# Another Tank????



## Old Dog 59 (Nov 11, 2018)

In less than a week I have had to start another 5.5 gal. tank for a baby Blue Mustard Gas. Being raised from a Spawn that Ma Betta had a couple of months back. It may be awhile until he arrives but his tank will be ready and waiting. For now it will grow into a Nano tank with just plants. There is more substrate coming next week and also a glass canopy, instead of the hood that is on there now. Plus I ordered a Finnex Sting Ray 16 " for the lighting. 
I had gone out and bought dark Fluorite which when I opened the bag turned out to be Red. Not only was the bag mislabeled But the product was nothing but mud very little substrate. Needless to say I tried it. (wish I had just thrown it out, which I did today.) It ended up being filler in the driveway. (I need to fill a pot hole.) All this even after I washed it and it ran clear. I will never recommend any one to use it. I would have been better to just use potting soil. At least that would have settled down. 

Anyway I set up the tank, and got the plants I had bought into water before they died. (no reason to everything I bought.) I cleaned up the filter and got all that red crap out of it and washed off the heater. So I started this thread as a step by step of setting up a planted tank. I'm starting out with White sand (once again) I will put Plant tabs close to all the plants. The substrate will be between 2 and 2.5 inches deep. Good enough to root all plants. I have 4 Amazon swords in it right now 2 small ones clumped together for left side mid ground planting, and 2 medium sized that I'll plant in the back under the filter discharge. I have 1 Rosette sword which I'll plant to mid ground on the right side I'll be looking for Java Fern and Asian water fern and a nice piece of drift wood and some nice size colored rocks. I have a plan in my head what I want it to look like, and I hope it will look nice in a 5.5 gal.

I also have drawn some plans for a 40 gallon that I would like to get and get started on for an Australian rainbow tank and also another 75 Gal. African cichlid tank. My grand daughter is coming this weekend she is excited to see how her tanks are coming along. ( She claims all the tanks in the house as her's ) She sends me pictures of the 10 gallon we set up for her at her house, Her daddy says she really takes care of the tank and fish. When it's time to clean it she has daddy help taking the bucket away. (she fills it but a 5 year old carting a bucket through the house( That's an ugly thought)) LOL 

If anyone has some ideas in the aquascape let me know. 

https://www.bettafish.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=963842&stc=1&d=1562166038

https://www.bettafish.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=963844&stc=1&d=1562166038


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## tess.the.mess (Apr 29, 2019)

awesome! how exciting! thats great she has a tank and already a responsible pet owner! Thats going to be a great new home for the mustard gas! 
I can't wait to get another tank which id better hurry while sale at petsmarts still happening. I got a Nicrew submersible 8w 15inch stick light that sticks to inside of the lid i was habing trouble finding the glass top last month and go figure now I see them everywhere for 16inch 
I've discovered Vegas has really hard water so my first plants added were ludwigia and anubias. Betta loved the ludwigia and anubias started propagating. I got 5 small Marimo balls in isolation but they keep shedding small pieces not sure if ill use em- After few weeks added bacopa and java fern which I love. Ludwigia is slowly browning& shedding leaves sadly. Got some seachem flourish but after dosing 10drops I had brown algae bloom. Parameters are spot on (other than hardness) so I think caused by phosphate and probably silicates in treated tap water. To combat this I started using filtered water that i dechlorinate. I've never had live plants so this is trial and error for me and ludwigia is still dying so light maybe issue. lol


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## Veloran (Jun 28, 2014)

Congratulations ... I think. I love the look of white sand, I could never get the plants to grow properly in it, too tough for the roots to spread and the root tabs always left behind residue. Wasn't sure what I was missing.

For the aquascaping, have you used the 'rule of thirds' before (called 'the golden rule' over at the green machine)? I've tried it, but it never lasts long as my tank usually winds up being a messy jungle as I start to chock it full of hides for my betta.


