# [Wet Thumb Forum]-2.5 Gal NPT



## flagg (Nov 29, 2004)

Ok, so yesteday while the fiance was out getting a pedicure, I decided to set up a new 2.5 gal. nano tank. Specs are as follows:

0.5" - 0.75" of soil (this soil gives me nitrite problems when first set up so I kept the layer thinner, also since it's a small tank I didn't want a lot of space taken up by substrate)
0.75" plain gravel.

Plants:
R. indica
C. wendtii
B. monnieri (?) Not sure about this one
Echinodorus of some sort, I think
Java fern
Java moss
H. polysperma
Water lettuce
Penny wort
and two other species of plants I can't identify (Whiskey, any idea? They're the bright green ones front left and the other grass-like ones to their right.)

Fish: none. I'm waiting for the nitrite spike to go down before I add the tank's inhabitant: a female betta. Maybe I'll add some shrimp too. Don't know.

The tank sits in front of a bright window (lots of sunlight, mostly indirect so I added a blue background to keep some light out as last time I set up a tank here, it quickly got overgrown w/ algae.

Comments, tips, suggestions welcomed....

-ricardo

PS Oh yeah, here's the picture....


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## texasbec (Feb 2, 2006)

Your tank looks great. I will watch closely, because I just purchased a 2.5 gallon tank and want to set it up as a npt.

I don't have any suggestions for you, but do have a couple of questions.

You said this soil gave you a lot of nitrite problems. I have had my first npt set up for about 2 months now and occasionaly get nitrite spikes (about 0.25 ppm) for a couple of days. You think a thinner layer of soil would help this? All in all I am happy with the soil I used, my tank was just about instantly cycled, but I do stress (as do my fish) when the nitrite goes up.

I just added cherry shrimp to my tank and am considering a betta but I worried that the betta would eat the shrimp. You said you might put both in your tank, so a betta wouldn't eat the shrimp?


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## NanoNewbie (Apr 11, 2006)

Hi all, I think I have an opinion for U. Your tank look quite nice, but I think it's lack of design, I think it need more bushy looks, my idea is to use more background and more midground plant, so it's make deeper feeling
About the floating plant., doesn't it covering the lower plants from the light source?
Just an idea., the decision always yours


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## dwalstad (Apr 14, 2006)

Once the plants start growing more, it will fill in.

For example, the bronze C. wendtii may spread and form a grove.


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## flagg (Nov 29, 2004)

Thanks all for your comments!

texasbec: I don't know if a thinner soil layer would help w/ the nitrite spikes. I think they would still occur as that is the nature of some submerged soils. I would imagine the spikes wouldn't be as bad as there would be less soil, but certainly not non-existent. I don't know if a betta would eat the shrimp actually, gotta luck into that myself.

NanoNewbie: Yes, lack of design is absolutely correct. I don't design any of my tanks. I don't believe in designing aquascapes except for the general rule of bunching similar plants together and trying to vary color and leaf shape. Otherwise, I just throw stuff in and let it grow. I also like to leave the tank a little sparse that way it can grow and fill in, as Diana pointed out. Instead of designing a tank, I like to add plants and let the plants create their own design. This to me is much more natural-looking than planned aquascapes.

-ricardo


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## whiskey (Oct 9, 2004)

I have no idea Ricardo, sorry. I can tell you what they grow like though, if they are what I am thinking they are.

*If you got the bright green one from the small bag*
The bright green one grows flat, like glosso, and fast. The thing is it takes a lot less light to keep down. Really cool plant IMHO, I just got it last month, and it has already covered 1/3 of the 180.

The "grass" one growes just like you have it, like a tuft of hay or something. Really neat contrast to your ground cover, but it seems to like a fair wack of light. When it starts to get shadowed it gets a little annoyed.

Whiskey


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## magicmagni (Aug 19, 2004)

Hi Ricardo. You'll have to post a pic when it fills in. BTW have you ever tried soaking the soil in water for a few weeks before adding it to the tank? I had Nitrite problems in the tank I did too. I think I want to try that on my next one and see if it makes a difference.


