New 10 gallon tank. In need of some ideas.

[Pawtrekker]

I've had this thing sitting in my room for a while now and have finally decided to do something with it. I bought it from a friend who was upgrading and she gave me a filter, 2 boxes of cartridges, some neon gravel and several decorations (Not bad for $40). Anyway, I could use some ideas on how to decorate. I already have gravel in it. I really didn't like the neon gravel but I mixed it with some of my leftover river rock and I think it's bearable now.

This is how it looks now. I would have liked to do a different color of gravel but I decided to just use the stuff I had.

This is the stuff I have to decorate. I have a medium sized shipwreck, a few red gems, a small terra cotta pot, a treasure chest, and a flag.

I would also like to add some plants. I have plenty of small Java Fern I can use and I am thinking of buying some anubia as well. What else would go well? Java Moss maybe? I should probably stick to low light plants with this tank and I don't think my substrate is deep enough for rooted plants.

What do you guys think? (Yes, I understand cycling.) I'm not sure what I am going to put in here yet, I just want to get it set up. It may end up being a Betta tank but I'm open to suggestions.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!

 

[Platiesareawesome]

I've had this thing sitting in my room for a while now and have finally decided to do something with it. I bought it from a friend who was upgrading and she gave me a filter, 2 boxes of cartridges, some neon gravel and several decorations (Not bad for $40). Anyway, I could use some ideas on how to decorate. I already have gravel in it. I really didn't like the neon gravel but I mixed it with some of my leftover river rock and I think it's bearable now.

This is how it looks now. I would have liked to do a different color of gravel but I decided to just use the stuff I had.

This is the stuff I have to decorate. I have a medium sized shipwreck, a few red gems, a small terra cotta pot, a treasure chest, and a flag.

I would also like to add some plants. I have plenty of small Java Fern I can use and I am thinking of buying some anubia as well. What else would go well? Java Moss maybe? I should probably stick to low light plants with this tank and I don't think my substrate is deep enough for rooted plants.

What do you guys think? (Yes, I understand cycling.) I'm not sure what I am going to put in here yet, I just want to get it set up. It may end up being a Betta tank but I'm open to suggestions.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!

Hello! I just set up my 10 gallon tank too. I would highly recommend a fishless cycle, as it is much less work, and no fish are harmed.

I also have java fern, and it is a great plant (or so I hear because I just planted it recently, but it looks great), but be sure to bury the roots only, not the rhizome, which is the green root-like part near the actual roots. The leaves grow up from the rhizome, and the roots hang down from the rhizome.

You should also have a good water dechlorinator/conditioner like seachem prime

I would also recommend a gravel such as seachem flourish, and caribsea floramax rather than that colored gravel, as the gravels I mentioned contain iron, potassium, etc. to help plants, and these kinds of gravel look more natural. (If that's the look you want.)

Anyway, to decorate, I would just put some live plants in, because they make the water quality better, fish like them, and I think you will like them. You can also add something like a rock that the fish can swim through.

I hope this helps!

 

[azmodan]

Hi! If I can offer any advice it's that if you're maybe not completely sold on the neon gravel then don't use it. Especially if you'll be adding live plants too you're likely going to end wishing you went for something more natural colored. Ten gallon tanks aren't that big so it wouldn't cost much to find a substrate more suited to your liking. If it's for the long term it's worth it!

 

[bettasalltheway23]

If you want a betta, you could do 6 neon tetras then a male betta. Or 3 platys and a male betta. Or if you don't want a male betta at all you could a pair of dwarf gouramis, then maybe some pygmy cories? Or you could do a female betta sorority. With 5 female bettas. I personally love female bettas because of there personality, and there striking colors. Although thats just my opinion. You may want to keep all of the receipts for the female bettas though because sometimes the territroy isn't big enough, or one betta is just being a bully. But I've had 2 betta sororites in a 10 gallon without an issue.

