Total Betta Tank Revamp- Natural Tank

looks great!

Thanks guys!

The cories really seem to enjoy the pot... they keep darting in and out of it and then exploring the tank.
I popped an onion plant bulb in the back by the pot to hopefully fill in the space more... I hope the plants fill out soon.

Its totaly different, i like both tanks but the newest one it betta and brighter...

Thanks! I'm really digging the warm tones right now, they contrast with Oliver so nicely.

Question about my Ludwigia Repens... do they propogate the same as the Elodea? (AKA snip off a portion and plant that to create more individual plants)

I'm also happy to say it looks like all my needed bacteria is still kicking. Water is crystal clear and the fish are happy as a clam. :3

ETA: Pics!


The whole tank. Keep in mind the gravel color. In most of the other tanks it looks pale. It is more like this.


The most accurate photo of the gravel color.


Pot!


I love this picture.


This one as well.


Digging around the substrate. I am loving it and so are the cories- they can root around in it, which was impossible in the other gravel since it was so large and heavy.


Exploring the pot. They're the only ones to go in it *so far*. Oliver's being a chicken right now and going half in, then darting out.


Speak of the devil...


"Yeah, I'm pretty."


Lurking under the mopani is the Clown Plec... currently eating upside down in this pic, hard to see him.


The onion bulb I'm growing. Has to be buried as it pops right up to the surface if I don't. I'm hoping it will sprout and not be a dud.

Wow, the tank looks so much better!!!! Can't wait to see it once the plants have thickened, oliver is a very lucky boy!

Looks loads better, Oliver is a lucky boy

Thanks guys! I'm really glad I changed it, it was definitely for the best...

Again, anyone know how to propogate Ludwigia Repens? I'm assuming it's a matter of a trim and replant?

Morphkid03 said:

The onion bulb I'm growing. Has to be buried as it pops right up to the surface if I don't. I'm hoping it will sprout and not be a dud.

Click to expand...

An onion bulb?

Care to tell more?

JasonU said:

Morphkid03 said:

The onion bulb I'm growing. Has to be buried as it pops right up to the surface if I don't. I'm hoping it will sprout and not be a dud.

Click to expand...

An onion bulb?

Care to tell more?

Click to expand...

crinum thaianum its called and commonly known as water onion, they will get to 5 foot in length and grow fast, ive got them in my tank at home.

modaz said:

JasonU said:

Morphkid03 said:

The onion bulb I'm growing. Has to be buried as it pops right up to the surface if I don't. I'm hoping it will sprout and not be a dud.

Click to expand...

An onion bulb?

Care to tell more?

Click to expand...

crinum thaianum its called and commonly known as water onion, they will get to 5 foot in length and grow fast, ive got them in my tank at home.

Click to expand...

Yep, thanks.

Haha, looks like I'm not one who can be easily satisfied. I'm now thinking of getting some Java Moss to put on the terracotta pot and a little on the driftwood.. I think it would look pretty nice. Anyone know how is it best to get it on a smooth surface like a pot?

ETA:
Sadly, the water has gotten *ever so slightly* hazy today.. I'm hoping it'll clear up quickly... the tank had been doing well so far! Noticed the plec kept knocking the onion bulb out of the water, so chucked it. Little guy didn't seem to appreciate it.

ETA2:
Just checked on the tank, looks like it's all cleared up. Perhaps the bulb had started polluting the tank.. I had a suspicion it was a dud..
Switched the driftwood to face the other direction, I do enjoy looking at it this direction more.

Still unhappy with how the tank looks. I had to pull some plants (the long broad leaved ones, the name escapes me at the moment) because they were just algae magnets and didn't fit in the tank very well... So I did some re-arranging but I think I know what's been bugging me. I want to hide my whisper filter behind something.

So here's the diagram of what I want to do to the tank...



Now to hide the filter I think I am going to make a suction cupped contraption made from cheap plastic canvas that cups the filter (but still leaves the intake open) and branches out a bit. I then am going to cover it in some sort of material... I'm thinking either the extra gravel I have (identical to the current gravel), smooth stone, or "rough" stones/rocks. To do so I am going to build the frame out of siliconed plastic canvas and then silicone whatever material I choose to that.

Any suggestions are always appreciated.

Why not try growing some java moss on the canvas? will take some time to establish on it but I find if you partially submerge the canvas in a tray of water and spread the java thinly on this it will begin to grow, no need to tie it as it will take a root hold by itself and no need to filter or heat the tray as the moss will grow quite happily left to its only devices, once it looks like it has grown and covered the canvas strap it to the filter in the tank, just make sure there are no gaps whatsoever between the canvas and the filter as bettas are prone to squeezing into tight spots and then getting stuck!
Here is a coconut cave I made using the above method:

betta fish,
that's a fun idea! a "natural" filter cover

Did a ton of reworking, added more gravel to work with slopes, painted the back of the tank, added rocks, broke down the pot and hid it under gravel...

Here's what the tank looks like right now.



I'm in love with the painted back. Hides the filter and the thermometer fantastically.



Oliver doing his wiggle dance



Breakfast?



Chilling under the wood



Hanging by a rock.



Clown pleco poking his nose out from under the mopani wood.