# My high-light 10 gallon



## zackish (Jun 12, 2007)

Dam everyones planted tank beats mine. I just need more plants and some moss!!
However, I finally got my ferts so hopefully we will start to see some recovery.


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## Church (Sep 14, 2004)

Here's an update... some things have been changed around a bit here. I'm still trying to get the hang of things...










The left side:









The right side:









My camera sucks.


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## trfjason (Aug 10, 2006)

You have a very nice planted tank. Your first planted tank is definately better than my first planted tank!

What's substrate are you using? Which brand of spiral screw in bulb is that?


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## Church (Sep 14, 2004)

^ Thank you! It's Eco-complete substrate. The bulbs I'm using are GE Energy Smart Daylight 6500k. It's really ghetto, using the stock incandescent fixture, but I was originally on a budget. Soon enough, I'm getting a Satellite dual-bulb hood to replace it.

Also, I forgot to mention that I recently added the Red Sea C02 generator, so the photosynthesis is kicking up a few gears. It was noticeable only 2 days later!


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## Church (Sep 14, 2004)

*Update*

So I just upgraded my lighting to the 20" Current USA Dual Satellite fixture. In honor of this, I performed a little rescape, and took some new pictures of the tank. I'm currently only using one half of the lighting fixture, as I didn't have enough money to buy another white-light bulb to replace the dual actinic bulb that came with it. But at any rate, I'm surprised how much brighter and evenly lit the tank is now, even using only half of the available light. I can't wait til next paycheck, so I can get another bulb. I'm wondering... should I get a 10,000k or should I get another 6500/10,000?

At any rate, I'm really starting to love what the aquascape is turning into. I recently had to get rid of the bloodfin tetras, because their nervous energy seemed to freak out my ottos, and truthfully, the ottos are my favorite fish in there. So I decided that this would be a rasbora tank, and got more of them. Anyway, here's the pictures:

First, a full shot.











Next, a closeup of the driftwood and companion crypt.











One of the two bristlenose plecos in there... they fight each other all the time over who gets to own the driftwood.











A few more of the tank and occupants:








































I was just experimenting with the lighting on this one, but here's the two plecos right before going at it:


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## trfjason (Aug 10, 2006)

Try the Current Dual-Daylight, which is 6700K and 10000K.


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## Church (Sep 14, 2004)

Yeah that's what I'm using now. The fixture came with one dual daylight, and one dual actinic, and I turned off the dual actinic. I've decided for now to just use the dual daylight... but I've been wondering if, from the viewing standpoint, the tank would look better with another dual daylight, or if I should go with a full 10,000k as my second bulb? Would the tank look better with half 6500, half 10,000... or with 25% 6500 and 75% 10,000? It's hard to know. I remember when I was using straight 6700k spiral fluorescents, everything was a little too yellow for my liking, and so far I'm liking the half and half thing...


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## Church (Sep 14, 2004)

I was bored so I did this, and now I'm posting it here:


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## Church (Sep 14, 2004)

*Time for an update!!*

Ever since those last pics were taken, I've been battling an ongoing case of green water. It was started off by my digging around the substrate, while also changing out _all_ of my filter media at once (bad idea). Then it was exacerbated by my having to move, and set the tank up at another house. Well, long story short, I eventually got a hold of one of those "Green Killing Machine" submersible UV filters, and two days later, I could see the inhabitants of the tank again! This of course inspired me to perform a good rescape, and this is what I ended up with:









Here is a shot of the right half:









...and the left:









I also added a few inhabitants to the tank, since at the moment of taking these pics, the rasboras were in the quarantine tank. I lost most of them, and am only left with 3. So this tank only had otto's and snails during the gw outbreak. I figure I have to reintroduce fish slowly, in order to keep it under balance. So I bought 7 little glowlight tetras. Here's how cute they are:









I really like where this aquascape is going, I think. I feel like I'm starting to get the hang of things, even when I experience bad times, like with the green water. But I'm still a noob, and I'm still looking for tips and advice. If anyone is reading this and wants to offer some constructive criticism, I'm all ears.

I'm thinking of adding some didiplis diandra and some hemianthus micranthemoides, for the midground, and I think I want to kind of leave the front left corner as a grassy plain.

The green water is gone for good, though! I've had the UV filter out of there for about 6 days now, and everything is still crystal clear. I'm back in the game, now! Yeehaw! :icon_mrgr 

So, seriously, can anyone offer me any advice on what could strengthen this scape?


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## ValorG (Dec 27, 2003)

Beautiful tank, and very fast progression youve made.


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## macclellan (Dec 22, 2006)

Nice progress. Photos are severely overexposed. Try using the +/- on your camera a few stops.


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## Church (Sep 14, 2004)

Thank you for your comments. Yes, I really need to get a camera... right now all I have is my cellphone, and it's the best I can do. It's amazing, though, how this hobby is actually inspiring me to get into photography, and finally purchase a quality camera...

...I'm just not there yet.


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## ikuzo (Jul 11, 2006)

hello Church
you have a great aquascaping skills. i really like how the tank looks. you have done well to keep it low at the front and building higher towards the back. it's a pretty 10 gallon. i agree with the grass field on the left. feels great to have an open space there.

however i think the blyxa at the front right is disturbing. i would also remove those diandra infront of the wood. some moss on the wood would be great too.

some schooling fish in there would be a great view.

cheers.


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## stev0205 (Nov 5, 2007)

you're tank looks great. One tiny thing i have to say about it is i love that piece of driftwood. I feel like you need to give it some more exposure... Under the left side of the driftwood could make a great dark shadowy spot with some plant cover above it.


