Evolution of my 28 gallon (lots of pics)

[StarStruck8]

I was browsing through the pictures I have taken from when I got the tank in July until now, and I can't believe how far it has come! So here is a picture summary (because I know I love seeing these threads :grinyes:)

Current Tank Stats (as of Oct. 6):
28 gallon bowfront (one of those Marineland aquarium kits)
Eco-Complete in back, mixed with gravel in front
Current USA Nova Extreme 24" 2x24W T-5 light
Rena Filstar XP2
Flora: Watersprite, Hygrophila polysperma 'Rosanervig', Hygrophilia sp. 'bold', Willow hygro, Taiwan moss, Java moss, Cryptocoryne tropica, Cryptocoryne balansae, Cryptocoryne lutea, Cryptocoryne wendtii green, Anubias Nana 'Petite', some other type of anubias, Dwarf Sag, Ludwigia repens (whew...I didn't realize I had all that!). Almost all the plants are from Fordtrannyman and Mgamer20o0.
Fauna: 5 Sailfin molly fry (too lazy to catch them), male silver Sailfin molly, 4 White Clouds, 3 Corydoras julii (although they may be a different type...thats what they were sold to me as), 3 briggs (pink, yellow, and blue). Soon to be a Threadfin Rainbow tank :perv:

I decided to do a month by month update.

July 2008

My first, uneducated tank with 3 mollies and one of my cats who would have loved to eat them.
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After wondering why my 2 fish kept chasing the third, I discovered this website and learned along the way that I had 2 males and a female. I got a 2nd female, and realized that my tank was waaay too small. Time for an upgrade! I was convinced that nothing less than 2x4's would result in catastrophe, hence the super stand that weighs about 60 lbs, courtesy of my dad. (If anyone is interested, the plans came from this website (http://www.fishandtips.com/index.php))
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After filling. All fake plants since I wanted to tackle one aquarium topic at a time...fish care was first.
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After seeding from my other tank, I bought the White Clouds and the Sailfin...although I had no idea she was different than my other mollies at the time.
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And my cat discovers the large screen version of her previous entertainment.
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[DrNo]

Great shots and adorable cat! My wife agrees as she looks over my shoulder...

[dirtydawg10]

Nice pics and nice setup. I guess your cat likes the new setup too.

[mannamae]

great pics, can't wait to see more

[StarStruck8]

Thanks! I took her in from work (vet clinic) to foster when she came in as a stray kitten with a pelvic fracture and she never left. She has quite the personality :grinyes:

[Linoleum Knife]

:headbang2:I bet a monster truck could run over that stand! I also have a 28 gallon bowfront, I'm converting it from a reef tank to planted (hence the salt residue all over the stand) but here's the stand I talked my father into building for me and this is all that is supporting each side - 3/4"... pine? oak? no idea. Still, its a tiny fraction of your BEAST! and its held for years!

http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/302/1000300nd6.th.jpg (http://img525.imageshack.us/my.php?image=1000300nd6.jpg)

[Virtuoso2K12]

lovely!!!Very beautiful tank and cat!!!

[StarStruck8]

August 2008

Not much was changed...most of my fish fund went into equipment...replacing the lights, buying more eco-complete, etc. Plus after my Sailfin had about 20 babies, I bought a 20L to raise them and my original baby mollies in. That will be a build thread of its own one day. :grinyes:

After I got my new light I started looking into real plants and driftwood. One piece was purchased on eBay, the other from Mgamer. I wasn't happy with the placement of everything, but was already planning my 2nd order of plants.
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I also bought a betta to fill the now-empty 5gal hex once the babies moved to the 20L. I went from 1 tank to 3 in about 3 weeks...my dad was rather appalled that my new hobby had a chance of overcoming the house. :nilly:
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[StarStruck8]

:headbang2:I bet a monster truck could run over that stand! I also have a 28 gallon bowfront, I'm converting it from a reef tank to planted (hence the salt residue all over the stand) but here's the stand I talked my father into building for me and this is all that is supporting each side - 3/4"... pine? oak? no idea. Still, its a tiny fraction of your BEAST! and its held for years!


yeah...I was a little neurotic about the stand being able to hold the weight of the tank. :silly: Then I saw the 1 inch thick stand that I got with the 20L and my Dad couldn't believe I made him build such a beastly stand!

[Virtuoso2K12]

You have one the most beautiful betta ever,such lovely colors!!!

