[iLOVEnanos]

Sorry this is a late start on this tank, but here we go....

So this whole fish thing started with a Betta for my son, but the bug hit me hard. So this is "Mommy's Tank". When I first set this tank up I hated it. I am a huge fan of black substrate personally, but my husband's only request when agreeing to (and gifting me) a 10 gallon tank, was that I use sand. So I set up the tank, and hated it....I hated it so much I even made a thread about it...

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=355945&highlight=

Anyways, I am a VERY impatient and impulsive person, so as I was about to tear it all down, a few very nice people on here, and my husband all suggested I wait and make a few changes and see how I felt about it. So I cycled the tank, made some tweaks, changed my stocking list, and it actually grew on me!

So fast forward to present day! After cycling I added my 4 Otos who were cramped in a way to small tank with my son's Betta. Then a bit later I added 12 Ember Tetras. One was teeny tiny and kinda just faded away over a week and I lost him, but the tank has been fully stocked with the remaining 11 Embers and 4 Otos for weeks now and everything is going well! The Embers are awesome little fish, and are really coloring up and seem to be growing round little bellies! They were pretty clear and skinny when I got them.

Anyways here is a pretty crappy tank shot of the tank as is today. I still need to get a black background on there...hoping to get around to it this weekend. I would love to hear any suggestions from all of you experts! I am very new to all of this so would love to learn more!

 

[iLOVEnanos]

Forgot to add all the details!!

10 Gallon, Marineland Stock Hood and light (hoping to upgrade to a glass canopy and a 20" Finnex Fugeray when I can afford it). Marineland Biowheel 100 filter with a sponge pre-filter and extra sponges.

Plants- TONS of Anubias Golden Nana, unidentified Anubias, Taiwan Moss, Christmas Moss, Mini X-mas moss, Crypt Lueta, and Water Sprite.

Hardscape includes Mopani wood and some stupid river pebbles. Once some more moss fills in, I am hoping to remove some of the smaller pebbles. I also need to take out the ammonia reader and move the thermometer.

 

[cah925]

I think it looks great. Overall design is wonderful. One of the better 10 gal tanks I've seen in a while.

 

[Jahn]

Hey that's looking great!

 

[iLOVEnanos]

Thanks so much guys! That means a lot! I am hoping I will like it better with a black background. I really wish I could have gotten a rimless tank, but this will do for now. Hoping it will look better with a glass canopy and a better light. I was going to go with the Finex Fugeray 20, but was wondering if there is a better option for my tank? How are the Marineland ones? A black light may look better with the ugly black rim lol!

 

[TECKSPEED]

I use a fugeray over my 20 gallon and love it

 

[Scottyhorse]

Love it! Amazing tank!!

 

[iLOVEnanos]

Thanks so much! I still haven't put on the black background. Going to try to do that tonight after the water changes and I will try to get some better pics! I am also going to pull the watersprite and try to replace it with something grassier looking. I am thinking maybe needle leaf java fern if I can snag some.

I also moved the otos that were in the tank to my other 10 gallon so now it is just the 11 Embers in there. I am wanting to add some more fish though in place of the otos. I was thinking of Rosy Loaches, but not sure if I should do them, pygmy cories, or something else. Any ideas?

 

[FungusTrooper]

Looking forward to the new pics. I have no experience with loaches, but pygmy corys are little sweethearts.

 

[cah925]

I did loaches for years. Lots of fun to watch. I've recently switched to Cory habrosus. These little guys are fun to watch too. I've been trying to increase my numbers to get a nice school going. I hear the pygmy cories are more shy than the habrosus.

 

[iLOVEnanos]

I would LOVE habrosus but can't seem to find any!

 

[iLOVEnanos]

LONG overdue update! This tank is doing very well! The current inhabitants are one betta (as of yesterday) and then 6 Ember Tetras, 3 Cory Habrosus, and 3 Otos. Do you guys think I would be ok to add a few more Habrosus over from my other tank?

As for the plants, I pulled the water sprite and added needle leaf java ferns instead. There is one random stem of Bacopa Carolina as a experiment with the lighting, and I pulled one of the crypts. I need to get some new full tank shots, but for now here are some of the fish

 

[iLOVEnanos]

Sorry my phone will only let me upload one at a time :/

 

[iLOVEnanos]

One more

 

[iLOVEnanos]

Not sure if anyone looks at this, but as promised an updated FTS

Sorry for the glare.

 

[AGUILAR3]

Needle leaf Java is a nice addition to your tank. Looks good.

Your current 13 fish in a 10g is pushing it as is.

 

[JerSaint]

Looking good. Love your new betta!

 

[iLOVEnanos]

Thanks guys! Ok sounds good I will leave it as is. I did also change the hood and filter. I HATED the biowheel so swapped it out for a AquaClear 30 with a glass top, but am still using the led that came with the Marineland lid.

 

[johnson18]

Everything's looking great!

 

[kwheeler91]

As small as those fish are you would be fine to add those little corys. Those old bioload rules aren't really formated persay for people with plants and you have a good amount in there. To put some perspective on it, I once had a 20 gallon hexagon tank with mopani covered in java moss, some rotala rotundifolia couple small swords and some frogbit I think. I ran diy co2 as well. The only filter was a tetra whisper 30 gallon intank filter with a big piece of hydrosponge. The inhabitants were as follows, as well as I can remember at least:
24 boraras brigittae
12 celestial pearl danios
5 rasbora hengeli
6 corydoras pygmaeus
6 adult crs + babies
3 big trapdoor snails and a lot of mts

As you can see most people would tell me that I'm grossly overstocked and yada yada yada. But with a good plant mass and regular waterchanges they all thrived. My cpds still spawned everyday. My crs reproduced and the others were just chillin like villains. I know this is only anecdotal evidence but its the truth and it shows how beneficial plants are to an aquariums health.

You have a nice set up going here and healthy plants. 3 fish barely and inch long isn't going to put you over the limit. Besides its not like all your fish are suddenly going to drop dead when you put more fish in. Just do large weekly water changes or even every other week and moniter their health but I have no worries that it would be fine. A bigger school of corys is always better anyway