# Planted 5.5 for Tristan (Pics!)



## imsunflwr1 (Nov 13, 2012)

This is my second NPT. It's a 5.5g I planted for my beautiful Betta Tristan on Christmas Eve. I added MTS right away, a few shrimp yesterday, and introduced Tristan to his new home this evening. I think he likes it! I still have 2 - 10g tanks and a 20g long (thanks to the Petco sale!) to plant for my 3 remaining Bettas that have been patiently waiting. Here are a few pics... In the last pic, bottom left corner you can see the reflection of one of my cat's paws. He was right beside me watching!


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## amozahn (Aug 19, 2012)

What a lovely betta! You did a good job with his new tank, please post new pics when the plants grow in!


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## Kytkattin (May 15, 2011)

Did you cap this with anything? It just looks like dirt to me, very nice! Unless it is black sand? Either way, photographs so I can't tell the diff! 

How big is your boy? I have a 5.5 gallon for a very large female and she doesn't seem near as huge as your Tristan! I agree, this tank will be stunning when the plants start to fill in. That driftwood piece really ties it all together!


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## imsunflwr1 (Nov 13, 2012)

amozahn said:


> What a lovely betta! You did a good job with his new tank, please post new pics when the plants grow in!


Thanks so much! If all goes well I'll post updates in a few weeks.



Kytkattin said:


> Did you cap this with anything? It just looks like dirt to me, very nice! Unless it is black sand? Either way, photographs so I can't tell the diff!
> 
> How big is your boy? I have a 5.5 gallon for a very large female and she doesn't seem near as huge as your Tristan! I agree, this tank will be stunning when the plants start to fill in. That driftwood piece really ties it all together!


Thanks much, Kytkattin! It is capped with black sand from Petco, but when I was doing a water changed it got a bit displaced so there's a bit of dirt that settled. That's what you're seeing. It hasn't been a problem and I like the "natural" look. I'm not all that experienced, but I guess he's pretty good sized with long fins! He definitely has grown since I got him.


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## Kytkattin (May 15, 2011)

I messed up my cap on my first NPT attempt a few days ago. I don't have any idea what I am doing either. I like the look of the white sand on the dark dirt, but the black sand definitely has a classy look to it!


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## imsunflwr1 (Nov 13, 2012)

Kytkattin said:


> I messed up my cap on my first NPT attempt a few days ago. I don't have any idea what I am doing either. I like the look of the white sand on the dark dirt, but the black sand definitely has a classy look to it!


Thanks! I'm doing a 10g next and think I'm going to use a mix of mostly black with just a bit of white... or maybe natural. Some of the white/gray that's showing in this tank is natural clay kitty litter. I really love doing these! 

I am a bit concerned for the 3 shrimp... haven't seen one sign of them today. I know they hide well, but not a single sign... am wondering if Tristan nailed them during the night, but you'd think I'd at least see a body part??? Hmmm...


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## amozahn (Aug 19, 2012)

The shrimp might be ok...I put 3 ghost shrimp into my newest planted tank, and they disappeared for 2 weeks. They were small, but it seemed they were too big to eat without leaving evidence. I even took the filter apart, thinking they must have been sucked in. Caught a glimpse of one shrimp while putting the filter back in. Next day I put some flake food crumbs on the bottom of the tank. All 3 shrimp showed up for the feast...so did the betta, he is such a pig he even eats that nasty flake food


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## imsunflwr1 (Nov 13, 2012)

I sure hope so... still not a glimpse and they were actually pretty big. Think I may take the filter out and check it. I have Red Cherry Shrimp, but I have become so attached to them I hate to serve them up as a buffet. Perhaps after these plants have grown more so they have more cover. :|


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## imsunflwr1 (Nov 13, 2012)

Just a brief update... I did find one of the shrimp dead the other day. Hadn't seen any of them and then there it was... right in front of the tank, dead, but all intact so I don't know what happened.  This morning I did see another one in the Cabomba and alive! These are not little tiny shrimp... can't believe I never see them. I did some cleaning of the tank today, sucked up lot of debris when I did a 40% water change, cleaned the filter (no shrimp) so I'm assuming the other one must be around somewhere. When I did the water change I realized how brown the water is still getting from the driftwood. Tannins, right? I did soak it for at least 2 weeks before I set the tank up. Hope that's OK? Tristan seems to be doing well, but sometimes he seems to get panicky when he's swimming around. He touches the glass and freaks, touches a plant and freaks... not sure what to think about that. He's eating well so that's good. I'm seeing new growth on some of the wisteria, pennywort, cabomba, and rotala, and a third leaf is sprouting on the dwarf tiger lily! Yay. Will post pictures after is fills in a bit.


