Use for a 1.5 gal?

arenkel · 01-23-2012, 01:03 PM

I have an old 1.5 gallon tank with a little filter and an led light. I think I have a heater for it somewhere.

What can I do with it?

I'm not going to subject a betta to that small of a space, and I don't really want a betta right now anyway. I guess I could put plant trimmings in there, which might be kinda cool, but can I put something from the animal kingdom in there? Even if it's just a little shrimp or snail, I'd be all for it. Or some source of food for my tropical freshwater fish (don't have them yet-- 20L still cycling). Or even just the plants. I'd just like to use the tank since I already have it.

Summer · 01-23-2012, 01:05 PM

Snails or some shrimp would be fine.

drunkenbeast · 01-23-2012, 01:07 PM

build a small sump/refugium out of it if you wanted a little extra for your current tank

Gizmo · 01-23-2012, 01:10 PM

I use my 1.5 to breed red cherry shrimp (have about ten juveniles in there right now), I use an undergravel filter for a betta tank, a 10 Watt heater, Fluorite, a tiny chunk of driftwood with java moss on it, and a single crypt trimming. Currently houses a few Malaysian Trumpet Snails.

The LED light won't be enough for plants though - I use a desk lamp with a 13W CFL bulb, and use the LED light with a red filter as a cool night light.

Kehy · 01-23-2012, 02:52 PM

That's actually the same size as my main tank, LOL! Mine's a heavily planted betta tank with snails. The lil guys provide a lot of action surprisingly. Srhimp would be very nice in there too. I have some hygro in there, crypts, dwarf lillies and dwarf sag. Pretty much anything dwarf works. Having just a planted tank would look nice too

jbrown5217 · 01-23-2012, 03:09 PM

Snails and shrimp are cool little critters!

arenkel · 01-23-2012, 04:56 PM

I think shrimp are probably the way I'm gonna go.

Even though I can't get more stuff for a while, I'd like to start making a list of things I'll need:
-substrate
-plants
-filter cartridge
-heater, unless I can find my old one
-more hidey places? (depends on planting, I suppose)

I already have dechlor, API test kit, and ammonia, so I can set it up and cycle it whenever.

What else will I need? What shrimp are recommended and how many? What do they eat?

jbrown5217 · 01-23-2012, 05:04 PM

As far as I know some sort of sand will work well for shrimp and shrimp love moss.

arenkel · 01-23-2012, 05:06 PM

Sand, got it. Root tabs for plants?

As for moss-- Java moss? Moss balls?

I'll probably put some taller plants for them to hide in-- maybe some anacharis cuttings.

jbrown5217 · 01-23-2012, 05:08 PM

Both types of moss would be fine I imagine, I like the look of java moss over balls personally.

garryp · 01-23-2012, 05:15 PM

Interloper question: I also have a 10 gal tank in limbo, mostly plan to use for new purchase isolation. In order to keep it "live" and cycled, would cherry shrimp be a good option?

Will shrimp "auto breed" there?

I can xfer a few small plants from my main tank, but I have no moss. Sand (not have) or flourite (from main tank) ok?

I do not know how to breed shrimp, obviously.

Thanks.

sion342 · 01-23-2012, 06:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drunkenbeast

build a small sump/refugium out of it if you wanted a little extra for your current tank

How I do a refugium in?Please.

Gizmo · 01-23-2012, 11:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by garryp

1. In order to keep it "live" and cycled, would cherry shrimp be a good option?

2. Will shrimp "auto breed" there?

3. I can xfer a few small plants from my main tank, but I have no moss. Sand (not have) or flourite (from main tank) ok?

1. No. RCS have a VERY low bioload, and therefore the nitrifying bacteria you need will die off because there's much less ammonia being generated.

2. Given ideal conditions, yes.

3. I use fluorite. There's a shrimp-specific substrate out there somewhere, something like Eheim Substrat if I remember correctly.

Gizmo · 01-23-2012, 11:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by arenkel

1. As for moss-- Java moss? Moss balls? I'll probably put some taller plants for them to hide in-- maybe some anacharis cuttings.

