# My first planted aquarium - Journal of a Ten Gallon - Tank Finished! (For now hehe)



## Chrisinator (Jun 5, 2008)

I'm not a huge fan of those "aquarium plant pack". It doesn't really provide you with varaties and their pretty expensive. I think you should go to your LFS and check out their plant section and buys plants that you think would look good.

Your driftwood looks really natural. I'm wondering if you flip the driftwood to abotu 45 degrees, I think that would look cool. Then put plants around it and some sort of foreground plant. 

As for the schooling fish, I would get either Neon Tetras, or Rummynose Tetras, Cardinal Tetras or Green Neon Tetras. Also, I would get 2 cories instead of one just to give the cories more company.


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## markalot (Apr 8, 2007)

I would replace the 'blue' bulb with either a 6700K daylight bulb or a colorlife bulb (I'm assuming you have a Coralife t5 fixture). You might also think about getting a second fixture to really bring up the light. One fixture goes in front, the other in back.

That plant pack is boring.  Look for some traders here or on APC. See what they are selling, look up the plant here, on APC, or at plantgeek to see how easy/hard it is, then buy what you like. Plug them in, see how they grow. if something doesn't work for you toss it and try something else.


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## OverStocked (May 26, 2007)

replace the acitinic with a 6500k daylight bulb. This bulb does nothign for plants.


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## ChadEmrick (Jun 21, 2008)

Chrisinator said:


> I'm not a huge fan of those "aquarium plant pack". It doesn't really provide you with varaties and their pretty expensive. I think you should go to your LFS and check out their plant section and buys plants that you think would look good.


I thought it was cheap for 8 plants, but I really don't know what I'm talking about hahaha. My LFS doesn't sell any freshwater plants. They have tons of corals for reef tanks, but besides fish, thats the only thing they sell. 



Chrisinator said:


> Also, I would get 2 cories instead of one just to give the cories more company.


I have two cories. I plan on getting one more on top of those two. 



markalot said:


> That plant pack is boring.  Look for some traders here or on APC. See what they are selling, look up the plant here, on APC, or at plantgeek to see how easy/hard it is, then buy what you like. Plug them in, see how they grow. if something doesn't work for you toss it and try something else.


I liked it hahahaha

I will look on here though if I can get a similar amount of plants for a similar price that I like. 



over_stocked said:


> replace the acitinic with a 6500k daylight bulb. This bulb does nothing for plants.


I didn't know this! I will do that ASAP.


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## ChadEmrick (Jun 21, 2008)

This is what the bulbs actually are.

I am going to buy a second one to replace the one actinic. Are those bulbs good enough?


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## ChadEmrick (Jun 21, 2008)

Okay so I ordered another day bulb in replacement for the actinic, and bought these plants from this board. I cannot thank you guys enough for making me realize how ripped off I was getting on live aquaria. I got 15 Stems Asian Ambulia, 1 ball Java Moss, 3 Plantlets of Oak Leaf Water Sprite, 1 Stem of Wisteria, 3 Val 'Nana', and 10 Stems Tropic Sunset for half the price I was gonna get my stuff from live aquaria. 

Here is a pic of it all:










After I get it all planted, I think for fish I'm going to get 4 harlequin rasboras, 4 zebra danios, and 4 rummynose tetras. Thats going to be kind of a lot, but I'll do more water changes if I need to. 

What do you guys think? Comments/concerns?


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## Chrisinator (Jun 5, 2008)

Wow! You have () so much better varieties of plants. Especially that Sunsey Hygro. Sunset Hygros are one my favorite plants.


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## ChadEmrick (Jun 21, 2008)

Had? or have? hahaha


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## Chrisinator (Jun 5, 2008)

Whoops! Anyway, how are the plants looking for you!


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## ChadEmrick (Jun 21, 2008)

Didn't get them yet. I ordered them this morning. 

I am so excited. I cannot wait to get everything put together. I will post pics as soon as my plants are in the tank!


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## ChadEmrick (Jun 21, 2008)

Well heres a pic of the tank how it is now. The black flourite sand came in today. Tommorrow my plants should come. I cant wait! The water is foggy because of the darn sand. 

I plan on putting the java moss on the three rocks, and the plants around the back of the rocks, leaving bare sand on the left and right of the rocks. There I will put some micro sword that I have yet to order, and maybe a java fern in the middle of the three rocks. 

What do you guys think?


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## crudnugget (Feb 5, 2008)

I think you will be pleased if you move the group of rocks to the left or right, so they are a bit off center. You can keep them in that formation, but it will give the tank a better look if they are off to the side.


