# Dirk's 2.5g Office Tank (56K warning)



## mott (Nov 23, 2006)

I love that lil killie.

I put rings in my nano filter plus a small bag of Ehfisubtrat for my q tank if I ever need it.


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## Sierra255 (Sep 13, 2007)

I did something similar with the filter on my 6.6 gallon. I found a small bag of bio media and put it behind my mechanical media. With the rings in a mesh bag, I figured it would be less of a headache when it came time to replacing the mech. media. I think it's cool that we're all on the same page, too.


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## bsmith (Jan 8, 2007)

i was going to put biomedia in my red sea nano but i got the rapids mini canister and it had a ton od tubes like that in it, and decided just to put some purigen in the red sea,

your tanks looks nice too!


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## dirkgent001 (Nov 20, 2007)

With my current lighting (coralife mini 18 watt) Is my setup considered high or moderate lighting?

Also, any suggestions on which plants to add? I'm thinking of HC for the groundcover (assuming I have enough light) and maybe a petit anubia.

Last question.. how many cherry shrimp could I maintain in the 2.5g tank?

thanks


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## trfjason (Aug 10, 2006)

For a 2.5G, it is consider high power lighting. I use the same lighting fixture and aquarium as you, and I am satisfied with the performance of the Coralife Mini-Aqualight. You can grow anything with that light, if you keep up with the fertilizers and CO2.


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## dirkgent001 (Nov 20, 2007)

Ok here's an updated shot of my tank:










Added 3 plants:

Some unkown bulb[left side [center left in front of wood]

1 Sagittaria Subulata (narrow leaf) [Left side behind wood]

1 Small crypt, bronz?. [left side foreground]

My snail chewed up my baby tear drop over the thanksgiving holiday, as you can see on the far left. I'm sure it will grow back, but Brutus will be moved to my 30g tank at home. (much to the dismay of co workers)

I plan to put some Xmas moss on the top of the main driftwood piece, and maybe a petite nana in the lower areas in front of the same piece.

I have a few questions for keepers of nanos (esp 2.5g like me)

I want to start dosing ferts, but I don't know how much/how often I should for what I have.

I picked up some Flourish, and Excel, but don't know what else I would need.. or how often I should dose. Let me know what you guys are doing with your 2.5 systems.

Also, since my large snail will be leaving, I'm thinking of adding a dwarf crayfish (to appease the co workers) Anybody keep these, and would they be ok in a planted tank this size?

More updates to come.


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## JenThePlantGeek (Mar 27, 2006)

Your killies are really cute! roud:


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## mott (Nov 23, 2006)

Have you gotten any ammonia spike since the AS change over?
I read about AS leeching ammo in new setups but I don't really know about an established tank change over, one person in my club is doing it but its only been as long as your tank had the change.

BTW your tank looks VERY deep, did you photo shop that last pick? lol I can hardly see the equipment in the back.


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## dirkgent001 (Nov 20, 2007)

Yes, I did get an ammonia spike, and am doing daily 20% water changes to keep it in check.

As for the "deep" tank, no photoshop, just a short focal length lens. I can't use my normal lenses without a tripod. I'll probably have to do that though so people can see the full tank without it blurring out. 

Come to think of it.. I'm gonna move that thermometer probe to the side and behind the wood on the left.


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## bsmith (Jan 8, 2007)

that is one big ole snail! your tank looks really nice too. 

how big do clown killies get?


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## fishboy23 (Oct 24, 2007)

Hi,
I'm kinda new here but I love my little tanks and I've sunk into being even more of a planted tank addict lately...
Anyway, to answer your question, as an AKA judge, I look for clown killies (Pseudepiplatys annulatus) to be about an inch on the male (inch and a half including a nice tail & spike), females are usually about 3/4" (maybe up to an inch including tail). They are easy fish, but lay tiny, TINY eggs that will drive you nuts if you pick them. Fry are almost impossible outside of a natural setup. 
Very nice looking tank. I'm about ready to redo my 10 gallon (I know, not really nano) with a new piece of driftwood and a new clay creation. 
Hope that helps with the killies anyway (nice fish!).
-Gary


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## Justintoxicated (Oct 18, 2006)

snail will crawl out without a lid....


