We found this very useful video clip from 5min.com on how to setup a nano tank.

From this short video, you could learn the important steps on setting up a mini planted aquarium tank - enjoy!

David
AquaticMagic

A fascinating, planted aquarium can help create a focal point in your living room, it can transform a corner of your office into a liquid Zen garden to help relieve stress and it can create a more relaxing, pleasant atmosphere to help you relax.

We have been working out a starter kit (as shown in the demo tank above), which is ideal for beginners in planted tank, or those hobbyists in aquarium but wish to make use of the aquarium plants for the landscape design, instead of using artificial ornaments in the tank.

The planted tank starter kits will be designed for a 2-feet aquarium (54 liters or 15 Gallons), comes with Java fern (mid-ground), Cryptocoryne Balansae (background), Xmas moss (foreground) and CO2 tablets (no clumsy CO2 systems/regulators, extremely easy for beginners to maintain the tank).

On top of that, the starter kit will be offered together with a 10-step easy to follow start-up guide, as well as bundled price for the hardy plants specially designed for beginners. It is really different from the starter kits offered from other pet store or huge online store, where the sellers might not have a in-depth knowledge of what is really suitable for beginners.

We will update you once the starter kit is available at our aquarium plant store.

David
AquaticMagic ~ Grow Happiness

As we have discussed in the earlier entry on Nano aquarium (or small-size aquarium), some of the tips to help you achieve the desired results are here: -

1. CHOOSE YOUR KIT -
A hobbyist’s should play very safe by opting for a foolproof aquarium kit. Choose a kit that offers a built-in lighting and an integral filter system. Thus you are ensuring that all the required components are at their assigned place .The only additional item you need is a proper heater. The most customary and traditional 12-gallon aquarium kits are provided with the classic Eclipse System Twelve or the cutting edge Nano Cube. Both are priced around $100 and offer trendy bow front designs with panoramic viewing.

2. POSITIONING -
Though nano sized of 12 gallons, when filled up it weighs 120 lbs! You must resist that temptation of keeping this heavy mass on your desktop or even on your office cabinet. Well-designed and decorative stands to hold so much of weight are readily available. It is worth investing in a proper stand and keep tension at bay. In the bargain you may get extra space for storage.

3. SELECT YOUR THEME –
A heterogeneous combination of species, which may give an unaesthetic look, it is advisable to decide on a theme and confine your collection around that. You could concentrate on a particular species, a region or even a community grouping. Apart from giving a balanced and homogeneous neat look, it becomes easier for you to keep water parameters under control for all the inhabitants have similar needs. Not only that, the informal surroundings like housing and breeding arrangements that you provide will keep stress levels to a low scale.

4. REMEMBER 3S’s-
Stock Small & Sparse – You must practice restrain and be patient when experimenting with a small aquarium .You should refrain from overpopulating your aquarium, else it ill become too cumbersome for you to maintain quality of water. While instituting a new system, bring in only a few fish at a time. Have patience and observe a long gap of a couple of weeks, maybe a month or two before making any additions. At the initial stages you must restrict your choice to as small fish as possible. You take on from there and continue to build gradually. As a starter opt for just one or two showcase fish, coupled with a few of bottom cleaners.

5. PRACTICE NATURAL FILTRATION –
As can be expected fish will grow healthier if the surroundings you provide are close to being natural. Employ nature to work for your aquarium’s health. Artificial configurations in the form of plants or rocks make it necessary to employ extra means for filtering of water. Think in terms of natural plants and eco-friendly gravel for freshwater aquariums, and live rock or sand for your nano reef.

6. TO BRIGHTEN IT -
As a new entrant to the field perhaps you would like to have a closer watch on the growth of plant or reef in your aquarium. Improved hood lighting by incorporating a higher wattage gives the desired results. It’s very convenient. Tailored retrofit kits specially designed for the purpose are easily available and can be fixed in no time.

7. DAILY EXERCISE –
A limitation with Nano Aquariums” is the frequent changes occurring in water quality, thus making it mandatory to check and test it everyday. Spare time to observe behavioral patterns of fish. Watch how they gasp and where do they hide or drift or scurry to. Continued watching of their behavior will help you to diagnose their overall health. Eventually you will be able to make out when they are unwell. Also stock some 5-in-1 Quick Dip Strips close to your aquarium for “ballpark” parameter checks. Any changed level of nitrates, or pH level should be of concern to you. Employ pro-grade test kits to arrive at a definite conclusion and take remedial steps.

8. WATER CHANGES, FREQUENT BUT PARTIAL
Natural phenomenon like rain and water currents continue to keep refreshing and recharging water as toxins get diluted and carried away before those reach harmful levels. To keep your stock in good health you simply keep altering 10-20% of its water content as frequently as about twice a week. This becomes all the more important when you have a larger population of fish or feed them with superior bio-loads.

9. MEDIA CHANGE
To keep away from the curse of algae for better health of your fish and offer them stress-free atmosphere keep changing your filter media as per the guidelines provided by the manufacturer. If you lack concentration on regular maintenance of filter, toxins that harm your aquarium and its contents may seep in.

10. BE WATCHFUL
As already hinted a continuous everyday observation of your aquarium and its contents will naturally enable you to notice even the smallest change in behavior of fish in the enclosure. Do not ignore the minutest change, be it the activity of a particular fish, a spot on its skin or an unexpected failure of any of the devices connected in the aquarium. Remember it is a small tank and the slightest of environmental change within the enclosure may get blown up to be disastrous if ignored. Any noticeable change should be analyzed and corrected without loosing time. Observe, test and take urgent corrective measures to give a healthy aquatic environment to your inhabitants, to continue to derive that pleasure which you cherish!

Hope that it will be useful for your Nano tank setup!

David
AquaticMagic ~ Grow Happiness

P.S. We have gathered most content in this article from Aquatic-eden.com. Great folks over there for sharing as well!

Ever thought of brightening that corner or the bare wall of your room at office or at home! Imagine installing a small aquarium to liven up the whole room. Small aquariums also labeled, as “Nano Aquariums” are available in the range of 12 gallons.

These nano aquariums, being compact in size are ideal for the just pointed out corners or walls. They are widely being used by novice and hobbyists venturing into this amazing world of aquariums. Further, maintenance of flourishing small fresh water or even a marine system of 12 to 20 gallons has been facilitated by the easy availability of advanced multi-stage filtration and compact fluorescent lighting.

Well, small doesn’t mean any maintenance but easy maintenance. Very simply put, one gram of any chemical in say 100 gallons of any liquid will not be as effective as in a small tank of say 20 gallons. Thus fish in a small container are more susceptible to changed surroundings, be those in the quality of water or its temperature. So in smaller aquariums stress levels of fish are more marked. Nevertheless a little bit of patience coupled with that slight extra effort will go a long way in creating that good-looking and healthy nano system.

The well organized tips are just one click away - please read on for part 2 - Nano tank maintenance.

David
AquaticMagic ~ Grow Happiness