Freshwater Nano and Pico Tanks

[black_knight]

I'm curious how many of you out there keep nano and pico freshwater tanks (5 gallons and under)?

Nanos and pico tanks have increased in popularity. Saltwater enthusiast have long been doing this, but there have been many kits and products developed for freshwater use in the last decade or so. Todays pico and nano freshwater tanks are a far cry from the goldfish/betta bowl. They range from planted CO2 tanks with elaborate aquascaping and state of the art filtration to simple unfilltered set ups. Maybe some of you can post your freshwater setups, details on fish/inverts. , maintance, lighting, aquascape, plants, and feeding. I don't have any current setups, but will post some as I get going again.

[sunkenmetal]

Ive always wanted one just never gotten one. I have the fish and inverts for a pico just never done it.

[h2oaggie]

I have a 2 gallon planted Fluval Spec that I love. Low light, low tech, requires very little maintenance but looks great on my desk.

[Totenkampf]

10 and 12 gallon planted are about as nano as i get. small enough to put anywhere and large enough for me to be creative with.

[LooksLater]

Ok, big post.... The definition of nanos and picos always seems subjective, personally I call anything under 10g nano, and under 5g pico. We keep quite a few FW nanos and picos, all but 1 low tech planted. I like the challenge of them, and it's fun to play around with different occupants, scapes, water params, etc without devoting a huge amount of space. We have:

A 2g rimless pico that's currently a sulawesi biotope, with about 10 cardinal shrimp and 4 tylos. It's super simple, we 10-20% W/C with a coffee cup once a week or every other. It's got aragonite substrate, lace rock, and a small anubias nana. I forget what the light is, 13w maybe, it's stock (I think it's a Tom's brand set up?). We feed Jake's veggie sticks 2-3 times a week, and occasionally a pinch of Fluval shrimp food.

A 2.5g snail breeder tank, with about 20+ red ramshorns. Bare bottom, driftwood and a couple small holey rocks. They get the veg sticks also, and I W/C about 50% once a week. They are pretty foul. It's not my prettiest tank, I wouldn't keep them if not for my puffers.

A 7.9g Ebi, with 2 pea puffers, 4 otos, 3 ghost shrimp, an amano, MTS, and maybe 15-20 RCS. Driftwood and some rock. Plants: anubias nana, various crypts, hygro, willow &flame moss, riccia, duckweed, hornwort, water sprite, blyxa, sword, etc...it's silly with plants. It's got a AC 20 on it right now, and the stock 13w light. Flourite and shrimp stratum mix for substrate. It gets 50% W/C once weekly and usually another top-off. Dose with liquid ferts. The puffers get bloodworms/mysis shrimp daily, the others get fluval shrimp food or shirakura and veg sticks 3x weekly.

We just started another, a 6g bowfront. It's got no occupants yet, but the plan is for low pH kids: Chili rasboras and a new kind of shrimp, still deciding. It's got Brightwell Rio Escuro substrate, driftwood, and some plants. So far: Crypt, blyxa, christmas moss, giant hygro (but that's probably going to get yanked), bacopa, rotala indica, water sprite, micro sword, and some kind of wee grass stuff I don't know the name of. It's got a 26w CF on it currently, might get changed out. Dose it with liquid ferts and Blackwater extract.

And also, I may catch some flak for this (shrimp abuse, oh my), but I keep a maybe 1 liter RCS vase in the kitchen. Yes, a vase. No filtration, and just under cabinet lighting. It took some trial and error, but I've worked out a slightly complicated weekly 100% W/C system to keep it clean and not shock them too much. I feed lightly and rotate some plants in and out from the ebi tank to provide some extra good bacteria. Small amount of inert gravel, splinter of driftwood, java moss, duckweed, and hornwort. I've had 1 female and 3 males alive in there for 3-4 months with normal molting and 2 batches of shrimplets... and she's berried again. It started out as an quick experiment when Roy and I were discussing wabi-kusa, and I'm really happy with how well they are doing in there, so I kept it. They get fed fluval shrimp stuff or a pinch of hikari first bites 3x weekly.

And we're always talking about starting more...

[black_knight]

That's the good thing about nanos, they're easy to take down and set up. A snail, small plant, or small shrimp that might go unoticed in a larger tank becomes the main focus. They can takeover, and you windup with small tanks everywhere. LooksLater, you should post some pics.

[sunkenmetal]

Looks later wrote us a book lol

[fishman1]

i have a 5.5 iwagumi

[LooksLater]

That's the good thing about nanos, they're easy to take down and set up. A snail, small plant, or small shrimp that might go unoticed in a larger tank becomes the main focus. They can takeover, and you windup with small tanks everywhere. LooksLater, you should post some pics.

Indeed, I enjoy the 'showcase' aspect of tiny tanks...and yes, they are absolutely taking over my house. I think I have room for just one or two more, maybe.

I have some pictures up of the Ebi in the puffer sub-forum...here's the most current FTS I think-

http://www.houstonfishbox.com/vforums/showthread.php?47267-Pea-puffer-quot-Isle-of-Lesbos-quot-set-up/page5

I'll have to work on getting some current shots for the others.

Looks later wrote us a book lol

Yes, I'm much better at talking (typing?) about them than taking pictures of them, unfortunately.

And Fishman- got pics? I love iwagumi.

[TexSun]

I have a couple nanos running currently. My favorite currently is my fluval spec. I upgraded the light and added a mini CO2 system.
I keep PFR and CBS in there. Currently trying my hand with DSM on a 2.5g with HC.

[aquabee]

My smallest is a 3 gallon Marineland betta rescue tank. But my true nano is a 7.9 gallon planted Fluval Flora with CO2 system and yellow shrimp and several types of nerites and assassins, and a couple CPDs and chilis. Definitely a challenging tank but very rewarding! :) Can't wait to see pics of your new setups Ernest.

[black_knight]

Hi Bee! I've set up a temp tank. Just ADA MiniS with moss balls in RO water no filter, clamp on LED and two Parosphromenus ornaticauda (ornate licorice gouramis). I'm trying to entice them to eat cyclopeeze, but currently only eating live food.

[fishman1]

And Fishman- got pics? I love iwagumi.[/QUOTE]
I think I have a thread somewhere I'll go find it

[fishman1]

http://www.houstonfishbox.com/vforums/showthread.php?47014-5-5-gallon-rimless-Iwagumi!

[LooksLater]

Nice!