# Plant my 5g?



## Doshiegg (Apr 13, 2013)

Going to petcosmart now to get silk plants and a cave of some sort because the *plastic* *plants* I have now are ripping my betta's fins (He likes resting on them) and my room's hours operate pretty late so I want something he can hide in (other then the filter, big filter). 

I've been looking at the tanks here and I've got a certain liking to the jungle aquariums (hi aus). They look rather hard to set up and I don't have another tank (it's original petco container) while I plants them if they take more then a few hours. If I do add plants I'll probably also get a snail or a few shrimp because of the algae (yeah).

My tank doesn't look a good house for my fish it's all plastic.










~ Doshiegg


----------



## Aus (Feb 3, 2012)

LOL, hi!

You know, a jungly tank can take about.. oh -- half an hour? to set up. :-D

The beauty of low light plants is, many popular ones don't actually get planted in the gravel, they can't grow that way... so they can be left floating, or attached to bit of wood or a nice ornament. 

My 3g little tank was torn down, thoroughly scrubbed and put back together the other day in .. yep, about 3/4 of an hour. In it currently is just java fern, susswassertang (freshwater seaweed), java moss and a couple of small cryptocorenes in little clay pots. And two bits of wood. All can be removed to a bowl for cleaning, easy peasy!

Not that I'm being a plant-pimp or anything.... 

(my 3g tank, btw, is all plastic.. your tank looks fine. okay, the plants don't, but the tank's quite nice!)

But planted tanks are really easy! Plants.. light.. voila, planted tank!


----------



## Doshiegg (Apr 13, 2013)

Aus said:


> LOL, hi!
> 
> You know, a jungly tank can take about.. oh -- half an hour? to set up. :-D
> 
> ...


Thanks for the quick response!  I have a few questions but I'm in a hurry so they might now be well written (sorry :c).

I have gravel will they grow? do I need to get dirt or something? 

Can I put them in right away? I don't have a QT (If it's really necessary then I can get one, but I'm not the richest).

Should I get another light? I have a 24 LED (as you can see above).

I'm also thinking of putting a few shrimp in the tank, maybe even a snail (if I knew more about them) would they be okay with a planted tank?

Thanks! 
~ Doshiegg


----------



## Aus (Feb 3, 2012)

The plants that will grow planted in gravel probably won't do all that well under LED lights, with the exception of cryptocorenes, which I find do very well. All the other low-light plants are meant to be tied to a bit of wood or a decoration, even a small rock to anchor them if you don't wish them to float. 

No, you don't need dirt. Dirt tanks are awesome, but they are a bit more fiddly to set up than a simple planted low-light tank. 

If you don't wish to QT, give the plants a good rinse in a bucket of dechlorinated water, gently rubbing your fingers over the leaves where possible before adding them to your tank, to dislodge any pond snail eggs or bit of gunk or parasites.. I try not to buy plants from places which keep fish in the plant tanks, to reduce the chance of parasite/germ transfer. If I do, I QT -- lack of QT cost me two fish last year, so I am a bit paranoid about it now.. 

Your LED should be just fine for low-light plants like I have mentioned already. If you wanted to grow some of the long stemmy plants, I would probably recommend a flouro lamp of some sort, something with a bit more 'reach' and shelf-life. 

You could have a few shrimps and a snail in a 5g.. keep in mind that cherry shrimps make wonderful betta food. I have kept shrimps in my betta tanks for ages.. I provide lots of moss for them to hide in (they get very good at hiding..) so even though a few get eaten as betta snacks, most of the time I had a few survive up to a year in the tank. My bettas were very healthy for the extra protein!

If you don't want them eaten, get bigger shrimp like ghosts.. though they'll still need shelter.