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## dwalstad (Apr 14, 2006)

Nitrate respiration (my book, page 65) is probably the nitrite source in organic soil-containing tanks. This process requires organic matter, mild anaerobic conditions, and nitrates. 

As time goes on and the fresh organic matter in soil gets chewed up, nitrites should lessen or cease to cause problems. Also, remember that plants readily take up nitrites to fulfill their nitrogen requirements (my book, page 23). Good plant growth may help take care of nitrites.

That said...For small tanks where the plants aren't going to get that big anyway, a thinner layer of soil probably makes sense.

Keep us posted!


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## slickrb (Feb 6, 2006)

What type of filtration do you use on this tank if any?


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## flagg (Nov 29, 2004)

slickrb said:


> What type of filtration do you use on this tank if any?


The filtration is all natural: plants and the bacteria in the soil.

-ricardo


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## DataGuru (Mar 11, 2005)

So have you made up your mind what critters you're going to put in it?


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## flagg (Nov 29, 2004)

DataGuru said:


> So have you made up your mind what critters you're going to put in it?


Hey Betty: Yeah, I've been thinking either a bunch of cherry shrimp or a new male betta to breed w/ my female. I'll probably go with the betta since cherry shrimps are expensive to obtain 'round here and I don't have the extra money right now. Why? Do you have any suggestions?

-ricardo


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## DataGuru (Mar 11, 2005)

bettas are always great for small tanks.
I was also considering a puffer or Endler males or killies.


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## flagg (Nov 29, 2004)

DataGuru said:


> bettas are always great for small tanks.
> I was also considering a puffer or Endler males or killies.


I think dwarf puffers might be a little small for a 2.5, I think they'd do better in a 5 gal. Small killies might be a good idea.... I've never seen Endler's males around so I have no source for them.... My LFS has been carrying some nice crowntail bettas, so maybe a nice male....

Ideally, I'd like to get some cardinal reds from Faith at bettatalk.com. Check 'em out at:

http://www.bettatalk.com/cardinal_red.htm

-ricardo


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## DataGuru (Mar 11, 2005)

nice bettas! Pricey tho!


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## flagg (Nov 29, 2004)

Hi All! Here's a pic of this tank, a couple of months after setup. Growth has been slow, but the plants have settled in well. The only problem I have is w/ thread algae that's beginning to grow. It seems I always have a problem w/ thread algae w/ tanks that get direct sunlight. I have not been able to figure out how to get rid of it, so if anybody has any suggestions, they'd be more than welcome....



















-ricardo


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## flagg (Nov 29, 2004)

DataGuru said:


> nice bettas! Pricey tho!


Yes, quite pricey! What I like though is that they've been bred to not have any blue in them. Pure red bettas are exceedingly rare. Most have blue at least in their genes... These are RED!

-ricardo


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## DataGuru (Mar 11, 2005)

I think you oughta lose the blue background and get some more light in there. If you have some pothos, you could root some in water and let it grow emergent from the tank.

I too have hair algae in all my tanks that get sunlight, but it's not a big deal since I have mostly straight leaved plants (e.g. vals, sagitarria, hair grass) and big leaved swords near the back of the tanks. I gave up on wysteria and water sprite since it was impossible to separate those from the algae. It's mainly at the back of the tanks, so I just pull it out every couple of weeks. Seems like it's not growing as fast these days.


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## flagg (Nov 29, 2004)

Thanks, Betty. Unfortunately, I don't have any pothos. I would get rid of the blue background but then I'd totally have a mess on my hands with the thread algae. Nothing gets rid of it except reduced light levels (for example, in this tank it only grows in the front of the tank where it gets the most direct sunlight) and I don't feel like having to remove more of it all the time. I'd just like to get rid of the damn stuff...

-ricardo


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## javalee (May 8, 2006)

Ricardo, I have a suggestion: Why not try more fast-growing ROOTED plants to fight the algae? It looks like you have a good bit of substrate covered by non-rooted plants. Maybe a few more plants accessing the soil layer, especially fast-growers like hygro difformis. Bacopa carolinia (sp?) grows really fast for me. Looks like you have some bacopa. Maybe add more? Then you could allow that extra sunlight in. Just a thought to try.

