d2mini's 4g Planted Betta Tank

d2mini · 02-02-2013, 07:12 PM

Thanks everyone! I picked up a variety of different plants today... a sampling of this and that. Going to wing it and see what happens. Got some dwarf baby tears and dwarf hair grass for the foreground and some taller unidentified stuff for background. Stay tuned.

Green_Flash · 02-02-2013, 09:13 PM

Great work, can't wait to see it planted.

d2mini · 02-03-2013, 02:08 AM

Thanks, Green!

Ok so I have no fruity clue what I'm doing but here it is! I planted plugs of dwarf baby tears and dwarf hair grass in the foreground. Did this with just enough water to almost cover the soil. After this was done I filled the tank. Then I planted something reddish and tall in the back left and a broad green with white spots leafed plant in the back right. If anyone can identify these I would appreciate it. They weren't marked at the LFS. And I may do a fern of some sort just to the right of the peak to keep max height on that middle to left side. Oh, and behind the small rock on the left is some Bacopa. This probably looks like a hot mess to you guys but this is my very first planted tank so go easy on me.

Here's the pics.... water is a bit cloudy.

And here is a shot of the light that is over this tank...

**orchidman** · 02-03-2013, 03:12 AM

Looks fantastic!! I'm not sure what that plant on the right is, but something tells me it may not be 100% aquatic..

Chrisinator · 02-03-2013, 03:37 AM

That's an aluminum plant, not aquatic and will just decay and cause problems in the future. I'd take it out ASAP.

d2mini · 02-03-2013, 03:43 AM

bah! Foiled by the LFS again.

Ok, I'll find a replacement. Thanks for the heads up!

And thank you, Orchidman.

vvDO · 02-03-2013, 03:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by d2mini

bah! Foiled by the LFS again.

Ok, I'll find a replacement. Thanks for the heads up!

And thank you, Orchidman.

It will make a nice potted plant though.

d2mini · 02-03-2013, 01:05 PM

Ha! Ok... Aluminum Plant has been removed and planted in it's own container.
Guess I'll be out looking for something to replace it today.

The water is real clear today. Will do a water change later this afternoon.

horsedude · 02-03-2013, 01:50 PM

cool looks like a good start, i have tried DHG in my 20g long but my hoplo catfish and rams decided to up root every single plant but they have seemed to have leaved my normal hairgrass alone!

good luck

d2mini · 02-03-2013, 05:37 PM

Yeah, i'm actually a bit surprised at how "light" or almost buoyant the aqua soil seems to be. In such a small tank with such small little plugs of plants, they are barely staying put. Nothing has floated yet though. How long should I expect before things start to really take hold? I know it can vary but is there a basic time range I can expect?

And how long should my lights be on?

laqu · 02-03-2013, 06:26 PM

i landed up with substrate under the aqua soil - plants kept floating.

just remember to dampen the flow for your betta, he has a great tail and is amazing looking.

nice tank.

maybe i missed it but what dimensions is it and who makes it. i need one for my daughter when she goes to college in the fall.

d2mini · 02-03-2013, 07:16 PM

The tank is a CAD Lights Mini Series 4g Freshwater.
Comes complete with LED light, integrated filter, pump, sponge and media.

raulfd4 · 02-03-2013, 07:49 PM

Your betta is very impressive. Could you tell us where you ordered it from?

d2mini · 02-03-2013, 08:41 PM

Aquabid.com
Most of the sellers/breeders are from Thailand. Ends up being expensive for a Betta once you pay the transhipper (although it's price points I'm used to with saltwater fish) but they blow away anything found here in the states.

Green_Flash · 02-03-2013, 09:44 PM

Nice job planting, it will look great when it fills in and grows out.

