Nano Ideas?

[blazeyreef]

Hey everyone. Its been a really long time since ive been on here. Like... 3 1/2 years I believe. A lot has happened and changed. Im not a complete newbie to the planted (or aquarium in general) world, but its been a few years since ive had my hand in it. I have missed it dearly but circumstances have not been favorable to my having any sort of aquariums.
Anywho, just for background in the past ive had planted aquariums (29 gal, 20L, 10, 5 and 2 1.2) and also at one time I had salties as well.
Again anyhow, today I was at a consignment shop and found a simple acrylic cubish "aquarium kit" unopend for like $7 and went for it. Its a 1.5 gal, so not huge. Right now im a full-time college student and my apartment "technically" im not supposed to have fish, but im pretty sure my landlord wont care about this mini, she is pretty cool. SO finally getting around to my question- sorry long winded, is what should I do? Ideas? I was thinking of using a desk lamp and using a 13w florecent, figured that would be more than enough. As for substrate maybe flourite, but I dont want to buy a whole bag for this tiny guy when I cant use it in the forseeable future. So I might go with a simple black sand. But what plants should I use? I could do a small co2 system if needed, ive done the yeast/sugar DIY version in the past with decent results. I figured I would stock with shrimp, or POSSIBLY a betta. maybe. In any event I was just hoping for some ideas. Thanks!

[mnemenoi]

With that small a tank I'd do a simple sand, stone hardscape. Stock with some moss and some type of neocaridina. Maybe some PFR or Yellows. Avoiding fish entirely will lend stability and allow for more diverse shrimp behavior.

[Jdiesels]

Id go with a thin layer of black sand and put moss around the rocks and just let it fill in so the moss creates like a "fog" effect


DBP Member 003

[blazeyreef]

I would love to try the moss. I have absolutely zero experience with it htough. The one and only time I tried java moss it simply diddnt work for me. Never did grow. Im willing to give it another go though...

[Jdiesels]

Any other moss except java, java moss collects particles of yuckiness and turns all brown. Try Riccia, Flame moss, Xmas moss, Willow moss, or anything other than java lol


DBP Member 003

[Knotyoureality]

With a bit of care in the selection and pruning, there are tons of plants that can adapt well to even the smallest pico tanks. With moderate lighting and minimal fertilization plants that have the potential for large, fast growth often respond with slower, smaller--but healthy--growth.

The same 'sunset' hygrophilia that throws out huge leaves in it's parent hi-tech tank grows about half the size in my low-tech 37g, half again THAT size in my 1g planted vase, and I've even had a tiny sprig of it (which sprouted from a 1/2" length of stem floating long enough in my large tank to have sprouted a tiny new shoot) survive for months in a regular brandy snifter---packing a dozen tiny leaves only 1/2" long onto a 2" stem.

Cardamine lyrata shows a similar patten of stunting. A full size clipping planted in a tiny tank, then pruned hard once rooted will throw up new shoots with smaller and smaller leaves. Baby tears are another mainstay in my nano tanks.

As for lighting, a reading lamp with a CFL in the 5000-6500k range will provide as much light as you can possibly need short of adding C02--and--if you get one with a gooseneck (or other means of easily repositioning the height/angle etc)--it's quite easy to moderate the amount of light.

[OVT]

All good ideas. I like HM a lot as you can trim it to anything you like. Another idea is to use plants that like to grow out of the tank like pennywort, hygros, creeping charlie and turn the tank into a vase.

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[blazeyreef]

Originally Posted by Knotyoureality

With a bit of care in the selection and pruning, there are tons of plants that can adapt well to even the smallest pico tanks. With moderate lighting and minimal fertilization plants that have the potential for large, fast growth often respond with slower, smaller--but healthy--growth.

The same 'sunset' hygrophilia that throws out huge leaves in it's parent hi-tech tank grows about half the size in my low-tech 37g, half again THAT size in my 1g planted vase, and I've even had a tiny sprig of it (which sprouted from a 1/2" length of stem floating long enough in my large tank to have sprouted a tiny new shoot) survive for months in a regular brandy snifter---packing a dozen tiny leaves only 1/2" long onto a 2" stem.

Cardamine lyrata shows a similar patten of stunting. A full size clipping planted in a tiny tank, then pruned hard once rooted will throw up new shoots with smaller and smaller leaves. Baby tears are another mainstay in my nano tanks.

As for lighting, a reading lamp with a CFL in the 5000-6500k range will provide as much light as you can possibly need short of adding C02--and--if you get one with a gooseneck (or other means of easily repositioning the height/angle etc)--it's quite easy to moderate the amount of light.

I absolutely love hygrophilla sunset. I had it before and just loved the beautiful red tint. Im affraid I had a lot of plants I liked, but since its been so long since ive studied them ive forgotten a lot of it (kind of like my german, lol). But yes ive used the CFL before and it provides more than enough light. And I do have a goose neck on my lamp

now I recognize the HM abreviations but I dont remember what it stands for?

[DefStatic]

Originally Posted by Jdiesels

Any other moss except java, java moss collects particles of yuckiness and turns all brown. Try Riccia, Flame moss, Xmas moss, Willow moss, or anything other than java lol


DBP Member 003

Flame Moss or Peacock Moss FTW

[blink]

Originally Posted by blazeyreef

now I recognize the HM abreviations but I dont remember what it stands for?

hemianthus micranthemoides

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/my...p?do=view&p=87

Nice stuff, grows like the dickens but I found it gets tall.