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## Church (Sep 14, 2004)

Thank you so much, everyone! I agree with the comments about exposing the driftwood more. I have been experimenting with that lobelia cardinalis, trying to find a good place for it, if at all. But I've noticed that it just seems to detract from the wood the more it grows. I've already removed about half of what I originally purchased, and I think I may very well remove the rest. Or maybe find a few "pockets" to plant a few sprigs of it up towards the foreground.

Also I agree with what Ikuzo said about the blyxa in the front right. I have been toying with the idea of moving that for about a week now. I'mglad you mentioned that! I was thinking it would look pretty good if I removed the lobelia from around the driftwood, and planted the blyxa just on the right side of it, snugly. But I don't want to remove too many plants at once, so I have to wait until I can get more plants to add before taking any out.

Also, ever since I originally set this tank up, I've intended to attach some flame moss to the wood. I still plan on doing that. 

Thanks everyone!


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## jinx© (Oct 17, 2007)

Looks great. I tend to agree with ikuzo on the blyxa on the right though. I think I'd just put it alongside the other in the back left maybe.


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## James From Cali (Dec 15, 2006)

Your tank is amazing. The transformation is remarkable. Continue on with it!


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## puffer07 (Nov 13, 2007)

cool setup. do you use co2? and is that just gravel?


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## Church (Sep 14, 2004)

I do use DIY CO2. I have the Red Sea bio generator. And the substrate is eco-complete.

Thanks everyone, for your words of encouragement! I recently performed a slight re-scape, after purchasing a bunch of didiplis and ambulia. I've taken some pictures, but I haven't found the time to upload them to photobucket yet. But I did take ikuzo's (I think?) suggestion and moved the one blyxa from the front right corner and put it in the back with the other one. It looks much better there! Anyway, stay tuned for some pictures, and thanks again everyone for looking!


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## Church (Sep 14, 2004)

*Okay YAAAY, I got my internet back and it's time for some photos!!*

Okay, without further adieu, here are the newest pics I have of the tank! This first one is a cool shot from far away:










Now here's a few of the whole tank. You can see how pretty the ambulia is behind the dark pinkish red of the rotala. I LOVE ROTALA!! 


















Here's a shot of the left side:










And one of the right. Here you can see all the didiplis diandra I put in there:










Another shot from head-on:










Here's one where you can see my new favorite school of fish, the lovely trigonostigma hengeli:









And a few more:


























Here's a shot of the tank as seen from the right side glass:










And one from the other side. You can also see my cool retarded kitty:










He really _is_ retarded. I'm not kidding. He came out of his mama backwards, and he was stuck inside of her for a few minutes during birth. But he's a good kitty and I love him. Here's Gorilla:


























This is his mama. She is _the_ BEST cat in the world. If it weren't for her, I would probably still not like cats at all. Meet Lenny, my Muppet kitty:


















That's all the pictures I have for now. Thanks for looking. And as always, if anyone has any suggestions, comments, or criticisms, PLEASE speak up. I'm learning as I go here, thanks to every last one of you!


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## jinx© (Oct 17, 2007)

The tanks looking great.


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## EdTheEdge (Jan 25, 2007)

Wow! Nice tank and kittys! I particularly enjoyed the progression. Keep up the good work. Thanks for sharing.


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## Church (Sep 14, 2004)

Thank you! Also, I forgot to ask, does anyone know why my blyxa is so red? I dose a little seachem iron once a week, and kent freshwater liquid fert twice a week. Is it not getting enough nitrates?


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## Ashok (Dec 11, 2006)

Wow, big difference between the sets of photographs, your tank looks awesome.


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## Digsy (Mar 4, 2006)

This is beautiful! I wish I could get my Blyxa that red. Mine is plain old green. I am particularly fond of the Lobelia...you just don't see that in many scapes.


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## mrbman7 (Mar 22, 2007)

Great looking plants!

Whats this one?


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## MrJG (Feb 21, 2007)

I know that blyxa will get a nice pinkish hue under high light, mine was starting to go that way when I ran the second fixture too long but it was nowhere as red as yours appears. 
You tank is looking really nice and the layout is well done. Keep it up!


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## Church (Sep 14, 2004)

Thanks again for your comments!

Mrbman that plant you circled is hygrophila corymbosa, which I _thought_ was the 'angustifolia' variety when I first purchased it... but now the leaves are a little wider than they originally looked so I don't know anymore... it might be regular giant hygro for all I know.

I am having trouble with the ambulia, it seems... It started a day or two after I took the pictures above, where the ambulia started gravitating toward the center of the tank, instead of staying "confined" behind the rotala. So I then removed the ambulia on the left-most side, and placed it towards the back right-- in front of the hygro and beside the didiplis. I also trimmed a few branches at that point, from both ambulia bunches.

Fast forward to about 4 days ago, and I noticed that the ambulia is just struggling through the manicuring I gave 'em. They're still healthy, and there are new growth tips at the cut-points, but their leaves are all covered in some kind of black algae. Don't know what it is exactly, but it isn't thread algae. It just makes the leaves not look as green anymore. Splotched in black. I can't take a pic because my girlfriend and her camera are at work, but suffice it to say, the ambulia don't seem to be working out.

So I'm gonna take them both out, but everything else is staying in the same place as they are in the pics above. That being said, can anyone recommend a NON fine-leaved plant that has that BEAUTIFUL lime green color of the ambulia? It really lightened up the tank a lot, and I'm kind of worried that there's just too many reds and pinks in my tank. I always thought the blyxa would be a golden green color instead of the amber-red color that it is!

