MTS is kicking in, and there's no room in the apartment! Therefore, I'd like to setup a low-tech desktop aquarium. Specs so far:
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I'd like to do a DSM for this. I've never done one before, so I'll have to do some research first. The main reason is that I like the look of moss better when it's a DSM. It looks a lot more natural.
I'd like fissidens, but I have to research which kind has very small fronds.
I'm excited to see how this goes! I just convinced my fiancée to let me get the exact same tank, and it should arrive next week. This one is going on the desk next to my monitor. I'm not sure how I convinced her since I've got a pretty bad case of MTS already, and our living room in our little apartment (I know your pain) is tiny, but then again, so is this tank. Let me know if you're interested in any of the details of my planned setup -- I didn't want to hijack your thread.
I think you will enjoy going the DSM route, as long as you are patient. My last DSM tank was a 9 gal bowfront, and I kept it DSM for ten months. Before that, both of my Marina Cubus tanks were DSM for about 6 months. I love watching everything grow in just the way you want it. Nothing beats flooding the tank after all that waiting. IMHO, I would definitely recommend adding CO2 during the transition period from emersed to submerged. It might not be as critical if you only have mosses, but it really helps to eliminate any die off caused by the transition, and minimizes new tank algae outbreaks. I've transitioned 5 DSM tanks with CO2, and the plants have thrived. Even just adding a DIY CO2 setup in a 20oz bottle will be enough for a tank this size.
I've done DSM with a few mosses. Flame moss and Java moss don't fare very well. You'll hardly see ANY growth at all until you flood. Fissidens seem to do exceedingly well though. The key with the Fissidens is to keep it VERY moist (ie wet) the first week or so, and then slowly dial back the moisture. It will turn a very dark green / brown and will look like it's dead, but don't worry. Also, you can expect it to
eventually fill in gaps and grow out VERY slowly (it
is fissidens after all), but do not expect it to get very thick or bushy until you flood. It will take a few days to adjust once you do, but after that, mine has colored back up and just taken off.
Oh, and in all of my tanks that I've done DSM with fissidens, I've had it attached to driftwood. I will usually just lay the fronds on the wood and allow it to naturally attach itself over a few weeks, but some folks have had good luck cutting the fronds into fine pieces and "sticking" the bits to rocks and things. <-- might help it fill in faster.
I'd advise strongly against a nerite snail in such a small tank-they are major waste producers which will spike ammonia (or nitrate if cycled). Also they do not eat algae wafers and rarely learn to eat blanched veggies. They need a tank large enough to provide a lot of natural algae-your tank size will not sustain a healthy nerite.
AuquaAurora, I have to respectfully disagree about the nerites. I've had nerites in all of my pico tanks, including both of my .9g Cubus (Cubi? Cubuses?) that are running right now, and I plan to have one in my Mr. Aqua 1.5g as well. In all of my pico tanks I keep varieties of neo's, and the shrimp (being detritivores) thrive along with nerites and their excess waste. That being said,
bereninga, you wouldn't want more than one
younger nerite in a tank that size, and I would recommend a smaller one at that. If you have horned nerites available, they are a great choice since they tend to not get as large as their olive/zebra/tiger cousins.
AquaAurora, I DO agree with you that they aren't very fond of algae wafers or blanched veggies, but they do LOVE certain shrimp food. I feed Repashy gels and Jake's OmNomNom Shrimp Food to my neo's, and the nerites go crazy for it.
If you get a betta you'll need a heater they are tropical fish that do best at 78-82F range. Many betta owners recommend the hydro theo adjustable heater (25 watt will work fine for that size tank). I'd personally not recommend a betta in your tank with your choice of landscaper though as bettas have extremely delicate fins that will rip very easily on the rough/sharp rock!
If you're willing to do a fish-less cycle and have the tank set up for a few months to age (after cycle) I'd suggest dwarf shrimp as an ideal fauna. Cycling is a must as shrimp don't tolerate ammonia or nitrite, or high nitrates. Letting the tank age a few months with plants and cycle completely allows natural food to grow n the tank for them to forage for (as they forage constantly) so you aren't raising nitrates having to add a lot of shrimp food.
I agree with you on the need for a heater, but IMHO, the Hydor Theo is too big and too much heater for a tank this size. My recommendation would be the Marina C10. It's not adjustable, but it does have an internal thermostat, and it's about half the size of the Hydor. 10W is more than enough for 1.5 gallons. I live in a fairly cold climate and I actually have one in a 3 gal picotope, and it keeps it at a stable 78° (which is pretty good considering the tank is only a few feet away from an exterior window).
Shrimp would be my first choice as well, otherwise some of the nano killies might do fine in there. Also, a tank this size should cycle fairly rapidly, especially if it's been DSM for more than a few weeks. I can't imagine you needing to wait more than 2-3 weeks before adding fauna. Just my 2¢!
Good luck, and I can't wait to see how this progresses!