 

[bettasalltheway23]

And btw, that gravel isn't very colorful, It's just kind of dull and boring (not being rude) You could get some sand? Maybe a nice dark gravel to bring out the colors in whichever fish you get.

 

[Mebbid]

I have a male betta with 4 cories in my 10g atm and will add a few oto cats soon. Its a great combination for a planted tank imho.

Like was previously stated about the gravel, if you don't love it now ditch it. I use 3 different types of sand in my aquariums and all of them are really cheap. Brown play sand, white silica sand, and black blasting sand. The white silica sand is probably the best to use if you wanted to keep corys. But the black blasting sand is best for plants although both will work just fine.

 

[patrickriley2010]

I've had this thing sitting in my room for a while now and have finally decided to do something with it. I bought it from a friend who was upgrading and she gave me a filter, 2 boxes of cartridges, some neon gravel and several decorations (Not bad for $40). Anyway, I could use some ideas on how to decorate. I already have gravel in it. I really didn't like the neon gravel but I mixed it with some of my leftover river rock and I think it's bearable now.

This is how it looks now. I would have liked to do a different color of gravel but I decided to just use the stuff I had.

This is the stuff I have to decorate. I have a medium sized shipwreck, a few red gems, a small terra cotta pot, a treasure chest, and a flag.

I would also like to add some plants. I have plenty of small Java Fern I can use and I am thinking of buying some anubia as well. What else would go well? Java Moss maybe? I should probably stick to low light plants with this tank and I don't think my substrate is deep enough for rooted plants.

What do you guys think? (Yes, I understand cycling.) I'm not sure what I am going to put in here yet, I just want to get it set up. It may end up being a Betta tank but I'm open to suggestions.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!

Actually that is pretty bad for 40$ you can get a new 10 gallon for 35 with filter lights and hood

 

[patrickriley2010]

If you want a betta, you could do 6 neon tetras then a male betta. Or 3 platys and a male betta. Or if you don't want a male betta at all you could a pair of dwarf gouramis, then maybe some pygmy cories? Or you could do a female betta sorority. With 5 female bettas. I personally love female bettas because of there personality, and there striking colors. Although thats just my opinion. You may want to keep all of the receipts for the female bettas though because sometimes the territroy isn't big enough, or one betta is just being a bully. But I've had 2 betta sororites in a 10 gallon without an issue.

Male Bettas should be kept alone . I know other people say its okay but my girlfriend had a 10 gallon tried 2 half grown platys and a betta and the betta kept flaring at them and pecking them

 

[Fishperson]

Male Bettas should be kept alone . I know other people say its okay but my girlfriend had a 10 gallon tried 2 half grown platys and a betta and the betta kept flaring at them and pecking them

Each betta has its own personality. Some can tolerate other fish. Some can't. Thats why people normally say that it's a hit or miss with a betta in a community tank.

 

[Pawtrekker]

After staring at the gravel a while, I kind of like it. It's not too colorful but still kind of fun looking. All my other tanks have just the natural looking stuff and I kind of like the idea of having a more colorful tank. Thanks for the advice on the sand guys. For now, I am going to stick with gravel but I may try sand in a tank one day. I have had a Betta with a cory and they got along fine (except for the fact Bettas are little pigs and will eat the food of any other fish in the tank). I love the idea of a sorority tank! I have thought about doing that a few times but I thought you needed a bigger tank for it.

Anyway, if I get a male Betta, I don't think I am going to put anything in there with him or if I do, probably just some shrimp. If I decide on a sorority tank, how do I go about doing that? Do I release all the bettas in there at the same time?

Patrickriley2010: I did get a hood and light with the tank, it's just not in the picture. I checked the prices on the filter cartages and it would have cost me at least $20 for the amount of filters I got so I still think it was a good deal.

Thanks for your input guys! Anyone else have any suggestions?