I just really want to get some more green in there!!!


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## MrJG (Feb 21, 2007)

Eriocaulon type 2 has that really bright lime green thing going on and it makes an easy to shape bush of plants but it might be a little bushier than you are looking for and you might still consider it fine leaved... There are some pics of it that I had in my tank previously on page 4 of my journal. 
It looks invasive but it really stays confined to where you plant it and doesn't send out lots of runners to crop up other places in the tank.


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## mugirl08 (Nov 15, 2005)

Your tank looks great! it looks a lot bigger than my 10 gal  Good job!
Rachel


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## Church (Sep 14, 2004)

Thank you! 

I just did a trim yesterday, so I will be taking pictures tomorrow. That's about how long it takes for new growth to appear after a trim... about 2 days. And I don't want to take pictures until the rotala tops turn pink again, which should be tomorrow. I'll just leave both lamps on (for 8wpg) all day. That ought to do it!

I love rotala! I swear, for such a common "bread and butter" plant, it sure is BEAUTIFUL!!!


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## Church (Sep 14, 2004)

*Update Time!!!*

Okay so it took longer than a day to post some pictures... Sorry about that. Here we go!

This first one is my usual shot of the whole tank, from head-on. Here you can see the bush of Hemianthus micranthemoides (or as Amano calls it, pearl grass) up in the front right corner. This was sent to me by our resident friend Orlando. Thanks Orlando!










In fact, since it's the newest addition, here's a few more that feature the pearl grass:


























And the didiplis has been taking off lately (partly because one of my timers broke, so I've had to start manually turning on and off my "noon-burst" lamp, and sometimes I forget to turn it off before I go to work... doh!), so I'd like to share a picture of this lovely plant. Also known as blood stargrass:










And another, from another angle, which still shows off the beautiful didiplis:










Here's one of my favorite vantage points... from the left side glass looking in. Here you get to see the beginnings of what will eventually be a nice, grassy plain:










Now how about the left side of the tank, the side that everything slopes down into. Here you can see how I recently uprooted the old bunch of rotala which grew to over 16 inches tall and started covering the surface of the water. What I did was I cut the tops off of the bunch in the center of the tank, behind the driftwood, since that needed to be trimmed anyway, and I replanted these tops in place of the large bunch I just removed. This is an ongoing practice I do about once every 3 to 4 weeks or so. The rotala grows fast, but it's so beautiful!!


























And then all I have is one last shot with not much of a caption to go with it. I just like it because it shows a hengel rasbora swimming along with a black neon tetra. How diplomatic!










That's all for this update. I'm REALLY liking this tank. It's funny to think back on how it looked when I first started. In fact, thinking about the very first time I even set it up, which I don't have any pictures of, I've come a LOOONG way.

As usual, please feel free to make any comments you would like. Thanks for looking!!




(P.S. By the way, I know my camera sucks. I KNOW THIS. But pretty soon I will be buying a good one, and eventually I can be proud of my photos just like I'm proud of my tank!!)


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## James From Cali (Dec 15, 2006)

:eek5: :eek5: :eek5: :eek5: :eek5: :eek5: :eek5: :eek5: :eek5:

I....am.....so......JEALOUS....lol. I love your tank. It is by far beautiful and I can only imagine how proud you are of it. I can see this tank really blossoming into something absolutely wonderful. I just found some very *natural* driftwood and I am impressed with it, but yours makes me drool. I love how it just there and so simple. 5 thumbs up from me! 

:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

~James~​


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## ikuzo (Jul 11, 2006)

planting those foreground must be a hard work!

i also agree with James From Cali. i like the driftwood sticking out like that.


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## gentledental4u (Feb 28, 2008)

nice tank!


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## phanizzle (Jun 28, 2007)

Awesome Scape, love the tank!


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## BiscuitSlayer (Apr 1, 2005)

Church -

I have followed this thread since you first started it. Your tank looks fantastic. I really like those new rasboras too. I am a big rasbora fan.

How is that ambulia doing? I tried it once and it didn't do too well in my tank. I was wondering how it is faring with you.

I very much like your choice and placement of plants as well as that piece of driftwood. You have a very attractive setup going on there.


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## monkeyruler90 (Apr 13, 2008)

it looks amazing

where did you buy your light from?

and where did you get all your plants from? lfs? or a friend?


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## Church (Sep 14, 2004)

[sorry for the delayed responses, guys, but here they go:]

BiscuitSlayer, my ambulia ended up getting a mess of black beard algae, so I tossed it. It sure was beautiful, but it seems it doesn't like any parts of itself to be shaded.

monkeyruler90, I got the light, and most of my plants, from the LFS. Some plants came from other members here, and from aquaticplantdepot.com.

********************************************************

Thanks, everyone, for your comments. It's been a very long time since I tended to my tanks, due to a number of reasons. Long story short, I neglected both of my tanks for over 2 months, and I lost most of my plants. 

This wasn't such a bad thing, as it gives me a reason to start a new scape, but I did lose most of my plants, so I'm kinda starting from scratch again. What happened was during my absence, the rotala kept growing and growing and growing until it spiralled around the surface of the water a few times. It was a mess up there, and pretty much all of the plants beneath were shaded from the light. The only thing that lived was the moneywort, the microsword, and some of the lobelia. Of course, the rotala lived too. :icon_roll 

But I learned a few things during the time that I was growing all of the plants I was growing, and I don't mind a chance to start [somewhat] anew! None of the fish died, by the way... only plants. I was feeding them, I just refused to allow myself to do anything else. It was bad times. Strangely enough my 5 gallon barely noticed I was gone! All the plants in there, which are only various crypts, barely missed a blink! So I learned, FINALLY, the reason why there is a low-tech forum here, and why people swear by it. It inspired me to go ahead and pay more attention to my 5 gallon, so I rescaped it. Click here for that journal...

