# will this aquarium work ?



## bigb00 (Oct 16, 2006)

I have a 1 gallon cheapo aquarium ( 5 watts ) that i have some aponogeton bulbs & crypo in.. they're growing very well, but i'm not impressed with the aquarium.
I was going to use a eclipse but read eclipses dont have the proper lighting requirments for even low light plants.
I saw this aquarium at the local pet store and wondered if it would work for my plants? 
Aquatic products
Thanks in advance for your input!:icon_smil


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## qpun (Aug 31, 2006)

Do you mean you going to use a 1 gallon tank with 5 watts of lightning?
I think it will not work bigb00.
5 W in a gallon tank is not equal with 50W in 10 Gallons tank.
Try 20-30 W lightning to get a low-medium low light level.

Its just base on my experience, if your setting works for you then it can be work


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## bigb00 (Oct 16, 2006)

No, I already have my plants in the 1 gallon they're doing well. I dont like the aquarium its small... and has an undergravel filter. I'm looking to upgrade and wonder if this aquarium is a good upgrade?

Hagen Waterhome 3 gallon - please follow link
Aquatic products

or a 2.5 Minibow - please follow link
All-Glass Aquarium: Mini-Bow&#153; 5 Aquariums

I don't want to buy a Container.. & a filter & a desk lamp, I'd much rather just get a "kit".
Please tell me which is a better option. Thank-you.


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## darkfury18 (Apr 1, 2006)

Well... the Hagen has 9w PC which is too low for a 3 gallon and the AGA comes with an incandescent lamp... you'll have to replace the light in both cases :-/


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## Left C (Nov 15, 2003)

bigb00 said:


> ..I saw this aquarium at the local pet store and wondered if it would work for my plants?...
> Aquatic products


Here's the specs:
- 1 Clear bowed Fronted Plastic Aquarium
- Hood cover frame
- Plastic Hood Cover
- CSA approved top filter (120 V, 60 Hz)
- 2 pieces filter cartridge
- 9 Watt Fluorescent Light and Ballast kit (13121)
- Eur. plug with On/Off Switch
- Grey cover and Frame
- Terracotta door
*- Colorful display box*

My favorite part is that it comes in a *Colorful display box*.:hihi:


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## bigb00 (Oct 16, 2006)

ok so with the AGA i will only need to replace the bulbs vs the entire lid?


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## darkfury18 (Apr 1, 2006)

bigb00 said:


> ok so with the AGA i will only need to replace the bulbs vs the entire lid?


Hmm.. I guess you could do that :icon_smil 

Maybe consider this tank also. Acrylic tanks gets scratched too easily, so a glass tank will be better.


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## bigb00 (Oct 16, 2006)

Now i'm looking at buying an eclipse 3 & getting the retrofit kit from Ahsupply.
com.


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## A Hill (Jul 25, 2005)

Do you have room for a 10g tank? I love them and you can usually get a pretty cheap kit light, filter, and extras for like $20-30 and you can always just buy a $10 10 gallon and make a DIY top with AH supply lights and some nice substraight and save a bunch of money, and while doing that switch to Gieco and save a bunch of money on your car ensurance!:hihi: :hihi: (gieco is spelled right right??)

I would say get a 10g if you have room, much cheaper, much nicer tank.

- Fish newb


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## bigb00 (Oct 16, 2006)

No this is for my desk. Which can't hold anymore then 5 gallons.. and the only condition to having it is thats it looks like a box (no external pumps & lighting and MUST HAVE A LID ) 
OF these is there any way their lighting can be altered either by adding a different bulb/ retro kit easily? 
I have low light plants so shouldnt 3 watts per gallon be considered "low light"

- Eclipse 3 system with 6 watts of fluorescent lighting 
- Eclipse 5 hex with 15 watts of incandescent lighting (could this be changed to fluorescent? ) 
- Eclipse 5 gallon corner with 11 watts of fluorescent lighting? 
- Hagen Waterhome 3 gallon with 9 watts fluorescent lighting 
- AGA 2.5 gallon with 15 watts of incandescent lighting (could this be changed to fluorescent ?) Not crazy about the huge whisper filter though.