 

[Pawtrekker]

Oh, here's the setup I came up with. Now that I put the hood on, you can see the gravle color a bit better. I am still going to add more plants, I just haven't decided what yet. Probably some Java Fern and more Anubia. Any thoughts?

The pictures are not coming out extremely well but it gives you and idea.

 

[Platiesareawesome]

Oh, here's the setup I came up with. Now that I put the hood on, you can see the gravle color a bit better. I am still going to add more plants, I just haven't decided what yet. Probably some Java Fern and more Anubia. Any thoughts?

The pictures are not coming out extremely well but it gives you and idea.

Like I said earlier, a more natural-looking gravel would be better, but aside from that, the anubias inside the ship looks pretty nice!

 

[Mebbid]

Oh, here's the setup I came up with. Now that I put the hood on, you can see the gravle color a bit better. I am still going to add more plants, I just haven't decided what yet. Probably some Java Fern and more Anubia. Any thoughts?

The pictures are not coming out extremely well but it gives you and idea.

I agree, the anubias inside the ship is a really nice touch.

 

[Pawtrekker]

I agree, the anubias inside the ship is a really nice touch.

Thanks. I've never had Anubias before and I think they are really pretty.

 

[NinjaNomad196]

???

Actually that is pretty bad for 40$ you can get a new 10 gallon for 35 with filter lights and hood

Dude where you find this price? Give link or store please?
I hardly even find them $30 or $40 with just a hood, no filter...

 

[patrickriley2010]

After staring at the gravel a while, I kind of like it. It's not too colorful but still kind of fun looking. All my other tanks have just the natural looking stuff and I kind of like the idea of having a more colorful tank. Thanks for the advice on the sand guys. For now, I am going to stick with gravel but I may try sand in a tank one day. I have had a Betta with a cory and they got along fine (except for the fact Bettas are little pigs and will eat the food of any other fish in the tank). I love the idea of a sorority tank! I have thought about doing that a few times but I thought you needed a bigger tank for it.

Anyway, if I get a male Betta, I don't think I am going to put anything in there with him or if I do, probably just some shrimp. If I decide on a sorority tank, how do I go about doing that? Do I release all the bettas in there at the same time?

Patrickriley2010: I did get a hood and light with the tank, it's just not in the picture. I checked the prices on the filter cartages and it would have cost me at least $20 for the amount of filters I got so I still think it was a good deal.

Thanks for your input guys! Anyone else have any suggestions?

I had large gravel it trapped way to much dirty and poo .

 

[Mebbid]

Just curious because of your post about all the filter cartridges. You aren't changing your filter regularly are you?

 

[Pawtrekker]

Just curious because of your post about all the filter cartridges. You aren't changing your filter regularly are you?

I'm not changing it right now because the tank is cycling but I generally try to change them every month or so depending on my bioload. Why?

 

[Mebbid]

I'm not changing it right now because the tank is cycling but I generally try to change them every month or so depending on my bioload. Why?

The filter is what houses the vast majority of the nitrifying bacteria in the tank. Every time the filter is removed it will cause the tank to go through a mini cycle wreaking havoc on your water parameters. You only need to change the filter on your tank when your current one is literally falling apart and even then i would keep the 2 filter pads together in the same filter for at least a week. If you have to cut up or break up the old one and throw it in the filter casing it would be a good move. At the very most you should be swishing the current filter in old tank water once every other week to a month to remove some of the grime.

 

[Pawtrekker]

The filter is what houses the vast majority of the nitrifying bacteria in the tank. Every time the filter is removed it will cause the tank to go through a mini cycle wreaking havoc on your water parameters. You only need to change the filter on your tank when your current one is literally falling apart and even then i would keep the 2 filter pads together in the same filter for at least a week. If you have to cut up or break up the old one and throw it in the filter casing it would be a good move. At the very most you should be swishing the current filter in old tank water once every other week to a month to remove some of the grime.

Wow, I had no idea. Thanks, I'll start doing that.