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Big Al's IQ3 FW Build :)
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That looks great, Big Al's Rep!
My IQ3 arrived in the mail 30 minutes ago. Cleverly, BigAlsOnline packed it in a cardboard box marked "cleaning supplies" so nobody here knows how bad my Multi-Tank Syndrome is getting.
I'm going to try a planted freshwater setup with just the LED light it comes with, although I notice that you're going for a row of 3.
I'm getting some small, easy plants. And, I'm going to populate it with a few baby endlers when my endlers give birth! The tank would just be their nursery; I can move them into a bigger tank as they grow.
I'm pretty excited. This is the smallest tank I've ever tried. Quite a bit smaller than my betta's home. Just perfect for my workspace!
At the moment, I don't have an interesting piece of driftwood or even a rock to put into it, so I might go for something quite simple. I'll post pics as I go along. This is fun!
My IQ3 arrived in the mail 30 minutes ago. Cleverly, BigAlsOnline packed it in a cardboard box marked "cleaning supplies" so nobody here knows how bad my Multi-Tank Syndrome is getting.
I'm going to try a planted freshwater setup with just the LED light it comes with, although I notice that you're going for a row of 3.
I'm getting some small, easy plants. And, I'm going to populate it with a few baby endlers when my endlers give birth! The tank would just be their nursery; I can move them into a bigger tank as they grow.
I'm pretty excited. This is the smallest tank I've ever tried. Quite a bit smaller than my betta's home. Just perfect for my workspace!
At the moment, I don't have an interesting piece of driftwood or even a rock to put into it, so I might go for something quite simple. I'll post pics as I go along. This is fun!
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Thank you very much.
We decided to run 3 Robot LED lights to see what we are able to keep.
At the moment for plants we are keeping:
- Japanese Fountain Grass
- Java Fern
- Pygmy Chain Sword
- Rotala Rotundifoliz
- Hemianthus or micronthemum umbrosum.
Unfortunately a couple of our endlers jumped out of the aquarium, so watch your lil finned friends.
We decided to run 3 Robot LED lights to see what we are able to keep.
At the moment for plants we are keeping:
- Japanese Fountain Grass
- Java Fern
- Pygmy Chain Sword
- Rotala Rotundifoliz
- Hemianthus or micronthemum umbrosum.
Unfortunately a couple of our endlers jumped out of the aquarium, so watch your lil finned friends.
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646 Posts
that's the only problem i see with these types of set ups. otherwise, bravo, their definitely little beauties!
Hey, Big Al's Rep -- Are you heating this tank some way? If so, what are you using?
I'm wondering because the temperatures are quite mild right now but my house experiences big (15 to 20 degree) temperature swings overnight in the winter, and if there's a cold spell water freezes on our toothbrushes... I really should figure out a way to heat this by October.
I'm wondering because the temperatures are quite mild right now but my house experiences big (15 to 20 degree) temperature swings overnight in the winter, and if there's a cold spell water freezes on our toothbrushes... I really should figure out a way to heat this by October.
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At this time we are not heating this aquarium as our office is climate controlled.
The only heater that I would recommend is the Marineland 10W Mini Heater. Unfortunately this heater does not allow you to change the temperature as it is factory set to 78 degrees farhenheit.
You are able to place this heater in the pump chamber.
HTH
The only heater that I would recommend is the Marineland 10W Mini Heater. Unfortunately this heater does not allow you to change the temperature as it is factory set to 78 degrees farhenheit.
You are able to place this heater in the pump chamber.
HTH
Hi Big Als Rep,
I've got substrate and plants ready to go into my IQ3, but there don't seem to be any instructions in the box. I can figure out where to put the plants and substrate but I have no idea how to work the rest of it or how deep to fill it. The filter is different from any I've used and the carbon part seems either very tightly packed or permanent. I'm not sure if I put water in all 3 parts or 1, etc. Can you help me out with a couple of tips about how to set it up?
Thank you!
