# El Natural Vase



## bpimm (Jun 12, 2006)

I have been wanting to plant a bowl or vase after seeing all the nice ones on here. I was wandering through GoodWill looking for a vase to plant when I found this little 6" round vase. I bought it and was at home peeling the label off of it and Pow it shattered in my hands.  We were driving to my brother'es place and saw another GoodWill, they had the same exact vase, so we bought another one along with two other vases I thought might work to plant. We got it home and my GF wouldn't let me touch it for fear of me breaking it again. So she gets the sticker off and washes the vase and while drying it Pow it shatters in her hands. So here I am Laughing (bad mistake) while blood is trickling down her finger and all I say is "at least I broke mine without getting cut". Another comment I wouldn't suggest.  Maybe that style of vase just isn't strong enough to plant.

Here is one of the other vases that we got, it's kinda tall and skinny.










I still have to get a light for it, so what do you think so far?


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## Stargazer53 (Oct 12, 2006)

Nice. But I bet it's a bit tedious to get everything planted so nicely.


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## TAM (Aug 21, 2005)

bpimm said:


> ... We got it home and my GF wouldn't let me touch it for fear of me breaking it again. So she gets the sticker off and washes the vase and while drying it Pow it shatters in her hands. So here I am Laughing (bad mistake) while blood is trickling down her finger and all I say is "at least I broke mine without getting cut". Another comment I wouldn't suggest.


:noidea: /shakes head... _What happens to our judgment when we're laughing?_

I like your vase, but without an object to relate to size I'm wondering if you'll have room for a fish or will this be a plant only vase. Either way, I like the look.

TAM


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## bpimm (Jun 12, 2006)

TAM said:


> :noidea: /shakes head... _What happens to our judgment when we're laughing?_
> 
> I like your vase, but without an object to relate to size I'm wondering if you'll have room for a fish or will this be a plant only vase. Either way, I like the look.
> 
> TAM


Ditto on the judgement.

The vase is 1/2 gallon so I think fish are out of the question. here is a pic of it next to my 2 Gallon Hex.












Stargazer53 said:


> Nice. But I bet it's a bit tedious to get everything planted so nicely.


I can just barely get my hand in the top, but it is short enough that my tweezers can reach the bottom, thats how I planted it.


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## Robert Hudson (Feb 5, 2004)

Very nice idea! If those other vases broke so easy, they may not have even held the water and gravel without breaking! Going to goodwill is a great idea to look for vases or other container things.... I am going to have to try that


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## cs_gardener (Apr 28, 2006)

Cool looking vase! I like the shape, its different from what you normally see.


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## TAM (Aug 21, 2005)

bpimm said:


> Ditto on the judgement.
> 
> The vase is 1/2 gallon so I think fish are out of the question. here is a pic of it next to my 2 Gallon Hex.


Oh you finished the 2 gallon hex. I saw the begining of that thread and then lost you in the lights.... really looks nice! =D>

Don't guess there really is room for finned inhabitants in the vase. It's graceful all on its own.

Tammy


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## Jimbo205 (Feb 2, 2006)

I love it. How many cups of water does it hold?

(I am asking because I learned the hard way about dosing on tiny tanks (I have one - trying to figure them out.))


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## bpimm (Jun 12, 2006)

Jimbo205 said:


> I love it. How many cups of water does it hold?
> 
> (I am asking because I learned the hard way about dosing on tiny tanks (I have one - trying to figure them out.))


It holds 8 cups, 1/2 Gallon. I don't dose anything, I let the soil do it for me.  
(I'm lazy)


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## Jimbo205 (Feb 2, 2006)

I tried that once with Rotala and it didn't work for me. 
I am glad that it is working for you. 
I have a 9 cup Betta Vase that is working with Java Fern and Rotala that is not right next to a window and that one is working. (thank goodness) 

I would love to get another Vase to work near a window without a fish. 
I know they provide nutrients for the plants, but sometimes I feel the tank is too small. 

Yours looks beautiful. I would love to try again and succeed with it. 

I like simple. 

I finally saw a photo a bag of Schultz's Aquatic Soil. 
I finally realize what section of the store to look for these in. 
Thank goodness outdoor fountains have a market now. 

Maybe this would help. 

What are those plants? They look beautiful!


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## bpimm (Jun 12, 2006)

The plants are;
Front left: Dwarf Hair grass
Front Right: Downoi
Back: Rotala Rotundifolia

The vase has been together for 3 days now so I wouldn't say it's a success yet.  I don't even have a light on it yet so it only gets natural light from the window. I need to get a light on it...

Edit: I think I will put some pond snails in it and feed fish food to round out the plant ferts.


