suggestions for a (really) nano plant tank

**tetrafreak** · 16th Aug 2009, 21:10

i got a 20 by 20 by 15 cm tank with a water pump and a clip on light (given by quanhu) that i am thinking of using for a mini nano planted tank - a "bonsai class" set-up but with the works.

what would you guys suggest by way of substrate and plants. what other accessories would i need?

I am thinking of keeping a few green shrimps and maybe 4-5 spotted rasboras.

**shrimppaste** · 16th Aug 2009, 21:31

Go with really slow growing plants like fissidens, mini pellia, etc. Go down to bioplast at Boon Keng they have really really nice mosses that's very suitable for nano tanks!

**tetrafreak** · 18th Aug 2009, 19:24

thanks for the suggestion. slow growing because small tank?

any suggestions on what manner of substrate?

As i never tried planted tank before, i thought i would experiment with a much smaller tank. A small tank would make the costs and maintenance manageable.

**XnSdVd** · 18th Aug 2009, 23:37

Try going with a substrate-less tank. Here's one I did a few years ago:

**tetrafreak** · 21st Aug 2009, 15:25

wow. love your tank!

**stelim** · 22nd Aug 2009, 11:28

You can use substrate like Gex, which is my preference for planted.

Plants-wise, any plant that has preferably small leaves will do great and not over shadow the tank. Bro shrimppaste is right, you can use moss but in my experience, unless you really choose slow mosses like mini pelia, the rest will still grow fast once your parameters are right. Fissiden also also another good looker for a carpet or wall.

I had to do an almost daily maintenance for my planted nano. But it was worth it.

**tetrafreak** · 25th Aug 2009, 18:29

my current tank. 2inch sand substrate, improvised lighting (clip-on incandescent lamp; used only for observation). aeration by air stone.

plants = crypts, some bacopa, frogbits, java moss and some others (don't know identity.)

livestock = 2 ramshorn and about 12 green shrimps

Comments? suggestions?

**XnSdVd** · 25th Aug 2009, 19:36

Get rid of the airstone and stick a piece of wood in there somewhere.

**green palette** · 25th Aug 2009, 19:46

just my 2 cents worth..

you can use grow mosses tied onto stones. I did up my nano tank with anchor moss (like the light green colour) tied onto several stones and placed around the tank. My nano tank is low tech. no CO2 injected. Only lights and an OHF.

**zoothefreak** · 3rd Sep 2009, 00:27

Thats the exact size of my nano tank too lol... Used to be a Betta show tank...
http://www.aquaticquotient.com/forum...ad.php?t=57660
I just dumped Singapore Moss (after my malnourished HC finally gave up) and Mini HG in there and it grew well with just the ambient office room lighting and filtered sunlight... no filter in there or aeration either it houses 1 nerite, 2 cherries and 1 Bee shrimp... ohhh and a really long worm which shows itself from time to time when it burrows close to the side of the tank...