Crim's 5.5 Low Tech Nano

crimsonbull57 · 07-22-2009, 03:26 AM

OK well this is my 2nd nano tank, first 5.5 gallon.

Summary
I wanted a nano shrimp tank so I picked this one up from my neighbors. I didin't want too put to much into this tank so i decided keep this low tech and low cost. I got all my low tech plrants and decided to do a moss wall. After that i decided i wanted to make the substrate more "Plant Friendly" so i added some pure top soil and then got the tank going again. In the future(soon) im going to add cherry shrimp and hopefuly some bee shrimp.

Price List

5 gallon tank -Free
Internal Filter -Free
Pure Top Soil -$5
Pool Filter Sand -$8
Moss Wall netting/screen -$1
Driftwood-Free
15 watt Light -$3
Heater/thermometer -Free
Plants -$10 Apox (most from trades)

Specs

Tank: Standard 5.5 gallon aquarium
Light: 15 watt goodwill light
Substrate: Pure topsoil covered with pool filter sand
Filter: Tetra internal filter (I plant on changing to a HOB with sponge cover)
Plants: Java, Flame, Peacock Moss, Java Fern, Anubis, some Hygro, Vals, Tiger Lotus
Inhabitants: Nothing yet, but Cherry shrimp and probably Bee shrimp in the future

Pics

Also let me warn you my camera is pretty cheap and my photography skills need some work so i would like to apologize in advance.

Just filling up after redoing the substrate

Well thats all for now...

CL · 07-22-2009, 03:34 AM

It's a start. Just so you know, you need to expose your anubias rhizomes. They will rot if you keep them buried.

crimsonbull57 · 07-22-2009, 04:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by clwatkins10

It's a start. Just so you know, you need to expose your anubias rhizomes. They will rot if you keep them buried.

These are old pics and my tank looks much better now. Yeah I know that, I have the Anubis tied to some driftwood.

crimsonbull57 · 07-23-2009, 06:41 PM

Here are some more pictures, this is what the tank looks like now

oh and by the way I'm not using Co2

jourdy · 07-24-2009, 04:17 AM

Looking good.
I'm surprised your moss is growing fast!

That's gonna looke awesome.

crimsonbull57 · 07-24-2009, 06:41 PM

thanks jourdy, I kinda cheated and added some more moss but it really is growing rather quickly, its starting to really come through the holes. oh and I love your tank btw...
.....
Ok well this filter is definitely NOT shrimp safe. I added 1 cherry shrimp, from a 1 gallon bowl desaster, this morning. Went to the LFS got some plants, came back, and he wasn't anywhere to be seen, looked all over finaly checked the filter and he was attached to the media. I quick shut off the filter and got him back in the water and he's doing fine now. I'm going to get a HOB filter tomorrow and cover the intake.
Lession learned.

crimsonbull57 · 07-25-2009, 09:43 PM

Small update:

My little shrimp didn't survive the filter incident

I got a Top Fin HOB filter today and added a lotus plant and some cambodia

What'da guys think? in suggestions or comments?

snoz0r · 07-28-2009, 02:35 PM

looks good so far man, i like the rocks and driftwood, perfect for a smaller tank.

you dosing any ferts or excel at all?

crimsonbull57 · 07-28-2009, 02:46 PM

thanks snoz0r, nah, im keeping it as simple as possible, no ferts, excel or anything, I might use some root tabs for the tiger lotus but I'll wait and see how it grows without first.

Strick · 07-28-2009, 03:39 PM

Good start. That moss wall's going to s-w-e-e-t when it grows in.

crimsonbull57 · 07-30-2009, 01:04 AM

ok well the substrate, moss wall, and I all got into a huge fight. All the topsoil got kicked up and the water got super cloudy. I put the moss wall back. But it not after some major adjustments. But It should get better before I get home from vacation.

crimsonbull57 · 08-07-2009, 02:57 PM

I got home yesterday. All my tanks were in serious need of attention. Especially this one!
The mineralized topsoil made a huge mess, which I am yet to "fix" (any suggestions on how to clean it up would be helpful). I tore all the java moss out of the moss wall and replaced it with peacock moss. And thats about it as an update. I'll post pics onces everything is cleaned up.

