How much weight on 10 gal tank frame?

[Elaine T]

I was just handed a 10 gallon tank last night, so of course I have to do
something with it. I have a spot in a window where a 2 gallon
quarantine has been that has enough light for java moss, rotala, and
(next to the tank) African violets. This seems like a perfect spot for
a bog filtered tank. I'm going to put a window box planter over the
tank, pump water up to it and let it trickle back through hydroponics
media back to the tank.

I'm going to try growing lettuces and basil in the planter but may
switch for more traditional bog plants if that doesn't work. It will
depend whether there's enough light and how wet the planting medium stays.

Anyway, has anyone put a full window box planter across the top of a 10
gallon tank before? Do I need to make a shelf from a 1x4 to keep the
weight off of the tank? If I can I'd rather go without the shelf
because it will be more work finishing the wood to make it attractive
and water resistant.

--
__ Elaine T __
><__'> http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><

[NetMax]

"Elaine T" > wrote in message
om...
>I was just handed a 10 gallon tank last night, so of course I have to do
>something with it. I have a spot in a window where a 2 gallon
>quarantine has been that has enough light for java moss, rotala, and
>(next to the tank) African violets. This seems like a perfect spot for
>a bog filtered tank. I'm going to put a window box planter over the
>tank, pump water up to it and let it trickle back through hydroponics
>media back to the tank.
>
> I'm going to try growing lettuces and basil in the planter but may
> switch for more traditional bog plants if that doesn't work. It will
> depend whether there's enough light and how wet the planting medium
> stays.
>
> Anyway, has anyone put a full window box planter across the top of a 10
> gallon tank before? Do I need to make a shelf from a 1x4 to keep the
> weight off of the tank? If I can I'd rather go without the shelf
> because it will be more work finishing the wood to make it attractive
> and water resistant.
>
> --
> __ Elaine T __
> ><__'> http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><


I don't think a 10g would have trouble with the weight of a planter box.
I'd be more worried about any condensation bringing metals/chemicals from
the planter's surface into the water.

The use of bog plants for nitrate and algae scrubbing is a popular theme,
among some in the cichlid circles, but mostly in the plant groups. At
one point, I think Tom Barr and others was working on the optimal list of
plants for this application. I think I remember philodendrons making the
top of the list.

Let us know how it works out. I have an algae scrubber planned for my
next application, but I'm undecided on whether it will be aquatic
(holding microscopic life to feed the next group in my food chain), or
terrestrial as you have planned (more like a nitrate-scrubber to use with
fish with big appetites).

I bet the filter of the future will hold some type of live plant inside
it (you heard it here ;~).
--
www.NetMax.tk

[Richard Sexton]

>Anyway, has anyone put a full window box planter across the top of a 10
>gallon tank before? Do I need to make a shelf from a 1x4 to keep the
>weight off of the tank? If I can I'd rather go without the shelf
>because it will be more work finishing the wood to make it attractive
>and water resistant.

Probably. There are lots of different glass thicknesses used in
making 10 gallon tanks and uness it's really thin and you have
a realy heavy planter I can't imagine it would be a problem. The
biggest problem with balancing acts like this is they fall off,
or get knocked off. Don't ask me how I know. I'd use a piece of
(5mm) glass instead of wood.

Got cats?


--
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[Richard Sexton]

>The use of bog plants for nitrate and algae scrubbing is a popular theme,
>among some in the cichlid circles, but mostly in the plant groups. At
>one point, I think Tom Barr and others was working on the optimal list of
>plants for this application. I think I remember philodendrons making the
>top of the list.

There's a picture of such a setup in the Dupla book and in _the
Living Aquarium_. Philodendrons don't even need the substrate,

I have a photo someplace here of Rosario LaCorte's fishroom that
Matt Kaufman took where you can clearly see an 8' Phil with roots
in the bottom aqaurium on the rack. Apparanly it's been there for
years.

