Setting up a fish tank.

dylan644 · Post by **dylan644** » Wed Jun 26, 2013 4:23 pm

Okay, so I would like to have some advice from some of you fish hobbyist. I would like to set up a 10gal tank for my betta. He is currently in a 5gal, but personally I'm bored with it and it is a little small for my liking. I want something that I can cram stuff into to make it look real nice and yet still be quite comfortable for the fish. So I would like advice on setting one up and how to set one up. So I will share with you my thoughts.I would like a 10 gal. I don't know what types of filtration. I was thinking an internal unit with 3-way filtration (mechanical, chemical, bio). Then I was thinking about a undergravel filter. I've hear mixed review, some saying they are worthless and some saying they are a must. I would like the tank to have a natural look, but I would like the fish and everything in it to stand out as well. So I was thinking about getting black gravel or sand* (might be a problem with UG filter). I would like to plant it with plants, but I don't know what to get. Java fern and hornwort are at top of the list. I would like to get my java fern going on a center piece of drift wood. I am considering adding a bubbler because I may get another snail and some ghost shrimp with the betta. I know that isn't much to go on, but is there anything you guys can tell me about UG filters and my sub choice? Those are of major concern to me right now.

Crabber85 · Post by **Crabber85** » Thu Jun 27, 2013 4:21 am

For low bio-mass(low number of fish) you don't really need an under-gravel filter as this type of filtration is meant for store displays and tanks that will be either housing a high number of fish or a few large fish as it will keep the water cleaner.You can not use sand with a UG filter as the sand would just get sucked down into and re-disbursed into the tank clouding up the water and potentially damaging the unit.I always recommend HOB(Hang on Back) filters as they take up no room in the tank and the intakes can be easily hidden with decor.HOB filters have one huge advantage over the Internal and UG they are a whole lot easier to maintain and you have a much wider variety of substrates to choose from when using such a unit.For HOB filters you may want to go one size smaller than recommended for your tank size to minimize the effects the force of the water coming from the unit.I highly recommend doing live plants such as Amazon Sword since Betta's need wide/broad leaved plants to rest on and Amazon's are very easy low maintenance plants meaning they need no extra Co2 or ferts to thrive though adding these things will greatly improve the overall health and growth of the plants.Amazons also do not need high/bright lighting actually preferring a more medium light source.If you have enough live plants you can actually eliminate the need for mechanical filtration almost altogether. You'll need to get some fluorite clay to put the plant in as this will feed the roots and encourage tremendous root growth.I've had Betta's in ten gallon aquariums before and had great success with them.You'll also want to invest in a black background to put behind the tank as this will help the fish, other animals and plants in the tank to really stand out.

dylan644 · Post by **dylan644** » Thu Jun 27, 2013 5:00 am

I have scratch the idea of the UG and am planning on a HOB. I am going to price stuff at the store to see where and what I need to get. I may get some stuff tomorrow or today if I have to. I am still debating sand or gravel. I am going to try and find spike tail trumpet snails, if not then I will get MTS. (malaysian trupmet snails) I'm going to try to find a way to make a DIY CO2 diffuser before I get live plants.

dylan644 · Post by **dylan644** » Thu Jun 27, 2013 5:51 am

I may just buy one... Looking on amazon and I thought that they cost a lot more than that.

Crabber85 · Post by **Crabber85** » Thu Jun 27, 2013 6:20 am

You really don't need the Co2 Diffuser and if you accidentally forget to turn it off after your turn your lights out at night you can give your fish and snails Co2 poisoning because the plants will release a good bit of it during the night and they don't absorb it and release oxygen unless their is a light source.I haven't used Co2 for my plants at all I just dose twice a week with Flourish by Sea-chem and it feeds my plants everything they need so they don't have to depend on Co2 to survive.I've got a 20gallon and would post a pic of it but my camera is on the fritz I've got to do a firmware update on it.

dylan644 · Post by **dylan644** » Thu Jun 27, 2013 6:44 am

I've seen a pic of your tank from a previous post. It was right before you started with camera problems. I don't know what I'm going to do yet....It's a process...

