# First aquarium in years ; first NPL ever!



## grike (Mar 24, 2015)

I love aquariums. I have owned only two bettas before (two fish ever before, tbh). 
My first, Kyle (a male wild veiltail), lived to probably 5 or so years; the other, 1 or 2 (he was an unexpected gift, so I was completely unprepared for him and eventually I lost him to a bad water change D.
My mom got an aquarium for her birthday, which lit me up and gave me a "sooo while we've got aquariums and fish prepping on the brain... Petco is doing a gal/$ sale soon" opening.
I asked my dad if I could get a 20gal long/29gal and he said sure. I brought up we already have 3 pets, and now the fish, and would that be too much to handle? My dad said I was the one caring for most of them and the house most of the time, so if I think I can handle it, it's fine.

I discovered the Walstad method of keeping live plants, and _really_ wanted to try that. 
First, I was going to do a 29 gallon single betta setup with kuhli loaches (literally only owned bettas before) and a mystery and a few nerite snails. 
Then, after a while thought "Kuhlis are hard to find anyway, I'm neither here not there on them, I love bettas, I'll do a divided 20g L with 2!" 
I dithered between those two options for a while, as well as whether an NPL was worth attempting. Because I have never worked with live plants before, and it seems a balancing act. (Also, I have no idea when I might be moving, but for that I thought "screw it".) I've wanted to try a planted tank badly for years, but I don't really have the means for ferts and such, so if I can save even a few months by depending on the soil and fish, it'll be worth it.
I am also disabled with very diminished energy and mobility, so the potential water change benefit and having a bit of a buffer to rely on if illness hits me hard was too good to not at least give it a whirl.

So here we are, tons and tons and tons of articles and forum threads later.
After a bunch of research, some of it collapsing upon each other, so dense it could be a black hole, there's progress.
_ 
Finally_ progress, in the "I actually got a tank-y/fish-y related thingy" department.

So I decided why not try a journal now. c:


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## grike (Mar 24, 2015)

I crashed after that first post, so here are the actual purchases mentioned: 2 small plastic tubs! 










Not much, but it's something. 

These are 1.5 gallons, and will be used for quarantine. Small, I know, but I feel it'd be easier dose effectively if needed, and sick fish would need more stringent water care anyway.
They'll get a silk plant, a terracotta pot hide, and a craft mesh hammock each. I will simply suspend them in the main tank for heating (being very careful with splash and cross-contamination).

I've been store surfing trying to compare prices on all my supplies, and when I walked into Michaels, there was a massive store wide clearance sale.
I was able to get those two tubs for $4.99, the price of one. (One green, one blue, in case color-coding might become important later for some reason.)

Plain old Sterilites or generics of the same volume might have been a bit cheaper, but they strike me as a bit flimsy and most I see have wonky dimensions. These latch very securely, are sturdy, and have better dimensions to fit the hides and such. 
I may upgrade to 2.5-5 gallon quarantines if I can ever find any suitable cheap tubs on sale. 

Which may happen, as I don't plan to even see a fin for at _least_ a month, probably way more, anyway. I want to allow my NPL to settle and make sure I can even keep up with caring for plants first before plunking fish and snails in there.

I allowed myself this one splurge that was not aquarium related, though; this little birdie 40% off for $1.49:










This was originally not an aquarium related purchase, but then I decided, since I got it the first day I started getting things for my tank, it will be my little aquarium guardian and mascot. I immediately named it Frederick, the first name to pop in my head. Looking it up, it means "peaceful ruler". Even more fitting. It will sit on the lid and survey its domain, ensuring all remains serene and calm.

Yesterday was the start of the $/gal sale! (I hope, unless I have been hearing totally wrong dates this whole time...)

My nearest Petco (or even any worthwhile town/store at all) is a good ~hour away, so I hope I can get into town before they run out. I know I'll definitely be in town on the 10th, but I have no clue how fast they typically run out of stock during these things.