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## lljdma06 (Oct 16, 2006)

I have a 13W CF desklamp over a 2.5g All-glass aquarium on my desk and I'm growing low-light plants very well. That might be something to try, if you want to upgrade your 1g. Just a thought. 

llj


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## dhavoc (May 4, 2006)

the must have a lid part is going to limit you. if your desk can handle the extra 10lbs or so, try and sneak a jbj nano cube 6g, all the light you need and everything internal to the box (filter etc). stay away from the eclipse, those are for people that keep small fish and plastic plants/pirate ships.


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## lljdma06 (Oct 16, 2006)

dhavoc said:


> . stay away from the eclipse, those are for people that keep small fish and plastic plants/pirate ships.



:icon_lol: Great stuff. Sorry that just made me laugh. The 2.5g All-glass I have comes with a glass lid, if you must have a lid. You have to let it slide about 1/2 inch forward to make room for the intake tube of a filter, but you really don't notice it and it keeps evaporation down very well. It wasn't bad for $9.99 (tank and cover).

llj:icon_smil


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## Justintoxicated (Oct 18, 2006)

dhavoc said:


> the must have a lid part is going to limit you. if your desk can handle the extra 10lbs or so, try and sneak a jbj nano cube 6g, all the light you need and everything internal to the box (filter etc). stay away from the eclipse, those are for people that keep small fish and plastic plants/pirate ships.


Yea I bought an eclipse, some stuff grows very very very slowly  The lid traps in all the heat, even with the crappy stock light my temps are typicaly above 80. I'm getting my fish out of there and setting up a more heat-managable tank for my DP. Even 10G can he hard to keep cool in cali.


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## dhavoc (May 4, 2006)

in the process of replacing all my eclipse hoods. bought them before i got into plants and always wonderd why i could only grow java ferns and crypts. heating is a major problem with them as well, i leave the back cover open to help with heat but its still pretty bad. pretty expensive lesson on my part (2 10g and 1 20g eclipse hoods in the trash)


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## dschmeh (Feb 5, 2006)

bigb00 said:


> Now i'm looking at buying an eclipse 3 & getting the retrofit kit from Ahsupply.
> com.


i have a eclipse 12 and a AH 36w retro works great.


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## GreenerSideofLIfe (Dec 24, 2005)

here is a hint to get around the lighting issues with these kits. Use the 'energy saver' bulbs. I put one in my mini bowls and what a difrence  Uses the same number of watts but the output is MUCH higher  dont quote me on this but a 15w energy saver bulb equals 60w regular bulb... not to mention that it lasts longer.


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## fish_lover0591 (Nov 11, 2006)

I am using those energy saver bulbs 2 15 watt = 60 watts each so am i actually getting 120 w in my tank ? Btw its a 10 gallon.


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## Justintoxicated (Oct 18, 2006)

dschmeh said:


> i have a eclipse 12 and a AH 36w retro works great.


No heat issues?


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## bigb00 (Oct 16, 2006)

Sooo I did it. 
I used the 5 gallon hex in the basement & bought a 15 watt CF energy saver light.
I have some crypo, anubus, aponogeton & jungle val (not doing so well) from my other tank.
Everything went smooth and it cost about 20$ to upgrade from my disgusting 1 gallon to this 5 gallon hex.. 
But I didn't buy plants. I will add some more on the weekend. Whoops.
Any suggestions on easy low light plants that can fill in the space is appreciated.
Just wanted to say thank-you to everyone who helped me out with my many problems. I'm not expecting the plants to grow like weeds or to take on any extremly complicated plants (at least not in this tank).


































Sorry about the bubbles.. its only an hour old.


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