Questions about plants for Nano Tank!

[daniel2509]

Hi guys,

I recently set up a new nano Spec V (7500k led light) 5g tank for my betta. Unfortunately, I have no exp with plants before and it's kinda messing my head up atm. So these are my couple questions about setting up my tank:

1) Will regular gravel be fine to grow plants?

2) What plants should I choose for this tank? Something that my betta can lay down.

3) Do I really need CO2 system or sth else?

4) I want to grow a green carpet and what i should start with?

5) How to attach java moss to my drift wood?

6) Anything needs to be upgraded for my tank?

7) How do I clean my gravel without damaging the plants?

 

[wildroseofky]

Answer to question 1, Yes you can grow plants in gravel. You may have to add root tabs though for some plants.
2, 3, and 4 I will leave to more experienced plant growers. Although on CO2 I will say that I am using a diy setup in my 5 gallon and it is doing great. You could also use a CO2 supplement like Glutaraldehyde.

Question 5, just spread it out and tie it on with fishing line or thread. You can leave the fishing line in place even after the moss attached and it will be covered by the moss. Thread will eventually rot and come off itself.

Question 6, just get a gravel vacuum and slowly move it around the tank. You can also kinda swish the substrate with your hand and vacuum with the other hand. Takes a little practice but works.

Have you considered sand for your tank. I started out with gravel and switched to sand with my first tank. Now I will not use anything else. Gravel holds too much of the waste in my opinion. It falls down in between the gravel and you can never get it all out. Plants also do well in sand. You can get a 50 lb. bag of pool filter sand for around $8. Price varies. I paid $10 for mine but I live in the middle of no where. If you want black sand you can use blasting grit (coal slag). It looks great and is easy to clean and cost the same as pool filter sand.

 

[Rivercats]

Your betta is beautiful and since it's white I'd use a black substrate so it really stands out. I'd use Anubia Nana or Nana Petite on the DW. The lighting it has won't support a true carpeting plant as the light just isn't high enough but you could do 4 Leaf Clover, Marsilea quadrifolia or Dwarf 4 Leaf Clover, Marsilea hirsute. Both grow slow but if you start out with enough to plant small 1/2 clumps of it in a checkerboard pattern about every 1" or less it will fill in faster. You "might" be able to do Staurogyne Repens or Hydrocotyle sp Japan. I do suggest using a liquid carbon if you don't use CO2. Other plants that would work well would be Bolbitus, Ambulia, Micro Chain Sword, crypts, just to name a few.

 

[daniel2509]

Answer to question 1, Yes you can grow plants in gravel. You may have to add root tabs though for some plants.
2, 3, and 4 I will leave to more experienced plant growers. Although on CO2 I will say that I am using a diy setup in my 5 gallon and it is doing great. You could also use a CO2 supplement like Glutaraldehyde.

Question 5, just spread it out and tie it on with fishing line or thread. You can leave the fishing line in place even after the moss attached and it will be covered by the moss. Thread will eventually rot and come off itself.

Question 6, just get a gravel vacuum and slowly move it around the tank. You can also kinda swish the substrate with your hand and vacuum with the other hand. Takes a little practice but works.

Have you considered sand for your tank. I started out with gravel and switched to sand with my first tank. Now I will not use anything else. Gravel holds too much of the waste in my opinion. It falls down in between the gravel and you can never get it all out. Plants also do well in sand. You can get a 50 lb. bag of pool filter sand for around $8. Price varies. I paid $10 for mine but I live in the middle of no where. If you want black sand you can use blasting grit (coal slag). It looks great and is easy to clean and cost the same as pool filter sand.

Thanks, Another question: Do i need to quarantine plants before put it into my tank? Btw, sand is an awesome idea but will the filter sucks it in?

 

[daniel2509]

Your betta is beautiful and since it's white I'd use a black substrate so it really stands out. I'd use Anubia Nana or Nana Petite on the DW. The lighting it has won't support a true carpeting plant as the light just isn't high enough but you could do 4 Leaf Clover, Marsilea quadrifolia or Dwarf 4 Leaf Clover, Marsilea hirsute. Both grow slow but if you start out with enough to plant small 1/2 clumps of it in a checkerboard pattern about every 1" or less it will fill in faster. You "might" be able to do Staurogyne Repens or Hydrocotyle sp Japan. I do suggest using a liquid carbon if you don't use CO2. Other plants that would work well would be Bolbitus, Ambulia, Micro Chain Sword, crypts, just to name a few.

Anubis nana looks awesome but how we attach it to dw? Will carpet plant like marsilea hirsute as u suggested multiply itself or i have to purchase enough? Furthermore, Staurogyne Repens will be awesome with carpet. Thanks a bunch, Rivercats!

 

[Dallascowboys16]

For the anubias just tie it to the driftwood with some thread to let it get established and after about 2-3 months you can remove the thread because it would have attached to the driftwood by that point.

 

[wildroseofky]

You have to let the sand settle before turning on the filter. Or you can attach a sponge to the filter intake. A good idea anyway if you plan on having shrimp. After the sand settles it should not bother the filter. Just keep the filter intake a couple of inches above the sand bed. If you rinse it really well before adding to tank all of the small stuff is washed out and the remaining sand settles quickly when put in the tank.

