Okay, so it's official, my teacher is finally letting me have our sick classroom betta... since I posted he's gotten worse, but I'll open an emergency thread about that when the time comes. Okay, so for now... My 10 gallon is coming together good, I've got the substrate... nice tan, and fine gravel with a bit of dark river rocks and glass stones on top as a decoration... I have my filter which works and I think my heater works too even though I submersed it fully when apparently I wasn't supposed to. And I got a handy dandy digital thermometer which I think will be nice and accurate. Okay, so I've got the substrate, filter, (hopefully) heater, and thermometer down. And I have food and water conditioner and light bulbs and all that too. So then, I need mainly plants and decorations. I haven't had much luck finding really nice caves in any stores but I asked my dad and he said he would make me one of those cool http://www.aquariumlife.net/projects/diy-decoration/99.asp PVC caves... And then I might buy a floating betta log but that's about it...
Okay, so plants, the big part. I really really wanted live plants in this tank. I went to Big Als today though, ready to splurge on them, and suddenly wondered if there's types of live plants that are bad for bettas? Suprisingly at Big Als they didn't have the most common kinds like Java Fern or Anubias... anyways, the one I saw that I liked the most Alternanthera Reineckii, a nice orangey red one. Then there was Micrathemum Umbrosum, and hydrophila anguotifolia. and of course, if I do get lucky and find Java Fern or Ruffled Sword or Pennywort, I know those are good and I'd SO get some. I also want some kind of floating plant that I would put in the cave and the floating log too... So yeah, and also, this isn't totally necessary right now, but I was also kinda curious about ways to decrease the flow of filters because I think it might be a bit too rough?
AND, I actually think I forgot, CYCLING! I know absolutely squat about it, so a whole tutorial on cycling with either ammonia or fish food would be amazingggg... and, I mean, should I cycle first since I might not get to go to Big Als again for a while? AND, haha do I need to put anything in the water for the plants, AND can I just stick them right into plain old gravel?
So... full tutorial on fishless cycling, betta safe plants and plant care, and filter flow controlling? Thaaaankss...
Okay, so plants, the big part. I really really wanted live plants in this tank. I went to Big Als today though, ready to splurge on them, and suddenly wondered if there's types of live plants that are bad for bettas? Suprisingly at Big Als they didn't have the most common kinds like Java Fern or Anubias... anyways, the one I saw that I liked the most Alternanthera Reineckii, a nice orangey red one. Then there was Micrathemum Umbrosum, and hydrophila anguotifolia. and of course, if I do get lucky and find Java Fern or Ruffled Sword or Pennywort, I know those are good and I'd SO get some. I also want some kind of floating plant that I would put in the cave and the floating log too... So yeah, and also, this isn't totally necessary right now, but I was also kinda curious about ways to decrease the flow of filters because I think it might be a bit too rough?
AND, I actually think I forgot, CYCLING! I know absolutely squat about it, so a whole tutorial on cycling with either ammonia or fish food would be amazingggg... and, I mean, should I cycle first since I might not get to go to Big Als again for a while? AND, haha do I need to put anything in the water for the plants, AND can I just stick them right into plain old gravel?
So... full tutorial on fishless cycling, betta safe plants and plant care, and filter flow controlling? Thaaaankss...