VOTE NOW..September 2020 Tank of the Month (16 US gallons and smaller)

PLEASE VOTE! .................

We have 10 high quality tank setups for Fishforums' September 2020 Tank of the Month contest featuring tanks sized at 16 US gallons and smaller. View all the tanks and descriptions below and then go to top of this thread and click on your choice for TOTM and then click the "Cast" button.

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Winner will be awarded a neat "Tank of the Month Winner" banner in his profile area and will be featured in a "TOTM Winner" thread for all to see and to comment on.

Please DO NOT post any comments about specific tanks in this thread...such posts will promptly be deleted. This thread will be cleaned up occasionally for best readability.

Poll will close on September 12th at 4PM EST. We at fishforums.net thank you for your participation.

Here goes. This is my 16 US gallon (58L) tank. It's 60cm x 30cm x 33.5cm (24" x 12" x 13") and was set up July 8th. The tank wasn't cycled & following bad LFS advice I ended up with too many fish in a cycle in crash mode. I joined the forum & after 13 days of 75% water changes turned things around. The cycle was complete on 16th August. Then I'd 36hr power cut so that was fun. I donated 2 gold spotted common Plecos to the nearest City Aquarium. Currently treating ICH and will return my 4 neon tetra to the LFS once ICH is treated as they aren't suited to my hard water.

It's been a steep learning curve but I love this hobby & love my planted happy tank. I feel like the hard work is paying off now that the tank has had new life & my Fry are thriving.

Details:
Ciano 60 filter with foam only inside & spray bar.
One air stone with tetra APS 100 pump.
Resun 50w heater.
1 LED lighting system CLA60 Ciano (8W – 18VD). Lights on 8 hours a day. Ok sometimes I zone out while staring at them in the evening and lights are on bit longer.
Gravel substrate.
2 pieces driftwood.
1 piece Mangrove Root.
1 Roman Pillars decoration.
1 terracotta pipe.

Plants:
Anubis
Amazon Sword
Egeria densa
Hygrophila difformis
Taxiphyllum barbieri moss
Moss ball

Fertiliser -
0.5ml twice a week Seachem Flourish Comp.
10 x Seachem Flourish Root Taps

Water changes:
API Tap Water Conditioner 4 drops of pipette per 10 litres (my husband helped me with the maths on this one)
Whenever ammonia and/or Nitrite are above 0, or Nitrate above 20 - so far Every 4 days since tank cycled 16th August.

Water parameters:
Ammonia 0 Nitrite 0 Nitrates 20 (from tap water level)
GH 12
KH 21
PH 8

{Water company says mg/l of CaC03 in water is 307}

Fish:
2 Adult Platy (1 female & 1 male)
4 Neon Tetra (will be returned to LFS)
6 Platy Fry (about 4 weeks old)
3 Platy Fry (teeny maybe a day old)

Feeding is once daily, a pinch they can eat within 2 minutes, food is Probiotic Tropical. They also get weekly bloodworms frozen but rehydrated. Sometimes a cooked & peeled pea. A day a week of no food but I will grind the pellets to powder to give Fry.

My entry:


My validation:

Size: 5 gallon Penplax Round Corner Rimless
Lighting: LED pair from Tetra 10 gal kit hood
Filter: DIY air powered bottle filter
Heating: Aqueon Mini Heater, preset. Temperature stays 80, turned off during summer.
Stock: 1 female betta and 1 nerite snail
Plants: Anubias Barteri Nana, Anubias Barteri Nana Gold, Christmas Moss, Java Fern, Cryptocoryne Wendtii
No ferts used.
Betta is fed Northfin Betta Pellets, Frozen OmegaOne Super Carnivore, and OmegaOne flakes. Nerite just enjoys biofilm and diatoms.
Tank is less than 6 months old.

Hey y’all, I'm Bruce and this is my Betta Bliss. It is a Fluval Flex 15 gallon, which is 3 months post cycle. I’m currently in the U.S. Army, and as my wife and children have moved to our next forever home early, I needed a new/old hobby to pick back up and occupy my next two years. Here we go!
Tank: Fluval Flex 15, on a homemade stand

Lighting: LED that came with tank, and modded in a Coralife 12’’.