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## Old Dog 59 (Nov 11, 2018)

Most of my tanks have become jungles, which the betta don't mind. I wish I had gone with my first choice which was White sand. I was at Petsmart and could have picked it up then. But no I wanted to change to Florite Dark just to have a different look. Well it was defiantly a different look (Red Mud). Not what I wanted at all. I washed it until the water ran clean and slowly filled the tank. (I did this three times and each time all I got was a red mud cloud.) I left the filter work on it and left it settle. All it would take to stir it up again was trying to plant a plant. And Poof red mud cloud. So I drained the tank again removed the crap and washed the tank, filter, and heater. and replaced it with what white sand I had left and ordered another 25 pound bag. I'll have enough left out of that bag for another 5.5 gal. LOL. 

Hay Tess, Did you plant the Ludwiga or float it? If you just planted the bunch with no roots It will not do well. When I get any bunch plant I weight it down and float it until there is a nice root ball. then I plant it. Otherwise It just dies. So if you did plant it next batch try just floating it. Plus Ludwiga is a low light to medium light plant. 

For me I have to be able to slow current in the tanks and have found using medium to large swords in the back of the tank and floating bunch plants with the stems behind the swords (which help hold the bunch plants right under the discharge shoot.) I have an instant way to slow the water being discharged back into the tank and they do a very nice job for overhead cover.


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## bluesamphire (Nov 20, 2018)

I LOVE the process of setting up a new tank.
Although I only discovered it fairly recently. For years I just had the one 70 litre (think that is 18 US gallons), and while I wanted more, it wasn't too practical to expand. Now I have 4. Am in heaven.

I also love the golden ratio and 'rule of thirds' @Veloran
https://www.aquasabi.com/aquascaping-wiki_aquascaping_aquascaping-with-the-golden-ratio

Had my tape measure out measuring the 200litre and laying it out when I did that this last March. Fun fun fun. Although it always goes slightly pear shaped when the plants start growing in. lol.

My old tank was always a U shape layout. With taller plants at either end and swimming space in the middle.
But now I have one Golden Ratio, one overgrown Jungle and two Arches, where the central features are resin roots, arching to meet in the middle. I would like to try something completely different, like a rock scape (Iwagumi) or a Dutch style (hugely verdant with contrasting colour shape of foliage). I think a Golden Spiral might be my ultimate dream, but the reality is that all my tanks end up looking rather the same. Different layout, and different plants, but somehow... all the same. To me anyway. Maybe I should introduce a few bright red or orange plants, just to mix it up a little. 

But what am I saying? No matter what my grand plans, I ALWAYS end up just trying to make it comfortable for the fishy occupants - which means more plants and a jungly feel, surface cover and hiding places. haha!


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## Old Dog 59 (Nov 11, 2018)

I think all tanks start out with a good shape and clean looks right after it is planted, but after the tank and plants are established and not trimmed short to keep it the same as when it was first laid out We get jungles and in a way those jungles are the very best for the fish. All the hides and different plants make the tank special for their occupants. As an established tank grows it becomes so beautiful to look at. And yes there is a need to trim some of the plants back but never too hard. It changes the hides and the area that each fish claims. So we have to be careful with larger tanks. 

When I had my 75 gallon I looked at all my other tanks and decided NO I'm not planting this one. So African cichlid it was. The use of rock and making hides for them was a challenge and finding any plants that would stand up to the PH needs of the fish was even more so. It was a beautiful tank and was a good home for the fish. 

So there are many ways, and materials that can be used to aquascape a tank. It's all up to the imagination.


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## tess.the.mess (Apr 29, 2019)

Thank you for the tip! This is my first experience with live plants so I appreciate the advice. The ludwigia I had taken the seachem glue and attached to glass pebble stone things and buried the bottom stem after a week or so it came off and the stem was gross Brown and squishy. the leaves were browning and falling off too so I took it out of tank put it in seperate pitcher with flourish and decholrinated water hoping to rejuvenate it. so now it's just floating. I will get some more and try again. Live and learn lol


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## Old Dog 59 (Nov 11, 2018)

Yeah if they don't have roots you need to float any bunch plant until they do have a good root ball. Other wise they end up like the ones you had.

