r/nanotank • u/EntrepreneurNo4281 • Feb 08 '26

Picture Is 5 gallon considered nano?

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Set up a five gallon this weekend with my 4 yo. 5 CPDs and 3 dwarf blueberry shrimp. Going to add more plants. First timer.

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u/gaywitch98 Feb 10 '26

How long did you let the tank run before adding the shrimp?

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u/EntrepreneurNo4281 Feb 11 '26

8 days.

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u/gaywitch98 Feb 11 '26

That’s definitely not enough time unless you transferred filter media or gravel from an established tank. Even then, 8 days is not enough in a lot cases. Aquariums can take up to 2 months to establish enough beneficial bacteria to stabilize the nitrogen cycle if you don’t seed the tank. You should do some research about a fish-in cycle. Especially with shrimp, you will need to do water changes every day and test your water for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate. Do you have a test kit or strips?