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## Gatekeeper (Feb 20, 2007)

Bad grouping. Do yourself a favor. Take a camera down to a stream or brook and snap a bunch of photos. Pick one, and arrange your rocks to match the photo (if you can).

Guarentee they won't be symmentrically arranged and the same size.

Get creative a bit. make some mistakes. Have fun!


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## skoorbza (Jun 8, 2008)

Have you considered giving the look more "terrain" by mounding or sloping the substrate?

And I agree with crudnugget about trying something slightly off-center.


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## ChadEmrick (Jun 21, 2008)

I can't thank you guys enough. I knew my arrangment was boring, but I couldn't put my finger on what was bothering me with it. It was too symetrical, and too just perfectly in the middle. Thanks again! 

Heres what I have now, and I like it WAYYYY more than what I had before.


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## nate_mcnasty (Mar 11, 2008)

where did you get those rocks and will they be ok in your tank(did you test them)? i like to get rocks that are all the same color and texture. sorry if this not helping

and try to make your substrate look like it is sloping it looks kinda funny just flat


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## chase127 (Jun 8, 2008)

hey i see youre trying to do your own CO2. heres a link with some good info 

i used a smaller G2 bottle with a tsp of yeast and about 1/4cup of sugar.


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## ChadEmrick (Jun 21, 2008)

I got them from a stream, bleached them, scrubbed them, and let them soak in dechlorinator. I dumped some vinegar on them, and they didn't fizz. 

I would have wanted them to be the same color, but I plan on covering them in java moss, so it wont really be that noticable.


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## ChadEmrick (Jun 21, 2008)

chris127 said:


> hey i see youre trying to do your own CO2. heres a link with some good info
> 
> i used a smaller G2 bottle with a tsp of yeast and about 1/4cup of sugar.


Haha, actually thats an air hose. 

I do plan on doing my own CO2, so thanks! Thats a good link!


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## mynameisjonah (Jan 22, 2008)

I personally like to arrange my rocks in a more scattered form, partly buried into the substrate to give them a more permanent look. Taller rocks in back and smaller towards the front since its difficult to mimic depth in a 10 gallon. And yes, sloping your substrate will enhance the natural look further. Good Luck!


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## seAdams (Jun 2, 2008)

> I think for fish I'm going to get 4 harlequin rasboras, 4 zebra danios, and 4 rummynose tetras.


I'm sure your tank will be very nice, but trying to cram nearly 20 inches of fish into a 10 gal. tank may end in disappointment.

Rummynose tetras, in particular, are quite sensitive to bad water conditions, and in this very overcrowded tank that may be inevitable.

You'd be better with 5 Rummynoses, and maybe a few shrimp!

There's lots of other smaller fish that would be very nice choices.


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## ChadEmrick (Jun 21, 2008)

Okay, I had two other posts here, but I just deleted them, as they were pretty much just rambling. :icon_roll 

Here is where I am at right now:

I just rearranged my tank from when I first planted it because I just did not like it. My plants are a little "ehh" when it comes to their health since it is hot here, and they were stuck in a box on a mail truck. The water is still cloudy because I keep having to dig around int he sand a move plants around.

Right now I plant on getting some tall plants to go behind the rocks, but I haven't decided on what kind I want yet. I also want some more valesneria nana to go in the right hand corner of my tank, and up to the front along the right side. I have a small amount of japanese hair grass coming to see if I can get it to grow in my tank, and I will put that in the forground to the on the left of the rocks. Even more to the left of that, I want to have an anubias nana. 

What do you guys think? Comments/Suggestions?


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## ChadEmrick (Jun 21, 2008)

I;ve decided that I'm going to put some stargrass in the right hand back corner of the tank, and move the valisneria someplace else. Then I'll put some tall plants behind the rocks. I can't wait until I get everything done!


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## nanojimbo (Jul 2, 2008)

i think adding some driftwood on the left side would defiantly make it look very realistic. in addition i would push the rocks a little into the substrate to make it look natural. other than that i really like what your doing with your tank!


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## chase127 (Jun 8, 2008)

be sure to smother that driftwood in moss! i like it too


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## ChadEmrick (Jun 21, 2008)

The rocks I pushed in more, and I would put driftwood there, but I plan on putting plants there eventually.


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## ChadEmrick (Jun 21, 2008)

So I ditched the crummy rocks, because they were just not working for me, and put the fake driftwood back in. I think it looks much better. 

I got a melon sword this weekend, and some glosso (Which I think I planted wrong because it doesn't look the same as when it is in other people's tanks, but I like the way it looks and it doesn't appear to be dying so I guess its fine.)

