2.5 Nano Planted advice

[Puckhog429]

I recently got a 2.5 gallon tank that i plan on stocking with a Halfmoon Betta, ghost shrimp, and if needed an oto. It is not setup yet but i have a filter and light. The filter is an Azoo palm filter and the light is a 15 watt incandescent. I am 13 and have a 5.5 gallon and a 20 gallon that are going great. In the 2.5 i wanted to do some easy beginner plants because i have never kept plants before. Some things that i wanted to know are
1. What kinds of plants to stock
2. What type of bulb could i use to upgrade because the incandescent makes an undesirable yellow light
3. What things you need to keep plants substrate,fertilizer,etc
I am going to get a small 25watt heater soon.

Thanks a lot for suggestions. Tell me what you would do with a 2.5 gallon.
Please remember that i am 13 and have limited funds (dont have 100's of dollars to spend)

 

[Scottyhorse]

Okay so, since your tank is pretty small, for plants I would suggest
Dwarf Hair Grass, maybe some crypts. I am kinda new at this too, so i can't think of many off the top of my head. Just look up low light aquarium plants and you will find lots of suggestions. Just make sure they stay small!

LED lights are nice.

For the plants, do some ferts. Like I said, wait for an experienced member to tell you the name of the good one. One can melt plants!!
For substrate your going to need about 2-3 pounds, and make sure you vacuum the gravel out when you do water changes.

Also, get a 10 watt heater instead of the 25 watt, that one will cook your fish!

For stocking it, DO NOT get an otto for that small of a tank. They should be in larger groups, and one in that small of a tank, with a betta, will not last long. Ottos can live with bettas, just not in that small of a tank. To clean the algae, get a nerite snail.

Also, make sure you get an API liquid test kit for Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate. Of course also make sure your tank is cycled. If you have any other questions let me know!

 

[Cichlid Kid]

Welcome to AA.
First off if you switch the bulb to a daylight cfl 10-13w in the 6500k range that would be excellent for lowlight plants like java fern, anubias and even midlight plants like swords, vals and crypts.
Try to get your little tank cycled and established for awhile before adding an otto as they do better with matured setups. I think a single otto would be fine in that size tank. "Others may not agree" You will have to suppliment its diet with a quality algae waffer though because the area provided in such a small tank will limit its foraging abilities.
Goodluck!

 

[Puckhog429]

Reply

Okay thanks a lot. the problem is i do not know what a daylight cfl bulb is and also the fixture that i have is a circular mount meaning that the bottom of the bulb is a twisty bottom. Thanks a lot the tank that i have is an aqueon 2.5 mini bow

 

[Puckhog429]

What would be a good substrate.

 

[Scottyhorse]

Just any gravel you want. And you can mix in some plant substrate like Seachem Flourite or CaribSea FlouraMax

 

[okapizebra]

Welcome to AA!

Lights Of America 10 Watt Mini Fluorescent Aquarium Bulb, 1ct: Fish : Walmart.com

This would be a great bulb for you, I use it in my 2.5 minibow as well.

For plants, you can try some easy ones such as java ferns, crypts, java moss, and anubias. I'd avoid vals and swords as they both get rather large generally and will probably get too big for your tank. If you stick with only java ferns, moss, and anubias, you won't need anything special for substrate, gravel or sand is fine, whatever you prefer. Those plants all like to be tied onto some wood or rocks and don't like to be planted in the substrate. If you want crypts, you may want to consider using a substrate such as eco complete, but I think it only comes in large bags, so you could just buy some root tabs and stick one or two in the substrate and use whatever substrate you want.

You could also try some floater plants like water wistera or water sprite, both of which can be grown floating or planted and don't require anything special.

I don't think you need to worry about any fertilizers other than maybe some root tabs as long as you stick to easy plants.

I agree that you shouldn't do ottos. Nerite snails are excellent algae eaters! I'd recommend them as well.

 

[Cichlid Kid]

I missread the title Initially i was under the impression it was a 5.5gal.
I have an aqueon 2.5 mini also. Regrettably i agree about otto's in that small of a tank. I have a 5gal with 1zebra otto and rcs and they've been doing good. Instead of regular size swords you could do microswords?
A cfl lightbulb will work in your minibow its insert is the same as an incandescent light. Compact fluorescent light is basically a mini fluorescent light with the ballast built rite in. Im sure you've seen them.
Also, i apologize for the mix up posted earlier.

 

[okapizebra]

Aren't microswords completely different? I don't know anything about those... although I know argentine swords stay small. They don't get to the massive size of amazon swords... I have an amazon sword a foot tall in my 29 gal. In my five gal I have an argentine sword that is a nice size, would be fine in a 2.5 as well I imagine.

 

[Puckhog429]

This is what it looks like so far i think i might do a raised bed in the back right corner with something tall in it and then try to grow java moss on the wood with an anubias nana on it also. I was thinking of maybe some type of low lying plant in the front. Maybe baby tears or dwarf hairgrass? Give me your opinion on that. Might put flourite in and will propably get that bulb that you reccomended.

 

[Rivercats]

First a 25w heater is fine it won't cook your fish. We have both 25w and 50w heaters being used in 6g and 12g tanks. Any of the smaller heaters are preset to a set tempature which I personally don't like. With 25w heaters you can usually set to the temp desired.

Dwarf baby tears need high light, ferts, and either CO2 or liquid carbon and wouldn't be a good choice. The same for Dwarf hair grass. Micro swords on the other hand will give a very similar appearance as DHG and would work well with that light level. Also since you have DW and your tank being so small I'd just do a Micro sword bottom, then either prop the DW up or find a way for it not to lay flat on the substrate and tie on one nice Anubia Nana towards the bottom and add java moss closer to the top. Once everything filled in you would have a very nice looking little tank. Then maybe if you had the funds you could eventually get a small bottle of Flouris Excel and add a tiny bit everytime you do a WC.

 

[Cichlid Kid]

+1. Microswords would look neat in a little tank like that and doing diy co2 would be a cinch

 

[Puckhog429]

Just ordered the 10 watt flourescent bulb from wal-mart

 

[Puckhog429]

Definetly not doin co2 too expensive