----------



## Doshiegg (Apr 13, 2013)

Aus said:


> The plants that will grow planted in gravel probably won't do all that well under LED lights, with the exception of cryptocorenes, which I find do very well. All the other low-light plants are meant to be tied to a bit of wood or a decoration, even a small rock to anchor them if you don't wish them to float.
> 
> No, you don't need dirt. Dirt tanks are awesome, but they are a bit more fiddly to set up than a simple planted low-light tank.
> 
> ...


I don't mind getting another light (I literally have money I've held for years. dang 20s). Dirt however is a different story, with my parents that is. I'm okay with it, but the whole carpeted flooring and little kids and... yeah. I'll look into it, I really want a planted tank (I'll wait for my birthday )

The reason I'm avoiding getting a QT now is I might get a 10g (Might? lolno) and I don't really want to spend the extra money. If I get live plants before my 10g, I'll probably get a QT tank that's like 1 or 2.5g.

My "peeps" have been asking when I'm going to put another fish and I've been telling them that I can only get either a frog, shrimp or snail. They're always asking why and that my tank is so big... oh why. But I'm not very creative or have any taste in art (as long as it's decent. This imo was a very vague sentence, don't think I'm careless or bland or anything...).

I purchased a few silk plants for the time being, a few filters, this little cave, a background (I have a white one now, it's called wall >_>), and the API MATERBLASTERULTRAMEGAUBEREPIC FRESHWATER 2015K TESTING COMPLETE FRESH BUZZLIGHTYEAR kit... I spent an hour at the store only to find out that it's way cheaper online (well f...fudge ). It was $80 X_x

I'll post pic in a few days when I set everything up.

Umm, I know you have planted tanks and all but maybe you know the answer to this: How often to replace the filter? is it just an "eyeball" sort of thing? I guess it would vary with the fish and the size and all, but still. 

*squiggly* Doshiegg


----------



## kman (Dec 10, 2013)

Pick up a handful (5-6) ghost shrimp and a couple of Nerite snails, and stick them in the tank. The shrimp are surprisingly entertaining, too! Unless your betta is especially aggressive, they should be fine. In a 5 gal tank, you likely have room for 4-5 neon tetras, too, and the betta won't likely hassle them over much, if at all, as they're decidedly non-bettalike in appearance. 

Some low light plants are a great idea. Anubias need very little light and should be fine with the LED you have.


----------



## Aus (Feb 3, 2012)

Doshiegg said:


> I don't mind getting another light (I literally have money I've held for years. dang 20s). Dirt however is a different story, with my parents that is. I'm okay with it, but the whole carpeted flooring and little kids and... yeah. I'll look into it, I really want a planted tank (I'll wait for my birthday )
> 
> The reason I'm avoiding getting a QT now is I might get a 10g (Might? lolno) and I don't really want to spend the extra money. If I get live plants before my 10g, I'll probably get a QT tank that's like 1 or 2.5g.
> 
> ...


Ahaha, the testkit name made me lough out loud.

Filter.. I use sponge filters and have for ages, and um.. I -think- I used to change my filter media probably not as often as recommended on the box, and just gave the sponges/sachets a really quick swish in old water and shoved 'em back in.. >> 

So they probably lasted twice as long. :B


----------



## rsskylight04 (Nov 9, 2013)

You don't NEED soil to grow great looking plants. I like anacharis- it grows very fast and you can plant it or let it float. Its great too because you can trim it and the clippings will form new plants. Also hornwort does not need contact with substrate to grow well and propogate.
Kman mentioned anubias... its indestructable and grows in low light. It is a slow grower, but its a beatiful plant and needs no sand or gravel.
Good luck!
P.S. a clip-on flourescent lamp will upgrage your light levels and is very cheap at home depot/ lowes.


----------



## Doshiegg (Apr 13, 2013)

@kman:

Is that 6 shrimps, a few nitrite snails (I don't know what these are), 6 tetras (they are a school of fish right?), AND my Betta? It seems a bit much and I've gotten a lot of posts saying all I can add are snails and shrimp, if that (But I didn't get a 5g for nothing).

