Let's talk about Nano/Mini Tanks. 来, 迷你缸。

i hope i got the chinese rite...
Lai, i thinking of making a desktop Nano tank. So, not sure of the plants, fishes, and filter to use.
One i worried about is that, the smaller the tank, the lesser the buffer range is going to be. Like, erm, may need to change water more often.

So let's hear from every bros and sis here for the inputs lah!


I hope to make this a on going long thread in Planted Tanks & Aquascaping section. Because i notice that over here, there are lesser (or dun have at all) of long on going thread with many pple inputs their ideas and share info.

Ofcos, the success or failure, depends on everyones efford to make it happen. I hope it will do will and spark off other long thread in this section of AF. This way, we can make Planted Tanks & Aquascaping section livelier.

I've started with small tanks and will continue to use small tanks because my place has space constraints.

These are the plants that are suitable for small tanks.

quoted from thekrib.com

A.b. var. nana, Java Moss,
Java Fern, (narrow leaf
and 'Windelov')
Rotala wallachii,
R. macrandra,
Micranthemum,
Glossostigma,
Cryptocoryne wendtii,
C. affinis,
Echinodorus tenellus,
E. quadricostatus,
Riccia,
Didiplis diandra
Mayaca fluviatilis.

Use a typical hang on/clip on filter or an external canister.
Not sure about buffer range...my ph levels ranges from 5.9 to 6.5. I use a ft - or 32 x 22 x 22 tank.

Big problem with nanos is that... you can't have too many fish. e.g. a 20 cm tank should not contain 8 cardinals, but 8 is the minimum number for fish to have schooling behavior...

Smaller tanks, due to their limited water capacity, any slight change in the environment can be significant here compared to bigger tanks. I would advice having a heavily planted tank or at least planted nano tanks which at least help to stablise the water (personal experience). Anyway it looks nicer for a nano planted tank compared to a nano fish only tank.

Equipment like Sunfire said, can use HOF and clip on light/light with stand. Get those low maintenace plants (moss, ferns,...) so it would require less triming as it would become a chore later on, unless you intent to sell plants. Water change weekly should be ok depending on the bioload. For my 1 ft tank, I think should not have more than 5 fishes (my take) and since I have shrimps (algae clearing crew), there is limited fishes for me to buy. Might be able to hold more fishes but control your feeding (2-3 times a week, feed small amount) is a way to have slightly more fishes. Water change weekly should be fine (I do that for my tank for about 10% weekly).

as what others have said, use HOF will be just nice

I have a 1 ft cube tank as well....

I use it to breed apistos...

I have a Liberty Hang On Filter which works great. I used to keep CRS and it works fine...

Advice: keep bioload low...
For plants, i keep cryptos, nanas and 1 lotus lily, spiky moss as well

Originally Posted by wasabi8888

I have a 1 ft cube tank as well....

I use it to breed apistos...

I have a Liberty Hang On Filter which works great. I used to keep CRS and it works fine...

Advice: keep bioload low...
For plants, i keep cryptos, nanas and 1 lotus lily, spiky moss as well

1 foot cube is still ok IMO.
I currently under one project that tank measuring, 14cm X 14cm X 18cm...
which i tink really is Nano. I have some moss and some plants (which i duno name) on a DW. the DW it self takes up lots of space.

Faunas wise, i think of 2 X Dario, 2 X clown killies, 1 X Oto, and mayb some cherry shrimps (~4)

do note that the wpg rule does not apply for such small tanks...

I have a 8 inch cube that houses only nana petites and moss.

Like what was iterated here, the small space allows very little room for error so I tent to prefer going low tech, safer that way.

IMHO nano tanks are tanks with all sides not exceeding 1 foot. So far my nanos never got any filters and such. I just plant heavily, very very heavily. i guess that is important since less plants places less buffers.

Originally Posted by the_r0ck

I have a 8 inch cube that houses only nana petites and moss.

Like what was iterated here, the small space allows very little room for error so I tent to prefer going low tech, safer that way.

IMHO nano tanks are tanks with all sides not exceeding 1 foot. So far my nanos never got any filters and such. I just plant heavily, very very heavily. i guess that is important since less plants places less buffers.

I rmb when i was stil very young, +/- 10 yrs ago.
I saw a hong kong show, introduce one "crystal ball".
It was basically, a glass sphere tank, with a plant inside and about 8 neon tetra. the special thing was, the sphere was sealled.

Originally Posted by Sunfire

do note that the wpg rule does not apply for such small tanks...

Yap... i know about this. My nano tank is just beside the window so i not using any lightings.
I notice that my nano tank, the temp is very high, i put my finger in to feel... it actually feels HOT (warm lah actualy). then i measure with thermometer, 30C!! where my 2ft planted tank, just 1/2 ft away, measure at 26C....
Difference of 4C!!!!!
Any idea why like dat?

Originally Posted by Sunfire

I've started with small tanks and will continue to use small tanks because my place has space constraints.

These are the plants that are suitable for small tanks.

quoted from thekrib.com

A.b. var. nana, Java Moss,
Java Fern, (narrow leaf
and 'Windelov')
Rotala wallachii,
R. macrandra,
Micranthemum,
Glossostigma,
Cryptocoryne wendtii,
C. affinis,
Echinodorus tenellus,
E. quadricostatus,
Riccia,
Didiplis diandra
Mayaca fluviatilis.

Use a typical hang on/clip on filter or an external canister.
Not sure about buffer range...my ph levels ranges from 5.9 to 6.5. I use a ft - or 32 x 22 x 22 tank.

Big problem with nanos is that... you can't have too many fish. e.g. a 20 cm tank should not contain 8 cardinals, but 8 is the minimum number for fish to have schooling behavior...

I feel the following plant also gd,

HC and rotala indica/rotundifolia.