[tinkerpuppet]

Well that didn't take long! I just finished replacing my 10gal (set up in April) with a new 20gal long, and I'm so happy! I added a few new plants, new rocks, and a couple new fish. I really like how it turned out.

Specs
Tank - 20gal long
Light - (temporary) Nicrew LED that I used for my 10gal, I'm waiting on a bigger LED light that will hopefully arrive the first week of Sept at the latest.
Filter - Aquaclear 50
Heater - 100w (Aqueon maybe?)
Substrate - Pool filter sand
Ferts - Osmocote root tabs and Tropica fertlizer (when I remember during weekly water changes)

Fauna
Betta
2 guppies (got them with the new plants, getting at least one more female tomorrow)
6 peppered cories
1 pygmy cory (getting some more tomorrow, long story why it's a singleton)
1 amano shrimp (might grab some more tomorrow too)
ramshorn and bladder snails

Flora
I feel bad, I got too excited picking plants on Friday and I forgot some of the names. Starting from bottom left front corner along the back to the right front corner -
Crypts
Hygrophilia Polysperma (I think? Tall leafy plant, lots of stem roots)
Red Ludwigia (Don't know if my light will be good enough to keep a lot of the colour, but I love it)
Crypts
Anacharis (got this from a lake this summer)
Vals/Dwarf Sag (got from someone that used CO2, I have no idea which is which they're all growing great together)
Crypts Bronze

In the front left to right -
Java Fern Windelov (also glued to rocks)
Green Tiger Lotus
Hygrophilia Pinnatifidia (I've never seen this plant before, I love it!)
Anubias Nana Petite (it's glued onto a rock, not planted)

I also bought a bunch of Hydrocotyle Tripartita that I love, but when I was finished planting everything, I liked the empty front patch of sand and didn't end up using it. My son has a little planted 5gal so we might put it in there, or I might see about trading it for a couple guppies locally.

I have to say I really don't like this filter though. I used to use a Marina Slim S10 on my 10gal, and it was whisper silent and I liked that the impeller was inside the tank. The Aquaclear is so noisy in comparison, and I don't like if something happens with with impeller that it could leak/drip out on the outside of the tank. The Marina Slim doesn't come in a big enough size though, so not sure what I'm going to do. Anyone have any tips on how to make the Aquaclear quieter?

I have a makeshift lid for now (the acrylic lid off half of my bearded dragons 100gal tank) which isn't quite wide enough, but extra deep. I'm going to have some custom glass cut to make a sliding lid, and I think I'm going to also get it extra deep as I like the little shelf it makes for some of my plants.

The fish are all adjusting really well. The betta had charged a few times at the cories in the past, but he's ignoring everyone now. The guppies were in hiding since I got them two days ago, totally stressful first days, but they're out now swimming in the open.

So glad I made the switch, I love this size tank!

 

[RedFiveRyan]

Where’s Waldo?

 

[tinkerpuppet]

Where’s Waldo?

I can't believe you remember Waldo!

Well, Waldo started chewing on my betta, Charlie, he was quite persistent/aggressive. So Waldo went to live in a 5gal planted tank we made for my son. My son really wanted a betta, but was happy to have Waldo for awhile until we had a plan. As Waldo grew, we realized he's a rainbow fish, which really wasn't a species we were prepared for. So today we took Waldo to our LFS to live with the other rainbow fish, and my son got his betta that he originally wanted. It was a super sad moment, my son was pretty attached, but we looked at it as if we were fostering Waldo, helping him grow until he was big and healthy enough to be ready for his forever home. We foster cats/kittens, so it helped my son feel good about it. I'll try and add a picture of Waldo from today, he was growing fast!

 

[tinkerpuppet]

Here is a picture of Waldo from just before we took him in yesterday, he was about the size of a guppy!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[RedFiveRyan]

Wow, he looks so cool! Is he a Praecox rainbow?

 

[tinkerpuppet]

He really was great! We just didn't have (or want) the right kind of set up for him. I really don't know what kind of rainbow he is? If anyone can ID him I'd love to know!

 

[tinkerpuppet]

Day 14

Took this video. The plants are settling in now, looking better. I'm looking forward to them filling in, it still looks a little sparse to me. I had taken a bunch of trimmings when I tore down the 10gal, some went to my sons 5gal tank, and the rest I put in jars to hold onto for a future tank, but all the crypts melted But they'll fill out again in the tank!

I added some guppies, but I think they're nipping at my betta, Charlie, so Charlie is going to go live in a new tank I'm going to set up at my office. Poor Charlie just can't catch a break! Just as his fins were looking good again, now they're ragged. But maybe with the extra space in the tank it will be better for him until I can get him moved.

I got my new light in, I went with the 30" Nicrew Classic Plus, I like the colour of the tank and the coverage of the light. Just in the few days having it my plants seem to be perking up a lot. I also ordered a custom glass lid that I should be picking up in a couple days. Still don't love the Aquaclear 50, but it's doing the trick so I'm not worrying about it now. I have an Aquaclear 20 running temporarily on another tank and it seems quieter. Maybe the 50 just needs a new impeller or something?

I'm thinking that when Charlie gets moved, I would like to get a school of neons, maybe nine or so. I've been thinking of different options, and so far that seems the best. I was looking at some mollies, but they'll get to big for the 20gal. I love gouarmi, but they need friends and again I don't think the 20gal is big enough. I'd like something that will help keep fry levels in check, and still be striking.

Two weeks, and I'm still pretty happy with it!