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## bpimm (Jun 12, 2006)

TAM said:


> Oh you finished the 2 gallon hex. I saw the beginning of that thread and then lost you in the lights.... really looks nice! =D>
> 
> Don't guess there really is room for finned inhabitants in the vase. It's graceful all on its own.
> 
> Tammy


Thanks Tammy,

I don't think it will ever be "finished" right now I'm working on a C02 reactor to fit in the 2 Gallons sump as the excell killed my nerite that was in there.:sad:


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## Robert Hudson (Feb 5, 2004)

I would put shrimp in there instead of snails


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## bpimm (Jun 12, 2006)

I thought about that but I had a bad experience with shrimp in a small tank. I put 5 Cherries in the 2 gal hex and by morning all 5 had jumped to their death. I have since added 20 to another tank and they are happy. I don't know if I want to risk it again.

I guess I could make a cover for it to see if they will settle in.


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## Burks (May 25, 2006)

Any idea on how you'll be lighting this?


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## flagg (Nov 29, 2004)

bpimm said:


> I don't even have a light on it yet so it only gets natural light from the window. I need to get a light on it...


No you don't. I have a 2.5 gal Walstad-style setup that sits in front of a window w/ no artificial light and I get very decent plant growth. I actually had algae prob. so I had to tape aquarium backing to the back of the tank to cut out some light. I used to have a vase in front of the window with no light and had very good growth. Eventually I tore the vase down to set up the 2.5 and b/c I got tired of topping off w/ water. In the vase I had good plant growth and zero algae. So, my advice is to not worry about the light unless the lack thereof becomes a problem.

-ricardo


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## bpimm (Jun 12, 2006)

Flagg, the natural lighting is limited by trees just outside the window and also in the PNW we can go weeks at a time in the winter with heavy dark grey cloud cover and rain. dark enough to have your headlights on during the day.

The rotala should do OK but the Downoi and hairgrass I think will need a little artificial light.

Burks, if I do put a light on it I'm thinking of a 35W 4700K Halogen pendant, it will also provide some heat on the cold days.


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## Jimbo205 (Feb 2, 2006)

> I put 5 Cherries in the 2 gal hex and by morning all 5 had jumped to their death.


 ound:



> it will also provide some heat on the cold days.


 How cold can it get in the PNW (Pacific North West) ? I am imagining very, very, very cold. Yes / No ?

What is the choice of heat out west? Wood Pellet Stove? Wood Stove? Oil? Natural Gas?

Just curious.

I was pleasantly stunned when they said on the news out East (here) that Natural Gas is the best bargain for heating for this year. After last year, I was pleasantly surprised. My lovely wife then asked, "What do we have?" Luckily we have natural gas.

Still would like a nice warm wood pellet stove someday for Albany's - 20 to -30 degree February days.

Sigh....


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## bpimm (Jun 12, 2006)

Jimbo205 said:


> How cold can it get in the PNW (Pacific North West) ? I am imagining very, very, very cold. Yes / No ?
> 
> What is the choice of heat out west? Wood Pellet Stove? Wood Stove? Oil? Natural Gas?
> 
> ...


We don't get as cold as you do.  I have only seen sub 0 temps 2 maybe 3 times in my life here. our lows tend to be in the teens when it's cold, most of the time it's warm enough to rain, and rain, and then we might get some rain..... For heat we have the same choices, but I'm to far away from civilization to get natural gas, so I use oil / wood stove. with oil prices where they are electric heat is cheaper now.


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## Jimbo205 (Feb 2, 2006)

Do your tanks and / planted tanks prefer the heat from the oil furnace or the wood stove? I am asking because I am wondering if the plants just roll with the change in temperature, or if they are finicky. 

I like the idea of my tanks being near the sunlight from the window, but I keep wondering about the cooler temperatures in the coldest part of the winter near my windows (and I have good windows). 

I imagine the oil heat being steady and predictable (programmable thermostats) and the wood stove fluctuating depending on how much time you have to attend to it, yet being luxurious and tropical. I have heard of friends in the past walking around their house in the deepest part of winter because with their wood stove they kept their house in the 80's. 

Do your tanks behave any different in the cooler months?


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## bpimm (Jun 12, 2006)

I haven't noticed a difference with the type of heat, I run over sized heaters in the tanks so their temp stays stable as I shut the heat down to 62 Degrees F at night. I don't have wood heat in the shop I'm living in until I get the house done, but the new house has a wood stove and oil heat, I just need to get it done, big DIY project.


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## Jimbo205 (Feb 2, 2006)

> I just need to get it done, big DIY project.


 You and Burks are both doing this, yes?

Any photos in the Water bucket? (That would be really, really cool to see.).


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## bpimm (Jun 12, 2006)

Jimbo205 said:


> You and Burks are both doing this, yes?
> 
> Any photos in the Water bucket? (That would be really, really cool to see.).


There is one pic in "pictures of planted tank geeks" the only pic I had of myself was trimming a rafter to fit at the ridge. I'll put some more in the water bucket if you want. I have photo's of almost the whole process. I have been at it for almost 5 years now and think I will have it done this spring. I don't think I will take on this size of project again soon.


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