New 2.5g

2101 Views 19 Replies 8 Participants Last post by Option, Oct 5, 2010

chrisjg04

Discussion Starter · Sep 28, 2010

Hey everyone, new to the forums here.

I am a college student and I'm starting up a 2.5g desk aquarium in my apartment and just wanted to share it with you all and see what you think.

Here is a picture of the tank as it currently sits.

It has been established for about two days now. The substrate consists of some First Layer Pure Laterite Covered with Pool Filter Sand. It currently has a java fern, a moss ball, and some moneywort, and it light by a Coralife PC Freshwater Mini Aqualight 18w. Also has an azoo hob filter, and hydor mini heater.

I would love to make this a nice little planted tank, I am really only planning on keeping a beta in it, as I want to focus more on the plants and really have a nice planted to tank to enjoy.

Any suggestions to my current setup would be welcome. Additionally I would love to create some sort of carpet on the floor any suggestions for what I could use?

I currently have a 29g planted back home but it is very basic with DIY Co2 and just some swords and crypts. I want to use this tank to really get to know and understand plants as I spend the majority of my time at school.

See less See more

1 - 20 of 20 Posts

Noahma

· #2 · Sep 28, 2010

What light fixture is that?

chrisjg04

Discussion Starter · #3 · Sep 28, 2010

Noahma said:
What light fixture is that?

Its an 18w Coralife Mini Freshwater Aqualight CF. I have it set up on DIY legs made from the Coralife aqualight legs that do not fit this light and some wood.

Noahma

· #4 · Sep 28, 2010

chrisjg04 said:
Its an 18w Coralife Mini Freshwater Aqualight CF. I have it set up on DIY legs made from the Coralife aqualight legs that do not fit this light and some wood.

hmm.. Where did you purchase it if you do not mind me asking lol. I am getting ready to set up a 2.5 gal for my office at work. I love the white sand in your tank. I usually have a hard time with sand, always makes a mess when planting stuffs.

DANIELSON

· #5 · Sep 28, 2010

Did you put the lighting on legs because of the 18W bulb? I saw a 9W bulb would that be fine right on top of the tank? Where would the 9W bulb put lighting at low/med/high?

chrisjg04

Discussion Starter · #6 · Sep 28, 2010

Noahma said:
hmm.. Where did you purchase it if you do not mind me asking lol. I am getting ready to set up a 2.5 gal for my office at work. I love the white sand in your tank. I usually have a hard time with sand, always makes a mess when planting stuffs.

I got mine off e-bay, but they also sell it at the following link.

http://www.bigalsonline.com/BigAlsU...3410/cl0/coralifefreshwater9miniaqualight2x9w

Thanks, the pool filter sand is a little bigger so it settles to the bottom and doesn't really make much of a mess at all.

Noahma

· #7 · Sep 28, 2010

chrisjg04 said:
I got mine off e-bay, but they also sell it at the following link.

http://www.bigalsonline.com/BigAlsU...3410/cl0/coralifefreshwater9miniaqualight2x9w

Thanks, the pool filter sand is a little bigger so it settles to the bottom and doesn't really make much of a mess at all.

Awesome, thanks for the link. last time I tried sand it was play sand, a bit to light for the tank. I ended up replacing it with some activ-flora

chrisjg04

Discussion Starter · #8 · Sep 28, 2010

DANIELSON said:
Did you put the lighting on legs because of the 18W bulb? I saw a 9W bulb would that be fine right on top of the tank? Where would the 9W bulb put lighting at low/med/high?

I put it on the legs mainly because of weight and heat, I custom made a top for my tank out of plexiglass and the heat and weight of the light combined caused it to sag. My putting it on the legs I solved this problem and centered it over the tank. The box actually says this light should be placed directly over a glass top.

A 9w bulb would most probably be fine over your tank depending on what top you are using. Just generally if you have a 2.5g tank a 9w light would put you at 3.6 wpg which I believe would make it medium light, however don't quote me on that as I am not an expert nor have I had the experience in differing lights to say it is completely accurate especially on this size tank.

chrisjg04

Discussion Starter · #9 · Sep 28, 2010

Noahma said:
Awesome, thanks for the link. last time I tried sand it was play sand, a bit to light for the tank. I ended up replacing it with some activ-flora

Yea I have heard that the play sand is a little light. You can pick up a 50lb bag of PFS from your local home depot for around 5 dollars.