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## Riley (Jan 24, 2006)

Beautiful killies....tank looks great....


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## dekstr (Oct 23, 2007)

Looking good!

Haha, will the snail really crawl out? Once it realizes there's no water elsewhere, it'll crawl back in.


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## Justintoxicated (Oct 18, 2006)

dekstr said:


> Looking good!
> 
> Haha, will the snail really crawl out? Once it realizes there's no water elsewhere, it'll crawl back in.


It will crawl out get lost and close up, hopefuly you can find it and toss it back in before it is too late. It becomes more of a problemm if they are pregnant and looking for a place to lay babies, otherwise it would be in search for food. I found one clear across the room on my wood floor once when I got back from vacation (Had lid lifted because it was hot). I tossed it back in and an hour later it was moving around again. No ide ahow long it had been out of the tank for. They are not full aquatic and breath air from the surface as well as through it's gills. Thats just what happens with Brigs. I have also had some in a tank with no lid but I pulled them before they got large.

Also recommended space for 1 Adult brig is 3 gallons alone (although your probably close enough in that tank.)


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## dirkgent001 (Nov 20, 2007)

I pulled that huge snail out of my nano and into my tank at home. I got a nerite snail to take over the cleanup work, and has already started laying eggs. I also added some christmas moss to the main driftwood, and will be upgrading the filter to a zoo med 501 soon. Updated pics to come later this week.


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## Justintoxicated (Oct 18, 2006)

I have the zoomed and Toms mini, I think I like the zoomeds 501 better. The Tom's mini is a PITA to clean cause when I remove the top it siphons water all over my desk, and the hoses are not long enough that you can lift the filter up higher without disconnecting everything from inside the tank (there goes 1/2 the beauty of having a canister to begin with...)

The Tom's did come with some nicer pipes but thats all.


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## dirkgent001 (Nov 20, 2007)

Tank Update:










I added some christmas moss to the driftwood as well as Petite Anubias. Nerite snail is in and already dropping eggs.

Today or tommorow i'll get the Zoo Med 501 canister filter in. I'm probably going to change the background.. just not sure to what yet. Also, I'm likely gonna put some creeping jenny as a background plant behind the center area and eventually I'll get a little HC in for a foreground carpet.

Currently I'm only dosing Excel and Flourish, but I have some ferts coming in the mail. Need to get a co2 drop checker.

I only have 4 clown killifish in right now, 3 females and 1 male so I'll try and get at least 1 more male in and hopefully i'll see some fry in time.

I thought I'd throw in a pic of some tools I MacGyvered out of a pair of chopsticks, a plastic spoon, an old wendy's gift card and some nylon thread.










I use these for general landscapeing and cleanup. I may modify the spoon by adding a hole at the center so when I lift it out of the tank the water drains, but the junk I scoop out doesn't.


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## Kayen (Oct 14, 2007)

LOL NICENICE.
I used to use something that like on my bowls.... xD


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

Those Killies are lovely. Do you know pH and water hardness? I always wanted to keep them, but I think they prefer soft water rather than the liquid rock I got here. Nice setup!


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## macclellan (Dec 22, 2006)

Aren't killies jumpers? I'd get a lid.

Lovely fish though!


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## dirkgent001 (Nov 20, 2007)

Macclellan: yes, I've read they are jumpers too.. I do have a lid with small opening for filter.

Wasserpest: yup, they like low PH and soft water. My PH is good at 6.2, but my water is maybe a little harder than they like. I've read they will do ok in harder water, but will like softer much better. Once I get a good test kit for water hardness, I'll see about lowering it as I would like them to breed.