Shrimp don't particularly care for stem plants unless they're very leafy. My shrimp spend most of their time in the java moss. With that being said, any mossy moss works great as long as it's....mossy

arenkel · 01-24-2012, 06:57 AM

So, what you're saying is... moss, moss, moss!

I can do that

dvanbramer88 · 01-26-2012, 06:17 PM

I actually have a 1.5 laying around empty and i was just inspired

thanks guys

01-23-2012, 01:03 PM	#1 (permalink)
arenkel arenkel's Photo Gallery Join Date: Nov 2011 Posts: 90 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Welcome to Aquarium Forum" 1 Times Said "Thanks" 10 Times Was Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	Use for a 1.5 gal? I have an old 1.5 gallon tank with a little filter and an led light. I think I have a heater for it somewhere. What can I do with it? I'm not going to subject a betta to that small of a space, and I don't really want a betta right now anyway. I guess I could put plant trimmings in there, which might be kinda cool, but can I put something from the animal kingdom in there? Even if it's just a little shrimp or snail, I'd be all for it. Or some source of food for my tropical freshwater fish (don't have them yet-- 20L still cycling). Or even just the plants. I'd just like to use the tank since I already have it.

01-23-2012, 01:05 PM	#2 (permalink)
Summer Susan and Bev's protégé Summer's Photo Gallery Join Date: Oct 2011 Posts: 2,504 Name: Summer Location: Pennsylvania My location Feedback: 11 / 100% Said "Welcome to Aquarium Forum" 1,138 Times Said "Thanks" 168 Times Was Thanked 572 Times in 553 Posts	Re: Use for a 1.5 gal? Snails or some shrimp would be fine. __________________ "Being ignorant is not so much a Shame, as being unwilling to learn".-- Benjamin Franklin

01-23-2012, 01:07 PM	#3 (permalink)
drunkenbeast drunkenbeast's Photo Gallery Join Date: Nov 2011 Posts: 275 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Welcome to Aquarium Forum" 30 Times Said "Thanks" 6 Times Was Thanked 62 Times in 59 Posts	Re: Use for a 1.5 gal? build a small sump/refugium out of it if you wanted a little extra for your current tank __________________ Tank 125g african cichlids making it work 75g rimless Reef in progress

01-23-2012, 01:10 PM	#4 (permalink)
Gizmo What do fish think about? Gizmo's Photo Gallery Join Date: Dec 2010 Posts: 2,350 Name: Guy Miller Location: Salt Lake City, Utah Feedback: 7 / 100% Said "Welcome to Aquarium Forum" 183 Times Said "Thanks" 451 Times Was Thanked 603 Times in 573 Posts	Re: Use for a 1.5 gal? I use my 1.5 to breed red cherry shrimp (have about ten juveniles in there right now), I use an undergravel filter for a betta tank, a 10 Watt heater, Fluorite, a tiny chunk of driftwood with java moss on it, and a single crypt trimming. Currently houses a few Malaysian Trumpet Snails. The LED light won't be enough for plants though - I use a desk lamp with a 13W CFL bulb, and use the LED light with a red filter as a cool night light. __________________ Officially fishless until after the move....tune in later for details!

01-23-2012, 02:52 PM	#5 (permalink)
Kehy master of the mini-tank Kehy's Photo Gallery Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 1,197 Name: Kehy Location: Ellensburg, Washington Feedback: 4 / 100% Said "Welcome to Aquarium Forum" 374 Times Said "Thanks" 84 Times Was Thanked 334 Times in 324 Posts	Re: Use for a 1.5 gal? That's actually the same size as my main tank, LOL! Mine's a heavily planted betta tank with snails. The lil guys provide a lot of action surprisingly. Srhimp would be very nice in there too. I have some hygro in there, crypts, dwarf lillies and dwarf sag. Pretty much anything dwarf works. Having just a planted tank would look nice too __________________ Lead me not to temptation...I can make it there myself just fine, thank you