 

[Rivercats]

You don't need to QT plants but mix 1 part hydrogen peroxide to 3 or 4 parts water and soak all new plants for 20 minutes in it. This will usually kill all snails, eggs, algae, and other nasty's that can come in on plants.

 

[daniel2509]

You don't need to QT plants but mix 1 part hydrogen peroxide to 3 or 4 parts water and soak all new plants for 20 minutes in it. This will usually kill all snails, eggs, algae, and other nasty's that can come in on plants.

New update! My tank looks worst than ever. Cloudy water with sth like oil film on the top of it. Furthermore, my driftwood has thick white fuzz! But the plants started growing well. What can i do then?

 

[Rivercats]

The film is a protein layer which means you don't have enough surface movement to keep it from forming. You use lay paper towels on the surface at one end of the tank and gently wipe them across the surface to remove a lot of the film but you need to lower your water level enough so that the water from your filter waterfalls into the tank and doesn't just flow into it.

Also try putting a layer of 100% polyfill in your filter to catch small detris/dirt. The dirtier the polyfill gets the finer the particles it can remove from the water.

Does the cloudiness come right back after a WC or does the WC make and keep the tank less cloudy? If the cloudiness comes right back it's a bacterial bloom. Also what is your tanks ph?

 

[daniel2509]

The film is a protein layer which means you don't have enough surface movement to keep it from forming. You use lay paper towels on the surface at one end of the tank and gently wipe them across the surface to remove a lot of the film but you need to lower your water level enough so that the water from your filter waterfalls into the tank and doesn't just flow into it.

Also try putting a layer of 100% polyfill in your filter to catch small detris/dirt. The dirtier the polyfill gets the finer the particles it can remove from the water.

Does the cloudiness come right back after a WC or does the WC make and keep the tank less cloudy? If the cloudiness comes right back it's a bacterial bloom. Also what is your tanks ph?

I just did a 90% wc and boiled my dw second time, It's getting better. I still have protein film even i low my water lvl down. At this point, how can i get my tank cycled?

 

[Rivercats]

Do you have fish or not? That will determine what cycling you need to do. Here is a list of AA articles on both types of cycling... http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forum...ou-get-started-with-your-aquarium-154837.html.

 

[daniel2509]

Do you have fish or not? That will determine what cycling you need to do. Here is a list of AA articles on both types of cycling... http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f15/articles-to-help-you-get-started-with-your-aquarium-154837.html.

Thanks Rivercats,

I just did a huge change in my tank! Take out all regular gravel and replace it with Floramax midnight black. My questions are:
1) How deep should I plant my DH?
2) Is 2" to 2 1/2" of Floramax good for now?
3) Can I use API Leafzone, CO2 boost and API Algae Fix as a combo to keep my plants healthy n grow faster?

 

[Rivercats]

Thanks Rivercats,

I just did a huge change in my tank! Take out all regular gravel and replace it with Floramax midnight black. My questions are:
1) How deep should I plant my DH?
2) Is 2" to 2 1/2" of Floramax good for now?
3) Can I use API Leafzone, CO2 boost and API Algae Fix as a combo to keep my plants healthy n grow faster?

View attachment 197319

You just stick the DHG down far enough to stay. But it will fill in faster if you use about 1/2" thick chunks planted about every 3/4" apart in a checkerboard pattern.

That is fine for the Floramax.

Leaf Zone is basically iron and potassium so you really need to also use something like Flourish Comprehensive and you'll just have to see how the DHG does. Don't use Algae Fix for any kind of algae. Also start using the liquid carbon at 1ml per 10g tank water then after a week or two go up to 1ml liquid carbon per 5 gallons of tank water.

 

[daniel2509]

You just stick the DHG down far enough to stay. But it will fill in faster if you use about 1/2" thick chunks planted about every 3/4" apart in a checkerboard pattern.

That is fine for the Floramax.

Leaf Zone is basically iron and potassium so you really need to also use something like Flourish Comprehensive and you'll just have to see how the DHG does. Don't use Algae Fix for any kind of algae. Also start using the liquid carbon at 1ml per 10g tank water then after a week or two go up to 1ml liquid carbon per 5 gallons of tank water.

I also notice that my java moss is turning brown. Did i tie it so tight or bcoz of different elements?

 

[Rivercats]

It could just be acclimating to your tank. You can't tie it too tight as all it needs a one tiny piece and it will grow.

 

[Sillyfishies]

Thanks Rivercats,

I just did a huge change in my tank! Take out all regular gravel and replace it with Floramax midnight black. My questions are:
1) How deep should I plant my DH?
2) Is 2" to 2 1/2" of Floramax good for now?
3) Can I use API Leafzone, CO2 boost and API Algae Fix as a combo to keep my plants healthy n grow faster?

Is that the stock lighting? I don't think it can support DHG.

 

[daniel2509]

Is that the stock lighting? I don't think it can support DHG.

Should i upgrade it then?

 

[Sillyfishies]

Should i upgrade it then?

If you want to do a high tech tank. I thought DHG was highlight - high maintenance ?

 

[daniel2509]

If you want to do a high tech tank. I thought DHG was highlight - high maintenance ?

It survived almost 2 weeks in my tank already. I did a lil research says that i need medium/high light and flow, co2, etc