[sharko]

Hi all, I've been lurking on this site for about 1 year since I started my first planted tank and I've gotten a lot of good tips. Just wanted to share my progress so far and get some feedback, unfortunately I've only got crappy phone photos to share. I haven't had an aquarium since I was a kid, but I got carried away while setting up one for my office. What was originally intended to be a desktop tank for a Betta turned into this.

20 gallon long
DIY Co2
Whatever bulb came stock in the aqueon hood
Dosing Leaf Zone with weekly water changes
2x Hagen Aquaclear 20 HOB filters

1x dwarf gourami (Handsome Rob)
10x neon tetras
1x nerite snail
various anubias
2x marimo balls
small bunch on java fern in the upper left (It's barely hanging on to life after I let it dry out while rearranging the other plants. When I put it back in the water holes formed all over the leaves and it stopped growing. Since I added the Co2 it seems to be growing again but very slowly, it still may die.)

 

[lauraleellbp]

Welcome to TPT!

Looks like you've made some good plant choices for your (very low) light levels. :thumbsup:

 

[sharko]

Thank you, I figure I can't keep much else alive with this light. I had a group of crypts for a while that grew all the way to the surface, but I gave them to a friend for his shrimp tank because they were making it tough to vacuum the substrate.

 

[H2Ogal]

Probably not the first time plans for a betta nano turned into a 20g long.

If you had crypts grow all the way to the surface, you must be doing a lot right with that tank. I wouldn't worry too much about the java. Unless you killed the rhizome, it will very likely come back. Darned hardy plants.

 

[phattnug]

Very nice tank! Is that real driftwood? and what substrate are you using im looking for new one instaid of sand! Have your tetras started breeding yet?

 

[sharko]

Nope, the driftwood is a plastic piece I got from Petsmart.

The substrate is just inert black gravel.

The tetras have not been breeding. This is going to sound crazy, but I initially had 8 panda cories who never thrived and died one by one over a few weeks. After they were gone I found eggs on the marimos and they hatched 8 fry. I frantically tried to read how to take care of them, but none lived more than a week.

 

[Aplomado]

That's a nice tank! I love anubias.

Think you could get some vals to live in there? I think it could use some stuff planted in the substrate.

 

[sharko]

probably could, but I am actually moving and giving this tank away to another TPT member. I'm very sad to have to let it go.

 

[gobluewolverines4]

Can you post a picture of the hood? There's a good chance you could replace the bulbs with something that your plants would enjoy more. Or if you like where it is, that's perfectly fine too. Your tank is gorgeous for a first tank. Good luck.

 

[Careful]

Wow, your tank looks great for just having the one bulb! I like your just-plants-on-driftwood look a lot, very good job! Too bad that you have to let it go, will you be setting up another tank once you've moved?