# I need a lot of help. Like all of the help.



## Charmy (Dec 4, 2016)

I recently joined this forum and just found this post:
http://www.bettafish.com/147-planted-betta-tanks/114575-how-natural-planted-tank.html

So, I previously kept a betta tank for 5 years and just started again with a new fish after my last one passed away several months ago. Previously, I just setup my tank regularly with aquarium gravel and just added plants- they would last quite a while but would all eventually die and I would just replace them- is that really bad? 

My new betta tank that I setup last week I was just doing the same thing for. I added a photo of what I have right now. the big rock stack with the pink flower is a fake ornament from the pet store- it was the only smooth one they had that would be okay for the bettas fins imo. The rocks surrounding the ornament I got a long time ago but I believe they were sold as "turtle rocks". The two plants in there are both hornwort, since bringing them home one started flowering so I think they are happy right now at least. I honestly thought that's what you did- I know nothing about plants. If it's really bad for my fish to keep doing that I definitely want to change but I have a lot of questions.

If it's best for me to add more plants and change the substrate I can easily go purchase what I need tomorrow but I wanted to get advice on how to go from my current setup to what was recommend in that other post. And also I have no idea what kind of dirt to buy- all I have seen is in plant nurseries has that kind with the little white ferilizer balls in it and the pet store here only carries gravel like is already in my tank. Additionally it's mid-winter here so I can't go dig any up- do you have suggestions on where I can get appropriate dirt? Can I use plant store dirt and pick out the white things? The plant store possibly has unfertilized dirt and I can check about that tomorrow. And also is the gravel I have approrpriate for a cap or should I get a smaller diameter kind?
The tank I have is 10 gallons and I had cycled it before adding plants/fish but the fish was not okay with the filter so I had to remove it. That post said that you usually don't have a filter on your 10 gallon tanks so what should the water changes schedule be?
What other species of plants should I buy to add? These are the ones the pet store here sells: Live Plants for Fish Tanks: Aquarium Plants | PetSmart
I may be able to get some other plants from either some other people in town or maybe the plant nursery store here or could buy online from any place that accepts paypal.

I can also buy ghost shrimp and apple snails at the pet store if I should- just tell me how many of each would be recommended for a 10 gallon tank. I had been planning on getting a snail but I was waiting for some algae to grow on the tank so he would have food- should I do that or just get him now? Also if I get more than one snail/ghost shrimp will they reproduce? I don't really want a million snails or shrimp but I could give some away if that happens I guess.
I am pretty sure I don't have any of the pet store infested snails in my tank but if they are good for a planted tank I could easily get some.
I don't know if I am missing anything but just please tell me what I need to do to make sure my fish is happy and healthy - if I am leaving anything out let me know!
And thank you so much in advance for your help and sorry for asking a million questions I just have no idea


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## Kaxen (Mar 3, 2013)

If your plants eventually die, there is a nutrient or light deficiency. What type of lighting are you using?

I used Nature's Care Organic soil for my 75g aquarium and I have mineralized topsoil from bamaplants in my 10g and 5.5g. 

A natural planted tank can go filterless, but I prefer to keep one on for water movement and risk reduction since nitrate takes longer to kill a fish than straight ammonia. I usually use sponge filters. Cheap and easy. Going filterless, you just gotta test the water and see how things go in the tank. 

Setting up natural tank usually takes like a day because it's pretty difficult to switch dirt into a tank full of water so you'll need to empty the tank. 

Smaller gravel and sand works best for capping dirt. I used too little and too big gravel on my first attempt and my tank looked like mud and it was terrible. 

Amazon sword will benefit from the dirt as they take a lot of nutrients via their roots. Anubias is probably the easiest plant of all as they can grow no substrate survive even with hardly any light. Water wisteria is an easy bunch plant. Red ludwigia is often slated as "easy" but my experience is that they take a bit of work (high light, iron fertilizer) especially for maximum redness. I don't see them listed on the site, but Petsmart and Petco often carry crypt plants which also benefit in a dirted set-up and most of those aren't extremely demanding. 

Ghost shrimp might just end up as betta food. I would wait on that until you get your plants all set up. 

