Planted Aquarium For My Dorm- PLEASE ASSIST

[burzw0538]

First I would like it to be known that I am a Newbie to this site....and relatively to fish keeping.

I have/had an apartment while I attend my 2 year school. My Girlfriend then kind of talked me into getting a fish tank going to help me deal with the move. I have been keeping fish for about a year now and its been a hobby that has consumed my interests. Recently I found that my College life has lead me to UW Oshkosh and it seems that the Dorms at Oshkosh only allow a 10 gallon tank.

I currently have a 5 gal hex tank in which I keep 6 guppies, 2 albino mystery snails (Currently in process of breeding), and a walmart special aquatic plant (not sure what it is, some kind of small fern) and a small shrimp. I really would like a planted tank, without co2, and be able to raise my fish in it at the dorms.

I am prepared to buy a new 10 gal tank because I feel the lighting in the hex may not be enough to support my plans to start this planted tank. I was wondering if I could get some feed back about what I should get for plants or a tank. Basically any feed back would be appreciated.

[mgamer20o0]

well i wouldnt try to breed bystery snails in that small of tank. they lay eggs above the water line and can hatch hundreds of them at a time.

a new 10 is your best bet i would get a incandescent hood and replace the bulbs with the cfl screw in bulbs. this will give you a good source of light. i would also keep the stocking low since it might be a little crazy at times. might not be able to get all those wcs done weekly.

as for plants i would stick to anubiast java ferns crypts and moss. you can have your self a nice little low light tank to take your mind of the crazy school days.

[burzw0538]

I didn't try to breed mystery snails in that small of tank. I removed the lid and saw the hundreds of eggs one day. I guess I thought I should give it a try. I have the eggs separate in small plastic pet carrier (for insects or something) but the eggs are on a piece of duct tape I folded in half and they are resting above water level.

I was thinking a new 10 too... go easy with the abbreviations...I'm still new lol...

I understand cfl is a type of bulb but what does wcs stand for?

Thanks for the plant type tips

[mgamer20o0]

water changes.

[burzw0538]

Do you think my tank would be too crowded with the guppies, the snails, and the shrimp?

[joy13]

If you want shrimp to reproduce go with a shrimp only tank. The snails are poop machines so your bioload will be high limiting the amount of fish that you can have.

[mgamer20o0]

with everything breeding (guessing the guppies are breeding) it can become too much quickly. as it stands i think its fine.

[DannWunderlich]

haha my dorm only allowed 10 gallons

so i did a ten gallon first semester then switched to a 29 over winter break.

if you make it pretty enough they will let you keep it!

[yohann976]

I bet the size of the tank depends on the RA, forget the dorm rules...lol. Mine let me keep a Jackson Chameleon and my neighbor had a flying squirrel.