10 gallons of fun/setup?

[PaulO]

So yesterday I went out and got an empty 10 gallon and now I'm stuck...The other 10 gallon that I have right now is pitiful at best and I really need to re-invent that tank sometime soon ... anyway from that little detail I want to get back to the thing at hand. I have an empty 10 gallon tank (no hood,filter,heater,etc.) and I was wondering if anybody would be interested in helping me set this up as I pretty much have zero creativity in me :P.

I would like to shoot for something with more of a nature feel so ... no pink gravel. I really don't know where to start, I would like to have some plants in the tank but I don't have any of the fancy co2 injection systems and I don't have the budget for something like that. I would like to get into aquatic plants as I have seen some really gorgeous tanks and while I know I will never have that sort of tank I am sure the whole tank and the fish would benefit from having some extra "nature" in the tank.

If anyone here can help me take the plunge into plants,aquariums, and all that fun stuff I would really really appreciate it. Also I was looking at getting led's for the tank but I don't know if they would be strong enough to sustain plant growth. Point being I am clueless and any advice on anything aquarium plant/aquarium accessories for plants will be EXTREMELY appreciated, as well as any links to helpful webpages. Thanks for reading this and I hope my complete befuddlement doesn't scare you away, thanks .

[PaulO]

Also I forgot to mention I am still undecided on my substrate. I have gravel in all my tanks and I was wondering what the sandy side of the tanks looks like, and if the aquatic plants grow greener on that side of the glass ;). What are the benefits of sand vs. gravel and vice versa?

[Wendyjo]

Sand can be a pain, altho it looks nice. A few things that make it a pain are that 1) poop just lays on top of it and makes it look gross, and 2) it can clog up your filter. So just keep that in mind. I'd stick with gravel personally.

There are low light plants that would do fine without CO2. Moss, java fern, anubius, sag and even some swords would work. The ferns, anubias and mosses should be attached to the decor as they don't like having the rhizome buried in the substrate. This is a good thing because it means that you can put them at various heights in the tank which would give the tank some interest and depth.

[LizzyP]

I'll dig up a picture of my PT and see if you like something like that :)

I'll let you know though...I hate sand. I thought I would like it, but it's a pain in the hind parts to vacuum. Unlike gravel where you can really get in there and suck up stuff, ohhh no. Not wit sand. Sand you have to...Hover over, but not get too close or you'll suck it up. So, close enough to vacuum up dirt and poop, but not too close to suck up sand. PAIN IN THE BUTT. Also, make sure you don't get white sand...It shows all the poop. Even though I vacuum twice a week. -.-

Plants, meh. I like the looks of them, and they're pretty easy to take care of. Just get some low light, easy care ones. Swords, anubias, java fern, wisteria (LOVE my floating wisteria) plants like that. All of mine are the Top Fin ones from the tube that you can get at just about any LFS. I just have a liquid fert and some root tabs. Root tabs aren't my favorite, liquid fert is easy. Just squirt it in the tank after each change.



That's my tank when I first set it up, that's why it's kinda cloudy. All the plants are from Petsmart, the kind in the tube, but I can't remember exactly what I have. The pot I got from Petco on the clearance rack, and I have a Fluval U1 filter. Oh, and the little frog is from Walmart. Sorry I don't have any pictures of live plants in gravel...My other tank is filled with gravel but silk plants, if you're interested in that.

Hope this helps :) :)
Lizzy

[Wendyjo]

Here is a good example of java fern ( the big spikey plant) and anubias nana (the small round leafed plant at the bottom right of the same decor) glued to a piece of decor in my 5 gallon:



In my 40 gallon I have a huge fern glued to the top of a tall stump and it looks just like a tree now. I also have anubias glued to driftwood and small chunks of rock.

I don't use any type of ferts in any of my tanks, other than what the fish supplies.

[ChoclateBetta]

In my ten I love my black sand.

[PaulO]

Wendy that take is amazing I have to admit I am a bit jealous :P. I was wondering if java moss would work? I plan to put a few molly fry in that 10 and I am sure they would love it. Also what is the stuff that is floating on the surface in your tank? and last question can plant roots actually grow in gravel? I was thinking sand because I wasn't sure if the plants roots could grow in gravel.

[ChoclateBetta]

I am jealous you can use the Camera.

[Wendyjo]

Thanks for the compliment - the tank is very simple as it's just one piece of decor with a plant glued to it, and one fake plant (well, the gravel and filter and heater too) and the floaters. The floating plant is called duck weed - it's very good at sucking up excess nutrients. It multiplies like crazy tho so some people don't like it. I pull out a handful of it with each water change. I think the bettas like it cause it blocks out some of the light.

Plants do very well in gravel IF they are the right types of plants. Ferns, anubias don't like to have their rhizome (the fleshy part of the roots) submerged in the gravel so they do best when attached to stuff.

I'm not a fan of moss, but alot of people do amazing things with it. I've always found that it collects debris - uneaten food, waste, dead plant material, algae, etc and it end up looking like a garbage pile for me. Moss is also more of a draping plant than an upright plant like the ferns are, so you could do something similiar but the effect wouldn't be quite the same. The times that I have used it I've just let it float around in the tank on it's own. You are right tho - moss is very good for fry as it provides hiding places and microscopic food sources for them.