At Long Last.... Sydney's Rimless Tank Build!

[Scottyhorse]

Finally! First off I would like to thank Max and Brian for advice!

This is what I'm planning:

The tank will be a CAD Lights ZEN 7 gallon high clarity rimless. I chose this tank because I like the size, and the price. $45.

I am going for a fairly budget friendly build. So the lighting will be a Finnex Fuge Ray R LED. That is $35.

Substrate will be simple organic potting soil with sand. I know, no aquasoil, but I think sand looks nice and it is budget friendly.

Not sure what filter I will use. Planning on HOB because I want to plant it.

Heater will be a simple 50 watt heater I have laying around. Somewhere.

As for the scape, I am taking a lot of inspiration from Brians 2g cube. It is similar to what I had in mind originally. Planning on a micro sword carpet, crypts/anubias around the DW and Hygrophilia Pinnatifida (excuse my spelling) in the back left behind the driftwood. I'll attatch a wonderfully sketched sketch to give you guys an idea of what I want. (Red was there before I figured out for sure what I wanted back there.)

Inhabitants... At first I was thinking a school of nano fish, a couple Otos, and a couple Amano shrimp. Now I am kinda thinking a school of nano fish, and some yellow neos or tiger shrimp. But I have no idea. Suggestions?

That's it for now... Probably starting the tank on January 1st, for my 2nd annual new years tank

Comments, tips and advice welcomed as always

 

[Billbug68]

Subscribed!

 

[Scottyhorse]

Subscribed!

Cool! It'll be good to have you along so I can bug you with questions!

 

[Billbug68]

Cool! It'll be good to have you along so I can bug you with questions!

I feel all left out cuz I didn't get to help you choose any equipment... hahaha

Brian, Max, and Joey are on point, as always.

I'm kinda jealous... I wanted that tank. I honestly don't want my 12L anymore. I want a 125 and a little 5-7 gallon like you are going with.

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

Subscribed too... Nice to see another 'rimless' on here. I've been looking for an excuse to grab a CAD Zen for myself... I... must... resist! Haha... j/k I'm tank maxed out. I'll just live vicariously through you and this thread. Can't wait

 

[GreenLily]

Ohh! This is going to be interesting!

 

[Scottyhorse]

I feel all left out cuz I didn't get to help you choose any equipment... hahaha

Brian, Max, and Joey are on point, as always.

I'm kinda jealous... I wanted that tank. I honestly don't want my 12L anymore. I want a 125 and a little 5-7 gallon like you are going with.

You can pick my filter out? Hehe. I *think* that's the only thing undecided, unless you have a better lighting suggestion?

Too bad about your 12L, it's a cool tank. But just thinking of what you could do with a 125 makes me agree with you!

 

[Scottyhorse]

Subscribed too... Nice to see another 'rimless' on here. I've been looking for an excuse to grab a CAD Zen for myself... I... must... resist! Haha... j/k I'm tank maxed out. I'll just live vicariously through you and this thread. Can't wait

Can't wait either!!

I have a question - should I put anything on the bottom of the tank for it to sit on? Or can it sit right on the dresser?

 

[Scottyhorse]

Ohh! This is going to be interesting!

I think so too

 

[Billbug68]

I think an AC 20 would be fine. As far as the "tank mat" you can use some black drawer liner found at most stores like target, Home Depot, or BBB...

Be careful with sand in that tank. I have a horrible habit of scratching glass, and low iron glass is a little softer and easier to scratch than a normal tank.

 

[Scottyhorse]

I think an AC 20 would be fine. As far as the "tank mat" you can use some black drawer liner found at most stores like target, Home Depot, or BBB...

Be careful with sand in that tank. I have a horrible habit of scratching glass, and low iron glass is a little softer and easier to scratch than a normal tank.

There! Ya picked out some equipment. Hahaha

Interesting about the sand scratching the tank..

 

[Billbug68]

There! Ya picked out some equipment. Hahaha Interesting about the sand scratching the tank..

Just be careful when you clean the glass, not to get any sand stuck in what you're using. I've found a couple scratches on my 12 that I got pretty upset about...

 

[Scottyhorse]

Just be careful when you clean the glass, not to get any sand stuck in what you're using. I've found a couple scratches on my 12 that I got pretty upset about...

No kidding When you pay as much as you pay for the 12L....

 

[maxwellag]

I agree, sand is a scratch waiting to happen. I don't have any tanks with sand anymore, mainly because it didn't hold plants as well as other substrates like Aquasoil. It also always had waste trapped under it, while with Aquasoil I have never had that problem.

 

[Scottyhorse]

I don't really want to buy Aquasoil.

 

[maxwellag]

I don't really want to buy Aquasoil.

I wasn't saying you should necessarily buy Aquasoil. I meant that if it were me, I would go with something other than sand. Dirt or eco complete would look nice.

 

[Scottyhorse]

I wasn't saying you should necessarily buy Aquasoil. I meant that if it were me, I would go with something other than sand. Dirt or eco complete would look nice.

Wouldn't I have to cap the dirt with sand? And I could see eco complete scratching the tank up as much as sand too?

 

[Scottyhorse]

Ok stocking question time!

There are so many cool options that I just can't decide on what I want. Some that I am interested in are Dario Dario, White Clouds (leaning towards them) Habrosus (sp) cory cats, betta, chili rasbora ???? Not wanting a whole lot of red for some reason. I also like burmese loaches. But I seriously have no clue what I want to stock this tank with!

 

[Rivercats]

I've never had a problem with Eco complete, regular or fine (which is almost like sand) scratching glass, even on the 24g rimless Nuvo. All my dirted tanks are capped with Eco also.

If you like a lot of red, get a good size school of Chili Rasbora's and give them time to color up. I got 30 and wish I had gotten more since they are so tiny. But once they settle in and if any are very tiny (I had some 3/8") they turn red, and the males turn bright red. Then the Burmese Rosy Loach males after time with good food turn a nice salmon red color. You could then top it off with a pair of Scarlet Badis or Dario sp Juanita Hill (which are almost the same as Scarlets only a bit bigger).

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

You should stock ember tetras and green neons, with one scarlet badis male.