I thought that I would post a journal for the tank I just recently set up.
Any feedback, suggestions, comments, advice, etc is more than welcome!
It's a standard 20 gallon that I originally wanted to make into a SEA biotope riparium, and I still do. However, I decided that I am going to wait until I have more money, time, knowledge, and experience before doing so. A simple set up just seems like the logical thing to do at this point.
Anyways, the tank is set up in a "natural looking" sort of fashion.
For the substrate I used polished stones of various sizes, and I will be adding coarse sand once I get around to picking some up.
For "decor" I added driftwood, a cave, and some fake plants. As of now the only plants in the tank are java moss (scattered in various places) and a small Cryptocorne (not sure what type) in the back. I have some Bacopa that I am debating on putting in there, and I plan to get a bunch more live plants as well.
The temp is 76-78, the parameters are stable. About 50% of the water is from my 30 gallon and the other half is (treated) stagnant tap water. I soaked all of the substrate/etc in water from another tank before putting it in. Nitrates, nitrites & ammonia are perfect, pH is above 6 but hasn't gone up to 7. Everything's going well! (Aside from last night when the cats opened the filter top and pulled out some of the media, which made a mess but didn't screw up the water thankfully and the problem was solved easily enough, with an elastic band.)
Here is a photo of the tank.
This is Phantom, my main reason for setting up this tank.
In the near future I want to convince my mom (and I will!) to trade me one of my tanks/stands for her tank/stand (which is actually mine anyway) so that I can get another Betta and do this sort of thing, both tanks would be set up generally the same.
Which in my opinion is going to be
awesome, especially once both are turned into biotope ripariums!!

I'm excited.... Obviously.
So I guess that's about all there is to say at the moment.
Though I do have some questions & ponderings.......
I'd like to plant this tank more heavily (and the other when/if I get it) and just get the general hang of "aqua-gardening" which I'm very new to.
Here are the plants I want to get:
Java Fern
Anubias
Bolbitis
Amazon Sword
Vallisneria
Hygrophila difformis
Rotala Wallichii/Rotundifolia
I think I am going to do Dwarf Hairgrass carpets in both, is coarse sand good for growing this or do I need something else?
What are the best floating & or spreading plants to use in a low-light tank?
I'd like to get a group of shoaling fish, this Betta has a rather peaceful personality and I'd like to try Neon Tetras I think. Do you think they'd do well in this tank?
Again, any input is obliged and thanks for reading! :icon_smil