Hello from Bolingbrook/Naperville

[Owen Stubbs]

Just thought I would stop in and say hello. While not new to aquariums, have not done it in years and am now helping my 3rd grader get a 10g up and running. Have been receiving lots of input from a guy on aquaticcommunity.com, and he referred me to this site as I begin to ask questions on plants, which I am presently considering. Not sure what my options are quite yet, but I am in the middle of cycling my tank, and supplemented my gravel with Flourite yesterday.

Anyway, just thought I would say hello & thanks to you Chicago metro members for your various posts.

[Sponsors]

[crazie.eddie]

Welcome to PlantedTank

What other tanks have you ran in the past?

[Owen Stubbs]

Originally Posted by crazie.eddie

Welcome to PlantedTank

What other tanks have you ran in the past?

Nothing special. Always wanted something HUGE, when I had the time, I didn't have the money. Had the money, didn't have the time. Have just enough of each for this little experiment for my 3rd grader!!!

I never tried plants in a tank before. The focus was more on the fish than the plants. Trying to create more of a complete ecosystem this time around as it is as much a learning experience for my son as it is a "hobby".

He is all over it, and should that interest be sustained, and he keeps up with the obligation, I will consider a larger tank.

Right now, it's just a 10g. 1.5wpg, flourite, heater & HOB Penguin filter. Wrapping up a fishless cycle, monitoring the buy & sell forum for plants (local plants really seem bad), and will hopefully get a few fish in there in the next week. Not looking at anything special for now. Probably some danios or tetras of one kind or another.

Your 120 is awesome. If I had unlimited time and resources, I would do a discus tank, cichlid tank, saltwater tank, and god knows what else.

I have this other little obsession called boating, so what I can do in terms of aquariums is limited!

[eds]

Originally Posted by Owen Stubbs

Wrapping up a fishless cycle, monitoring the buy & sell forum for plants (local plants really seem bad)

To start off with, you could do worse than just stopping by PetSmart and picking up a bunch of cabomba and ludwigia for maybe $5. Your limitations are going to bve relatively low light and no CO2. Crypts might be a good idea.

I'm just up the road from you in Glen Ellyn, and would be glad to give my trimmings to you instead of the trash. Keep in touch, and I'm sure we could figure some way to hook up

[Owen Stubbs]

Thanks Eds. Got some pennywort and annubias from a member here. Having difficulty with cycling my tank, but hope to get that resolve soon. Thread in the general area. Title is something like "cycle stalled".

Anyway, hope to contribute something worthwhile here once I get my own issues resolved. Kinda fun doing this with my son, but have to admit, I can see doing a larger tank!!!

[Mr.ThomasWalls]

I live in Il too. look me up if you need some help

[Owen Stubbs]

Thanks MrThomasWalls. I'm just a complete newb trying to help one of my young kids get acclimated to this hobby. Lots to learn - not just for him, but myself as well. I have read many of your posts, and learned a lot from those posts. You really seem to love what you are doing, and that is a key ingredient to life! Keep up the good work!! Hope to get more advice from you, and all the other experts here, in the future. Right now, I need to finish cycling this freaking 10g for my son!

Thanks again for the reply! Need to get my son's tank going, maybe better plants, and I know i want some shrimp, so we will likely be in touch. This little project of ours does have restrictions though - while I may be controlling a lot of it, the deal is that my son needs to take responsibility. Understand what is happening, treat and dose as needed (and understand why), and get occupants *HE* (not dad) can afford on a 3rd grader's allowance.... sometimes by negotiating, sometimes by gift. This whole thing has been great, on so many levels I cannot possibly explain.

Congrats on the new job! You clearly love what you do, so you should be having a ball right now!

[Mr.ThomasWalls]

Originally Posted by Owen Stubbs

Thanks MrThomasWalls. I'm just a complete newb trying to help one of my young kids get acclimated to this hobby. Lots to learn - not just for him, but myself as well. I have read many of your posts, and learned a lot from those posts. You really seem to love what you are doing, and that is a key ingredient to life! Keep up the good work!! Hope to get more advice from you, and all the other experts here, in the future. Right now, I need to finish cycling this freaking 10g for my son!

Thanks again for the reply! Need to get my son's tank going, maybe better plants, and I know i want some shrimp, so we will likely be in touch. This little project of ours does have restrictions though - while I may be controlling a lot of it, the deal is that my son needs to take responsibility. Understand what is happening, treat and dose as needed (and understand why), and get occupants *HE* (not dad) can afford on a 3rd grader's allowance.... sometimes by negotiating, sometimes by gift. This whole thing has been great, on so many levels I cannot possibly explain.

Congrats on the new job! You clearly love what you do, so you should be having a ball right now!

I did not realize I could have such a positive impact on this hobby
I am here for you when you need some plants and shrimp just LMK. You can stop by take a look around maybe get a few plants/shrimp to make that 10 alot more interesting for your son. I give every kid I meet with a fish tank a plant and a shrimp. Actually all you need is some gravel out of a good running tank and plants. No need to cycle a planted tank. Plants are SUPER Bio-Balls loaded with bacteria.
If you want to see planted tanks on a big scale stop by my work on or after the 14th of this month. The store will open on the 14th. I will post directions from the highway,address, phone number,and specials if I hear of any on monday when I go to work so look for the post. You can see over 35 fully planted tanks,huge planted pond,saltwater reef tank that is ,stingrays,and lots of saltwater stuff that makes me want a saltwater tank so bad I can scream.
I CAN SAY I LOVE MY JOB AND AM ENJOYING EVERY MOMENT. Can you belive I get PAID to work with plants and fish? Oh and did I mention they have birds. I am not talking small birds I am talking HUGE birds.
Stop on out. You will see lots of stuff to make your son smile.

[Owen Stubbs]

Thanks again. The lucky few are those who can combine a personal interest/passion with a paying job.

Still a bit "stalled" in my cycling. While a heavily planted tank might not require cycling, I have never had plants before, and I started this process thinking I would NOT have live plants. Plus - I don't know if the plants will survive, so completing the cycle before introducing fish seemed to be a reasonable contingency plan.

I think I was overdoing the ammonia, which led to skyrocketing nitrites. As of yesterday, I did a substantial water change and backed way down on the ammonia. Hopefully, this thing will finish itself up in the next several days and I can move forward.

[eds]

Man - really sounds like you are making this a lot more complicated than it needs to be.
All you need to do is fill up the tank, stick in a bunch of fast growing stems, and then add 2-3 hardy cheap fish - hopefully of a species you wish to "school up" in your future tank. A couple of danios, serpae tetras, platies, and your tank is cycled before you know it.

[Owen Stubbs]

Originally Posted by eds

Man - really sounds like you are making this a lot more complicated than it needs to be.

Story of my life!

[tbonedeluxe]

Hey eds are you still giving away trimmings?I ask,because i live in Wheaton/Glen Ellyn also.I have some swords in a 50 gallon high. plan to get more varieties of plants,but right now im still running in very low tech mode.plants are doing ok though.Let me know. Can meet you close by.Might already know you,or some of your friends or vice versa.Want to get higher watt lighting and co2. But will eagerly take trimmings.