Betta Tank FINISHED photo journal

Alright, I finally bought lights, so the tank is going to go up.

I have 2 15W flourescent lamps for the 10g. I wanted a third, but I can't fit it. I'm guessing it will be ok, since I'm not planning to use species with huge light demands. One of the two fixtures is going to have an 18000k aqua glow, and the other will hold a 25000k lamp froum wal-mart.

Link to thread with layout plans/plant list:
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=57979

Here's an image with the fixture with the 18000K aquaglow lamp.

The fish swimming around are 1 male betta, and a small school of white cloud minnows and harlequin rasboras (yes this is going to be an asian tank).

Here's the "maintanence crew." A trio of juevenile SAE and 4 kuhli loaches.

SAE-- best algae eater in the hobby
Kuhli Loach-- the merit is not in clean up crew . . . they are not. The merit is that when I have plants, the kuhli's digging will make sure waste does not get caught in the plants, but instead become water born for the filter to pick up.

(Not all the SAE will be permanent residents)

I wish I had some photos of this tank before it was cycled. I had used it when I was a little kid, but not since. Recently re-cycled it, after huge clean up to the front face glass, and using sealent to glue the plastic backgrounds INSIDE of the tank so you can't see how messy the back walls still look, and to re-seal the edges of the glass inside so no chance of leaks. What a pain.

Here's another photo of Cielo-- future star of the aquascape.

It's gonna look so awesome.


And gosh, the name of that betta is just.... Wherever did you get it??

LOL . . . yeah, great name.

I think I'll try to go for decor this afternoon . . . by the wood, and maybe some anubias and vallis. I've plenty of Java ferns lying around.

Ok, here we go . . . massive update.

I discovered a new LFs close to my house (god I didn't even know they were there!). I expected my visit to be just a quick check to make sure it was just a nothing-special shop with the generic species . . . I got back-slapped.

The shop I found had the hugest inventory of healthy plants I had ever seen, and some fish that were just not that common (also a closet full of locally bred bettas-- some really expensive). Arowanas, tons of different species of african cichlids, true siamese algae eaters, long finned rams, and a species of botia that I couldn't recognize just to drop some high-lights.

(They have a stock of peppermint shrimp that people aren't supposed to know about too! They showed it to me though . . . through my persuassion. Will definitely go back for some of those!)

Really, I went for the plants (I had another appointment afterwards and I didn't want to bag any animals).

I bought:
1 Piece of 2 1/2 lbs mopani root wood
1 glass top for my tank
1 bunch of micranthem micranthoides (they only had 1)
1 thin leaf java fern (god these are hard to find, and pricey . . .)
2 jars of java moss


Here's the tank's updated look:

Here's the piece of wood, I'm soaking it to get the tannin out

Why would you want to use plecos or shrimp when a friendly little Siamese Algae Eater will show his appreciation for your hard work by considerately cleaning your hand whenever it goes in the tank.

Next a close shot of my thin-leaf java fern. One of the leaves already has 2 plantlets growing from it that are ready to be cut and planted!

The regular java ferns are plantlets from other tanks or stow-aways that were in the java moss.

Here's a close up of the micranthem (aka "baby tears" aka "pearl grass"). I cut the longer stems to make a second bunch. Also, when micranthem stems are cut, they will send out 2 stems from the severed end, making the plant look denser and bushier.

The moss is going to be used for carpet. I have another species of moss from my other tanks that I might mix in. I'm not planning to grow moss onto the wood, but if it creeps there I won't restrain it for the most part.

Hope you like what u see, I'll keep you guys updated!

thats going to look kickass when its finished!! good luck!

tear-scar said:

Why would you want to use plecos or shrimp when a friendly little Siamese Algae Eater will show his appreciation for your hard work by considerately cleaning your hand whenever it goes in the tank.

Click to expand...

Cute! I've been looking for a true SAE. One of my Otos will occasionally get on my hand/arm and look for algae (I assume that's what he's doing) when I stick my arm in the tank. Haven't been able to get a picture yet, though.

Pamela
aka Married Lizard

Oto's do it sometimes. The SAE will ALWAYS come up to your hand. They'll even approach and start cleaning the net!

Another update . . . I hope someone is appreciating this journal, because it doesn't seem like anyone is paying attention. If no one is going to look, I might as well keep the photos to myself, I mean why bother taking the time?

Anyway, here's an updated tank photo.