10g Planted Tank Journal - 5/2 - Small Update

[n3ont3tra]

Yup, I looked at all the types on aquabid and those are my favorite. So I'll get a crown tail betta, 3 Panda Cories, and 4 otos.

 

[SuperColey1]

I get told a lot that Bettas shouldn't be in a community tank cos they get nipped, and all the fish I have are supposed to be 'culprits' of this but I have seen no evidence.

The glolights ignore him, The black mollies swim with him as if he were one (He is Red. lol) The Balloon outstares him then swims off, and the danios stay away from him.

The only problem fish was a dalmation molly that I rehomed for someone (along with the glolights and Danios). She picked on him, and then made the big mistake of giving a good bite to the underside of the Balloon Molly Female (Whos the boss in here), and then all the mollies turned on her (She was dead next morning)

I personally love to see the Beta swimming amongst the other fishes, such a contrast and they all seem to ignore him, whilst he doodles along flaring every now and again whilst they ignore him.

So for me community worked.

If anything his fins are getting better now (looked a bit rough when I bought him from one of the chainstores)

 

[n3ont3tra]

That's good that it worked for you. I don't think I'll have a problem, because all I plan to have with it is cories and otos, if there was a problem, it owuld be aggression from the betta. If that happens I have a spare 2.5g though, so I think I'll manage.

Now I'm just waiting for the stuff to come in.

 

[n3ont3tra]

All of the equipment came in. Should I test for anything at the moment (before I get plants)?

 

[atmmachine816]

I haven't found that ammonia, nitrate, and nitrite bother plants I have, Kh and the other level I don't know.

 

[n3ont3tra]

Ok, I guess I'll test KH and GH tomarrow.

 

[Themuleous]

Plants actually prefer NH3 and NO2, so adding they from the off is a good idea as they help keep the levels low, which also helps stop the early aglae brooms, good news all round.

Sam

 

[n3ont3tra]

Mkay. I should get plants next week, probably Wednesday. I got the CO2 today. *goes to set it up*

 

[n3ont3tra]

I can't get the CO2 to work. I used the instructions from the pinned topic and it won't work...

 

[atmmachine816]

Tell us what you are doing, otherwise we can't help

 

[n3ont3tra]

Okay, I put the ladderlike thing in teh water and put the tubing on it. Then I took the canister thing and filled it with pure granulated sugar to the first line. Then I put in 1/2 teaspoon of dried yeast. Then I put in water to the second line. Then I screwed the lid on as tight as I could and put the tubing on it. I waited a long time and there was never any bubbles. I did the same thing again and there was still no bubbles.

 

[n3ont3tra]

Okay guys I really need help, I get plants tomarrow so I need my Co2 sorted out. I get some bubbles, but they don't go al the way up the diffuser thing, they get stuck.

 

[Themuleous]

Is it a ladder diffuser? If so the bubbles getting stuck is normal and should clear given time. Whats bubble rate you getting?

Sam

 

[n3ont3tra]

It works now. Thanks. How do I find the bubble rate?
The plants came today. They have to do some substitutions though. It took over 3 hours for me to get everything in the gravel - it kept floating back up. I have a few moss balls (started out as 2 but one sort of fell apart into 4), a TON of crypts (they had to so substitutions and chose a lot of crypts), a bunch of glosso, which I don't like, some anubias (And a few extra), the hargrass (my favorite) and a few other plants that look like crypts. Pics coming... eventually.

 

[atmmachine816]

cool