# Nano NPT(s) with no inhabitants?



## AyalaCookiejar (Nov 20, 2012)

So I have a whole bunch of one gallon tanks that I used as QT tanks (at this point, I have three critter keepers, a vase, a glass bowl, a triangular acrylic tank that was my bettas old home, 6 one gallon tall and narrow canisters, and two half gallon square shaped canisters, lol.) I am getting live plants in the mail hopefully this week, and I need to QT them in something - I also have two 10 watt 6400k fluorescent bulbs and I can put one of them in my lamp and hook it up to my light timer. I kind of want to make some nano NPTs (1 or 2 possibly) for the plants when they start to multiply and propagate... I was wondering how well a one gallon tank with no fish in it would support live plants... Like if they would need anything extra since there will be no fish poop and what not, how many plants I could fit in one, and how deep the tanks needed to be (I obviously have many containers of different depths, lol).

I really like live plants although I've never had any before, and I know that a friend of mine is planning on setting up a 10 gallon tank and either a 40 or a 60 gallon and he would like some live plants... I could grow some in a one gallon and give them to him whenever he gets his tanks set up.

I'm really hoping that I can actually keep the plants alive, though, ha. Also, I'm not sure I want to buy a brand new heater for an uninhabited tank, but my room is very warm (and humid, lol) and I was wondering if I could grow live plants at room temp? I think my room is mid-70s, but since I have a ton of extra thermometers, I think I will set out a container of water and see what temp the water would be without a heater..

Um, anyways, yeah. What do you think?


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

I'm doing the same thing in an unheated 1/2 gallon jar. I do plan to add shrimp, and I'm giving a tiny dose of ferts once a fortnight (Flourish and Flourish Iron). I have no light except natural light. I've only had it set up since Friday, but it seems ok so far.


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## AyalaCookiejar (Nov 20, 2012)

Neat! I love red cherry shrimp. I don't know if I would want to add them to my Betta tanks since I fear they would eat them... Except maybe my blind fish, but he has Epsom salt in his tank for his chronic SBD..


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

I do it all the time. thoght with jars smaller than 1 gallon, I dont bother with doing a proper substrate.
like with this Jar, I just used a sprinkle of black sand.









My juvie female live in there righ now... and there's a cup in there currently housing my recovery betta...









gonna give the recovery betta my 2.5g when he's strong enough to navigate the current. but for now... 100% twice a day... sigh


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## AyalaCookiejar (Nov 20, 2012)

I know its small, but are two 100% changes necessary with live plants in there? If I put shrimp in one of the one gallons with live plants, what do you think the water changes would be like? Just out of curiosity...

I like the look of the planted jars, but I think I'd like to utilize some of the random extra tanks I already have, lol  what kind of plants do you have in there?


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Shrimp are pretty sensitive to nitrates, but because they have such a tiny bioload, you probably won't have to do change like that. I'm planning to keep testing my water daily until I can figure out the right schedule.  I think that's all you can do when heading into unknown territory.


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

AyalaCookiejar said:


> I know its small, but are two 100% changes necessary with live plants in there? If I put shrimp in one of the one gallons with live plants, what do you think the water changes would be like? Just out of curiosity...
> 
> I like the look of the planted jars, but I think I'd like to utilize some of the random extra tanks I already have, lol  what kind of plants do you have in there?


oh no, I don't do water changes for my jars usually. for the actual Jar I change some every two days to promote growth on the juvie, otherwise I wouldn't change it at all. the two 100%s are performed on the little betta cup that's sitting inside the Jar. there's a fairly weak and traumatize betta in there lol....

I have susswassertang on some mazanita twigs and mygrophyllum mattogrossense... And some salvinia for floaters.


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## Agility4fun (Nov 16, 2012)

Can you float anubias attached to some driftwood? Do they need to be completely submerged?


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## tekkguy (Jan 28, 2013)

Agility4fun said:


> Can you float anubias attached to some driftwood? Do they need to be completely submerged?


Most varieties of anubias actually grow better emerged ... but they'll lose their aquatic leaves and have to grow new terrestrial leaves if you switch them, and then they'll lose those and grow new ones again if you switch back.

Rather than risk killing the whole plant if you're not sure, get a razor blade and split the rhizome into two plants - leave the first where it is, and move the second. Should give you a good idea without risking total loss.


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## Agility4fun (Nov 16, 2012)

Thanks, tekkguy!

Trying to be creative with a 2.5g tank is tough.


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

tekkguy said:


> Most varieties of anubias actually grow better emerged ... but they'll lose their aquatic leaves and have to grow new terrestrial leaves if you switch them, and then they'll lose those and grow new ones again if you switch back.
> 
> Rather than risk killing the whole plant if you're not sure, get a razor blade and split the rhizome into two plants - leave the first where it is, and move the second. Should give you a good idea without risking total loss.


I think you are thinking of crypts. I've grown many types of anubias from submersed to emersed and never once have they lost leaves. Crypts on the other hand lose their more delicate submersed leaves for stronger emmersed foliage.


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## tekkguy (Jan 28, 2013)

aokashi said:


> I think you are thinking of crypts. I've grown many types of anubias from submersed to emersed and never once have they lost leaves. Crypts on the other hand lose their more delicate submersed leaves for stronger emmersed foliage.


Hmm ... very possible. Or, I just have bad luck with anubias? :-D


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

tekkguy said:


> Hmm ... very possible. Or, I just have bad luck with anubias? :-D


When I first got into aquatic plants, I thought the frazeri was a crypt


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## AyalaCookiejar (Nov 20, 2012)

Well my plants have been shipped so hopefully I will get them soon


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