# Newcomer discussion: Eco-Qube and similar very small tanks



## ObiQuiet (Oct 9, 2009)

This thread is for those people who might arrive here looking for information and advice about the EcoQube and similar ulta-small aquaria.

Note that as far as aquariums go, these small tanks are considered "pico" sized (smaller than "nano" and smaller than "micro") as they have less than 2 gallons of water.

They are larger than betta jars and goldfish bowls, though, and a step forward for the hobby compared to those common "starter kits". Especially when one considers the inclusion of plants.

In fact, it might be wise to consider these pico-sized products as "water-based flower pots" instead of "aquariums". Certainly, they are not easy to justify as a "fish aquarium"... that's why I put this thread in the shrimp and inverts sub-forum.

If you come here and want to learn more about the biology and philosophy of combining live plants with aquariums, the whole of aquaticplantcentral.com is open to you. It's a fascinating world, and there is a LOT of expertise here.

(If you want to debate the ethics of keeping creatures in small containers, one thread is here.)


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## ObiQuiet (Oct 9, 2009)

Here is the initial thread I started on the ecoqube itself.
http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/water-bucket/112274-ecoqube-c-kickstarter.html

And some things I posted elsewhere:
Well, considering that it's a 2g tank... (aqadvisor.com lists only shrimp and snails at that size) ... my intention has always been for a shrimp colony -- red cherries to bulid up a starter population for my other tank. There are many shrimp species, and it's become a very interesting part of the aquarium hobby.
With additional plants in the aquascape itself, the biology could be kept in balance with 1 or 2 of what are in the category called "nano fish", or juveniles of a small species.

Tropical Fish Hobbyist did a series on nano tanks recently. Search their site for "nano freshwater" Articles and on-line back issues are easy to get. Of course, you could google it too, but you'll get more rumor and opinion then...

I too replaced the carbon with bio media. Your local non-big box fish store may have the 1/2 cup you need left over from their own maintenance work, so you don't have to buy much more than you need.
The plant media, IMO, isn't going to provide any useful ammonia uptake until the roots reach down into the water path. Even when they do, the beneficial bacteria that's established on the filter, gravel, etc. will do the majority of the work.
One suggestion I want to try is to use a faster-growing, more substantial plant species. One of the experienced moderators at aquaticplantcentral.com suggested trying spathiphylum, pothos, or syngonium.


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## ObiQuiet (Oct 9, 2009)

Here is a photo of the filtration/pump area:









And, a photo of the included seeds sprouting after 3 days with the light at it's lowest position:
The other plant in view is a floating sprig of hornwort from my 110g.


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## Michael (Jul 20, 2010)

Thanks for the thread! It answers many of my questions about the EcoCube.


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## ObiQuiet (Oct 9, 2009)

PAR meter results, limiting for aquatic plants -- for illumination only:


__
https://www.reddit.com/r/ecoqube/comments/3tlhqn


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## Michael (Jul 20, 2010)

Too bad.


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## DurocShark (Mar 20, 2006)

ObiQuiet said:


> PAR meter results, limiting for aquatic plants -- for illumination only:
> 
> 
> __
> https://www.reddit.com/r/ecoqube/comments/3tlhqn


The guy who posted that is amazing!


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## ObiQuiet (Oct 9, 2009)

DurocShark said:


> The guy who posted that is amazing!


LOL, yes, he deserves praise for en-lightening the subject...


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## Elliander (Dec 19, 2015)

Hi, I have two EcoCube C units that I have sitting side by side. No fish yet since I am still growing the basil. I do have a few big questions though.

1.) Can a single Eco Qube support the following in one aquarium:

- 3 nerite snails
- 2 Shrimp
- 1 betta
- 3 Anubias Nana Petite 
- 3 Marimo Balls
- 1 Betta hammock 
- Staurogyne Repens (on the bottom, soil rather than sand)
- Flame moss on a cave like object
- Mountain stone OR Branch Wood

Along with 3 Small Zebra Danio and/or 3 white cloud mountain minnow? 

2.) Would there be a simple way to combine two together? I figure if I could, they would be a long 3 gallon aquarium. In that case the above list would be more reasonable and make the fish happier. Looking at the units it appears to be acrylic glued together with the lip of one glued to the lip of the other so I know they wouldn't match up side by side, and it would look weird with one reversed, but maybe if I had a third one with no filter to go between two with filters in a V configuration it might work out. I just don't really have a clue how to go about something like that.

3.) I have been growing Spirulina in a 20 gallon aquarium for over a year now. Everything in it is food grade and I eat it raw. I read that Spirulina can be fed to aquarium fish, but every article I could find mentions the dried stuff you buy - not living cells. I am concerned about if they would survive in a freshwater aquarium and spread thus clouding the water, killing other plants, damaging beneficial bacteria, or causing filter problems. Spirulina does require higher ph so I am unsure. In my experiments I found that if there are not many the phototoxicity kills them, but if they are not enough it won't be enough to feed the fish. If there is any way I can make this work though it should be a more natural approach since they would be given real food they would otherwise find in nature.

