# 6.6 gallon "Bookshelf" tank - starting over again...



## jhoetzl (Feb 7, 2005)

I finally re-did my 6.6g Petco "Bookshelf" tank. I made the mistake of originally stocking it with about 8 endlers...2 months later I found myself with another 40 just for the offspring. 

This time, I setup the tank backwards (bow towards the rear), used an ocean visions black background, and a Coralife 24" NO T5 light. Still using the ZooMed 501 filter, and now, also injecting CO2 via a mini cermic diffusor.

Substrate is Soilmaster select charcoal and a little bit of play sand.
Currently stocked with 6 corydoras pygmaeus, 3 oto's and a few cherry shrimp.
Plants are Blyxa Japonica, and an assortment of Crypts (Crispatula var. Balansae, pontederiifolia, walkeri), and some Anubias Nana.

Need some other ideas on low lying plants other than the normal carpet types...and some nice tiny, hard to spawn fish.


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

This looks very good.

Couple of things... multicolored, or spinach colored frames detract a little from the beauty of the tank :smile: 

It'd be interesting to see these rather large crypts in a 6.600g tank. I have some balansae with 3 feet leaves :eek5: 

For a low-lying plant with tiny leaves you could use 2-leaved pearlweed... PM me if you want me to send you some to try it out. It's a real ground-hugger for me.


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## jhoetzl (Feb 7, 2005)

Wasserpest said:


> This looks very good.
> Couple of things... multicolored, or spinach colored frames detract a little from the beauty of the tank :smile:


Yeah, a little to playful with PS Actions...need to put a stop on there to setup for the color picker  
OK, so I re-did them too..



Wasserpest said:


> It'd be interesting to see these rather large crypts in a 6.600g tank. I have some balansae with 3 feet leaves :eek5:
> For a low-lying plant with tiny leaves you could use 2-leaved pearlweed... PM me if you want me to send you some to try it out. It's a real ground-hugger for me.


Yeah, I know a lot of them can get larger, so it isn't final, just wanted something other than a stem in there. The blyxa is already getting to tall for that little tank. 

Hmmm, 2 leaved pearlweed...PM Sent...


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## marinkus (Jan 1, 2006)

> Need some other ideas on low lying plants other than the normal carpet types...and some nice tiny, hard to spawn fish.


fish wise - i like pygmy gouramies - they r cute, feisty, and tiny (i don't think they're very hard to breed, but they're not guppies)...

very beautiful tank :thumbsup:


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## jhoetzl (Feb 7, 2005)

Thank you!

And this weekend, I finally got some other nano fish for this little nano...yes, I know they can eat the plants a bit, but I like them and thought I give them a try, and, they aren't too common and they are REALLY tiny.

Barb Gracilis:


















And a few of these (which are some sort of Micro Rasboras as far as I know):



















And I just like the way this shot came out:


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## comet (Jun 10, 2006)

*Wonder if you could help me with my bookshelf..*

Hi, First let me say "WOW" to your tank and pictures!!!!
I just acquired the same bookshelf aquarium and yours is an inspiration! 
I would like to set it up with some plants for a betta and maybe some cories, but I am having a hard time deciding what type of 18 inch bulb (to fit the fixture) would be best for this sized tank.
I'm planning on some small growing plants; drawf crypt, anubia nana petite, and some dwarf Sagittaria subulata or pgmy chainsword.
Substrate will be Eco-complete. Hoping to keep this fairly low-tech as to avoid adding DIYco2.
Any suggestions regarding lighting and plants from you would be GREATLY appreciated.


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

Very nice J! Those gracilis definitely look interesting. Are they juveniles (I am assuming)? Nice colors on that Cherry lady.

Now your frames _enhance_ the images! roud:


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## jhoetzl (Feb 7, 2005)

comet said:


> Hi, First let me say "WOW" to your tank and pictures!!!!
> I just acquired the same bookshelf aquarium and yours is an inspiration!


