# Progress of my planted Aquastart 320 tank!



## BettaNard (Jan 27, 2016)

Hi guys, thought I'd show my progress of my planted tank in this thread. Proud owner of Callisto the betta and giving him the best possible home 

This is where he first started:


Then got him this tank:


Transferred him over and felt the tank was kinda empty:


Added 3 aquarium rocks and made a cave, bought another driftwood with Anubias Nana (I think):


And now today, bought 2 bunches of Magdalensis Chain Sword and put them on each side of the cave entrance:


I think it's coming along quite nicely! Will update as I add more


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## InStitches (May 26, 2014)

looking good! I love it!


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## jeaninel (Aug 24, 2007)

Very lovely and a beautiful betta!


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## BettaNard (Jan 27, 2016)

Thank you


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## VillagerSparky (Dec 1, 2015)

I'm going to have to up my game. As a fellow 320 owner I have a rival!


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

I absolutely love that fourth photo!


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## BettaNard (Jan 27, 2016)

VillagerSparky said:


> I'm going to have to up my game. As a fellow 320 owner I have a rival!


Haha, it's an awesome tank! It's on! 



RussellTheShihTzu said:


> I absolutely love that fourth photo!


Thank you!!! I had to get rid of those rocks though and replace them with smoother ones, Callisto got a nasty scratch on his scales from them


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## razzhasbettas (Dec 22, 2015)

Love both the tanks! The driftwood with anubias looks really good. I might have to try that! Glad to see Callisto is doing well.


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## BettaNard (Jan 27, 2016)

Driftwood and Anubias were meant to be ;-)
Plus, the Pygmy cory's love the drifwood, they love chillin on it and cleaning it haha, and having two drifwoods makes it even better!
Callisto loves his new home, there's so much more room for him. 

Update, have added some Crypts in the back of the tank:


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## chocolateturtle (Dec 31, 2015)

How many gallons is that tank?


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## BettaNard (Jan 27, 2016)

chocolateturtle said:


> how many gallons is that tank?


28l / 7.3g


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## BettaNard (Jan 27, 2016)

*Update Time!*

Added to the tank:
- Dwarf Blyxa at the bottom left
- Broad Leaf Ludiwigia (someone correct me if I'm wrong)at the right side & background


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## InStitches (May 26, 2014)

looking awesome


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

Great job. You need to start a journal if you haven't already!


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## VillagerSparky (Dec 1, 2015)

He's a pretty Beta, that's for sure.

As you said, its ON! So.... http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=631033 I'll bite.


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## olgamc (Jan 2, 2016)

ooh, I am jealous! What substrate is that? 

And can I ask you about your thermometer? I got the same one yesterday and when I opened it I accidentally lost grip, it fell on the table and shattered. I was really surprised, because it was NOT a long way. Obviously yours is in one piece, so I was just wondering if you are finding it very fragile or is yours ok? Maybe mine was defective.


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## BettaNard (Jan 27, 2016)

RussellTheShihTzu said:


> Great job. You need to start a journal if you haven't already!


I'm actually considering it! Wondering who would be interested though :shock:



VillagerSparky said:


> He's a pretty Beta, that's for sure.
> 
> As you said, its ON! So.... http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=631033 I'll bite.


He is quite the charmer isn't he? Ooooh completion! Love it. Jealous of the coconut cave you made, wish I was more crafty.



olgamc said:


> ooh, I am jealous! What substrate is that?
> 
> And can I ask you about your thermometer? I got the same one yesterday and when I opened it I accidentally lost grip, it fell on the table and shattered. I was really surprised, because it was NOT a long way. Obviously yours is in one piece, so I was just wondering if you are finding it very fragile or is yours ok? Maybe mine was defective.


It's Black "Galaxy" quartz sand, brand is Pisces.
Oh that sucks  mine seems to be okay but I haven't dropped it yet! Had it for a month now I think.


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## VillagerSparky (Dec 1, 2015)

Don't tell anyone but I made that cave with a kitchen knife and good timing.