4.) What about air pumps? Wouldn't an aquarium this size require that? Even my spirulina aquarium uses aeration.

EDIT: I don't suppose the filter/plant system can be removed from two of them and placed into a single larger aquarium perhaps? I'm more worried about the fish having proper space to move around than anything else.


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## ObiQuiet (Oct 9, 2009)

I'm sorry I didn't see your post sooner!

Here is my take on your questions:

1. Can a single Eco Qube support the following...

No. For a number of reasons: physical space, bettas eat shrimp, too much bio-waste, etc. A 10g or a 20g would be a better choice for all of that. 

For a nano-tank, it's better to build up from zero:

a) One betta might be ok, as long as you watch the ammonia content of the water daily. (At least it would be happier than in a stagnant jar.)
OR
b) One small fish. I would not choose danios or white clouds -- they are fast and need some space. A bumblebee goby is more sedentary and likes to live alone.
OR
c) A growing population of shrimp, of which there are many colorful species.

A single nerite with the above could be ok to clean up the left over food. The issue is that if you have snails you actually care about, you need to make sure they don't starve -- but that means putting extra food in the tank, which is problematic in such a small volume of water.

I would add one plant at a time and see how it does. If you get growth after 2-4 weeks, great! Keep it in there. I've had mixed luck with the moss balls -- some have done great for long periods, but others start to decay to mush. 

2. Combining multiple tanks together. 
I also thought about this -- three in a row with a unified plumbing system would make a nice multi-species shrimp hatchery and better support a betta in one of the tanks. Simplest and least destructive would be adding an elbow or T-fitting on the back side of each tank below the water line and then joining them with tubing. 

3. Spirulina - I don't know 

4. Air pumps 
The goal with a nano tank or any simulation of a natural ecosystem is to let it find its own stability point, so that you don't have to constantly clean it out and tweak it. This is a very different goal than in aquaponics where maximizing productive plant growth is the goal. The techniques differ.


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## Jameskg214 (Mar 12, 2016)

It's so unfortunate for people that are new to the hobby to come across Pico tanks like this that advertise as "maintenance free". Pico tanks are already more difficult than larger tanks to cycle without losing livestock to ammonia poisoning. 

IMO even if this tank was stocked appropriately for its size you would need a decent amount of fast growing plants to completely remove all the nitrogen the livestock will produce, and that's not getting into deficiencies that might occur when your other macro nutrients are depleted. And we all know everyone (especially people new to the hobby) tends to overstock aquariums. 

To me this is just another group of people just looking to make a quick buck without knowing a good ammount about the product they are trying to sell. And I would bet a ton of money that they don't include instructions on how to cycle it properly for the correct length of time. And we all know you can't rely on employees at big box stores to teach people correct cycling procedures and correct stocking levels. 

It's just sad because I can see new people in the hobby getting a tank like this thinking wow it's going to be way easier than a normal aquarium and then having issues with fish dying during the cycle or not being able to maintain long term growth with the plants or getting overtaken with algae. And when that happens 9 out of 10 times I'm sure they won't question it any further and just assume it's difficult and it will turn them off the hobby. 

I worked at petsmart for 7 years and luckily I've been keeping fresh and salt water tanks for almost 15 years so I was very good as troubleshooting issues. But I would have at least 4 or 5 people weekly that were ready to sell their tank because they were new and got completely incorrect information and failed and just assumed that meant it was difficult. Luckily I was almost always able to convince them to give it another go and was able to teach them how to do it properly. And quite a few would become very invested in the hobby.... But if I hadn't saved them they would have probably never looked back and wouldn't have gotten to enjoy such an easy hobby. All because careless people are just looking to make a quick buck at the expense of consumers. 

I'll stop renting now..... But I mean come on there's more than enough room for them to have made places for 3 plants on the top and that one change would make this tank leaps and bounds better.... And all it would take for them to realize this would be for them to do their homework on aquariums before releasing a product....or at bare minimum at least marketing it properly and not saying it's "maintenance free"..... But then they wouldn't sell anywhere near as many.


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## Jameskg214 (Mar 12, 2016)

BTW since I'm new to this forum here's a pic of my current 75g planted tank.


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## Aquaticz (May 22, 2009)

Welcome 
When it comes to making a buck...ppl will say anything & that sadly will not change


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## ObiQuiet (Oct 9, 2009)

Jameskg214 said:


> It's so unfortunate for people that are new to the hobby to come across Pico tanks like this that advertise as "maintenance free". Pico tanks are already more difficult than larger tanks to cycle without losing livestock to ammonia poisoning.
> 
> ..... But I mean come on there's more than enough room for them to have made places for 3 plants on the top and that one change would make this tank leaps and bounds better.... And all it would take for them to realize this would be for them to do their homework on aquariums before releasing a product....or at bare minimum at least marketing it properly and not saying it's "maintenance free"..... But then they wouldn't sell anywhere near as many.


Agreed! I was hoping that at least some of them would come here following links I posted.

I think this planted tank hobby needs a clear and concise explanation infographic or the like. Wish I had time to work on some ideas right now.


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