Necessities for 5 gallon planted tank.

[Tommy10]

I want to set up a 5 gallon planted tank so my question is what do I need, (co2, substrate, lighting, and filteration.) and what kind of plants and fish would u recommend for that kind of tank?

 

[jglover]

The equipment you need will e no different for a 5 gallon or a 55 gallon for plants. The equipment is dictated by what you want to grom, low light or high light plants. You will obviously have to make some concessions and adapatations due to the size of the tank in terms of the lighting required.

As for fish, you'd be better off with a shrimp tank as you can only keep a few nano fish in a 5 gallon tank or a betta.

 

[schoeplein]

As far as plants, you'd be limited to short/front plants, or maybe a couple medium plants, depending on how tall the tank is. A 10w 6700K CFL grows almost anything I've put in my 5g hex without co2, though I haven't done more than low light plants, like moneywort, fern, anubias.. I also have a canister filter on it designed for a 10g tank.

Re: fish, at best, you can keep a school of small tetras.

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[schoeplein]

Substrate should be fine grain, or sand. Though, I've grown moneywort in pebble substrate.

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[Tommy10]

I've never had a planted tank before so simple stuff would be best i like dwarf hair grass and Anubias plants if that helps

 

[Tommy10]

saw this on YouTube kinda what I want a carpet bottom with some rocks or driftwood sticking up with Anubias attached

 

[schoeplein]

From what I've read, DHG requires high light and CO2 injection to properly propagate. Anubias is low light. You could easily keep anubias with what I mentioned above. Java fern, and cryptocoryne are the other two of the most popular low light/low tech plants. Lookup user Mebbid's do it yourself (DIY) thread on how to make your own root tabs, or pick up some of the pre-made ones from your LFS plug one into the substrate at each plants roots once every two and a half to three months. I also dose my 5g with about 1mL of Seachem Flourish twice a week. Also, get a timer for your light. I have my light on a split schedule and that has been pretty effective at keeping green algae from growing (3-4 hrs on, 2 hrs off, 3-4 hrs on).

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[Coursair]

Everyone loves how DHG looks. It's a pain to grow for most people. A 5g is very small as a fish tank. But you could do a Betta. Or you could do Chili Rasbora.

Be aware Nano fish are more sensitive. You might be better off with easy live plants and RCS ( Red Cherry Shrimp )




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[Tommy10]

I bought a fluval chi (5 gallons) its cycling and I love how it looks, I'm going ahead with shrimp and I was wondering what kind of fish could go with them and live plants? (If any!)

 

[schoeplein]

5g can't hold very many fish. I'd put maybe a few danios or a few guppies, or six tetras and nothing else. I have a single dwarf gourami in mine, but that's only until I get my 65g cycled.

Moneywort, or any of the plants I suggested above would work in a 5g with low light (and no CO2).

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[Coursair]

I would do just Shrimp. Or you maybe could add 5 Chili Raboras.
Tetras are too big. Most would eat the Shrimp.

Guppies have a big bio load. Poor water quality will kill the shrimp and the fish.

Nano fish only or Shrimp
Or a single Betta with maybe 2 or 3 Ghost Shrimp.


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[Sk3lly]

Celestrial pearl danios would be a great choice.

A very small nano fish that looks great.

Also ember tetras would be possible as they stay small

 

[Tommy10]

Its doesnt include a heater either would I need one for shrimp and possibly some nano fish

 

[jglover]

I bought a fluval chi (5 gallons) its cycling and I love how it looks, I'm going ahead with shrimp and I was wondering what kind of fish could go with them and live plants? (If any!)

With a Chi you are definitely limited to low light plants unless you supplement the lighting. Take a look at this thread to see what can be done:


5 Gallon Fluval Chi

 

[Tommy10]

With a Chi you are definitely limited to low light plants unless you supplement the lighting. Take a look at this thread to see what can be done:





5 Gallon Fluval Chi

Thanks! Sounds like I need a heater then correct?

 

[Coursair]

Depends on house temps. I don't heat any of my tanks, but my room stays pretty stable.


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[Autumnsky]

I used the Chi for about 9 months, it is very good for a Betta. I also had dwarf shrimp. It has a small filter The light is ok but I have always used a table lamp next to it to assist is adding light.

Here are a couple pics of mine, I just switched it over to a nano SW tank which will have some inverts in it.

Here I had a pair of White Cloud Mountain Minnows for a couple months.

There was Anubias, Java Moss Staurogyne Repens, Guppy Grass, Ludwigia repens x l. Arcuata, Dwarf Vallisneria and Java Fern,

The pic above has a stone with Subwassertang.

I think the Celestial Pearl Danio aka CPD, AKA Galaxy Rasbora might be a good option with some adult Dwarf shrimp, like Cherry Shrimp. I would recommend a cover for the tank, as sometimes the little fish like to jump, and it might help save a fish life. Maybe 5-6 CPD.

As mentioned, the filter is small and you would need to feed very sparingly, and or do lots of pwc.

Hikari Micro Pellets are good, but you need to rub them together and make them even smaller for the tiny guys like Boraras Rasboras aka Chilis and CPD.

 

[Tommy10]

I used the Chi for about 9 months, it is very good for a Betta. I also had dwarf shrimp. It has a small filter The light is ok but I have always used a table lamp next to it to assist is adding light.

Here are a couple pics of mine, I just switched it over to a nano SW tank which will have some inverts in it.

Here I had a pair of White Cloud Mountain Minnows for a couple months.

There was Anubias, Java Moss Staurogyne Repens, Guppy Grass, Ludwigia repens x l. Arcuata, Dwarf Vallisneria and Java Fern,

The pic above has a stone with Subwassertang.

I think the Celestial Pearl Danio aka CPD, AKA Galaxy Rasbora might be a good option with some adult Dwarf shrimp, like Cherry Shrimp. I would recommend a cover for the tank, as sometimes the little fish like to jump, and it might help save a fish life. Maybe 5-6 CPD.

As mentioned, the filter is small and you would need to feed very sparingly, and or do lots of pwc.

Hikari Micro Pellets are good, but you need to rub them together and make them even smaller for the tiny guys like Boraras Rasboras aka Chilis and CPD.

Wow thanks a lot! Where could I find some CPD?

 

[schoeplein]

I've only seen them once at a local fish store and I had to pick one up ($8 each, they had two of them), but he's super small and hasn't been schooling with the rest of the danios. Hoping he makes it!

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[Brookster123]

If you do cpd's and your room temp is constantly above 75 you will not need a heater..