# .9 gallon nano (update 1/29)



## radioman (Oct 29, 2007)

So I just picked up this betta cube. I'm trying to use a riccia mat I had as a foreground but I doubt the pebbles will hold it down forever. If it does it will look nice grown up around them. I have a 13w cfl above it but am unsure of the height and since I don't have any co2 I don't want this to become an algae farm. Can you dose excel with java moss. I've heard that it will kill it or is that only for overdoses/concentrated doses.


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## Newman (Jul 3, 2010)

overdose will kill it.


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## TexasCichlid (Jul 12, 2011)

From what I have heard, a substantial overdose or direct application to moss will kill it.


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## The Dude (Feb 8, 2011)

I've done direct applications of excel on my java moss to kill BBA and the BBA is the only thing it killed. On a side note I am really wanting a nano tank and really like the looks of that. What plants are in there? Are you using a filter? And how much was it. I would have to hide it from my wife along with the purchase of some OEBT's since she is at her limit with my 5 tanks ranging in size from 10 - 75 gallons


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## radioman (Oct 29, 2007)

The Dude said:


> I've done direct applications of excel on my java moss to kill BBA and the BBA is the only thing it killed. On a side note I am really wanting a nano tank and really like the looks of that. What plants are in there? Are you using a filter? And how much was it. I would have to hide it from my wife along with the purchase of some OEBT's since she is at her limit with my 5 tanks ranging in size from 10 - 75 gallons


The tank is a Marina Cubus Betta kit. It is all glass not cheap plastic and is on sale at Petsmart for $15.99. I have riccia (that I might not keep in there), anubias nana, and some java moss. Also I have no filter on it and am not sure if I will put anything in it, maybe a rcs or two.


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## Quentin (Mar 16, 2011)

Are you going to run it filter-less?


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## radioman (Oct 29, 2007)

Quentin said:


> Are you going to run it filter-less?


Ya, I am just going to have plants in it for a while and just keep my water changes up, even though I don't have inhabitants.


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## radioman (Oct 29, 2007)

So even though I like the riccia in it, I took it out and just have java moss in the back behind a new rock setup that is centered. I just don't know how well the riccia would have fared in the conditions I am going to keep this tank and needed to keep hardier plants in it instead of ones that might float up and cause a mess.


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## sampster5000 (Oct 30, 2010)

Looks good! You could pull it off as a 10 gallon from the pictures. I have never had problems with excel and any moss. I'm sure if you overdose excel you could kill any plant. That is similar to injecting too much CO2 for the plants to keep up with. I wouldnt worry about it at all.


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## radioman (Oct 29, 2007)

Ok so I moved a lot of stuff around. Should I put the riccia back in. I am hesitant if I will be able to keep it alive with just API co2 boost. Anyone have any thoughts? The water is a little cloudy from moving stuff around.


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## dooboogoo (Apr 19, 2007)

I've kept riccia with dosing excel in a 5.5gal. I don't really think it's that finicky with co2, just light. I think you'll have enough light for it. Why not try a little of the riccia in the tank as a test for a few days to see how it'll do?


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## Jorge_Burrito (Nov 10, 2010)

Once it is settled in a little bit I would definitely recommend adding some shrimp, they seem to do very well in setups like this.


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## radioman (Oct 29, 2007)

Sounds good I will put some back in tomorrow and play it by ear.


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## radioman (Oct 29, 2007)

So I put the riccia back in but kept the layout the same. I am holding it down with bent wires as weight.


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## radioman (Oct 29, 2007)

The riccia is showing progress but is definitely growing thinner in this tank than my other nano. Put what I think is part of a java fern leaf in there to grow out so I will see if that works.


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## radioman (Oct 29, 2007)

I found some type of dwarf hairgrass growing immersed by a lake and stuck it in this tank to see how it would do. In the 4 days it has been in this tank, it has sent out new runners and new plants are sprouting. Will post pics later.


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## shoteh (Nov 13, 2007)

uPdated pix of the unknown grass?


