# DOH! stupid stupid stupid



## HybridS130 (Aug 27, 2006)

Whelp I think I might've finally found out why my 2.5G hasn't taken off like crazy yet. I have eco-complete as a substrate, 10.8WPG, flourish, flourish excel, and by all means the plants should be going crazy. They haven't though, they've barely been growing. I just want to go ahead and say that I can't believe I didn't think about this before but, I was reading through some reviews and someone mentioned about how carbon is bad for planted tanks since it can remove the ferts you dose and other good things. 

I've sinced removed the carbon pack, I use a AC 20 on my 2.5G. I have the flow setting as low as possible and it works wonderfully. Considering that the filter was designed for up to a 20 gallon and Im using it on a 2.5G Im sure that carbon pack removed almost all the good stuff. 

What are your thoughts on this? Am I completely wrong about carbon holding back my tanks growth? Im still surprised I haven't caught this little setback already. I would love to see the tank all the sudden shoot off like crazy.


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## Puffer Pita (Jun 16, 2006)

Depends on how fresh the carbon is. Carbon has a very short half-life so it stops working real fast. 

What kind of plants have you got? I've got stuff like cabomba and anacharis in mine and I have to trim it about once every 5 days or it starts bending over at the surface. The java fern and crypt are growing much slower but that's how the plants naturally are. Some grow faster than others.


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## Guest (Dec 19, 2006)

Do you check your nitrAtes? I remember that you only have a betta in there, which should be enough. But it never hurts to check. With alot of light, you may need to add some KNO3. Just a thought.

Also, like Boxermom said, if you have slower growing plants, like anubias, you shouldn't expect too much growth.

The carbon may have something to do with faster growing plants not growing though, if its pretty fresh.


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## HybridS130 (Aug 27, 2006)

I haven't had the betta in there for awhile now. The current inhabitants are just 10 shrimp as the clean up crew. Trust me though hehe, I know that some plants grow faster than others but regardless I haven't seen enough growth to suggest the tank is doing well. I have red ludwigia, glossostigma, some mystery crypt that's just starting to grow, and java fern. I know the glosso is supposed to grow fairly slow but, the red ludwigia should be shooting off like a rocket yet it's growing at the same rate as the glosso. 

I think Im going to get five harlequin rasboras for this tank though. There have been tons of people that have put that amount in even smaller tanks so with this filter and the plants the fish should be fine. A really classy fish too, the colors are grrrrrreat IMO.


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## Puffer Pita (Jun 16, 2006)

Nope, red ludwigia IME doesn't "shoot off like a rocket." It grows faster than crypts but not quite as fast as anacharis and cabomba. Its sort of a medium grower IME. Glosso is a very difficult plant to grow and needs pretty precise water and light conditions IME.

I personally wouldn't put that many harlequins in a 2.5g tank. Its not just the bioload to be considered but the swimming space. Harlequins like more swimming room than they can get in a 2.5g tank.


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## Damon (Jan 18, 2005)

Glosso requires high Co2 to grow properly.


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## Guest (Dec 19, 2006)

> Nope, red ludwigia IME doesn't "shoot off like a rocket." It grows faster than crypts but not quite as fast as anacharis and cabomba. Its sort of a medium grower IME


I have to agree. The Ludwigia I have doesn't grow that fast. Its pretty much a medium grower, like Boxermom said.



> Harlequins like more swimming room than they can get in a 2.5g tank


Exactly the reason why I don't like the idea of them in a 2.5g. I have 6 in my 29g and they swim all the 30 inches of length of the tank.  I personally wouldn't put them in such a small tank because they are pretty active fish.

If you can find them, Micro-rasboras (there are many types) would be a much better fit for the tank. They are still probably pretty active, but atleast they are alot smaller and would be a better fit for that size tank.


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## Puffer Pita (Jun 16, 2006)

franksaquarium.com has a very nice selection of "nano fish" for small tanks, including the newest rasboras.


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## HybridS130 (Aug 27, 2006)

I've already made up my mind with the harlequins. Plenty of people on TPT have had great success with them in nano's.


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## Puffer Pita (Jun 16, 2006)

Define "success." There's a difference between them living/surviving and them being happy. There's a difference between providing a sufficient home and providing the best home possible. You could live in a one room shack, but how happy would you be?


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## HybridS130 (Aug 27, 2006)

I practically do live in a one room shack and Im quite happy lol. Well, to be honest with you Im really not worried about the room issue. If they end up showing very obvious signs of not being happy then I'll move them to the 55G but, otherwise I'll just keep them in the tank. All of the local harlequins are extremely small as well whether or not they're young or stunted I don't know, probably just young though. 

Another thing is, around here there are very few actual aquarist. I see all the time that the smaller fish are sold to a couple with a brand new glass betta bowl in their hands. I find it annoying too because when I step up to get help from the LFS worker they always hound me as if my tank isn't good enough to keep their fish yet a woman will be right in front of me with a goldfish bowl and she'll ask to purchase a pleco and a yellow lab. Worker won't think twice and sell sell sell. 

Sooo, the little fishies can come have a home in a nice little nano tank with great water quality and plenty of plants to feel comfortable hiding behind or a 10G tank with blue gravel and a sunken pirate ship with bubbles and the wal-mart incandescent hood that heats the water up to 85 degrees.


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