2 gallon planted jar plus a few questions

[banjocat]

Yesterday, I started a 2 gallon planted jar. The substrate is gravel. No heater(my room is usually 70+ Fahrenheit). No CO2 system. For water I used old water from my betta's 10 gallon aquarium. I was planning to fertilize by continuing to use old aquarium water or diluted miracle grow or some seachem products I have left over from previous tries at planted tanks. I'm using a 100 watt equivalent 5000k CFL in a clamp light. The plants are water wisteria, dwarf rotala(Rotala rotundifolia), and a few dwarf amazon plantlets I had leftover.

Now some questions

Do you think my setup will work or will I need to make changes? I was inspired by a topic I read online about growing out plants in one gallon jars with bettas or snails. I wanted to keep my betta in his normal aquarium, so I just added some of his water. I would post the topic but I'm not sure if topics from other fish forums are allowed.

Should I put the lid on? I took pictures with the lid on, but it is off because I have read about possible problems with gas exchange.

Would adding another clamp light help or would the extra light be wasted?

The water wisteria was in bad shape when I bought it yesterday. I think it is in broad leaf form because it was grown emerged. It came in those tubes from PetSmart. The top looked nice and healthy but when I got it home a good portion of the bottom of the stems were rotting. I think only one of the stems had a few roots started. I cut off the rotted stems(might've got too close to the roots on the one). Do you think the wisteria will likely recover or should I try to return it(assuming they'll let me)?

Any help is appreciated

 

[HarleyK]

Looks very nice. Give it some time. Keep us posted how it develops.
Have you thought about adding some shrimp to keep algae in check? A friend of mine has a very similar setup in his office, and he keeps daphnia in it, too.

 

[markstrimaran]

One 100 watt cfl, actual ? Or 23 watt.
Even the 13 watt small bulbs will grow plants.
a 2700k.

 

[markstrimaran]

2700k cfl, is probably the optimal cfl for plants, it will grow a lot of algae.

6500k cfl has kept my my moss growing, with only a little green dot algea.

13 watt = 60 tungsten will grow well with in 12"

23 watt= 100 tungsten will grow a lot more and add some heat also.

1 watt red led 660nm will grow about 1 sqin.

9 watt led red/blue will grow about the same as a 23 watt Cfl.

The white led not so much.

 

[banjocat]

I meant to say dwarf sword plants in my first post instead of dwarf amazons.

I have a bunch of small marimo moss balls. Not sure if adding some of them would be enough to help out compete bad algae. I also have java ferns and java moss in another aquarium, but they got infected with snails and I'm not sure if I would like to add them. Either way if the plants already in the jar grow well it will probably get crowded as is.

Looks very nice. Give it some time. Keep us posted how it develops.
Have you thought about adding some shrimp to keep algae in check? A friend of mine has a very similar setup in his office, and he keeps daphnia in it, too.

Thanks, I'll try to post updates. My dad just got some cherry shrimp but it hasn't been long enough for them to breed yet. Adding some cherries or ghost shrimp might be nice. We also have fairy shrimp but I'm not sure if they would get enough food without me needing to add yeast.

One 100 watt cfl, actual ? Or 23 watt.
Even the 13 watt small bulbs will grow plants.
a 2700k.

Thanks for the information. Yes, the 100watt is what it is equivalent to if it was an incandescent bulb. Not sure what the actual watts is, but you are probably right or close with the 23 watt. Not home atm to check. So 5000k and 6500k are recommended to prevent/reduce algae problems, not because plants like them better than 2700k? sorry if I'm misunderstanding

I have a bunch of small marimo moss balls. Not sure if adding some of them would be enough to help out compete bad algae.

 

[Deadliestviper7]

U could keep a few aquatic insects in there too

 

[banjocat]

I added another 23 watt cfl 5000k clamp light over the top. I thought it might be too much light so I only have it on for some of the day. The other clamp light, lights from the side, so I turn the jar occasionally during the day. I thought it might be too much light so I only have it on for some of the day. I've dosed with seachem flourish once and with excel a couple of times. Had to use really small amounts because of the size of the jar. I also dosed with a little iron, but am not sure if that was a bad idea. I'll probably only do iron once a month or so, unless that is a bad idea. I think the label said I would have to stop the iron if I decide to add inverts.

Some of the top leaves of the rotala have been dying. Hopefully that is just from getting used to my aquarium and being submerged. The dwarf swords are looking a little greener and better. Before this they had been neglected in a tank without much light. Wisteria looks about the same, with the tips of leaves dying somewhat, but the wisteria had been grown emersed.

Waiting until the month mark to take new pictures unless I notice major improvements before then.

U could keep a few aquatic insects in there too

I was probably going to keep only plants unless I add a few nerite snails or shrimp. Any suggestions on insects? preferably something unlikely to fly out, because I have been keeping the top off.

 

[HarleyK]

B banjocat how's it looking, one month in?

 

[reefman]

Ya I'm interested too

 

[MrsE88]

Me too! I think it's really cool idea