Filtration: Currently running both the Fluval internal, as well as a Fluval 207

Water: R/O with Seachem additives.

Maintenance: 30-40% weekly PWC. Mechanical Filtration Cleaned Weekly, Bio Bi-Monthly, Hoses Monthly.

Parameters:
Temperature: 77 - 78 F
PH: 6.8
Ammonia: 0 ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 5 ppm
GH: 120 ppm
KH: 8

Occupants:
1 x Betta
3 x Harlequin Rasbora
2 x Endler’s
1 x Tequila Sunrise (currently a mother of 12 little guys)
1 x Zebra Loach (soon to be moved to a 55)
3 x Khulii Loach
1 x Julii Cory
2 x Apple Snails
3 x Dwarf Mexican Crayfish
Several Cherry Red Shrimp
Several each of Amano and Ghost Shrimp
1 x African Three Clawed Dwarf Frog
Plants:
Marimo Moss Balls
Mosses- Java, Taiwan, Peacock, Coral, Flame
Java Fern
Dwarf Water Lily
Red Tiger Lotus
Water Wisteria
Cardinal Dwarf (Lobelia)
Hygrophila Pinnatifida
Dwarf Hairgrass
Lots of Frogbit
Unknown other mini’s

Decor:
Bonsai Driftwood Tree
Rocks
Other driftwood accents

Feeding:
3 Times daily, small amounts.

Fluval: Bug Bites CEF Flakes
Hikari: Sinking Wafers, Fancy Guppy, Crab Cuisine
Omega One: Sinking Shrimp Pellets
Frozen: Various
Live: Wingless Fruit Flies

Substrate: Fluval Fluorite and Carib Sea Eco

CO2: Fluval 45g setup.

Fertilizers:
Currently running the Seachem product line on this one. Will probably be changing to Thrive or DIY ferts in the future.

The setup is a Fluval Flex 57l, recently rescaped and will be a betta home eventually while I get a larger tank set up to give the little guys a new home.

Soil substrate with dwarf hair grass foreground, unsure of the exact name of the hardscape but sure its 2 pieces of seiryu stone and some driftwood coming in between down to the front.
Some crypts to the right, amazon sword in the back, and some Anubis and java ferns. I forget the name of the reddish plants to the left and right.

Fish stock is 9 harlequin rasboras, 3 fancy guppies, 3 red cherry shrimp, 1 nerite snail, and the latest edition dwarf gourami named Gavin.

My Entry: Betta Sorority Tank 2.1


Tank: Superfish 70 (60 Litres)
Dimensions: 58cm x 30cm x 45cm
Filter: Superfish Aqua Flow 200 (Charcoal based)
Heater: 100 W Temp - 80F
Substrate: Roman Gravel
Planting: All fake plants, 90% Silk, 10% Soft Fish safe plastic
Hides: Hollow fake log in foreground. Large fake log hide, positioned horizontal across tank. Fake foliage used to divide interior into various chambers.

Fish Stock

5x Female Bettas (Plakats) ( 2 Red, 1 Blue, 1 Purple, 1 Turquoise)

5x Male Endlers Guppies

8x Cardinal Tetras (Presumed 5 females, 3 males)



Fish Food: TetraPRO Colour Multi-Crisps & Hikari Microwafers. (80:20) x2 a day.
Water Changes: Weekly 15%-25%

Water Parameters:

Temp: 80
Nitrites and Nitrates: 0
PH - 7
kh -150
gh - 80

---

This is actually my first ever tank and I am very pleased and enjoying my foray into this space and trying to be an advocate for my fish. Spent a lot of time just watching them. The addition of the log is within a day or so but the tank was cycled and occupied with fish for the last 5 or 6 weeks or so. Thanks for checking out my aquarium!

It looks a lot better without the camera

This is my 5 gallon planted tank.

There are currently no Fish in the tank.

