New 10 Gallon Build!!!!

[mackdaddy81]

Well, I've decided to do another tank. I have an abundance of plants, despite all of my problems that I talk your ears off with , and I want a place to put them all.


Also, I am looking forward to making this tank with way more knowledge then I had with the 29 gallon.

So I got a 10 gallon tank, filter, heater, and light off of craigslist for free. The light was covered in so much grime and mineral crust that it wasn't worth it to keep, but hey I got it for free! For my new light I was thinking of getting a hood that fits 2 incandescent bulbs, but instead of using incandescents I would use CF bulbs. Has anyone done this with one of these hoods, and do you know if the regular screw-in CF bubls would fit in one of these fixtures?

Anyways, here are some pics of what I've done so far. I spray painted the back black, which is something that I wish I would have done with my 29 before I set it up.





I then got some sand from Home Depot, and rinsed it until the water ran clear. I put the sand in the tank, and then I grabbed some river rocks from my back yard and rinsed and cleaned those with some bleach. I put those in the tank and sloped up the sand towards the back.





Next I filled it with water and put in the filter and heater. Right now for light I am using my old 29 gallon strip light. I don't have any plants in right now because I still haven't gotten down how I want to scape it. Right now the plants that I have an excess of are microword, amazon sword, money wort, corkscrew val, and wisteria. Any suggestions on what would look good where would be greatly apprieciated, and I will keep posting the progress of this tank.





Oh, and any suggestions on fish would be good too. I am thinking of getting a betta and some type of shrimp, but that is all up in the air right now.

Thanks for looking!

 

[neilanh]

Yes, you can use the screw in CF bulbs. Obviously you'll have to mod the fixture and just get shop light drops to use to power them.

 

[JWALK2828]

why did u paint the back black of your tank

 

[fort384]

I would add either some large rock or driftwood to add some altitude to the scape. Also, you may want some more substrate. Sand can be a real pain to plant in. You will want at least 2-3" so you have some room to bury the roots. Plus you will want to bury the microsword deep so it doesn't float up on you. Are you planning on co2 or ferts, or do you plan to keep it low tech?

 

[mackdaddy81]

I painted the back black because I really like the way that it looks and I think that it makes everything pop.

Thanks for all the advice. I plan on making this tank kinda high tech, with CO2 and ferts.

Anyways, the tank is all cycled, and I added plants and a betta today. I used bacteria supplement and part of the sponge from my 29 gallon filter, so the tank cycled pretty fast.





I made my own DIY light for the tank and I am getting about 3 WPG with CFL's for light. The light looks really good and it only cost $15 to make. I'll post a thread in the DIY showing how I made it.







Right now in the tank I have camboa aquatica, microsword, rotala rotundifolia (I think? They didn't have a tag when I bought it, but it looks like it), and hygrophila difformis.

Here's what the tank looks like w/out the hygro



and here is it with the hygro, it's a bit crowded!



The hygro and the floating microswords aren't going to be staying in there because I'm planning on selling them. The betta looks awesome, and I think I might add an apple snail, and some type of shrimp.

Let me know how you like it!

Thanks for looking!

 

[joy13]

Once it starts filling in it will look really nice. With that much light you will have to use CO2 of some form. With the sand aerobic pocket do form so you can either get MTS or use something like a chopstick to poke down through the sand to release any gases that has built up. Your betta must feel like he has hit the lottery!

 

[mackdaddy81]

So I took forts advice and I put some center-piece rocks in the tank. I will have pictures later, but it looks really good.


So I am beginning to do CO2 for the tank, and I have some questions.

For my 29 gallon I run two diy 2liter bottles, and I use an air pump at night.


I want to use 1 2liter bottle for my 10, but the only other air pump that i have is rated for 20 to 60 gallons. Since this is a betta tank, I am afraid that the agitation will add too much current in the tank.

My question is would it be ok to run a 2liter diy CO2, and not have an air pump on at night, or would it be ok to use that strong of a pump?


Thanks!

 

[fort384]

So I took forts advice and I put some center-piece rocks in the tank. I will have pictures later, but it looks really good.


So I am beginning to do CO2 for the tank, and I have some questions.

For my 29 gallon I run two diy 2liter bottles, and I use an air pump at night.


I want to use 1 2liter bottle for my 10, but the only other air pump that i have is rated for 20 to 60 gallons. Since this is a betta tank, I am afraid that the agitation will add too much current in the tank.

My question is would it be ok to run a 2liter diy CO2, and not have an air pump on at night, or would it be ok to use that strong of a pump?


Thanks!

Test your CO2 levels -- it may work out ok not running a pump so long as your co2 isn't through the roof in the mornings before the lights come on.

Also, you can buy a variable air valve for probably about a buck at a lfs that will allow you to regulate the amount of air the pump puts out, so you can reduce the airflow, rather than buying a smaller pump.

 

[Purrbox]

I'd recommend using two 1 Liter bottles instead. This will allow you to rotate mixes, which will provide steadier CO2 levels and reduce the chances of BBA.

 

[mackdaddy81]

Well here are the new pics.


I took Purrbox's suggestion and went with two 1-liter bottles instead for my CO2. I just added some anachris today, and some more microsword. I am also thinking about doing some kind of floating plant, but I don't know what to do yet. Maybe some java moss, or something that will grow nice thick for the betta to swim through and around.


Also, would otto's or some other type of algae eater be ok with my betta. I am getting some diatoms because the tank is new, and I would like something to help keep it in check.

 

[Purrbox]

Otos are really the only fish that I know of that will eat diatoms. They may or may not be okay with your Betta, it really depends on the personality of your Betta.

 

[mackdaddy81]

Is there any way to test my betta's personality before I go out and buy some ottos?

 

[ellisb1]

Beta vs. Oto

There is not really a way to test your Beta. Otos are much faster than Betas. If they feel threatened, the will take off. Those little guys are a pain to catch. I think you will be fine.

 

[FishCrazyBenBOMB]

From your last updated pictures, your tank is really coming along. Loving the center piece rock work. You just try to get some plants to stick out of the cracks of the rocks, like some kind of fern.

I'm going to be getting a school of ottos for my 5G planted tank and I also have a betta in it. There isn't really a way to test a bettas personality, said above. Also said above is how fast the ottos are. Even if the betta did want to attack the ottos, the ottos are so amazingly fast that the betta wouldn't be able to catch them anyways.