Okay so I needed to upgrade a guppy grow out tank and I thought, what better way than to make it a planted tank =]

All this tank will be housing is some guppy fry from a dedicated guppy tank at my fiancée's house. After they grow out in this tank they will be taken to the LFS and donated. I keep the pretty ones and donate the less desirable.

I also have a 1.5 gallon tank to help me out. They leave the first tank, move to the 1.5, then into the 10.

Anyway, I already have the tank and the stand. I also got the substrate today. You guys will love this. I got ActivFlora from Petco... it was $1 for a 14lb. bag. How awesome is that?

So I just need to buy a couple more supplies and I will have it set up and running. I will post pics of the setup sometime in the next couple days.

It's bad quality but here's the tank and stand... $5 for both on craigslist =] sweet deal.

Some updated pics - sorry for the cloudy yellow - my only light was yellow and I needed light for the pics



The plants on top are attempting to get some more roots. They are cuttings from my 20G L

Left Side:



Right Side:



Do you guys think I should build up the right side as well? I can't decide if I should go the same height as the left or not.

I would definitely *not* build up the right side -- it looks perfect as is!
Can't wait to see how you plant it!

P.S Never heard of ActivFlora substrate. Any idea what the regular price is for it?

(P.S. I Googled "ActivFlora", and found several references saying it was $25 a bag, so... same price as most of the rest, and you got a smokin' deal.

How deep is your gravel/substrate? Looks pretty thin from the pic. If it really is thin you may have problems with plants rooting good and holding in the gravel. It may also limit growth on some plants. Personally, I'd want at least 2", but you may be able to get away with less.

It should be okay for what I plan as far as I can tell. I am doing HC as the ground, flame or christmas moss cascading down the sides of the rocks and anubias nana (maybe petite) on top of the stacks.

Let me know what you think of this arrangement.

Also, I have more of the ActivFlora, but I would prefer not to use more since I have a plan for another planted 10G (that will go below in the same stand). Although, I could mix it with something I suppose.

And yes, the ActivFlora was an incredible deal. I think they were discontinuing the whole line. I got a different color a couple months ago on clearance for $4 a bag. I saw this one for $5 a few weeks ago and then I found it again buried under some stuff and took it to the front. It wasn't on their record so the manager just asked me if a dollar would work and I was expecting to pay the $5 so of course =P

Plus, the back is a lot higher, I can bring a lot of it forward, and I may dust off the stones a bit which will give me a LOT more. They are covered in it and it will be inconvenient when it comes time to strap the moss to the rocks.

Also, for lighting, I was thinking two work lights with 26w 6500k CFLs. Will that be enough for the planned plants? I don't plan on building a hood, just a rig to hold them above the tank.

I am really surprised I go this scape to workout this well. I am going to get more stone and at least try it unless a bunch more people tell me otherwise.

Thanks for the comments guys.

Eh, what you did looks great, so I'm sure whatever you come up with will look good!

With that much light, if you put the anubias on top you might get algae growth on it. (I did. So now I'm trying floating plants right over top it to cut the light to it.) (I've got 2 10 watt 6500K CFLs over a 10 gallon. (To clarify, the original bulbs in the hood were 10 watt incandescents. I bought the replacement screw-in 10 watt CFLs, that are supposed to be the equivalent of 50 watts each.) It seems to be ample light.)

Well I read a long thing somewhere (I'll try to find it again) that shows how horizontally mounted CFLs put out WAY less light than vertically mounted CFLs. That's why I am going to use the work light setup (the metal cone like reflectors). The PAR values are much higher with the bulbs being vertical, also, I'll be using 26 W each (= to 100w) and they are 6500k. I am trying to decide if it will be a high light setup. I will just have to see I suppose. and as far as algae, I do plan on doing DIY co2.

That should cut back on it right?

Any suggestions for other plants? I wan't to keep it rather simple as I want the rock work and the fish to be the main focus, but I always like a little greenery.

EDIT: Here's the link to the different light readings due to adjustment of the bulb's rotation and position Check it Out

(Wow, that link was a little intense for me. ;)

My 2 10W(=50W) 6500K CFs are mounted horizontally about 2" above the water, and the tank looks fairly bright to my eyes, and the plants are growing great. So to a techo-peasant like myself, your vertically-mounted CFs with over twice the wattage as mine on the same size tank sounds like it's gonna be "high light".

Lol I really liked that info as well and im hoping for high light

I reworked the right side and that center rock just a little bit. I'll take pics as soon as the water clears up. This is easily my best hardscape, I surprised myself haha. I am going to an auction on sunday so hopefully I can pick up some of my plants. Guppies will go in when I get my filter... Shouldn't have ordered it from Taiwan... Hmm o well, should be next week sometime, if I get impatient I'm sure the filter from the 1.5 will hold me over.

Thanks for suggestions and checking out my tank so far

Alright so I borrowed my coralife light from my 20 to take some pics that are better colored (not yellow). Again don't mind the plants on top =P and I think the rocks will stay after this. Anyway here you go:

Front:



Angle:



Left:



Right:



What do you think?
I am going to see if I have worklights today and hopefully get something going with those so I can move forward on this a bit more.

looks really good!

I wish I could stack rocks up against my glass like that... my little Dojo Loach will find any crack and crevice between the rock and glass that he can, he'll wedge himself in, and get stuck, lol (he's not the brightest fish in the tank...). I've already rescued him twice from such event, so now I know just to create caves and such, until he gets a little larger

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My 30 gallon planted freshwater - CONSTANTLY CHANGING

Thanks, and yeah I am hoping I don't have any issue like that when I move a couple Pygmy corys over from my 20.

Speaking of which, I got on freecycle and I am picking up a free 20g tank, stand, and all the filters and lights and stuff so I will be putting a real HOB filter on this rather than a sponge filter. I may slip one of the sponges over the intake though

This tank will stay a 10 gallon for now. I plan to keep more interesting fish in the 20 if I set it up anytime soon. I may give it to my fiancée for her chameleon that she wants though.

One thing is for sure...no matter what you do this tank will stay a 10g, lol.

OK, I'll admit, it looks even better now. ;p
Look forward to future pics!

(Speaking of which... I'm new to this forum... how can I quickly find this thread in the future to keep an eye on your tank...? ? ?)

bookmark it in your browser


or subscribe to it

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My 30 gallon planted freshwater - CONSTANTLY CHANGING

Thanks guys, I never had some subscribe before lol

I got a male today since all of my fiancees guppies turn out as females, I assume due to temperature and water chemistry?

I'll post pics when I get a chance. He had the nicest colors and the biggest tail of the petsmart selection. I don't have a ton of money for a male so we picked him up for a buck. I moved the fry over as well. Right now there is a swarm of guppies but hopefully they will spread out and better yet, maybe they will hide a bit with plants.

That auction is tomorrow so I am really hoping to get some moss at least. Anyone on here wanting to sell me some? Haha

Anyway, pics to come!

P.S. I update on my iPhone and autocorrect sucks so I apologize if you get strange words now and again.

Nice looking setup there. I really need to add some interesting stone features to my 10G. I look forward to seeing how this turns out!

Are the rock just flagstone from home depot?

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Matthew
30G AquaClear50: Lightly planted, platies, ottos, kuhli loaches.
10G Sponge filter: Heavily planted, ottos, red cherry shrimp