I have been taking my time setting up this last tank and making sure of what I want in it as far as plants. I had to wait on the substrate to get here (it came today along with a glass canopy I ordered for Morry and Gilford's tank.) So I now have the substrate in, and some plants I got to start out with. Every thing is cycling and looking very clear. I'm going to Erie PA. To Buzz N Bee's shop to get the rest of my plants on Monday. I'm also going to look for a nice piece of driftwood and sort through some of his rocks, to see if I can find an accent piece. 

I'm excited about this tank because of what is going into it. I Talked to Ma Betta last night and today, and she wants to wait until the spawn colors up more so she can tell their sex and pick me out a really nice boy. She breed two gorgeous Blue Mustard Gas and I really want one of here males. From the pictures she has sent me they are really getting big. and the color is just starting to show.

https://www.bettafish.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=963892&stc=1&d=1562370303

https://www.bettafish.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=963894&stc=1&d=1562370303

https://www.bettafish.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=963896&stc=1&d=1562370303

https://www.bettafish.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=963898&stc=1&d=1562370303


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## Old Dog 59 (Nov 11, 2018)

Yesterday I took the family to the Drake Well museum in Titisville PA. If you know your history, Titisville PA. was the first ever oil well in the US. It is a very interesting place and the well is still active and pumping. Anyway enough history. In the gift shop they had some rock samples from the area when they were drilling the well. There were geodes, (like the one on the left) There were Agates, (like the two in the center) And there was Jasper, (like the one on the right) This was known as Bulls eye or Leopard skin because of the spots. I thought they were really nice looking and I saw the smaller pieces. My wife looked at them and said now that would make a nice accent for the new tank your setting up. (great idea) If I can find a small piece of driftwood to place further front and fill every thing in with plants I think I might have something. 

What do you all think.

https://www.bettafish.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=963934&stc=1&d=1562498739

https://www.bettafish.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=963936&stc=1&d=1562498739

https://www.bettafish.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=963938&stc=1&d=1562498739

https://www.bettafish.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=963940&stc=1&d=1562498739


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## tess.the.mess (Apr 29, 2019)

wow I love the rocks! those are wonderful. I've been following ma Bettas spawn logs they're so cute and growing fast! I went to petsmart and picked up a new 10gal kit and black gravel I love the way it looks in the tank. not sure what I want to put in yet but got it cycling while I figure it out


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## Old Dog 59 (Nov 11, 2018)

Good deal. I think this is the first tank I can really take my time on and make it what I want. I'm sure you will find the same satisfaction with your new 10 gallon.


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## VBPETS (Jun 21, 2019)

Then there's the opposite end of the spectrum - the messy "more is more" philosophy! :demented:

(floramax florescent lighting, the Bolbitis is planted around the Jangle Wood for when it grows tall and wild.)


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## Old Dog 59 (Nov 11, 2018)

Well as I said this tank is not finished and I'm taking my time until the new baby boy arrives . I have always said, IF YOU CAN SEE YOUR BETTA AT A GLANCE WHEN YOU LOOK AT YOUR TANK THEN YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH PLANTS. I've had those kind of jungles before and have learned just because you supply a lot of cover doesn't mean it has to look like a mess. You can have a lot of plants and cover, but maintain the plants by pruning to keep the tank looking good. Plants grow and in smaller tanks can quickly get out of hand. 

I have chosen plants for this tank that grow at different rates and are easily cared for. The right plants and nice accents, the right lighting will make this tank enjoyable to not only me and others who view it, but it will be a healthy environment for a new baby boy to grow and play.


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## Old Dog 59 (Nov 11, 2018)

Today the tank improvement dept. struck again, As you can see I added another two rocks which I thought were really different, and two new foreground plants. A java chested fern on the left side, and an Anubias Frazin on the right. I still have a few more plants in mind but I didn't like what I saw today. I'll either shop on line or keep checking with my source in Erie. I would really like to get a few nice bunch plants to fill in the gaps behind the amazons weight them down so they stay put in the back and be large enough to fill the top with cover. I think the tank still looks bare. I might consider one mor short foreground plant in the very front or some short grasses.