02-03-2013, 03:12 AM	#19
orchidman Sara is AWESOME (View User Tanks) PTrader: (18/100%) Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 7,348	Looks fantastic!! I'm not sure what that plant on the right is, but something tells me it may not be 100% aquatic.. __________________ http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/ta...io-de-rio.html http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/ta...gal-betta.html

02-03-2013, 01:50 PM	#24
horsedude Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: UK Posts: 113	cool looks like a good start, i have tried DHG in my 20g long but my hoplo catfish and rams decided to up root every single plant but they have seemed to have leaved my normal hairgrass alone! good luck __________________ FISHY

02-03-2013, 06:26 PM	#26
laqu Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (3/100%) Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: NJ Posts: 479	i landed up with substrate under the aqua soil - plants kept floating. just remember to dampen the flow for your betta, he has a great tail and is amazing looking. nice tank. maybe i missed it but what dimensions is it and who makes it. i need one for my daughter when she goes to college in the fall. __________________ 1 6 gallon 4 2 gallon 8" cubes Here they are http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/al...p?albumid=9625 6 gallon journal http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/sh...208&highlight= you can see more photos here the 4 8" cubes are on flicker... will get to their journal at some point (they are fun as they change often) http://www.flickr.com/photos/laq/

02-03-2013, 07:49 PM	#28
raulfd4 Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1/100%) Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Southern Maryland Posts: 104	Your betta is very impressive. Could you tell us where you ordered it from? __________________ 65 Gallon Low Tech Journal [56K]

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02-02-2013, 07:12 PM	#16
d2mini Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 177	Thanks everyone! I picked up a variety of different plants today... a sampling of this and that. Going to wing it and see what happens. Got some dwarf baby tears and dwarf hair grass for the foreground and some taller unidentified stuff for background. Stay tuned.

02-02-2013, 09:13 PM	#17
Green_Flash Wannabe Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (7/100%) Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: United States Posts: 1,449	Great work, can't wait to see it planted.

02-03-2013, 02:08 AM	#18
d2mini Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 177	Thanks, Green! Ok so I have no fruity clue what I'm doing but here it is! I planted plugs of dwarf baby tears and dwarf hair grass in the foreground. Did this with just enough water to almost cover the soil. After this was done I filled the tank. Then I planted something reddish and tall in the back left and a broad green with white spots leafed plant in the back right. If anyone can identify these I would appreciate it. They weren't marked at the LFS. And I may do a fern of some sort just to the right of the peak to keep max height on that middle to left side. Oh, and behind the small rock on the left is some Bacopa. This probably looks like a hot mess to you guys but this is my very first planted tank so go easy on me. Here's the pics.... water is a bit cloudy. And here is a shot of the light that is over this tank...

02-03-2013, 03:37 AM	#20
Chrisinator Wannabe Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (24/100%) Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: NJ Posts: 1,788	That's an aluminum plant, not aquatic and will just decay and cause problems in the future. I'd take it out ASAP.

02-03-2013, 03:43 AM	#21
d2mini Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 177	bah! Foiled by the LFS again. Ok, I'll find a replacement. Thanks for the heads up! And thank you, Orchidman.

02-03-2013, 01:05 PM	#23
d2mini Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 177	Ha! Ok... Aluminum Plant has been removed and planted in it's own container. Guess I'll be out looking for something to replace it today. The water is real clear today. Will do a water change later this afternoon.

02-03-2013, 05:37 PM	#25
d2mini Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 177	Yeah, i'm actually a bit surprised at how "light" or almost buoyant the aqua soil seems to be. In such a small tank with such small little plugs of plants, they are barely staying put. Nothing has floated yet though. How long should I expect before things start to really take hold? I know it can vary but is there a basic time range I can expect? And how long should my lights be on?

02-03-2013, 07:16 PM	#27
d2mini Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 177	The tank is a CAD Lights Mini Series 4g Freshwater. Comes complete with LED light, integrated filter, pump, sponge and media.

02-03-2013, 08:41 PM	#29
d2mini Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 177	Aquabid.com Most of the sellers/breeders are from Thailand. Ends up being expensive for a Betta once you pay the transhipper (although it's price points I'm used to with saltwater fish) but they blow away anything found here in the states.

02-03-2013, 09:44 PM	#30
Green_Flash Wannabe Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (7/100%) Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: United States Posts: 1,449	Nice job planting, it will look great when it fills in and grows out.