Up and running....

[MurfQ]

Ok, so my first planted tank is up and running. I probably went a little overboard when I went to pick up the plants and there was a sale on

On impulse my research went some what out the window and so I likely have a couple of plants that are not going to survive my lighting.

The tank's a 10 gallon with two 15 watt CF bulbs. Here she be:

I never dreamed I'd actually buy algae and intentionally add it to my tank. But what can I say, I think this is the coolest thing ever :

Apart from the plants, current tank inhabitants are 5 neons, 1 dwarf neon gouramie and a couple of tiny snails that hitched a ride on my plants. One appears to be a baby ramshorn and the other a baby pond snail as best I can tell.

Here's a pic of the dwarf gouramie:

 

[blazeyreef]

Congrats! its fun isnt it? the water looks like it has tanic or something in it ( I believe that's what its called...the water looks a little yellowish..?)
everything looks great though!

 

[drobertson]

Looks very nice, I like your hardscape. Any chance of getting a better or bigger picture of it?

 

[Jchillin]

I agree with drobertson regarding that hardscape...especially those smooth rocks! Congrats and nice job.

 

[MurfQ]

Thanks guys. It is really exciting.

You're right about the yellowish water blazeyreef. It's likely from the driftwood. I didn't bother to presoak it. I kinda like it though. Looks more natural.

I'll try and get some better pics up in the next couple of days as time allows.

The rocks are straight from a local beach. They used to be in my garden way back when till I decided to go a different route with that and then they were kicking around the backyard for a few years while I tried to figure out what I could do with them since I liked them far too much to toss them. I boiled them well of course before they went in the tank. I thought they looked much nicer than the beach rocks I could have bought at Pets Unlimited for $25 a bag.

 

[blazeyreef]

no its fine! I like it to! if your tetra's get really happy, they may decided to breed (the yellowish water "gets them ready' (for a lack of better words) as that is what occurs in the wild with the dead leaf matter etc. !
the hardscape does look very nice I agree!

 

[zenkatydid]

i have used those round river rocks before and they are a pain to clean. look great, but... i bet they don't last long

 

[MurfQ]

Yeah, I suppose they might be at that. We'll just have to wait and see I guess...

By the way, what is that creature in your avatar?

 

[zenkatydid]

heh he is an axolotl, or mexican walking fish. juju died a while back, as it's impossible to keep the water cold enough for them here. they require a temperature under about 23 celsius all the time, or they get stressed and get sick. fantastic, personable, long-lived creatures, though.

 

[drobertson]

I have a wall built out of the round rock in my 10 gal., and have no problem keeping them clean. My cories do most of the work.