# Aquascaping Tank Progress (pic heavy)



## Linford (Oct 26, 2006)

Hi guys. Just though I would share with you progress regarding my side-project aquascaping 10 UK gallon tank set up with the following;

-Fluval 1 Plus Underwater Filter (small, silent and efficient as I don't need anything bigger)
-Bio-substrate (carefully cleaned as to not loose minerals etc&#8230
-Light (8 watt, again don't need anything bigger due to algae problems)

In the photographs below from left to right there are the plants Anubias Barteri, Vallisneria sp and Lilaeopsis Brasiliensis.

Initial tank shot while cycling



Fish tank after 12 hours. After this photograph was taken I took the opportunity to trim the Vallisneria sp's top leaves as it grows exceptionally fast (not to mention reduces surface current and catches bits of dry food).



Fish tank after 24 hours. After this photograph was taken I was informed by a member of this forum to split the roots of the Lilaeopsis Brasiliensis in order to create greater ground cover and improved future growth (can be seen in photograph below).



Fish tank after two weeks



Fish tank after five weeks. I added another plant to the set-up in front of the Anubias Barteri, a Lilaeopsis Mauritiana. As you can see, the Vallisneria sp has sprout runners behind and in front of the Lilaeopsis Brasiliensis as well as the Anubias Barteri growing yet more shoots.



Thank you for reading this topic and please feel free to comment, criticise and offer help as all responses will help my beginner aquascaping progress.

Many thanks,

Linford


----------



## Chuck Strobeck (Jun 2, 2006)

Looks good, are you going to keep the golds in there?


----------



## blackmaskelongatus (May 25, 2007)

sweet!


----------



## Linford (Oct 26, 2006)

Thank you for your comments Chuck Strobeck and !sparky!. I am currently unsure if I will keep the goldfish and minnows (in there from tank cycling) but I would really like to buy yet another piranha (would have to be a small solitary of course). Due to the fact the tank is only 10 UK gallons I very much doubt any piranha would be able to fit (as I prefer to buy a 'tank-for-life' as apposed to continuous upgrading). If anyone has any livestock suggestions for this tank as well then please feel free to comment.

Linford


----------



## skubasteve! (Feb 14, 2007)

Nice looking setup. You could get 3 dwarf puffers, they are very personable friendly fish and love planted aquariums. You could also just get some neons or a few other community fish.


----------



## Genin (Feb 4, 2003)

I like the slope to the left. Pretty cool. Those goldfish look GIANT!


----------



## Linford (Oct 26, 2006)

Thank you for your comments skubasteve! and Genin. I was originally thinking about housing a few Dwarf Puffers in this tank but they are supposedly quite elusive and shy (as I want a lot of movement and action I believe they would not be ideal). The three goldfish (one common and two fantail) are around 2" long and there are also five White Cloud Mountain Minnows in there as well (4 female and 1 male).

Linford


----------



## Doktordet (Sep 22, 2006)

Very nice tank. how about some exodons?


----------



## Linford (Oct 26, 2006)

Exodons say Doktordet... Hmmmm never thought of that idea. Following your suggestion I have been looking on the internet and there doesn't appear to be much information regarding the keeping of this species of fish (might be just me though). What is there behaviour like? activity and movement within a planted tank? and aggressive levels (though more out of curiosity than importance). I am leaving to go on holiday tomorrow (22nd July) so I will post pictures of the tanks progress (or maybe disastrous outcome) after I come back within this topic in two and a half weeks.

Many thanks and thank you everyone who has visited this topic.

Linford


----------



## skubasteve! (Feb 14, 2007)

Exodons will not work in a 10g. You need at LEAST 8-12 exos in a tank to minimize aggression and I would say a 20 long would be the bare minimum. I have owned Dwarf puffers before and they are not EXTREMELY active but they are still active. They are also some of the most personable fish you can own, as with any puffer. www.dwarfpuffers.com has some good info. I have 3 odessa barbs and a few amano shrimp in my 10g planted, they are beautiful fish but tend to hide quite a bit.


----------



## Linford (Oct 26, 2006)

Thank you skubasteve! for your excellent advice. I have been researching your suggested website regarding the Dwarf Puffer fish and they seem to be very good pets to keep with great personalities and active qualities. As this topic has now been a tiny bit derailed away from aquatic plants (entirely my fault), could I please ask another question to get back on track... Should I add anymore plant species to this tank or make any general improvements regarding the trimming of plants already present?

That said, thank you everyone for your superb comments and suggestions. I am now leaving the UK and going to Florida, USA for two and a half weeks so I will revive this topic with another up-dated photograph on the 10th August.

Many thanks everyone









Linford


----------



## Linford (Oct 26, 2006)

Hiya guys. Back from holiday eventually so I thought I would post an updated photograph of my side-project aquascaping tank. As you can see I have removed the large piece of bog wood and replaced it with a smaller one which I have tied with Java Moss. As the Vallisneria sp had started to grow across the front of the Lilaeopsis (seen in the last picture), I carefully pulled out its stems and roots and planted them behind the Lilaeopsis Brasiliensis which I belive provides some good size definition. In the tank now are three goldfish (a golden comet, fantail and pearl scale), an African filter shrimp, a glass cleaner snail and five cold water mountain minnow's.



So guys, what do you think of the aquascaping progress so far?

Linford


----------



## odyssey (May 30, 2006)

looks good, i think you should swap the goldfish for some harlequins and keep the white cloud minnows and the others.


----------



## BlackSunshine (Mar 28, 2006)

If this is only a 10 gal. I would reccomend sticking with community fish. Most preds are simply going to be too big. maybe some apistos or rams might also work for you.


----------



## Linford (Oct 26, 2006)

Thanks guys for your replies. I would remove the gold fish if not for my strange attachment to them. I absolutely love these guys. Even though they were only meant to act as new tank cycling fish I have discovered that they have there own personalities. Normally I can't stand gold fish as they are the main armature fish keeping species but I have really fallen for my fella's. Strange&#8230;

I know many predatory fish would out of the question due to the tanks size (around 10 UK gallons). I believe I have a pity good eco-habitat/ environment within this tank for my fish, not to mention the tank is acting as a practical research experiment for my university current paper assignment (I do marine biology).

Many thanks,

Linford


----------

