[wantsome]

I'm gonna be setting up a 5.5 gal moss tank and need some advice. This is gonna be my second attempt at planted aquarium.

My equipment is:

Lighting, 14 watt AGA flourecent fixture with a stock bulb. I dont like the color of a 6700k So I was wondering if the stock bulb will do?

Filter, I Just purchased a whisper 10. What should I put in the filter as far as media goes? It has a boilogical sponge and charcole for chemical. Should I use this material?

Co2 I was planning on using excell and flourish.

Substrate is gonna be just some inert gravel.

My plan is to set the tank up within the next few days and let it cycle with some hardy fish. The after the tank is cycled add some moss to the driftwood I have. I was just wondering about the filtration and lighting.

 

[trace_lynn]

I'm not sure on the lighting, but you can always give it a go and see.

On the charcoal in the filter, definitely take that out as it will remove any ferts you dose from the water column.

Also, my suggestion would be to go ahead and put a substrate in there that will grow plants in the event you later decide to have anything planted and not just the moss wall. This way, you'll save yourself having to replace the gravel later on.

Good luck!

 

[dufus]

Also, no need to cycle the tank for moss, it will cycle itself, and won't die because of the spikes, it will problly flourish during those spikes.

 

[wantsome]

Ok thx, I'm not so much doing a moss wall. I'm gonna attach it to some wood. The wood takes up alot of space so I'm not gonna do any other plants other then the moss.

I talked to one of the guys at lfs and he said I should be ok with this set up. He agreed with removing the carbon from the filter.

But anyways thx for the reply.

 

[kindbud]

i have that 14w stock fixture/bulb on a 5.5 gallon tank. i'm running a red sea nanofilter containing just filter floss and add no co2.

my bolbitis fern is a beast in that tank. it won't stop growing. i am also growing crypt parva (slow growth), anubias nana (slow growth), and red ludwigia (needs trimming). the baby tears stay alive and appear stunted when compared to the same plant in a different 10 gallon, high watt, co2-injected tank i run. i'd think that moss would be no problem to grow in such a tank.

i love the low wattage, almost no maintenance setup. the best part is ZERO algae. i'm talking not a single visible hint of it anywhere in the tank.

one modification i did make however...i went to the glass shop and got a custom piece cut for 10 bucks to serve as a cover. how much more light this lets in than having that ugly light-blocking hinge on the regular canopy is subject to debate. i do know that the light is distributed more evenly in the tank and that the custom lid is just soooooooooo much nicer looking than the standard aquarium canopy. remember to get the edges grinded.

 

[wantsome]

i have that 14w stock fixture/bulb on a 5.5 gallon tank. i'm running a red sea nanofilter containing just filter floss and add no co2.

my bolbitis fern is a beast in that tank. it won't stop growing. i am also growing crypt parva (slow growth), anubias nana (slow growth), and red ludwigia (needs trimming). the baby tears stay alive and appear stunted when compared to the same plant in a different 10 gallon, high watt, co2-injected tank i run. i'd think that moss would be no problem to grow in such a tank.

i love the low wattage, almost no maintenance setup. the best part is ZERO algae. i'm talking not a single visible hint of it anywhere in the tank.

one modification i did make however...i went to the glass shop and got a custom piece cut for 10 bucks to serve as a cover. how much more light this lets in than having that ugly light-blocking hinge on the regular canopy is subject to debate. i do know that the light is distributed more evenly in the tank and that the custom lid is just soooooooooo much nicer looking than the standard aquarium canopy. remember to get the edges grinded.

Thats what I was aiming for low maintenance. I'm new to planted tanks so I figured I start at the bottom of the plant chain and work my way up. I was thinking about doing the same thing with getting a glass gover cut. The hing is driving me nuts too.

I just set the tank up today and figured I'd let it cycle till I got my moss. I have some dried out moss on my driftwood from a previous attempt at a planted tank. I tried to get it all off but couldnt, because I plan on using a differnt moss this time. I'm hoping it dont come back to life, its been dried out for about 6 months.

I went with some standard gravel I have because I dont like the look of any plant substates I've seen. If I add fertalizer spikes to the grave could I grow cryps in it? Because I might want to add some down the road.

 

[wantsome]

Well I've made up changes and upgrades since setting the tank up.

Heres my new specs:

5.5 gallon

14 watt 8000k bulb

Zoomed 501 canister filter (New)

Temp 74 digrees

Substrate plain fine gravel

Plants lots of peacock moss.

Fish 3 zebra danios

Light duration 10 hours

I set the tank up and decided to let it cycle before my moss arrived. For about a week the water was very cloudy and stainded. I had it tested and my amonia was through the roof. I also had the fish in for the this time period.
I decieded to run an air pump to get my boilogical filtration started and help the fish.

My moss arrived and within and hour of putting it in my water was clearing. At first I was running the air pump with the moss in the tank. The moss was starting to turn brown so I turned the air pump off and it has regained some of its color.

I aslo added a small amount of excel and flourish to the tank. I'm not sure if this is a mistake or not because I just read let the plants get established for 3-4 weeks before dosing.

Should I wait before I start dosing with excel and flourish? and when I start how often should I dose?

Also the tank has been running for 9 days when should I do a water change?

Everything is looking good so far in the tank the water is clear and the fish and plants seem to be doing ok.

Any tips or advice welcome. I'm a begginer with planted tanks so I'm sorry if I ask too many questions. Mistakes cost money which I dont have much of and I'm very edgy about my set up.

 

[actioncia]

You have come to a very knowledgeable forum and I believe people are willing to help out if they just know what the problems are. Regards, jC.

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/planted-nano-tanks/41981-nano-fert-dosing-101-a.html

Here is info on dosing for smaller tank, I hope this helps!