Well, I've got the bug now. After having my 72 gallon bowfront I've started something I can't stop. The wife says everywhere she goes is another tank lol. With some of the clippings from the big tank I decided my betta would be very happy in a 5g hex that I pieced togeter from things I've been collecting. Just so happens that his old home, an eclipse 2g mini bow, had the same size filter as the hex tank that happend to be missing the filter. More room, built in light, can't loose. Got the tank from my favorite LFS that said they opened it as a display for a fish, didn't sell it, had a spider in it, didn't sell it, tried collecting dust with it, that worked but didn't sell it, I offered them 10 bucks for it and guess what, they sold it. Used the filter and biowheel from the 2gal (instant cycle, very nice) got the heater from a friend after he gave up trying to keep goldfish alive in a 3 gallon tank. Gravel from the 72 that I saved when I bought it from craigslist. Small bag of Fertiloam Ultimate potting soil to put under the gravel for the crypts to survive on. Total investment probably $13.
Plants: Bolbits African water fern, crypt lutea, crypt california sunset (can't see it in this pic), java moss, narrow leaf java fern, and guppie grass. All clippings from the big tank.
Stocking: 1 male crowntale betta (is name is Zoid, Z for short, you other trekkies should like that), 6 juvinile briggs growing out. They will be transfered to other tanks as they mature. I like keeping a couple of each color in a small tank to observe and Z leaves them alone. Right now, 2 gold, 2 ivoy, and 2 olive striped.
On to the next tank. I've got way too many baby briggs growing up in my main tank right now so I've decided to make a snailtopia tank. Not a huge tank but a 29gal tall. They should have pleanty of surface area to roam around in untill their day at market. Tank has been through a few stages before it made it aquarium. Was a snake tank for a while, then I made a vivarium out of it, build log on that is here: http://www.vivariumforum.com/community/terra-construction/2290-29g-tall-tank-build-log-pics.html. Now finally an aquarium.
Specs: playsand over potting soil substrate, natural driftwood, marineland penguin 150 filter. No heater yet, but no livestock in there yet. Light is the same I used for the vivarium but will replace it when funds permit (can't open the lid without taking it off. Kind of a pain really.) 2 13w CF bulbs. so far so good.
Full tank
Right side
Left side
Plants: Anubias Lanceolata, Anubias nanna narrow leaf, crypt lutea, 1 ruby melon sword I got from customdrum (btw he's got really nice plants) and a handfull of guppie grass. I'm gonna go searching for a taller sword for the back left corner and the LFS I love has some anubias coffeefolia that I absolutely must have for the other piece of driftwood.
Stocking: Baby snails and more baby snails, possibly a small school of neon tetras or rummy noses, a few ottos, and I'd love to try some red cherry shrimp a bit later when the tank has gotten a chance to establish. Or, maybe just the snails. Depends on the total bioload. Will probably add another filter later on if needed. Right now the bio wheel and filter pads are the same size as my established 72 so once I add livestock I'll wait 12 hours and switch the biowheel and a filter pad over for an instant cycle.
Now, I know there's another spot in this house that NEEDS a tank. Never saw the need for a "fish room" untill now.
Plants: Bolbits African water fern, crypt lutea, crypt california sunset (can't see it in this pic), java moss, narrow leaf java fern, and guppie grass. All clippings from the big tank.
Stocking: 1 male crowntale betta (is name is Zoid, Z for short, you other trekkies should like that), 6 juvinile briggs growing out. They will be transfered to other tanks as they mature. I like keeping a couple of each color in a small tank to observe and Z leaves them alone. Right now, 2 gold, 2 ivoy, and 2 olive striped.
On to the next tank. I've got way too many baby briggs growing up in my main tank right now so I've decided to make a snailtopia tank. Not a huge tank but a 29gal tall. They should have pleanty of surface area to roam around in untill their day at market. Tank has been through a few stages before it made it aquarium. Was a snake tank for a while, then I made a vivarium out of it, build log on that is here: http://www.vivariumforum.com/community/terra-construction/2290-29g-tall-tank-build-log-pics.html. Now finally an aquarium.
Specs: playsand over potting soil substrate, natural driftwood, marineland penguin 150 filter. No heater yet, but no livestock in there yet. Light is the same I used for the vivarium but will replace it when funds permit (can't open the lid without taking it off. Kind of a pain really.) 2 13w CF bulbs. so far so good.
Full tank
Right side
Left side
Plants: Anubias Lanceolata, Anubias nanna narrow leaf, crypt lutea, 1 ruby melon sword I got from customdrum (btw he's got really nice plants) and a handfull of guppie grass. I'm gonna go searching for a taller sword for the back left corner and the LFS I love has some anubias coffeefolia that I absolutely must have for the other piece of driftwood.
Stocking: Baby snails and more baby snails, possibly a small school of neon tetras or rummy noses, a few ottos, and I'd love to try some red cherry shrimp a bit later when the tank has gotten a chance to establish. Or, maybe just the snails. Depends on the total bioload. Will probably add another filter later on if needed. Right now the bio wheel and filter pads are the same size as my established 72 so once I add livestock I'll wait 12 hours and switch the biowheel and a filter pad over for an instant cycle.
Now, I know there's another spot in this house that NEEDS a tank. Never saw the need for a "fish room" untill now.
