Help Me Trick Out My New 5G

[RyanTheFishGuy64]

Hey Guys!
 
So my Dad came up to me today and told me how pretty he thinks Bettas are. And I told that we should get a 5g and put it in the kitchen, and he thought it was a great idea. So since this is the first tank Im going to have thats not in my room, he wants it to be tricked out and look awesome. Which Im really excited to help with. I was just seeing if anyone had any ideas for it? I dont want it to be extremly high tech with a lot of plants and stuff, but I would like it maybe have some val and an Anubis. Im thinking white sand with a black gravel path through the middle, with stone lining the path? Maybe some small seashells scattering the bottom? What do you guys think?
 

 

[Dreamer03]

Sounds like a cute idea. I always want sand waterfalls in tanks. So i would say add one! But yeah i can see how it night nkt be a good idea in a 5g...

 

[Akasha72]

the only problem I can foresee is that the white sand might just disburse itself into the black gravel over time. Maybe see if you can think up a way of building something in to hold it back ... like you would build a wall to hold back soil in the garden. Other than that it sounds awesome

 

[LyraGuppi]

Ditto.

 

[frapadoodle]

Careful of the shells and pH.
I agree about the retainer for the path though. Without bottom dwellers or heavy flow it should work. I tried it with an eggrock "riverbed", but my Corys decided the whole floor should be sand.

 

[Akasha72]

lol Mr Doodles ... yeah, cories do that .... and BN's decide that the sand should not be level it should be bulldozed all into one corner with a hole somewhere too lol 

 

[RyanTheFishGuy64]

Ok, thanks for the ideas guys! I'm getting plans together and as for inhabitants, do you think I could do more than the betta and an Apple Snail? Maybe some shrimps?

 

[frapadoodle]

Depends on the Betta. I had one with Ghost Shrimp and no problems.
Others are problem children that need to be alone.

 

[RyanTheFishGuy64]

Thanks! I may try a couple of ghost shrimps, just to see what he does!

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Careful of the shells and pH.
I agree about the retainer for the path though. Without bottom dwellers or heavy flow it should work. I tried it with an eggrock "riverbed", but my Corys decided the whole floor should be sand.

 
 

lol Mr Doodles ... yeah, cories do that .... and BN's decide that the sand should not be level it should be bulldozed all into one corner with a hole somewhere too lol 

 
 
This fish just don't seem to realize that its OUR world, and they are just living in it!  

 

[Akasha72]

lol Eagles ... someone else that understands my frustrations when I get up in a morning to more bulldozed sand and plants floating around instead being stuck in the sand!

 

[RyanTheFishGuy64]

What do you guys suggest to use as a barrier?

 

[Akasha72]

hmm ... well if you want the path straight you could silicone in some cut down glass pieces. That idea would be slightly more difficult if you want it to curve off to one side (which would be more visually appealing and would add more depth to the scape) if you were to use glass it wouldn't be a visable. Alternatively you could make a real feature of it and build a little pebble wall. You could build it outside of the tank, using silicone to fix the pebbles together and then just fit it into place. It would be weighty enough not to need fixing into place. The other option is to use some kind of wood - a weighty bogwood would work as once it's water logged it tends to stay where you put it. The problem with that would be getting it to fit where you want it and how you want it - wood comes as it comes and there's very little you can do about it.
 
If it were me I'd go with the pebble wall idea as it's natural looking. You can buy small aquarium pebbles pretty much anywhere and aquarium silicone is inexpensive

 

[Vethian]

use flexible cutting boards.  cut to size and position how you like.
 
edit :  staples or walmart also sells flexible plastic folders.