Beginner and would like advice and opinions.

[Taylordevin]

Up-Tank Parameters-

Size: 20g
Temp: 78-80
Typ: low light led/Planted
Filter- fluvel hang on back - 3sponges/rings.

-Fish-
4 assan snails
1 male crown tail Betta (Aka "Bellamy")
11 Neo Tetras (aka " the tribe")
1 albino Bristol nosed female pleco.
Less than one inch long ( aka "Lucie")

- also Lucie was purchased from Petco. I don't trust them and since "she" has no bristles I think it's kinda up in the air.-

Ammonia: 0 - .25
Nitrate: 20
Nitrite:0
Hardness: 75-150
Chlorine: 0
Alk: 40-80
Ph: 7.8

My goal is to sometime soon get a 55-100 gallon set up with just these guys and maybe some loachs and blue velvet shrimp.

But! For now what do you guys think I should do with this 20 gallon in regards to my parameters and what are negative effects of too much substrate?

I feel like I should get a brighter light but i am getting decent growth.

I've added a larger peice of drift wood two days ago in hopes to slowly lower pH. (Also love the tannens)

I started with 19 tetras and sadly some just haven't thrived.. a betta that wants to eat them doesn't help. The weaker they got the easier it was for my betta. My betta dose not however actively persue the tetras nor dose he seem to care for my little pleco.

Dose anyone have any questions for me? I just wanna get my tank diled in.

Also. I've never seen alge and that makes me think I'm just doing to much.

So any advise, comments or criticism is appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Delapool]

Hi, sounds well on its way - only one would be to use a liquid based test kit if those are strip readings or get the ammonia checked just in case.