--
Need Mercedes parts ? - http://parts.mbz.org
http://www.mbz.org | Mercedes Mailing lists: http://lists.mbz.org
633CSi 250SE/C 300SD | Killies, killi.net, Crypts, aquaria.net
1970 280SE, 72 280SE | Old wris****ches http://watches.list.mbz.org

[Elaine T]

Richard Sexton wrote:
>>Anyway, has anyone put a full window box planter across the top of a 10
>>gallon tank before? Do I need to make a shelf from a 1x4 to keep the
>>weight off of the tank? If I can I'd rather go without the shelf
>>because it will be more work finishing the wood to make it attractive
>>and water resistant.
>
>
> Probably. There are lots of different glass thicknesses used in
> making 10 gallon tanks and uness it's really thin and you have
> a realy heavy planter I can't imagine it would be a problem. The
> biggest problem with balancing acts like this is they fall off,
> or get knocked off. Don't ask me how I know. I'd use a piece of
> (5mm) glass instead of wood.
>
> Got cats?
>
>
No critters around but me and the fish, however I certainly have my own
ungraceful moments. I won't ask about your story but it sounds like a
mess. This tank is older and pretty thick but a shelf is sounding like
a wiser plan.

--
__ Elaine T __
><__'> http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><

[Elaine T]

Richard Sexton wrote:
>>The use of bog plants for nitrate and algae scrubbing is a popular theme,
>>among some in the cichlid circles, but mostly in the plant groups. At
>>one point, I think Tom Barr and others was working on the optimal list of
>>plants for this application. I think I remember philodendrons making the
>>top of the list.
>
>
> There's a picture of such a setup in the Dupla book and in _the
> Living Aquarium_. Philodendrons don't even need the substrate,
>
> I have a photo someplace here of Rosario LaCorte's fishroom that
> Matt Kaufman took where you can clearly see an 8' Phil with roots
> in the bottom aqaurium on the rack. Apparanly it's been there for
> years.
>

Yeah. I've grown pothos with roots trailing into the tank. The roots
went all the way down and into the substrate.

What I want to do is a mini-aquaponics system, although I don't plan to
eat the fish. http://www.aquaponics.com/Infoarticle02.htm talks about
it. Lettuces, spinach, and leafy herbs are possible with adequate
light, and I believe have enough for leaf lettuces. I think it would be
really fun to pick a salad from the top of a fishtank (means I can never
use any sort of med or chemical on the tank, of course).

However, I'll switch over to lower light bog plants like philodendron,
peace lilies, and maybe even crypts if the veggies don't work.

--
__ Elaine T __
><__'> http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><

[Elaine T]

NetMax wrote:
> "Elaine T" > wrote in message
> om...
>
>>I was just handed a 10 gallon tank last night, so of course I have to do
>>something with it. I have a spot in a window where a 2 gallon
>>quarantine has been that has enough light for java moss, rotala, and
>>(next to the tank) African violets. This seems like a perfect spot for
>>a bog filtered tank. I'm going to put a window box planter over the
>>tank, pump water up to it and let it trickle back through hydroponics
>>media back to the tank.
>>
>>I'm going to try growing lettuces and basil in the planter but may
>>switch for more traditional bog plants if that doesn't work. It will
>>depend whether there's enough light and how wet the planting medium
>>stays.
>>
>>Anyway, has anyone put a full window box planter across the top of a 10
>>gallon tank before? Do I need to make a shelf from a 1x4 to keep the
>>weight off of the tank? If I can I'd rather go without the shelf
>>because it will be more work finishing the wood to make it attractive
>>and water resistant.
>>
>>--
>> __ Elaine T __
>> ><__'> http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><
>
>
>
> I don't think a 10g would have trouble with the weight of a planter box.
> I'd be more worried about any condensation bringing metals/chemicals from
> the planter's surface into the water.
>
> The use of bog plants for nitrate and algae scrubbing is a popular theme,
> among some in the cichlid circles, but mostly in the plant groups. At
> one point, I think Tom Barr and others was working on the optimal list of
> plants for this application. I think I remember philodendrons making the
> top of the list.
>
> Let us know how it works out. I have an algae scrubber planned for my
> next application, but I'm undecided on whether it will be aquatic
> (holding microscopic life to feed the next group in my food chain), or
> terrestrial as you have planned (more like a nitrate-scrubber to use with
> fish with big appetites).
>
> I bet the filter of the future will hold some type of live plant inside
> it (you heard it here ;~).

