# Best CO2 and Fertilizers for 5 gallon Nano?



## |GTO| (Oct 9, 2006)

Here are the specs for my nano:

aquaclear 20
visitherm heater
pressurized CO2 w/ eheim diffusor (sucks)
18W CF fixture satellite 9 dual daylight bulb


I use excel to supplement CO2 which doesnt seem to be doing much. posassium, and an all-around general fertilizer.

Im getting lack-luster growth over the last month (set up for a month) even with pressurized CO2 and my fert reg. 

Any suggestions on my problemo?

Ohh yea, what is the ebst way to get 100% dissolution of CO2 in a nano?

http://www.plantedtank.net/tankprofiles/269/

that pic is from initial planting--did a major rearranging and pruning since then, Ill update pics tonight.

thanks for the help everyone--


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## spdskr (Nov 14, 2005)

My 5.5g is my longest term planted tank. Its current setup is giving me the best results so far:

Lighting-- 36watts (2 coralife mini PC fixtures with both 6700K and 10000K bulbs)

Substrate--2" Flourite

Excel dosed daily at 1/5 capful

Seachem Flourish 1/5 capful every other day

Seachem N,P,K, 1/5 capful each every other day

30% water change weekly

Filter: Zoo-Med 501 canister

Temp: 72F

Flora: Crypt wendtii x1, Crypt walkeri x5, Crypt parva 1 clump, Dwarf sag x10, corkscrew val x1, Rotala rotundfolia x5, Bacopa australis x4, Ludwiga repens x2, Ludwiga brevipes x4, java moss. (yes it is heavily planted)

Fauna: A. australe orange killies x8.

I list all this to give you some perspective. I was getting neither fast growth nor nice colors in my crypts and stems when I only had 18watts of light. Adding the extra fixture as made a noticeable difference. If you are going to add excel in addition to your CO2, I would suggest adding it daily. If I'm not mistaken, it breaks down within 24 hrs in the aquarium. I prefer to add my macros individually vs using some prepackage combination of these nutrients. Switching from a HOB filter to the mini canister has also had a positive impact on this tank. Its still not perfect (will it ever be?) but I am currently more satisfied with it than before. Hope this helps. Good luck with your tank.


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## fresh_lynny (Mar 9, 2006)

Hey spd..thanks for this. I am setting up a nano and this helps!


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## jhoetzl (Feb 7, 2005)

I'm going to agree on the mini-canisters over the HOB filters for nano's. 
I used the Red Sea (I think) nano filter on my little tank, and switched to the zoo med and wow, what a difference - and being able to point the spray bar at the back slows the cyclone down a bit. I also added some additional filter media in the canister, and some floss inside the sponge.

I also have the Tom Mini rapids filter, and prefer the zoo med over it because the hoses are a lot more flexible - sure I can replace them, but out of the box, I'd go for the Zoo Med 501. 

But, with either of them, I wouldn't recommened pumping the CO2 directly into it and using it as a reactor. What I have in my 6.6 is the wood air stone under the intake, some get blown around, some make it into the filter. Seems to work well. The 2.5 is Excel only.

On the 6.6 tank I run a Coralife dual T5 fixture, and on my 2.5, I use the coralife dual bulb mini.


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