# 2.5 gallon planted lighting ideas



## gorillakev (Feb 21, 2013)

So last weekend I went to the Cbs show/auction and won me a new betta
I named him Steele here's the actual clip from the show 

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=q4qu6S8Gbyc

I'm keeping him in a 1 gallon jar which should be fine for him, but when I was cleaning my garage I found a 2.5 gallon tank from before.

So I definitely want to do planted with flame moss and a couple of Anubias nana petite and maybe some red root floaters( if I can find them).

I want to know what kind of lights you guys and gals are using for your 2.5 gal aquariums.

I have a desk lamp but it doesn't fit on my shelf.


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

Flame moss is difficult the grow, definitely needs high lighting because mine died in my 33 aquarium where everything else is absolutely flourishing so that's my only warning. Unless you know it will do well, of course always great to give it a chance because it is a beautiful moss!

But my 3 gallon has a T8 fluorescent tube, the other one has an LED light clip which grows plants pretty well once they're acclimated to the water. There's a bunch of different ones if you look on Ebay, Amazon and wherever. They're good too because usually they bend so it can fit most places, the only thing then would be you wouldn't have a hood. You can get some plexi-glass or something if your really wanted to and get it cut to the shape of your 2.5  That's a bit much I know though. 

Or you can use Saranwrap which is usually just a pain in the tushy.


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## VJM (Feb 7, 2013)

I use a desk lamp with a CFL. It works really, really well. 

If that won't work, Deep Blue and Fluval have some LED clip on lights that might fit the bill.


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## Gallium (May 14, 2013)

I like to use a clamp-lamp with a compact florescent. You can angle the light any which way for he best lighting, it's cheap and effective for smaller tanks, and as a bonus they are good reflectors.


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## gorillakev (Feb 21, 2013)

Gallium said:


> I like to use a clamp-lamp with a compact florescent. You can angle the light any which way for he best lighting, it's cheap and effective for smaller tanks, and as a bonus they are good reflectors.


Clamp lamp as in broader lamps or the ones they use for reptile tanks? I have one of those also but its too big for my application. Give me a reference to which type of clamp lamp you are using.


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## BasilBetta87 (Jan 15, 2011)

Fluval 13 watt fixture. Another option is the 12" Finnex Fuge ray. Great led lights, giving you Med light. This high power desk lamp would look pretty good and give you more than enough light for any plants.


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## gorillakev (Feb 21, 2013)

lilnaugrim said:


> Flame moss is difficult the grow, definitely needs high lighting because mine died in my 33 aquarium where everything else is absolutely flourishing so that's my only warning. Unless you know it will do well, of course always great to give it a chance because it is a beautiful moss!
> 
> But my 3 gallon has a T8 fluorescent tube, the other one has an LED light clip which grows plants pretty well once they're acclimated to the water. There's a bunch of different ones if you look on Ebay, Amazon and wherever. They're good too because usually they bend so it can fit most places, the only thing then would be you wouldn't have a hood. You can get some plexi-glass or something if your really wanted to and get it cut to the shape of your 2.5  That's a bit much I know though.
> 
> Or you can use Saranwrap which is usually just a pain in the tushy.


Flame moss is kind difficult to grow in bigger tanks unless you have high light with co2. It might do ok in my application, since the lighting will be an inch or two away from the light. Most likely I'm going to tie or glue it to DW.

Luckily when I found my 2.5 it had its glass lid and dividers still in there. I want to go with a t8 also, but upon searching I can't find one.

My next option would be led.


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## Gallium (May 14, 2013)

I use this style of clamp lamp. 










I get mine from walmart, they're $5 for the smalls and $8 for the largest. I've got a friend here who grows all kinds of plants in a 75g with only three of the small ones, I swear by 'em!


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## gorillakev (Feb 21, 2013)

Gallium I have a couple of those. Those do work great but won't fit my application. 
I'm putting it on a bookshelf and there is a 5 inch gap from top of tank to he other tier of the shelf


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## gorillakev (Feb 21, 2013)

So I am going to a diy out of a old t12 fixture and hack it up to the length of the tank.

Then I'm going to take apart a broken desk lamp I have and take the bulb socket.

Then make a reflector out of aluminum sheeting.


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

Ooh red root floaters  

For my old 2.5 I used a student lamp  I also have a 12in lighting strip which takes one screw in bulb. Worked pretty well~



lilnaugrim said:


> Flame moss is difficult the grow, definitely needs high lighting because mine died in my 33 aquarium where everything else is absolutely flourishing so that's my only warning. Unless you know it will do well, of course always great to give it a chance because it is a beautiful moss


I object! lol 
it grew beautifully for me when tied to drift wood  lighting wasn't very high. My water was rock hard~ I find moss tend to do better when it can anchor on to something.