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## BettaNard (Jan 27, 2016)

Update again:

Moved the Dwarf blyxa to the sides in case they get too tall.
Added Hygrophila Poly at the back and right side!
Banana lily has seemed to grow extra long stems that reach the surface! Just happened after 2 days of using Flourish! :shock:


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## BettaNard (Jan 27, 2016)

I was thinking of getting frogbit as well. I tried out Duckweed a while ago but found it got out of control and got stuck in the filter intake and stuff. 

I was wondering if Frogbit is easier to manage?


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## hellobird (Nov 11, 2015)

Looking great! Just be cautious if you are going to add more surface cover, as it will end up blocking light to the plants below. I'm not sure how much light some of your plants need, but I know my blyxa never like being in too much shade. Banana lilies are especially guilty of being surface hogs, I only ever let mine have one lily on the surface at any time. You can cut these mature leaves and float them in a bucket and they will grow baby plants on the cut stems, they are super easy to propagate. I have like 10 baby plants now and I dont know what I'm going to do with them. Don't freak out if the leaves around the base of the plant start dying off either, it's normal once they mature.

Callisto is looking very impressed with his mini jungle.


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## ThatFishThough (Jan 15, 2016)

_Loving_ This tank. Like, literally. How do you do it?

I want my 20G to look like that.


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## BettaNard (Jan 27, 2016)

hellobird said:


> Looking great! Just be cautious if you are going to add more surface cover, as it will end up blocking light to the plants below. I'm not sure how much light some of your plants need, but I know my blyxa never like being in too much shade. Banana lilies are especially guilty of being surface hogs, I only ever let mine have one lily on the surface at any time. You can cut these mature leaves and float them in a bucket and they will grow baby plants on the cut stems, they are super easy to propagate. I have like 10 baby plants now and I dont know what I'm going to do with them. Don't freak out if the leaves around the base of the plant start dying off either, it's normal once they mature.
> 
> Callisto is looking very impressed with his mini jungle.


Hmm, I guess frogbit would be a bit overkill. Oh and I already have 3 lillies at the surface! Thanks for the tips though, might give them the trim later today 
Callisto loves swimming through all the plants, I can tell he won't be bored for a while 



ThatFishThough said:


> _Loving_ This tank. Like, literally. How do you do it?
> 
> I want my 20G to look like that.


Haha thank you so much! Not bad for a first time fish tank owner and planted tank hey? Hmm I'm not sure but I like to visualise how I want my tank to look before I go out and buy plants and decor  doing a little sketch of how I want it to look like helps too! Also adding different color plants at different sections of the tank adds some nice contrast, hence, back of my tank is all red and as you move to the front it's all green! :-D
Edit: I think having a dark substrate helps bring out the colour of your plants and fishes too


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## ThatFishThough (Jan 15, 2016)

Aww. I have white sand in my 2.5 G, and 'River Rock' coloring in my 20G.

Rawr.


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## VillagerSparky (Dec 1, 2015)

What is that little fish in the cave....tunnel thing?


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## ThatFishThough (Jan 15, 2016)

Looks like an Oto.


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## BettaNard (Jan 27, 2016)

It's actually a small leopard cory, my dad had some in his tank and they started dying, this guy was the last one. He was quarantined and all so my fish are fine. Dad just bought more couple days ago and that cory is back in his regular tank


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## VillagerSparky (Dec 1, 2015)

Well, that explains it.


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## olgamc (Jan 2, 2016)

That tank is gorgeous! What fertilizers do you use?


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## BettaNard (Jan 27, 2016)

Thank you  I just use flourish every 2nd day!


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## olgamc (Jan 2, 2016)

Flourish Comprehensive? How come every 2 days, is that how often you change your water? How much of the water do you change and do you dose it just for the amount you change or for the whole tank? Sorry I am asking so many questions. My betta boy is in a temp tank for a couple of months and I have to cozy it up for him easily and temporarily, and your set up is perfect!