@Aus:

So you use a sponge filter in your 3g? (I'm looking at your 3g tank for inspiration. nice tanks btw ) I haven't changed my filter in almost 7 months. I take it out and rinse it in the sink and try to brush it (not sure if this is good or not). There is this green dot growing on it, I need to replace ASAP.

@rsskylight04:

When I went to my LPS today, I was uneducated about live plants and I didn't want to buy any that could harm my fish or tank. I'm okay with the dirt, but parents Dirt+Water+Carpet=no (I didn't ask them, I'm scared).

Could I stick them in my tank right away? (With Quarantine ofc) Do they need like 3 months to grow without disturbance? I also saw this moss rock at petsmrt, hmm???

What plants do you recommend to a beginner with gravel? (until i can get my hands on dirt. lol)

~ Dushiegg


----------



## kman (Dec 10, 2013)

Doshiegg said:


> @kman:
> 
> Is that 6 shrimps, a few nitrite snails (I don't know what these are), 6 tetras (they are a school of fish right?), AND my Betta? It seems a bit much and I've gotten a lot of posts saying all I can add are snails and shrimp, if that (But I didn't get a 5g for nothing).


Shrimp carry almost no bioload on a tank, so you can add them in addition to whatever the normal fish count would be for a tank. The only concern is whether they'll be ok with the fish (will they harrass the fish too much, or will the fish eat the shrimp!), and as we've said, a few ghost shrimp (cheap) will _usually_ be fine with the other fish we've discussed. (mostly depends on the betta, but most bettas will be fine with a few ghost shrimp, and the neon tetras aren't an issue, either)

The "1" per gallon" rule of thumb is just that: a general rule of thumb, not a hard and fast LAW. Neon Tetras are small, so "exceeding" the rule of thumb by 1 or 2 small tetras really isn't a major cause for concern, IMO. So 1 betta plus 4-6 tetras should be just fine, and fulfill your "fish quota". Plus the ghost shrimp. And two Nerite snails (_Neritina natalensis_) (two is plenty) to keep algae under control. That tank should be pretty full at that point, but not overly full. Particularly with some live plants, which will help clean up the water.

Anubias, as confirmed in posts above, are a great choice for a low tech, low light tank. They grow slowly, but well, with practically no special care, fine in gravel, dirt, glued to driftwood, whatever. I like the "Anubias nana" variety. Anacharis is a good floating plant, and Java moss is another good option for benign neglect.  Google should turn up info on these easily, and any fish shop worth going to will know plenty about them.


----------



## rsskylight04 (Nov 9, 2013)

Doshiegg said:


> @kman:
> 
> Is that 6 shrimps, a few nitrite snails (I don't know what these are), 6 tetras (they are a school of fish right?), AND my Betta? It seems a bit much and I've gotten a lot of posts saying all I can add are snails and shrimp, if that (But I didn't get a 5g for nothing).
> 
> ...



All of the plants that I named will begin growing immediatly if they have light and warm water. No need to plant them in substrate. I usualy plant mine but only because i like the look better. They will grow faster floating because they are closer to the light source. Quarantine is probaly a good idea, but I never do it with plants. I've been lucky maybe. The moss rock is great. 

Hate to say it , but I would agree with parents that dirt+water+carpet=no good. I recently set up a 10 gal dirt tank...messy! After its set up there is zero mess and I guess if you were very carful you could set up without a mess, but use drop clothes and clean as you go or else you might get yourself in trouble!


