5.5 gal Betta tank

[agwats]

I have a cycled 5.5 I've been using as a grow out for assassin snails and I decided I want to turn it into a planted betta tank but I haven't had anything smaller than a 20 since I was a little kid. I was thinking of using Eco complete capped with sand as my substrate and the hood is a screw-in type so I figured a 6500k CFL would work or a coralife 50/50 but Idk which would be better or what kind of wattage I should use. Also not sure on what plants to use for a tank this size. Any help from anyone with experience with small planted tanks would be very helpful and thanks in advance

 

[Rivercats]

Plants I use in 6g tanks are Dwarf Sag, Ambulia, Anubia, Bolbitus, Java Fern Wendilov, Crypt Parva, and Dwarf Baby Tears if your light is strong enough.

 

[agwats]

I really like the dwarf babytears but Idk what lighting I should use. I was thinking a 10 watt coral life 50/50 or a 10 or 15 watt CFL. Or should I go with 20 watt?

 

[Rivercats]

I'm terrible with lights on small tanks so maybe you should start a new thread asking. But almost all carpet plants need high, CO2 or liquid carbon, and ferts for good growth.

 

[CorallineAlgae]

HC is going to need a lot of care other than just light. It may be worth a shot with Excell if you won't have co2. My 5.5 planted betta tank has straight Eco Complete for the substrate with root tabs. I'd start with a 6500K 10 watt CFL. You can bump it up to about 15W if you are having trouble but it's such a shallow tank. I use a 16" Finnex FugeRay and it's pretty nice but isn't as flexible as a CFL setup.

 

[aqua_chem]

There's really not reason not to use a DIY co2 setup in a tank that size. That's really the trick to getting HC to grow.

 

[agwats]

If I look into it and decide I want a DIY C02 would a 15 or 20 watt 6500K CFL work?

 

[aqua_chem]

Depends on the setup and fixture, but that would probably be on the high end of what you need.

 

[agwats]

Cool. I just looked up the diy co2 and it seems really easy so im leaning that way. One more question, would you go with the corallife 50/50 or 6500k CFL?

 

[aqua_chem]

Definitely the 6500k.