All ideas are welcome.


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## Old Dog 59 (Nov 11, 2018)

Well the need to clean little Bee's tank ( which needs a total cleaning.)has been put off long enough. So I moved him into the new setup today. I still need some bunch plants in the back for overhead cover, but it has cycled and is ready to accept a new life. He is in pig heaven exploring his new digs and it gives me a little buddy to watch when I'm at my desk. 

So except for the overhead cover we are both liking it. I figured it this way He was my first betta after Ben's death, and to not have him in sight and be able to really see this beautiful fish like I did Ben I'm loosing the chance to interact with him. Morry has Gilford as a tank mate and they get along so very well and they are company for each other. Why should Little be be lonely when he wants and loves the attention I gave him only at feeding time.

As I sit here and watch him explore, he knows I'm there and will stop in the middle of the tank and flair. I think it's his way of saying I happy and Thank you. I'll post some pictures in a little while.


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## Old Dog 59 (Nov 11, 2018)

OK I cleaned up Little Bee's old tank this morning. Took everything our and made sure all things were clean and neat for the next resident. I stole some plants and added them to Bee's new tank, but Hay don't you take things from old apartments at times. (curtain rods, things others left before you?) AnywayI'll get other plants before the new owner takes over.

https://www.bettafish.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=964084&stc=1&d=1562850168

https://www.bettafish.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=964086&stc=1&d=1562850168


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## bluesamphire (Nov 20, 2018)

Haha! love the sign!
I bet you get someone interested in moving in very soon...


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## Old Dog 59 (Nov 11, 2018)

I'm hoping that happens soon. A little blue mustard gas would be nice.

I also started getting the basement ready to put this hobby into full gear. Ginger said I can do with what I want to in the basement with tanks. I started building racks and work benches to put smaller tanks on and have plenty of space for larger tanks. I want to rack about 8 40 gal. breeders for different fish. and have room for some 20 L gal. tanks for betta. It's going to take a while maybe 6 to 8 months but they will all be planted and ready to accept fish.

Little Bee is happy. I did add a few more plants today so the tank in a little fuller.

https://www.bettafish.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=964090&stc=1&d=1562857054

https://www.bettafish.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=964092&stc=1&d=1562857054


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## Old Dog 59 (Nov 11, 2018)

I moved Little Bee into this new setup and have since finished it. He enjoys being next to my desk and does watch what I'm doing. So here is how it finished out.

https://www.bettafish.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=964114&stc=1&d=1563046045

https://www.bettafish.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=964116&stc=1&d=1563046045

https://www.bettafish.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=964118&stc=1&d=1563046045


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## tess.the.mess (Apr 29, 2019)

look in fantastic! he is gorgeous and looks quite happy in his plants! I really love the unique rocks and geodes you chose in these. the stripes and colors look amazing against the solid substrate.


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## Old Dog 59 (Nov 11, 2018)

tess.the.mess said:


> look in fantastic! he is gorgeous and looks quite happy in his plants! I really love the unique rocks and geodes you chose in these. the stripes and colors look amazing against the solid substrate.


Thank you Tess for the kind words. At first I was building this tank to house a baby blue mustard gas. he won't arrive for a few more weeks and I really needed to do a complete cleaning of the other tanks. I'm glad I had this started weeks ago and had room to move my boys around.All of them have gotten new tanks and all of them have adapted with no problems. (confused but happy.) Now I still have an empty tank and will start aquaplaning that one this coming week. I read an article in the newest addition of Aquarium Hobbyist about planting the tank rocks and woods with moss. It is done with yogurt. I think I might give it a try. Could be interesting or a complete mess. and I have to find more accent pieces.


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## bluesamphire (Nov 20, 2018)

Those pics are great!
And that spotless sand... lovely.


