# WP's 10 gal - Seasons of a Planted Tank (256k!!)



## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

Most tank journals start at the beginning... this one starts at the end. I enjoy watching sequences of planted tanks developing over time. This is mine.

*Oct 2003* - Here is how it started, with the purchase of the tank and some "Black Beauty" substrate:










A lonely Oto and a clam were the first inhabitants.

*Dec 2003* - Five dwarf pencils and later a blue ram joined the club. Glosso is spreading under 20W light, the original mountainscape is covered up by Java Moss, things are going too well:










*Jan 2004* - Decided to start over. A more massive Mountainscape, and Flourite instead of the Kitty Litter and Black Beauty:










*Feb 2004* - Almost immediately I am in algae hell. Was it the Flourite, or the lack of fast growers? Fluffy brown algae covers up everything.










*April 2004* - For four months, I stare at my tank and try to figure out what's going on, while telling others how to fight algae. With 1 part CO2, 1 part NO3/PO4, 3 parts water changes, and 5 parts patience the algae finally recedes:










*May 2004* - Things are coming together, the Java moss wall is lush, and it's time to pull out some of the collectoritis plants:










*July 2004* - Java moss wall is being replaced with a Christmas moss wall, which looks nice after 4 weeks. Much more compact than the fuzzy Java moss. Tank is being overrun by Cherry Shrimps.










*Oct 2004* - Pulled out the moss wall since it isn't going with the mountainscape theme. Not happy with aquascaping, but finally got plants to grow.










*Jan 2005* - Bragged about balanced tank. Aquascaping phase starts:










*August 2005* - Reduced plant variety to mostly green, slower growing plants. Enjoying tank quite a bit.










*Jan 2006* - Will post a most recent shot of the tank soon. Things are going well. Added 3 male and 3 juvenile Endlers (thanks Bill!) to keep dwarf pencils some company. Christmas moss tree is growing well. Removed Hagen ladder (eyesore), CO2 goes into HOB filter. Dreaming of rimless tanks with glass lilies growing in them.

*Feb 2006* - Here is the tank today. Instead of pulling hair algae, scraping diatoms and cursing bba, I spend time with scissors to remove moss and pearlweed that doesn't grow where I want it. Finally, I reached the aquascaping phase!

edit: I maxed out the number of pictures... for the final picture, see post 8 below.


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## Jdinh04 (Mar 15, 2004)

All I can say is WOW, your tank has been through so many stages!


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## esarkipato (Jul 19, 2005)

Cool progression, wassser. I'm curious what you have for hardware: co2, lights, and filter? 

That battle with the BBA sounds like it was rough.

Also interesting to see that you gave the tank a good year of maturing before putting too much time/effort/$$ into 'scaping! That's pretty patient!


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

esarkipato said:
 

> Cool progression, wassser. I'm curious what you have for hardware: co2, lights, and filter?


Check out my signature!  2 13W AHS deluxe kits with 7100K bulbs. kH10 pH~7.2, autodosing.



esarkipato said:


> Also interesting to see that you gave the tank a good year of maturing before putting too much time/effort/$$ into 'scaping! That's pretty patient!


Back then I was figuring out which plants would do well for me. Still think that it's a good approach to first let the tank grow in, then later reduce the fast growers and do the aquascaping.


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## BSS (Sep 24, 2004)

I really liked the original mountain scape look. But, as is typical, the mountains soon become hidden. Is that a Jave Fern wendelov (sp?) in the middle top of the tank. It has a real nice look.


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

Yeah, it's tough to keep the mountains visible in a tank as small as a 10 gal. Sometimes I remove 50% or so of the Windelov Fern (that's what it is) but it grows back quickly. Cutting as we speak.


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## valleyvampiress (Apr 25, 2005)

Wow, lots of steps and time to get where it is now. Talk about patience! I am looking forward to the day when I will not have to combat algae anymore.


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

*Feb 2006* - Here is the tank today. Instead of pulling hair algae, scraping diatoms and cursing bba, I spend time with scissors to remove moss and pearlweed that doesn't grow where I want it. Finally, I reached the aquascaping phase!










Here is the Christmas Moss tree. Hope you like it!  










Happy gardening!


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## PeteyPob (Apr 26, 2004)

very nice! love how you got the java lace looking real healthy!


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

Thank you! The fern likes it up there. However, it's covering up the mountainscape... I'll probably pull it one of these days, and replace it with a less vigorous plant. Growing out some narrowleaf JF right now. Or maybe just attach some moss to the "mountains".


