# my brand new 10, yes, only 10, gallon



## almostaskater62 (Apr 28, 2007)

hello to all.
now that that little formality is out of the way

i just got a new 10 gallon today, replacing an oddly shaped ~5.2 gallon
here she is:

































the inhabitants are:
1 betta (male)
3 platies (one relatively baby-ish)
1 guppy
1 chinese algae eater
1 mystery snail

there's a banana plant, 3 monyworts, and that other thing that looks kinda like a fern i think, and that val...somethingruther

on my friend (the exp's) suggestion i went with the funky sand river look, which he got from someone's here, so sorry for stealing your look whoever that was

but yeah if you have any light (and by light i mean cheap) suggestions, that'd be sweet

thanks


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## Paul Higashikawa (Mar 18, 2004)

Since you emphasized cheap, you can get away with using those screw-in compact fluorescent bulbs(also called Energy Saver by some, I believe) at local hardware stores such as homedepot/lowes. Every now and then you can find a nice *6500K 27W Quad tube compact bulb for around $10*. You need only a lamp that runs on such bulbs, which is fairly common and inexpensive. I think for a 10-gal, this would be a better solution. I've had one running for over 6 years straight as a desk lamp.

I also recommend adding some type of carbon source just to give the plants a little more edge. Again, your desire for economic resolution dictates 2 methods here. One is the DIY yeast while the other is simply adding Seachem's Excel. Or, you can do both. DIY CO2 can be covered by other or you can browse in the DIY section of the forum and will find many related topics there.

Layout-wise, I think it is fine to imitate others' look. I think this is one good learning tool. Over time, you will develop your own taste and will come up with your own layout designs. So that is no problem there. Just have fun and experiment.

Good luck with your tank and please post update pictures every once in a while


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## RuiEstrelinha (Feb 23, 2004)

It is a start! Hope that you can do better with your evolution 

IMO your gravel is a little bit over sized to fit that aquarium, smaller is better.

BTW try to take some shots without flash! 

Best regards,


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## almostaskater62 (Apr 28, 2007)

i was taking the pictures at 1 in the morning so i kinda needed flash that time haha, but yeah i won't after

as for the first suggestion with the light, my friend wanted me to get a compact fluorescent with a 10 gallon hood, but i was on a budget, so i just got a plant bulb with a 20 gallon hood that i already owned, but if i can find a lamp that takes those bulbs i would consider it, or maybe in a while just get a 10 gallon hood with compact fluorescent fittings
as for gravel, hadn't even thought of that, oops, little late to redo everything now, but it's not a huge deal
oh yeah carbon, there's carbon in the filter, i dont know if that's what you mean, but it's there
i was thinking of getting a supplement for the plants, care to recommend one?

gracias


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## Squawkbert (Jan 3, 2007)

I think that's jungle val. Leaves will exceed 3' and bunches will start popping up randomly throughout the tank once it decides it's happy. When you want to prune it, pinch leaves off at the base. To remove new plants, pinch runner off near the "mom" end, then replant plantlets wherever.

Good lower light plant, but they get huge, grow quite fast once they reach "critical mass".

When your stems hit the surface, pinch off & replant keeping in mind you'll start 2 new stems at the "pinch point" of the original plant (so go pretty low).


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## almostaskater62 (Apr 28, 2007)

i added a diy co2 contraption with the help of my amigo 









yay


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## almostaskater62 (Apr 28, 2007)

oh yeah i took out the betta too because he didn't like the gourami much


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## almostaskater62 (Apr 28, 2007)

can the co2 be bad for the fish? barring overflow and whatnot, just the co2 itselft? they look a little groggy this morning


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## T-Bone (Nov 23, 2005)

Have you taken the betta back to the fish store, or transfered? In my humble, and personal opinion, I would choose the betta over the gourami. I just think the betta looks better, and may actually suit the tank parameters better. But if it is too late, then no biggie.


Too much CO2 can be bad for the fish. I think there is a CO2 calculator on the site. You should probably test your concentrations, and ph. Also I believe Laberinth fish (gouramis, bettas etc.) like alkali water. CO2 making the water slightly more acidic, may be the problem. Another reason for testing. As long as your CO2 isnt through the roof, or your water like sulfuric acid. Then your fish should be fine.


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## almostaskater62 (Apr 28, 2007)

i chose the gourami, i actually set up my betta in a 1 gallon betta tank and gave it to my sister, so he's still prety happy
i'm gonna get another gourami, a blue one, so i wanted to keep that gourami, i have another crowntail betta in another 1 gallon in another room anyway, so i wanted variety
but anyway that's a thermometer on the side not a co2 checker

and the gourami actually seemed happier than the rest, so i don't think the acidity is a problem, but i have a plan now anyway
i'm gonna unhook the air tube from the co2 bottle at night, and i'm gonna have a pump hooked up to a regular air stone, and i'm gonna turn the pump on at night to aerate, and turn it off in the morning, and rehook the tube up to the co2 bottle, so they'll be able to photosynthesize with it in the morning, and the co2 won't be idly sitting there at night


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## almostaskater62 (Apr 28, 2007)

can anyone suggest a good small plant to put in the front, or wherever, the whole ground perhaps


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## T-Bone (Nov 23, 2005)

Gourami's tend not to like each other, even of different breeds. I had 4 once in a 55g, they fought each other until 1 was dead. Then I took back 2, but they all later sucumb to their injuries. There are instances that gouramis live together in harmony. But generally they tend to be aggressive towards each other.