Crabber85 · Post by **Crabber85** » Thu Jun 27, 2013 8:46 am

Well it's been re-done since then but you still have a good idea of how it looks.lol

Jimmy · Post by **Jimmy** » Thu Jun 27, 2013 3:30 pm

In my twenty gallon I use black gravel. It really makes the fish pop and compliments the decor. An UGF isn't good for plants anyway as it puts to much water flow on the roots. For the back of the tank I just taped black construction paper on the back. It is simple and effective. I have no experience on amoazon swords but I highly recommend Java fern and Java moss. They are really hardy, require little light, and need no fertilization. I have never added fert to my tank and both plants ahve survived since October. After attaching Java fern to wood or whatever decor with a rubber band or fishing line it quicly attaches itself and really looks good in the tank. Good luck with your tank!

dylan644 · Post by **dylan644** » Thu Jun 27, 2013 5:13 pm

I keep calling my plant a banana lily, well its a banana plant. I love it! It's really unique. I think I will get three to put in the 10gal

LisaM · Post by **LisaM** » Thu Jun 27, 2013 10:12 pm

You may want to consider painting the back wall of your new tank black. It looks much nicer than any other background I've ever tried. I agree with java fern & java moss as being two great low light/low maintenance plants. You might also consider some crypts as well for some variety. My crypts do much better in my tanks that have fluorite sand vs fluorite gravel - the sand seems to make the roots happier. What sort of lighting does the 10 gallon have? Co2 is not at all necessary unless you will have high lighting. All four of my heavily planted tanks are low/moderate lighting with no co2, and I couldn't be happier with them! You may also want to try red cherry shrimp vs ghost shrimp - your Betta may hunt them (mine certainly did!), but RCS breed so fast that they should be able to keep their numbers up. Enjoy your new tank setup! ...resisting the urge to set up another tank now... Lol!

Crabber85 · Post by **Crabber85** » Fri Jun 28, 2013 3:25 am

The plant family anubias to which the fern belongs can be a pretty addition to any aquarium but when the plant dies as it eventually will it will pretty much cloud up the water and destroy your filtration as it dissolves into the water so it's best to keep this family of plants anchored to something and to keep a close eye on your fern at all times.Yellowing of the older leaves is normal and should be expected on any aquarium plant as most older growth was meant for a completely different aquarium and so will die off when the plant is introduced into ours.What you'll want to keep an eye on is the new growth as no new growth and old growth that is dieing off means the roots are on their way out.Give the plant a minimum of two weeks and you should start to see new stalks or runners appearing if not then the plant might need to be removed.I follow a couple of guys on Youtube that grow aquarium plants for a business and I've learned a ton of new things about what to expect out of new plants and newly planted tanks.

dylan644 · Post by **dylan644** » Fri Jun 28, 2013 4:03 pm

I might hold off on the tank until my birthday on the 13th. I have camp and officer stuff for two weeks. I am planning a trip to TN at the end of July, so I am going to slowly pull back money. I went to the store and did some price matching and have devised where I can get my stuff. I will rack up a bill to about $70 just to get the mechanical part of the tank done. Next will be hides and plants....

LisaM · Post by **LisaM** » Sat Jun 29, 2013 3:25 am

PM me when you're ready for plants. I can send you some lace java fern, java moss, and even some rotala cuttings if you'd like. It kills me to throw plants away, but I don't have anyone local to share prunings with.

Crabber85 · Post by **Crabber85** » Sat Jun 29, 2013 11:30 am

I'm going to attach a new pic of my updated 20gallon so you can see what properly planted tank should look like.

dylan644 · Post by **dylan644** » Sat Jun 29, 2013 2:58 pm

I have seen lots of pictures on bettafish.com of people who have done planted tanks. I try to get some ideas from there, but the site has bad lag time because it is overrun with ads. I always welcome and love to see pictures though!!! @ Lisam if, well when I get ready to plant I will definitely try to call you up. I trust actual fish keepers rather than the store. The. I don't have to worry about bugs that the plants may carry on them that can devistate my tank.