--------------
do keep in mind though to acclimate moss from cool to warm water as our betta's water tends to be a little on the warm side. Moss prefers water in the 70s.

Also note that the fluval clip on lights recommended by a previous user, is only suitable for rimless tanks.


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## gorillakev (Feb 21, 2013)

aokashi said:


> Ooh red root floaters
> 
> For my old 2.5 I used a student lamp  I also have a 12in lighting strip which takes one screw in bulb. Worked pretty well~
> 
> ...


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## gorillakev (Feb 21, 2013)

Here's my lil DIY light I did for a 20l I decided not to use, I didn't even remember I made one. 

I'm just going to cut the fixture to length.









I figure to paint it all white and add a reflector to get more par, rather than leave it all faux wood look inside.


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

aokashi said:


> I object! lol
> it grew beautifully for me when tied to drift wood  lighting wasn't very high. My water was rock hard~ I find moss tend to do better when it can anchor on to something.


It was anchored to my driftwood :-( It was most likely the temp then, my sorority stays at 78 and this was back in winter when I tried it. I guess I'll have to give it another shot then! ;-)


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## BasilBetta87 (Jan 15, 2011)

Good work on the light GorillaK. Looks like it will be plenty of light.


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## gorillakev (Feb 21, 2013)

BasilBetta87 said:


> Good work on the light GorillaK. Looks like it will be plenty of light.


Thank you I'm planning on putting a 9 watt 6500k bulb.


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

gorillakev said:


> Thank you I'm planning on putting a 9 watt 6500k bulb.


Sounds good to me! :-D good luck with it! ^_^


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## gorillakev (Feb 21, 2013)

Here's what I'm thinking as the aquascape. I'm not to fond of the rocks, going to find an alternative.


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## gorillakev (Feb 21, 2013)

This was a little test run with sand and scraps of manzanita I had laying around. I might just put a lone bigger black lava rock on the left.


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## Aluka (Dec 25, 2012)

i think i would just skip the rock all together and do a nice carpet up front =D, It'll look so beautiful with hc or mircoswords! and with 9 watts for a 2.5 gallon you have enough light for it =)


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## snowflake311 (Jun 19, 2013)

gorillakev said:


> Flame moss is kind difficult to grow in bigger tanks unless you have high light with co2. It might do ok in my application, since the lighting will be an inch or two away from the light. Most likely I'm going to tie or glue it to DW.
> 
> Luckily when I found my 2.5 it had its glass lid and dividers still in there. I want to go with a t8 also, but upon searching I can't find one.
> 
> My next option would be led.


I have flame moss in a low tech tank with good light but it's not high light. well it might be more then most of you guys have because I did set this tank up for plants. I love this moss. I have a few other kinds of moss too. 

I have had this moss for a long time and I have to trim it back A lot and retie it every 4 months. Mine goes like a weed without CO2. I use to have it with CO2 and I did not see a difference in growth. The tank is on the cooler side with good water flow. 75F is the hottest my tank gets. I do add ferts to my water to feed my plants too. 

In fact I am about to cut this moss back in a few days.

Most moss likes cooler temps and good water movement making it not the best for a betta tank. I do have flame moss in a zip lock bag with water sitting in a window and its growing well in the bag you just need to flip the bag every day or so. I also have snails in the bag to give off ammonia and that helps feed the plant.


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## gorillakev (Feb 21, 2013)

Aluka said:


> i think i would just skip the rock all together and do a nice carpet up front =D, It'll look so beautiful with hc or mircoswords! and with 9 watts for a 2.5 gallon you have enough light for it =)



That's what I was thinking it was either all rock,or rock and manzinita, or just manzanita only. I'm going to scape with all rock just to see if I like it. 

I was also thinking dhg as the foreground hc is a possibility though. Blyxa japonica maybe regular sag as the background. Then tie bits and pieces of flame moss on some of the tips of driftwood. 

I have microswords in my other tank and it might not go well in this small tank.

It's going to take me a while to set this tank up with other tanks I'm dealing with right now. I might as well plan ahead till everything is all figured out. This will be my 6th tank online when I eventually get around to it.

Thanks for the input


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## gorillakev (Feb 21, 2013)

snowflake311 said:


> I do have flame moss in a zip lock bag with water sitting in a window and its growing well in the bag you just need to flip the bag every day or so. I also have snails in the bag to give off ammonia and that helps feed the plant.


I actually do this too but with Taiwan moss and java moss, I moisten the moss every week and open up the bag every couple of days to do an air exchange. I'm not sure if its growing but I certainly know its not dieing or close to it. Bright green no Brown spots either. 

That's actually a great tip to people that have excess moss and don't know what to do with it.


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