# Thoughts on my first



## tcrawl97 (Apr 5, 2019)

What do yall think hasn't been set up very long. Waiting for pay day to fill in the back a little bit and waiting for my betta bulbs to bloom. Eventually its gonna be a betta haven 20gal tall (i think) just want everyone's opinion on anything possible. I've been waiting to get into this hobby for so long and it feels good to finally start and I'm super excited thanks in advance.






























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## DaveKS (Apr 2, 2019)

Looks like a good start, pleasing design. Nice to see you didn’t totally over do soil layer. 

I’d move filter over bit towards center so it’s output sweeps by wood instead of being blocked by wood. Many people underestimate how important good flow patterns in tank and across substrate bed is for keeping a healthy tank. 

A nice dark backdrop will help dark filter from sticking out as much which is why I figure you hid it behind wood.


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## tcrawl97 (Apr 5, 2019)

DaveKS said:


> Looks like a good start, pleasing design. Nice to see you didn’t totally over do soil layer.
> 
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> ...


You dont think the flow would be too much for a betta? It's a fluval aqua clear 20. If you dont think it will affect the betta then I'll plan on moving it when I rescape. I put it in the corner to help keep the flow from pushing it around (when I get one). 

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## Willcooper (May 31, 2015)

With aquaclears you just need to keep the water level high so it sweeps across the top of the water column and then down the front and back towards the intake. Will be fine. I ran an aquaclear 50 on a 20 long with bettas and all was fine. You’ll just watch your tank and react how you need to. 


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## tcrawl97 (Apr 5, 2019)

Willcooper said:


> With aquaclears you just need to keep the water level high so it sweeps across the top of the water column and then down the front and back towards the intake. Will be fine. I ran an aquaclear 50 on a 20 long with bettas and all was fine. You’ll just watch your tank and react how you need to.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Thanks for the input. Is there anything else you think I might needa add or change?

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## aquanerd13 (Jun 22, 2019)

Though bare it looks really good! I would get a large anubias to put in the back in the big bare spot and then not add anything else. What kind of fish/inverts are in the tank and how many?


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## Willcooper (May 31, 2015)

tcrawl97 said:


> Thanks for the input. Is there anything else you think I might needa add or change?
> 
> Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk




My answer will always be more plants lol. Most plants can be grown in lower tech setups just do some basic research for lower light plants. The more you have the better for the ecosystem just make sure you provide the proper amount of nutrients for the plant mass you have. Currently you can likely get by with just fish food related nutrients. 


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## DaveKS (Apr 2, 2019)

tcrawl97 said:


> You dont think the flow would be too much for a betta? It's a fluval aqua clear 20. If you dont think it will affect the betta then I'll plan on moving it when I rescape. I put it in the corner to help keep the flow from pushing it around (when I get one).
> 
> Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk


No not at all. I run a 20 on a 7gal with Betta. Especially in a 20gal there are plenty of other places for him to swim around. 

Don’t move filter to right corner, just a bit to right so current sweeps slightly down and across substrate bed close to center of tank at front. You want to see those grass at front center wave a little bit. I’m talking just enough to right so output of filter still kind of hits right edge of wood and buffers it but there is still about half water flow going right by wood. 

You can always slow down output of aquaclear if needed. And don’t by a lazy ass Betta that can’t swim just because he has pretty colors. I picked this guy just because he was so active and rambunctious acting in cup. At beginning of video you’ll see plants wiggling in the current right under him, he just swims around that area. Once your Aponogeton bulbs fill in he’ll have plenty of leafy quiet areas to go play around in. 






Water current sweeps right over that rock/cave in center. That mesh strainer sock is over input tube of AC20 to keep snails out of it.


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## tcrawl97 (Apr 5, 2019)

aquanerd13 said:


> Though bare it looks really good! I would get a large anubias to put in the back in the big bare spot and then not add anything else. What kind of fish/inverts are in the tank and how many?


As of right now I have 5 feeder fish I bought at local pet store for 16 cents a pop but i would like to get a few neons, a betta, maybe some shrimp and bottom feeders but other than that it was primarily gonna be for a betta.

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## tcrawl97 (Apr 5, 2019)

Willcooper said:


> My answer will always be more plants lol. Most plants can be grown in lower tech setups just do some basic research for lower light plants. The more you have the better for the ecosystem just make sure you provide the proper amount of nutrients for the plant mass you have. Currently you can likely get by with just fish food related nutrients.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I have a couple betta bulbs planted just waiting for them to grow but i plan on amazon sword, anubias, and maybe some java moss to place on rocks and the wood.