Thank you for the kind words! 



comet said:


> I'm planning on some small growing plants; drawf crypt, anubia nana petite, and some dwarf Sagittaria subulata or pgmy chainsword.
> Substrate will be Eco-complete. Hoping to keep this fairly low-tech as to avoid adding DIYco2.
> Any suggestions regarding lighting and plants from you would be GREATLY appreciated.


I removed the rim from the top of that tank as it seems sturdy enough to handle it and has been fine for a while now. 
With that I couldn't use the stock fixture so I used a Coralife 24" Freshwater Aqualight NO T-5 double fixture on it, which is a 14 watt x 2 setup. It fits perfectly on that tank and it a bit more light than the stock fixture.
If you are using the rim, and the top that goes over it, the standard fixture would work..and with those plants, it should be fine.

If you aren't dosing any CO2, will you be doing Excel? I am actually running pressurized into mine :red_mouth


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## jhoetzl (Feb 7, 2005)

Wasserpest said:


> Very nice J! Those gracilis definitely look interesting. Are they juveniles (I am assuming)? Nice colors on that Cherry lady.
> Now your frames _enhance_ the images! roud:


Thanks! I "aquired" some new plants :icon_wink and will get some shots once they grow in a bit, but I can tell you that they already started, and that blyxa is going nuts in there. 

The Gracilis is cool looking and tiny, and my extension tube showed up today, so I will try and get some better shots of them. As far as I know, they aren't really juveniles, and that is about max size for them. I will see over time.

Any ideas on what the other fish there is?

The cherries...just had babies in their new tank yesterday, and they seem to be doing well.

Aside from that...the sand it a bit more work then I expected, but a little thin tubing and a siphon works wonders for cleaning off the stray soilmaster. And, I am re-thinking that "zebra" rock, but in a way, I still kind of like it. Tried some slate pieces and it just didn't work. And I am purposefully avoinding the typical amano grey rocks...besides that sourcing them isn't that easy.

So updates with the extension tubes soon...


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## Daniel*Swords (May 8, 2006)

Great looking tank & with nice fish!  Congrats!!! 

I think that rasbora could be _Boraras urophthalmoides_... Looks similar anyway!


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## jhoetzl (Feb 7, 2005)

Daniel*Swords said:


> Great looking tank & with nice fish!  Congrats!!!
> 
> I think that rasbora could be _Boraras urophthalmoides_... Looks similar anyway!



Thank you!

I am beginning to think that I should have used the Blxya as a background plant here. I might just move it around...any thoughts?

And here are some new shots using the extension tube on my macro lens...wow is that hard to focus!!! And just had to play with some other framing ideas...


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## Daniel*Swords (May 8, 2006)

Oh wow! Have they grown now! 

I'd move at least most of them (if not all) to the background so that your nice rock work with the Anubias could be seen...  Maybe use some hairgrass in the foreground in its stead?


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## jhoetzl (Feb 7, 2005)

*Blyxa Move Update*

OK, well I started moving the Blyxa to the back but didn't want to upset the substrate too much too soon, so on the last water change, they started their migration to the back. The Anubias are starting to get a little algae (as seems normal for me), but everything else is fine. I like them, but I hate that I just can't keep them clean.
At any rate, here is an updated pic. Going to move out that last bunch of Blyxa near the mid-right to kind of open up that path in the middle a bit.

I have also added 2 little Downoi and some dwarf sag near the front, maybe form a little border around the sand with that. And, there is pearlweed that wants to grow vertically rather than horizontally. 

I just put in two root tabs near the sides. We'll see if that makes any difference, as well as starting dosing a little excel to help with the anubias situation. Yes, I know they are directly under the lights, so I might have to get more creative with their placement as well.

And there are 3 oto's in there now too. And I am slowly losing the battle against the snails, and would add some Sidmunthki loaches in there, but haven't seen them around. Might have to move them from my 37 soon.

Thanks for all the comments!


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## spdskr (Nov 14, 2005)

Great tank! How has the Zoo Med 501 worked for you? I'm considering this filter for my 5.5g planted tank.