Apple snails need a mate to reproduce if I recall correctly. Nerite snails are smaller but their eggs aren't viable in freshwater so even if they attempt, nothing will happen besides some eggs stuck on the glass.


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## Charmy (Dec 4, 2016)

Thanks for your reply Kaxxen. As I said this was in my previous betta tank I had for 6 years. I wasn't concerned about the plants I just had them as natural decorations. The light was the regular light on the aquarium. Also I think my last betta would pick on the plant and that might contribute to it dying? But also I just had regular gravel and didn't add anything for it so I don't know. 

Anyway, this is a new tank and I am trying to follow that guide that is stickied on the forum. I don't know what kinds of soils you are talking about can I just buy those at the plant nursery? I'm going there tomorrow to see what they have left for floating plants. I called today (didn't want to go in because we had a storm) and they said they didn't have much left as they don't really keep aquatic plants over winter. But she mentioned they had some water forget me not, some floating heart plants, and I think she said a few water lilies. Would any of those be a good option for the floating plants component of the aquarium?
I read somewhere that you can leave hornwort floating so that could be an option for me as well. Also, in my last tank I grew pothos just kind of floating at the top/hanging off edge of the aquarium with great success for years- this one never died on me. I still have it but it's growing in soil now. Would this type of plant be good in the walstad aquarium in place of floating plants?

I have a 5 gallon bowl vase thing that I can put my fish in while I set up this plant tank so emptying it shouldn't be a problem.
The pet store here does indeed carry crypt plants so I can get those!

As for sand and wood (if I need wood, I read something about tannins but I don't really know what that means) would I be able to use the "desert sand" they sell for reptiles at the pet store? And also the wood branches they sell there for reptiles?

Apple snails do require a mate to reproduce but I was just wondering if one would be sufficient in this little ecosystem? Unfortunately the pet store here doesn't sell any other snails.

Oh as for filters- I had been thinking of getting a 3 gallon filter to try and see if my betta is okay with that. He wasn't okay with the regular 10 gallon filter and I can't find a 5 gallon one. I have never used sponge filters and I can't tell from their website if petsmart even sells them.
This is the 3 gallon filter I was looking at:
Tetra® Whisper 3i In Tank Filter | Filters | PetSmart
I'm just not sure if that would be enough?


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## Charmy (Dec 4, 2016)

Okay at the pet store I found reptile sand I think will work for the cap. There are kinds they sell that is pure Quart sand so I'll be going with that. How many pounds will I need for a 10 gallon? 
Also all the wood they have for aquariums and reptiles is fake so I don't know what to do about that. They do sell some real wood for birds perches but I don't know if that would be good


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## VillagerSparky (Dec 1, 2015)

I've never been able to keep that plant alive because it kept rotting at the base of the stems. You could get a sponge filter for their low cost, ease of use and gentle water movement. 

I know nothing about sand, so I ca't really comment about that, but I will say, think about looking in to very easy to grow, bombproof plants as well, like Java Fern, or Anubis.


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## ryry2012 (Mar 31, 2015)

When you get soil for a planted tank, make sure it's organic and no fertilizer added. 


Dwarf water lily is a good size for 10gallon. It's pretty too! As Villager mentioned, Java Fern and Anubias are good for beginners. Crypt's are nice. I have Crypt Balansae in my tank. It grow slow but looks nice. www.plantedaquariumscentral.com/ is a good place to buy plants online. You use paypal! I've bought plants from her twice or three times. Her plants always do well in my tank. RussellTheShihTzu (a member on this forum) has a 10% discount code for PAC. You can PM her for it if you decide to buy there. Oh, wherever you buy aquarium plants, make sure they are submerged (under water) grown. Sometimes emersed grown plants don't do well in tanks.