Maureen
I've got substrate and plants ready to go into my IQ3, but there don't seem to be any instructions in the box. I can figure out where to put the plants and substrate but I have no idea how to work the rest of it or how deep to fill it. The filter is different from any I've used and the carbon part seems either very tightly packed or permanent. I'm not sure if I put water in all 3 parts or 1, etc. Can you help me out with a couple of tips about how to set it up?
Thank you!
Maureen
I filled the IQ3 up using a 500 ml container. I think that the tank and filter together took 12 containers, or 6 litres. Multiplying this by 0.264172, I calculated that the IQ3 is 1.585 US gallons, or probably 1.8 if filled entirely to the brim.
Edited to add a pic of the tank.
This tank was a lot of fun to plant and to fill. The filter sits behind the tank and is built in at the same level. So, you don't have a big clunky filter hanging off the top. Scholz helped me set the tank up and advised me to fill the filter before filling the tank. That worked really well because the filter part has a couple of holes in it. The water sprays gently through those holes out into the tank, filling it without disturbing the plants and substrate!
The light is adjustable (dim to bright) and it gives a cool white light similar to a 10000k daylight bulb. It's an LED lamp so I don't really know what the specs are or how the plants will respond to it. I'm looking forward to the experiment. I considered buying 2 or 3 of the LED lights because they are available separately, but I thought that I'd try the most economical version of the setup. As well, the tank is small enough that I can move it from room to room, and so if the plants don't do well I will make sure that they have a bit of window-light.
Edited to add a pic of the tank.
This tank was a lot of fun to plant and to fill. The filter sits behind the tank and is built in at the same level. So, you don't have a big clunky filter hanging off the top. Scholz helped me set the tank up and advised me to fill the filter before filling the tank. That worked really well because the filter part has a couple of holes in it. The water sprays gently through those holes out into the tank, filling it without disturbing the plants and substrate!
The light is adjustable (dim to bright) and it gives a cool white light similar to a 10000k daylight bulb. It's an LED lamp so I don't really know what the specs are or how the plants will respond to it. I'm looking forward to the experiment. I considered buying 2 or 3 of the LED lights because they are available separately, but I thought that I'd try the most economical version of the setup. As well, the tank is small enough that I can move it from room to room, and so if the plants don't do well I will make sure that they have a bit of window-light.
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The tank looks great.
Thanks, Big Als Rep.
MananaP, I am experimenting with this tank's LEDs to see if plants will grow well with just one light. I don't have HC (because I've never had it) but I've got a pretty little carpeting plant in there that looks a bit like tiny shamrocks. Something marsilea. It has lower light requirements than HC I think. I'll let you know.
MananaP, I am experimenting with this tank's LEDs to see if plants will grow well with just one light. I don't have HC (because I've never had it) but I've got a pretty little carpeting plant in there that looks a bit like tiny shamrocks. Something marsilea. It has lower light requirements than HC I think. I'll let you know.
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47 Posts
I will be posting new photos of our IQ3 to show tank & plant progress.
Keep your IQ3 photos coming!
Keep your IQ3 photos coming!
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Two Week Checkpoint!
A small update to show the progress of the first two weeks of our little planted Dymax aquarium.
So far we have great growth in both the rotala and java moss, while the other two plants are growing slower. We decided to add some CO2 to the mix via a Red Sea Turbo CO2 Bio System that we have removed the pump from, and used a Red Sea CO2 Reactor 200 instead. We have also been dosing Seachem Flourish as our primary plant food, and have been dosing with an eyedropper (2 drops twice a week). The addition of the food and CO2 was in the last 4 days and has boosted the growth of the java moss considerably. We will probably be pulling out the driftwood and wrapping the java moss to it Amano Style very soon
I am sure you prefer to see pictures than read so here they are!
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A small update to show the progress of the first two weeks of our little planted Dymax aquarium.
