Chrome’s Low Budget Low Tech Nano Build

[itschromesteel]

I snagged a Fluval Chi off Facebook because the filter and light are broken. I haven’t had a nano aquarium in 15yrs and this is going to go on my desk since I work from home. I almost ordered a couple hundred dollars worth of stone, plants, and lights but that takes a lot of the fun out of it.

My LFS didn’t have much for scaling so I headed to Lowe’s to pick up a new tub for growing some plants and breeding some fish in this summer and on a whim grabbed a bag of lava rock for around $3.50





I rinsed it and sorted out some darker rocks from the bunch to use. I have been obsessed with scapes that have arches and caves lately. So I thought I would try and build a decent looking cave out of some lava rock.

As you might know small lava rock doesn’t stack well because it is so light. So I have to rely on super glue to keep the rocks balanced.



Since the rocks are hard to keep together in a way that looks somewhat natural I used thick rubber bands to hold them.

[itschromesteel]

I drew up a mock area the size of the base of the chi to get an idea of the size of cave I wanted. I am hoping with glue I can get a much more rounded shape than I can just stack



I am hoping to mound up the substrate over the back of the cave and grow some sort of carpet over the top of it once I have it done.

Here is the worst mock up you have ever seen



Still no idea what I am going to go with for plants. Probably Monte Carlo somewhere since I have a little extra. I may go with a dry start I may not. I haven’t quite decided. Lighting will be a 13W daylight CFL that I have lying around.

[Mcfly]

I go to the local Landscape Center, and pick up loose
flat rock by the pound, pretty cheap too.

Makes 'scaping' easier to me. Rocks that stack are good rocks!

Have fun with the build!

[itschromesteel]

Originally Posted by Mcfly

I go to the local Landscape Center, and pick up loose
flat rock by the pound, pretty cheap too.

Makes 'scaping' easier to me. Rocks that stack are good rocks!

Have fun with the build!

I used to do that when I lived in South Florida and they always had great stuff. Now I live hours from an actual landscaping place I could get rocks at.