I got the Zoo Med 501 filter in (thanks again wasserpest) and will get that in the tank tommorow. I need to hack the intake tube in half so it doesn't stick 6" out of the tank.


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## FacePlanted (Jul 27, 2007)

Ahh, here is your thread. Nice.
I really love your driftwood pieces. They look awesome, and are well placed too. Everything will look even better when the plants fill in a little more.
I like your creativity with those tools also. 

As for getting a drop checker, I wouldn't think you need it without pressurised co2. A D.C. won't read the carbon you add to the tank using Excel.

Good luck with the tank and plants!

-Mike B-


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## FacePlanted (Jul 27, 2007)

You know, If the HC doesn't do too well with just ferts and Excel, you could try a DIY yeast bottle for co2. Its fairly "office safe" and you could run the co2 line into the canister intake. 

But I would do it only if your HC and other plants weren't growing too well, because unless you work real hard changing the yeast mixture every week, and keeping the co2 levels stable, you would just be inviting an outbreak of BBA and possibly other types of algae as well. But then you could use a drop checker


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## dirkgent001 (Nov 20, 2007)

*Almost there*

Another Update:

Yesterday over lunch I met with Mike and he hooked me up with a good amount of HC and some Peacock moss. I planted the HC, and strung up the peacock moss and the tank looks pretty full now. Will be nice when it all grows in a bit. The back is still a bit bare, but I do have 3 stems of creeping jenny behind the wood in the back that will fill it out some. I think this is all the plants going in for now. I'm gonna wait for it to fill out before adding any more.










Borrowed my coworker's Macro lens for a few shots of the inhabitants:

My male clown killi (need to get a 2nd one to balance the population)









and my ghost shrimp


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## FacePlanted (Jul 27, 2007)

Looks nice! I hope it all grows in well.
What is that mound in the middle? Pellia? It's pretty interesting looking.


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## Kayakbabe (Sep 4, 2005)

hey for the spoon scooper thing.. how about half of a mesh tea ball. 
the mesh will let water through, but not most of the gunk and tiny leaves and peices of mulm. won't get the super mush stuff.. but hey I'm gonna use your example and mcgiver some tools like yours. I just normally put my hands all the way in and get my shirt all wet. LOL.


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## dirkgent001 (Nov 20, 2007)

Hey Kayakbabe,

I thought about that (after I made mine) but I think it would be too big for my nano tank, as there's not a lot of maneuvering room, but in a larger tank, that would be a nice way to do it.

Everything seems to be growing nicely, definitely seeing growth on all the plants, even the floating riccia. Also added 2 dwarf crayfish on Monday and they are living large now.. well not really, they are TINY!!

Also, I THINK some Nerite eggs may have hatched. There are like 4 eggs that are now open? I've seen TINY baby snails on the glass, but not sure what type they are yet. Need to get my eye loup from home for a better look. Look like Limpets, but definitely snails.


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## dirkgent001 (Nov 20, 2007)

Ok, So its been a little less than a month so I though i'd update:










Things seem to be growing well. The HC has been uprooted a bit, but seems to be growing. Just not getting carpet like growth. It may not be planted deep enough, and it has thinned out since some of them were uprooted.

I have 2 dwarf crayfish in there now, as well as 3 female Heterandria formosa which i'm hoping will drop some babies soon. I have a colony in my home tank, but thier babies always get eaten.

Other than the occasional need to scrape the front glass to get the spot algea off, the tank seems to be doing great. The only thing I'm keeping an eye on is the green crypt on the right side, its new leaves seem brown on the edges. 

Also, as for the Nerite eggs.. its hard to say, the largest of the "babies" now is about 1-2mm, and I can clearly see its mouth as it eats the algea on the glass. The smallest of them is tiny, about the size of the head of a pin. Maybe they are just limpets, as i'm not too familiar with them, or what baby Nerites look like. This is the best photo I could snap:


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## fhqwhgads (Jan 18, 2005)

i had those too, and im pretty sure they were from my nerites, but i never saw any get that large


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