Starting a 5.5 gallon

[lludu]

So I want to get a 5.5 gallon tank to try and test my skills with miniature fish keeping.

Substrate will most likely be a sand base (Flourite sand, either white or black). Unless you have a better suggestion for both shrimp and plant growth.

In my tank I would like to try to breed my RCS, so its mostly going to be shrimp tank. Here is what i was thinking:


Plants:

* Java / Willow Moss
* Perhaps Flame Moss
* Small Marimo Ball
* Java Fern
* Perhaps some Brazilian Micro sword


Any suggestions on Filters would be nice, Ive never used sponge filters, and i dont know how well they would work with the live plant systems, any filter suggestions would work as im still looking.

I would also of course add a small heating unit, a small piece of driftwood and overhead light (dont know if i would keep it open, or have a glass canopy).

Until they bred i might also put some smaller fish in there, perhaps guppies, then once i noticed eggs id move the fish to my larger tanks. Any suggestions for small friendly fishes?

 

[OrangeCones]

Any suggestions on Filters would be nice, Ive never used sponge filters, and i dont know how well they would work with the live plant systems, any filter suggestions would work as im still looking.

I use sponge filters in all but one of my planted tanks.

I would also of course add a small heating unit, a small piece of driftwood and overhead light (dont know if i would keep it open, or have a glass canopy).

If you are looking at a tank that has a ihood ncluded as one unit, make sure you get a florescent light. Many come with incandescent lights.

 

[lludu]

I was thinking some sort of setup like this.. any other ideas?

 

[littletankbigworld]

Nice...I love that you photoshop-ed it and used the lovely Twilight font. I should photoshop an image of the new tank I'm setting up. Great idea! I think the setup looks good. Are you planning on a background for it?

 

[lludu]

Nice...I love that you photoshop-ed it and used the lovely Twilight font. I should photoshop an image of the new tank I'm setting up. Great idea! I think the setup looks good. Are you planning on a background for it?

lol, probably just a reg. black background, i might build a display stand for it as well.

 

[littletankbigworld]

Great! If you could find a blue background with a gradient like in your picture, that would look nice, too.

 

[Doomhed]

i would make sure to put a hood on it, as shrimp of any variety have been known to jump from tanks without hoods.

 

[Newman]

i can second that. they're spooked easily and they WILL fly out of that tank :[

As a suggestion, might i suggest a bigger piece of driftwood? like one that almost reaches the surface of the water...that would really look cool