So back to this tank... I got myself some more rasboras, and switched things around so that now this tank has the harlequins again. I kept the otos and the black neons in there too, but the black neons will be moving to my 45 gallon as soon as I get that setup. I took all the plants out, mostly because they were dead, but the ones that were living, too. Except for both bunches of rotala, because I like where they are, and they are like the foundations of all of my scapes, along with the driftwood. I just REALLY love rotala!! And I moved the 10 gallon into my bedroom because I spend more time in there anyway.

Anyway enough with the words-- we want pictures:
























































Here's one of my favorite aquarium resident in the whole wide world:










And another:










And here's the same oto from a different angle:










And another one I saw while taking the last shot:










And another one of my favorite inhabitants:










A nice angular view:










I hope you liked it! Here's another pic so you can see what I get to look at while laying on my bed:










As always, I could never have done this without this place! Thanks to you all for the help!


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## Church (Sep 14, 2004)

Dang. Bump? I just want some criticism or something. I guess I want to know what you all think, because now that I've rescaped, I'm realizing I might want to change hardscapes, to try something new... but then I think I've never fully given this piece of driftwood its chance to shine, so I'm torn. I guess it just feels like cheating to change things up when I haven't mastered this one yet...

How would some of you scape around the wood, if kept as is? Oh yeah, and the carpet has to stay, too...


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## SeaSerpant (Feb 20, 2008)

For me i would add a bit more colour. it looks a bit um... green.  maybe put a red plant on the left side and let everything grow in a bit.


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## Church (Sep 14, 2004)

Some of the plants in there will actually change color soon enough. Like the rotala will turn bright pink and the ludwigia will be deep red. So hopefully after that happens, it won't look so monotoned. Thanks for the suggestion!

Anyone else? I really need some advice. I'm reaching out here, folks! Help me! Pleeeeeeease....

*edit* Hmmm, maybe everyone's silence means that the tank is too ugly to even comment on? Depressing as that is, maybe it _is_ time to tear it down and start from scratch... :icon_sad:


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## froghair (Jan 5, 2008)

Wow! I should have your aquascaping talent! I just ordered a T5 light fixture for my aquarium and I'm going to be using your planting expertise as 
inspiration. BTW, I saw your tardo kitty. I have one of my own. Spotted Puddy fell out of the attic when he was two weeks old and hit several things mounted onto the porch wall before finally hitting the floor. He's slow but lovable. Hm, that's what friends say about me. :eek5:


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## Church (Sep 14, 2004)

^ Yes, I love my "special" kitty! He's very affectionate, and is the most "dog-like" cat I've ever met.

And thanks for your kind words about my aquascape. Good luck to you when you get your T5!


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## Ozymandias (Jan 17, 2008)

Man that is a nice tank i like how you have it so there is a large area to the left side and most of your stemd plants are to the right gives it a nice feel. (also the drift wood makes me think of the lion king  )


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## Church (Sep 14, 2004)

thanks for your comments!


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## James From Cali (Dec 15, 2006)

Church you have some skills with this tank. I think I should hire you to come a scape mine lolz, jk.


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## Church (Sep 14, 2004)

Thanks man! But you seem to have the mad skills too, from looking at your tanks!


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## Church (Sep 14, 2004)

*YAY for updates!*

Okay so the tank is looking pretty good these days, though it is still (and probably always will be) a work in progress. I'm not in much of a narrating kind of a mood, so I'm just gonna dump the pictures in here and hope that they explain themselves. I just think the tank is looking pretty, and thought a few of you might appreciate it too. On with the show:





































































































As always, thanks for looking!


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## MedRed (May 20, 2008)

awesome tank!


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## Chrisinator (Jun 5, 2008)

Can you teach me your planting skills? I'm really jealous! Your tank is beatifuller than mine!


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## Chrisinator (Jun 5, 2008)

BTW: Where did you get that cool light?


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## Church (Sep 14, 2004)

Thanks guys! Chrisinator, this light is actually a fairly common one. It's made by Current and it's called the Dual Satellite. It comes in varying lengths, and this one is of course the 20" version. It came with a dual actinic AND a dual daylight (10,000k/6500k), but I swapped out the dual actinic for another dual daylight, and I only turn the second one on for a noon burst. I got it from my LFS, but here is a link to purchase it from drsfostersmith.


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## macclellan (Dec 22, 2006)

Nice plants and scaping. Only thing is the rasboras look HUGE and make the tank look really small. I'd go with some micro boraras or something small like that instead.


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## ColeMan (Mar 9, 2008)

I really like the tank, everything looks nice and healthy and seems to be filling in quite well. mac's right though, some smaller fish would make the tank look huge!! ember tetras would look awesome in there!


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## Church (Sep 14, 2004)

Hmmm. I never really thought about that I guess. But in retrospect you guys are right. But I love my harlies!! I don't want to replace them!! 

Seriously though, I see what you guys are saying. Maybe I should put my hengeli's in there? But then I'd need to buy another tank to put my harlies in, and I'm already in the middle of putting together a 45 tall to put some angels in...

SHEESH this hobby is expensive!! 

