# 2.5 Gallon Low Tech Moss/Shrimp Tank



## Canadianbettas (Oct 18, 2009)

Hi... I am lookng for some advice

I am starting a 2.5 gallon tank with maybe a few cherry shrimp and some moss.....

I want to make it a low tech planted tank.. any suggestion on a lamp / wpg?

I am using a tiny sponge filter... is this sufficient?

 thanks

and oh does anyone know if this light is good at all? or should i just go to home depot search for a desk lamp.. and get a 6500k bulb..

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250479332948&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT


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## TBemba (Jan 11, 2010)

I have tried this in the past without much success. I have a 2.5 gallon tank with a tiny sponge filter and sand and a light even tried a small 50 watt heater.

Could never keep them alive. I moved to a 10 gallon and never an issue. Might have been inexperience in keeping shrimp on my part. 

good luck


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## Beijing08 (Jul 19, 2010)

no problem with the shrimps...they'll breed well. Make sure you do WC often in small amounts.
but watch the voltage of that light...it's not for N.America.


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 28, 2008)

Beijing08 said:


> but watch the voltage of that light...it's not for N.America.


Why wouldn't that light be for usage in North America? It says the transformer can handle 100-130V.


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## coldmantis (Apr 5, 2010)

I have something very similar to that if not the same but I think my watt is higher maybe 13, just to let you know that he shows the light attached to a rimless tank, he means a rimless tank it will not work on a tank that has a trim. what I did with my 2.5 gallon was I took those hinges that comes with the walmart tanks and I put it on my 2.5g and attached the light to that.


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## coldmantis (Apr 5, 2010)

I just checked except my is 11w and the light is longer about the exact size of the inner trim on a 2.5g so it gives perfect light converage.


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## igor.kanshyn (Jan 14, 2010)

I have similar light (a little bigger, it's 11W) on top of 5.5 gallon tank.
I grow mosses and shrimps there. It hosts red tiger shrimps and showball shrimps. 
This light is not intensive, but good for mosses, anubiases and fern plants.


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## Beijing08 (Jul 19, 2010)

Darkblade48 said:


> Why wouldn't that light be for usage in North America? It says the transformer can handle 100-130V.


oops, I thought it was an Asian sale. Most these eBay companies sell 220V stuff.
good find.


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## AquaNeko (Jul 26, 2009)

Canadianbettas said:


> Hi... I am lookng for some advice
> 
> I am starting a 2.5 gallon tank with maybe a few cherry shrimp and some moss.....
> 
> ...


I got a DIY nano tank. I reused a sweets plastic jar which you find in chinese grocery stores for the jelly things. I made my own DIY sponge filter with 1" clear tubing from PetsMart. I stuffed the sponge filter with used filter floss from the AC20, an air stone and tubing, then a few pebbles to weigh the sponge filter down. I added j.moss, anubius (nana I think as the plant is small and leaves out about the size of the big toe nail), and j.fern. I have some small ramhorn snails and few RCS and one CRS in there. The tank is unheated and the area where I have it in the basement is ~19-20C (tiny home depot magnet thermometer and checked with 2 digital laser temp guns). I've got a 48" IIRC 32W x 2 light over it jacked up about 2.5ft.

So far no problems and the j.fern looks like it is growing a little larger then the last time I really saw it months ago. When I have time I may move that to the 1gal mini bow but thought I'd post my experience and data on that. One of the RCS has berried with yellow-whiteish eggs right now which I did not see that before.


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## Canadianbettas (Oct 18, 2009)

Thanks for the feedback all, I have started it its currently cycling...


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