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## pugpower08 (Feb 29, 2016)

This is a beautiful tank. I'm thinking of getting more plants for my 20 gallon Betta tank. Where did you get those plants?


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## BettaNard (Jan 27, 2016)

@olgamc Yes, comprehensive, I've read somewhere that people dose flourish daily and excel is a once a week kind of thing but I've just chosen to stick to comprehensive and only every 2 days because my plants are low maintenance plants. I dose for the whole tank. I asked someone from Seachem and they said to dose at 2 drops per gallon. Thank you btw! I love looking at my tank hehe 

@pugpower08 thank you!! You should definitely stock up on more plants, it never hurts to have a heavily planted tank  I get mine from a local fish shop! They take really good care of their plants, I never find any of them rotting or have any algae. All their plants are very lush and heathy! I don't get my plants anywhere else


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## BettaNard (Jan 27, 2016)

Update:

Dwarf blyxa didn't like the low amount of light it was receiving and they started melting, had to remove them. Chain sword seems to handle low light better so I have left it and moved it to the back of my tank. To compensate my missing blyxa I have purchased same lace fern which looks quite lovely and adds some nice surface cover.


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## hellobird (Nov 11, 2015)

Excel is usually the one you dose daily, as it has a short half-life and will generally be out of your tank's system after 24hrs. Flourish every 2nd day might start to give you problems with algae, so just keep an eye on that. I think most people dose comprehensive weekly/with waterchanges. 
Lookit those lil cory babies they are so cute ahhh!


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## BettaNard (Jan 27, 2016)

Oh wow, I got it mixed up then! Holy moly, okay I'll stick to comprehensive weekly from now on. Last thing I want is an algae problem! Ahhh yes my little pygmy cories, they never cease to make me smile every morning, they are too cute!


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## BettaNard (Jan 27, 2016)

Here's a video of my tank atm, foreground is looking a bit bland, thinking of adding some more Annubias to make it look less empty  
Ps, how cute are my Pygmy cories? 

http://youtu.be/CvUTNcr4Bqw


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## olgamc (Jan 2, 2016)

Thanks BettaNard. Do you have a betta in there as well? Does he/she get along with the cories?


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## BettaNard (Jan 27, 2016)

I did have Callisto in there but he started tail biting himself so I have him back in his 2.5G tank to help him heal up his fins. But yes, they did get along, Callisto would sometimes swim with them or hang out near them. No deaths or torn fins with the pygmys so I know Callisto wasn't aggressive towards them.

My betta is pretty chill not aggressive as most, you just always need a back up plan in case things go South!


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## olgamc (Jan 2, 2016)

Hmm, good point on watching the betta's personality. Mine seems to be aggressive, so I haven't tried any neighbours with him other than a pond snail, which he mauled half to death.

Looking into flourish. Any idea if it could be used in an aquaponic, i.e. if it could pass for organic?


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## BettaNard (Jan 27, 2016)

Haha, yeah I think he may not appreciate tank mates... You never know though, you need to give your tank lots of hiding places. And always have a back up tank if it doesn't work out 

I'm not too familiar with aquaponics I'm sorry, so I can't help you there ><


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## BettaNard (Jan 27, 2016)

Update: I present to you BettaNard's Mini Jungle 2.0!! My LFS was out of mini driftwood with Anubias so I decided to buy some more Wisteria and plant it at the back instead of floating for once, looks so lovely!


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## BettaNard (Jan 27, 2016)

My Aquastart 320 has definitely come a long way and I'm proud of myself for going down the planted tank path, it was scary at first but everyone here was so helpful and wonderful! Thank you everyone


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## BettaNard (Jan 27, 2016)

Side note: I have started a journal, subscribe if you'd like guys! 
http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?p=7161962#post7161962


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## BettaNard (Jan 27, 2016)

Haven't updated this thread in a while, so here's a pic, I did a little bit of rescaping:



I've found that red plants are harder to look after so there's more green plants in the tank now.


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## VillagerSparky (Dec 1, 2015)

Your boy is looking mighty proud of his home there.


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