Fingers crossed I can get that 20g long. (And that I don't wish I'd gotten that 29.) I'm debating on whether I should grab a 10g, too, "just in case".


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## grike (Mar 24, 2015)

*NPT NPT NPT whats with this typo*

I somehow keep managing to typo _NPT_ as _NPL_ almost every time I type it. because *PL*ant, I guess. 

I have made several threads without catching it already and now I'm embarrassed, whoops. Apparently, in my mind it's "*N*atural *PL*anted (...tank)", guh. 

_NPT_, it's *NPT*. Get it together, grike.



I almost decided not to go through with the tank at all, because I realized with the money I will spend setting it up ~$150+ probably ~200+, (ouch)) I probably need to start putting that money toward a vet visit for my cat instead. 
She has started whining/meowing a lot and wandering the house and it's beginning to worry me. (She has a tape worm I can't seem to get rid of, even after taking her to the visit last time she got one again in like a month depsite me cleaning every possible surface she'd come in contact with.) 
Then I realized, I _may_ be able to squeak by and do both.
I'll just blow through all the money I've been able to skimp and save over the years. :c I have no income, so this is purely on hoarded gift money.


I'll have to consider it some more and figure out how much a vet visit will be.


I am so, _so_ disappointed if I can't do both, though, I was really looking forward to some bettas and an _NPT_.


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## grike (Mar 24, 2015)

*tankage*

Ran into Petco and a craft and dollar store to snag the tank and some extra stuff. I was gonna snag a 20g long and maybe a 10 gallon, but turns out I'm getting a 29g after all!

I ended up ruining a surprise gift from my parents that way, whoops. 
The employee had to go to the back to check if they had 20gL and my mom and sister started to look really shifty and almost frantically torn about something, and eventually they had to tell me that my dad bought me a 29gal earlier when the sale first started as an Easter gift, so that I wouldn't end up getting the 20.

I felt really guilty ruining the surprise and also basically making them think they got the wrong tank in the first place. (They kinda did, but I can work with the 29gal. That was my initial plan I told them about anyway. I'm super grateful, regardless.)

So now I have to decide if I'm just gonna fill it up to 20 gallons or go all the way. Will probably only fill the tank to 20 gallons, so it's not too deep for the bettas and to help the lighting so it doesn't have to work to get through 6 extra inches of water. 
I just hope it won't look too bad with 6 inches of unfilled tank, though. (I might turn the unused 6 inches into riparium space, but that's ambitious considering this is my first time with plants at all. Baby steps. I also am worried of over planting to the point I may have to start dosing with ferts with that many plants in the tank. The whole point of doing an NPT is to avoid having to use ferts for as long as possible, too many plants and the available nutrients will be sucked dry pretty quick.) 

Since it turns out I didn't have to buy a larger tank, I went ahead and got that extra 10 gallon for backup and longer term hospitalization/alternative housing. 

This fish, though. I saw a beautiful, beautiful boy there. I shouldn't have looked. 
He was a gorgeous grayish grizzled halfmoon. Pretty much one of my ideal fish I want to get. He looked pretty healthy and was responsive, he flared at and followed my finger when I held it up to him. I was dying to get him, but I didn't even have a heater. 
My mom and sister tried to encourage me to go ahead and get him and stick him in the 10 for now, but I was completely unready for him. I didn't even have a _heater_, let alone any decor or hides or safe water for him. 
He was so amazing, though. That'll definitely be a betta in "the one that got away" category. I really, sincerely hope he goes to a good home. In hindsight, I should have taken a picture.

Next, I went to Michaels and picked up 5 sheets of craft mesh to make dividers and hammocks.

