# 10 gallon please help a noob



## xpistalpetex (Mar 31, 2008)

plants:
lace java fern
cabomba
microswords
foxtail
rotola
x-mas moss
java fern
amazon swords

live:
1 long tail betta
cherry shrimps
2 oto

would like critiques. I would also like some what plants should i get fill negative spaces and what to replace the cabombas. Anything else would be great...

later on i soon plan to get 5 endler guppies, and maybe 2 female bettas after i have more cover just in case the male betta gets fiesty

leaves all over the place because i just re-scaped it


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## bratyboy2 (Feb 5, 2008)

to be honest the tank looks like crap! but when i thought about the tank when it was full grown...it looks damn good! he he maybe move the combomba to the left side more(meaning all the stems and create a half cambomba and then when you find a plant to do the other side with get a focal plant to stand out and split the two plants off from each other


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## xpistalpetex (Mar 31, 2008)

bratyboy2 said:


> to be honest the tank looks like crap! but when i thought about the tank when it was full grown...it looks damn good! he he maybe move the combomba to the left side more(meaning all the stems and create a half cambomba and then when you find a plant to do the other side with get a focal plant to stand out and split the two plants off from each other


i know it looks like crap since lot of the plants need to grow....thats why critiques are needed...thanks for the info..........


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## BiscuitSlayer (Apr 19, 2008)

What are your tank specs with regards to your setup? Lighting, CO2, Ferts, etc?

Personally I like to bunch plants up tighter together, but since you are in a grow out phase, spreading things out a little makes some sense.


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## xpistalpetex (Mar 31, 2008)

BiscuitSlayer said:


> What are your tank specs with regards to your setup? Lighting, CO2, Ferts, etc?
> 
> Personally I like to bunch plants up tighter together, but since you are in a grow out phase, spreading things out a little makes some sense.


lightning is 2wpg, 10 hours, co2 = excel for now, diy soon when i get work out the yeast i bought that you dont need to dissolved in, fertz: seachem nitrogen and seachem flourish for now....plan to get seachem iron.


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## Chuppy (Aug 5, 2007)

Hmm betta and shrimp? You're giving them a treat aren't you LOL

Drew


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## xpistalpetex (Mar 31, 2008)

there will be cover!!!! so far the betta had left the shrimp alone yay ^_^


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## bratyboy2 (Feb 5, 2008)

xpistalpetex-i was not being mean. my tanks look like crap from the get go because of the growing out stage but when you know where everything is and what you want it to look like thats what counts. but yes i agree with BiscuitSlayer that i too like the stem blants more in a bunch idea. but good luck!


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## xpistalpetex (Mar 31, 2008)

i know....i was saying it was crap because all the plants cept the cabomba are grown in... so just for now im just waitin for plants to grow then rescape. I went to a lfs and check out the plants i found tall crypts and 4 leaf clover to use for background and i was thinking a red tiger lotus for a centerpiece


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## bratyboy2 (Feb 5, 2008)

lol well i love crypts personally and the lotus...i got one of them im trying to grow a bit bigger and the four leaf clovers...have not tried yet but i will when i get better lighting but it sounds good


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## Jookie (Sep 30, 2003)

I think that when you are starting out, it is a good idea to just let things grow. You will begin to understand the growth patterns of different plants. This will help you understand what works. For example; I also had cabomba in a smaller tank. I quickly realized that it grows too fast and too big for a small tank. 

Plus no matter what you do, you will probably change your mind at a later date. Just let your plants grow in as they are. Then change something later. You can also sell the plants you don't want anymore and get new ones that you want to try.


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## xpistalpetex (Mar 31, 2008)

bratyboy2 said:


> lol well i love crypts personally and the lotus...i got one of them im trying to grow a bit bigger and the four leaf clovers...have not tried yet but i will when i get better lighting but it sounds good


ya, hows the experince with the lotus?



Jookie said:


> I think that when you are starting out, it is a good idea to just let things grow. You will begin to understand the growth patterns of different plants. This will help you understand what works. For example; I also had cabomba in a smaller tank. I quickly realized that it grows too fast and too big for a small tank.
> 
> Plus no matter what you do, you will probably change your mind at a later date. Just let your plants grow in as they are. Then change something later. You can also sell the plants you don't want anymore and get new ones that you want to try.


yup, it just the patience kills me!!!


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## xpistalpetex (Mar 31, 2008)

new update: i bought a bulb plant and a stem but sad thing i forgot to ask what is it, i bought it due to looks  which is the two on the sides with the white spots, and the giant plant in the middle

also 4 endler guppies and i need to get the fifth one off my cousin since he offer i could have his center piece fish


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## bratyboy2 (Feb 5, 2008)

okay the plant on the sides is a terrarium plant not aquatic...so get it out and put in a pot lol you just got a house plant.

the middle plant is prob a onion plant...its aquatic but gets very tall and will soon over power the tank.( i think i just got an idea for my next tank!!!)

my experiance with them has been great really( in reference to the lotus)i found two nice bulb at my work and they grew like weeds but then i dont remember what i did or happened but they never grew again. so i just got a new one from Goal and trying my luck again...so far so good.

if your looking into getting one for your tank it will work out. you have to get it tamed, meaning cut back the leaves that go for the surface. then you can control the mass if its to big or to small just cut leaves. i truley love this plant, its one of my favorites by far. well rotala and this new plant goal sent me as well lol 

what other fish are going in the tank?