Okay, so what other suggestions would anyone recommend? They have to be tight schoolers. That's my only pre-requisite for housing fish in this tank...

(Maybe I should try getting some espei's in there? Or are they still a bit too big?)


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## CobraGuppy (Sep 23, 2007)

Awesome tank, it doesn't look like a 10 gallon at all in the last pic.

What is your foreground? Its really green and healthy


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## Church (Sep 14, 2004)

^ Thank you! It's micro-sword (lilaeopsis brasiliensis), interspersed with a little lilaeopsis macloviana. I'm very happy with that foreground!! I remember when I first started out and all I could think about was that foreground filling in.

It *IS* really green and healthy, isn't it?!! I'm very happy!


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## Chrisinator (Jun 5, 2008)

Thanks for the link. I'll probably get a 20 long so I think I'll invest in a good lihgting. how fast do your plans grow?


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## Church (Sep 14, 2004)

^ The rotala grows like a weed. I have to trim it about once a week. But it's so beautiful that it's worth it to me! The rest of the plants in there are a bit more reasonable in terms of rate of growth. Everything grows noticeably in there, with the lilaeopsis being the slowest of all of them. The wisteria I have over on the left side will also be a fast grower, as it always is, but I just put it in there the other day, and it's not permanent. I just needed something temporary there and I had some extra wisteria.

But if I were to remove the wisteria and the rotala, I would probably only have to trim things back about once every 2 weeks or longer.


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## Chrisinator (Jun 5, 2008)

I'm really jealous of your tank, I'm thinking of doing something like that, getting tons of plants!


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## Church (Sep 14, 2004)

Thanks! This was my first planted tank so I think it will always be my "collectoritis" tank, lol.


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## Chrisinator (Jun 5, 2008)

My tank looks like crap..


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## Chrisinator (Jun 5, 2008)

Do you diffuse your CO2 through the filter intake?


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## Church (Sep 14, 2004)

Yes, that's exactly what I do. I used to use the little powerhead that came with the Red Sea kit, but it created too much current, so I tried shoving the tube directly into the intake strainer, and VOILA!!! It is perfect! I can count my bubbles per second because there is an audible sound every time a bubble gets crunched up through the impeller!

This is about to change though, because my new paintball co2 regulator was delivered today!! WOOHOO!!!


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## Chrisinator (Jun 5, 2008)

LOL, I do that, but I have the air stone under the filter. But, when the filter "waterfalls" down, it outgases the CO2, so, not all of your CO2 would be in the tank, but I don't think it's that fast. But, I'm trying to do different ways to get CO2 to work.


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## Church (Sep 14, 2004)

I just keep the water level extremely high at all times, and outgassing is never a problem.


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## Chrisinator (Jun 5, 2008)

oh, that's what I do! so outgasing isn't a problem for me either.


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## Church (Sep 14, 2004)

I just hooked up my new Red Sea paintball regulator to my new Walmart paintball CO2 tank, and finally now I have consistent CO2 injection!!! I'll update in a few days, with pictures. I have just begun EI dosing with dry ferts and set the CO2 for 1 bubble every 2 seconds. The drop checker isn't fully green yet, but I'm slowly noticing it change. I CAN'T WAIT!!!

(Thanks Orlando!! Thanks Green Leaf Aquariums!! )


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## mavisky (Jun 18, 2008)

So does that microsword grow out across the foreground on its own or are you constantly having to replant it? I've been looking for a good foreground plant and I'm not sure I've got enough light for HC yet, and wasn't sure about the dwarf hairgrass, but this looks pretty good and an alternative I'd not considered yet.


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## Church (Sep 14, 2004)

It spreads on its own. Trust me I wouldn't have bothered with it if I had to constantly pull apart and replant!! But I will say that it seemed to take a really long time before it took off. It never died or looked bad, it just never really spread. Then one day, months later, it started taking off, and now it's beautiful! I've heard, though, FWIW, that lilaeopsis mauritius (sp?) is a much faster-growing form of this plant.

Thanks for looking!


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## annette (Jun 18, 2008)

hey Church, could you tell me what those rounded leaf plants are that are in front of the drift wood, maybe a common name along with the scientific, Im kinda a newbie too at plants though mine are doing great minus all the fancy equipment....knock wood!


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## @[email protected] (Oct 24, 2007)

i like the tank. and the fish, they look nice.

does your camera have different light settings? it looks a little too bright (its a really common problem when taking pics of tanks as you have probably seen). my camera has the setting "spotlight". it works best for me. i assume its meant for taking pictures of something under a crisp light that doesnt really spread elsewhere such as a spotlight in a theater.


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## Church (Sep 14, 2004)

Annette, the plants you're referring to are lobelia cardinalis, or "cardinal plant." I really like this plant very much! It grows very slowly, but consistently, and it usually sends stems out that detach from the rest of the plant, and float up to the surface, which can then be replanted and the "bush" gets bigger. What you see in my newest pics is after already thinning it out, and it will eventually become very bushy. It's a very pretty plant, and the rounded leaves "soften" the tank a bit.

Marko, I unfortunately don't even have a good digital camera, so I have to use my cellphone. I know it sucks, and it's something I definitely plan on purchasing, but I keep spending my money on aquarium supplies!!! Go figure! LOL

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: this hobby definitely has gotten me interested in photography, and I finally have a legitimate need for a good camera! I'll get one soon. In the meantime, THANK YOU ALL for visiting my thread and looking at my sucky pics!


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## rekles75 (Feb 25, 2008)

I just read your complete 10 gal thread and I must say, you give me a reason to tear down my 10 gal and start fresh. I really like the slope and the open space on the left side. 

