Newbie Tank

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00000

Registered Member
Sep 23, 2013
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[FONT=.Helvetica NeueUI]Hello everyone! I recently redid my fluval chi tank, and I wanted to post my progress. I pretty much want someone to dot my I's and cross my T's, as well as giving give me a push into the right direction as far as maintaining my planted tank.[/FONT][FONT=.Helvetica NeueUI] Like I said, I had to redo my tank. That was due to an outbreak of mystery white clear slime. I wasn't sure what it was, and it was all in my fluval filter, so I broke my tank down and gave it a good scrub. I decided that now was probably a good idea to upgrade my filter for better water movement. I originally Picked up a hob, but it was tossing my poor betta around. The next smallest filter was an internal which I ended up getting. It has a nice spray bar, and moves the water enough without dragging poor Harvey into a whirlpool. While I was at petsmart, i saw a lot of wilted-ish plants. I've been reading a lot, and I remember hearing that you could toss them in a tank without cycling, but they would hinder the cycling process. Seeing as bettas are pretty hardy fish, and I heard small tanks don't cycle anyway, I decided to pick up all 10 plants for .50-1.00 each. I also picked up a bag if caribsea floramax substrate, and some seachem flourish tabs. [/FONT]
[FONT=.Helvetica NeueUI] The next day, I decided it was looking a little plain, so I climbed into the wash behind my house, and picked up some pieces of driftwood. I boiled them for a good 3 hours and soaked it overnight. The next day I threw it in. It wouldn't stay down all the way, and I'll the rocks I found failed the vinegar test, so it was back to the pet store. While I was there, my girlfriend convinced me to get a bamboo shrimp. I got him acclimated by floating the bag (I'll come back to this), and all was well until the next Morbing.. I found him dead on the bottom. I immediately took him out, and did a 70% wc because i remember reading somewhere that the key to fight pollution is dilution. I thought it might have been the water, but it didn't occur to me until after that it also could've been shock from the way I put him in the tank. I didbt let him get used to the water ph difference.[/FONT]
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[FONT=.Helvetica NeueUI]So.. What do you guys think? Shock or water? My betta seems to be doing just fine, and I don't think there's anything else that could be in the water. I thought it could've been the wood, but It was completely bone dry, so it shouldn't have any aquatic pathogens. That and I boiled the heck out of that thing. [/FONT]
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[FONT=.Helvetica NeueUI]Oh and one more thing. I knew I should've looked up my plants in the store, but at that price I figured it was worth the learning experience. I think I ended up paying 10% of the actual price I would've been paying.. 8 bucks r 80 bucks.. Lmao[/FONT]
[FONT=.Helvetica NeueUI]But anyway.. What do you guys think of these plants? [/FONT]
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[FONT=.Helvetica NeueUI]-peacock fern[/FONT]
[FONT=.Helvetica NeueUI]-Anubis congensis[/FONT]
[FONT=.Helvetica NeueUI]-amazon sword[/FONT]
[FONT=.Helvetica NeueUI]-amazon compacta[/FONT]
[FONT=.Helvetica NeueUI]-microsorium pteropus[/FONT]
[FONT=.Helvetica NeueUI]-Anubis afzellii[/FONT]
[FONT=.Helvetica NeueUI]-Echinodorus spp[/FONT]
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[FONT=.Helvetica NeueUI]Are they high light? Low light? Good for beginners to plant?[/FONT]
[FONT=.Helvetica NeueUI]Do I need a DIY co2?[/FONT]
[FONT=.Helvetica NeueUI]Right now they're under a natural daylight 13w cfl [/FONT]
[FONT=.Helvetica NeueUI]Do I need anything else? What's a good beginning plant to carpet? can i go for it or should i wait?[/FONT]
[FONT=.Helvetica NeueUI]Please let me know your guys' thoughts. Thanks for everyone's time.
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jpappy789

Plants need meat too
Feb 18, 2007
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Josh
How was the tank cycled? I see you've tried various filters, but was any established media re-used? Any ammonia/nitrite/nitrate readings? Dechlorinating the water?

It's generally a good idea to acclimate fish slowly although local stores may have similar water. Could be part of the issue, hard to say.

You have a number of lower maintenance plants, and probably wont need to do DIY CO2 (although it may not hurt with this small of a tank). The biggest "problem" I see is that you have a number of swords, which get very large, in a small tank.
 

fishorama

AC Members
Jun 28, 2006
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SF Bay area, CA
It looks good, but like Josh said swords are going to get bigger. Keep an eye on your parameters but shouldn't be a big deal in a tank with 1 pretty betta & plants. The clear gunk is not a big deal, not unusual in a newly set up tank. Do lots of small water changes to keep Mr betta happy until things are stable.
 

Glabe

River Rat
May 10, 2011
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^ +1

Plants do hinder the cycle in a way. .. by taking ammonia out of the water. So it won't hinder the cycle in a way that will make it harder on your fish than having no plants. Also, if you got the plants out of a petstore tank, they may have the beneficial bacteria on them to help cycling.

It looks great btw

Edit: if you find a low maintenance carpeting plant, lmk
 

00000

Registered Member
Sep 23, 2013
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sorry it took so long to get back to you guys! thanks for all the positive feedback! i was really shocked lmao
yes i added something to dechlorinate the water, no i didnt reuse the filter media. i thought about it, but i was just worried about the goo coming back.
i tested the water. the ph was at 7.2, 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites, 0 nitrates. since i have plants, will i just wake up one day with nitrates? or will there still be a tiny ammonia spike?
do i have to wait any before i set up my co2? or do i have the green light to just go?
 

00000

Registered Member
Sep 23, 2013
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awesome thanks again for the advice everyone. ill be sure to keep an eye out.
i already set up my co2 system(minus the yeast), but now that i know its okay, i mixed up some yeast. i how have co2 :] its running through a ceramic air stone atm, but i ordered a drop checker, and a diffuser 2 days ago. it should be here soon. ill keep you guys updated.
 

SANDYBOTTOM

AC Members
Oct 16, 2012
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Minnesota
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Lynn
peacock fern is an emersed grower. it will eventually break down under water. you could try attaching it to the driftwood coming out of the water.keeping the roots submersed.
 
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