r/nanotank • u/Fair_Peach_9436 • 2d ago
It's chaotic. Struggled to keep the plants into the soil. Help
This is my first planted tank setup which I just setup today. This a 5gallon tank and I've added 1kg of aqua soil, but I think it isn't enough so I'll add a kg more a few months later. Now what am I supposed to do to make it look better at least, it looks like I've just dumped it into the tank, how do I arrange them, it's my first time with live plants so it was tricky for me.
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u/sisismells 2d ago
Be careful and do some research before adding additional substrate into the aquarium.
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u/gothprincessrae 2d ago
You're going to want a solid inch at least for substrate so stem plants will stay put. Watch some aquascaping videos to help. Also your buddy there needs about 5-10 more friends and a much larger tank. I saw in another comment that you tried to add him with another group before. I recommend you remove and separate each fish from the main tank for half an hour and then add each one back individually. Put this guy in first! That way the grouping is new to all of them rather than this one guy joining an already established group.
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u/Efficient-Use-1101 1d ago
Use gel superglue and a tiny bit of tissue to attach these plants to wood, or rocks. This helps you keep them stable while they send downn roots. I'd also put some rinsed sand in a layer over that substrate, then some fine gravel over that. You might want to check out Father Fish or other youtube vids. You gave a nice assortment of plants, with time and care and some wood or rocks they'll look great.
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u/Fair_Peach_9436 2d ago
Also I'm having this black Tetra since 4 years now, he was one if my 1st fishes, and that time I wasn't knowing they live in schools. I had another black Tetra but he bullied him and he doesn't appreciate anyone else. I put him into my 20 gallon tank but he got bullied and got fungus and finrot and I again added him into this tank, I treated him and thankfully got well.
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u/greensplatz 2d ago
You should push the grass like plants to the front, have the tall ones in the back, consider decorational rocks to compliment the red plant, and if you feel zesty add some cholla wood and stuff plants that need to be anchored down through the holes (buce, anubias). As for the fish, he would be happier w friends and more space. :)
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u/spicyman45 2d ago
You can get planter cups to help hold plants down. I got mine off Amazon, it's like a little cement ring with a plastic basket and a sponge. Just place the roots of the plants between the sponge, insert the sponge in the basket, put the basket in the cement ring, place where you want it and bury in the aquasoil.
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u/SnooRobots1169 22h ago
Poor fish. Way too small of a tank and it’s. Alone. The poor fish will die from stress caused by not having a school. 6 minimum for tetras
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u/Realistic-Weird-4259 2d ago
A single black skirt tetra? I am very sorry but that fish is not an appropriate resident for this tank, and it will live a happier, healthier life if it can life with a few more of its own kind. That tank is far too small to do that. It's better suited to nano fish or something like a betta.