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## xpistalpetex (Mar 31, 2008)

ya i have the side plants id'd and sucks because i bought them at a lfs which was in their tanks for plants for sale... 

well the onion plant is probably going to a 30 gallon i need a stand for.

so far my cousin suggested micro rasboras


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## bratyboy2 (Feb 5, 2008)

the micro rasboras are neat but when we got them in at work they were way to small to even see lol
like less then an inch long!

thats good you are moving the onion.

if your doing the rasboras i would go with the celestrial ones they are a bit pricey but nice as hell )or should i say heaven?) anyway i fiah i would recommend would be maybe some serpaes maybe? i think those would look nice in your tank...im thinking about them for mine as well. or you could go with gold barbs...they are quit impressive for a barb i dont think they would bother your betta at all since they stay near the bottom to middle...just my thoughts.


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## xpistalpetex (Mar 31, 2008)

interesting i thank you for the advices. ya im trying to make the 10 gallon bigger then it looks which is why im going for tiny fishes ^_^


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## NEKvt (Apr 14, 2007)

Get that DIY CO2 going is the best advice I can give you. My tank went from just surviving on excel, to exploding with CO2 added. I used a 1/2 gallon beer jug filled to the bend with 100F water, and 3 cups sugar. I just plumbed it into the filter intake. If your yeast is giving you problems just go to the grocery store and get some rapid rise bakers yeast. I am sure there are better options but it has worked for me. Best of luck.


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## xpistalpetex (Mar 31, 2008)

the diy co2 is goin, i guess it was a slow reaction but however now my mom is getting angry about the light being during the day so i have to rely on sunlight through my window


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## xpistalpetex (Mar 31, 2008)

new update, re scape it trying to go for full low tech...real low


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## snuffy (Oct 19, 2007)

I like the redo. Only thing I can add is maybe on the left to middle part of the tank, slope the substrate so it's higher in the back of the tank. So the front middle to left of the tank will be a shallow valley. It'll add some nice depth kinda like a rolling hill when all your moss starts to carpet. Hopefully they'll carpet low to the ground. Oh and maybe java ferns and some type of small anubias in the right side of the tank instead of cabombas. Did you jar your betta?


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## xpistalpetex (Mar 31, 2008)

no not yet to the betta, i need to get more substrate therefore i can really slope more yet..and yes i need more plants period -.-b


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## bratyboy2 (Feb 5, 2008)

im not to sure im in love with the new scape at all really. i think the middle really is calling for something tall. idk maybe im being pick right now lol oh well

yah and where is the betta?


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## xpistalpetex (Mar 31, 2008)

the betta was probably hiding in the cave left side or behind the cabomba...

ya cant say much about the scape because it has been grown to a point where it looks GREAT


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## davemonkey (Mar 29, 2008)

I think the new scape will fill in nicely. I've become a HUGE fan of the mosses lately. What are those attached to? (Sorry if you said this already and I missed it.)

-dave


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## xpistalpetex (Mar 31, 2008)

its attach mostly to slate, 1 with rock and another on driftwood.. hows your tank doing dave
-peter


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## davemonkey (Mar 29, 2008)

xpistalpetex said:


> hows your tank doing dave
> -peter


Slowly but surely. I have to wait until July to get new ferts. Can you believe I set myself up on a budget for my tank of only $20 a month?! What was I thinking?!  Oh well, I only have to stick to that for two more months, then I can go CRAZY!!!


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## xpistalpetex (Mar 31, 2008)

well only 20 a month you can try flourish tabs or liquid fert...unless the 20 a month is for plants only or for everything?


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## davemonkey (Mar 29, 2008)

20 for everything! But no worries. I've got the root tabs to get me through, and I just read an article about making P the limiting factor to control algae (so I'm not buying P for awhile). Plus, I don't need any new plants for now...I'm pretty much just cruising along slowly. My next big spend will be on new bulbs. I just have to be patient and keep the algae in check.

What's your next big 'splash' for your tank? Anything up and coming?


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## xpistalpetex (Mar 31, 2008)

my big splash i got a low tech plant package which includes:

1 Anubias barteri (10" tall) <---huge!!!
1 Golden Anubias nana (6" tall)
4 Petite Anubias nana
1 rhizome of Bolbitis heudelotti
starter of Pellia
some flame moss and weeping moss

however i found 2 dead cardinals in the process of re-scaping T_T and now i have no room for all of my moss slates -.-


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## davemonkey (Mar 29, 2008)

I think you'll be pleased with the flame moss. I got some from TexGal and that stuff is COOL! I've never seen a Gloden Anubias, can we get a pic? 

You could re-attach some of the slated moss to just a few pieces of slate and have thicker carpets. Or try putting them in the sale forum? 

Sorry to hear about your casualties, but I anxiously await pics of the new scape.


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## xpistalpetex (Mar 31, 2008)

new scape for now however not a master decision to keep it, since im tempting to remove the stem plants on the right side or move them.
The golden anubias is the lighter green with a yellow tint left side

the extra plants that i have no more room in unless i remove some








giant anubias in my terms, the thicker moss is java and the rest is xmas


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## davemonkey (Mar 29, 2008)

That extra anubias would look good tied to the marbled-looking stone.


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## xpistalpetex (Mar 31, 2008)

marble eh...i wonder if the local building supply sells a marble


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## davemonkey (Mar 29, 2008)

xpistalpetex said:


> marble eh...i wonder if the local building supply sells a marble


HA! No, I meant that piece of rock in the middle of your aquarium!


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## Pinto (Mar 22, 2008)

wow i think your water current from the filter is too strong or something


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## xpistalpetex (Mar 31, 2008)

the giant and the barteri are goin to a 30 i have in the backyard for storage since i dont have a stand for it yet..

pinto - what do you mean? the water level is low due a crack that i accident cause but it lost a inch due to evaporation


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