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## Old Dog 59 (Nov 11, 2018)

bluesamphire said:


> Those pics are great!
> And that spotless sand... lovely.


I have cleaned the third tank that Gilford and Morry were in. The plants were in very bad shape. (most were bunch plants that should never have been planted.) A lot of rotted stems, so out everything came. I took the tank out side today and used a hose on it to clean the sand. Did a bang up job. I then put the filter and heater back in and restarted the cycle. 

So what to do with it now. I went to a Rock shop close to home looking for the right accent pieces and boy did I find some very lovely pieces. I bought two pieces of petrified wood for either side of the tank, Three beautiful pieces of Agate. They are larger then the pieces I have in Bee's tank. When I go plant shopping this week I have a total picture in my head as to what I'm going to do. I'll get some pictured up later this week to see what you think.


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## Old Dog 59 (Nov 11, 2018)

So here's the start of the next tank.

https://www.bettafish.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=964134&stc=1&d=1563149138

https://www.bettafish.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=964136&stc=1&d=1563149138


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

Did you get new sand or start over? I ask because I ignored a tank with white sand and plants (no fish). Haven't started cleaning yet and wondered if white sand stains from the rotted plant material?

I love the rocks/gems. So pretty. That tank is going to pop!


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## Old Dog 59 (Nov 11, 2018)

thank You Russell. I just started over. I used the same sand. My trick to cleaning it is taking it out side and turning the garden hose on it. The water pressure stirs up the sand and brings all the gunk to the top and leave the water overflow the tank until it runs clear. I do this for about 45 min. Then empty the tank of water out side wipe it down and start over. I then start rebuilding from scratch. The last three tanks I've done over three weeks, and the one BEE is in was a new startup. 

The last two I've done I saved the filter media and reused it so the cycle time would n't be so long. It has worked out very well for me. 

For this tank as far as plants go I'm going with swords, ferns. and mosses. I'm thinking about banana plants also. I will not be putting any bunch plants in this. I'm tired of the hit and miss with them. If they don't have roots they don't go in the tank. As far as larger plants in the background I can use medium to large to do what I need to stem the flow of the filter. This way I won't have to restart a tank or clean it like I've been doing for at least a year.


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## Old Dog 59 (Nov 11, 2018)

Well I did go plant shopping today, Two large Asian water ferns, Two Java Ferns, one Amazon sword, and Three Anubias. ( two of the Anubias are Nanna, One is a Compacta) I still would like to add some moss, but it's hard around her to find any in very good shape lately. So I'll keep looking. Here is what I have so far.

From this To this.

https://www.bettafish.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=964230&stc=1&d=1563403461

https://www.bettafish.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=964232&stc=1&d=1563403461

https://www.bettafish.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=964234&stc=1&d=1563403461


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

Lookin' good!


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## DaceyJ (Apr 9, 2018)

Looking good! I just bought scarlet temple after your tips and a bunch of banana plants myself. I found a great deal on them on eBay I'll link you. They were ten when I bought them, but still a steal compared to everyone else if you're in the states.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Live-Aquarium-Banana-Plants-lot-of-6-/183883883308


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## Old Dog 59 (Nov 11, 2018)

Thank You Russell for the comment it really does mean a lot. 
DaceyJ Thank you also. Have you received the plants yet? I checked the price and it's not a bad price for on line sales. I don't know what the shipping is on them? That's where most sellers on Ebay get you. I have two sources around me here In Oil City, that I go to for plants. In the most cases when I go to the shops they have a very good and healthy selection. I guess This week was not a good week to shop for plants. They had very good rooted plants of which you could tell from the pictures. But their bunch plants were pretty much picked over, and sparse. They really were not up to my standards so I didn't buy. 

