# 2.5 gal low-light (and hopefully low-tech)



## Bonefish (Mar 14, 2009)

*Tank:* 
AGA 2.5 gallon

*Lighting:* 
10W marineland CF in hood

*Substrate:* 
Used ADA Amazonia I and II from an old scape (mixed)

*Filter:*
Red Sea Nano HOB

*Heating:
*10W Marineland shatterpoof heater, supposedly set to 78 degrees F but actually keeps it closer to 72

*Ferts:* 
??? I haven't worked out a dosing regime yet, any tips would be appreciated! 
No CO2

*Flora:* 
Anubias nana 
Java fern
Crypt parva
Crypt becketti
Fissidens fontanus
Christmas or Taiwan moss

*Fauna:* 
nothing but hitchhiker snails at the moment
eventually my old betta and maybe an amano shrimp










_apologies for the shamefully dirty glass, I need to wipe it down next water change...
_​

NEED DOSING SUGGESTIONS. Desperately. I have the entire Flourish line at my disposal, I just don't know how much to dose in a low-tech nano. I've read that java ferns hate Excel, but I'm not doing CO2... how can I strike a happy balance? Do I need to dose trace and iron? Or should I just go with low doses of macro? Ideally, this tank will need minimal lighting and minimal amounts of care.

Also, I noticed a bit of BBA on the edges of some leaves (plants came that way, but from a tank that was well-established and balanced). Do I need to worry, or is a little bit of BBA okay?

I've had cyanobacteria problems in my last two 2.5 gallon attempts. I want to get this 'scape off to the best start possible in order to stave off problems. 

Fingers crossed that it'll stay healthy!


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## Bonefish (Mar 14, 2009)

Wiped down the glass for a less shameful shot:










I wonder if I can get some moss to grow in the prefilter sponge.


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## hybridtheoryd16 (Mar 20, 2009)

I allways follow the rule

No co2/ No excel = No ferts..... just weekly water changes and enough stock to keep some nitrate in the tank.

Anytime I have ever seen anyone dose ferts with no co2 or excel supplementation it ends in a algae forest. 

And with the substrate you have there should be some ferts being released into the water column from it.


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## Bonefish (Mar 14, 2009)

That plan sounds great. I was hoping to keep this tank as low tech as possible; being able to forgo ferts altogether would be ideal. The tank has a crew of snails and will eventually house my betta, so that combo ought to keep nitrates up.

I have Excel and can dose it if necessary. The filter creates minimal surface agitation, meaning there might not be much CO2 in the water column. Don't know of the java fern, crypts, and anubias will care much though.

Thanks for the tip. I'll skip dosing this week and see how the tank fares.


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

I agree, skip dosing and see how it goes. You have non-demanding plants, along with AS, so I don't foresee any nutrient problems if you do not dose. 

Also, I'd clip off any BBA infested leaves right away.

As for the tank/scape: I love it. Looks like a Nerite had a party laying eggs on that driftwood.  If you don't plan on adding a Nerite into this tank, you may want to use a toothbrush or something similar to scrap those eggs shells away.


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## Bonefish (Mar 14, 2009)

I clipped the most-affected-by-BBA leaves off. Unfortunately, _all_ of the Anubias leaves have some BBA on their edges, so I can't completely remove the stuff. Looks like it's dying off, though. I might try spot application of H2O2 later this week.

Yep, you nailed it, that piece of driftwood used to be in a tank with an olive nerite. Little bugger had a party laying eggs on everything, and I've had the hardest time scraping the eggs off. That driftwood has been boiled, scrubbed, and boiled again, yet the egg shells don't want to move. I'm hoping that they'll disintegrate with time.


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## Dollface (Sep 30, 2008)

aquasoil should actually release a ton of nutrients on its own so you're cool. You might have to keep up some crazy water changes even to keep the levels down. (I just set up a 2.5 with AS, and even with fast growing stems and co2 I'm getting crazy algae while it cycles.)


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## Bonefish (Mar 14, 2009)

This AS is from a previously-cycled tank, so I'm hoping I've got some bacteria colonies left to jump start the current setup. I'm changing water every other day just in case!

The snails are helping too. Lots of snail poo to fuel those nitrifying bacteria.

You're gonna post your new 2.5, right?


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## Dollface (Sep 30, 2008)

It's not so much the bacteria colony as how much ammonia new out of the bag AS releases, the ammonia readings I was getting when I first filled mine up were _crazy_. 

I will eventually, I took some pictures I was meaning to post a while ago but I never got around to it, and now that it's covered in diatoms, yech.


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## Morainy (Feb 8, 2010)

That is a GREAT looking tank, hard to believe it's such a small one. Good job! Nice piece of driftwood, too.

I see that you've tied some small groundcover plants to a rock (or that's what it looks like). I haven't tried that yet and am starting a small tank this week. Which of your plants is on that rock? 

In another forum (a fish forum) I read that someone used aquarium glue to attach plants to driftwood and rocks. Have you ever heard of that?

I am starting a small tank this week, too, so really enjoyed this peek at yours.


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## Bonefish (Mar 14, 2009)

*Dollface* - Oh man, new AS leaches ammonia like a beast. My ammonia readings were literally off the chart when I first set up my 1.5 gallon.

Ughh, diatoms. That's why I tore down this 2.5 gal's original incarnation, to be honest. Diatoms and cyanobacteria on everything, probably due to the tank being so high light back then (27 watts). I hate diatoms. They make everything look filthy.

*Morainy* - Thank you! Glad you like it. Yeah, that piece of driftwood was a lucky find at my LFS. It's got such nice shape and texture.

The plant on the rock is some kind of moss. According to my friend who gave it to me, it's either Taiwan Moss or Christmas Moss. It should attach to the rock pretty readily.

Never used aquarium glue/silicone on my plants. It should be non-toxic once dry, but I don't know whether the plants would like to be in contact with it, especially while it cures. I've found that cotton thread works wonderfully as a plant tie. After a few weeks, it rots away on its own!

Good luck with your new nano!


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## PinoyBoy (Mar 14, 2008)

TsuRyuu said:


> I've been neglecting my tank threads, haven't I? The good news is, I haven't been neglecting the tanks.


Just a quote from your 1.5 gal shrimp forest . So any update on this tank also?

Sorry if this is considered a bump... But... update pl0x?


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