# New owner. Low-tech 10g



## rouseyss/sc (Sep 18, 2012)

I am a new owner and this will be my first setup. I have a knowledgable roommate who got me into fish tanks and gave me his 10G when he upgraded and I decided I want a low-tech tank with tetra fish and a couple ottos. 

Today, I setup my tank and got it going with Java moss, 2 java fern, 1 bamboo and two fast growing plants to get it started along with some wood on top of the java moss so the moss will grow onto the wood. Also, I ordered some dry fertilizer (Potassium Nitrate, potassium mono phospate) for the plants that I will be using every 2 weeks.

Im excited about a fish tank and I never thought I would say that. The first picture is when I first set it up and the second is as it sits now. It's on a timer for 6 hours a day of t8 18w 6500k lighting.


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## Knotyoureality (Aug 3, 2012)

You say "fish will be in soon", how soon? 

I ask because you'll need to cycle the tank before adding much in the way of fish--and otos have a much better survival rate going into an established tank that's already producing algae for them.

Ah, you'll also need to pull those java ferns up out of the substrate. The rhizome (the thick fleshy part the leaves grow from) will rot and the plant die if it's buried. While it's possible to sink just the roots into the substrate leaving the rhizome exposed, most folks tie or glue them onto rocks or driftwood to make sure the rhizomes don't get buried.


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## Gooberfish (Mar 27, 2012)

You've got a pretty good foundation going. 

+1 on the yanking the java fern out of the substrate. You could possibly tie that to the wood if you wanted or rocks. 

Definitely let your tank cycle for about a month until you see the brown diatom algae forming. Then add your ottos and fish so they can start eating right away. 

Also, be sure to roam this site and do your hw. There is so much that can be learned from other people.


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## rouseyss/sc (Sep 18, 2012)

Alright when i get home friday i will unplant the ferns its gonna be about 3-4 weeks for fish. Thanks for the advice and ill continue to read the site.


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## l8nite (Aug 29, 2012)

I love the wood + lava rock combo


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## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

You can do a fishless cycle to get a good population of nitrifying bacteria growing. Just running the tank does not grow much. These bacteria need ammonia to grow.


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## rouseyss/sc (Sep 18, 2012)

How long should I go about a fishless cycle? I am new to cycles and I hear like a month without fish is a good start.


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## PinkRasbora (Jan 22, 2005)

You might wanna raise the water level, your creating quite the waterfall effect, thats gonna cause splashing on your light reflectors and make less light get to the tank.


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## rouseyss/sc (Sep 18, 2012)

Alright I will do that. Am i right when saying that the ammonia levels are going to raise from the plants that are in the tank? Adding the nutrients in two weeks will help lower the ammonia then again in an additional two weeks after another nutrient cycle the ammonia should be rather minimal?


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## l8nite (Aug 29, 2012)

rouseyss/sc said:


> How long should I go about a fishless cycle? I am new to cycles and I hear like a month without fish is a good start.


My 5 gallon took ~40 days dosing 4ppm ammonia. I used this ammonia calculator.

Shaun


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## rouseyss/sc (Sep 18, 2012)

So what nutrients should I be using for ammonia? I am using the Barr method as a type of lead. I guess I am confused on the ammonia aspect. I ordered potassium nitrate and potassium mono phosphate for nutrients. Can someone lead me in the right direction for the ammonia setup as for what nutrients are needed and dosage? Thanks and sorry for the stupid questions

After researching inital break in here is what I have come to. Once I get home friday I need to get ammonia and test stripes. I want the ammonia to reach a 5.0 ppm level for my inital cycle. I should do this intially and do the same number of drops until I get a nitrate reading. Once I have a nitrate reading do half and continue until I have zero ammonia and zero nitrates. At this time do a water change. Seems relatively easy. Thanks for setting me straight because I am a complete noob to tanks and want it to be successful


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## l8nite (Aug 29, 2012)

I used Janitorial Ammonia from ACE hardware. This was/is different from the fertilizers I was using for the plants.

I used this guide to fishless cycling (there are quite a few different ones out there, but the basic message is the same... dose ammonia and have patience).

Here is a picture of the ammonia I used - I bought a cheapo syringe (for children's medicine) from Walgreens and used that to put the right amounts in.

















Edit: Forgot to mention, make sure the ammonia you buy doesn't contain any surfactants. If you shake it and see soapy-looking bubbles at the top, then it's no good. Home Depot, Orchard Supply, and Lowes all didn't carry the stuff I was looking for.


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## rouseyss/sc (Sep 18, 2012)

Alright I will start to use ammonia on the tank Friday when I get home. I will not use the nutrients until after the initial cycle. Such a learning experience lol.


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## rouseyss/sc (Sep 18, 2012)

Well I just went ahead and bought a heater and a whisper air pump for my tank. Now it has a filter heater and air pump setup. Im stoked and ready to get my ammonia going on Friday


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## Django (Jun 13, 2012)

When I started my first tank, a 10 gallon, I used fast-growing stem plants to absorb the ammonia plus just to be sure, bacteria-in-a-bottle. B-n-b is not necessary, but I did it anyway.

I would say you need around 50% of the tank occupied by plants. At that level they will be able to handle the ammonia from the fish and waste. It might be best to only put in a few fish at a time, although that may not be necessary. Fast-growing plants are voracious ammonia consumers.

Nitrifying bacteria will reach necessary levels during the time indicated on the bottle.

I get the idea that this is a fairly recent method. The proponent of this method that I am familiar with is Diana Walstad (Ecology of the Planted Aquarium).


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## rouseyss/sc (Sep 18, 2012)

I added a heater and an air whisper air pump along with starting my ammonia cycle. I unplanted the two ferns and attached one to the mask and the other to my lava rock. Tell me what you think


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## l8nite (Aug 29, 2012)

rouseyss/sc said:


> I added a heater and an air whisper air pump along with starting my ammonia cycle. I unplanted the two ferns and attached one to the mask and the other to my lava rock. Tell me what you think


Looks like a good start. You need some more water


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## Silmarwen (Sep 21, 2012)

I was just about to mention the water level, haha.

That looks like the exact kit I have, actually 

Maybe something more low in the foreground. I haven't experimented with ground covers myself yet, but it just seems a bit bare?

Good luck with the fishless cycle! I've never done it--I got some danios to try and start cycling my own tank with.


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## rouseyss/sc (Sep 18, 2012)

yea I will be adding more water when I do a water change in about 2 weeks. Yea I feel like its a tad bare also but that java moss will grow and fill in the front hopefully. If not ill do some additions.


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## Silmarwen (Sep 21, 2012)

I feel like, if you aren't planting a bunch of fully-grown plants (probably rather impractical to do anyway), then it will always look bare for a little while until things start to grow up and fill out, you know? I look forward to seeing how this does, I do like it so far.


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