# [Wet Thumb Forum]-cheap 10g setup



## imported_baj (Aug 5, 2004)

Hi,
here are some pictures of a 10g I just put together. The lighting consists of 4 15W t8's hooked to two 2x ballasts. The canopy is diy'ed (pretty evident) with mylar as the reflective material (from an emergency blanket), the space on the left side of the hood is for hooking up two cooling fans. The filter is a diy mattenfilter. Diy co2 is mixed into a plastic chamber connected to output of mattenfilter.

Cost breakdown:
Lights (6wpg) and canopy= $51.50
1) T8 tubes: 1 GE plant and aquarium = $1, 1 Daylight bulb = $1 (got both at a thriftstore), 2x Philips Natural sunlight (5000k) = $14
2) 2x ballasts = $20
3) Wood = $5.50
4) Nails = $1.50
5) Glue = $2.50
6) Wirenuts = salvaged, $0
7) 4x Sockets = $6

Filter = $16.00
1) Filter pad = $6.00
2) Rio 90 submersible pump = $10.00

Substrate = $4.00
1) Eco-complete = $24.00 - $20 (LFS store credit)

Heater = $14

Total = $86 ($106 without LFS credit)

Pictures follow:

Old Canopy (latest setup has 2 more 15w tubes)









Mattenfilter:



























Tank after setup:









Latest shot:


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## imported_baj (Aug 5, 2004)

Hi,
here are some pictures of a 10g I just put together. The lighting consists of 4 15W t8's hooked to two 2x ballasts. The canopy is diy'ed (pretty evident) with mylar as the reflective material (from an emergency blanket), the space on the left side of the hood is for hooking up two cooling fans. The filter is a diy mattenfilter. Diy co2 is mixed into a plastic chamber connected to output of mattenfilter.

Cost breakdown:
Lights (6wpg) and canopy= $51.50
1) T8 tubes: 1 GE plant and aquarium = $1, 1 Daylight bulb = $1 (got both at a thriftstore), 2x Philips Natural sunlight (5000k) = $14
2) 2x ballasts = $20
3) Wood = $5.50
4) Nails = $1.50
5) Glue = $2.50
6) Wirenuts = salvaged, $0
7) 4x Sockets = $6

Filter = $16.00
1) Filter pad = $6.00
2) Rio 90 submersible pump = $10.00

Substrate = $4.00
1) Eco-complete = $24.00 - $20 (LFS store credit)

Heater = $14

Total = $86 ($106 without LFS credit)

Pictures follow:

Old Canopy (latest setup has 2 more 15w tubes)









Mattenfilter:



























Tank after setup:









Latest shot:


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## imported_russell (Sep 14, 2004)

is that the hamburger filter? rather big isn't it?


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## imported_baj (Aug 5, 2004)

Its a mattenfilter yes. I used the calculations on the jan's page to come up with the dimensions, here is the post I made on "Hardware..." on this issue:

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Here is my Mattenfilter in a 10g tank. I tried to keep the setup as cheap as possible, therefore I didnt want to pay the $15-20 for the cable channels (cablemate) at HD. I instead simply glued sections of the filter material onto the glass (the 10g tank was free, and if these things indeed last several years, then might as well make it semi permanent). I wasnt able to find a single piece of mat large enough for under 7 bucks, therefore I bought a rectangular block which I then cut into 1" thich pieces, the bottom most section is 1&3/8". I came up with the area according to the calculations given in http://www.janrigter.nl/mattenfilter/. If I understand correctly, there are two unknowns in that equation, the Area of the filter and the flow rate, which depends on the area some way. Therefore, I set the flow rate at 10 and then got the area - 396.66cm2. The height of the tank was 26.25 cm same as the filter pad height and the width was then 15cm. However, the calculations are inexact and IMHO dont matter too much, the reason being, to calculate the flow rate we will need the surface area, which depend on the pore size and the thickness of the pad, not just the 2D length and width. Therefore, I think my filter design isnt optimum and the throughput is going to be more than the desired value. Moreover, my powerhead moves 4 times the tank volume per hour, 2 times more than the desired value. But I spent $16 for the whole thing and I am sure it must work somewhat.


