# 20G Aquarium Build



## Strongarm (Jan 27, 2021)

I wanted to do a Planted Tank for a long time, but alas, work, life, family always got in the way. After just biting the bullet at a Big-Box store, a sale was my outlet.
$56.00 and I went home with a 20 gallon high (Tall), and got a stand almost as cheap, on a different sale day. After one of our boys moved out on his own, my wife went to re-arranging, and made a bedroom into an Office.

Here is the damage done at the store. I began the setup....




























After I got this far, I realized that some of these Big Box Store plants were....Junk!
Upon making an effort to get them out of the container, several came out in pieces in my hand.
That was before I even touched them. Oh well, more Super Glue....
The hair grass was brown in most places. I think it will recover with a Marline land stock LED that came with the tank.
I plan to add a light










A little CO2 45g outfit should do the trick for now. I didn't plan on adding Co2. But I got it, so use it right?










Then about a week later, I added a Blue Butterfly HM Betta, and some Hair Grass.










A few days later, I added 6 Female Platies, and 4 Otto's. I believe that's enough fish for now.

The Male Betta doing his Sunbathing routine. He likes that rock....










So far so good. I can say I am going to find another source for plants....


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## minorhero (Mar 28, 2019)

Welcome to the forum!

Definitely a good first planted tank. It looks like your larger plants are java fern and anubias. Just make sure none of those are planted in the substrate or they will die. Anubias and java fern are known as epiphyte plants, meaning they grow on rocks or wood. You can stick them into cracks between rocks but if you put the rootball into the substrate the whole plant will die.


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## Strongarm (Jan 27, 2021)

minorhero said:


> Welcome to the forum!
> 
> Definitely a good first planted tank. It looks like your larger plants are java fern and anubias. Just make sure none of those are planted in the substrate or they will die. Anubias and java fern are known as epiphyte plants, meaning they grow on rocks or wood. You can stick them into cracks between rocks but if you put the rootball into the substrate the whole plant will die.


 Thank you sir. I will get on that when I get home, as you are right, they are planted. Good eye!


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## minorhero (Mar 28, 2019)

Strongarm said:


> Thank you sir. I will get on that when I get home, as you are right, they are planted. Good eye!


I always look for that because when I first started with a planted tank I did the exact same thing. Unfortunately I used a much rarer plant and totally destroyed it.


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## Strongarm (Jan 27, 2021)

minorhero said:


> I always look for that because when I first started with a planted tank I did the exact same thing. Unfortunately I used a much rarer plant and totally destroyed it.


Oh no! That's a Bummer!
Thanks for the help. I think I'll post what I am thinking of doing, first from now on....Folks that can. and will help is of great value to the Newbie.


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## evil8 (Aug 7, 2018)

Looks nice! Love the blue betta, of course. It's good you got female platties, but it's fun when I see a little baby one that didn't get eaten.


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## Strongarm (Jan 27, 2021)

evil8 said:


> Looks nice! Love the blue betta, of course. It's good you got female platties, but it's fun when I see a little baby one that didn't get eaten.


Can't wait for the girls to start having fry. I bought them in a Big Box store, and there were 6 females in the tank, no males, so I bought the whole tank full. lol.
I bet they are pregnant, and are just not showing anything, yet. I hope so!


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## Strongarm (Jan 27, 2021)

evil8 said:


> Looks nice! Love the blue betta, of course. It's good you got female platties, but it's fun when I see a little baby one that didn't get eaten.


Thank you for the Betta Compliment. He is chill, and plays well with others.


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## evil8 (Aug 7, 2018)

Strongarm said:


> Thank you for the Betta Compliment. He is chill, and plays well with others.


My betta is chill too. I put cherry shrimp in the tank with him and he followed them around for a couple of weeks like a puppy, but now just mostly ignores them. There are baby shrimp everywhere now! I also have him trained to come when I tap the food container on the glass.


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## Strongarm (Jan 27, 2021)

evil8 said:


> My betta is chill too. I put cherry shrimp in the tank with him and he followed them around for a couple of weeks like a puppy, but now just mostly ignores them. There are baby shrimp everywhere now! I also have him trained to come when I tap the food container on the glass.


Wow, that's something I didn't know they did! Tap on glass to "Come Here!" Nice. Ok, now my motor is running with the shrimp thing. I like the Blue Shrimp, to go with a Blue Male Betta.
At the Big Box store, they only had Ghost Shrimp. I couldn't see them.....What was I expecting right? So Blue or Red, Gold or Green, I'll find some. That's Awesome!


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## hayboyek (Feb 3, 2021)

looks interesting plant


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## JmBrown89 (Mar 24, 2021)

it looks just fine. How long have you been collecting it? I think it took a lot of time and effort. BUT, looking at these photos, I understand that it was worth it.


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## Strongarm (Jan 27, 2021)

JmBrown89 said:


> it looks just fine. How long have you been collecting it? I think it took a lot of time and effort. BUT, looking at these photos, I understand that it was worth it.


I'm not through yet. Life took over and haven't been at "The Planted Tank" in a while. The tank, stand, rocks, and a couple of plants which were the Anubis Nana, Hair Grass, and Java Fern was a weekend build, and have been adding and or removing stuff, over the past few months. The Betta likes to "Roll" in the hair grass, and eventually "Dug" it all up...lol. The Rocks were from near my house in the River. Still collecting and re-shaping the tank. I'll try to get some pics this weekend of changes. Thank you for the comments! Keeps me motivated!


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