First Attempt Betta Tank Setup, Comments Welcome!

[danele]

Hi, here is my new tank that i've just setup, and wanted to check that everythings good for my new betta. I am new to fish keeping so any comments and views are welcome.

Shot at 2012-03-29

 

[littlenemo]

looks good maybe add a bit of drift wood. in back ground like mine

 

[danele]

Ha, was going to have driftwood instead of rock, but reading storys of soaking it for weeks or months put me off. Dont think the tank would be big enough for both, would it? ( My tank measures 25cm x 25cm)

 

[TheJ0kerrr]

Looks nice, I would add a background though to hide the cables and maybe one tall plant or something since it's a vertical tank. Good job!

 

[littlenemo]

danele. drift wood you dont need to soak it does not leak any tannis. its only bog woof that does. you can get small bits off ebay. but defo a back ground paint it or add a picture one.

 

[danele]

Oh right, didnt know there was different types
Thanks for the comment joker, im hoping the plant at the back grows taller (should have another 4/10 inches to grow, if i dont kill it first)
Agree with you both on the background, the fluval chi background range, which theres only two, aren't really my taste. Need to look into my options of self making one maybe.

 

[KittyKat]

Hi, here is my new tank that i've just setup, and wanted to check that everythings good for my new betta. I am new to fish keeping so any comments and views are welcome.

Did you fish-less cycle the filter with household ammonia? If not, please do. This usually takes 4-6+ weeks, but a fish-in cycle (which is what most new people do) is much more stressful and can take much longer. You can speed up either method of cycling by asking one of the media donors for some media.

Ha, was going to have driftwood instead of rock, but reading storys of soaking it for weeks or months put me off. Dont think the tank would be big enough for both, would it? ( My tank measures 25cm x 25cm)

The "rock" looks like reef bones. Reef bones will harden the water and raise the pH. Bogwood will soften water and will lower the pH by releasing tannins which are, if anything, beneficial for Bettas. There is no need to pre-soak bogwood other than for aesthetic reasons.

You could improve your tank by adding some more plants towards the background. I can recommend Crypt. wendtii as it does not require much maintenance (unlike most stem plants) and will grow quite tall. Are the plants you already have alive? They're Anubias species, which are good, beginner plants.

A plain, black, background will also look quite good.

Do you have a timer for the lights? If not, get one.

Do you have a liquid test kit set for ammonia, nitrite and pH? If not, get one. Nitrate, KH and GH are also good to know, the latter two would actually be useful because of the rock.

 

[danele]

Thanks for your time kittykat.
Currently doing my cycle. The rock i have was labelled " aquarium moon rock" in the petshop, not exactly sure what reef bones are, but this rock is smooth and soild.
I wanted some crypt but couldnt get it at the petshop, will keep looking though. I got a anubias hastifolia, anubias nana and anubias saggitte, but they all look the same will they look different to each other as they grow?
Im waiting for my test kit as i ordered it online, i think it might only test ph!

 

[KittyKat]

Can you do an acid test on the rock? Take it out, dry a patch off, then put some vinegar on it and watch to see if the vinegar dissolves the rock (you might see some bubbling going on).

Anubias don't look *that* much different, A. hastifolia should get bigger over time, while the others should remain similar in terms of height and will spread sideways. Are you sure that's a A. barteri var. nana? It looks more like var. nana petit, or the "bonsai" that keeps cropping up recently. Most shops don't stock A. hastifolia, nor A. saggitte, so you were lucky to come across them!

If you want a "different" looking Anubias, then research A. barteri var. coffeefolia, A. lanceolata, A. congensis, A. afzellii or A heterophylla. Unfortunately, most of those are on the big side for your tank, A. afzellii is the only one that often starts off small.

Depending on what your test kit tests for, it might be worth looking at the API master test kit, it's probably the best value one that I have seen, although some tests can be a bit difficult to read without experience.

 

[danele]

Hi, put vinegar on a piece of rock that wasnt in the tank (got a few small bits for plants) and nothing happened.
My lps has an interpet complete kit for £21, would that be ok?
Will look into the plants abit more, there's so many!
Also going to make a DIY background tomorrow with black card and double sided sticky tape

 

[OldMan47]

Danele, Anubias nana is a very low light plant that will thrive in almost any situation. This is one of mine flowering.

Note that both Anubias and java fern require that their rhizome not be placed below the substrate. It is the reason that most of us end up tying our low light plants to ornaments or driftwood using some fishing line.

 

[KittyKat]

Hi, put vinegar on a piece of rock that wasnt in the tank (got a few small bits for plants) and nothing happened.

It should be ok then. I still do wonder what it actually is… might be worth asking next time you visit your LPS!

My lps has an interpet complete kit for £21, would that be ok?

As long as it is a liquid kit and contains tests for at least ammonia, nitrite and pH, then it is good. I have never used the Interpet ones myself.

 

[danele]

Right, ive made some improvements.
The lfs dont have a clue what the rock is, but im sure its raising my ph so ive got rid.
Gone for some nice driftwood, now i know i dont have to soak it.
Done a black background with card and sticky tape.
Also spotted a narrow leaf java fern that was taller than my other plants
And the result is;

 

[marieukxx]

WOW!!!!! That's looking fantastic, well done. My sister just got the same tank for a betta but you've done a far better job on it. I'm gonna show her yours.

 

[danele]

Thanks marie