Eclipse 3G

[shade2dope]

I just got a eclipse 3G for free from a friend and was thinking of a small planted.I also need a filter for it so if anyone could tell me where to get one it would be nice.Not sure what all I need to get this going so if anyone could help I would be thankfull.

[Ichthius]

Congrats

The Azoo Palm Filter (which can be purchased from http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...fm?pcatid=9821 ) has had some good reviews. I was going to buy one for a 3 gallon I was planting, but scrapped the project.

For a light, do you have the hood with it? If not, I'd just get a desk lamp and replace the bulb with a screw in fluorescent, the kind you find at Wal-Mart.

[Chrispy]

get a small whisper filter or something depends on the contents. and get some shrimp for it

[shade2dope]

Yes it has the t5 still on it.I know that there are eclipse hood with built in filters. is there any way I can order just the filter thats in the hood instead of the full hood or?I am going to go look but if anyone know where i can get one please tell me.
Any one have any ideas for what i should put in it plant wise.I was thinking of some sort of small shrimp for it but not sure what would do fine in there.

[JustOneMore20]

I don't think you can get the filter that comes in the hoods. Getting a small Azoo filter, like Leah linked to would be my suggestion. They are small and won't cause too much water movement. Its also pretty cheap. Then, get a desk lamp to put over the tank with like a 15 or 20w bulb in it. The lighting that comes with those kits is only good for low light anyways, so if you want more plant choices, a desk lamp is the way to go.

As far as livestock, shrimp is about your only option, besides a Betta. Even then, a colony of something like Red Cherry Shrimp will eventually need something larger (for some of them). Start with a handful of shrimp and you'll eventually have more than enough. A Betta should be fine in the tank, but that's probably the only fish that would be ok.

[shade2dope]

I knew i couldnt do much with it.I Will get that filter and light.I need some help with plants I dont want much maybe some grass like plant and somthing for the backround.Sorry I cant find names.I been trying to look but my computer is messing up.Is there any plants like this in the low light category?I cant really get plants around here.Where do you get yours?
Edit:I was looking for some plants and found dwarf hair grass.It says to be a med. light plant which would work for me and still wont have to replace light.Not sure but I belive the lighting is 6w so 2 watts to gallon.Now i just need a background plant.

[shade2dope]

Sagittaria subulata is also one that I like.With these too would the light on there be ok(I like the clean look of the eclipse)?Would I need ferts or aqua soil for this set up.Also is http://www.aquariumplants.com a good place to get plants? nm May have to find somthing local does petsmart ect carry these

[JustOneMore20]

Originally Posted by shade2dope

I knew i couldnt do much with it.I Will get that filter and light.I need some help with plants I dont want much maybe some grass like plant and somthing for the backround.Sorry I cant find names.I been trying to look but my computer is messing up.Is there any plants like this in the low light category?I cant really get plants around here.Where do you get yours?
Edit:I was looking for some plants and found dwarf hair grass.It says to be a med. light plant which would work for me and still wont have to replace light.Not sure but I belive the lighting is 6w so 2 watts to gallon.Now i just need a background plant.

I get my plants online. Some places I've ordered from are http://www.aquariumplants.com . http://www.aquabotanic.com, and http://www.aquabid.com.

Another challenge for small tanks is finding small plants. There aren't a ton of small low light plants, really. Anubias nana and nana 'petite' are 2 that would work. You'd have more choices with higher light.

Dwarf Hairgrass is actually a high light plant in my experience. 6w over a 3g is very low light though......you can't use the watt per gallon rule on small tanks. They actually need more light. You should be looking at around 20w or so for dwarf hairgrass and you'll want to use DIY CO2 and ferts to make it happy.

Originally Posted by shade2dope

Sagittaria subulata is also one that I like.With these too would the light on there be ok(I like the clean look of the eclipse)?Would I need ferts or aqua soil for this set up.Also is http://www.aquariumplants.com a good place to get plants? nm May have to find somthing local does petsmart ect carry these

Dwarf Sag (Sag. subulata) would work. Some of its leaves can get kind of tall though. A better choice would be E. tenellus. Actually though, I wouldn't try to grow either under 6w. You still need more lighting. You shouldn't need to dose ferts though and you don't have to have Aquasoil.

