[kenny1tothe6]

This is my current Male Crowntail Betta's tank. It is painted black on the back and has a clay pot for him to hide into and bunches of live plants. Here is the current "stocking":
Flora:
--Sunset Hygrophelia
--Anubias Coffefolia
--Unknown Aponogeton(?)
--Java Moss
--Java Fern
--Crypt Wentii "Red"
--Crypt Balansae
--Duckweed/Red Root Floater

Fauna:
--1 Male Betta Splendens 'Crowntail'
--1 Synodontis Nigriventris (He'll be going in my 29gal when I get it finished)
--Pond, Ramshorn, and Malaysian Trumpet Snails

What I want to change:
Aqua-Tech 5-15 Filter -- Aquaclear Mini
Factory Lid with 10W Bulb -- Glass Lid with 16" Light with 14W Bulb
Tetra 50W 79 degree Preset Heater -- Stealth 25W Heater set @ 80 degrees
Add a bunch more plants

 

[Tex Gal]

Did you post a px? If so, I can't see it. Some of your plant varieties get pretty large. Do you think they might fill your tank up too fast? You might want to consider the smaller plants like baby tears, Wallichi, purple bamboo, etc. Not sure about your light. Can you get a higher watt bulb? or do you mean you are already doing that?

 

[kenny1tothe6]

Did you post a px? If so, I can't see it. Some of your plant varieties get pretty large. Do you think they might fill your tank up too fast? You might want to consider the smaller plants like baby tears, Wallichi, purple bamboo, etc. Not sure about your light. Can you get a higher watt bulb? or do you mean you are already doing that?

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No, Sorry. I didn't have a picture of the tank when I posted that first...post. LOL I redid the aquascape alittle and attached the java fern and Anubias onto Lava Rock. Here is pretty much how it looks now:

(Plese disregard the date...my camera is screwy)
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I don't know if they'll get too large...as I've never had plants do this well!! The Aponogeton-like plant has sent a leaf up to the top of the water and just keeps growing!!
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I don't know what different plants I'll buy...But I'm thinking about having Brazillian Microsword, More Java Moss, and that's really about it...I don't want complicated plants that require LOTS of attention.
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I'm upgrading my existing 10W (2WPG) light with a 14W 16" AGA Strip Light. That should give me ~3WPG. I need to upgrade the whole thing because my current one is an all-in-one hood and light.

Ay other questions? I'll try to answer them to the best of my ability!

 

[kenny1tothe6]

Oh..and I haven't rehoused the Synodontis cat yet if your'e wondering.

 

[kenny1tothe6]

I finally did!! I moved it into the 29gal with the barbs. I'll now get a few more when I get a chance.

 

[kenny1tothe6]

Ok Texgal, you might be right about the plants out growing the tank!! My aponogetons are TAKING OVER! I've NEVER had plants do that before. The lotus is getting go-ing too. Lord Betta like the jungle....but I think I'm going to gear it in a different direction. I'll be making some mineralized soil for this tank and capping it with black "ultra-reef" sand. I'll also be pulling out the apongetons, lotus,etc...and replace with slower growing plants. Maybe a forest of flame+java moss, anubias, java ferns, and crypts. Any idea on what kind of stem plant?

 

[kenny1tothe6]

Update 3/09/09 -- I lost Lord Betta -- So I added a new V/CT Betta who I bought in ~December of '08.

It goes without saying I redid the tank entirely, so I added regular natural gravel this time. It grows plants like weeds. I'm not sure I'm digging the hardscape...so it might be changing sometime soon. I'll try to get some pics up soon.

Right now I have:
--The Betta
--2 Panda Cories (Temp.)
--1 Mosquitofish Fry (Rearing...did she get eaten?)
--Malaysian Trumpet, Ramshorn and Pond Snails
--Sunset Hygro
--Crypt Wentii's
--Java and Christmas Moss
--Anubias Nana
--Anubias Coffiefolia
--E. Aungustifolius


I'll be trying to get a BUNCH of new plants and rescape this tank soon. Possibly add more gravel. 5LBS. doesn't seem to be enough.

 

[kenny1tothe6]

I bought some new plants today. Elodea, Unknown, Giant Hygrophellia and Water Wisteria. I also added in my Red Rubin Sword (poor thing has been through a lot...it's doing great and I have confidence into it), my baby tiger lotus, some unknown plant I got bundled in with a bunch of plants I bought [Diplids or downi], Salvina, Alternatha Renekki, Java Ferns, Moss Ball and a few others.

I'm storing everything till I get my 29gal re-setup. My barbs reside in my very immaculate (but boring) 10gal QT Tank. Since that has no gravel and is incandescent-lit, I can't have plants in there...so it holds driftwood! LOL

I am going crazy figuring out what I want to do with my 29gal(so I can get all the fish/plants in there), whether I want low/medium light, co2, canister or HOB...so it's a constant work in progress. I'm probably going to do inert natural gravel and low light as that is what works best for me. :yield:

Overall plans include getting a few new shrimp (probably ghost for a while) and eventually turn this into a nano-fish/yellow/or/tangerine shrimp tank....I might get one of those rare half-moons though.

Oh, Raven Fins has ick...I put in a 2 drops of quick cure and some salt...so it should vanish SOON. It usually does.

Oh, my plant plans for this tank is having plants that don't directly rely onto the gravel and are driftwood plants or slow growing plants. I don't want any rare/hard to grow plants...

 

[davemonkey]

You can't go wrong with Anubias, Mosses, and Java Fern. A few smaller crypts will also do well (Crypt lucens, willisii, parva... ) but you'll have to put root tabs in the substrate for them (IME).

-Dave

 

[kenny1tothe6]

I'm actually thinking about buying some SMALL pot and potting a few different Crypts in them. Those pots will have Eco-Complete. I DO have a few Wentii's in there....Rose and Red. They are both pretty!!

I pulled the driftwood from the back of the tank into the light...and I relized, those plants have grown significantly and they are looking good.

I think I might want to try a few congo ferns too...

Here's the total I'll eventually have in this tank:
Flora:

• Flame Moss
• Java Moss
• Christmas Moss
• Neddle Leaf Java Fern
• Moss Ball
• Sunset Hygro
• Ludwiga Repens
• Duckweed
• Red Root Floater
• Pink Pygmy Chain Sword
• Anubias Coffiefolia
• Anubias Nana
• Anubias Petite
• Anubias Afranzi
• Anubias Congensis
• Congo Ferns
• Crypt Wentii "Rose"
• Crypt Wentii "Red"
• Crypt Lucens
• Crypt Willisi

Fauna:

• Yellow Half-Moon Betta
• Red Cherry Shrimp
• Malaysian Trumpet and Ramshorn Snails

 

[ngb2322]

I'm no expert, but I'm pretty sure bettas will eat shrimp.