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## radioman (Oct 29, 2007)

Pics as promised.


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## gnod (Mar 24, 2011)

where did you get those nets for the rocks?


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## radioman (Oct 29, 2007)

It is a from one of those bath sponges.
http://skorinc.us/brodyharper.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/black_shower_thing.jpg


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## gnod (Mar 24, 2011)

oh thosee... so how do u or did you tie them to the rocks? did you cut them to size and tie them somehow? 

sorry.. noob with this method


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## radioman (Oct 29, 2007)

gnod said:


> oh thosee... so how do u or did you tie them to the rocks? did you cut them to size and tie them somehow?
> 
> sorry.. noob with this method


What I do is pull a little loop out of sponge and cut it. Stretch it over the rock so it is tight and then twist the bottom. I then tie it off with fishing line and cut the excess sponge part off.


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## jerkosaurus (Jul 17, 2011)

Any updates? I love this little thing. How often do you have to top off, or does that lid prevent most evap? And what are the dimensions?


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## Quentin (Mar 16, 2011)

Add a shrimp or two.


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## radioman (Oct 29, 2007)

The riccia is coming through the netting nicely. The wild hairgrass apparently doesn't like to be cut. I cut the tips off the original plants since they had seed pods and the cut portions are tuning brown but they are sending out tons of runners and growing nicely. I top pff maybe twice a week and don't use the lid. The water looks kind of yellow since I need to do a water change.


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## radioman (Oct 29, 2007)

Some more pics. I took some java moss out so the anubias nana had some light. The hairgrass continues to spread.


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## Newman (Jul 3, 2010)

nice cubus. this needs some yellow shrimp if youre using soft water or some cherry shrimp in all other cases


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## radioman (Oct 29, 2007)

I have very soft water and one of my cherries in my 2.5 is about to hhave babies so I will definitely move some over.


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## radioman (Oct 29, 2007)

So I tore up all the hairgrass and sold it and the tank was just not right for the riccia which was starting to look sickly due to lack of c02 and nutrients. Now I just have java moss in the tank with possibly a small amount of flame moss that must have come with the java moss when I bought it back in early August. I want to put cherries in it but since I have to move this tank home for Christmas with a 2.5 I really don't want to be digging cherries out of the moss.
Right after hairgrass and riccia were removed









almost month or less later


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## diwu13 (Sep 20, 2011)

Great idea with the bath sponge and the rocks. Going to have to copy that! So is there anything in your tank now besides the moss?


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## radioman (Oct 29, 2007)

diwu13 said:


> Great idea with the bath sponge and the rocks. Going to have to copy that! So is there anything in your tank now besides the moss?


It's just moss right now. I might move 1 or 2 cherries over there eventually.


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## diwu13 (Sep 20, 2011)

Will you plan on rescaping the tank? It looked really great before but now it just looks like a swirl of moss around two rocks >.>


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## freph (Apr 4, 2011)

I personally like the swirling moss vortex, haha. I'm sure shrimp will love it and plus it looks really cool.


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## radioman (Oct 29, 2007)

diwu13 said:


> Will you plan on rescaping the tank? It looked really great before but now it just looks like a swirl of moss around two rocks >.>


What I hope to eventually do is set up a tree like scape, but since I am away at college I have not had a chance to go to my prime driftwood collecting spot back home.


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## radioman (Oct 29, 2007)

So here is the tank as it stands now. It looks better than the pictures. I have taken over 10 pictures of this tank and they just don't look as good as in person. Anyways I broke up some rocks and and made a sort of hill and threw a branch with java moss tied to it right in the center. I wish I had some of my dwarf hairgrass left that was originally in this tank because it would have made the foreground look really good. I'm still not completely happy with it since the wood is oddly shaped but it does form an interesting overhang.
Here are the pics that don't do it justice. 
video
http://s239.photobucket.com/albums/ff175/radioman22/?action=view&current=20120129_225540.mp4


















http://s239.photobucket.com/albums/ff175/radioman22/?action=view&current=20120129_225540.mp4


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