Nano Shrimp Planted tank Questions

[CollegeFresh]

I've setup larger planted tanks (75 Gallons) before but due to new area constraints the biggest tank i can set up is 3-5 Gallons, which is new for me. I have a couple questions in terms of equipment and stocking. I want to do everything right from the start so I would love to hear some experts opinions.

1) What kind of foreground and background plants work well with a nano tank WITHOUT CO2? I plan on only stalking with shrimp and maybe some small fish. I was thinking glossostigma elatinoides for foreground, has anyone worked with this?


2) Whats a good nano light? Lighting will be very important without CO2. I've worked with expensive brands on larger tanks but hopefully a cheaper brand will work.

3) Any recommendations on darker substrates and dosing for the tank?

 

[skrapeNKA]

1) I love java moss and cryptocorynes. Java moss can be secured / wrapped around / glued on / tied to almost anything and will attach itself to more porous things like driftwood given the opportunity. Cryptocorynes come in a wide variety of sizes and shapes are just about as hardy as java moss!

2) I have a little 5g hatching tank set up on my counter right now with a 10$ clip-on LED light from the local department store's 'fish aisle' (No idea on any sort of lighting values; the thing has 8 white LEDs on a head attached to a flexible neck, looks like a reading lamp). It's been set up for probably 2 months now and the java moss I threw in from my main tank looks just as good as it did when I removed it. You can hardly tell it's on during the day, but once the sun goes down the little tank remains nicely illuminated. As an added bonus, there isn't any green algae growing in it at all. No dosing, no CO2, no need for a powerful light

3) Estes Stoney River Black Sand. It's cheap and it's dark. I'm growing a few different stem plants, cryptocorynes and an ozelot sword in my main tank with this substrate (mixed with a white sand). Roots do just fine in this stuff.

As far as other equipment goes, I'm running a Deep Blue "20 gallon" sponge filter with a Marina 50 air pump for filtration and heating with a Cobalt AccuTherm 25W. I ended up growing a handful of RCS out in it between hatchings because java moss. Java moss should really just be called shrimp fort.