# Help With My 5 Gallon.



## diwu13 (Sep 20, 2011)

I guess I'll be the first. For one all your plants are low-med light plants. No reason to run 10hour light cycle unless you're planning on dosing ferts, and for those plants you don't need to either. I would lessen to cycle to about 7-8 hours. Your betta will provide more than enough "fertilizer" for the plants too 

As to where to buy plants from, I would check out the Swap and Shop (SnS) on this forum. Very good deals pop up, however, if you can't find any you like you can check out the "Power seller/Sponsor" forum and I know gordonrichards has great plants at a great price. But you might be able to find local people via the SnS. However, word of warning. When we first start out with planted tanks we'll always buy TONS of plants and run out of room for them later on. So I would wait a week, see how everything grows, then decide if you want more plants.

Lastly, the look is pretty neat. Your emphasis is clearly on the betta, which is what you want it to be on. ! Hope some of this helps!


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## TheJadeShrimp (Oct 13, 2011)

Is your Java Fern in the substrate/ground? If so, you need to remove it. Java Ferns have a rhizome located in the roots. The rhizome needs the light.

P.S. Got any clear pictures of the betta?


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## mjbn (Dec 14, 2011)

I'd say this site is a good place to buy plants. Check the SnS forum, there's a lot of good deals or check your state's thread if anyone's selling/giving anything away. If you want to order online, some ebay sellers are good and aquariumplants.com is also good. 


Nice tank and beautiful betta btw I started my aquarium "career" with a betta, too. haha


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## FishFan87 (Dec 17, 2011)

My java fern isn't really planted. Its just kind of tethered in the ground by some of the root hairs. I made sure to stay clear of the rhizome. Here are some pics of my betta.


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## FishFan87 (Dec 17, 2011)

Also, I have an api root tab for the vals and I dose nutrafin plant gro every water change. Would it be ok just to drop back to an 8 hour photo cycle and just use the root tabs?


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## mjbn (Dec 14, 2011)

:O :O :O :O :O Halfmoon betta? That makes me want to go back into Male betta keeping (i have 3 female crowns in my community)

And the java, why don't you tie the roots to the rock formation you have in there? Fishing line works well.


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## FishFan87 (Dec 17, 2011)

Does it matter which kind of fishing line you use? Someone told me only monofiliment is safe. I have fluorocarbon line on hand. Also, can you teather just the root hairs or can you tie it around the rhizome?


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## mjbn (Dec 14, 2011)

FishFan87 said:


> Also, I have an api root tab for the vals and I dose nutrafin plant gro every water change. Would it be ok just to drop back to an 8 hour photo cycle and just use the root tabs?


How often do you do a water change? &Like diwu said, I don't think you need 10 hours for those plants. I only do 7-8 on my tanks.


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## FishFan87 (Dec 17, 2011)

I do a 50% change every other week. I used to do one once a week but my betta gets too stressed.


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## mjbn (Dec 14, 2011)

I'm not entirely sure about what kind of line to use, but you could also use cotton threading. I'd recommend that over the fishing line. By the time it rots, the plant should be anchored, but with the fish line, it might "choke" the java since it wont expand or give way to the growth of it's roots. But you could always cut it off once the java is anchored in, i suppose.


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## diwu13 (Sep 20, 2011)

FishFan87 said:


> Also, I have an api root tab for the vals and I dose nutrafin plant gro every water change. Would it be ok just to drop back to an 8 hour photo cycle and just use the root tabs?


Yup, you can definitely cut down the light and use one of the fertilizers. Plants will only absorb nutrients when there is light!



FishFan87 said:


> Does it matter which kind of fishing line you use? Someone told me only monofiliment is safe. I have fluorocarbon line on hand. Also, can you teather just the root hairs or can you tie it around the rhizome?


I'm not sure which I use but whatever I did use to tie moss to DW it's sure working :X.



mjbn said:


> I'm not entirely sure about what kind of line to use, but you could also use cotton threading. I'd recommend that over the fishing line. By the time it rots, the plant should be anchored, but with the fish line, it might "choke" the java since it wont expand or give way to the growth of it's roots. But you could always cut it off once the java is anchored in, i suppose.


