thedarkstar Posted January 15, 2009 Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 (edited) I figured I'd start this journal of mine off with something brand new for me. I started by cleaning off my desk, really embarrassingly dirty so I ditched the pictures, and am slowly planning/working on a new planted sorority Betta tank. So I started off with a plain 10 gal tank, which I've had kicking around in the garage for quite some time. Then decided the best place to start was with the background. Now, I wasn't feeling all too crafty so, I grabbed my dollar store paint. And covered one side and the back of the tank. Which gives me a nice solid black background. Edited January 15, 2009 by thedarkstar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedarkstar Posted January 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 The tank was then moved to my nice clean desk. Where I added a layered substrate (pardon the water stains...) of Sil-9 I believe on the bottom/top mixed with the aquasoil mentioned in Kayen's thread from Rona. Now for issue #1, heater placement, I'm still unsure as to whether or not I should keep the heater on the side like it is shown in the pictures or moved horizontally across the bottom of the back of the tank? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PiscesGirl Posted January 15, 2009 Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 I love these kinds of threads Definitly hide it.. if it's submersable, hide it in the back or if you plan to have tall full plants on that side, they would hide the heater where it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedarkstar Posted January 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 May as well add a little more info to the thread... Lighting = between 3-4 WPG, coming from 2-3 desk lamps with daylight CFL bulbs. CO2 = Looking at probably 2 pop-bottle setups offset by a week with media replacement every 2 weeks. Filtration = Looking at 2 sponge filters, 1 driven by airstone, 1 driven by a powerhead along with a modified HMF made out of lava rock. So either way the heater shall be hidden by plants, it just changes my layout plans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rED O Posted January 15, 2009 Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 hey tyler good work. keep the photos coming :thumbs: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erin Posted January 15, 2009 Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 Looking great! what ideas do you have for plants? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedarkstar Posted January 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 Looking great! what ideas do you have for plants? Already have most in my tank, some reds...Alternanthera lilacina, as well as some Hygrophila polysperma "rosanervig" potentially some browns... Crypto. wendtii brown As well as some green... Other crypt species, echinodorus tellenus/quadricostatus (not sure which it is), as well as a few other plants. Looking for some nice forground plants... Marsilea hirsuta and HC. As for rocks/wood, I have a nice piece of stripped apple tree I'll be using for the wood and then my lava rock barricade will also add decoration. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jvision Posted January 15, 2009 Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 You'll probalby only need 1 filter. Go with the one that is powerhead-driven. The airstone will only drive off all of your CO2. If you do a slight mod to your riser tube, and drill a hole right below the powerhead intake that is just big enough to get the CO2 line in, you'll have an automatic CO2 dispersion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedarkstar Posted January 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 You'll probalby only need 1 filter. Go with the one that is powerhead-driven. The airstone will only drive off all of your CO2. If you do a slight mod to your riser tube, and drill a hole right below the powerhead intake that is just big enough to get the CO2 line in, you'll have an automatic CO2 dispersion. That's exactly how I planned to set that up. The powerhead intakes that came with it weren't big enough to fit the filter foam I'm getting from Paul, so I went to Rona and purchased some plastic tubing ~ 6 inches long which will hold the filter like a sock. In that tubing I'll punch two more holes just big enough to feed the air hose through so the CO2 will go right into the powerhead. I'll post some pictures later in the evening or tomorrow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gnaw Posted January 15, 2009 Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 Looking forward to your progress. Now, how about those pictures of your planted we talked about? :hey: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedarkstar Posted January 16, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2009 Looking forward to your progress.Now, how about those pictures of your planted we talked about? :hey: In time... I'm a student :tongue: (granted you are too :shifty: ) But I have today freeeeee! Goals for today... #1 - get my lava rock and wood in the tank #2 - get my filter set up (CO2 to come later) #3 - put in my plants Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kayen Posted January 20, 2009 Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 Any updates? ;P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedarkstar Posted January 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 Not until at least tomorrow, homework + mom's birthday got in the way. Currently have my lighting, filter, heater, substrate, and a handful of plants planted while quite a few plants are floating in the tank waiting for their time to shine. (May need to sell a few from my 20 in order to house all these plants.) I also decided that there will be no wood or rock yet, and that hopefully once I drink down some Fanta I'll have CO2 setup. Still messing with the heater to get the right temperature (hopefully ~78) at which point I'll be moving my white clouds and shrimp to this tank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jvision Posted January 20, 2009 Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 (edited) If the only animal inhabitants of your tank will be white clouds and shrimp (cherry?), then you don't really need a heater; plus, most plants do great at temps in the lower 70s. Edited January 20, 2009 by jvision Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedarkstar Posted January 21, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 21, 2009 (edited) If the only animal inhabitants of your tank will be white clouds and shrimp (cherry?), then you don't really need a heater; plus, most plants do great at temps in the lower 70s. That was my plan originally, and with the lights on it heats the water a good 2 degrees through the day. My only issue is that my room gets obscenely cold at night lol Also, they'll be the green and red cherry shrimps Edited January 21, 2009 by thedarkstar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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