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## Firefly85 (Jul 11, 2012)

your betta is soo prety, I'm sorry to hear you lost a shrimp, But i hear they can be kinda of sensitive in new set ups.


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## Fishybitty (Dec 29, 2012)

Wow! stunning. Your betta is beautiful and so is your tank. Great job.


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## imsunflwr1 (Nov 13, 2012)

Thanks Firefly85 and Fishybitty!


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## carbonxxkidd (Oct 30, 2012)

I love your tank and your betta is gorgous! I am starting a 5.5g NPT this week (hopefully). Can I ask how much soil/sand you have? I was thinking 1 inch soil and 1/2 inch sand based on OFL's sticky but wanted to get some advice from someone who has done this...I just want to do it right! Thanks


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## imsunflwr1 (Nov 13, 2012)

Thanks! I aimed for what OFL recommended... but ended up with 1-1/2" dirt with about 3/4" sand. So far, so good... plants are doing well and so is Tristan. Unfortunately the shrimp didn't make it... at least 2 of them didn't anyway. Don't know why.


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## carbonxxkidd (Oct 30, 2012)

Did you just use ghost shrimp? I've heard that they can be pretty fragile...

Did you wet down the soil before you put the sand on top? I just bought some black sand at Petco and plan on rinsing it before I put it in there. The biggest thing I'm worried about now is planting and trying to keep the layers from mixing! I don't have those fancy planting tweezers so I plan on just using my fingers :/ I'm really excited about it though, I hope my tank looks as good as yours!


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## 5150wicd4fish (Oct 28, 2012)

I love your set up, and your betta is sooo beautiful...made my heart pitter patter..LOL...


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## MattsBettas (Dec 18, 2012)

Any fish would love that tank!


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## registereduser (Jul 30, 2010)

That is a gorgeous fish! His fins remind me of my Irving's fins, very long and fluffy! But recently he has started to bite his tail, I sure hope Tristan doesn't do that :-(


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## imsunflwr1 (Nov 13, 2012)

carbonxxkidd said:


> Did you just use ghost shrimp? I've heard that they can be pretty fragile...
> 
> Did you wet down the soil before you put the sand on top? I just bought some black sand at Petco and plan on rinsing it before I put it in there. The biggest thing I'm worried about now is planting and trying to keep the layers from mixing! I don't have those fancy planting tweezers so I plan on just using my fingers :/ I'm really excited about it though, I hope my tank looks as good as yours!


I'm not sure about the shrimp. I asked for Amanos at my LFS, but they didn't have any. They just said these were algae eating shrimp. I do have Red Cherry Shrimp, but just don't have the heart to add them to my Betta tanks for fear they'll become a snack, but they are in a NPT and doing great!

I found this advice from another OFL post and this is what I followed...

"When I set one up-
I add my dirt-then add just enough water to cover-then I add my sand-I don't rinse my sand-I like to use everything dry. Then I add water-drain and repeat until clear. Then I add about 2-3 inches of water and start to plant-I already have my hard scape placed, filter, heater and check the hood for placement if one is used.Once I have everything planted-I fill with water and drain and re-fill if needed until clear."

I just barely coverd the soil with water. I also used Petco Sand... the black one and really like the way it looks. I wouldn't rinse, just do as OFL says. 

I have short and long tweezers and love them. Got them on Ebay and consider them worth the investment. Also got the long curved scissors and they are wonderful for trimming.
Best of luck!

5150wicd4fish and MattsBettas... Thanks so much!


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## imsunflwr1 (Nov 13, 2012)

registereduser said:


> That is a gorgeous fish! His fins remind me of my Irving's fins, very long and fluffy! But recently he has started to bite his tail, I sure hope Tristan doesn't do that :-(


Thanks! I hope he doesn't, but I can tell the weight of those fins are a burden for him. I usually find him resting on a plant, filter, heater or on the bottom. Ahhh... the price of beauty.


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## carbonxxkidd (Oct 30, 2012)

Oh awesome, thank you so much! I will definitely look into getting some of those tweezers and scissors...I've been having a rough time with my 29 g tank trying to plant clippings without disturbing everything! Hopefully I can initially plant the new tank successfully without the tweezers and get them before I have to do any maintenance.


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