# Please help me with my 5.5 Gallon Nano



## Lexingtonmax (Jan 26, 2011)

Hi everyone,

After a ten year hiatus from the hobby I've decided to get back into it. I recently moved and I found a 5.5 gallon Elite tank I bought a couple of years ago for a baby gecko.

I got a new hood, set up the tank, cycled it, added a few of my fake plants and then put a Betta male in it. Yesterday I was looking at it and realized how much I hate the fake plants. I consider myself a green thumb so I thought I'd give aquatics a chance.

My Set Up:

* 5.5 Gallon tank
* 9 watt light (U shaped)
* Marina i25 Internal Filter
* Marina C10 Submersible Aquarium Heater
* Black course sand
* 2 pieces of drift wood

I've been researching and decided on planting just Java Fern and Anubias Nana (I would like it to be low maintenance). Any advise or tips would be greatly appreciated, it's been a long time since I've had a tank and this time I'm venturing into new and scary territory.


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 28, 2008)

For both the Java Fern and the Anubias, it is advised that you attach them to the driftwood in some way (i.e. fishing line, black cotton thread, even cyanoacrylate glue (superglue) will work).

If you bury their rhizome they will rot.

Your lighting is also a bit low, but should be OK for the plants you have selected. They will survive, but not flourish.

Also, other plants to consider include Mosses (i.e. Java, Taiwan, Fissidens, etc) and _Cryptocoryne_ spp.


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## Lexingtonmax (Jan 26, 2011)

Thanks Anthony for the tips. I could replace the 9watt with a 13watt but then I will have 2.4 watts per gallon... won't that be too much for the plants I selected, especially the java fern? I also want to avoid algae blooms, I hated having to deal with those...


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 28, 2008)

The WPG guideline does not work for aquariums smaller than 10 gallons, and in addition, does not work for anything except for T12 bulbs.

I have 18 watts over an ADA Mini-S (approximately 3 gallons), so that would give me "6 WPG".
I used to keep 26 watts over a 2.5 gallon, so that would have given me "10 WPG".

The single 13 watt bulb should be fine. You will likely lose a lot of light due to restrike as well.


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## Lexingtonmax (Jan 26, 2011)

Last night I cut my driftwood in two allowing it to fit in my tank. After going through the pics of members planted nano's I got the idea to create an interesting composition instead of placing them at opposite ends of the tank. I took some pics and chose the four I liked most and I would love some feed back from you guys.

The first compo is my favorite, I feel like it has alot of depth.








The second compo is interesting, if i use it I will place the plants on the cut surface.








The third compo is also very nice, it too has alot of depth.








The forth compo is nice and long, it will probably look nicer when covered with plants.








Right now I'm soaking the wood (it's releasing alot of tanins) then I will boil it and repeat as often as needed before placing it in the tank.

Thanks again for all the great info Anthony, and all you other guys please feel free to leave feed back on the different driftwood compositions.


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## Lexingtonmax (Jan 26, 2011)

So I realized that my "driftwood" is probably bog wood! what ever it is it releases a ton of tannins. My water is crystal clear... and I want to keep it that way, so I'm not going to put it in my tank. I'm thinking of going with a rock pile like I had in my original tank.

I'm also thinking I might try to trade it for some Anubias nana, Java fern or Fissidens, if anyone is interested please let me know - LOL! they would be great in a Nano blackwater tank... that would be really interesting but I don't want to try it.

The journey continues...


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## AquaNekoMobile (Feb 26, 2010)

Lexingtonmax said:


> So I realized that my "driftwood" is probably bog wood! what ever it is it releases a ton of tannins. My water is crystal clear... and I want to keep it that way, so I'm not going to put it in my tank. I'm thinking of going with a rock pile like I had in my original tank.
> 
> I'm also thinking I might try to trade it for some Anubias nana, Java fern or Fissidens, if anyone is interested please let me know - LOL! they would be great in a Nano blackwater tank... that would be really interesting but I don't want to try it.
> 
> The journey continues...


Your wood IIRC is 'Mopani' wood. Creamy outside with a dark inside. It's a nice looking wood but ayiiiie.... It took me about 7hrs of boiling, rinsing, boiling, repeat to take out I think 1/2 the tannins. The rest I didn't bother to spend a day boiling wood. If you boil it don't use the good pots. You may have to scrub the bottom of the pot as you may see little spot stains but that comes out with a course scrubby pad.

The rest of the tannins took about 6 months to fully clear. In my experience it took about a 1-2 months for the tannins in the water to slow down. I was using activated (bulk/loose in a garlic mesh bag in my Aquaclear 20 filter) charcoal which absorbed most of the fishy smell and tannins. IIRC don't use activated charcoal until your tank has fully cycled as IIRC reading on GTAA that the activated charcoal will absorb the ammonia thus delaying or stopping the cycling. I could be wrong on that and if I am please correct me.

With changing my activated charcoal I found the tannins less and less after about 3 months. It's been like a 1yr since I put the mopani wood in the tank and I'm not using any charcoal and the water is clear. If you put the activated charcoal into the filter it took me like 3 days to see some noticeable results. You could do daily water changes if you want but I was lazy and not always around the tank so I let the activated charcoal do it's thing.


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## Lexingtonmax (Jan 26, 2011)

I wanted to update you all on my tank and possibly get some feed back.

I upgraded my light from a 9 watt to a 13 watt GLO light, it provides 6400K. It's the best I can do without completely upgrade my lighting system (not an option right now). Btw does anyone know how many watts per gallon that is?
Also while going through some of the older posts on GTAA I realized that the cement gargoyle I had in the tank was probably upping the Ph a whole lot. I took it out and tested the water and it turned out to be around 9Ph. I've changed 10-20% of the water twice now, I plan on testing the water again next week.
So now my poor Betta only has one fake plant until the live ones I ordered today arrive. I ordered a Windelov Fern and 2 portions of Fissidens Splachnobryoides, they will be shipped next tuesday and should arrive in 7-15 days, I was told.
I can't wait until they arrive not only so my Betta has some more cover but so I can start aquascaping. once the plants and moss grow out enough I'll start a new thread on my Moss and fern tank.


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