The plants are Java Fern, Anubius Nana, a Sword, an unknown stem plant, and White Ribbon.

I give it a dose of Flourish Excel everyday.

Welcome to Niblet's estate Puff Manor.
He comes from a long line of Dwarficus Pufficus, starting with the renowned Peabody Pufficus, affectionately known as Pea. He's been ruler of his 5g Fluval Spec for about four months now. Before that he was 9 months long in charge of the 5g borough called Betta Bow, now inhabited by his RCS vassals who provide him with speedy tending of his plot of Creeping Jenny, a most unruly crop. After working his way and saving, he finally realized his dream of becoming the master in his own right.
His private estate us landscaped with a bunch of the aforementioned Creeper trained with the help of local branches.
His future plans include a Hornwort meditation garden amidst imported Zen inspired rock formations, an Anacharis forest, and lily garden. His land holdings lie upon a vein of amethyst and large rose quartz formations.
Nestled in a bright location awash with natural sunlight, his carefully planned estate property also includes inported Jungle Val which h he hopes to popularize in the surrounding eststes.
A hedgerow of native crypt supports his growing herd of snails. His very favorite meal, he enjoys hunting them, a sport in which he is unequaled in all the land. Rich, also, is his flock of bloodworms which makes up his staple diet. Regular rainfall keeps his land clean, and the air is fresh with gentle clement breezes.
His heart broken at a young age, he is a confirmed and dedicated bachelor who occupies his time with exploring his gardens and visiting the Red Cherry Shrimp which inhabit his kingdom and tend to his crops.
Beloved by all, he is a kind and lauded ruler spreading joy and blessings throughout the land.

Hi! This is my 59 litre/15.5 gallon guppy and red cherry shrimp tank, dimensions 60cm by 30 cm by 32 cm. Set up August 25th 2020.

Current stocking is five adult guppies, two guppy fry, six platy fry, and 40 odd red cherry shrimp. Tank was recently stripped down and only newly set up with new sand, hardscape, and in-vitro grown plants, because plants in previous tank proved to have been sprayed with pesticides, so needed to set this up quickly to move the shrimp and try to save the rest of my colony. I have a journal thread here for anyone who wants to see the build or follow progress In vitro plant list;
Echinodorus 'rose'
Limnophila sessiliflora
Rotala 'bonsai'
Hydrocotyle tripartita 'Japan'
Limnobium laevigatum

So the tank is still very new, although plants are doing very well in such a short time, I do plan to add a lot more plants and work towards an overgrown jungle style! No more livestock planned for this tank except some Malaysian Trumpet Snails, and perhaps some other shrimp or snails further down the line.
Frogbit is growing and propagating, so should provide more shade soon. Limpopo black sand substrate (which is more a slate grey fortunately, not a dark black since that wouldn't be the best for the fish).

Details:
Ferts: None added yet since tank was going through a mini-cycle while bacterial colony adjusted, but will be adding root tabs and Tetra Plantamin liquid ferts.

I'd used an established filter from another tank so parameters have remained steady after a mini-cycle managed with water changes. Ammonia -0 Nitrites - 0 Nitrates - 10 GH - 15 gdH/ 253ppm KH - 10.

Filter is a Powkoo double sponge filter, with chambers for bacterial filtration, mine contains ceramic rings. The filter also provides aeration, although I add an airstone when needed such as during the recent heatwave.
All Ponds Solution air pump.
Light: GOOBAT LED 60cm, red white and blue LEDs, 18w
Heater: Interpet Delta therm, 100w.
Maintenance: Daily 50% water changes while I was getting low nitrite readings for the first few days it was set up, now usual schedule of weekly 50-60% substrate cleaning and water changes. Only front glass cleaned to leave algae and biofilm for shrimp. Sponge filter rinsed out fortnightly, and entire filter removed and tubes/chambers wiped down in tank water, using sponges and bottle brushes reserved just for tank maintenance.

