picture heavy journal of jenazen69's 10 gallon tank.

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jenazen69

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Jun 19, 2004
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Please feel free to make comments or suggestions.
After 4 days of organizing I am finally ready to share my picture heavy tank journal for my 10 gallon tank. I set this tank up in a rush when I bought a pair of Apistogramma Agassizi and a Pair of German Blue Rams for my 29 gallon tank. The Rams really are my favorite. The Apistogramma started to keep the Rams off the bottom, as they had gotten comfortable quicker. After much going back and forth with the LFS and fish sites I decided to set up the 10 gallon tank for the Apistogramma Agassizi.


Male Apistogramma Agassizi in 10 gallon tank.

I set up the 10 gallon from extra tank, filters, and gravel I wasn't using. I also bought a new hood for this tank as hubby was using the light from it on the 75 gallon. I filled the tank will the gravel that wasn't in use, and added some of the gravel from my 29 gallon to give the good bacteria in the gravel a jump start. I filled the tank using 1/2 new dechlorinated water, and 1/2 tank water from my 75 gallon to jump start the good bacteria in the water column. I then took the extra media sponge I keep in my 75 gallon tank out and started the filter. After the tank cleared I took the hollow log the Apistogramma Agassizi had claimed out of the 29 gallon and put it in the ten gallon with some small pieces of driftwood I had in my other tanks. I then went on a shopping trip though hubby's tank for some small pieces of red rock ,and some of the smaller clippings of his Hygrophilia Corymbosa Augustifolia, all the while telling him" But honey these ones aren't getting enough light to start growing again. Let me put them in the ten gallon, and we will let the direct sunlight on the tank. When they get all nice and big, and the right size for where you want them, I'll give them back.". I then went plant hunting in my 29 gallon tank for some Mexican oak leaf, Windelov ( that was coming back from being starved for light during a 3 month temporary move), and various sword plants that are pretty beat up from improper care over the last 5 years. I arranged the plants and waited for the tank to settle again.


10 Gallon version 1

I then tore my 29 gallon tank up to catch the Apistogrammas.


Male Apistogramma Agassizi.

I decided to give them a few tank mates and added one of my two bristle nosed pleco's and the last survivor of the great guppy death .


Bristle Nosed Pleco.



Mommy Guppy girl.

Well they didn't like Guppy girl either as they started displaying mating behavior. Thank goodness Guppy Girl is easier to catch. She went back to the Rams. I then added four glow danio’s to the 10 gallon. While researching the Apistogramma I discovered they spawn in caves. I made a homemade cave out of a pvc candy dish I cut in half and buried it under the gravel in the corner so I could still put plants on the top of it and make it look more natural.


Homemade cave.

I had decided to buy more Rams as I really love them. Unfortunately the Pair in the 29 gallon didn't love the new ones so much, since they were breeding. So I decided to cut down on stress in the 29 gallon and move the Apistogramma's to my husbands 75 gallon, after more going back and forth. I moved the hollow log with the Apistogramma's and made sure they had hiding spaces the Tiger Barbs, and Red Tailed Shark couldn't fit in. Now I decided to move the new Rams and the Guppy Girl into the ten. But since I had researched the Rams a little more I decided to leave the cave in the 10 gallon to see if they would take to it.


Male German Blue Ram


10 Gallon version 2.0


Another picture of 10 Gallon version 2.0

I lost the male Ram in the 29 Gallon tank, so I decided to see if the remaining male could establish a harem with the now mate less female and his mate. I put all the rams and the guppy girl back in the 29 gallon tank. Well I put the Apistogramma's back in the 10 gallon. I also added a heater about this time. I had been juggling the heater from the 29 gallon .However it seems I am fated to keep changing this tank as my fishes needs grow. I noticed two guppy fry hanging out in the plants that had come unplanted in the 29 gallon .The female guppy gave birth. I decided I wanted to try raising guppy's again so after relocating the Apistogramma's back to Hubby's 75 gallon with their log. I went to catch mamma and her babies. Well the Rams got to one of the fry before I did, but I got one fry and the mommy out, and back into the 10 gallon.I added the Java Moss, and my Ludwigia Arcuata from the 29 gallon to give the fry more hiding. She looked so lonely I had to get her some new friends.


Two of the new yellow tailed Guppy girls, with the new male red Guppy.


Little Boy Blue with a couple of the guppy girls.


The new red male guppy with a couple of the new female guppies.


A few of the new Guppies.


The new guppy girls.


Little Boy blue trying to get a little yellow tail.

