# Tentative Planning on a Planted 2.5gal glass tank



## Weaver (Sep 8, 2013)

Okay, so, y'all have given me so much inspiration in wanting to plant a tank properly (I've just got my goofy Lee's Critter Keeper) and since I would like to add in Roobios (from Adagio Teas, organic, and it's what I have on hand) tea, I worry about doing it with a plastic/acrylic tank.

So, I'll be switching then returning the Critter Keeper tank for a Marineland 2.5gal tank. 

My buy list:
Must Get
-Get tank= $15 +tax (get @ Petsmart)
-Get Hydor Theo heater= $23 +tax (get @ Petco)

Get Later
-Get FloraMax= $9+ tax @15lbs or $11+ tax for 12lbs (get @ Petsmart)
-Get Seachem Prime= $5 +tax (get @ Petsmart)

Total= $52-$55 give or take

To return:

-Return Lee's Critter Keeper Large= $12 -tax
-Return TopFin 7.5 watt heater= $10 -tax
-Return API Tap Water Conditioner (Extra-Strength)= $5 -tax
-Return Aqueon Sipon Gravel Vac Small= $8 -tax
-Return unopened OmegaOne Freeze-Dried Bloodworms= $5 -tax

Total= About $40 give or take

I have most of my plants, and black sand already. Is there anything on the 'Buy'-list that you all think I should add? I'm quite keen on the FloraMax but uh, it's 15lbs or 12lbs (for the $11 black one) of the stuff. I am pretty sure I don't need all of it. 

I'm a poor college-student (hence why I am trying to return as much stuff that I don't need/can upgrade to) but I'd love to do this for a tank. Someday. Shipping is a pain in the behind with the college-delivery so I would order things online but it's too risky with the way the campus handles packages. It's not going to happen for a while but, it's just a little plan. 

Do you all have any suggestions? I'm open to ideas.


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## RiceFish (Feb 9, 2013)

Consider getting seachem excel later on but other than that..a light source? 

If you don't want to purchase floramax you can always just get seachem root tabs or use seachem flourish for nutrients.


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## Weaver (Sep 8, 2013)

Well, I have a stand of Anacharis doing very well in my tank right now: Apparently they like my no-nutrient sand. I also have a nice corner of Cryptocorynes undulata. Low-light plants are what I want mostly. 

I could try Miracle-Gro and wait for it to just... settle for a while. If I do that, I would need to choose one without cow manure or too much chicken manure. With that I could do a light sprinkling of my black sand to cap it. Hmm. It would be cheaper to get the Miracle-Gro. HMM. 

The big things to get now are the Theo-heater and the new tank. Heater mostly as when I went home (Kasper was left at the apartment on a fasting day) I realized that my room was freezing. So the Hydor is a must-need soon.


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## RiceFish (Feb 9, 2013)

Cheaper to get miracle gro but much more of a mess if it's not done correctly. Trust me I used miracle organic and i'm still in the process of fixing my tank. I would go for root tabs or flourish because they are less of a hassle but it's your choice.


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## Weaver (Sep 8, 2013)

Hmmm.... well, we'll wait on that then. I can get the glass tank, heater, move things to it, and then eventually do an overhaul during break. XD We'll see what happens. You're input was great RiceFish.  Thank you so much.


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## Weaver (Sep 8, 2013)

Update Time! So, got the tank, Prime, and an adjustable heater. Also got my money back on the critter-keeper, the non-adjustable heater, API Water Conditioner too.

Now let me tell you all something, I hate online-shopping. I really do. Especially when I have the store in-town. Petsmart, I know they don't carry the Hydor THEO heaters. Petco should have had them but my local store is not able to get any of the THEO heaters. None. They are not like, 'allowed' to sell them in this area for some reason. Don't even ask about the little LFS, they don't carry any of those heaters at all either. 

Anyway, rant is done. I bought a the 7-8" TopFin adjustable heater and it's big in my little tank but worth it because at my home (away from college) I'm in the basement and the heating is terrible down there so... this will be fine for maintaining temp. Until I can get something better. >.>

Replanted my C. undulata (pulled it apart to make a wall of Crypts) and stained my water with 1 cup of strongly brewed Roobios tea. Took out my carbon filter and slid a sponge in and wow. First day, his iridescence wasn't coming through but the second day and now the fifth day his shine is really popping. And the water is dark. <3 The Ghost Shrimp seems to be enjoying himself too. XD 

Everything is going good. <3


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## Weaver (Sep 8, 2013)

When doing up the tank, I saved 1 gal of old-tank water to start this new one up again. All my params are reading normal. <3


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## sandybottom (Nov 29, 2012)

in that small of a tank with no real light source i would just go with plain sand.the extra nutrients of the soil will not balance out without light and 90% of the tank planted.then use root tabs. oops.just saw you got a new tank.what kind of lighting does it have?


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## Weaver (Sep 8, 2013)

As for lighting set-up, since my only plants are C. undulata and floating Duckweed, I need low-light. So, for now I'm just using an overhead swing-arm light with a full-spectrum fluorescent at 32 watts and 1300.0 lumens. It's a little less than what I need for Duckweed but, that's alright as my Duckweed is doing very well in the newly tannin-enriched water. Roots are growing like mad now.


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## Weaver (Sep 8, 2013)

I'm going to add in some CO2 Booster too next week.


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## sandybottom (Nov 29, 2012)

the nice thing about desk lamps for small tanks is how easily the height is adjusted.moving the light 3 inches higher gives you 50% less light intensity and vice versa.


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## Weaver (Sep 8, 2013)

Update Time! Hey there folks, got the tank, got a new heater since I got sick of the TopFin one (it was...too big for it and just... ugly) and bought myself a little Archea Mini Heater. Best thing I've found and it's unobtrusive and it works like a dream. 

Kasper is in a quarantine tank for a bit while I set up the 2.5 with laterite and some fert-tabs. Since it is a small tank, 12" long x 6" wide X 8" high, I'm going to try a thing and do a weird slope since I need to keep the area around the filter kind of clear with an area of inert sand/gravel. I have one Crypt undulata that has miraculously survived my ineptness due to dosing with ferts. Uh, I need some suggestions for plants. 

I know I want Dwarf Hairgrass (or Dwarf Baby Tears) and Red Ludwigia in there. Are there any other ideas to fill this tank out for Kasper and his snail? 

I'm hesitant to get Java Moss (only because one snail is enough for me) but what about some Water Wisteria or a floater other than duckweed? I may think about finding Crystalwort instead.

So yes. Bumping my own thread for help.


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## Flint (Oct 22, 2013)

Hairgrass and HC (Dwarf Baby Tears) are going to need CO2 and moderate-high light to grow properly. Anything red is high-light.


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## Weaver (Sep 8, 2013)

I would agree but, from all that I've read the more important part is nutrient-rich substrate and high-light. It can be apparently grown without a CO2-system but of course, it doesn't hurt to have it. Of course, everything thrives with CO2 but, I just don't have the time to buy one. I could do a DIY but, we'll see. It's been suggested elsewhere that better success comes from growing it emersed first to develop the root-system and I have half the batch to test that. I have a great light so... we'll see what happens.


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