I have one of those mini Tropica swords and I love it! I wish I could find more.


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## Miss Fishy (May 13, 2006)

The tank looks lovely, Ricardo! I especially like that fluffy clump of Java Moss on the right. I can't wait to see a current picture of it. 

The tank is eight monts old now, right? Are there any animals at all in it? Have you been adding any sort of food to the tank? If you haven't added any food to the tank for the whole eight months, perhaps the plants need some more nutrients to really get going and beat that algae. Maybe you could add some snails or just add food and let the bacteria take care of it. 

From Alex.


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## flagg (Nov 29, 2004)

javalee said:


> Ricardo, I have a suggestion: Why not try more fast-growing ROOTED plants to fight the algae? It looks like you have a good bit of substrate covered by non-rooted plants. Maybe a few more plants accessing the soil layer, especially fast-growers like hygro difformis. Bacopa carolinia (sp?) grows really fast for me. Looks like you have some bacopa. Maybe add more? Then you could allow that extra sunlight in. Just a thought to try.
> 
> I have one of those mini Tropica swords and I love it! I wish I could find more.


Hmm, more rooted plants, I haven't thought about that. Soon as I take down the fiance's tank at work I'll transfer some of those plants into here. I'll see what else I can pick up at my lfs... You know, I've never had any experience w/ growing H. difformis submereged, it just doesn't do well for me, dies off really quickly.

Is that what that dark green sword is? A mini tropica sword? I have a couple more, maybe I should add them?

-ricardo


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## flagg (Nov 29, 2004)

Miss Fishy said:


> The tank looks lovely, Ricardo! I especially like that fluffy clump of Java Moss on the right. I can't wait to see a current picture of it.
> 
> The tank is eight monts old now, right? Are there any animals at all in it? Have you been adding any sort of food to the tank? If you haven't added any food to the tank for the whole eight months, perhaps the plants need some more nutrients to really get going and beat that algae. Maybe you could add some snails or just add food and let the bacteria take care of it.
> 
> From Alex.


Thanks Alex! The moss is some Christmas moss that I got and it does look quite nice! Tank's actually only two months old. Probably just about ready for some critters, I'm just trying to decide what... I'll likely just end up getting a betta for now as I want to breed the female that I have. I'll have to do that soon. I'll start adding some food and get some more plants too while I'm at it.

-ricardo


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## Miss Fishy (May 13, 2006)

flagg said:


> Tank's actually only two months old.


Oops! I keep forgetting that the date on this forum is displayed with the month first! Your first post about this tank was posted on 10th April 2006, which was written 4/10/2006. In Australia we write the day first, then the month, then the year, so I automatically read this as 4th October. I didn't really take any notice of the year so I didn't realise that of course it couldn't have been set up in October _2006_!

From Alex.


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## flagg (Nov 29, 2004)

Miss Fishy said:


> Oops! I keep forgetting that the date on this forum is displayed with the month first! Your first post about this tank was posted on 10th April 2006, which was written 4/10/2006. In Australia we write the day first, then the month, then the year, so I automatically read this as 4th October. I didn't really take any notice of the year so I didn't realise that of course it couldn't have been set up in October _2006_!
> 
> From Alex.


Yeah, that's b/c Americans don't know how to do things right! We do it the same way in Puerto Rico, day, month, year.... From smallest unit to largest unit.

-ricardo


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## flagg (Nov 29, 2004)

Ok, here's an update with this tank, finally! I had to remove the christmas moss as it was totally covered with hair algae (it's currently in another tank, healing from it's battle with this noxious algae!) I've added more rooted plants and some water lettuce and duckweed to help control the hair algae. I just can't seem to keept the algae under control, at least not in this tank that only gets direct sunlight. I hate the damn stuff!

Anyway, here are the updated pics:

Ok first we have a shot of what happens when you take a picture at night without the flash... lovely shot, don't you agree?!










And here are the two other images! Enjoy! -ricardo



















I'll try to get a straight-on shot tomorrow. Also, I added some cabomba, couple of diff. crypts, two more of those small sword-like plants and some more bacopa....


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