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

jhoetzl said:


>


OMG that looks like a picture frame! I'll hang it in my room, totally low maintenance!

Looks great J. much bigger than a 6.60 gal tank. Love how the Blyxa grows. And the sand foreground fits in very naturally too. Won't this be too small for Sid's though?


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## jhoetzl (Feb 7, 2005)

spdskr said:


> Great tank! How has the Zoo Med 501 worked for you? I'm considering this filter for my 5.5g planted tank.


Thanks! The 501 is working fine. I am going to change the media a bit and add some filter floss to the mix in there just to get some of the smaller particles out of the water. I already have the stock sponge, and the rings in there, but I also have some Eheim Substrat Pro in a small bag in there for a bio-boost. It is easy enough to work with for me and the flow is good for this sized tank.



Wasserpest said:


> OMG that looks like a picture frame! I'll hang it in my room, totally low maintenance!


Thank you - first tank I am really trying to scape vs. the "jungle" look.



Wasserpest said:


> Looks great J. much bigger than a 6.60 gal tank. Love how the Blyxa grows. And the sand foreground fits in very naturally too. Won't this be too small for Sid's though?


2 or 3 Sid's would probably be fine, or, I might just put one of my Dwarf Puffers in there for a short stint to get the snails out, but I fear what a DP would do to the Gracilis, although, they are way fast, and seem to be coloring up with the addition of some Grindal worm feeding.


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## D.gilly (Sep 25, 2005)

looks like a 20 gal long:thumbsup:


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## JenThePlantGeek (Mar 27, 2006)

Ditto D.gilly - It does look BIG!

That is when you know your nano is truly a masterpiece, when it has the illusion of being so much bigger!  You should seriously consider entering this tank in the AGA aquascaping contest. It blows other nanos away!


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## czado (Jun 24, 2006)

Nice tank.


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## jhoetzl (Feb 7, 2005)

*Update time again...*

I've seen people say the we should post when tanks aren't looking as good so here goes.

It is in need of a decent trim and I forgot to remove the magnetic cleaner that I use occasionally for some stubborn green spot that only seems to appear on the left and right sides of the tank. Short of that, the shrimp are breeding like bunnies, no, actually worse, and every other inhabitant is fine. I made one other addition since the last post, and that was a "zodiac" loach, which I rarely see, but he/she is doing a decent job on cutting down the snail population. 

Err, actually there is one other addition, a single molly fry that was "rescued" by my wife from "Jaws" (A "golden wonder" killie) that is in one of my other tanks. She is doing well in there and growing quickly. I figure she can be moved out in a month, but I just may leave here in there.

And of course, had to play with some a framing technique and the "classic" framing I had used on there others...



















And the Blyxa Bush:


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## A Hill (Jul 25, 2005)

i like the second and third pics.. they look much better than the first... your tank still looks great!

- fish newb -


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## tazcrash69 (Sep 27, 2005)

Joe, the bookshelf is looking great. The Blyxa seems very happy in there  
If I didn't know the size, I also would think it was a 20L.

I also love those dwarf cory's in general, but they are a must in a nano.


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## QueenOfTheMaggots (Sep 24, 2007)

*My Book Shelf Filter Doesn't work*

Hi I got this little tank that everyone is talking about from Petco. When I set it up there were hardly any instructions, and the ones that were there weren't easy to follow. Anyway, I think I put it together right but my filter doesn't seem to be pumping. The little rotator at the bottom is spinning but no water is being sucked out of the tank. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what I might be doing wrong?


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## if_fishes_were_wishes (Jul 29, 2007)

Did you add water to the filter to prime it? I want one of these bookshelf tanks, they look so cool.


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## finfan (Jun 16, 2008)

ok am i missing the boat or is there no picture of this tank in this thread??


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## Phoenix-cry (Dec 25, 2008)

I must be missing the boat too...I thought maybe I was crazy.


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## rrrrramos (Jan 24, 2008)

The thread is from 3 years ago. I'm sure the pictures were taken down from wherever they were hosted


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