2.5 gallon planted

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
B

born2lovefish

Plecostomus
MFK Member
Mar 16, 2006
665
53
61
Indianapolis
Been running about 1.5 years. Substrate is just red flint sand. Has a little azoo palmer filter on it with pressurized co2 and controller. There are two amano shrimp in here now that keep the plants clean. Plants include amazon swords, java moss, java fern, and a crypts. I am using Ro water and do a monthly 75% water change on the tank. Is there anything I should be doing differently?

DSCN3972.JPG
 
There are a few things you should be doing differently. First, since you have pressurized co2, the surface agitation should be non-existent. With good lighting and co2 injection, ferts are highly recommended. Greg Watson's ferts are at the top of my list. I would up your water changes a lot more, and unless you are trying to keep the water pure so you can add specific nutrients (I assume this is not the case since you didn't mention ferts), I would be adding at least half straight tap water. Tap water will have many nutrients that your plants can use. I also would do a water change once a week, not once a month.
 
Sorry I failed to mention a couple of things. The surface moment in the picture was caused by evaporate water. Once topped off it has no momemnt at all. I am using blackwater extract, discus essentials, and flora pride after every water change. I have no heater in the tank as the lighting heats the water fine for the two shrimp. I personally feel the water changes is enough or at least it has been working for over a year now. The fert's from Greg you mentioned I am interested in for my 75 gallon. However, I do not know much about adding dry ferts and do not want an algae breakout of risk killing fish. That is one reason I thought about just buying some liquid ones unless there is an easy one from Greg to use. The 75 gallon will have 30-50 cardinal tetras, and 5-7 discus. It also will have the 7 3 inch clown loaches that are already in the tank.
 
Obviously what you are doing with the tank has been working since it has been set-up for a year now, but if you ask for advice about what you should be doing differently, you are obviously looking for better growth, or there is something else you are not 100% satisfied with. I agree with Wyldfya that more frequent water changes will help. There really isn't a need to use RO water for your tank with only 2 shrimp in it unless your tap parameters are extreme. Your shrimp will probably also benefit from tap water because it contains more of the elements they need to produce their shells. I'm also wondering why you choose to use blackwater extract and discus essentials in the tank? Do you just like the look of darker water? If not, you are just filtering out some of the light that could be reaching your plants. I know those products also contain some nutrients and trace minerals as well, but if you're only using them once a month and you have decent light and pressurized CO2, those nutrients and trace elements are probably used up before the end of the first week. If you are using those products because of the minerals they contain for your plants, I would suggest a product specifically designed to add them to your tank instead of a product that is intended more for something else but "also" contains them. Wyldfya uses Greg Watson's ferts because they are much cheaper per dose than many other ferts, and you can be much more precise with exactly what you are dosing and how much of it. For a tank that small though, there are plenty of other products out there that will give your plants what they need very economically. If you plan on using the Greg Watson's for your 75 though, it won't be long before you're very familiar with how to dose them, so you might as well just use them for the smaller tank as well. If you are worried about algae, you can take your time and experiment with dosages until you think you've got it nailed down. There's no need to go from nothing to a drastic increase in ferts if you don't want to. Personally I think your tank looks pretty good as it is, but I might add a red plant or a few tetras in there to color up the tank and break up some of that green.
 
I started my 2.5 gallon a month ago, lightly planted. I am using an All Glass 20watt bar, and the growth has been good. Ecocomplete substrate, Red Sea Nanofilter, and a mini heater. Residents are a cherry shrimp, 4 Endlers, and 2 Galaxy Rasboras.
 
I use the discus essentials because I have them and it adds something back in to the Ro water. I use the Ro water because I started the tank with it. It also is free because we have a Ro for drinking water. The blackwater extract was used because I had it and like the look of it. The lighting is very strong, and the extract helps to cut some of it down. I did have 5 cardinal tetras in there at one time (I know it was overkill, but I liked the look). They are not longer in that tank. I did not have the amano shrimp at that time and the cardinals did not eat all the food and it was making the tank dirty. I probably could add 3 back into the tank now that I have the amano shrimp to clean up. I been using the same thing of fertilizer for 1.5 years, and I still have at least 3/4 of each bottle left. I would love to use greg's ferts., but I just do not want to have to measure fifty different things out. I like just measuring one thing. I also do not want to use a bunch of ferts because I am afraid I will mess the water chemistry up too much for my discus when I get them. Over the last 10 years, I have learned that keeping things consistent is the best for water quality. Maybe I am wrong. I am cheap and will be using soilmaster select as a substrate in my 75 gallon, which I have heard is just as good as flourite.
 
Using RO water then adding back what you took out..... having strong light then cutting it with blackwater.......kinda seems like you're chasing you're own tail, but I guess you've gotta use what you got. Seems like you've thought it out and I think the tank looks pretty good so who needs a change? I would still add a few fish though and just feed sparingly.
 
The small piece of driftwood I have makes all the blackwater I need...actually yellow water. I am constantly changing water to compensate.
 
born2lovefish;885104; said:
I use the discus essentials because I have them and it adds something back in to the Ro water. I use the Ro water because I started the tank with it. It also is free because we have a Ro for drinking water. The blackwater extract was used because I had it and like the look of it. The lighting is very strong, and the extract helps to cut some of it down. I did have 5 cardinal tetras in there at one time (I know it was overkill, but I liked the look). They are not longer in that tank. I did not have the amano shrimp at that time and the cardinals did not eat all the food and it was making the tank dirty. I probably could add 3 back into the tank now that I have the amano shrimp to clean up. I been using the same thing of fertilizer for 1.5 years, and I still have at least 3/4 of each bottle left. I would love to use greg's ferts., but I just do not want to have to measure fifty different things out. I like just measuring one thing. I also do not want to use a bunch of ferts because I am afraid I will mess the water chemistry up too much for my discus when I get them. Over the last 10 years, I have learned that keeping things consistent is the best for water quality. Maybe I am wrong. I am cheap and will be using soilmaster select as a substrate in my 75 gallon, which I have heard is just as good as flourite.
Click to expand...

use kitty litter. now that is cheap
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
MonsterFishKeepers.com
Top Bottom