I don't recommend to use sand for reptiles. It might change water pH or cause another problem. It's always best to buy fish safe sand and test water parameter. I had this aquarium sand that raised pH dramatically and returned to the store. Not sure about driftwood for reptiles. I wouldn't risk. I heard some Petco stores had driftwood. You might want to check. If you want to get driftwood but can't find any in your area, Indian Almond Leaves are a good alternative. You can buy them bulk off ebay. Since they are dried leaves, shipping fee is so cheap


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## Charmy (Dec 4, 2016)

I've been trying to do a lot of research and I'm planning on setting up a walstad tank apparently is what their called that the person was posting about. They seem wonderful so I'm going to try it. Tomorrow I'm going to hunt for pure dirt at the plant nursery and some floating plants and pick up some stem plants from petsmart. Planning on getting anubias, crypt and java fern. I may or may not order some more plants from here: The aFISHionados - Spencer Jack - Cichlaholic.com since it's in my country. I'm trying to figure out how important driftwood is to the walstad- i may also order some from there as well.
As for sand these are my two options:
This is one aquarium sand but says it may alter pH so I have no idea
National Geographic? Aquarium Sand | Gravel & Sand | PetSmart

This one is for reptiles but it says its only pure quartz sand:
National Geographic? Marble Reptile Sand | Substrate & Bedding | PetSmart

does anyone here know which would be better between those two sands?

I also think I found a lighter 10 gallon filter. I'm going to set it up and see how my fish handles it.

Thank you all so much for your help so far!


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## ryry2012 (Mar 31, 2015)

National Geographic sand is beautiful. I had both white and black one. White was beautiful and never caused a problem. Black one raised pH sky high. I had to return to the store. Maybe I got a bad batch. Make sure to teat water parameters whatever substrate you get. Amazon is always a good place to buy aquarium stuff if you can't find one locally.


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## Charmy (Dec 4, 2016)

ryry did you use the aquarium kind or the reptile kind?
Also what do you mean by " treat the water parameters whatever substrate _ get"? 
Just like test the water daily and add things/water change if need be?_


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## ryry2012 (Mar 31, 2015)

Oh, I used the aquarium sand.


"test" water parameters whatever you get. It was a typo...sorry! When I had the bad sand, the pH raised rapidly. I changed the water, rinsed the sand again. Nothing changed. I've never used dirt, although I'm going to start a tank with aquarium soil soon. From what I read, some soil will change water parameters slowly. Therefore, it's better to test water daily until you think it gets "stable". You can test weekly then.


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## VinceIII (Feb 14, 2016)

Another approach to a nutrient-rich substrate is laterite. It's powdered clay, and you mix it into the bottom layer of your gravel. Here is an example: Welcome to API Fishcare: FIRST LAYER® PURE LATERITE. From what I've read, it won't affect pH or other parameters.

Tannins are a component in driftwood that, just like a tea bag, will stain your water. It's typically harmless, but some people find it unsightly. Of the three common kinds of driftwood, mopani is known to release tannins for a long time. There are plenty of posts on the aquarium forums expressing frustration with its tannins. Mopani is the aquarium driftwood I see at Petco. Malaysian and manzanita are the other two common woods. Malaysian releases tannins too, but apparently stops much sooner than mopani. It's a dark wood, so it doesn't compete visually with the fish and plants. Manzanita is popular with people who like its branchy look. Some of the bird perches at Petco are manzanita (the reddish ones with the smooth surface and very hard wood). The wood is light, and people who use it say it doesn't release many tannins. I'd buy one from Petco and sand it if only they were thick enough to root java fern or anubias to it. If you have an exotic bird shop in your area, they might have thicker pieces for the bigger birds. I have birds and sometimes make the trip to a couple of bird superstores. Next time I'm there, I'll look for a piece of manzanita that will work for my aquarium. Bird owners are very concerned about contaminants, so I doubt the perches are treated with anything (but please ask the staff). Considering mopani's tannins and Malaysian's tendency to be spiky, I'm a fan of manzanita.


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## Veloran (Jun 28, 2014)

In my search for sand, I came across a few things.

Reptile sand is pretty fine, can possibly cloud up the tank. Also, if you were going this route, I would be very careful and read labels. You would want to make sure that the sand isn't treated with dyes or any kind of chemicals, and that it doesn't contain calcium which can raise your GH and KH. That being said, I've read of people using it successfully, but have no first hand experience.

I've used Laterite before and it didn't affect the water chemistry or the tank's inhabitants.


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