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01-23-2012, 03:09 PM	#6 (permalink)
jbrown5217 No Title Needed jbrown5217's Photo Gallery Join Date: Nov 2011 Posts: 657 Name: Jon Location: Currently live in Nashua, NH for school, but home is in Wilbraham, MA My location Feedback: 2 / 100% Said "Welcome to Aquarium Forum" 100 Times Said "Thanks" 38 Times Was Thanked 116 Times in 110 Posts	Re: Use for a 1.5 gal? Snails and shrimp are cool little critters! __________________

01-23-2012, 04:56 PM	#7 (permalink)
arenkel arenkel's Photo Gallery Join Date: Nov 2011 Posts: 90 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Welcome to Aquarium Forum" 1 Times Said "Thanks" 10 Times Was Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	Re: Use for a 1.5 gal? I think shrimp are probably the way I'm gonna go. Even though I can't get more stuff for a while, I'd like to start making a list of things I'll need: -substrate -plants -filter cartridge -heater, unless I can find my old one -more hidey places? (depends on planting, I suppose) I already have dechlor, API test kit, and ammonia, so I can set it up and cycle it whenever. What else will I need? What shrimp are recommended and how many? What do they eat?

01-23-2012, 05:04 PM	#8 (permalink)
jbrown5217 No Title Needed jbrown5217's Photo Gallery Join Date: Nov 2011 Posts: 657 Name: Jon Location: Currently live in Nashua, NH for school, but home is in Wilbraham, MA My location Feedback: 2 / 100% Said "Welcome to Aquarium Forum" 100 Times Said "Thanks" 38 Times Was Thanked 116 Times in 110 Posts	Re: Use for a 1.5 gal? As far as I know some sort of sand will work well for shrimp and shrimp love moss. __________________

01-23-2012, 05:06 PM	#9 (permalink)
arenkel arenkel's Photo Gallery Join Date: Nov 2011 Posts: 90 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Welcome to Aquarium Forum" 1 Times Said "Thanks" 10 Times Was Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	Re: Use for a 1.5 gal? Sand, got it. Root tabs for plants? As for moss-- Java moss? Moss balls? I'll probably put some taller plants for them to hide in-- maybe some anacharis cuttings.

01-23-2012, 05:08 PM	#10 (permalink)
jbrown5217 No Title Needed jbrown5217's Photo Gallery Join Date: Nov 2011 Posts: 657 Name: Jon Location: Currently live in Nashua, NH for school, but home is in Wilbraham, MA My location Feedback: 2 / 100% Said "Welcome to Aquarium Forum" 100 Times Said "Thanks" 38 Times Was Thanked 116 Times in 110 Posts	Re: Use for a 1.5 gal? Both types of moss would be fine I imagine, I like the look of java moss over balls personally. __________________

01-23-2012, 05:15 PM	#11 (permalink)
garryp Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 19 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Welcome to Aquarium Forum" 0 Times Said "Thanks" 0 Times Was Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: Use for a 1.5 gal? Interloper question: I also have a 10 gal tank in limbo, mostly plan to use for new purchase isolation. In order to keep it "live" and cycled, would cherry shrimp be a good option? Will shrimp "auto breed" there? I can xfer a few small plants from my main tank, but I have no moss. Sand (not have) or flourite (from main tank) ok? I do not know how to breed shrimp, obviously. Thanks.

01-24-2012, 06:57 AM	#15 (permalink)
arenkel arenkel's Photo Gallery Join Date: Nov 2011 Posts: 90 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Welcome to Aquarium Forum" 1 Times Said "Thanks" 10 Times Was Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	Re: Use for a 1.5 gal? So, what you're saying is... moss, moss, moss! I can do that

01-26-2012, 06:17 PM	#16 (permalink)
dvanbramer88 dvanbramer88's Photo Gallery Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 118 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Welcome to Aquarium Forum" 2 Times Said "Thanks" 13 Times Was Thanked 13 Times in 12 Posts	Re: Use for a 1.5 gal? I actually have a 1.5 laying around empty and i was just inspired thanks guys __________________ 55 gallon FW community 20 gallon Goldfish 10 gallon firebelly toad

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