Mar 31, 2005)

thanks 
When I changed the lighting today, my riccia started pearling and it's still going!


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## Bert H (Dec 15, 2003)

Nice job, VW! The extra leds really make a difference.


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## TheOtherGeoff (Feb 11, 2003)

cool beans. i love LEDS.


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## StUk_In_AfRiKa (Jan 30, 2005)

Wow much better! The light is a really nice color too... hehe especially compared to my pink bulbs. I can't wait 'till the plants fill in.


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## vwboy53 (Mar 31, 2005)

Thanks Bert H, TheOtherGeoff, StUk In AfRiKa,
I find the lights look pleasing to the eye. I just hope plants will fill in nicely. Probably will take a while since there is no co2 or water movement.


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## Pufferpeep (Jul 26, 2005)

i can see the picture, it looks pretty good for a start roud:


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## [RK] (Aug 11, 2005)

we need updated pics


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## StUk_In_AfRiKa (Jan 30, 2005)

Hmm update, yes please.


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## timr (Mar 23, 2005)

I would love to see what has taken place since adding those extra 10 LED's, which looks great BTW!


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