I am going to ditch the val nana that is on the right side of the tank later this week, and I have some rotala rotundifolia and stargrass coming to replace it, which will hopefully fill up the entire empty space on the right side of the tank. 

Then I'll be done! 

What do you guys think?


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## Ozymandias (Jan 17, 2008)

looks good. the only thing i would say is the sword looks a little out of place . when you get that corner filled in the tank should look better and the facke drift wood looks so much better.


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## Myka (Jan 22, 2008)

ChadEmrick said:


> I think for fish I'm going to get 4 harlequin rasboras, 4 zebra danios, and 4 rummynose tetras. Thats going to be kind of a lot, but I'll do more water changes if I need to.
> 
> What do you guys think? Comments/concerns?


Waterchanges won't fix overcrowding. Your tank will look much better if you have fewer species. If you have just one schooling fish, then they will school better. I'd say pick one of those and get maybe 8, and a couple Otos *or* a couple Cories.

Your current aquascape looks really good!! Likin the driftwood muuuuuuuuuuch better than the rocks!


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## ChadEmrick (Jun 21, 2008)

Myka said:


> Waterchanges won't fix overcrowding. Your tank will look much better if you have fewer species. If you have just one schooling fish, then they will school better. I'd say pick one of those and get maybe 8, and a couple Otos *or* a couple Cories.


All I have right now are two corys, three rasboras, and four rummies. 

I think the tank looks fine, and there haven't been any die offs. I'm not getting any more fish. I like how things are now.


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## skoorbza (Jun 8, 2008)

Chad, good work; the driftwood flows into your plantings so much more smoothly! Even the slight sloping of the substrate has added interest and depth.

I think the sword will look good as is if you have some background plants for it as visual support. My question: why nix the val? I agree that you need to add more background there, but the val provides a lovely, slim vertical in a world of curves, fins, and feather-ies. The lines of the driftwood are repeated vertically in the val, which is quite pleasing. I'd suggest adding the rotala, even the stargrass, but allow the val... at least til it grows in and you can see how it all works together?

$.02


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## ChadEmrick (Jun 21, 2008)

Ill give it a shot, Ill see how it looks. =]


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## ChadEmrick (Jun 21, 2008)

Okay, so I got my rotala rotundifolia and heteranthera zosterfolia, and now my tank is complete! I love the way it looks! Tell me what you guys think.


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## deleted_user_16 (Jan 20, 2008)

that is EXTREMELY good for a beginner!! i love it!!!


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## FrostyNYC (Nov 5, 2007)

You've done a fantastic job, and the tank looks MUCH better than I initially thought it would. 

Regarding the glosso, I highly suggest you replant it. It looks like you planted it in little tufts that are going to grow upward. Instead, you should lay it horizontally across and under your substrate, with the leaves sticking up and out. That will encourage it to spread and form a carpet. 

Overall great work. I wouldnt even know that driftwood is fake looking at these photos.


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## ChadEmrick (Jun 21, 2008)

FrostyNYC said:


> You've done a fantastic job, and the tank looks MUCH better than I initially thought it would.


I know what you mean. Looking back at my previous photos, I'm rather ashamed that I even posted them. What was I thinking!?



FrostyNYC said:


> Regarding the glosso, I highly suggest you replant it. It looks like you planted it in little tufts that are going to grow upward. Instead, you should lay it horizontally across and under your substrate, with the leaves sticking up and out. That will encourage it to spread and form a carpet.


I will do that. Thanks!


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## scherzo (Jul 22, 2007)

Looks good.. the best thing about this hobby is that it grows.. so your glosso in the front will look grow and fill that space up nicely..


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## FrostyNYC (Nov 5, 2007)

ChadEmrick said:


> I know what you mean. Looking back at my previous photos, I'm rather ashamed that I even posted them. What was I thinking!?


That's exactly why a photo journal is so great though. We get to see how your tank has grown and changed, and how your experience and growing skills alter what your tank looks like. We learn from your mistakes.


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## Church (Sep 14, 2004)

ChadEmrick said:


> and now my tank is complete!


Hehe, famous last words! A tank is _never_ complete, lol.

Looks good, great job!


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## aquaphish (Dec 20, 2002)

Looking at the scape with the rocks it looks like you made the correct move by replacing them with the original driftwood. I really like the setup.

Now comes the continous transformation, trimming replacing and rearrainging things once in a while. Nobody can say it is finished with something that is living and breathing and constantly changing to their own enviorment.

Enjoy and Enjoy!!!


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