Newbie looking for good advice on small planted tank.

[Kildarra]

Ok I really want to do a planted tank. I have been cycling my tank for about 8 weeks now. I still don't have any fish because I want to do plants in my tank. Here is a list of what I have:
5.5 gallon tank (yes it is small but was given to me)
Aqua-tech 5-15 gallon filter
Aqua culture 5-15 gallon air pump hooked up to a bubble curtain
15w incandescent light bulb (just one and I know I need to change this)
A fake rock with a hole in the middle.
Looking for a nice piece of driftwood but can't find any so will probably buy one
Buff colored gravel that you buy at wal-mart (about 1 1/2 to 2 inches)

My questions are what plants can I put in such a small tank? And can I put two female bettas in the same tank without overstocking it? Do I need a heater if my water temperature stays in the higher 70s? And when I get plants and fish should I run the filter with the filter cartridges in it?

Please somebody help me out with my questions so I don't have to look at endless pages of pretty tanks but nothing telling me what to put in mine. I am lost when it comes to plants and fish really. But I want to learn before I upgrade into a 72 gallon bowfront.

 

[Crepe]

2 female bettas may fight. Try for some danios and corys. Any plant can grow as long as it doesn't get too big.

Here are some good small-growing plants.
-Java fern
-Java moss
-micro sword
-dwarf chain grass
-various cuttings (ludwigia, anacharis, ludwigia) When they get too tall just cut them
-Money wort- again just got when tall
-glosso
-Hc

 

[Kildarra]

I thought danios had to be in a school. Someone told me that my tank is only big enough for a single male betta or two female bettas. Any other ideas on fish would be lovely. I don't really like bettas I think they are pretty but you can't put them with others.

And can those plants grow in low light without Co2 and fertilizers? I will do fertilizers if I have to but Co2 is out of the question since this tank is for my little boy who is 7 (he wants to do this on his own). I really need low tech plants that he will be able to take care of when I get my bigger tank.

 

[Crepe]

5.5 gallons can be accommodate about 4 zebra danios or neon tetras. Just do 40% water changes each week to make sure everyone is okay. A betta would do very well in 5.5gallons. If you want fish that will do well with a betta put in a betta and 3-4 dwarf cories.
The plants I suggested will all grow in low light without co2 but it won't grow as fast as they would normally. But they will live and grow nonetheless.

 

[Kildarra]

Ok if I go to the store tomorrow can I buy fish and plants at the same time. Or do I have to give the plants some time before introducing my fish to the tank?

 

[Crepe]

Worry less about overstocking and more about whether they will have enough space to swim. Danios require space and depending on the shape of your tank you may not have enough free space.

A betta and a few dwarf cories will do fine in a 5.5 gallon with 40% water changes.

You can do both at the same time. You should try planting first then adding the fish so you won't disturb the fish. Also, cories like to dig so you might want to replace the gravel with sand which carries to the next point. You may want to plant and let them root for awhile before adding any cories.

There are some pretty amazing 5.5g "nano" tanks that you can look at for inspiration. Flora are hard to identify but in the fish department you can pretty easily pick them out and see what they've got living in them.

 

[Kildarra]

I did a fishless cycle and it has been running for about 8 weeks now. I use the colored strips to test water and everything came out in the safe zone.

 

[Kildarra]

my tank is 16 inches long 8 1/2 inches wide and 10 inches tall if that helps

 

[Crepe]

A few danios will live in there fine. Just try not to over plant to leave them space. But that's about all you can put.

 

[Kildarra]

Thanks for your help any other comments or suggestions on plants would be lovely.

 

[HeathB]

As far as your lighting is concerned, just swap out that incandescent bulb for a screw in spiral flourescent, and make sure its one of those daylight bulbs. Some really good plants for low light, no co2, and no ferts are anubias nana petite and java fern. With these you don't need to change the gravel either. Just use a bit of sewing thread or fishing line and tie it to a little bit of lava rock or some driftwood and you are set.

There are other plants too, but the anubias and java fern are about as low maintenance as it gets.

 

[peppermint]

Great thread. If I may add a question: Do you quarantine plants??

 

[CA_BroncoFan]

No need to QT plants as far as i know. Some will do this because a lot of lfs plants have MTS

 

[Kildarra]

Thank you for telling me about the anubias nana and the java fern. Was wondering if I can use microsword along with these plants? And should I use something a little bit better to check water measurements for nitrates and things besides those colored dip strips?

 

[HeathB]

Thank you for telling me about the anubias nana and the java fern. Was wondering if I can use microsword along with these plants? And should I use something a little bit better to check water measurements for nitrates and things besides those colored dip strips?

Yeah, most lfs at least carry something called the API Master Test Kit. It uses what looks like little test tubes and some different solutions mixed with water. Waay more accurate than those strips.

Really, you can "try" whatever plant you want. Some people have actually had a bit of success with some of the brighter light plants in lower light. For me, its about finding out what my water can and can't do. If it doesn't work out, I can just chuck it and try something else.

 

[Kildarra]

I guess you are right about chucking the plant it if doesn't work but I just didn't want to get something that my tank can't handle since it is so small but I was looking a website and I think i might try a few (not all of these)
anubias afzelii, anubisa nana, crypotocoryne x willisii, java fern or golden moneywort.

I think I might just start with one or two plants and see how I do that way I don't kill a bunch of things.

 

[Kildarra]

is there any special care that I have to do to plants before putting them in my tank. Like do I rinse them off in conditioned water before putting them in my tank?

 

[logansmomma1228]

PlantGeek.net - Plant Guide and The Planted Tank - Articles, Forums, Pictures, Links are some useful sites for plant information. If possible you should invest in a liquid test kit as they are much more accurate than the test strips. Good luck! And welcome to AA, this forum is very helpful.

 

[Kildarra]

yes it is logansmomma. I really like it here. I tried another one with the same questions and it still doesn't have any answers on it and that was about 2 weeks ago. But that was on a differnt website. And thank you for the article links. I will check them out. Maybe the more I know about plants and how they will look when mature the less I will kill them or be disappointed that they over took my small tank.

 

[HeathB]

is there any special care that I have to do to plants before putting them in my tank. Like do I rinse them off in conditioned water before putting them in my tank?

Someone else will have to remind us of the exact portions, but with stronger plants you use a weak bleach/water solution, then rinse them off, then soak them for a bit in some conditioned water.
For weaker plants, do basically the same thing, except use potassium permanganate in place of bleach. An easy to find source of this would be the Water Clear Tank Buddies tablets made by Jungle.