# Nereu's moments and my plants growth



## CharV (Mar 22, 2015)

Oh hey!!! There is a journal area!!! Haha!

I knew that 60 pictures would end too quickly, so I opened this thread to post some of my favorite moments of my Betta Nereu and maybe monthly pictures of my aquarium plants progress.

I'll start with my favorite picture of Nereu until now. It's his album cover on my profile if you want to check out!









"You can't see me!"


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## Elleth (Feb 23, 2015)

How cute! Following.


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## CharV (Mar 22, 2015)

Thanks Elleth!! I'll be uploading my aquarium and specs in a moment =)


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## CharV (Mar 22, 2015)

*My aquarium*

Hey, so, about my aquarium...

It's a 60x30x36 cm aquarium of about 60 liter.
For imperial it's 24"x12"x14", 20 gallons.

I've been watching videos of aquariums lately - actually about 4 months ago - and so I decided to build one. Therefore I needed some study and someone experienced, so I've been talking with a close friend who always had aquariums and he must have like 5 years experience with them... He told me to watch for plants need for CO2, so I went and picked the less needy plants, as I don't have the money to buy a CO2 system.

Without further ado, I have in my aquarium:

*Equipment:*

Atman hang-on filter HF-0600 (it's overpower, but I keep it low)
Atman water pump AT-302 (also op, keeping low just for some flow)
Hoppar aquarium heater 100w (yeah, I'm kind of "better more than less")

*Substrate:*

Mbreda amazonia (really good national brand)
Mbreda black blue sand (also)

*Plants:*

_Ludwigia palustris_ (background, my favorite!)
_Rotala wallichii_ (background - gift)
_Hidrocotyle leucocephala_ (background)

_Sagittaria subulata_ (medium)
_Echinodorus tenellus_ (medium - gift)
_Microsorum pteropus_ (medium - java fern!)
_Taxiphyllum barbieri_ (medium - java moss!)

_Eleocharis minima_ (carpet, or at least I'm trying to...)

This guy has been running for 11/2 month before I found my little blue fellow, for the cycling to occur.
And here it is:









Hey, it's not great, I know, but it's something! I'm trying to be patient and waiting the growth, but still I'm looking forward to add a CO2, as you can see at the right side. Nereu says "Hi!"









Those are my equipments, they are all at the left side of the aquarium.









_Eleocharis minima_ at the first plan and _Echinodorus tenellus_. I'm trying to be patient, but yet _Eleocharis_ is making me scream inside, haha. It is indeed growing, but at a really slow rate. I can see my beard growing faster.









And here is this charming fish, Nereu, asking me "Where is the food? Why only 2 pellets?" while I'm trying to change his 2 portions a day for 1 portion a day at night.

So, that's it for now I guess! I'll keep it updated monthly for plants growth and everytime I have an update at the equipments or the plants.


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## CharV (Mar 22, 2015)

*History of events! (I forgot to add at the previous post)*

Hey!

I forgot to add the adventures that I've been through.

The Canister Effect:

So, first of all, when I built the aquarium I had built a filter also. A home made canister. But that didn't end well, I almost broke my water pump and that is why, after all, I have a powerfull filter and a powerfull water pump at the same time... I could just use my filter and keep my water pump off, but the water pump helps me breaking some of the filter power and yet let the water cycle.

Decaying

After I've placed the new filter I noticed that the plants were looking rather pale and lifeless and I knew the problem: poor light conditions.
I had 1 light bulb. And it was even a LED one! But it was not sufficient, because it would shade some areas of my aquarium. So I went to buy 2 more spots to place in top of my aquarium. Then I saw the plants coming back to life...

Metal madness

While the plants were getting back to shape I decided to dose aquarium fertilizer. I looked at the descriptions and dosed half of what it told me to.
On the day after I woke up to the granite white rocks colored orange because of the iron in the fertilizer. So I thought "Ok... must have CO2 to fertilize or else the plants wont use that..."
I changed the water twice that week and then waited for my worst nightmare...

Cyanonightmare

Some days after the water change there it was: cyanobacteria. They could grow anywhere, but they choose the _Rotala wallichii_, the most delicate plant in the aquarium. I just called my friend on panic and he said "Remove all the cyanobacteria you can, turn off the lights and cover your aquarium for 3 days". And so I did it.

And those were my adventures. It doesn't matter how hard you study or try, there are some stuff that will get wrong at the first try.
And as my friend said "You will have algae. Lots of it, and lots of different types. Don't worry and don't give up. It will go away with time and your plants growth."
It's all about keep on swimming.


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## CharV (Mar 22, 2015)

*Cyanonightmare pt.2*

Cyanonightmare pt.2 - Now with fish

Nature is a bitch. Cyanobacteria is the worst...

I just noticed some small threads of it coming out of Java Moss yesterday, so I went quickly and removed it. But as always they came back the day after.

I got so pissed today, and I feel for poor Nereu... I've just closed the aquarium with him inside, only a small gap to leave my filter running open, and that may help him breathe.

I'm angry at those little aquarium ruiners and feeling sorry for my blue guy... Will see him in a couple of days now.

I just did a PWC and fed his 2 portions before covering the aquarium with plastic bags...

Well, at least I don't have to worry with temperature and oxygen, since the equipments are still running.

I think that 3 days won't starve him also... he's been eating some nematodes in the aquarium aside from the portions I give him... I think he is not fat only because he is so active!

Well, I wouldn't put him in less than 30 L (10gal). I have a small aquarium, but I rather leave him without food for 3 days than put him in a brand new aquarium without any filter and heater.

Friday I'll open the aquarium and look forward to make a small video of him, so you guys could share my joy :-D

I just hope Cyanos give me a break... it has been only 2 weeks or so since I've did the same thing to stop them... Let's see how it goes now...

2 mosquitos were killed in the process of making this post... I can't wait for the summer to end...


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## Aqua Aurora (Oct 4, 2013)

Good luck with your pesky invaders! Don't give up and your friend is dry right: no matter how much you prepare there will be a learning curve and algae as you get everything sorted and balanced. Fortunately now adage the web provides easy access to info on what causes these issues, how to correct it to prevent more from growing, and how best to get rid of what's now in the tank.

Don't worry about your guy and feeding, unless he's been starved for a month before hand he's fine, fish can live a long while without food if they have to. it's common practice to fast fish before shipping and all the bettas that come from over seas usually go 3-7 days without food before/during shipping.


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## Elleth (Feb 23, 2015)

I'm really enjoying reading your journal. I don't have any heavily planned tanks, but I love reading about them.  

Good luck fighting off the cyano!


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## CharV (Mar 22, 2015)

Thanks for the support!!

Yeah, Aurora, no matter how much, we will always have some algae... And i decided to do a planted aquarium in my first time aquarium, haha!

My biggest concern is him, there, alone... it hurts everytime I look at the closed aquarium...

I'll make a 40% - 50% water change next time...

Thanks Elleth! You should try planted someday! It requires a lot of patience, but when you notice the plants growth you go like "Wow! It's life!" xD

I'll post more as soon as I get the cover off.


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