I've never seen Dwarf Sag at Petsmart.

Honestly, Eclipse tanks don't make good planted tanks because they just don't come with enough light IMO. So, if you aren't willing to get a desk lamp, then you should get some Anubias nana and maybe some Anacharis.

[shade2dope]

Ok well do you know anything like the dwarf grass that would work for me?I dont mind getting new light but I have heard of the problems with the diy co2.I could set one up I do have one saved in the fav when I first got going and wanted one.I will be looking for a desk light to use.Any more ideas about what will work?

[jones57742]

shade2dope:

I was able to order the filtration equipment for one of my Eclipse 5 Gallons.

You should be able to order the factory lighting and filtration for your 3G.

IMHO this such an order would be counterproductive due to the cost of a 5G or 10G tank.

Also as JOM indicated the intensity of the lighting will not support most rooted plants.

TR

[shade2dope]

Ok thanks, the first step I will take is to get better lighting I am still not sure what plants to get but am waiting till it get's warmer here as to not "lose anything" anyway.I did find a place around here to get plant there was alot of very nice ones in there and it was hard not to just buy.Next time i go in there I will right down the names and see if any of them can work in my tank.(Hope there is saves me from paying shipping)

[JustOneMore20]

Yeah, write down the names of the ones you see.

I can suggest plants, but if you can't find them, then it does you no good.

[shade2dope]

Ya figured I could save you some time......Maybe I could swap out the t5 and add a fixture from my old ten gallon light.

[shade2dope]

What would be better for my diy co2 bubble stone or small powerhead?If I went with the small powerhead would I need a dif. filter or will it work?

[shade2dope]

Sorry for so many post in a row.I just went out and got a desk lamp and bulbs.The bulbs are 23 watt compact fluorescent.they are 1600 lumens.Willthese work?I also went and got a small powerhead for the diy co2.Now I just need to go and get plant names.

[Gourami Swami]

Originally Posted by shade2dope

Sorry for so many post in a row.I just went out and got a desk lamp and bulbs.The bulbs are 23 watt compact fluorescent.they are 1600 lumens.Willthese work?I also went and got a small powerhead for the diy co2.Now I just need to go and get plant names.

Sounds okay. Coralife also makes half 1500k/half actinic compact fluorescent screw-ins that work well in 20w.

Either way I would only risk low light plants

[shade2dope]

really why is that gs?

[JustOneMore20]

Originally Posted by shade2dope

What would be better for my diy co2 bubble stone or small powerhead?If I went with the small powerhead would I need a dif. filter or will it work?

I haven't seen any powerheads small enough personally, but that would be the best choice. I see that you have purchased one, so if it doesn't take up alot of room in the tank, thats the best option.

Originally Posted by shade2dope

Sorry for so many post in a row.I just went out and got a desk lamp and bulbs.The bulbs are 23 watt compact fluorescent.they are 1600 lumens.Willthese work?I also went and got a small powerhead for the diy co2.Now I just need to go and get plant names.

23w CF is great for a 3g. With your DIY CO2, you should be fine with that light. Do you know the Kelvin (K) rating for the bulbs? Hopefully they are marked daylight. If they are soft white, they won't work.....you want daylight bulbs.


GS, 1500K/actinic bulbs would be useless to plants........even 15000 would be useless. For plants you want something between 6500K and 10000K.

[shade2dope]

Crap got the wrong ones.I'll go back and get some.Will I be able to get these and walmart?I have this powerhead
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgu...%3Den%26sa%3DG

[JustOneMore20]

Excellent, that one looks pretty small. I haven't seen those before.

You should be able to get them at Walmart. I've bought them there in the past, but haven't seen them lately at my Walmart. Look for the brand Lights of America. The bulbs are 2 to a pack and are about $8 (cheap!). They will say daylight on the back and have 6500K written on the package somewhere.