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## Theexp (Dec 26, 2006)

I have two dwarf gouramis in my 29, not planted, (not enough light), and they're doing fine. Usually one stays on the right side, and the other on the left.


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## goalcreas (Nov 20, 2006)

go for a 20" - 40watt Satellite fixture. buy it here for the cheapest around.
www.tricitytropicals.com

look for a refurbished and save $$. you will have to call to check stock, the web is not up to date.

when calling and if they have the refurb, ask them to put in the 6700k or the 10,000k or the dual 10,000k / 6700k bulb, if you don't it will come with the 10,000k / actinic bulb which is more for salt water set ups.

That light also has a 1/2 or 3/4 watt moon light in it which is cool for the night time.


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## Melissa3 (Feb 27, 2007)

OMG! I just set up my 10gal about 2 weeks ago and it looks just look yours, but a mirror image (I have the sand angled the other way and my larger island is on the right!)   

I too have money wort ( I didn't know what it was until now haha!) and a banana plant!!!! But I also have some stem plant that I have yet to identify and some cobomba (The LFS I got my plants from didn't label the plants. And like and idiot I bought them anyway.)

Great minds think alike, I guess!!! :biggrin:


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## furballi (Feb 2, 2007)

I'd unload the CAE and replace it with two otos. The gravel is too big for many plants. Larger gravel can also trap food which will quickly lower the water quality. A good size is 3mm in diameter.


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## almostaskater62 (Apr 28, 2007)

i gave the cae to a friend and got an oto, funniliy enough
i also removed the banana plant temporarily, it kept flopping over
the plants are actually doing all right, and i added another rock with some java moss:


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## almostaskater62 (Apr 28, 2007)

hey, i added a blue gourami and a nice new plant, an anacharis! i like it a lot, what do you think?


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## almostaskater62 (Apr 28, 2007)

it has pretty much completely changed, sorry to dig up this thread, but i wanted to post it









any thoughts?


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## LindaC (Nov 7, 2005)

Looks like your off to a great start, it will be interesting to see how it evolves as time goes by.


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## almostaskater62 (Apr 28, 2007)

i kinda wanna replace the cabomba in the left, any suggestions?


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## SKSuser (Mar 20, 2006)

I like what you're doing with the java ferns on the right middle of the tank. Their broad leaf characteristic sorta takes over the tank though. They need some balance. Maybe by replacing the cabamba with a cryptocoryne (probably a wendtii variety) you could add some red color and texture to the tank. If you moved the cabamba to the back of the tank, behind your new crypt, it would create a backdrop for the new plant.

The anacharis is running crazy in your tank. Unfortunately, with your lighting setup the fact that your anacharis is floating is probably whats keeping you from a horrible algae outbreak. Unless you like the wild look, when you upgrade your lighting, you may want to consider clipping it and creating a curtain of it in the back.
Your cabamba and anacharis are your main nutrient absorbers in this tank because they are more efficient at using the small ammount of light in your tank. A crypt would be a great addition, but probably shouldn't replace anything at this point.

To answer an earlier question:
The CO2 is not a problem for the guarmis or betta because they can breathe atmospheric air from the top of the tank. Your guppies however, must breathe the water through their gills. If the guppies are gasping near the surface, they aren't getting enough oxygen. The plants usually provide enough for them though.

Another thing is that you might like to set your CO2 filter on a box or pedistal or something. I'm glad you went to the effort to make the extra bottle, but its even safer to have it higher than the one with the yeast and water in it.


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## almostaskater62 (Apr 28, 2007)

the co2 problem isn't really a problem, i was just worried, none of the fish are gasping. the betta isn't in it anymore. since then i had a yellow platy die, and a blue gourami (i think the red one beat up on him and didn't let him eat, i was sad)
anyway the tank has reached a nice equilibrium fishwise.
as for the anacharis, i actually quite like how big it's gotten, i have trimmed it just to keep it from bending too much, i snip it off at the corners.
i do plan on getting a 10 gallon hood with compact fluorescent bulbs in either a week or 3 weeks (first or second paycheck, i also have to get a gig of RAM for my laptop)
i'll take a look at that plant, though the petstores near me don't have a good plant selection, so i don't know where i'd pick one up

thanks

edit: i actually do like that crypt, so if i can find one i think i'll get it


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