# Been a long while but i'm BACK!!! 5g TopFin Build



## oneoffcustom (Aug 5, 2009)

Ok so i have been gone quite some time since my planted saltwater tank!!!!

I got tied up into lake tanganyican cichlids for quite some time and then took a long needed break from the hobby. After my hiatus i again got the itch for a planted tank. I was going to do a 40g breeder setup, and began piecing the equipment together, then bam splurged on another tang setup lol....

Well on a routine food and filter media pick up i saw the new TopFin integrated tanks, and it got my gears to turning yet again. 

So seeing the tank at 40$ versus the 120$ fluval spec (5g), i decided why the heck not.

So with no further adue here is where we are headed!

Tank- 5g TopFin 

Equipment- WavePoint Micro Sun High Output 6500k 16watt Led
Fluval 88g

Substrate- Carib sea flora max (Black)
Capped with a crushed brown gravel (Just a hair bigger 
just a hair bigger than sand)

Wood- Ordered some mazanita branches (also have some local stuff 
also have some local stuff that was boiled for hours.)

Fish- Gonna do some small neon tetras 

Plants- (subject to change)
Micro Sword (Lilaeopsis brasiliensis) (12x12 mat)
Amazon Sword (Echinodorus "Ozelot")
Amazon Sword (Echinodorus bleheri)
Amazon Sword (Echinodorus muricatus)
Java Ferns, Microsorium pteropus
RED Ludwigia, Ludwigia repens
Crypts walkerii (RED)
Cryptocoryne wendtii
Egeria densa
Narrow Leaf Hygrophila

While i know some of those plants will be way to big, i will let my cichlids play with them. Will post pictures once stuff starts coming in and i get things going! Here is a generic pic of tank.


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## oneoffcustom (Aug 5, 2009)

So after looking around at the various co2 systems, and what that entails, here is my plan...

I will make one 2 liter soda bottle and use it for fermentation. I will the route that hose through the top of a second 2 liter soda bottle to the bottom. In the second one i will use vegetable glycerin as a thick base in which to count bubbles. From that second bottle i will run a tube up towards the tank with a barbed t. On each barb i will add in a pin valve. One will end of t will go to pin valve then to tank, while the second barb will go to pin valve and a soda bottle with water in it. This will allow me to cust the c02 at night.

Or option b is just run an air stone at night which is easier, but is it a bullet proof way to not injure tank inhabitants.


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## AquaAurora (Jul 10, 2013)

*Neon tetras need much more swim room than a 5g gives!* I'd recommend a 24" long tank or larger for them. They are very active fish.
Paracheirodon innesi ? Neon Tetra (Hyphessobrycon innesi, Cheirodon innesi) ? Seriously Fish


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## klibs (May 1, 2014)

Either do a single betta or shrimp only in a 5g. Too small for other fish IMO


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## oneoffcustom (Aug 5, 2009)

Thought i read a green neon tetra was 11'' x 17'' tank size on that site.


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## Powerclown (Aug 17, 2014)

Klibs is right,your tank is to small for schooling fish they need to be in large groups.


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## oneoffcustom (Aug 5, 2009)

Advice taken!

Bought a nice half moon betta who seems to be ok with the current tank flow! Also got a killer piece of spider wood!

Also ordered the fluval 3.1 88g co2 setup as it just seemed easier that way. Will have a drop checker as well coming in... Tomorrow should get the dwarf hair grass, new light and some tweezers. 

Once I get grass in and new light on will post a few pics. Other plants to arrive Tuesday!


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## Daisy Mae (Jun 21, 2015)

That's a neat looking tank, hope you have fun with it.


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## oneoffcustom (Aug 5, 2009)

Holy cow got grass for days. Doesn't lay exactly as easy as it did in my mind, and was quite tall already. Had to cut down to size and lay rocks on top to keep it on bottom. Hopefully in a week or so the roots will begin penetrating the substrate and I'll be able to remove rocks and cut this stuff much lower!

Anybody know it cutting it down to about an inch will hurt it?

Also got the light in. 

Any advice is welcomed! Help me please lol!


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## Daisy Mae (Jun 21, 2015)

Oy that's some "grass". 
You almost don't need any other plant!


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## oneoffcustom (Aug 5, 2009)

Lol. Yeah wasn't expecting it to be so tall, hoping to let it settle and cut way back!

Wanted to put some med sized bushy plants in front of tree, and few taller ones behind tree as well as some moss on tips of branches. 

Contemplating draining tank and trying a different way to get all that in there. Still have two massive grass pieces left over. Paid for 12x12 and got 16x16.


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## AquaAurora (Jul 10, 2013)

I'd advise taking some filter foam and cutting it to a square/rectangle that covered the intake slits complete and tieing it on with 100% acrylic thread or fishing line to prevent betta fins from being sucked against the filter intake and shredded when it tries to get free (leaves for a very messy look and destroyed fins that _can _get fin rot if water quality is not pristine). Also if you notice the betta getting pushed around by the outflow or keeping only to certain areas (less flow) of the tank consider reducing the pump's power (if it has a 'high-low' setting option, or poke holes in the tubing form the pump to the outflow, or cover the outflow with filter foam. Another option is to DIY a spray bar. I mention this as long finned bettas tend not to be able to deal with high flow, the fact that I can SEE the flow means its very strong (for a betta). Another option is to put the thick leaved sword plant in front of the outflow to buffer it.


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## oneoffcustom (Aug 5, 2009)

Thanks for the tip. I did switch it to low but it seems to be a good amount still. I have it aimed at wall of tank for now. 

I will be getting some taller plants here in a day or so that will cover it. The beta seems to not mind the flow much. 

As for the filter intakes it's covered by grass now so he can't get down to it. 

I did pull all the grass back out and cut it into sections trimmed a bit off length wise and planted manually.


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## oneoffcustom (Aug 5, 2009)

So tank is super cloudy and stinks with a thick slime coat on top. Removed betta to a safer location. 

Any ideas?


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## [email protected] (Sep 19, 2015)

Great tank i love it. My tank also has that film, i have floramax also. Hopefully someone gives you some help.


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## Curt_914 (Oct 6, 2007)

Stinks like rotten eggs? Or sulpher? Did you soak the wood first? It could be your grass creating pockets of sulpher, or could be the wood or both. Do a daily water change and see if it helps. You might also need to increase the flow of the filter


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## toybox22 (Sep 29, 2014)

Usually the slime coat is due to not enough surface agitation. Try and point the filter outlet up so you get some ripples across the surface of the water.


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