Oh but my trip was Great!

crimsonbull57 · 08-07-2009, 06:48 PM

I got the Substrate cleaned up and the tank looks a lot better now. I had to take out all the plants, then siphon all the water out. Added some extra pool filter sand, refilled the tank and redid the moss wall. I also removed the moss covered rocks now that the driftwood is fully waterlogged.
Now all it has to do is grow in.

Here are some pics

Before the mess

After the cleanup

The java moss from the moss wall

Some driftwood I got when I was in Florida

Some extra shots

The back of the moss wall

What do you'll think ?

-Crim

and if anyone wants a golfball portion of java moss PM me.

**chase127** · 08-07-2009, 06:51 PM

Yeah boye low tech 5.5's are the bomb diggity. Do you need any more moss for that moss wall? i have some more taiwan i was going to RAOK out.

crimsonbull57 · 08-08-2009, 01:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chase127

Yeah boye low tech 5.5's are the bomb diggity. Do you need any more moss for that moss wall? i have some more taiwan i was going to RAOK out.

Yeah chase they are, I really like yours too.
I think I'm set on moss for now thanks for the offer tho!

-Crim

07-22-2009, 03:26 AM	#1
crimsonbull57 Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (4/100%) Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Indiana (brownsburg) Posts: 234	Crim's 5.5 Low Tech Nano OK well this is my 2nd nano tank, first 5.5 gallon. Summary I wanted a nano shrimp tank so I picked this one up from my neighbors. I didin't want too put to much into this tank so i decided keep this low tech and low cost. I got all my low tech plrants and decided to do a moss wall. After that i decided i wanted to make the substrate more "Plant Friendly" so i added some pure top soil and then got the tank going again. In the future(soon) im going to add cherry shrimp and hopefuly some bee shrimp. Price List 5 gallon tank -Free Internal Filter -Free Pure Top Soil -$5 Pool Filter Sand -$8 Moss Wall netting/screen -$1 Driftwood-Free 15 watt Light -$3 Heater/thermometer -Free Plants -$10 Apox (most from trades) Specs Tank: Standard 5.5 gallon aquarium Light: 15 watt goodwill light Substrate: Pure topsoil covered with pool filter sand Filter: Tetra internal filter (I plant on changing to a HOB with sponge cover) Plants: Java, Flame, Peacock Moss, Java Fern, Anubis, some Hygro, Vals, Tiger Lotus Inhabitants: Nothing yet, but Cherry shrimp and probably Bee shrimp in the future Pics Also let me warn you my camera is pretty cheap and my photography skills need some work so i would like to apologize in advance. Just filling up after redoing the substrate Well thats all for now... Last edited by crimsonbull57; 08-07-2009 at 06:56 PM..

07-22-2009, 03:34 AM	#2
CL C-A-T-S (View User Tanks) PTrader: (78/100%) Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Lexington, KY Posts: 9,610	It's a start. Just so you know, you need to expose your anubias rhizomes. They will rot if you keep them buried. __________________ 100 \| 48 \| 33.6 \| 7.2 \| 5.5

07-23-2009, 06:41 PM	#4
crimsonbull57 Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (4/100%) Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Indiana (brownsburg) Posts: 234	Here are some more pictures, this is what the tank looks like now oh and by the way I'm not using Co2 Last edited by crimsonbull57; 07-26-2009 at 02:12 AM..

07-25-2009, 09:43 PM	#7
crimsonbull57 Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (4/100%) Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Indiana (brownsburg) Posts: 234	Small update: My little shrimp didn't survive the filter incident I got a Top Fin HOB filter today and added a lotus plant and some cambodia What'da guys think? in suggestions or comments? Last edited by crimsonbull57; 07-26-2009 at 02:18 AM..