Lastly, I went to Dollar Tree to pick up 3 turkey basters (1 for the main tank, 1 for each quarantine; I may be overly cautious with my redundancy of equipment per tank, but oh well), a set of measuring cups and spoons, 3 small terracotta pots (2 for shelters in the quarantines, I'll wash them out and start aging them today; I'll have to get larger ones for the main tank at Hobby Lobby), and 6 plastic rulers (as divider siding/support, since I can't find a reasonable amount of report binder spines for sale). 
I also went ahead and grabbed a small 9qt bucket, although I'll probably need to get a bigger, sturdier one, too, somewhere once I get the tank set up. That one will do for the quarantine tank water changes, though.

It's (slowly) starting to come together, wow. Dang, it's actually happening.
I'll have to be careful or soon it's gonna become a real, solid _commitment_.


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## EvaJupiterSkies (Oct 25, 2013)

-subscribes, cheers you on quietly over a cup of tea, fangirls over the fact that I see you have a mini schnauz listed amongst your menagerie of animals!-

Welcome back to bettas!  I'm eager to see how your tank set-up goes and super excited to see the bettas you come home with!


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## Elleth (Feb 23, 2015)

Sounds exciting!  I wouldn't worry about overdoing duplicate equipment. I have a different turkey baster and siphon for each tank, as well as the obvious stuff that each individual tank needs. I've had a total of three sick bettas now, and none of them have gotten any others sick (knock on wood) so I figure it's worth it.


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## DaytonBetta (Feb 4, 2014)

Welcome. I think you'll definitely want to fill the 29 completely. It won't look nice to have a water line and if you have a hang on back filter it won't work right.

I have a 29 and it's fine for a betta and for plants.

I look forward to seeing your progress!


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## grike (Mar 24, 2015)

*thank you all c:*

Thank you all so much for the encouragement and input!

EvaJupiterSkies - Neither the mini schnauzer nor the rat are mine, but my mom's and sister's respectively; I've just been taking care of them for them. c: He's an old rescue and a sweetie (also, without a doubt, the least intelligent dog I have ever seen, bless is heart.)

Elleth - Thank you. Yeah, I'd rather have too much equipment and avoid overusing some than not enough. 
I wish you and your bettas continued health!

DaytonBetta - Thanks for the tip! The filter won't be a problem, as I plan to use a sponge, anyway, but yeah, really wasn't sure about the water line look. I was thinking maybe a few riparium plants would sort of soften the look, but that may just over-complicate things right now.


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## grike (Mar 24, 2015)

*Maaan I hate getting gifts :/*

Ah, dang. I feel bad. This is also kinda long and half only roughly aquarium related, whoops. 

They gave me the tank today. I thought they just bought a basic 29g tank. 

_Just the tank. 
_
_All I needed was the container to hold water._

What they actually got me was one of those Tetra "starter kits" inflated with nearly unusable bits and pieces, and a Petco Brooklyn tank stand.

I read what it came with and genuinely tried to find something in it I could use, but there wasn't really anything, and I felt like crap telling them I couldn't use any of it, save the tank itself.
(Maybe the stand, but I was looking at a slightly cheaper option that came with shelves and storage, so...)

My dad said he initially planned to get a basic tank, but "the kit was half off, so I figured it was worth a shot" even though he said he also figured it would likely not be the right stuff, either.
My dad has a habit, whenever I mention anything I'm planning on/thinking about getting, of not actually understanding or hearing _why_ I have that specific plan/thing in mind and ends up trying to gift me the _basic idea_ of what I was talking about, but not what I was _actually specifically_ talking about. 
And therefore, ends up getting something that is pretty much not what I had in mind or unsuitable for what I was intending.

It's really stressful. I am _so grateful_ he'd do this stuff for me, so it tears me up that I basically end up rejecting his attempts to be helpful.

Makes me feel completely ungrateful and spoiled when he tries to get me something and it's never right, and I kinda hate myself every time I'm not as excited or happy about the thing as I should be. 
I'd gladly settle if it was close enough, but I mean it's always _just_ off base enough to be impossible for me to make work; and I really genuinely try to make it work just so I won't keep throwing his attempts under the bus because that makes me feel terrible. 
He really doesn't care or mind, because he's always like "that's okay, we can always return it", but I still don't like sending stuff back when he got it for me and didn't have to in the first place. 
This happens so often, it's practically a running gag in the family. 