So far we have great growth in both the rotala and java moss, while the other two plants are growing slower. We decided to add some CO2 to the mix via a Red Sea Turbo CO2 Bio System that we have removed the pump from, and used a Red Sea CO2 Reactor 200 instead. We have also been dosing Seachem Flourish as our primary plant food, and have been dosing with an eyedropper (2 drops twice a week). The addition of the food and CO2 was in the last 4 days and has boosted the growth of the java moss considerably. We will probably be pulling out the driftwood and wrapping the java moss to it Amano Style very soon
I am sure you prefer to see pictures than read so here they are!
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As we get closer to needing a trimming in the Dymax, tools are becoming more important. Luckily we already carry some great tools by Underwater Treasures for just such an aquarium.
For trimming, planting, moving, fussing about in a pico tank, it is much easy to do with tools that are thin and durable. We can't imagine going fingers first into the Dymax to try and fix something that has moved without completely overflowing the aquarium and knocking things over. The very thin stainless steel tongs (straight & curved) are a godsend for just such a situation, along with the stainless steel scissors (straight & curved).
We have taken a few pictures to show just how long and thin these tools are; it will be easy to see how much of a perfect fit they are for this pico aquarium, or any small planted or reef aquarium. In the first photo, I have placed the ZooMed feeding tongs I was using previously above the new underwater treasures line. It may not be easy to see but they are a bit longer and much thinner which makes them a lot easier to maneuver.
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To show their length in comparison to the height of the aquarium
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Lastly, the reason I enjoy thin curved scissors for planted aquariums
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Here are the item numbers:
Scissors Curved - #23690
Scissors Straight - #23689
Tongs Curved - #23688
Tongs Straight - #23687
Our next post will hopefully include some step by step maintenance photos including how to set up your java moss on drift wood to get that classic Amano look.
For trimming, planting, moving, fussing about in a pico tank, it is much easy to do with tools that are thin and durable. We can't imagine going fingers first into the Dymax to try and fix something that has moved without completely overflowing the aquarium and knocking things over. The very thin stainless steel tongs (straight & curved) are a godsend for just such a situation, along with the stainless steel scissors (straight & curved).
We have taken a few pictures to show just how long and thin these tools are; it will be easy to see how much of a perfect fit they are for this pico aquarium, or any small planted or reef aquarium. In the first photo, I have placed the ZooMed feeding tongs I was using previously above the new underwater treasures line. It may not be easy to see but they are a bit longer and much thinner which makes them a lot easier to maneuver.
To show their length in comparison to the height of the aquarium
Lastly, the reason I enjoy thin curved scissors for planted aquariums
Here are the item numbers:
Scissors Curved - #23690
Scissors Straight - #23689
Tongs Curved - #23688
Tongs Straight - #23687
Our next post will hopefully include some step by step maintenance photos including how to set up your java moss on drift wood to get that classic Amano look.
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646 Posts
im looking forward to that!
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That's a nice looking tank.
I'm currently trying to decide on a small tank for my office.
So far I am considering the Dymax, the Fluval edge and the Biocube 8.
They all have their pro's and cons.
The Fluval looks great and is glass but, it looks like it would be a pain to clean. And the lights would need up grading.
The Dymax looks good and has an open top so you can grow plants out of the top but, it is acrylic. Also the open top maybe good for plants, but, I would be afraid of fish jumping out.
The Biocube looks good and is made of glass, but, it doesn't have an open top.
I just have to decide which is more important, glass or acrylic and open or closed top.
I'm currently trying to decide on a small tank for my office.
So far I am considering the Dymax, the Fluval edge and the Biocube 8.
They all have their pro's and cons.
The Fluval looks great and is glass but, it looks like it would be a pain to clean.
And the lights would need up grading.The Dymax looks good and has an open top so you can grow plants out of the top but, it is acrylic.
Also the open top maybe good for plants, but, I would be afraid of fish jumping out.The Biocube looks good and is made of glass, but, it doesn't have an open top.
I just have to decide which is more important, glass or acrylic and open or closed top.
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