What would YOU do with a 5 gal?

MrParker · 10-13-2009, 01:47 AM

So there is a 5 gallon starter kit at walmart for 29 bucks. Comes with filter, filter media, hood, the basics. What would you do with a 5 gallon tank? what kinda setup, plants, no plants, what fish / creatures, I would like to hear some creative inspiring ideas here.

no.1chuy · 10-13-2009, 02:04 AM

i would put 1 (or two if thats possible dont know if you can) dwarf frogs, a black apple snail, and a blue male betta. then a small rock cave and 2 or 3 plants like an anubanis nana or something similar in size and something a lil taller like cabomba. well in my head it looks good, i've kinda wanted a betta

KyleBradley · 10-13-2009, 04:01 AM

You could use it for your water changes in lieu of a 5-gallon bucket...

misterking · 10-13-2009, 05:23 AM

I'd ignore it, and buy bigger..

However if such a plan couldn't work (funds etc), I'd plant it thickly with small plants, and keep a betta and a few pygmy cories, or keep a shoal of something small (less than an inch), possibly Microrasbora kubotai, or a few male guppies.

However, as I said, unless something really inspiring hit me on what to do with it, I'd ignore it and buy bigger.

mattmctyre · 10-13-2009, 05:29 AM

forget about the small stuff your goin to want bigger as soon as you get it

AndiH · 10-13-2009, 09:00 AM

Smaller tanks have their place. Currently mine is used for the fiddler crabs in my sig. I'd eventually like to plant it off and maybe put a beta in it though it could go in my 1g thats empty atm and leave the 5g as a hospital/quarantine tank.

In your sig you said you want a 5g breeder so make it into one of those

MrParker · 10-13-2009, 09:50 AM

yea, i have a 45 gallon right now, so any desire to go "biggeR" would probably be a 125 gallon long.

I was thinking ( and tell me what you think ) of having a 5 gallon breeder, densely planted, and also could be used as a quarantine tank or even just a "plant farm" for growing extra plants. I like plants haha.

The reason I was enticed by the 5 gal is just because it came with everything for 29 bucks. if I could get a 10 gallon tank plus hood and light for 30-40 bucks, I might do it.

it might be cool to have it stocked with tall plants like cabomba in rows (like corn-stalk style) with fish that swim around in between. Then throw some shrimp in there.

bmoraski · 10-13-2009, 11:18 AM

i would end up stuffing it with fry ! lol
my fry tank is a snail and water spider tank right now, but thats because it was there as a hospital tank, and i dont need it for fry anymore because of hornwort.

bassbonediva · 10-15-2009, 07:12 PM

My Hex5 has just my male crowntail betta, Al, in it. There's one huge fake plant (not sure what it is...it came with another tank I bought used) and one small set of Grecian columns...and that's it.

sheamurai · 10-15-2009, 08:18 PM

I saw an article somehwere about these miniature rasboras...a small school of them would be way cool, along with some plants and a peice of wood...maybe a nice little dwarf gourami...

10-13-2009, 01:47 AM	#1
MrParker Medium Fish Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: So Cal Posts: 419	What would YOU do with a 5 gal? So there is a 5 gallon starter kit at walmart for 29 bucks. Comes with filter, filter media, hood, the basics. What would you do with a 5 gallon tank? what kinda setup, plants, no plants, what fish / creatures, I would like to hear some creative inspiring ideas here. __________________ Current - 45 Gallon :: 3 otos :: 1 Chinese Algae eater :: 16 neon tetras :: 1M & 3F Fancy Guppies :: 5 Ghost Shrimp :: 2x32WATT T8 6500K :: DIY CO2 :: Substrate From SandDunes :: Wisteria :: 4 Melon Sword :: Microsword 3 10 Gallon Tanks Empty 2004 - 10 Gallon ::9guppy fry(4 weeks old)::5Ghost shrimp, 1 amano::2 SAE::3 otos::4 neon tetras:: 2 Redwag Platies :: DIY CO2::My own Substrate:: ::anacharis::Wisteria::Ovalis::Lilaeopsis brasiliensis(Microsword)::Limnophila indica(ambulia)::

10-13-2009, 02:04 AM	#2
no.1chuy Little Fish Join Date: May 2009 Location: Las Vegas Posts: 254	i would put 1 (or two if thats possible dont know if you can) dwarf frogs, a black apple snail, and a blue male betta. then a small rock cave and 2 or 3 plants like an anubanis nana or something similar in size and something a lil taller like cabomba. well in my head it looks good, i've kinda wanted a betta __________________ 35 Gallon community tank 20 Gallon community tank 50 gallon chiclid tank 115 Gallon emty need stand, heater, light, and fish