I am SUBSCRIBED


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## Church (Sep 14, 2004)

Thanks!!! That means a lot to me!


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## NstyN8 (May 9, 2008)

I like the tank! The way it's planted, makes it look larger than a 10 gal.


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## Church (Sep 14, 2004)

Thanks N8!! A lot of people have been telling me that all through this thread, and that was never even really a goal of mine. But I always thought when I used large-leaved plants that it got too crowded in there, hence my propensity for the small-leaved plants, like my beloved rotala, and I think this contributes to the illusion that it's larger.


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## ADDICTED2BUBBLES (Jun 20, 2008)

WOW I seriously cannot belive that it a camrea phone !! YOU take awsoem pics with it !!! when you do get a digital I will be watching all your pics !! WOW< great job !!! I have 3 10 gallons, and I will say , I do NOT have the lighting you have, (cant afford it yet ) but I will be def doing more with these tanks now that I see what YOu can do with a 10 gallon !! WOW< I do have a 5.5 gal nano, and its really neat, I just added diy co2, and it should get even better, I only have one 15 CF sprial daylight on it now, threw a desktop lamp, but I hope to one day find a neat light on feet' for it too !! I have a 45 that is awsome planted, but I am rescaping it now, I really wanna try this 10 gallon thow, I have a guppt tank, with fake plants  and A molly fry bre3ed out tank again with fake plants, I need to find a cheap ghetto way to make more high light>> and then I will do all my tanks with diy co2, and high light and loads of plants !! You have also made me LOVE more rotella!!! I have narrow leaf green, sold my macandra, it looks alot better in your tank, then it ever did in mine, IF i can get my lighting up, I will def be getting more, !! I love the way water sprite looks tucked in a corner, I think you had some in the start of this journal, yes, I have read all the way threw!!! NICE !!! hope things stay great for you, and I cant wait to keep watching you grow grow !!!! GREAT Scapes!!


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## Church (Sep 14, 2004)

Thanks for the kind words! I must start off by saying I'm honored that you seem to have just registered and that this is your first post. Don't think that kind of thing doesn't get noticed! 

As for your specific comments, let me start by letting you know that is actually not water sprite in the corner-- it's wisteria. I've pretty much always kept wisteria around because it's THE best plant for cycling tanks, or consuming excess nutrients. But I actually find it to be a very beautiful light green color too, so I now want to try incorporating it into this scape. The cool thing about growing it under high light, is it is growing horizontally, and "hugging" the substrate, instead of growing upward. So that means I get to really do some creative pruning, and make a nice looking "flowerbed" of it!

As far as cheap lighting for your ten gallon tanks, have you thought about using a pair of those $20 Home Depot lamps? I have one of them on my 5 gallon, and I must admit it is a perfect lamp. I can see having one on each side of the 10 gallon, giving you ~5wpg. Plus you'd have two bulbs so you could recreate the dawn/midday/dusk cycle if you wanted to. $40 is not a bad price at all!

As far as your 45g, is it a 45 tall? Because I have one of those that I am actually about to begin work on in the coming weeks. I still haevn't decided on a specific layout, but I'm in the researching stages now, and I'm always interested in hearing about other tall tanks and how they were scaped.

Anyway, thank you for your response! You made me smile!  Welcome to the Planted Tank!


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## rekles75 (Feb 25, 2008)

Any update of the new Red Sea CO2 system setup. I am following this thread to a tee. I really like the setup. I will be tearing down my current 10 Gal. soon because the plants I have in there are too big for it and it just looks like a forest, with only a little area in the middle for the fish to swim. My RCS love it though, many hiding places when they have molted. 

N E WAYS, by far this is one of my favorite 10 gal setups.


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## Church (Sep 14, 2004)

Actually, I do have a new update pending very soon here... so stay tuned, for sure!

Real quick, I can go ahead and tell you that the Red Sea paintball regulator is AWESOME!!!!! It has accurately been injecting at about 1 bubble per second, ever since I found out that that is the right flow rate for my conditions, in order to keep the drop checker green.

...And the whole entire tank has been noticeably happier!!! The fish, the plants, the snails, etc... Everything except for the algae anyway!!! Ever since 12 hours after adding the co2, all the green spot algae and BBA has disappeared. I've never seen the glass as clear as it is right now! I am still having a problem with hair algae and a little clado, but I think they will also soon be just memories.

I highly recommend the Red Sea regulator! Anyway, thanks for paying attention to my thread, and I will be back with a picture update in the next few days!


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## rekles75 (Feb 25, 2008)

Which Red Sea kit did you get. The basic with just the reg and the needle valve, or the one with the reg., the needle valve, bubble counter, difusser and the drop checker, or the deluxe with all the above and with the control valve.


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## Church (Sep 14, 2004)

Just the regulator. I ordered it from Orlando over at Green Leaf Aquariums, and on the same order I got one of his glass drop checkers. Plus he threw in 6ft of CO2-friendly tubing. For my "bubble counter" I simply ran the end of the tubing into the filter intake, so there is an audible sound when the bubble gets crunched. THAT is my bubble counter, LOL! I *do* plan on getting a solenoid though, but only because by turning the CO2 off at night I can make my tank last longer between refills... I don't believe it is dangerous to leave the CO2 running all night long, unless you are really pushing the limits. When I wake up in the morning after the lights have been off all night and the CO2 has been running, the drop checker is still just green, and hasn't gone into yellow yet... And once again, the inhabitants of the tank are all very happy, so if it ain't broke don't fix it!