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

Just a quick, happy update... things are growing well, I removed all but a tiny little bit of the Windelov Java, the Christmas (moss) tree is growing 










Bills Endlers seem to be happy. A singapore/wood shrimp has joined the crew... this one I bought intentionally small, after my last one lived only less than a year and died - assuming from advanced age.


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## mrbelvedere (Nov 15, 2005)

Nice 10 gallon. I tried to model my ten in a way reminiscent of yours, but it just ended up being a place to put my clippings and grow my epiphytes. Someday.........


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## jeff63851 (Oct 17, 2004)

Nice Tank! Is all that Java Moss covering up the Mountain? I like the way it looks. Makes me wish I had some moss in my tank...


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

I think this is what's called "Weeping Moss". Java moss grows kinda all over the place in all directions, while this one looks a little like a conifer/pine tree. Can't be sure, but I think I removed most Java moss from my tanks, and just kept this weeping one and christmas moss.


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## unirdna (Jan 22, 2004)

Blown Away, Wasser! Some of the best moss growing/scaping I've seen. I could stare into that little beauty for hours.


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

Thanks all for your kind comments! Ted, I'm the same way... could stare at it for hours! Ask my wife :hihi: Oookay, gotta go.


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## fresh_lynny (Mar 9, 2006)

Gorgeous, WP...I love the lush green. It is quite captivating. I am just over the cycle stage, into the grow like a jungle stage, right beofre the aquascape stage.


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## Y0uH0 (Dec 19, 2005)

very very nice=) it is really amazing to see how a tank transforms over time


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

Thank you Ladies and Gents for the kind comments! :smile:

It sure is interesting to follow an aquascape over the years. I need to dig out some of the photos from the tanks I had as a kid, some 25 years ago. That would be a blast. :hihi: 

Lynn, it is always good if you can skip the "algae stage". The "jungle stage" stabilizes a tank, then you can start pulling out plants and replace fast with slower growers without bad surprices.


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## fresh_lynny (Mar 9, 2006)

Wasserpest said:


> Thank you Ladies and Gents for the kind comments! :smile:
> 
> It sure is interesting to follow an aquascape over the years. I need to dig out some of the photos from the tanks I had as a kid, some 25 years ago. That would be a blast. :hihi:
> 
> Lynn, it is always good if you can skip the "algae stage". The "jungle stage" stabilizes a tank, then you can start pulling out plants and replace fast with slower growers without bad surprices.


Well I can thank the likes of you for passing that stage. I did have Dust and GW but within 3 days my UV got rid of it. I use it only on occasion. After all of my research and reading, I learned to just grow and cycle with fish and grow more before thinking about the aquascape, so that is the ugly stage I am in. My link to pictures is in the general forum, so you can take a look and see how icky it is lol
Anyway, nice job WP. That is a nice look, and I love the moss, and so will my shrimpys.


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## A Hill (Jul 25, 2005)

great looking tank! 

I LOVE MOSS!!!

lol my 10g is very similer to yours... all moss pretty much, just not scaped the same, and diffrent mosses... one of my most "rare" is strimgy moss... i don't know many people who have it. i also have this un IDed moss i collected in main. really cool HUGE leaflets...! and its just really starting to take off... wierd moss =-\

tank looks great! nice to see another person who likes their mosses!

- fish newb


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

Thanks Fish, we should do a moss-swap.


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## A Hill (Jul 25, 2005)

Wasserpest said:


> Thanks Fish, we should do a moss-swap.


we should! sooner or later. im growing out some stringy moss.... its "almost" to the top of my tank. once that happens i have a feeling it will mostly be for sale or trade. i need to get some room back in my 10g.. then i have this HugE piece of driftwood in the tank that i got from Florida... i think its a palmtree piece lol its really cool... covered that with moss and thats growing out now too... i think since im getting out of school wensday ill be going thru some local streams and stuff looking for new plants. so ill have to make some room soon!

good luck!

(i have to say i dont have any of the more normal mosses...:hihi: i think my really wierd moss could be a form of willow but if it is it is NOTHING like it.)


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## epicfish (Sep 11, 2006)

Not to dig up a very old post, but...what rocks/stones did you use for that mountain scape? Looks great.

edit: Found out.


Wasserpest said:


> Rocks from mountains closeby


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## FelixAvery (Jan 11, 2007)

sweet tank mate
i love the little tree
i sent you a pm


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## demosthenes (Aug 23, 2008)

this is ridiculously good. honestly, my mind was just blown. ive got a long way to go with my 10g! lol


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## bubbless (Nov 19, 2006)

1) that looks more like 20-30 gallon rather than a ten
2) eventhough though all the plants are green, the different textures and shapes of the various plants gives a great visual diversity
3) Last but not least, THATS ONE AWESOME TANK!:hihi:


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

Thanks for your kind comments. I can't believe it has been 2.5 years since I last updated this thread. Time flies...