10-13-2009, 04:01 AM	#3
KyleBradley Little Fish Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 143	You could use it for your water changes in lieu of a 5-gallon bucket... __________________ 20-gallon hex 37-gallon High-top http://winchenchronicles.proboards.c...lay&thread=732

10-13-2009, 05:23 AM	#4
misterking Medium Fish Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Manchester, UK Posts: 546	I'd ignore it, and buy bigger.. However if such a plan couldn't work (funds etc), I'd plant it thickly with small plants, and keep a betta and a few pygmy cories, or keep a shoal of something small (less than an inch), possibly Microrasbora kubotai, or a few male guppies. However, as I said, unless something really inspiring hit me on what to do with it, I'd ignore it and buy bigger. __________________ On an extended break - 67 gallon will hopefully be replaced by a 100 gallon but it may be years untill I can do this! In the meantime.. planning a small set-up for when I move into my rented house in summer!

10-13-2009, 05:29 AM	#5
mattmctyre Little Fish Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 133	forget about the small stuff your goin to want bigger as soon as you get it __________________ 40 gallon tank... 2 gold dust mollys 4 giant danios 2 swordtail kois 2 red swordtails 2 platys 1 common pleco 2 lyretail mollies. 3 hatchel fish and 5 ghost shrimp

10-13-2009, 09:00 AM	#6
AndiH Teenie Weenie Fish Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Minnesota Posts: 60	Smaller tanks have their place. Currently mine is used for the fiddler crabs in my sig. I'd eventually like to plant it off and maybe put a beta in it though it could go in my 1g thats empty atm and leave the 5g as a hospital/quarantine tank. In your sig you said you want a 5g breeder so make it into one of those __________________ 14g, 3 cory (2 panda, 1 skunk), Colisa lalia (1 flame and 1 blue?) 5g, Divided with 2 male betta

10-13-2009, 09:50 AM	#7
MrParker Medium Fish Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: So Cal Posts: 419	yea, i have a 45 gallon right now, so any desire to go "biggeR" would probably be a 125 gallon long. I was thinking ( and tell me what you think ) of having a 5 gallon breeder, densely planted, and also could be used as a quarantine tank or even just a "plant farm" for growing extra plants. I like plants haha. The reason I was enticed by the 5 gal is just because it came with everything for 29 bucks. if I could get a 10 gallon tank plus hood and light for 30-40 bucks, I might do it. it might be cool to have it stocked with tall plants like cabomba in rows (like corn-stalk style) with fish that swim around in between. Then throw some shrimp in there. __________________ Current - 45 Gallon :: 3 otos :: 1 Chinese Algae eater :: 16 neon tetras :: 1M & 3F Fancy Guppies :: 5 Ghost Shrimp :: 2x32WATT T8 6500K :: DIY CO2 :: Substrate From SandDunes :: Wisteria :: 4 Melon Sword :: Microsword 3 10 Gallon Tanks Empty 2004 - 10 Gallon ::9guppy fry(4 weeks old)::5Ghost shrimp, 1 amano::2 SAE::3 otos::4 neon tetras:: 2 Redwag Platies :: DIY CO2::My own Substrate:: ::anacharis::Wisteria::Ovalis::Lilaeopsis brasiliensis(Microsword)::Limnophila indica(ambulia)::

10-13-2009, 11:18 AM	#8
bmoraski Medium Fish Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Upstate NY Posts: 571	i would end up stuffing it with fry ! lol my fry tank is a snail and water spider tank right now, but thats because it was there as a hospital tank, and i dont need it for fry anymore because of hornwort. __________________ 2.6G Fry ( snails + water spider ) 10G Guppies 20G Guppies, Pleco + ( Hornwort ) http://mysite.verizon.net/vzet42j1/index.html Bryan......................

10-15-2009, 07:12 PM	#9
bassbonediva Large Fish Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Northern Arizona Posts: 633	My Hex5 has just my male crowntail betta, Al, in it. There's one huge fake plant (not sure what it is...it came with another tank I bought used) and one small set of Grecian columns...and that's it.

10-15-2009, 08:18 PM	#10
sheamurai Teenie Weenie Fish Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 39	I saw an article somehwere about these miniature rasboras...a small school of them would be way cool, along with some plants and a peice of wood...maybe a nice little dwarf gourami... __________________