So if we return it, I'll have to really decide again between getting the 20gL or the 29g. I'll have to finally make up my dang mind.

The _depth_ is what concerns me about the 29g. That makes lighting a bit more complicated, and I'm already enough of a plant newb, so it just really makes me hesitate.

I am only planning on low-medium light plants. So I'm not sure how much difference that 6 inches makes. From what I gather, it seems even that little bit of height can bump things up or down a level of lighting, so I'm worried about screwing up with it. 
The 20g long appeals to me because it seems to be a lot more plant-lighting friendly/forgiving and less light is more sufficient in that depth, since it doesn't have to work through so much water. 

I might be over-thinking this too much. 

Any time I try something new, I always do a ton of research and then just lock up considering too many theoretical and hypothetical scenarios and such early on instead of just _doing_ _something_ and seeing how it turns out. Terrible, frustrating habit, no idea how to stop it.

I was planning on getting a workshop clamp lamp or two and 6500k cfls, that way I can adjust up and down as needed to find my sweet spot, since I'm really new and something adjustable seems the best idea for now. 
(Kinda eyed the Finnex stringrays briefly, but they are more lower low light from what I gather, aren't really height adjustable so what I get is pretty much what I'm stuck with, are of equivalent wattage to some cfls so no appreciable energy savings... I'll keep it simple and flexible for now. And less investment-y.)

Might be helpful if I actually listed the plants I'm considering.
I'm a bit hesitant on some of these, since it's kinda tough to find consistent stats for them. One site lists them low, the other medium, I am at least half way confident that these aren't significantly higher than fairly medium lighting plants, but I'd appreciate input:


anubias (coffee)
pygmy chain sword
water sprite
wisteria
american and corkscrew vallisneria
wendtii cryptocoryne
dwarf sagittaria
aponogeton crispus
java moss
and marimo balls
 I plan to purchase from bamaplants, because the prices look pretty good compared to others, although I have yet to check or factor in shipping.

I'll probably make a second post elsewhere to have folk review my plants so it's not tucked away in a journal, but there it is. 

This entry is long. Also kinda overshare-y, I think, but I'm just stressed about being unhappy with the tank kit. :c 
Sorry. :I


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## EvaJupiterSkies (Oct 25, 2013)

My childhood schnauzer Watson is now living with my dad, as college and now where I'm living doesn't allow dogs, but he's a grumpy old man who acts more like a cat than a dog... very selective about his human companionship in his old age. 

I cannot speak to the tank sizes and lighting, as I function with 2.5 gallon tanks for each of my fish, but I will vouch for the sturdiness of both the java moss and the marimo balls. Java moss is basically unkillable. I have tons of the stuff in my tanks because I don't remotely have a green thumb, but want my fish to have some live plants. It doesn't need a ton of light, it can float, it can be tied down... you can basically do what you want with it. Very forgiving. My marimos (one in each tank) have also been very sturdy. I squeeze the water out of them once a week during WC's and they're good to go. They also do okay with low lighting (all my tanks had a t-shirt layer over them this winter to help keep in heat, so the lighting was not great, but everything survived nicely). 

I'll send you good vibes. Stress sucks.


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## DaytonBetta (Feb 4, 2014)

A 29g will be fine with those plants. I have a single GE plant and aquarium bulb that cost $5. You can go to the most recent page of my journal to see what the tank looks like (if you want you can scroll back to see the progress). It's been running more than a year now.


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## grike (Mar 24, 2015)

*20 long locked in for real this time*

(Not sure I should be keeping replies on a separate post or not.) 

EvaJupiterSkies - Your journal happened to be at the top earlier, and I got to see Watson, wow, he is a cutie! c: (I didn't have time to go through and check out your tanks or fish, yet, just the last few posts.) 
Thanks so much for the good vibes, too, I really appreciate it. 

