5 gal filter ?

[uaramper]

Just set up a 5 gallon mini bedside aquarium. What filter would you recommend for a 5 gallon tank with sand? Internal, power ?

 

[mistersprinkles]

Just set up a 5 gallon mini bedside aquarium. What filter would you recommend for a 5 gallon tank with sand? Internal, power ?

How about just a little air driven sponge filter? It's going to be hard to avoid sucking up sand with anything else in a tank that small IMO. The downside is it'll take up room inside the tank. There ARE little nano HOB filters for 5gal tanks but you'd end up sucking sand into it I think. You could try the smallest model of aquaclear. But again, the sand...

 

[uaramper]

What about the aquaclear 10 on the lowest settiing . I just think a sponge would take way to much room . Ideas ?

 

[mistersprinkles]

How are you going to vaccuum the surface of that sand with so many plastic plants in the way? An AC10 would be fine.

 

[uaramper]

Im dont plan on vacing it that much as there should not be that much stuff getting below the surface . I got the aquaclear 20 and just have it on a low setting. The plastic plants will be coming out slowly and live ones will replace it .

 

[mistersprinkles]

Im dont plan on vacing it that much as there should not be that much stuff getting below the surface . I got the aquaclear 20 and just have it on a low setting. The plastic plants will be coming out slowly and live ones will replace it .

Live plants don't really live in sand. Youll have to stick to java fern, windelov fern, and anubias, and tie them to rocks or driftwood. Java moss would work too.

 

[uaramper]

Ok sounds good. I guess I should have said what kind of plants. But yes those plants will be going in there. And the plastic will be removed. Its a neon tetra habitat tank.

 

[mistersprinkles]

Ok sounds good. I guess I should have said what kind of plants. But yes those plants will be going in there. And the plastic will be removed. Its a neon tetra habitat tank.

Urgh... That's a bad idea man. Neons don't do well in tanks that small. You can try it but I suspect you'll have a bad experience. I realize it's a small fish but it doesn't do well in a small tank. How about a pair of killifish and some shrimp? That's more reasonable.

 

[uaramper]

Bummer that bad huh ? Not what I wanted to hear.

 

[cmwalters]

There are some fish that will do well in a 5 gallon tank. Like some of the micro rasboras (briggitae , etc.), definitely shrimp they are really cool, or maybe a pea puffer. I'm not very knowledgable on the puffer, but if you decide to go that route I'm sure someone else will chime in.

 

[uaramper]

Ill start looking around . Thank you. Shrimp like ghost or what kind. Im going for the micro habitat.

 

[mistersprinkles]

Ill start looking around . Thank you. Shrimp like ghost or what kind. Im going for the micro habitat.

That'd make a good shrimp tank. You should get shrimp substrate though. Better for the shrimp.

You could keep any small shrimp in there. Cherry, Amano, Ghost, a combo thereof. Etc.

 

[Mebbid]

Live plants don't really live in sand. Youll have to stick to java fern, windelov fern, and anubias, and tie them to rocks or driftwood. Java moss would work too.

Live plants do amazingly well in sand. It's a far better substrate than gravel for planting.

Ill start looking around . Thank you. Shrimp like ghost or what kind. Im going for the micro habitat.

Your best bet would be to add neocardinia shrimp of your preferred species. The red cherry shrimp is the most popular and it also breeds very easily. Just do.t mix different color forms or else they will crossbreed. Crystal red shrimp are a popular shrimp to mix with the red cherrys that won't breed with them.

That'd make a good shrimp tank. You should get shrimp substrate though. Better for the shrimp.

You could keep any small shrimp in there. Cherry, Amano, Ghost, a combo thereof. Etc.

What would you define as a shrimp substrate?

 

[uaramper]

Thank you mebbid.

I will wait to see what happens to the tetras then create the shrimp tank. I will be adding live plants and also a co2 system.

 

[mistersprinkles]

Live plants do amazingly well in sand. It's a far better substrate than gravel for planting.

Which plants? I've never had any success with plants in sand. I doubt sand is better than ADA soil or fluorite or eco complete.

What would you define as a shrimp substrate?

for example

 

[Mebbid]

Which plants? I've never had any success with plants in sand. I doubt sand is better than ADA soil or fluorite or eco complete.

for example

I have 2 planted tanks. One with sand and the other with flourite. The planted tank with sand is much much much more successful than the one with flourite despite nearly identical fert dosing regimens, photoperiods, and parameters.

The plants that do best in sand from my experience tend to be the smaller plants such as most carpeting plants and plants that don't have a well established root system to keep them from getting pulled out or blown out of the substrate. Other than that I can't say that I have a single plant that does better in my flourite.

 

[uaramper]

I got my first few plants today and they look great. Im thinking of running a 8-10k light

 

[mistersprinkles]

I got my first few plants today and they look great. Im thinking of running a 8-10k light

That's more in the blue spectrum isn't it? AFAIK for plants you should have a red spectrum bulb and a white bulb.

 

[uaramper]

Well ill be running duel dome lights. So have one geared towards red and one towards blue. 4k and 10k.

 

[mistersprinkles]

Well ill be running duel dome lights. So have one geared towards red and one towards blue. 4k and 10k.

I may be wrong but my understanding is that you'd be best to change the 10K to a 6500K.