Planting A Betta Tank

[DiscusKeeper403]

Hello everyone,

Have a few questions, I don't know a whole lot about plants. I have recently set up a small Betta tank, a 2.5 gallon. Right now all it has in it is the Betta, no gravel or anything. I wanted to do a carpet in the tank, which a small rock in the back, some what like Takashi Amano has done in one of his tanks, but just on a smaller scale and less rocks (first picture here: http/www.oddee.com/_media/imgs/articles/a144_art.jpg) and also a java moss wall in the back, if possible. Tank is VERY well lit at about 7.2 WPG, no filter or heater, but room stays at around 24 or 25C, I like to keep it a little warmer. Would it be possible to do anything in this tank, or would the high lighting be a problem?

Thanks.

 

[lljdma06]

The link didn't work for me. But...

You could certainly try HC (Hemianthus callitricoides). There are others, but that one is the smallest and certainly will carpet. Pogostemon helferi is then often used as an accent, and dwarf hairgrass too. At least that is what I tend to see in those scapes. Mosses will do very well with that lighting and a moss wall is certainly possible. I had a similar 2.5g setup with about 5.2WPG and grew HC without CO2 or ferts, though very slowly. Dose with Easycarbo or Excel, some ferts (TPN+ or an equivalent), and you'll probably be set. What kind of bulb is it?

llj

 

[DiscusKeeper403]

Thanks for the advice, I will look out for those plants!

It is a Coralife compact fluorescent unit, two 9W bulbs.

 

[DiscusKeeper403]

One more quick question, I think I remember hearing that when you have a full carpet on a tank, you don't really need to siphon, the plants break down and use the debris?

 

[lljdma06]

One more quick question, I think I remember hearing that when you have a full carpet on a tank, you don't really need to siphon, the plants break down and use the debris?

While that's true, just make sure that the lawncover isn't choked by it. Sometimes it settles on top and looks unsightly.

I like your lighting fixture and have though about it myself for several small tanks.

llj

EDIT: Just read in your post that you were not having a filter. Most plants, to do well, will need some sort of water circulation, otherwise you can create "dead" spots and BGA will often form, which is very bad for carpets. I'd get a filter or two to give the tank good circulation and distribute nutrients. The betta, provided he isn't too encumbered by his finnage, should adapt well. I prefer plakats, so that is not an issue for me.

 

[DiscusKeeper403]

Okay, I have a small air pump handy, so I will set that up for some circulation. My betta is a halfmoon plakat so finnage isn't too bad.


I got some plants today and gravel, set up the java wall. I went to the store close by, they didn't have a lot for ground cover all they had was lilaeopsis novaezelandiae, looks like this: http/www.happyfish.lv/lat/wp-content/upl...zelandiae-3.jpg

I only bought two just in case, I wasn't sure if it would work well in my set up, will it be okay? If it starts growing well I'll probably add a few more.