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## Paul Higashikawa (Mar 18, 2004)

I really like that rock background. Haven't had the time to read your description of the whole set up, but at first I thought it was fake. Then I thought it looked very real. Now I don't know which is which, but...I still like it(lots of pointless rambling, hehe) The plants also look good; keep them new pictures coming. I really want to see this tank develop!
As soon as the plants grow taller, they will cover the foam pad so that's not gonna be a problem.

Paul


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## imported_baj (Aug 5, 2004)

Paul, the rocks are real, collected them from a hike. They are quite lightweight, I dont think its granite...


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## imported_baj (Aug 5, 2004)

On an aside, anyone else got their lumber cut at HD? Those guys were so disinterested, I turned around for half a second and the wood was cut and done, they were in all interesting 4-sided shapes, really creative, they looked like rectangles only if you had a nice imagination or if you failed geometry all your life. The light was leaking out of the tank in a psychedelic pattern until i sealed it somewhat....


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## Ben C (Apr 16, 2006)

give this tank a couple of weeks and it'll be beautiful. good job. What are you thinking of in terms of inhabitants?
Are those rocks secured in any way at all? or are they just sitting on top of each other? 
I can't wait to see more pictures of this tank. Just wondering if the thermometer would look better on one of the sides?

nice start, 

BEN


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## imported_baj (Aug 5, 2004)

I was thinking of housing either a german ram pair or a killifish pair of some sort, but it all depends on how the final layout will be in terms of plants, the right side of the tank (to the left of the viewer, I always get the orientation wrong) ok the side opposite to where the chain swords are, I plan to plant densely with stems, right now I have just thrown in junk there, and it also depends on what parameter values the tank will be stable at. Right now there are two otos hanging around.
The rocks arent anchored, the main reason was I am impatient and second I dont think this will be the final look yet, so I wanted to be able to move things around. That being said the rocks are stable, I bumped the table around and they didnt topple. Now if only the algae/moss would co-operate and grow only on the rocks....
The thermometer is there temporarily, I will either put it near the tall stem plants on the side wall, or throw it behind the mattenfilter...


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## imported_russell (Sep 14, 2004)

i also have a 10 gal tank that i made really cheaply.

10 gal tank (free from girlfriend, old hermit crab tank)
lighting 24 in 40 watt fixture (5.00)
2- 20 watt light bulbs (10.00)
diy co2 (free)
substrate (free leftovers)
filter wiisper 5-15 (11.00)
all the plants are just trimmings from my 30 gal.

i love cheap extra tanks!!!


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## imported_russell (Sep 14, 2004)

yours is looking better though.


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## imported_baj (Aug 5, 2004)

Russell, $26 for a 10g planted tank is really cheap! Good job! Where did you get the $5 lights, was it a used fixture? Man thats really lucky to find such a deal. The main sinks for me were the lights - 50+ and the ecocomplete substrate.
I like the mattenfilter as it gives me more surface area to play with, I placed some baby tears in the pad (they stick like those magnetic stickers because of the suction) and now they've grown roots into the pad and are well anchored, I think I'll stick all sorts of things in there and see how it goes....


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## imported_russell (Sep 14, 2004)

that will look nice.

i found the light fixture at home zone, a local store that sells random household stuff for real cheap. they sell 24 and 48 in hoods with double light flourescent fixtures for 5.00 each. i could buy one and mail it to anyone for the actual cost.


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## imported_baj (Aug 5, 2004)

Update:
Tank:









Rainbowfish:









1 oto:









2 otos:


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## imported_russell (Sep 14, 2004)

wow that looks great


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## imported_BSS (Apr 14, 2004)

Tank's lookin' good. I love that last oto shot!


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