Here is a more recent (a year old) shot of the tank:










I changed the lighting a bit, less light, less heat, even less growth, but it all balanced out after a while.

Its days are counted though... I am working on a large double tank project for my garage, and once that is completed, I am planning to take down this tank to reduce maintenance time and size of my desk.


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## CL (Mar 13, 2008)

Nice tank! I can't believe that it is only a 10 gallon tank. 'Bout time for an update


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## luckydud13 (Jun 21, 2008)

If I might ask how did you go about constructing the christmas tree moss in the shape of a tree? THX


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## @[email protected] (Oct 24, 2007)

i really like it. i however think it would look better if the part in the front where you can see the substrate was planted with a very low growing carpet, like HC, or moss. i dont know if what you have in there is HC or HM or something else, but it would look better if you got it to grow horizontally.


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

You are absolutely correct... If you look at the photo posted 3/25/06, you can see how this usually looks. The plant I have in there is somewhat similar to HM, I call it "Two-leaved Pearlweed". Regular Pearlweed has 3 or more leaves around each node.

So anyway, there are 4 stages of this plant:

1. Little stems stuck in substrate, like in that most recent picture.

2. As they grow in, shoots grow horizontally along the substrate. The long stems can be cut back.

3. This is the good-looking phase... nice dense substrate-hugging lawn.

4. Overgrowing phase... cutting back is hopeless and frustrating due to the density of the plant, and the thousands of little pieces floating through the tank. So, pull it all out, and start over at phase 1.

Unfortunately, it is a pretty fast growing plant, so these phases are not very long. Here is a picture from a different tank where you can see stages 2 through 4...


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## CL (Mar 13, 2008)

Yeah, that plant is sold at my lfs as baby's tears, but it has round leaves in sets of two...


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

luckydud13 said:


> If I might ask how did you go about constructing the christmas tree moss in the shape of a tree? THX


Sure, I just took a piece of driftwood, and wrapped a little bit of Christmas Moss around it, fixing it with some black string. After a while it grows out to some tree-looking shape.

First it is kinda interesting, but after a while it seems a bit unnatural and so... no more trees in my tanks. :icon_mrgr


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## Betowess (Dec 9, 2004)

Very nice Wasser! And only a ten gallon - wow. But don't trees (er, branches, trunks, or limbs and such) belong in tanks, (without their leaves, of course)? I am kind of thinking of doing something like those pics Ted had of scuba diving in a fresh water lake - with a bunch of dead trees sticking straight up. I guess they prolly drowned??


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

clwatkins10 said:


> Yeah, that plant is sold at my lfs as baby's tears, but it has round leaves in sets of two...


That's the thing with common names... don't mean much, anyone can call anything Baby's Tears. There is even a terrestric plant called Baby's Tears (Soleirolia, a relative of Ficus). Usually the aquatic Baby's Tears are Micranthemum umbrosum, which is a different plant with larger, rounded leaves, similar to Lindernia :icon_roll. The plant in my tank has narrow, pointed leaves, similar to Pearlweed (HM).


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

Betowess said:


> Very nice Wasser! And only a ten gallon - wow. But don't trees (er, branches, trunks, or limbs and such) belong in tanks, (without their leaves, of course)? I am kind of thinking of doing something like those pics Ted had of scuba diving in a fresh water lake - with a bunch of dead trees sticking straight up. I guess they prolly drowned??


I am sure you can make it look pretty natural, I just noticed that after a while, I got tired of the tree. It needs some sort of haircut every so often. Like regular trees, it creates a shaded area underneath. And it sure gets in the way when you do any pruning or vacuuming or try to catch a fish.

Yesterday afternoon I did my half-automated water change, and removed the draining part, and -duh- forgot to turn off the filling part. With it sitting on my desk and filling and filling for an hour I came back to a wet carpet, drowned printer and keyboard, and water everywhere. :icon_eek:


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

*The End...*

After over 5 years, I am taking down this tank. Here is the last picture:










I enjoyed this tank a lot, from all tanks this one was usually the cleanest, not much algae, no snails, and slow and healthy plant growth. Sure it went through a few challenging months, but it found balance after a short while.

My wife and I are a bit sad to see this tank go, but sitting on my desk it takes up a lot of space, and the risk of flooding my computer equipment makes the decision easier. With the new double tank in the garage I can use the time that I spent with this tank and focus on the other (bigger) things.


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## CL (Mar 13, 2008)

That sure is a nice last picture  It was great while it lasted! Very well done and nice scale


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