07-28-2009, 02:35 PM	#8
snoz0r Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1/100%) Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Brownsburg, IN Posts: 390	looks good so far man, i like the rocks and driftwood, perfect for a smaller tank. you dosing any ferts or excel at all? __________________ click above for my tank journal - Eheim Pimp Club #357 - SunSun Pimp #3

07-24-2009, 04:17 AM	#5
jourdy Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Philippines Posts: 52	Looking good. I'm surprised your moss is growing fast! That's gonna looke awesome.

07-24-2009, 06:41 PM	#6
crimsonbull57 Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (4/100%) Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Indiana (brownsburg) Posts: 234	thanks jourdy, I kinda cheated and added some more moss but it really is growing rather quickly, its starting to really come through the holes. oh and I love your tank btw... ..... Ok well this filter is definitely NOT shrimp safe. I added 1 cherry shrimp, from a 1 gallon bowl desaster, this morning. Went to the LFS got some plants, came back, and he wasn't anywhere to be seen, looked all over finaly checked the filter and he was attached to the media. I quick shut off the filter and got him back in the water and he's doing fine now. I'm going to get a HOB filter tomorrow and cover the intake. Lession learned.

07-28-2009, 02:46 PM	#9
crimsonbull57 Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (4/100%) Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Indiana (brownsburg) Posts: 234	thanks snoz0r, nah, im keeping it as simple as possible, no ferts, excel or anything, I might use some root tabs for the tiger lotus but I'll wait and see how it grows without first. __________________ 2.5 Planted Nano Puffer Tank Crims 5.5 Planted Nano 20 Long Community

07-28-2009, 03:39 PM	#10
Strick Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (2/100%) Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: King George, VA Posts: 357	Good start. That moss wall's going to s-w-e-e-t when it grows in. __________________ Click here to see my dragons ->

07-30-2009, 01:04 AM	#11
crimsonbull57 Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (4/100%) Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Indiana (brownsburg) Posts: 234	ok well the substrate, moss wall, and I all got into a huge fight. All the topsoil got kicked up and the water got super cloudy. I put the moss wall back. But it not after some major adjustments. But It should get better before I get home from vacation. __________________ 2.5 Planted Nano Puffer Tank Crims 5.5 Planted Nano 20 Long Community Last edited by crimsonbull57; 08-13-2009 at 09:23 PM..

08-07-2009, 02:57 PM	#12
crimsonbull57 Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (4/100%) Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Indiana (brownsburg) Posts: 234	I got home yesterday. All my tanks were in serious need of attention. Especially this one! The mineralized topsoil made a huge mess, which I am yet to "fix" (any suggestions on how to clean it up would be helpful). I tore all the java moss out of the moss wall and replaced it with peacock moss. And thats about it as an update. I'll post pics onces everything is cleaned up. Oh but my trip was Great! __________________ 2.5 Planted Nano Puffer Tank Crims 5.5 Planted Nano 20 Long Community

08-07-2009, 06:48 PM	#13
crimsonbull57 Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (4/100%) Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Indiana (brownsburg) Posts: 234	I got the Substrate cleaned up and the tank looks a lot better now. I had to take out all the plants, then siphon all the water out. Added some extra pool filter sand, refilled the tank and redid the moss wall. I also removed the moss covered rocks now that the driftwood is fully waterlogged. Now all it has to do is grow in. Here are some pics Before the mess After the cleanup The java moss from the moss wall Some driftwood I got when I was in Florida Some extra shots The back of the moss wall What do you'll think ? -Crim and if anyone wants a golfball portion of java moss PM me. __________________ 2.5 Planted Nano Puffer Tank Crims 5.5 Planted Nano 20 Long Community Last edited by crimsonbull57; 02-13-2012 at 05:23 PM..

08-07-2009, 06:51 PM	#14
chase127 Anti iwagumi (View User Tanks) PTrader: (112/99%) Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Gainesville, Florida Posts: 4,807	Yeah boye low tech 5.5's are the bomb diggity. Do you need any more moss for that moss wall? i have some more taiwan i was going to RAOK out.

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