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## aquanerd13 (Jun 22, 2019)

Those feeder fish are usually comet goldfish which get 12+ inches long and are plant terminators. They produce a crap ton of ammonia(pun intended) and really cannot be properly cared for unless kept in a pond. Also, they live 14 years or more in good conditions.


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## tcrawl97 (Apr 5, 2019)

aquanerd13 said:


> Those feeder fish are usually comet goldfish which get 12+ inches long and are plant terminators. They produce a crap ton of ammonia(pun intended) and really cannot be properly cared for unless kept in a pond. Also, they live 14 years or more in good conditions.


The pet store had them labeled as rosy red minnows are they the same thing as what u described? 

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## Desert Pupfish (May 6, 2019)

tcrawl97 said:


> The pet store had them labeled as rosy red minnows are they the same thing as what u described?


No, these are small minnows that usually grow 2-3" long. The same kind as bait minnows, just in a rosy color. Very hardy, but they're shipped & held in terrible conditions and can often have diseases and/or parasites. I wouldn't add any fish you care about until you've quarantined these for at least a month. Never had to deal with worms myself, but others on here might be able to advise you on a prophylactic deworming regimen so they don't infect other more valuable fish you get later on. 

And pardon my ignorance, but what's a betta bulb?


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## tcrawl97 (Apr 5, 2019)

Desert Pupfish said:


> No, these are small minnows that usually grow 2-3" long. The same kind as bait minnows, just in a rosy color. Very hardy, but they're shipped & held in terrible conditions and can often have diseases and/or parasites. I wouldn't add any fish you care about until you've quarantined these for at least a month. Never had to deal with worms myself, but others on here might be able to advise you on a prophylactic deworming regimen so they don't infect other more valuable fish you get later on.
> 
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> And pardon my ignorance, but what's a betta bulb?


Found them for $4.99 at local pet store as well came in a pack of 4









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## tcrawl97 (Apr 5, 2019)

Should have some amazon frogbit coming in today or tomorrow does anyone think that my light may be too close to the water level for it to survive?


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## DaveKS (Apr 2, 2019)

Frogbit should be fine unless your using a really hot incandescent or halide type lamp that will dry them out. And no, light won’t be to strong, that’s what makes them such great plants for cleaning water, they pull all co2 and light they need from surface and are little turbo charged water scrubbers.

And wait on other plants, those aponogeton bulbs are usually about 10-12” wide and 14-16” tall so those 2 more than likely will completely fill that back right area. Bad part is you never know what variety you’ll get in those packs.


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## tcrawl97 (Apr 5, 2019)

DaveKS said:


> Frogbit should be fine unless your using a really hot incandescent or halide type lamp that will dry them out. And no, light won’t be to strong, that’s what makes them such great plants for cleaning water, they pull all co2 and light they need from surface and are little turbo charged water scrubbers.
> 
> 
> 
> And wait on other plants, those aponogeton bulbs are usually about 10-12” wide and 14-16” tall so those 2 more than likely will completely fill that back right area. Bad part is you never know what variety you’ll get in those packs.


How long till they get that big usually? 

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## aquanerd13 (Jun 22, 2019)

No. floating plants generally need high lighting.


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## tcrawl97 (Apr 5, 2019)

Think I might have done something wrong.... so I just got my frogbit in the mail and it looks pretty good... i didn't leave it in the mailbox too long (Texas heat) and i find one that's dead and one that was dying. I immediately removed the 2 and flushed them. Could the new plant be the problem? I didn't wash it like I should have just went straight from package to tank. One had what looked like a little bubble or blister type by the gills. The other 3 are fine as of right now nothing seems out of ordinary.

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## tcrawl97 (Apr 5, 2019)

tcrawl97 said:


> Think I might have done something wrong.... so I just got my frogbit in the mail and it looks pretty good... i didn't leave it in the mailbox too long (Texas heat) and i find one that's dead and one that was dying. I immediately removed the 2 and flushed them. Could the new plant be the problem? I didn't wash it like I should have just went straight from package to tank. One had what looked like a little bubble or blister type by the gills. The other 3 are fine as of right now nothing seems out of ordinary.
> 
> Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk


Found fish that is not plants


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