Nano planted aquarium help

[skyler1354]

Hey guys! i haven't been on for a while, but i'm back! i had been breeding guppies as a hobby for about 2 and a half years, with moderate success. i am now in college in Moorhead MN, and i cannot have a breeding setup in my dorm room. but! i found a steal and got an 8 gallon oceanic bio cube and i set it up as a planted tank. there are 36 watts to 8 gallons, plenty for plants (i believe.) i was wondering, should i add co2, and if so, what would be the best way to do so? i am on a budget, but i am willing to invest some money into something. i am dosing flourish weekly, and will start flourish excel daily. the substrate is Eco Complete Planted Black Aquarium Substrate

also, i am planning on stocking it with 1 male scarlet badis, 2 female badis, and two dwarf puffer fish. would this be alright? here is a picture of the tank after about 3 days.

 

[skyler1354]

 

[Chesmok]

Tank looks good! co2 would be expensive to run but if you don't do it then you're gonna have a lot of algae. That's a lot of watts for a tank that small. You'll want to add a cleanup crew for algae control for sure. At least a few shrimp and or snails.

Cheap co2 you could always do vinegar and baking soda and add it to one of those diy kits off eBay. But any pressurized system it could add up.

You don't really need to dose flourish excel daily I don't really understand why people do it it's not really liquid co2 and never did anything for my plants. Flourish is way better.


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[Bichir Bro]

View attachment 260525Hey guys! i haven't been on for a while, but i'm back! i had been breeding guppies as a hobby for about 2 and a half years, with moderate success. i am now in college in Moorhead MN, and i cannot have a breeding setup in my dorm room. but! i found a steal and got an 8 gallon oceanic bio cube and i set it up as a planted tank. there are 36 watts to 8 gallons, plenty for plants (i believe.) i was wondering, should i add co2, and if so, what would be the best way to do so? i am on a budget, but i am willing to invest some money into something. i am dosing flourish weekly, and will start flourish excel daily. the substrate is Eco Complete Planted Black Aquarium Substrate



also, i am planning on stocking it with 1 male scarlet badis, 2 female badis, and two dwarf puffer fish. would this be alright? here is a picture of the tank after about 3 days.

You may want to skip the puffer. He'll likely pester (or even stress) the Badis and IMO puffers need at least ten gallons.


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[skyler1354]

Thanks for the quick response!
Chesmok:what kit are you referring to? one that uses 2 liter bottles? what is your opinion on the fluval co2 kits, either the 20g or the 88g? i have already put malaysian snails in the tank to begin breeding. i know that both badis and DP enjoy snacking on them. but i will for sure look into some shrimp.

Bichir: i heard that they would be alright, as long as the tank is planted heavily enough. once these plants grow in, it will be plenty thick enough.
there is also this link that shows them in the same tank. http://youtu.be/B7qo0udXHdI

maybe i will only get one dwarf puffer, and some dwarf cory cats. i am iffy on the dwarf corys though

 

[Bichir Bro]

Thanks for the quick response!
Chesmok:what kit are you referring to? one that uses 2 liter bottles? what is your opinion on the fluval co2 kits, either the 20g or the 88g? i have already put malaysian snails in the tank to begin breeding. i know that both badis and DP enjoy snacking on them. but i will for sure look into some shrimp.

Bichir: i heard that they would be alright, as long as the tank is planted heavily enough. once these plants grow in, it will be plenty thick enough.
there is also this link that shows them in the same tank. http://youtu.be/B7qo0udXHdI

maybe i will only get one dwarf puffer, and some dwarf cory cats. i am iffy on the dwarf corys though

This is true that they belong in heavily planted tanks. This is to break line of sight and curve aggression but DP's like to be In little groups and a single one wouldnt be too happy I wouldn't imagine. He just couldn't cruise around as much like he could with his buds in a bigger tank.
Another thing is I seldom trust YouTube videos because who knows what happens in that tank a month or so on down the line. Point is that the viewer has no clue what's happening after the videos shot. Unless it's an actual page with updates, subscribers and such I wouldn't take that video as evidence they will get along at all.