However I decided to change the tank a little ,and I added one of my first betta bowls filled with black gravel to the center of the tank and put the various sword plants in to get closer to light. Hopefully they will start to recover quicker being closer to the light source.


I swear there are fish in there.


Another one of the current set up


And another.


Can you spot the fry guy who caused this latest change.
Please feel free to comment on the ongoing saga of this ten gallon tank.
 

kyle3

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Mar 17, 2005
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i like the fish bowl as a planter- creative! I think your beautiful fish are totally overpowered by the gravel- did you consider a plant substrate like flourite, eco-complete, or ADA Amazonia?

any of them will accent the beauty of your fish and your plants- just my 2 cents :)

cheers-K
 

jenazen69

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i like the fish bowl as a planter- creative! I think your beautiful fish are totally overpowered by the gravel- did you consider a plant substrate like flourite, eco-complete, or ADA Amazonia?

any of them will accent the beauty of your fish and your plants- just my 2 cents :)

cheers-K
I can't afford new gravel right now, which is why I used gravel left over from a few other tanks I don't run anymore. I am afraid to use the eco-complete since I have heard you have to change it out. I haven't seen Amazonia at my LFS, but I wasn't looking either. Do you need to change it out too? I have only seen the granuals of flourite, and I am don't like the look or price of it. In my 29 gallon I use small black gravel. As soon as I get some money to spend on it I will be checking it out.
 

FrostyNYC

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Regarding Eco Complete and Amazonia, Im not sure what you been by "change it out". If you don't like the price of flourite, you won't like Amazonia or Eco either, since Flourite is the cheapest of the three.

Personally, I'd go with Flourite Black, as I love a black substrate. Plants and fish really pop on black. But for ease of use, Id go with Eco Complete, since you don't need to prewash it and its not dusty at all. If you're really looking to save money and have some time on your hands, you could buy one bag of a good substrate (Eco, Flourite, ADA Amazonia, etc), and mix it with your current substrate but pick out those pink gravel granules. One bag should cost you around $20.

I see you're growing Windelov. Forgive me if you already know, but make sure you didnt burry the rhizome in the gravel, or it could rot. I couldnt tell from your photo. Windelov should ideally be tied to rocks or driftwood. Alternatively, you can put it on your substrate but make sure that only the roots are buried and not the rhizome.
 

jenazen69

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Jun 19, 2004
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Regarding Eco Complete and Amazonia, Im not sure what you been by "change it out". If you don't like the price of flourite, you won't like Amazonia or Eco either, since Flourite is the cheapest of the three.

Personally, I'd go with Flourite Black, as I love a black substrate. Plants and fish really pop on black. But for ease of use, Id go with Eco Complete, since you don't need to prewash it and its not dusty at all. If you're really looking to save money and have some time on your hands, you could buy one bag of a good substrate (Eco, Flourite, ADA Amazonia, etc), and mix it with your current substrate but pick out those pink gravel granules. One bag should cost you around $20.

I see you're growing Windelov. Forgive me if you already know, but make sure you didnt burry the rhizome in the gravel, or it could rot. I couldnt tell from your photo. Windelov should ideally be tied to rocks or driftwood. Alternatively, you can put it on your substrate but make sure that only the roots are buried and not the rhizome.
I was told that the eco complete would have to be completely removed from the tank and replaced as it decomposes after time. It's not so much the price, as an ongoing price issue if it has to be replaced.I would love to use black substrata as that is what I use in my 29 gallon. I haven't seen the black florite. I will have to look for it.I agree with you black really makes the color of the fish and plants pop. Thanks for the tip on the windelov, I learned this the hard way when I first got it. It is resting on the gravel, and it occasionally attaches to the gravel without help. I have though about tying it to some of my driftwood though.
 

jenazen69

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Digging the pink and black gravel - very original! :thumbsup:
I am recycling my daughters old gravel with some of the small amounts of gravel I had left over. I really don't like the pink, and was hoping the black planter full of gravel would distract me from how much I don't like the pink.
Ahh well to each their own.
 

jenazen69

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ChrisK thanks. Healthy is priority one in my tanks. I try to give my tanks help to stay healthy by adding the plants. I am a big believer in the theory that a planted tank is a healthy tank, as my fish seem to thrive when they have more plants in their tank.
 

jenazen69

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here is a new update. I finally did it. I changed the gravel to black, and it looks much better.





I know I need to declare war on the algae, but other than that I am happier with the tank now.As always feel free to tell me what you think.
 
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