When I buy plants for my 5.5 gal. I have the planting and position of each plant worked out in my mind. I know how I want it to look. Not only in the tank but the shape of the plant or bunch it's self. So to me if I find the right plant the price is not a stopper. For a bunch of scarlet I usually pay between $2.49 and $2.89 for a bunch of between 10 and 15 stems. For my Banana plants I pay $2.49 each. I see them in other stores like Petco for $9.99 each, this is outrageous in pricing. 

I never have bought more than two or three of the same kind of plant for a 5.5 gal. so quantity is not what I'm looking for. I basically look for unique plants that you don't see or can't get easily. ( now don't take offense to this next line because it's a general thought) It's the difference of lighting needs and supplement needs, and knowing the difference of what each plant will need. and the difference between a shop that caters to all facets of the hobby, or the box stores that can't find people that they can train in the proper care of the fish and plants, so they sell only beginner plants. 

There have been times when I have paid upwards of $60.00 for a certain plant because of the nature of the plant and how rare it is on the market. ( Plus the fact I was being stupid and only looking at the being rare) And then finding out all the little things I didn't think of in their needs, and loosing the plant months later. 

I think you got a good price from the seller. I just hope when you get them they are in the shape he claims them to be. Let me know if they got there safely.


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## DaceyJ (Apr 9, 2018)

Wow, you're very lucky to get plants at those prices around you. The closest aquarium plant seller other than big box stores near me is 45 minutes away and their plants are atrocious. I live in rural GA, though. The ones I bought on eBay shipped free, so I only spent ten dollars. Haven't gotten them yet, they should be in tomorrow, but as long as they're not dead I'll probably be happy. I get most of my plants from aquarium plant factory, but I will buy on eBay if I see a good deal. Myself and my friends are usually on tight budgets, so I'm in the habit of passing on a deal I find, but it sounds like you have access to better. Not envious at all 👀

I'm definitely the opposite, I like high quantity easy to care for plants in my aquariums. I want a bunch of plants, that I can just stuff in my tanks and call it a day. 😂 As you've seen, I'm no aquascaper. 

$60 doesn't surprise me at all, I've spoken to people in the hobby who have spent well over $100 on a rare plant they wanted. Compared to reefers, the freshwater hobby is very affordable if the rarer plants are usually under a buck. If I ever get to the point I can afford nicer set ups though, you bet your butt I'm gonna have some high falutin, sand waterfall, carpet planted, Cambodian purple dwellin, C02 supported, rare wild betta custom tank smack dab in my living room. I'm only late 20's now with a child and a college savings to fund, so don't look forward to that post anytime soon. 🤣

I really wish I had the patience to do nicer budget set ups, which I know is possible, and I'm starting to make the effort to try. But I enjoy my top fin tanks okay, and my wholesale plants. Maybe if I spend enough time on here, the nicer planted tanks will start to rub off on me.


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## Old Dog 59 (Nov 11, 2018)

Ahhhh the kind of tanks and the type of plants really don't matter. All of my 5.5 gal tanks are Top Fin. When I bought them at Petsmart last year I bought 10 at a time and the 10 gal. setups I have are also Top Fin. bought at Petsmart $1.00 per gallon sale. The 5.5 are all starter kit setups. that have been added on to in almost everything from filters to heaters. $27.00 each. You add on as you can but your basics are there. Well except for the heater. 

When Your starting out it's not about having the very best, or the most expensive. It's what works and is reliable to get you started. The same in plants. In time when your sitting there looking over your tank and saying to your self, Gee I think this plant would look nice trimmed, and this plant over here. Or I need to get rid of this crud and start over. (Been there done that. And still do that too.) So don't think your the only one. As you can afford to add on or get better plants, You will and you have gained the experience you need to improve. It's called, WHAT WE STRIVE FOR. The perfection of the trade. and the beauty we see in what we do.


