Returning newbie needs advice!

[kailath]

Hey everyone,

I've been out of fishkeeping for a couple of years now and only recently got the itch to return to the hobby.

I'm thinking of setting up a small low-tech 1ft cherry shrimp tank for my desk and have settled on the following equipment and plants.

ANS Opticlear 31x18x24cm
Shiruba HOF 120l/h
UP Aqua Pro Z LED 30cm
ADA amazonia powder 3L

monte carlo
weeping moss
anubias nana
java fern

It will be the first time I am attempting a carpet for my tank, so I'm thinking about kick-starting growth with DSM before cycling the tank and adding the shrimps. A few questions regarding this:

1. Can I attach weeping moss to driftwood and DSM it along with monte carlo?
2. Since I don't plan on adding any co2 (besides maybe dosing excel) after submerging the tank, what can I expect to happen to the monte carlo? I realise the growth will slow down a lot, but is there any chance that they'll start dying off and wasting all my effort?

Also, would my choice of light be considered low, med or high? Fairly new to LEDs since the last time I kept fish we were still using fluorescent bulbs and going by the WPG rule

Appreciate any input you guys might have, and am open on any plant suggestions and any equipment changes before I pull the trigger.

[Urban Aquaria]

I've actually kept a few similar nano tank setups like yours over the past few years... even the tank, filter, light and soil also exactly the same.

The setup definitely can grow a monte carlo carpet, those are relatively easy plants to grow so the Z-Series LED light is more than sufficient. Going by the DSM route will greatly accelerate the plant growth, so its a good move, just make sure to keep the plants hydrated by performing regular misting in small amounts (but not too much until its water logged).

If you want to also grow weeping moss on driftwood in the same tank, then you will need to cover it and mist more often to retain the much higher humidity conditions. The monte carlo can dry out between mistings without issues, but the moss cannot be allowed to dry out, so you need to cater for the moss.

After you flood the tank, if you are not injecting any Co2, its still okay, just that the overall plant growth will naturally slow down according to the limitation in carbon availability. You will also need to reduce the light photo-period to match the reduction in carbon supply too (otherwise very easy for algae to take over). There may be some melting due to the transition from emersed to submersed forms for the plants, but once everything transitions properly and is stable, the plant growth should maintain at a steady (but slower) pace.