Re: [APD] Micro plant tank ideas?

[Wright Huntley <whuntley at verizon_net>]

> Message: 6
> Date: Mon, 1 Mar 2004 19:03:01 -0800
> From: "Jared Morris" <jmorris at infostations_com>
> Subject: Re: [APD] Micro plant tank ideas?
> To: "aquatic plants digest" <aquatic-plants at actwin_com>
>
> I personally think the mini bow 2.5 makes a great micro plant tank.  I work
> at a LFS, and have set up two of these as plant tanks in the past couple
> months.
> Here is what I've done to make them suitable:
>
> 1- Replace the Whisper cartridge with a sponge and some good bio-media like
> Ehiem efi-lav or the like.  keep the water level above the outflow to reduce
> excess surface agitation.
>
> 2 - Replace the standard incandescent light with a screw in 5500K cf.
>
> 3 - Use Florite or Flora Base as the substrate, and input carbon using
> Flourish excel carbon.
>
> 4 - Choose smaller plants like pygmy chain sword, corkscrew val, small
> cryps, etc.
>
> 5 - Buy a 5 watt submersible heater like this http://tinyurl.com/2ybum

All good except the last suggestion. The heater is just an unregulated 
5W resistor in a *plastic* tube. The effect of 110V hitting the wet sand 
when it fails is more than just spectacular.

It does *not* automatically regulate to 76F, AFAIK, and you can get them 
from Wally World for less than the shipping cost in the ebay ad cited!

I strongly suggest you use a low-Wattage glass heater with a thermostat 
(25W 6" units are available) and avoid this plastic hazard.

Wright

--
Wright Huntley - Rt. 001 Box K36, Bishop CA 93514 - whuntley at verizon_net
                    760 872-3995

          Important things we should remember:
  [and weren't taught in mandatory government propaganda camps]

    The Declaration of Independence was written on hemp paper!

http://www.archives.gov/national_archives_experience/declaration.html


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