Thank you so much for your help HeathB. I think I will buy some plants this coming weekend and change my lighting too. I will post pictures if I still remember how on this thread when i get my plants and get them all settled in.
Newbie looking for good advice on small planted tank.
- Thread starter Kildarra
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logansmomma1228
Aquarium Advice Addict
I have heard a lot about java fern/ java moss and watersprite as good beginner plants. You can attach the Java Fern to a rock or a piece of driftwood and it will attach itself, also they don't need a lot of light and are pretty hardy plants. There are also some good articles on this forum about getting started with planted tanks.
The internet is great for information and talking to people with hands-on experience, but something else thats always a possibility are books. Try your local library perhaps. I bought a book called "The 101 Best Aquarium Plants." Its a great little book with pictures of the plants and little care guides describing what part of the tank plants best work out, what kind of lighting and substrate they need, and lots of other info about special care if needed. It also has a little guide at the beginning about setting up planted tanks, and towards the back, it lists some plants that are commonly sold as aquarium plants, but are actually terrestrial (land) plants to avoid.
+1 to what Momma said. One of the features of this site I find handy at times, is to just type a plant or other topic in the search bar and see what threads pop up. Chances are, someone in the past has also wondered about the same things.
logansmomma1228
Aquarium Advice Addict
So I just realized that I somehow missed a whole page of this thread.... Sorry for repeating a couple things lol. I was thinking about checking out the library today, I haven't picked up a single book about fish or anything yet. All my research has been done over the internet. I always come double check on here though, I trust the advice on this site. Lots of these people have a lot of experience. 
I am really excited to start this tank with plants. Atleast I knew to do a fishless cycle or I would have to wait for a longer time. Do any of you have any idea on what type of fish I can keep in here other than a betta. Or a betta with something else.
I live out in the boonies too. Do you have well water? And if so, do you use a water softener that uses those salt pellets?
Thats what I have at my house, and I found out that the water softened with those salt pellets isn't very good for my fish or my plants. In fact, the well water I have is actually quite good for plants since it has a high GH (general hardness: measures the amount of calcium and magnesium in your water). Calcium and magnesium are great stuff for plants, but I realized that without something like diy co2 or flourish excel, that the plants couldn't deal with all the calcium, and I had big white deposits of it on my heater and some plants.
no we have city water but I live in the mountains at one time there was well water here but we don't use it anymore. Just one more quick question. Do I have to have a heater if my water temps stay in the upper 70s? right now it is at 78 degrees
logansmomma1228
Aquarium Advice Addict
you could type in stocking a 5.5 gallon tank in the google search engine and see what comes up; I know when I got my 10G I didn't know that there isn't a whole lot you can do with a little tank. If it is for your son then you could look for some other more solitary fish and let him pick one out maybe? When my little man gets old enough I plan on getting him a tank or giving him one of mine to get his own fishies Most of the tiny fish that would go well in little tanks are schooling fish, however.
I have a dwarf puffer in my 10 g, and you could put one or two in your 5.5. The only thing with that is if you put two they might fight when they get older. These little guys are real cute, and they have awesome personalities, but they can be very mean to anything other than otos and some shrimp.
That's another option, you could do a shrimp tank.
Most of the tiny fish that would go well in little tanks are schooling fish, however.I have a dwarf puffer in my 10 g, and you could put one or two in your 5.5. The only thing with that is if you put two they might fight when they get older. These little guys are real cute, and they have awesome personalities, but they can be very mean to anything other than otos and some shrimp.
That's another option, you could do a shrimp tank.
logansmomma1228
Aquarium Advice Addict
As far as the heater goes it sounds like your water should be OK without it, but I would get one when you get a chance just in case. It also helps to have a heater that you can adjust if your fish get sick.
I was think about doing a dwarf puffer but as you said it is for my son. I just want to be able to show him some fish and let him pick them out for himself. I just wanted to make sure I could show him something other than a betta so he will have a choice.
With a 5.5 you're a bit limited in your choices. Most smaller fish that are sold like to live in a school, and they like a bit more room to swim around in than a 5.5 offers. A betta would be great in there, but I would give it a while to get used to its new home.
They can be pretty territorial, but some can be just plain pussycats (I haven't seen any though, haha). A good way to test if your betta would play nice with others would be to pick up something small and cheap like a ghost shrimp or a snail, and see how the betta reacts. If he throws a fit, its best to get his "new friend" out of there, and now you know what he'll be like.
logansmomma1228
Aquarium Advice Addict
I know for a heater suitable for your tank you should be able to find one pretty inexpensive. Just make sure you look for one that you can adjust. I made the mistake of buying one that maintains the temp automatically, which isn't necessarily a bad thing but I can't adjust it if i need to raise the temp any.
They come in a few different colors, but yeah, thats the one. With a dwarf gourami, I would do the same thing as with the betta. Test the waters with perhaps a snail or shrimp first to see how he reacts, and play it by there.
thanks for the advice logansmomma I will keep that in mind when purchasing the heater.
Do you know anything about getting rocks out of the garden area that was in the ground or taking them from a creek near by to add to my tank. Should I boil them like driftwood (which I still can't find a nice sized piece for my tank) Or leave them soak in water for a couple of days?
Do you know anything about getting rocks out of the garden area that was in the ground or taking them from a creek near by to add to my tank. Should I boil them like driftwood (which I still can't find a nice sized piece for my tank) Or leave them soak in water for a couple of days?
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