0.1g Planted Pico Cube - Build

[Slavo]

Hey guys!

About 6 months ago I came across a thread on UKAPS, which chronicled their Pico Aquascaping Contest (link: UKAPS Pico Contest Judging thread. | UK Aquatic Plant Society). The thread showcased many pico tanks, some that were truly amazing. After seeing this thread I was inspired to set up a pico tank of my own. The concept of growing aquatic plants at such as small scale appealed to me greatly. So now I am preparing to do so. This will be my first attempt at a pico tank and my first time setting up a tank in about 1 year. So I am very excited to start this build!

The preliminary specs are:

0.1g Cube Vase
"Manzanita" Driftwood
ADA Aquasoil (Amazonia/Normal)
LED Desk lamp
No Filter
No Heater

Ferts:

Flourish
Flourish Excel
Flourish Iron
API Co2 Booster
(dosing with 3ml pipette)

Plants:

Hemianthus callitrichoides
Utricularia graminifolia
Monosolenium tenerum
Fissidens fontanus
Rotala 'Bonsai'
Pogostomen helferi

Stock:

Undecided, may not stock

I added some pics as well

I'm open to suggestions and constructive criticism. My hope is to begin scaping/planting this week/weekend, at which time I'll post more pics.

Thanks for looking!

 

[Slavo]

A few more pics.

 

[F.Sam]

Hey there. I would strongly advicr against stocking this vase. Good luck with the scape!


Sent per three-eyed raven..

 

[stooker]

Cool! Can't imagine what you could stock in there...

Look forward to seeing your progress!

 

[Slavo]

Hey there. I would strongly advicr against stocking this vase. Good luck with the scape!


Sent per three-eyed raven..

Thanks F.Sam! I had a feeling stocking the pico would be ill-advised. I was entertaining the idea of shrimp or perhaps a lone horned nerite snail.

 

[Slavo]

Cool! Can't imagine what you could stock in there...

Look forward to seeing your progress!

Thanks stooker! I was thinking shrimp or a snail, but this may very well just end up being just an aquascape, which is cool too. I'm more concerned with knowing if I can actually pull this off lol.

 

[TheresaM]

Some folks over at The Planted Tank have setups this size with shrimp. My smallest is a 1g.

Looking forward to more photos as it progresses

 

[stooker]

Thanks stooker! I was thinking shrimp or a snail, but this may very well just end up being just an aquascape, which is cool too. I'm more concerned with knowing if I can actually pull this off lol.

Thankfully we live in the digital age, so there should be enough resources one the web to make it happen! I hope to see good stuff!

 

[Slavo]

Some folks over at The Planted Tank have setups this size with shrimp. My smallest is a 1g.

Looking forward to more photos as it progresses

Thanks for the heads up, I'll see if I can check out a few builds over there to glean some knowledge.

Is your 1g a shrimp tank? What are the specs if you don't mind me asking?

 

[Slavo]

Thankfully we live in the digital age, so there should be enough resources one the web to make it happen! I hope to see good stuff!

I know, thank God lol. I hope so! I work in an office, so when work is slow I'm online reading up on plants, fish, inverts, equipment, etc.

 

[livefishguy124]

yea a few cheery shrimp would be good. you could put a beta but its a bit small and betas are very misunderstood. people think a min tank size should be what it can live in and so a beta can live in a Quort that must be its min tank size. people don't often get betas because they don't move, but if you have them in a good sized tank they will be very lively.
i have 1 in a 5 gallon and one in a 6 gallon and one is more lively than my angelfish and the other is as lively as my platys. so with that said min tank size for a happy beta is 5 gallons.

 

[Slavo]

yea a few cheery shrimp would be good. you could put a beta but its a bit small and betas are very misunderstood. people think a min tank size should be what it can live in and so a beta can live in a Quort that must be its min tank size. people don't often get betas because they don't move, but if you have them in a good sized tank they will be very lively.
i have 1 in a 5 gallon and one in a 6 gallon and one is more lively than my angelfish and the other is as lively as my platys. so with that said min tank size for a happy beta is 5 gallons.

I was thinking RCS as well, like a couple or so, but I'm still undecided. I wouldn't put a Betta in the pico, it's much too small for one.

 

[livefishguy124]

good choice. you could put a few rcs like 2-3 and you could get a mini filter

 

[FishayFishay]

That tank is gorgeous. I agree on the RCS. They'd look amazing in there. Maybe 2-3

 

[Slavo]

good choice. you could put a few rcs like 2-3 and you could get a mini filter

The thought did cross my mind. I saw a similar build, but with the Marina Cubus. The guy used the Elite Mini Filter, which fit quite nicely. I think I'm not going use a filter though, since I'm going for a minimalist/rimless look and I don't mind doing water changes on this tank for filtration, since it's so tiny.

 

[Slavo]

That tank is gorgeous. I agree on the RCS. They'd look amazing in there. Maybe 2-3

Thank you for the compliment! I may have to add them considering popular demand lol.

 

[TheresaM]

Thanks for the heads up, I'll see if I can check out a few builds over there to glean some knowledge.

Is your 1g a shrimp tank? What are the specs if you don't mind me asking?

This is my 1g which is home to red rili shrimp. It has java fern, a marimo moss ball, a Christmas moss shrimp cave, and cholla wood.

I also have this 1.5g with RCS. Cholla wood, flame moss, anubias.

I run small sponge filters in both off 1 air pump but still do frequent water changes. Lighting is from an incandescent desk lamp.

Nice little tanks...both are on my desk here at home so I get to watch the shrimp frequently

 

[TheresaM]

Thank you for the compliment! I may have to add them considering popular demand lol.

I'd choose the shrimp based on the color of your substrate. So many different options of neos available other than cherries.

 

[Slavo]

This is my 1g which is home to red rili shrimp. It has java fern, a marimo moss ball, a Christmas moss shrimp cave, and cholla wood.

I also have this 1.5g with RCS. Cholla wood, flame moss, anubias.

I run small sponge filters in both off 1 air pump but still do frequent water changes. Lighting is from an incandescent desk lamp.

Nice little tanks...both are on my desk here at home so I get to watch the shrimp frequently

They sound like great little set-ups. Mine is lit by a desk lamp as well and sits on my dresser at eye level for my viewing pleasure

 

[Slavo]

I'd choose the shrimp based on the color of your substrate. So many different options of neos available other than cherries.

I'll have to see what my LFS is stocking these days. I haven't been there in some time, with recent low funds I didn't need the added temptation.

Although, I might get them from Invertebrates by Msjinkzd | Specializing in invertebrates and micro fish from around the world.. It's run by Rachael O'Leary in PA, which isn't too far from me. So I might make the drive out there to get the shrimp from her instead of my FLS, since she has more variety and her prices are lower. (She'll be speaking at the AGA Convention this year too, which I'm excited for )

What kind of shrimp would you go with?