12" cube plant recommendations: low light

[Rcguerra]

After several atempts to sell my 7.7 cubes from Mr. Aqua, I decided to rearrange some furniture and have 1 of my male bettas staying with me in the bedroom. Here is what I have to upcycle and make this tank viable:

Heater
Sponge filter
Substrate
2 finnex fugeray
Plants from the office tank

Here is where I need help: I need this tank to be ZERO maintenance. No CO2, no constant water changes, no high maintenance plants requering dosing, liquid carbon, iron, etc.

Besides anubia nanas, what else can go into this tank and thrive?

Ludwigia repens?

I do not want any big leaves like Amazon swords or Madagascar: these kind will go on my 2015 project in the living room.


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[trennamw]

I'm very new to this arena but for sake of comparison I have the following tank, which is now even filter free and housing a betta, with no water changes:

3 gallon Marineland/Tetra crescent with its stock LED light
ADA Amazonia (probably overkill)
Sand cap because I wanted white substrate
1 ozelot sword (I like the scale, reminds me of a giant oak tree in gone with the wind)
1 pot each microsword and crypt parva
2 bunches of pennywort floating (trimmed and woven together a little to be prettier)
Whisper 10

The tank had previously been a cyano heaven, that never returned.

I was doing weekly 50% changes and running about 15 on nitrates. Then the filter broke and I was surprised to find, not only did no ammonia appear, nitrates started to drop despite lack of water changes.

There's a seachem root tab under the sword (well, probably gone by now). I use seachem equilibrium to get my almost RO tapwater up to GH of 4-5. That's about it. Even now with nitrates at nothing the ozelot grows. Slowly, but that's a good thing.

Threw a little willow hygro in too and it also is happy but not growing. Also a good thing IMO.

My other tank is super low maintenance, lower medium light, Osmocote DIY tabs, leaf zone ... Has crypts, star repens, cabomba, willow hygro, anubias, java fern ... Everything is great except the java fern which won't grow. Cabomba is going bananas by the heater.

My advice would be to not exceed medium light, and try bits of whatever in there and see what happens.


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[Brookster123]

I agree with tren.. on most all she said.. one thing I'd add. Consider a potting soil substare with sand cap, this should take care of daily dosing. If you won't be using glut than one light suspended at 12"... plants.. anubias, java fern and some moss. Fresh2o is selling some perfect moss and also water lettuce would be a nice addition.. he's got that too.. i have water lettuce in my 5.5.. it helps lower light intensity and looks great as well..

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[Rcguerra]

I'm very new to this arena but for sake of comparison I have the following tank, which is now even filter free and housing a betta, with no water changes:

3 gallon Marineland/Tetra crescent with its stock LED light

Sounds nice. Any pictures?



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[trennamw]

Sounds nice. Any pictures?



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I've exceeded my quota ... Haven't figured out a way around that!


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[Rcguerra]

Apparently one of my cubes got damaged during the move from Florida to Massachusetts: slow but constant leaking at one of the corners (with broken glass, not wise to try to repair it.

Ended up recycling a 2.5 betta tank. Plants coming in tomorrow.




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[Rcguerra]

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