Easystreet

Hello,

Wow and I thought fish keeping was complicated. I need help setting up a live plant and shrimp tank for a beginner. Everything I have read is for much larger tanks then what I am looking at doing. I have never kept live plants and I really would like to try a nano tank. I don’t mind the hard work that might go into a nano tank. I just need information to make sure I am doing it right.

The plants I am looking at using:

Riccia Fluitans tied to a rock.

Dwarf Hairgrass (Eleocharis parvulus) for the carpet.

And one of these.
Java Fern
Cryptocoryne Balansae
Cryptocoryne Lucens

Lighting:
What lighting would be best for them? And what is the minimum lighting for them? I can buy a small desk lamp to help with this.

Substrate:
For substrate I was thinking: Seachem Flourite Plant Substrate

Would this be ok for the shrimp? Should I mix it with normal gravel? Is 100% this substrate ok?

Tank:
The tank is a marineland glass tank (2.5gl US) with a glass lid.

C02:
I am clueless here. I need help bad on what to do and how to do it.

Nutrients:
Again clueless here. I need help

Filter:
Clueless: need help.


Any other tips or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,
Jason

trenac

Jason, Welcome to APC

With a 2.5 gallon tank you will need to go with small equipment... Lighting: AquaLight for AquaVase & filter: Nano Hang-on filter for Aquavase

You will need to stick with low light plants like: Crypts, Java Moss/Fern, Anubias. I don't think that Dwarf Hairgrass or Riccia would be a good choice.

For such a small tank I would not waste money on a bag of Fluorite, you will have a lot of leftover. I would go with a small bag of 2-3mm natural gravel.

For ferts: Seachem Flourish/micros & Excel. Get small bottles for you will not use very much at all. I would not try injecting C02 in such a small tank, Excel will be the carbon source.

You will also need a heater for shrimp, unless you live where it stays warm year round.

rgrycki

The balansae grows really tall, mine is about 18 inches and growing. After about three months the balansae will block out the light. I imagine it would look pretty cool in a nano for the first couple months.