Ok so I did this today, for the past couple hours. Let me know what you think. I'm not sure if this belongs in Planted or "betta home" section. Since this is NPT I put it in planted. Feel free to move it if you need to Mods..
First of all, I know I don't have enough plants. It was slim pickins today at my LFS but we will try again next week or I might run out there during the week and see what they have.
Tank Specs:
TopFin (Marineland) 5.5 with glass top
Perfect a Lite 13 watt CFL 6500k bulb moved to center of fixture with aluminum foil reflector (there isn't on otherwise)
Tetra submersible preset heater
Soil
Miracle Grow Organix Mix
Pool Filter Sand
Plants from another tank
Elodia/anarachis
crypt wentii green
Water lettuce
Stuff bought today:
Pennywort
Dwarf Sag
"small sword" (not a rosette)
glosso (which I'm sure will die)
Critters:
1 halfmoon that I've owned for years named Ted.. he's mostly white
6 trumpet snails which were stow aways, but are welcomed in my new sand
1 nerite
Here's the start of a photo journal.. bare with me k?
Here's the tank before hand.. pretty pathetic
I got my materials
Ted in his holding 1 gallon bowl with the nerite and other plants and filter pad
I put some sand around the edges to hide the soil. I saw this while researching. Not completely necessary but it works none the less
Sifting the soil. I got this strainer at goodwill a long time ago. The holes on the sides are larger than the bottom and if it fit through the sides it went into my tank. This stuff didn't make it
This stuff made it. It's dry.. light and airy
I added some water to it and smooshed it to try and get the air out. I then plopped it into my tank. Next time I'll do this part nicely as I ended up with some bits on the sides of the glass
At this point I'm craving a Reese's PB cup.. not sure why though. A doughnut from Sesame Doughnuts will have to do.. With the upsurge of sugar I continue.
This is the driftwood I got today. I am pretty sure it's mopani. The store just calls it "Amano Wood" ..
Stowaways
Final product:
I know it's still lightly planted. There are some plants under the sand as I accidently unearthed some soil and recapped it with more sand. I'll be going this weekend for more plants. I also have an ad up in the classified section for more. As of right now if more plants are needed I can put more crypt wendtii green in and more anarachis. I also have java ferns and anubias in other tanks but they're pretty slow growing and I'm not a fan. I also have a val in there somewhere but I lost track of it. I looked everywhere and can't find it. Here's hoping it made it in cause it'd be dried out by now :O
I'm open to suggestions. I would love to know if another kind of plant would be good in this tank.
Also the driftwood floats GRRRRR I have it in boiling water but it doesn't seem to be sinking. Any suggestions on this is welcomed as well.
First of all, I know I don't have enough plants. It was slim pickins today at my LFS but we will try again next week or I might run out there during the week and see what they have.
Tank Specs:
TopFin (Marineland) 5.5 with glass top
Perfect a Lite 13 watt CFL 6500k bulb moved to center of fixture with aluminum foil reflector (there isn't on otherwise)
Tetra submersible preset heater
Soil
Miracle Grow Organix Mix
Pool Filter Sand
Plants from another tank
Elodia/anarachis
crypt wentii green
Water lettuce
Stuff bought today:
Pennywort
Dwarf Sag
"small sword" (not a rosette)
glosso (which I'm sure will die)
Critters:
1 halfmoon that I've owned for years named Ted.. he's mostly white
6 trumpet snails which were stow aways, but are welcomed in my new sand
1 nerite
Here's the start of a photo journal.. bare with me k?
Here's the tank before hand.. pretty pathetic
I got my materials
Ted in his holding 1 gallon bowl with the nerite and other plants and filter pad
I put some sand around the edges to hide the soil. I saw this while researching. Not completely necessary but it works none the less
Sifting the soil. I got this strainer at goodwill a long time ago. The holes on the sides are larger than the bottom and if it fit through the sides it went into my tank. This stuff didn't make it
This stuff made it. It's dry.. light and airy
I added some water to it and smooshed it to try and get the air out. I then plopped it into my tank. Next time I'll do this part nicely as I ended up with some bits on the sides of the glass
At this point I'm craving a Reese's PB cup.. not sure why though. A doughnut from Sesame Doughnuts will have to do.. With the upsurge of sugar I continue.
This is the driftwood I got today. I am pretty sure it's mopani. The store just calls it "Amano Wood" ..
Stowaways
Final product:
I know it's still lightly planted. There are some plants under the sand as I accidently unearthed some soil and recapped it with more sand. I'll be going this weekend for more plants. I also have an ad up in the classified section for more. As of right now if more plants are needed I can put more crypt wendtii green in and more anarachis. I also have java ferns and anubias in other tanks but they're pretty slow growing and I'm not a fan. I also have a val in there somewhere but I lost track of it. I looked everywhere and can't find it. Here's hoping it made it in cause it'd be dried out by now :O
I'm open to suggestions. I would love to know if another kind of plant would be good in this tank.
Also the driftwood floats GRRRRR I have it in boiling water but it doesn't seem to be sinking. Any suggestions on this is welcomed as well.