DaytonBetta - Thank you for the tips, and especially that bulb rec, I'll check it and your journal out when I have time. 
I'm really relieved to hear that all those plants should be doable. My dad took me to replace the tank earlier than I thought, so I wasn't able to think much more on it, and also didn't see this reply in time, but it's still really helpful. c:

-------------

(I seem to post these entries at midnight or after, so a lot of my "todays" and "yesterdays" end up being off a little.) 

The whole tank kit issue worked out.
And we went to return the stand/get the tank the very next day, which I didn't expect so I had to just go with my gut and didn't have time to consider the choice for long.

We returned the stand, but my dad decided to just give the 29 kit to my mom to replace her 10, since I was really struggling to think of bright colorful fish that my mom liked that could be stocked in something that small ethically. 
I was very reluctantly settling on a honey gourami and a school of endlers. I saw they can manage 10 gallons at the absolute minimum but even then that's no longer really recommended, but that was the best option I could think of. 
I also kept telling my dad that I wasn't sure the decorations he got were leaving enough swimming room for those fish in the tank, since it was a huge rock thing, but he wants the tank to look "interesting" and "just fish" doesn't cut it. Thing is, I've been smelling the water as I test the cycle, and I'm 99% certain one of those decorations will have to come out, because I smell paint. There are no fish in the tank yet, it's still cycling fortunately.

About my tank, I decided to go with the 20 long for 3 reasons:
1: I'd prefer more easily adjustable lighting
2: it's ever so slightly more affordable to set up, and since I'm trying to be as cheap as possible that works
3: I'm short. 
And I really don't want to have to get a step ladder to maintain the tank. Even with this 20, it's up to my shoulder and those extra 6 inches would have made doing maintenance and water changes even tougher.

So here's how it's setup at the moment:









I got those shelves the same day, I'll have to get a sheet of wood or plexiglass or something to put on the top so the tank is resting fully on something solid instead of wires, but those shelves can hold 350lbs, so it works plenty for a stand. 
Also need to adjust the legs and level it because my floor slopes (not as badly as it appears in the picture, my bed desk was in the way so I'm slightly off center and angling the camera).

I also need to take it out and do a leak test, but it was raining a bit today, so couldn't. I tested the 10 already.

I've already cut out 4 clear mesh strips to make hammocks, I just need to tie them with fishing line and then get some silicone to reinforce them. 
I almost wanted to get colorful ones for the main tank hammocks, but I decided to go with neutral clear ones, because I don't know what color bettas I'll be getting, and some bettas are stressed by certain colors and thought it was just best to avoid that.

I almost had a scare about the plants I was planning, though, I decided to double check illegal plants and I saw a bunch of old forum and blog posts about a mass aquatic plant ban a few years back, but many were revoked or something. I checked the Texas Parks and Wildlife site, and the only plants I'd have to worry about being illegal are ones I was never interested in in the first place, so that works.

A lot of the equipment I was planning to get from drfostersmith are on backorder, one til mid-month, one all the way out to June, and all but one thing is more expensive on Amazon, so I have no idea what to do about that... dang. 
Should've expected this with the tank sale on, though. Still sucks. How dare everyone do the exact same thing I am also doing.

I'm gonna have to do some major resting up these next few days, though, since I have a show thing to go to on the 10th, and I've been doing way too much these past two weeks or so getting this tank setup and it's really depleting my energy. I'm gonna get too worn out to go if I don't start taking it easy like immediately.
It's gonna be hard to resist, but that means I'll have to wait on doing literally anything more with my tank and stuff right now. :c

So this is all the progress that I'll make for this week. Which isn't bad, I got the tank, the stand, lots of terracotta pots, the 10 checked for leaks, the quarantines and turkey basters and such scrubbed and cleaned with vinegar... I still want to keep going, though, I'm really excited about this, dangit.


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