Guppies fed 2-3 times per day, small amounts and only 3 times daily while fry are small. Without fry, small meals twice a day is usual. Variety of foods used; Hikari First Bites, Betta Choice Collection Tropical Aquarium Flakes, Bug Bites micro granules, and frozen food in the evening - cyclops, daphnia, moina, tubifex, brineshrimp, mini bloodworms and others, anything small enough for little mouths. (at different meals of course, not all at once! ) Live food when I can get some, planning to learn how to culture some live foods.
Shrimp used to be given extra food every three days or so when in an established tank, but daily at the moment since they're such a new set up with clean plants. Snowflake food, algae wafers, and shrimp cuisine, and sometimes blanched veggies.

Thank you for looking, and good luck to all the entrants!

My newly set up tank, 30L Superfish Cubiq, for the betta I have reserved
It has two Anubias plants, one Cryptocoryne, a bridge ornament, a little tree ornament and floating Salvinia Auriculata. I use Argos play sand as the substrate.

This is my 10 Gallon Betta tank


Tank details:
Super fish start 50 tropical
44cm x 28cm x 44cm (LxWxH) - including hood
45 litre capacity (36 Litres actually in tank)

Contents:
Black Orchid Crowntail Betta called Godzilla (Zilla for short) he’s been part of the family since may 16th and was originally in a 20L tank.

• 5W LED Light
• NICREW Single Channel LED Ramp Timer PRO
• Aqua flow 100 filter (adapted with foam roller over spray bar and I have removed carbon and zeolite from sponge)
• Pets at home Natural Mix Aquarium Gravel
• Uniclife 50 W Heater
• ETI Ltd Aquarium thermometer with temperature alarm
• Thai warrior with small anubias nana attached
• Plant square containing frogbit
• Floating Betta log
• Driftwood Bonsai Tree with Marimo moss balls attached
• Coconut shell
• Various River pebbles red and white
• Two pieces of driftwood - one has java fern attached and the other has Anubias nana.
• Marimo Moss balls
• Indian almond leaves

Temp - 26.8 C
PH - 7.4
Ammonia - 0ppm
Nitrites - 0ppm
Nitrates - 0-5ppm

Feeding:
Hikari Betta bio-gold pellets twice a day
Live mosquito larvae through the summer
Live daphnia through the winter
Frozen bloodworms once or twice a week
Live glassworms occasionally

This tank has been set up since the 8th of June, my Betta fish Zilla loves his home....

I change 50% of the water once a week after wiping down all the surfaces inside. I use the FishLogic nitrate removal system on my tap water to reduce it from 26ppm to 0ppm. Everything always looks crisp and clean, the way I like it. I will be adding more plants once I have learnt more about them and I will be changing the tank again.....I can’t decide if I should get a bigger bonsai tree or just go with a variety of different plants on a rock in that corner.

This tank sits proudly in my lounge and I spend hours looking at it, I can’t wait for the plants to really grow and I have thoroughly enjoyed learning what I have so far - it’s a very enjoyable hobby and one I’m hoping to keep for many many years.

Thank you so much for viewing and good luck everyone.

END OF ENTRIES
Please slowly scroll up as you review the 10 entries and then cast your vote at the top of this thread.

Wow!....the vote count is up to 163 votes. The previous record was 165 votes, so it appears we may well pass that record seeing we have 2 days left for voting.

If you haven't yet voted, please vote NOW! Thanks for participating in our contests. Next up will be our Pet of the Month contest which starts when TOTM ends. If you have a pet in your household (besides fish), we hope you will enter it in the contest.

On October first, the TOTM contest will resume and will feature tanks sized at 17 to 30 US gallons. If you have a tank of that size, work on getting your tank ready to enter.

In mid October, our FOTM contest resumes. For October, we will feature Beta fish. We last had a Beta contest a year ago and it proved to be very popular. If you have any type of Beta, we hope you will enter it in that contest.

Just one day left for voting. 177 have voted so far. Let's make it to 180. Vote now if you haven't yet voted.

Congrats to Wells for your Fluvel Flex well laid out tank. Well deserved win.

Members may congratulate Wells in the WINNER'S THREAD