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## rekles75 (Feb 25, 2008)

Great info, THANKS.


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## ZooTycoonMaster (Jan 2, 2008)

Wait so I'm confused about the CO2...is it pressurized or DIY?


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## mizu-chan (May 13, 2008)

Your tank look so amazing! Very jealous *__*
I'm starting up my old 10 gallon again, and this is pure inspiration. 
Thanks for sharing, and I'm subscribing to this thread. Can't wait to see more!


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## Church (Sep 14, 2004)

Thanks guys!! 

ZTM, you missed the part where I mentioned how I just upgraded to pressurized. I'm now using a paintball CO2 tank, and the yeast stuff is yesterday's news. I gave up on it. Pressurized is definitely the way to go...

I appreciate everyone's comments!!


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## Church (Sep 14, 2004)

OMG I freaking LOVE my tank!!!!! I can't wait until you guys get to see it!! I'm only holding off posting any new updates because I'm waiting for someone to come over this week with a good camera, because it looks so AWESOME right now my cell phone cam just wouldn't do justice..

I'm so freaking excited because in the whole entire time I've had this tank running, I've never been completely satisfied, but NOW, it's just GORGEOUS!!!

THANK YOU PRESSURIZED CO2 (+ EI dosing + 8wpg) !!!


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## rekles75 (Feb 25, 2008)

I was just about to ask for an update. I cant wait to see the pics. I set up my Red Sea CO2 system last week and I am just tweaking it a little to get the CO2 levels right. I cant wait for my 10 gal to make progress.


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## Church (Sep 14, 2004)

Okay so it turns out that the cameraman (Duncable's dad) can't come by until next week, and I just can't wait that long, so expect a photo update tonight when I get home... using my crappy cellphone cam.  

But at least this way I can show off some previews of my awesome tank. Next week, it will only look better, so when the good camera come over it's gonna be B-E-A-UTIFUL!!!!

(Wait til you guys see the Rotala indica in the tank now, under full-time 8wpg lighting. I've _never_ seen rotala look like this in anyone else's pics, and I'm in love with this plant all over again.)

GOD i love rotala!!!


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## Church (Sep 14, 2004)

Here are a few crappy shots, but I've got a real camera coming soon...


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## MedRed (May 20, 2008)

looks awesome! I don't know but for some reason your driftwood reminds me of a boat... and your tank looks like it's adrift on a river of green. beautiful!


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## NATURE AQUARIUM (Dec 16, 2007)

That is a good looking tank!!!


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## Gatekeeper (Feb 20, 2007)

Very nice looking tank. Well done. Looks like a maintenance headache though, you must be trimming plants every few days.


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## Church (Sep 14, 2004)

^ Thanks guys! Actually gmccreedy, I haven't had to trim it yet, because it's a brand new scape, less than a week old, but yes I expect to be doing HELLACIOUS trimming in there very frequently once it all takes off. I just don't care, though, because there's nothing to me quite like the lush look of high-light and CO2-injected growth. I've never seen rotala look the way it looks in my tank, either, and it's just gorgeous, so to me it's gonna be worth it. I'm now keeping both lights on together at all times during the photoperiod, which is now 4 hours in the morning and 4 hours in the evening. I'm trying the "siesta" method of lighting.

But all this means is that I will have plenty of cuttings to put in my friends' and family's tanks.

Thanks for looking, and some hi-res pics are coming very soon!


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## rekles75 (Feb 25, 2008)

Your tank looks really good ( even with the cell phone ). The pressurized CO2 is doing its job.


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## Church (Sep 14, 2004)

*Update Time - Sad News!!!*

:icon_cry: 

I guess it's a good thing I posted those cell phone pics... my tank is no longer.

I went home from work yesterday and prepared to clean a little algae for my photo shoot. During the process, I realized that the clado that I _thought_ I had under control had apparently been THRIVING underneath the surface of the microsword lawn. So I began trying to "scoop" it all up using a combination of an old toothbrush, a bamboo skewer, an old hair comb, and my fingers. But as I progressed, the more I realized how bad it really was. So I yanked up the WHOLE ENTIRE microsword carpet! I then vacuumed the substrate, and of course this required me to shuffle things around a bit to get to it all.

While shuffling things around, trying to keep the scape in tact, I then noticed that one of the front silicone seams is peeling away! There is a bunch of algae that had found its way behind a loose flap of silicone, and was embedded between the silicone and the glass. As I tried scraping it away carefully, I realized that there isn't much left of the seal in certain spots, which of course means that it is inevitable that this tank will eventually leak.

Conclusion: time to take it all apart.

Again: :icon_cry: 


So this brings me to where I am now. I think I can save all my plants, although I already threw the microsword away because I hate clado and I don't want it to come back. I'm thinking as long as I get another 10 gallon up and running in the next few days I can keep most of my plants. I plan on going to PetSmart tonight and getting another 10 gallon.

I have a few questions:

1) *Do I have to worry about bits and pieces of clado that I unearthed from the microsword now contaminating all the rotala and baby tears?* In other words do I have to throw away ALL my plants if I don't want it coming back?

2) *How should I adjust my EI dosing pattern now that I will be starting over again in an unestablished tank?* What about the CO2 injection?

3) *Can you guys give me your thoughts on my hardscape?* Obviously I now have an opportunity to change my hardscape, seeing as how this is the first planted tank I ever set up and that "boat-shaped" driftwood was just the first reasonable piece that came my way. But I've learned a lot since then and I'm thinking I now have a chance to make this perfect.