I was planning on a cheap plastic window box planter so metals shouldn't
be an issue. I'll set it in the sun to outgas for a coule of weeks just
in case there are any plasticizers lurking in it. I'm also not sure why
condensation would be different from the water which will be running
through the planter continuously. Guess I can use some carbon initially
as well.

As I mentioned in my other post, I'm thinking of aquaponics with
something edible for fun rather than just the scrubbing function. I
don't need optimal plants because there will be some plants in the tank
to provide the fish cover and so forth.

--
__ Elaine T __
><__'> http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><

[NetMax]

"Elaine T" > wrote in message
m...
> NetMax wrote:
>> "Elaine T" > wrote in message
>> om...
>>
>>>I was just handed a 10 gallon tank last night, so of course I have to
>>>do something with it. I have a spot in a window where a 2 gallon
>>>quarantine has been that has enough light for java moss, rotala, and
>>>(next to the tank) African violets. This seems like a perfect spot
>>>for a bog filtered tank. I'm going to put a window box planter over
>>>the tank, pump water up to it and let it trickle back through
>>>hydroponics media back to the tank.
>>>
>>>I'm going to try growing lettuces and basil in the planter but may
>>>switch for more traditional bog plants if that doesn't work. It will
>>>depend whether there's enough light and how wet the planting medium
>>>stays.
>>>
>>>Anyway, has anyone put a full window box planter across the top of a
>>>10 gallon tank before? Do I need to make a shelf from a 1x4 to keep
>>>the weight off of the tank? If I can I'd rather go without the shelf
>>>because it will be more work finishing the wood to make it attractive
>>>and water resistant.
>>>
>>>--
>>> __ Elaine T __
>>> ><__'> http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><
>>
>>
>>
>> I don't think a 10g would have trouble with the weight of a planter
>> box. I'd be more worried about any condensation bringing
>> metals/chemicals from the planter's surface into the water.
>>
>> The use of bog plants for nitrate and algae scrubbing is a popular
>> theme, among some in the cichlid circles, but mostly in the plant
>> groups. At one point, I think Tom Barr and others was working on the
>> optimal list of plants for this application. I think I remember
>> philodendrons making the top of the list.
>>
>> Let us know how it works out. I have an algae scrubber planned for my
>> next application, but I'm undecided on whether it will be aquatic
>> (holding microscopic life to feed the next group in my food chain), or
>> terrestrial as you have planned (more like a nitrate-scrubber to use
>> with fish with big appetites).
>>
>> I bet the filter of the future will hold some type of live plant
>> inside it (you heard it here ;~).
>
> I was planning on a cheap plastic window box planter so metals
> shouldn't be an issue. I'll set it in the sun to outgas for a coule of
> weeks just in case there are any plasticizers lurking in it. I'm also
> not sure why condensation would be different from the water which will
> be running through the planter continuously. Guess I can use some
> carbon initially as well.

In a word, UV protection ;~). A planter's exterior paint would likely be
.... an exterior paint ;~). If you are using an all-plastic planter, then
the UV protection is in the plastic, so some carbon would be an excellent
idea for a while.

> As I mentioned in my other post, I'm thinking of aquaponics with
> something edible for fun rather than just the scrubbing function. I
> don't need optimal plants because there will be some plants in the tank
> to provide the fish cover and so forth.

Sounds perfectly sensible. I'd be tempted to switch to silk plants
inside, maximizing the nutrient levels in the water for the aquaponic
system. The only downside is the germation and initial growth stages
which I think would have to be done elsewhere.
--
www.NetMax.tk

> --
> __ Elaine T __
> ><__'> http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><