----------



## Doshiegg (Apr 13, 2013)

kman said:


> Shrimp carry almost no bioload on a tank, so you can add them in addition to whatever the normal fish count would be for a tank. The only concern is whether they'll be ok with the fish (will they harrass the fish too much, or will the fish eat the shrimp!), and as we've said, a few ghost shrimp (cheap) will _usually_ be fine with the other fish we've discussed. (mostly depends on the betta, but most bettas will be fine with a few ghost shrimp, and the neon tetras aren't an issue, either)
> 
> The "1" per gallon" rule of thumb is just that: a general rule of thumb, not a hard and fast LAW. Neon Tetras are small, so "exceeding" the rule of thumb by 1 or 2 small tetras really isn't a major cause for concern, IMO. So 1 betta plus 4-6 tetras should be just fine, and fulfill your "fish quota". Plus the ghost shrimp. And two Nerite snails (_Neritina natalensis_) (two is plenty) to keep algae under control. That tank should be pretty full at that point, but not overly full. Particularly with some live plants, which will help clean up the water.
> 
> Anubias, as confirmed in posts above, are a great choice for a low tech, low light tank. They grow slowly, but well, with practically no special care, fine in gravel, dirt, glued to driftwood, whatever. I like the "Anubias nana" variety. Anacharis is a good floating plant, and Java moss is another good option for benign neglect.  Google should turn up info on these easily, and any fish shop worth going to will know plenty about them.


I'm probably going to return everything I bought at my LFS, that's going to be awkward.

The amount of fish you suggested me sounded like a lot.  I'll ask around to see what other people say and get other opinions (That's why I ask the same question more then once some times).

I bought a nice ornament/hiding place for my Betta and now I'm thinking of getting real driftwood because I'm planning on getting moss (it seems like all the pictures have moss going on wood :\). Also because I heard that shrimp like to hide in the moss, so that's another thing.

My tank is kind of tall for a 5g, about a foot in height, so maybe I can get stem plants? (or semi-tall ones?) A few of those on the corners and the back, a nice background, floating plants, a nice piece of driftwood with moss (or some moss rocks), and of course THE FISH. Snails, Shrimp, Tetras, and a Betta. Sounds good


----------



## relaxedcrazyman (Dec 19, 2013)

i just planted some java fern narrow in my gravel, seems to be doing just fantastic and it looks great!. I have some wisteria floating to get their growth growing. a few moss balls as well. looks much better with live plants over fake plants


----------



## Aus (Feb 3, 2012)

Java fern will rot if planted in gravel.. better to let its rhizomes sit -on top- of the substrate, or tie it to a rock. Narrow leaf java fern is -amazing- I have a ton of the stuff. 

Doshiegg, how's it going? I feel like you're maybe in a bit of information overload, lol. 

I wouldn't put tetras in a 5g tank with a betta.. that is my own opinion, not a rule of thumb, but 5g is for me about enough water for a betta and a few shrimp. Maybe a snail. The more critters you stuff in a tank, the more filtration/water changes you need to do.

In my 3 gallon, Doshi, the filter is behind a false wall, as is the heater. Plants I had in that tank at time of pics are:

Potted cryptocorenes (pretty!)
Anubias
Water wisteria (floating)
Java fern
Java moss
Susswassertang (freshwater seaweed)

All of those plants are pretty and easy to grow without a lot of extra stuff.

Moss rocks are lovely. If you want a bit of driftwood, try getting one with both moss and anubias on it, it's such a nice look. 

Most stem plants need higher lights, and ferts, to grow well. Maybe, just until you learn a bit more about plants, stick to the low-light ones, as at least they won't die and shed leaves and slime all over your tank (as has happened to me...:-? .. before I knew about stem plants). 

If you put wood in your tank, your water will turn the colour of weak tea. That's awesome. It's tannins (like in tea!) in the water leaching out of the wood and tannins are a very natural thing for bettas to live with. My present betta's water is almost dark brown from all the wood and IAL.. it makes your fish's colour 'pop' (they evolved to stand out in murky tannin-water, is why).

So there's some more info, LOL. Sorry.


----------



## kman (Dec 10, 2013)

I've had a dwarf gourami (bigger than a betta), a pair of serpae tetras and four neon tetras in a 6 gallon tank for over a year. (plus a bunch of shrimp) All perfectly happy and doing just fine. No excessive maintenance... I wouldn't lower my water change frequency much at all, if I only had just the betta.