Cotton thread would definitely work just as well as fishing line. Not sure about choking though, I figure the rhizome would just grow in the other direction. But I don't pay close attention to the rhizomes of my anubias, I just kinda leave them there...



FishFan87 said:


> I do a 50% change every other week. I used to do one once a week but my betta gets too stressed.


I think the reason the betta would get stressed (great looking betta btw, and that's coming from a shrimp guy ) is due to the large water change. I'd recommend doing two small WC's a week. Something like 10-20%. I don't think you'd ever wanna do that large of a WC unless you're fighting ich or bacteria.


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## alex009 (May 21, 2011)

Super glue is so much easier (and nicer looking) than thread or fishing line when it comes to attaching java ferns to wood/rocks. I swear by it.


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## mjbn (Dec 14, 2011)

Oooo, i've never heard that method. I have used glue gun-glue for some stuff when i first started fish keeping with no detrimental effects, but good to know that super glue works:O


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## FishFan87 (Dec 17, 2011)

Is there any special kind of super glue that should be used, or does any work? Which part of the plant do you glue. The rhizome or the black root hair things.


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## mjbn (Dec 14, 2011)

I did a quick search and i found that cyanoacrylate gel is what people suggest as a form of super glue.


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## .Mko. (Sep 23, 2010)

I use a glue called "corafix" its perfectly aquarium safe and is the same glue people use to glue coral together. So its really tough stuff. Use only a small amount though and always use gloves when handling it. Once its stuck it stays and rarely comes off. But its a great glue to glue mosses, anubias, java ferns onto hardscapes.


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## TheJadeShrimp (Oct 13, 2011)

You have a very handsome betta! I love him! Where did you get him!


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## alex009 (May 21, 2011)

I just use the normal crazy glue I see all over the place. I apply some glue to the rhizome (make sure its not too wet), press it to the rock or wood, hold it for 20 sec and then let go. then I leave it out for 5 mins to allow the glue to cure before placing in water. The glue will turn white underwater. Tank gunk will turn it brown after a short while and then it wont even be noticeable.


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## FishFan87 (Dec 17, 2011)

TheJadeShrimp said:


> You have a very handsome betta! I love him! Where did you get him!


Believe it or not, I got him at petco. I always take a look at the bettas when I go in there and every once in awhile I find a gem like him. From time to time they even get some dragon scales in too.


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## TrueAdrian (Dec 9, 2011)

our local Petco gets in some fantastic Bettas. Ours died chasing a shrimp into a filter RIP McQueen


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## diwu13 (Sep 20, 2011)

TrueAdrian said:


> our local Petco gets in some fantastic Bettas. Ours died chasing a shrimp into a filter RIP McQueen


This is sad, but still made me laugh :X


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## TheJadeShrimp (Oct 13, 2011)

FishFan87 said:


> Believe it or not, I got him at petco. I always take a look at the bettas when I go in there and every once in awhile I find a gem like him. From time to time they even get some dragon scales in too.


Petco does get some beauties. I got my copper CT female from there. Dragons are a normal at my petco. They also have Plakats, Halfmoon Plakats, Doubletail Plakat, etc.


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## FishFan87 (Dec 17, 2011)

A betta was the first fish that got me into fish keeping so I kind of have a soft spot for them. His tank is the only tank I have running right now because the apartment im living in is small. I have made some room however and I want to set up a 14 gallon planted tank but im doing my research before I take the dive.


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## TheJadeShrimp (Oct 13, 2011)

FishFan87 said:


> A betta was the first fish that got me into fish keeping so I kind of have a soft spot for them. His tank is the only tank I have running right now because the apartment im living in is small. I have made some room however and I want to set up a 14 gallon planted tank but im doing my research before I take the dive.


I had 22 bettas at one time. I love them so much. Along with my Oscars. :bounce:


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## diwu13 (Sep 20, 2011)

TheJadeShrimp said:


> I had 22 bettas at one time. I love them so much. Along with my Oscars. :bounce:


Were they mostly female? Or you had them in 22 separate tanks :X?


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## mjbn (Dec 14, 2011)

FishFan87 said:


> A betta was the first fish that got me into fish keeping so I kind of have a soft spot for them. His tank is the only tank I have running right now because the apartment im living in is small. I have made some room however and I want to set up a 14 gallon planted tank but im doing my research before I take the dive.


^^ Same, haha.


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