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## DaceyJ (Apr 9, 2018)

I always miss the dollar per gallon sales, but I just picked up the 5.5 fluval knock off tank they have on sale for $35, and it's pretty decent. The only downside is I cannot adjust the filter flow. I have matala mat shoved up in it right now to try and weaken it. Anyway, I've hijacked another one of your threads. Sorry about that, and once again, really liking your new set up! Looking forward to the finished look 🙂


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## Old Dog 59 (Nov 11, 2018)

No worries on the hijacking. Glad some take a look. As for this tank I'm waiting on finding some moss for the foreground. and also the new resident. As soon as I get word he can e shipped. which I hope is soon. Although it seems like the breeder has fallen off the face of the earth. I haven't heard from her in a couple of weeks. I'm starting to get the feeling the little guy won't ship. I'll give it another week to hear and then I'll be looking for another source.


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## DaceyJ (Apr 9, 2018)

Oh no, hope you're able to get the guy you picked out. It's a bummer to have your heart set on one and not be able to have him.


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## Old Dog 59 (Nov 11, 2018)

DaceyJ said:


> Oh no, hope you're able to get the guy you picked out. It's a bummer to have your heart set on one and not be able to have him.


Thanks It is some what disheartening, but I have a tank set up and need to get a tenet in so the rent will not have to be raised. LOL I'm still in contact with the breeder (although I haven't received a response for a few days. (could be she is on vacation, or very busy with family matters. I'll give her another week and then make up my mind. If she still can ship after that date, well that just means I need to set up another tank. ( wow so much stress. LOL) Any way I don't give up that easy. and I can't see anything wrong with having to create another tank. ( the more is better idea.)


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## DaceyJ (Apr 9, 2018)

Lol the horror! 
Do you keep your tanks wherever you please or contained to a fish room?


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## Old Dog 59 (Nov 11, 2018)

Well if you ask my wife they are confined to my office for now. I have been know to take up any available space in the house, But since we bought this house I have a full basement divided into 5 nice size rooms. I claimed the basement and my wife fully agrees. However there will always be three 5.5 gal tanks in the office and around my desk.


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## tess.the.mess (Apr 29, 2019)

OD love the setups. I'm curious how the rocks work are any rocks okay to use? I'm having a battle with algae- using a Nicrew stick light 13watt. Yesterday i picked up ivory mystery snail and 6 ghost shrimp which I've never had good luck with but everyones happy . I just have get the light and plants going in the 10g so I can add fish. I want to get some more shrimp from aquatic arts but wasn't sure bout care and needs.


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## Old Dog 59 (Nov 11, 2018)

Not just any rock will do. If your adding rocks from local sources, (creeks, rivers, garden, ) I would do the vinegar test to see if they are suitable. Place the rocks in a tub (wash tub or such) clean the rocks really well and scrub them with a vegetable brush to remove all the dirt. using an eye dropper or even just pouring a little vinegar on them will do. If the rocks start to bubble, you will want to remove these rocks as they are not safe for your tank. Any that do not bubble I boil in clean water for about 1/2 hour. leave them cool and than place them in your tank. 

Your battle with algae in a new tank is nothing new. It happens in new tanks. Is there any other light source near the tank , like a window? If there is then you ay want to move the tank from direct sunlight, or you could put a piece of black paper on the side where the algae is most prevalent. Adding snails and a clean up crew is a very good Idea. I would add at least 3 mystery snails toa 10 gallon tank and with shrimp I would add no less than 15 and make sure this tank is heavily planted with a lot of hides close to the substrate that the shrimp can hide. I would also make sure that your betta doesn't like shrimp snacks. This being said DO NOT add shrimp or snails to this tank until it has matured at least a month after the cycle ends. You can always do a fish in cycle for your tanks and when the cycle ends add fish very slowly until the filter can catch up with the bio load.


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## tess.the.mess (Apr 29, 2019)

I'll have to try the rock test now! great info! I added a background to the back of 5 gal it's not catching any outdoor light but this all started after the ludwigia was dying I thought to add 10drops of seachem flourish and after few days algae started covering everything. tested out dechlorinated filtered water which seemed to work ok with scrubbing. so that's how I've been keeping it at bay but it attaches to my anubias leaves rather quickly. I picked up 1 mystery snail and a few shrimp which seems to be doing wonders!


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