Noahma

· #10 · Sep 28, 2010

Well, it looks like the light fixture has been discontinued lol

PinoyBoy

· #11 · Sep 28, 2010

*High-Five for being a college student with a 2.5 tank*

Remember to not plant the rhizome of the fern in the substrate. As for the carpet, if you don't mind getting a full carpet by the time you get your associates (assuming your a freshman), check out marsilea minuta.

If it's possible, maybe you can put your heater inside your HOB filter so less cluttered look.

chrisjg04

Discussion Starter · #12 · Sep 28, 2010

Noahma said:
Well, it looks like the light fixture has been discontinued lol

That's a bummer, I'm sure you can still find some third party websites that are selling it.

chrisjg04

Discussion Starter · #13 · Sep 28, 2010

PinoyBoy said:
*High-Five for being a college student with a 2.5 tank*

Remember to not plant the rhizome of the fern in the substrate. As for the carpet, if you don't mind getting a full carpet by the time you get your associates (assuming your a freshman), check out marsilea minuta.

If it's possible, maybe you can put your heater inside your HOB filter so less cluttered look.

haha *High-Five back at ya*

Yea, I have the rhizome kinda under the slate so the plant stays in place but not in the substrate, I'm hoping that it will root itself to the slate, I have one at home that did this and it looks awesome.

Unfortunately I am a Junior already and in a year in a half I will either by in the working world, or at another school getting my MBA. So something that grows in a little faster is preferable.

Lastly. the heater unfortunately doesn't fit inside the filter, its too small, the thing I like about this heater the way it sat is that as plants grow it it would hopefully be disguised.

Do you guys remember Pogs

· #14 · Oct 1, 2010

2

You have the same set up I had. That Hydor heater has no auto shut off. It would get the tank way to hot so keep a close i on the temp. I scrapped it for a Marineland, it works mutch better. I also found the coralife light problematic during trimmings. You have to take it off the tank and you cant see [email protected]#%. Now I have a Macro Glo refugium light and i'm running the tank upen top.
You're off to a great start! My tank looked like poo poo when I first set it up. Lots of trial and error. Cheers.

See less See more

chrisjg04

Discussion Starter · #15 · Oct 1, 2010

Thanks, your have a very similar looking tank to what I want, the plants are even located in the same spots haha. Nice looking tank.

Fishfarmer Randy

· #16 · Oct 1, 2010

Java Fern is a good choice, and I would also suggest water sprite. With the way that your light is positioned, they will both eventually grow several inches out of the water. Getting water sprite to establish without growing dozens of little clones that float everywhere is tricky, but I already have several very rigid-stemmed specimens I'm growing that I trim leaves off of to grow clones. Let me know if you want one, I'll give you a good deal even a college student can afford just because I feel bad seeing my really tough specimens growing until they touch the light hood and get extra-tasty-crispy. PM me if you're interested.

born2lovefish

· #17 · Oct 1, 2010

I just threw out a tone of water sprite from my 75 gallon planted. If you want some, I will be glad to send you some for cost of shipping next time I trim plants. Always happy to help out a student like myself!

chrisjg04

Discussion Starter · #18 · Oct 5, 2010

Fishfarmer Randy said:
Java Fern is a good choice, and I would also suggest water sprite. With the way that your light is positioned, they will both eventually grow several inches out of the water. Getting water sprite to establish without growing dozens of little clones that float everywhere is tricky, but I already have several very rigid-stemmed specimens I'm growing that I trim leaves off of to grow clones. Let me know if you want one, I'll give you a good deal even a college student can afford just because I feel bad seeing my really tough specimens growing until they touch the light hood and get extra-tasty-crispy. PM me if you're interested.

I went to reply to your PM and it said your box is full, gotta clear some space before I can reply :icon_cool

chrisjg04

Discussion Starter · #19 · Oct 5, 2010

born2lovefish said:
I just threw out a tone of water sprite from my 75 gallon planted. If you want some, I will be glad to send you some for cost of shipping next time I trim plants. Always happy to help out a student like myself!

Thanks I'll keep that in mind let me know when your trimming next and ill see if I can't maybe find some room for some in one of my tanks.

Option

· #20 · Oct 5, 2010

Your tank is looking great. What plant is that growing like a lawn on the bottom? (the short stalked plants)

1 - 20 of 20 Posts

This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.