# super excited tank build



## Firefly85 (Jul 11, 2012)

I wasn't sure where to post this but here it is, I am a few steps closer to finally getting my sorority up and running. I have been soo busy with the holidays and sick. i have been wanted this build done since september.
anyway I thought i would share pic's along the way. i have started to collect my girls slowly too. I hope to have it cycling this week. waitng on plants to arrive and i need to pick up a glass top. 

ok enough rambling, i decided to make it a sponge bob theme for my daughter, and husband. so I took out the acrylic paints and got to work on my first painted back ground. I know people have painted the backs of their tanks one solid color but i had soo much fun doing this. here it sits on the stand empty but ready to get filled. i am so proud of my work. i hope this inspires you all.:-D










my daughter saying "fish, fish, me, me, ooo preties"


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## Hopelessaddict101 (Dec 30, 2012)

That is so cute! And well done! You are talented


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## aemaki09 (Oct 23, 2012)

I love this!! Nice job!
I cant wait to see how this all turns out
Subscribed!


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## AyalaCookiejar (Nov 20, 2012)

Haha, my VT has a spongebob themed tank complete with a pineapple and tiki decoration and small Gary and Patrick ornaments.  I also painted something that I placed behind the tank but it was just the flowers in the sky and wasn't so complicated!
Good job


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## Friendlyfishies (Aug 16, 2012)

that looks great!


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## Firefly85 (Jul 11, 2012)

thanks i ordered my plant assortment last night. And i kinda cheated, I taped an outline to the inside of the tank like a coloring book and traced it with paint then layered it maybe 4 coats of paint. and a sealer. I also have the krusty crab shack on the way, a mr. crabs, and plankton.


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## Firefly85 (Jul 11, 2012)

So i am impatiently waiting on some things for the tank. plants wont be here till end of week is my guess. but the dwarf corys will be here by Wednesday at latest. they will be chilling in my 10 gal until the 20 is ready. 
I buy the rest of my supplies tomorrow, and i will more than likely set the tank up with what i have until everything gets here. i am waiting on some decorations via slow mail. 
I hope i dont find my self with a cart full of fish, lol

I am debating on getting more female bettas, or just getting a bunch of baby bettas and hoping they live and are female. i have lots of extra tanks waiting fish. 

Once the 20 is up and running i am planing a NPT fuvual edge 6 gal, which 
I hope to use for a shrimp colony or possible a king betta. but that could change as well.

Also the most awesome thing happened I am getting Cherry shrimp from a local source just by chance, and the person has tons of them and even breeds other fish. they seem super nice. 

I am soo excited and can't wait to just set it up and get it running.


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## AyalaCookiejar (Nov 20, 2012)

Awesome! I love cherry shrimp and female bettas... I set up my sorority tank today, actually 
New tanks are always very exciting!


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## Firefly85 (Jul 11, 2012)

Okay so, I received my corries today i was surprised on how small dwarf salt and pepper corries are, they are chilling in my 10 gal, but now I am thinking about leaving them in there they are super active, ans seem happy. 

I also got my cherry shrimp, but was too worried about them getting eaten and so poor Cheeto is going to have to move in to a spare tank while the shrimp get his home. I just know that they would get gobbled up by my other fish, including Cheeto since he even eats snails. 

Since i am still waiting on my plant shipment, and the rest of my decorations to come.... hurry up fedex and usps. lol

I put my tank substrat in which is Caribsea black Floramax and gray petco sand, then filled it most of the way but not to much since I have more to put in.
Here is an updated pic









http://www.google.com/aclk?sa=L&ai=...a floramax planted aquarium substrate&cad=rja


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## Firefly85 (Jul 11, 2012)

Okay for anyone who is following this what would you do for bottom dewellers?
I son't think I will be moving the dainty corys to the 20 since they seem really happy in my 10 and I don't want to disturb them. 

I am thinking either albino cory or panda cory? I don't want to kill them off either, so i probable won't add them till at least a month.

I have two new girls and 3 babies waiting as well, and i want my female betta total to be 7. I know the risk i run with the babies turning out to not be female. but i am hopping to know for sure gender before adding them I will post pic's here. 

I plan on doing a fish in cycle, the plants did arrive, i am thinking of adding more but i might wait or who knows i keep changing my mind. 

I want blue mickey mouse platy to start. probly only a trio.

here r some pic's


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## AyalaCookiejar (Nov 20, 2012)

Personally, if you are doing a fish-in cycle with a sorority... I'd be extremely anal about the water parameters. Sororities need pristine conditions because if one girl gets sick... They usually all do. Sororities can be challenging but they also have a very delicate balance..

But then again, if your plants are thriving, you may not ever see ammonia in the tank...


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## eatmice2010 (Jan 1, 2013)

looks amazing


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## Firefly85 (Jul 11, 2012)

AyalaCookiejar said:


> Personally, if you are doing a fish-in cycle with a sorority... I'd be extremely anal about the water parameters. Sororities need pristine conditions because if one girl gets sick... They usually all do. Sororities can be challenging but they also have a very delicate balance..
> 
> But then again, if your plants are thriving, you may not ever see ammonia in the tank...


