Journal Of My 10g

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Steven 1

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Feb 27, 2014
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The Journal of my 10g: 4/18/12 Onward

The Beginning

Having had aquaria at other times in my life, My 10 gallon tank began in 2012, coming up on two years now. A friend gave me a 10 gallon, and of all the pieces I bought at Petco, the one I remember most is the gravel, marked "Natural Gravel." It had pieces the size of kidney beans, and I just poured it right into the tank. Way too big.

When I was cycling it, the cycle stopped in the middle, and this guy on a board told me I could put in a lot of fast-grower stem plants and it would work fine. This method has been known as the "Silent Cycle." I bought plants at this great lfs in Quincy, MA called "Lovely Pets", and also bought six Pristella Tetras. I later bought another one to make it seven. Much later, I bought a blue female Betta and some Betta food - little round pellets. A couple of weeks later one of the Pristellas died, I think because of an intestinal blockage from a Betta pellet, but the rest of the Pristellas and the Betta are fine.

I have just completed a substrate swap from the gravel to Miracle Grow Organic Choice Potting Mix with a black sand cap. I promise to put a picture here in the journal ASAP. I can also add a picture from when I started the tank for reference. The pH went from 7.6 to 6.6, and nitrates are 0. I planted the last few plants and did a water change today. I've been thinking about doing this for weeks.

So, now for the good stuff:

Hardware:
10 gallon glass tank
No cover
2 10W CFL bulbs, 8-hour photoperiod
2 aluminum dome reflectors
Fluval U2 filter
Antique heater

Flora:
Not sure of the new stuff I bought except 2 Java Fern
3 unidentified Swords
2 unidentified Crypts
1 Water Sprite
Java Moss

Fauna:
6 Pristella Tetra
1 Betta Splendens (f)
Several Malaysian Trumpet Snail
About 6 small Ramshorn Snail
Millions of bacteria

This is the end of the first installment. Plase watch for the next one.
 

FreshyFresh

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Sounds nice!

Just keep an eye on your water params. The majority of your beneficial bacteria went out with the old substrate. I would have kept a sock/pantyhose of it in with the new setup for awhile. Hopefully what's in your filter will maintain the cycle.

Depending on what sword plant you got, they can massively outgrow a 10g. I recently made that mistake and pulled an amazon sword out of my 10 and put it in my 55g.
 

ktrom13

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I would love to see pics of this setup.

I agree with freshy. If its an amazon sword it can and most likely will outgrow your tank. I have a massive one in my brothers tank.

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JAY973

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Depending on what sword plant you got, they can massively outgrow a 10g.
This is one of those now you tell me... I had a Queen Marble amazon sword beautiful plant until it was 24" tall by 32" wide in a 120g tank with a root ball (at least what came out of the substrate) the size of youth size soccer ball guy I sold it to took it in trash bag...LOL

Steve 1
I'd love to see pictures as well sounds awesome love the tetra's. Instead of swords you may want to look into nana petite and/or other species of Crypts as well that may do well in a smaller tank. They'll love the soil bottom once you overcome the crypt melt.
 

Steven 1

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Here are the before and after shots that you've been waiting for...

Before - 2012 - gravel:

IMG_0304.JPGIMG_0454.JPG After

I know it isn't very pretty at the moment, but I'll post another one in a month. There's already some trimming to do. The water is also still a little murky.

IMG_0304.JPG IMG_0454.JPG
 

Steven 1

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The "before" picture is a little bare. I was still in cycle (fish food). I thought I'd post a shot from a little further along:

IMG_0321.JPG

IMG_0321.JPG
 

Steven 1

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This is one of those now you tell me... I had a Queen Marble amazon sword beautiful plant until it was 24" tall by 32" wide in a 120g tank with a root ball (at least what came out of the substrate) the size of youth size soccer ball guy I sold it to took it in trash bag...LOL

Steve 1
I'd love to see pictures as well sounds awesome love the tetra's. Instead of swords you may want to look into nana petite and/or other species of Crypts as well that may do well in a smaller tank. They'll love the soil bottom once you overcome the crypt melt.
Jay - did you see the last pic with the Sword? The two others are outgrowths of the first one that you see. Maybe a Ruffled Sword or somthing. They may be a litttle stunted. I've seen them put up 2-3 new leaves in a week.

Some news - I lowered my CFLs about 2" to get more light, and I may just put them back up and put in 13W CFLs. Seems like a lot now that it's written down.

The pics aren't beautiful like some tanks, but this is an ongoing experiment and learning experience. I expect there will be some improvements between now and a month from now.
 

Steven 1

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Jay, I used Root Tabs but I must have started after the pic was taken. It had a lot of roots, but the size of the gravel probably didn't help.

I have MGOCPM covered with an inch of sand now and I had trouble planting the Sword. Do you think I should cut off all but an inch of roots so I can plant it better?
 

JAY973

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Dec 24, 2005
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If the roots are white healthy roots what I normally is wrap them up almost into ball and use it to my advantage to anchor down the plant. I've heard cutting the roots may affect the plants negatively but I don't know if that's gospel.
 
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