planted 10 gallon low tech log

[Jnam]

After fumbling through my first 55 gallon planted tank I decided to redo my first tank I ever had, the token Walmart special 10 gallon tank. This is the tank i made all the newb mistakes on. bought the ugly bright green gravel the fake coral decorations Airstones and fake plants. Then i added fish the same day i got the tank (seriously who does that???)

Any ways I have seen the error of my ways.
Tank info

Standard 10 gallon all glass tank
Standard Fluorescent hood modified to accept two spiral CFLs
Black moon sand and florite substrate mixed with about 5lbs of ECO(trying something random here)
Malaysian DW
Standard HOB plumbed to receive DIY CO2
Heater

Flora
3 unidentified swords (maybe someone can shed some light on the types)
HC planted using Purbox's amazing HC planting tips(thanx to CZCZ for the HC!)
and lastly some tag along plants that CZCZ didnt know he included for me(identification on these would help too)

Fauna
20+ guppy fry at various stages of development as soon as they are old enough they will go to the LFS.
25 RCS in the mail two mail RCS in there now

Here are the pics. I am currently building my own hood for the tanks and moving the lighting up to the two CFLs and a 15w fluorescent tube.

Let me here some suggestions it will be a fry tank as well as a shrimp tank. RCS for now.

 

[elwaine]

This is the tank i made all the newb mistakes on.

Hmmm... I guess I'm a slow learner. After 40 plus years of having variuos aquaria, I'm still making newb mistakes.

BTW I don't see any pics or links to pics.

 

[Jnam]

LOL apparently i dont know how to add pics... And dont worry i will make plenty more newb mistakes like adding HC before i put some water in the tank LOL that just made a mess and i had to replant it all.

PICS!

Glass needs to be cleaned LOL

 

[FishCrazyBenBOMB]

Looks good so far, got to get more plants though, maybe a fish or two Haha.

 

[runninwoof]

ewww ur thermometer is on the front!! and nice landscaping book!!!

tank looks good!, swords will get big! i love the substrate!!! i wonder if mixing all that can get some cool benifit lol

you should check out fishless cycling, its nicer on the fish if you cycle the tank first(JK haha)

looks good just gotta let it grow now, althought i wish i could jsut take down and rebuild a new tank everyday! amiright!? u makin me wanna tear down one of my 10s and REBUILD!!!!

 

[Jnam]

Picked up a new more descreet thermometer today so the ugly ones gone. I reused the filter media that was allready in my filter. Amonia at 3ppm went to 0 in 24hrs and nitrites bottomed aswell. Nitrates holding steady at 20. Ben there are fish in there tons o guppy fry. Its gonna be a shrimp tank. What type of sword are they? The look or feel nothing like the swords i have in my 55 gallon

 

[czcz]

Its awesome the plants are already uptaking the bioload! I have heard big swords are nutrient hogs.

Still, I think you're in a world of pain when those things's roots get everywhere and the plant outgrows the tank and you have to uproot.

The plant on the right looks like Hemianthus micranthemiodes (HM). Next weekend (not this weekend) for trims of other stuff? I don't think the swords will be too huge by then and maybe you'll find something like a Crypt at the LFS, almost all of which will get too ginormous for a 10 gallon, but will certainly take up space and stuff like C. wendtii bounces back pretty quickly from couple/four/etc month uproots and breaking kids off if you do the whole thing in a bucket of tank water before replanting.

 

[FishCrazyBenBOMB]

Guess I couldn't tell if there were fish or not in they lol. My bad

 

[Jnam]

). Next weekend (not this weekend) for trims of other stuff?

Eh? I am hoping to aquire some more R rotundifolia *hint*

I have had these swords (use to be one plant mass) for 8 months and this is the size they have reached not much else. The root system was huge when i pulled it from the 10 to starte with. I plan on just waiting untill i get the plants I want and then trimming the swords down or removing them... The way they are planted I should be able to drag them out without disrupting the substrate too much *fingers crossed*.

 

[czcz]

you're about to have pm.

 

[KentCurtis]

I was thinking of resurrecting a walmart 10 gallon special as well. What did you do to make it able to handle two decent spiral CFL's? My hood was rated for 25 watts, which I was wanting to go with more in the mid 30s range

 

[FishCrazyBenBOMB]

Updates? Pictures?

 

[Jnam]

Been working on the new canopy iwth integrated lights. Ill post pics and descriptions when done. HC has taken hold but is growing very slowly CO2 not up and running yet. HM looks reall good. Added a few glass shrimp waiting on my new RCS to come in.

ON your hood, kentcurtis, its rated at 25w of incandesant lights and the current that they would draw. Ill show teh plan and schematics. Your hood is rated that way because of the heat it gives off. I am assuming its an incandesant hood.

Nitrites 0
ammonia 0
nitrates 15
still no co2
ph is high as a result 7.5

 

[KentCurtis]

So I could get away with tossing 2x 20 watt spirals in there or something?

 

[Jnam]

easily. No real heat from those bulbs id say give it a try. and monitor the fixture

 

[FishCrazyBenBOMB]

Yeah watch the fixture, I know I used some of those CFL bulbs and the bulbs say they last for like 5 Years, and my fixture made 2 of mine burn out in a couple months, i'm buying a new fixture now

 

[Jnam]

depends heavily on the quality of the bulbs you buy. Hoods almost done

 

[Jnam]

Hood is done. I tried something a little different I used the CFLs but i also retrofitted the standard tube light in the hood as well. Its being painted as we speak so pics later.

OMG!! I planted the HC that CZCZ sent me as Purrbox suggested by using tweezer to pull it through the substrate. I was sad because it seemd like most of it had died. But yesterday I was doing a PWC and HC is emerging from the substrate with tiny little new leaves everywhere!! I thought i had killed it all i guess not. Im excited to see this grow out. The HM i planted is growing nice and low as well. Thanks CZCZ for the plants.

Pics later with the new growth. I am looking for some RCS anyone have some they would like to sell??? Or trade?

I posted in the classified section. Hopefully i can find someone.

 

[Jnam]

Updates with Pics

Ok so i have been letting everything grow out. CO2 is running smooth, Hood with CFLs is complete looks nice IMO Lighting is at about 30w of CFL over 10 Gallons. Makes me want to say medium light.

This First one is a FTS I need to do some glass scraping its getting a little green on the sides. I am trying to get my fertz balanced out.

This one is left side looking right

And Right going left

Some of my new RCS not all the way colored though and its a really bad pic took it more to show color.

And a pregnant glass/ghost/unkown shrimp neon green eggs with little black dots in them. Its cool to watch her tend to them.

Ill post some more when I can
Current plant list
HM
HC
Hygro 2 vars
2 swords
Red temple plants
and some floating crap i want out

RCS
Glass Shrimp
Guppy fry (FOR SALE!!!! RATHER PAY SHIPPING)

thanks for looking

 

[chinoanoah]

Are you dosing ferts?