Yeah I know, I will more than likely test the heck out of the tank, plus i am trying really hard to be patient. I couldn't find any blue mickey mouse platy so I ended up with 5 bumble bee platy, just cute, and the fish in planted cycle begins, I also used so media from my established tank.


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## Firefly85 (Jul 11, 2012)

eatmice2010 said:


> looks amazing


thanks, it is a work in progress tho.


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## sunstar93 (Sep 6, 2012)

Firefly85 said:


> Okay for anyone who is following this what would you do for bottom dewellers?
> I son't think I will be moving the dainty corys to the 20 since they seem really happy in my 10 and I don't want to disturb them.
> 
> I am thinking either albino cory or panda cory? I don't want to kill them off either, so i probable won't add them till at least a month.


I used to have Albino cories, and I can tell you that they will love the sand substrate. Don't be surprised if you find them digging in it lol. Remember that the little cories will grow (even though they won't grow too big). If you decide after all to move them to your new 20, they would love you for it lol. More room to swim around. Peppered cories are pretty cool, as well as small emerald green cories (the ones that don't grow to be 5 inches long lol). My personal favorite is the albino Cory, love those little guys. I would wait and add them after you know your water is all the right operas because they can be sensitive little guys. But they will definitely add some life to your tank! 
Also, love the way your tank is coming along!


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## Firefly85 (Jul 11, 2012)

sunstar93 said:


> I used to have Albino cories, and I can tell you that they will love the sand substrate. Don't be surprised if you find them digging in it lol. Remember that the little cories will grow (even though they won't grow too big). If you decide after all to move them to your new 20, they would love you for it lol. More room to swim around. Peppered cories are pretty cool, as well as small emerald green cories (the ones that don't grow to be 5 inches long lol). My personal favorite is the albino Cory, love those little guys. I would wait and add them after you know your water is all the right operas because they can be sensitive little guys. But they will definitely add some life to your tank!
> Also, love the way your tank is coming along!


Thanks for he advice, I may just go with the albinos since they are readily available. I am thinking of adding a trio in a week or so, all my water paramiters have been great.


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## Firefly85 (Jul 11, 2012)

ok so an update. and some pic's, the plants all seem happy, sending out new roots. 
I have been counting my fish morning and night, and checking water daily, sadly one female platy ended up out of water, found it dryed up and crusty behind the tank. :-( this is the first fish since high school i have had comit fish suicide by jumping out of the tank. 
I got a replacement today, which is currently having babies. 
yay!

just another tank pic


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## Nothingness (Oct 11, 2012)

Looks great...well done. be sure to pull that java fern out of the substrate and attach it to a rock or piece of decoration. It will rot in time if left burried


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## Vizja13 (Jul 18, 2011)

Lovely tank!!!

I love Java fern, I started with one in my planted 5.5...soon my other fish will have to adopt some they're growing so fast. Least it keeps algae levels down a bit  I usually put the stringy roots under a small stone until it grows itself into the substrate...which in the 5.5 is a fertilized gravel I can never remember how to spell the name of...Flourite? Or is that for teeth >.>


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## Firefly85 (Jul 11, 2012)

Nothingness said:


> Looks great...well done. be sure to pull that java fern out of the substrate and attach it to a rock or piece of decoration. It will rot in time if left burried


Thanks, while I have been in the hobby for a long time i am rather new to keeping planted tanks.


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## Firefly85 (Jul 11, 2012)

Vizja13 said:


> Lovely tank!!!
> 
> I love Java fern, I started with one in my planted 5.5...soon my other fish will have to adopt some they're growing so fast. Least it keeps algae levels down a bit  I usually put the stringy roots under a small stone until it grows itself into the substrate...which in the 5.5 is a fertilized gravel I can never remember how to spell the name of...Flourite? Or is that for teeth >.>


 thanks, and i think it is spelled right, floride is for your teeth lol
the only algae problem i ever have is darn hair algae which annoys me but is easy to remove.


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## Vizja13 (Jul 18, 2011)

Yeah, same here, now I've added the marimo

How did you paint the back? I've thought of doing a Galifrey scene on the tank I intend to give to my friend at the end of the summer (first it will be a fry tank, then she gets the tank and two fish xP). Both of us love Doctor Who.


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## Firefly85 (Jul 11, 2012)

Vizja13 said:


> Yeah, same here, now I've added the marimo
> 
> How did you paint the back? I've thought of doing a Galifrey scene on the tank I intend to give to my friend at the end of the summer (first it will be a fry tank, then she gets the tank and two fish xP). Both of us love Doctor Who.


i just followed other forums advice, clean he outside glass several times with vinegar, i used paper towels, and the final time i let it dry for an hour or so before i started to paint. 

i used line art/ coloring book for spongebob, patrick, gary, and squidward, and taped it to the inside of the tank, so i could trace the outside with paint. I did everything else free hand. 

i used acrylic craft paint, and it took several, layers/coats, to get the look i wanted. just make sure what ever you want to show the best is on the first layer, and you wait until each coat is dry before adding another coat. I maybe did 3-4 layers, and some touch up on the characters. I also used a sealer coat.

I have read that acrylic paint will scrape off glass with a razor, if you want to change it later.
Also if you paint the back of an acrylic tank you are pretty much stuck with it, once it is on there.


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## MattsBettas (Dec 18, 2012)

Looks great!


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