Brand new plant build nano challenge

[busymom23]

Ok, so read a mad art lab article about doing a desktop challenge for nano tanks. And while I'm getting started, my big idea needs some more information. I am doing a 5 gallon nano. Spending less than $100 to set it up per the challenge. I had a 5 gallon tank setting around from my daughter so I'm using that. Bought Carib sea Eco complete black plant substrate then bought rosette sword, telantha cardinalis, dwarf hair grass, rotala, that put me right at $88. The 5 gallon had a lid and black light led, which I removed the black light and added 5 led lights. My question is...I planted plants around the tank, water was treated with prime, how long should I have lights on, are 5 led lights adequate? The Eco complete should be everything plants need to thrive, correct? I may add a betta are there too many plants in there for a small tank and single betta?

I'm very excited for this build, thanks for your advice!



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[Nils]

Looks good! Are you planning on injecting Co2? The dwarf hair grass will be hard to grow, only does well in high tech setups (song light, injected Co2, good substrate, added ferts etc.)

 

[busymom23]

No idea what injected co2 is? This is my first ever planted, so I don't want overly complicated cause I want to succeed. I was hoping that my lighting was sufficient and that I didn't need to add chemicals. If I keep lights on adequately and keep up with water changes, that they'd flourish. That's my idea, just need input from those more experienced.


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[Nils]

So basically injected Co2 is taking a tank full of Co2, putting a regulator on it and guiding it into your tank through air line tubing into a diffuser, which breaks it up into little tiny micro bubbles that get absorbed into he water column and then by the plants. Aquatek and Milwaukee are both companies that make awesome regulators.

 

[TheresaM]

I'm low tech when it comes to planted tanks but you could definitely add a betta, no problem at all.

Looks really nice!

 

[busymom23]

Ok I understand now. Do plants NEED co2 injector to live? Or are the plants I have ok without it? Being as I'm on a challenge I only have $12 left, and I wanted to use that on a betta after I know plants are ok. Here's the link to the challenge if anyone is interested http://madartlab.com/desktop-aquarium-challenge/
So my plants are good with just lighting and water changes?


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[Laeris]

Most plants don't require co2 just to live. TheresaM has a tank with no artificial anything and it grows so well she gives it dirty looks ?

 

[busymom23]

Haha, too funny! Do you think the 5 led on 5 gallon is enough? Too much? How many hours/day should lights be on? Do you think that Eco complete substrate has enough nutrients? Or should I be dosing something?


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[Nils]

Sorry if I cam across wrong. Co2 is by no means necessary. It's just good to have for some of the more higher demanding plants (like dwarf hair grass)

For the lights, anywhere from 4-8 is hours is a good photoperiod. You might experience algae, which results from lots of light being on to long, excess food, and phosphates. Most people have their lights hooked up on timers, which allow an exact amount of time for the lights to be on everyday.

 

[Reygan2]

What type of LED lights are those?
I tried dwarf hair grass in my 3g cube and it lived, even spread just a little, but it took FOREVER and after a couple of years it was eventually drowned out by other plants. It never did carpet for me, and that's with a decent LED light fixture. You could add root tabs and dose a liquid fert like Excel to get some growth from those other plants, provided those lights are adequate.

 

[busymom23]

I honestly don't know much about the led. Those were on a 55 gallon lid that I took and glued to my 5 gallon lid. The 55 I swiped the lights from had 10 leds, 5 on each lid.
I wanted the grassy look for my "hillside" especially, do you think I could get moss to grow? Or will it look ok without the dwarf hair grass?


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[TheresaM]

Most plants don't require co2 just to live. TheresaM has a tank with no artificial anything and it grows so well she gives it dirty looks ?

That's the jungle tank! I got really lucky with that one, no idea why. All my other tanks have lights and filters and get ferts but they don't have the growth and good color that the jungle has.

Were you thinking about any particular type of moss?

 

[busymom23]

Not in particular, just wanted the hillside to be green and grow around the rocks. I think it'd look good. I've got a small piece of driftwood soaking for the right side of the tank, that maybe moss would look good on. I'm not experienced at all with live plants, so don't know how moss grows or what would look good. Would tank look too busy? I'd be open to moss if dwarf hair grass doesn't make it...just learning as I go..


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[Paulm7373]

Reygan, that looks incredible! I'm also starting to have a nano itch, but first thing's first, I will have to contend with a mad *** 150G cichlid setup for a while first!

I love that spider wood driftwood you have there. Better make sure you have good security around your place cus I might be tempted to come break in and steal it off you LOL ?


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