I pretty much plan on keeping this my "high light dutch-esque" garden, so I'm not making drastic changes like going to an iwagumi layout or anything. In fact, I pretty much plan on duplicating the last softscape I had, in my cell phone pics above. But I just want to change the hardscape. Should I go with all river rocks? Should I go with a nice branchy manzanita layout? Should I mix wood with rocks? What do you all think? Keeping in mind I want the same softscape, what would be a good hardscape layout underneath it all?

Feel free to take one of my pictures and draw all over it to help me out, if you wanna...

Thanks in advance, and thanks again, to all of you who gave me kind words and inspiration. All I can say is, I'm going to bounce back from this, and it's going to be that much better this time around.

:icon_cry:


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## deleted_user_16 (Jan 20, 2008)

can you get a larder tank? if so, start one of those. better to work with. more room and options. well, i only have 1 thing to say. b4 u tore it up, the tank looked breathtaking!!! y dont you just expand on wat you have to have more plant species and variants and just add more color? i like the scape how it is. the hardscape question is a tough one. if you want to go with dutch, find a consistent, not TOO branchy piece, not like a root system, if you know wat i mean. and if you want nature, then get/make a VERY branchy one and cover it with moss and ferns and things. and lastly, sorry bout the tank man


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## Church (Sep 14, 2004)

Thank you. The reason why I need to stay with a 10 gallon at the moment is that I don't have a lot of spare money to spend, and I already have the fixture for a ten gallon, plus I like the space it fills in my bedroom. I'm still setting up bigger tanks, I just don't want the bigger tanks to be my high-light ones. I want the bigger ones to be my nature-style wabi-sabi ones, and the lush dutch style to be in a smaller format. For now, anyway.

Thanks for your suggestions, and thanks for the condolence...


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## deleted_user_16 (Jan 20, 2008)

oh, by the way, wat happened to the fish? do the bleach solution on the stems, should get rid of.


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## Church (Sep 14, 2004)

The fish all seem to be doing fine. I lowered the flow rate of the CO2, knowing there will be less oxygen being produced by the plant mass now, but the fish all seem to be ok. For now, anyway. Plus, I think forddna wants to buy them from me, so I guess the timing could have been worse, in retrospect. I'll just have to ask her if we can speed the transaction along, I guess. (Amanda, are you reading this? wink wink nudge nudge)

There are also 6 otos in there, but I'm thinking, as hardy as they are, they should be able to stay in there until I get the new tank running.


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## MedRed (May 20, 2008)

That blows! I hope this setup is as awesome for you as your last!


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## Ozymandias (Jan 17, 2008)

ya really good luck with the new set up


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## rekles75 (Feb 25, 2008)

This will still be the model for up and coming 10 gal. The use of space and the small leaf plants that were used was and still should be an outline for anyone trying to set up a 10 gal. I look forward to your next venture and I am sorry to see this one go.


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## Church (Sep 14, 2004)

^ Thank you very much! That means a lot to me. And just so you guys know, as soon as I set my new 20L up, I do plan on getting another 10 gallon, and I plan on duplicating this softscape to a tee.

Small leafed plants are definitely the key to this size tank. After all the incarnations it went through, that much I can say for sure.


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## devadair (Nov 24, 2009)

Hey Church, love your tank! I actually have a 10gal right now that's my first planted that I'm trying to get started. It's running with two 15w spiral lights in the stock hood and I've recently added a diy co2. I want to upgrade the lighting and hood, can you recommend a good product to start with on the cheaps? I'm looking at satellite stuff now but I'm not sure which one would be best...
Thanks!


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## BMueller777 (Feb 5, 2008)

Nice tank man, all your scapes look/ed great... How are you doing the CO2? I may have skipped it while skimming though :icon_neut lol

Thanks


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## jedblo (Jan 15, 2010)

Tank looked great! Sorry about your loss. What kind of filtration were you using?


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## Church (Sep 14, 2004)

OLD THREAD ALERT! OLD THREAD ALERT! lol



devadair said:


> Hey Church, love your tank! I actually have a 10gal right now that's my first planted that I'm trying to get started. It's running with two 15w spiral lights in the stock hood and I've recently added a diy co2. I want to upgrade the lighting and hood, can you recommend a good product to start with on the cheaps? I'm looking at satellite stuff now but I'm not sure which one would be best...
> Thanks!


Thanks! Honestly I'm still a fan of the satellite fixtures for 10 gallon tanks. I'm using one again, now, on a current 10g. I'm only using the single satellite now, though. Back when I was running this tank, with the dual satellite, I was only using the second bulb for 2-3 hours a day anyway. Most of the time it was just one bulb. So now I'm using the single bulb one, and it just doesn't get a noon burst, big deal. So I still recommend them. THe only downside is that you have to replace the bulb that comes with it. But you get a white moonlight built in, which is really cool!



BMueller777 said:


> Nice tank man, all your scapes look/ed great... How are you doing the CO2? I may have skipped it while skimming though :icon_neut lol
> 
> Thanks


Thanks, yea you musta missed it. I started off running DIY but that got old real quick, and I purchased a red sea paintball CO2 kit. It's cheap, but it works, and I'm still using it now, several 10g's later.



jedblo said:


> Tank looked great! Sorry about your loss. What kind of filtration were you using?


The good old Aquaclear HOB kind! My current 10g uses an Eheim 2213, though, and it's obviously waaaay better than a HOB.

Thanks for reading, everyone. This is an old thread, the tank doesn't exist anymore, but I still reference it to this day. I learned a lot from this tank!


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