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[skyler1354]

So i could get two? Possibly two females?

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[Bichir Bro]

So i could get two? Possibly two females?

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Assuming your talking about the DP's you probably could honestly without the badis but just I wouldn't advise it with scarlet badis.


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[skyler1354]

Why is that?

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[Bichir Bro]

Why is that?

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I've always heard they're really nippy fish even when happy. That's what the heavily planted tanks are for. Scarlet badis are pretty finicky little dudes and I wouldn't imagine theyd stand too too much abuse.


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[skyler1354]

I would put the scarlet badis in first for about 2 weeks, as to have them be establish their territory first. I will get one male and two females.
Honestly, i heard dp vary from fish to fish. That, and introducing 2 females to a heavily planted, established aquarium, i feel i will be alright.

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[Chesmok]

I have no experience with badis or puffers but I hear puffers can get territorial. But back to the co2. From what I hear, those fluval kits are a total waste of money. The diffuser it comes with is gigantic and ugly. To buy another diffuser = more money. Cartridges are petty expensive to refill considering how little they contain. I also hear from my LFS you can't really control the diffusion rate and since you have to turn it off at night every morning you have to reset it properly too much hassle if you ask me.

Yeah the 2l bottles might be better if you really really want co2. I don't like co2. Too much work. I have all my tanks fully planted with medium lights and no co2. Just don't keep lights on for more than 6 hours.


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[Coursair]

Scarlet Badis are WC. They often only eat live food at first. They are very slow deliberate hunters. That is why many of us put them in the cherry shrimp tank because we know the live babies will give them food.

I had one that would eat flakes but they showed me at the store that he was already trained eat them.

I would never mix a Scarlet Badis and a DP . DPs could be fine and then one day they're not.
http://youtu.be/Jujt9hx7Ejc

I have never seen one of my SB's attack a snail. They eat baby brine, crushed flakes and crush micro pellets.

I would do plants, RCS (Shrimp) and SBs. If you want a puffer I would not put other fish with it. They are dirty fish from their diet and need bigger water volume and good filtration that's what I've been taught.

If you do shrimp and SBs, then you could maybe add a micro Rasbora species. Like Chili Rasbora.

I have pygmy Cories in my 10g. These are Cory habrosus.

RCSCPDs




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[Bichir Bro]

I would put the scarlet badis in first for about 2 weeks, as to have them be establish their territory first. I will get one male and two females.
Honestly, i heard dp vary from fish to fish. That, and introducing 2 females to a heavily planted, established aquarium, i feel i will be alright.

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This may help with their courage and ability to stand up to the puffs. And yes they vary from fish to fish.
Corsair is right.

I have no experience with badis or puffers but I hear puffers can get territorial. But back to the co2. From what I hear, those fluval kits are a total waste of money. The diffuser it comes with is gigantic and ugly. To buy another diffuser = more money. Cartridges are petty expensive to refill considering how little they contain. I also hear from my LFS you can't really control the diffusion rate and since you have to turn it off at night every morning you have to reset it properly too much hassle if you ask me.

Yeah the 2l bottles might be better if you really really want co2. I don't like co2. Too much work. I have all my tanks fully planted with medium lights and no co2. Just don't keep lights on for more than 6 hours.


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I agree with the facts on the Fluval system. I was going to get their mini system too but once a member pointed out they're garbage previously I dug deeper and found out they're nothing but work. For nano tanks paintball tanks are the way to go!



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[skyler1354]

Any advice on paintball setup? For cheap?

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[Coursair]

Any advice on paintball setup? For cheap?

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Buy from another hobbyist is best.

See if you have a local club ! My friend went to get a tank from another club member and we ended up with a ton of supplies incl a CO2 rig.

Join the Planted Tank. Sales are members only.

eBay, but buyer be educated and aware and use paypal.


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