Bettas do fine alone in a 0.5 gal bowl. I kept one for 7 years just like that, on my desk at work. A 5 gallon tank with filtration and natural plants? You can have a lot more in there than only one betta and a few shrimp.

Lot of people get really hung up on ultra-low fish counts, and there's no disputing that ultra low fish per gallon works great... but there's just as much evidence out there that you can have a "reasonable" number of fish in a tank, too. Thus the "One inch of fish per gallon" "rule of thumb". I'm not making this stuff up.

In the end, OP should do what makes him (and his fish) happy. If one betta and a few shrimp in 5 gallons of space rocks his fishkeeping world, more power to him. If he wants more variety, that's cool, too.


----------



## BlueInkFish (Jan 13, 2013)

i do agree with aus, 5 tetras and 1betta in a 5gal tank with shrimp and snails is way to much for a 5gal the minimum i would suggest for this many fish is a 10gal but you can do whatever you like with your tank


----------



## Aus (Feb 3, 2012)

.. I think I made it pretty clear I was expressing my own opinion, there.. not 'rule of thumb'... :-?

And yes, it's true - if you have great filtration, you can stuff as many species in a tank as you like. I personally like to understock, so if something goes wrong, I don't have a mass disaster. But --again-- that's just my way.


----------



## Doshiegg (Apr 13, 2013)

Dang, it's only 11 and I'm already sleepy x_x.

On the topic of adding more fish to my tank, I doubt I'll add anything more then a few shrimp or snails because I'm fairly new at this and I want to play it safe. 
FOR NOW EHAHEAHEAHEAHEAHEAHEAAHEAHEAHE.

I tried looking for a LFS other then Petsmartco, but sadly I didn't find any (or I just didn't look hard enough). I'll just have to made do with petcomart, I have a lot of stuff to return anyway. *coughsilkplantscough* 

Where can I find a nice piece of driftwood? and Fake Wall? whutisdataus? also, how many moss rocks and what exactly do they do?

I take hours, days, years, to decide on something (probably spent half an hour at the store choosing a nice decoration that I'm returning soon >_>).

Okay, just a few more questions (few being 50):

Can I just go to my LFS, buy some plants and a QT tank (more emoneis), and put them in right away? or do I have to do the *technique first? When you say tie down plants, what do you mean? and, do you have any fake decoration in your tank? like wood and stuff.

Sorry if this is poorly typed, but... yeah gnight

~Sleepegg

*Spongebob Ref

Edit: How do I know how much to get? OVRLUD​


----------



## Doshiegg (Apr 13, 2013)

*Sigh* I decided to call it a night, so I closed everything and turned to xukusu. There something blocking the tank from the light, so I put it away and saw him laying on the ground motionless. I got a little worried because he usually jumps whenever I walk in front of the tank. I started at him for a while. Nothing. I tried shaking the tank. Nothing. Tapping on the plastic. Nothing.

I don't know for sure that he passed away, My father said to sleep and deal with it tomorrow... I hope he is still alive :c *Sigh* The worst part is, I neglected him a month after getting him by not having WC on time and keeping a 8 month filter in the tank.


----------



## kman (Dec 10, 2013)

Yikes! Hope he's ok! Usually dead fish float (making it really obvious), so there's hope.


----------



## Doshiegg (Apr 13, 2013)

kman said:


> Yikes! Hope he's ok! Usually dead fish float (making it really obvious), so there's hope.


Looks like he is okay, but he seems to be acting differently. Swimming in bursts sometimes and Twitching sometimes (not sure if just happy to get food ).

I'm noticing some brown lines on top of my gravel and some of my plastic plants, what is this?

~ Doshiegg


----------



## rsskylight04 (Nov 9, 2013)

The brown lines might be cyanobacteria. Its a sighn that your tank is fully cycled .


----------