[Zenz]

It looks very nice. I'd love to see a photo of the tank sitting on the stand. :)

[rich311k]

Very nice tank and betta.

[Linoleum Knife]

You have one the most beautiful betta ever,such lovely colors!!!


I totally agree, I'm buying a betta once this tank cycles, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed I can find one just like that! Its perfect!

[jm1212]

nice betta

[fisharemyfriend]

nice my friends cat will actually drink water out of there aquarium it is hilarius

[jackiomy]

Amazing betta. Almost as beautiful as mine. LOL Now I want another one!

[Redneck Woman]

Very nice! Gorgeous betta!:)

[Mgamer20o0]

neat tank

[StarStruck8]

You have one the most beautiful betta ever,such lovely colors!!!

Very nice tank and betta.

nice betta

Very nice! Gorgeous betta!:)

Amazing betta. Almost as beautiful as mine. LOL Now I want another one!

Thanks! Once I saw him at Petco I couldn't leave him there. Betta are very addicting...I have 2 and still want more!


It looks very nice. I'd love to see a photo of the tank sitting on the stand. :)

I've been lazy and haven't painted the door yet, so I'll use you as my inspiration to stop procrastinating so I can take a picture of it!

[StarStruck8]

September 2008

I was trying different arrangements of the wood and none were making me happy.
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Sept. 7th: My second order of plants arrived from Mgamer:
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And a cory in the background :)
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Sept. 21: The willow hygro grew very quickly! I also bought a Rena Filstar XP2 (which I love)
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Sept. 22: A trip to my favorite LFS resulted in even more plants.
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[StarStruck8]

It was brought to my attention that I am lacking in the updates department, so I have a lot of catching up to do!

October 2008

Beginning of the month when my threadfins were still in QT. Apparently I didn't think it necessary to hide the heater. :silly:

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Later in the month. Bought the Rena SmartHeater.
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One of my original snails.

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A very blurry picture of my cories...they are still with me. :)

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[StarStruck8]

November 2008

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If you can't tell, I love my threadfins from Petco. They never stay still though..these are the best shots from November.

Male
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2 young males and a female
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You can see the luminous stripes they get on top when they are sparring..there is a male sticking out from behind the moss too.
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Best shot of displaying :headshake2:
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[StarStruck8]

December 2008

erm...apparently I didn't take many pictures in December. Nothing new happened since most of my money went to buying Christmas presents!

I thought I would try hatching one of the snail clutches left in my tank, and they hatched Dec. 3. So tiny!

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December 29
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[myswtsins]

Looking good! Still a few more months to get caught up on. :) Your threadfins are beautiful, the white clouds looked pretty nice too! Are those cory pictures of your current habrosus cories? Because they do not look like habrosus, maybe juliis but I am no expert! :)

[noodles62]

Lovely evolution. Your tank is very nice! :thumbsup:

[armada]

What does it look like now?

[StarStruck8]

Looking good! Still a few more months to get caught up on. :) Your threadfins are beautiful, the white clouds looked pretty nice too! Are those cory pictures of your current habrosus cories? Because they do not look like habrosus, maybe juliis but I am no expert! :)

Yeah they are juliis. I am going to move them over to the 75 gallon eventually, but am dreading having to actually net them out. They are fast little suckers! The habrosus pictures don't pop up for a few more months. :grinyes:


What does it look like now?

Getting there, slowly but surely. ;) I'm not happy with how it looks now..its in need of an overhaul. Probably why I am dragging my feet posting more recent pictures. December was when I liked how it looked the most!

[StarStruck8]

January 2009

Took out the anarachis since it was just making a mess. Trimmed the willow hygro. Dwarf sag multiplying like crazy. I loved my big beautiful crypts!

Beginning of the month.
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End.
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Baby snails growing up!
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[StarStruck8]

February 2009

Hmmm...no tank shots from this month either...here are some of the occupants.

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[StarStruck8]

March 2009

The tank just gets worse and worse...I started the 75 gallon in Februaryand most of my time, money and energy went into getting it going. Snails and mollies were taking over, as was the dwarf sag. For some reason (change in water?) all my beautiful crypts began to melt and the dwarf sag got a lot taller. I was basically using the tank to hold plants and fish for the move to the 75 gallon.

Its not a good idea to take pictures during the day...my reflection is ruining the picture!

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I miss the tank of December. :cry:

[benzjamin13]

It's a jungle in there!

[myswtsins]

Jungle, yes but still looks nice, I like the natural look! Especially all those cute little (and not so little) snails everywhere!