Wow, I feel like my tank is kind of puny compared to all the 50+ gallon tanks on this forum!

Either way, I'll be setting up my 10 gallon soon. Right now I have a 5 gallon with a betta and a platy. The whole "I want a friend for my betta" thing didn't work out... Now I'm setting up the 10 gallon for the platy, and I plan to add maybe five more platies once it's cycled and everything.

I do have a few questions, though. First of all, I want to convert both of my tanks to almost entirely planted tanks. I think I know what kind of lighting I'm going to get, but I don't know if I'll need a CO2 injector. I really want to keep it simple, but I'll get one if I absolutely have to. I've already read some other threads on the subject, and I think I'll get a few java ferns and a couple of anubias plants. But I REALLY want a couple of cabombas. Does anyone know if they take a lot of CO2? I haven't found much info on the subject.

Also, would 6 platies be OK in a 10 gallon tank? I plan to have a 20-40 gallon filter on it, so would that be enough to support that many fish? I want to get one of each kind. They should be OK with a group of all different colors, right? I'm getting all females, too, so that should cut down on the aggression.

Umm... Well, that's about it until I get the tank stand. Then I can start hooking it up! I'm excited about it! :D Any advice would be much appreciated. My tanks may be humble, but I want to do the best I can for the fish! I've already learned so much since joining this forum, but I can always learn more. I've only had the betta for three months, so I feel like I'm still just starting out.

__________________
Creatures great and small, I love 'em all! But mainly the fish.

For the plants you listed you wont need CO2 just make sure you dont put too much light on it. I dont see a problem with that many platies in a 10 gallon. I would get a small piece of DW (drift wood) to tie the anubias too because they dont like to be buried in the substrate

If you wanted to....simple enough to start a DIY CO2 system. I would say that the light drives the need for CO2 more than the plants you have chosen. So it depends on what you want to get. You can't get too overly powerful of a light.

Thanks, archer and jrman! I'll look into the driftwood and homemade CO2 injector.

I just bought the stand, and now I'm setting it up. I'll post pics as soon as I get the gravel. I'm thinking that I'll try to introduce some bacteria from my established tank to boost the cycle in the 10 gallon, but as soon as possible I'm going to buy a couple of platies and put them in. I don't want to take any risks with my platy in a cycling tank, because her fin has yet to grow back and I don't want to stress her at all. I know she and the betta don't really like being in that 5 gallon with the divider, but they've lasted this long so I think they can wait. My betta is eager to get his space back, though! But I think that two platies from the store would be healthy enough to survive any rough patches in cycling, if there are any.

Oh, and I'm also thinking of getting a tank to use for quarentine. Maybe a 3 gallon with a 10 gallon filter and the miniature heater that used to be in my betta's 1.5 gallon (it can heat up to 5 gallons, though). It would be worth it just to avoid the ich disaster that resulted from bringing home the platies!

__________________
Creatures great and small, I love 'em all! But mainly the fish.

If you add 5 platies to the tank make sure you are getting all males. Or else you will end up way overstocked with babies. Don't get all females as you can still end up with a lot of babies.

Oh and congrats on the new tank. Your getting into mts already.

__________________
SUCCESS IS MEASURED BY YEARS, NOT MONTHS!!!
220 Tank build
http://www.aquariumforum.com/f15/sta...late-3253.html

Thanks! I'm so excited, I almost thought about rushing out and buying the fish now. And the gravel isn't even laid yet! lol MTS has infected me quickly, and I don't think I'm going to recover (then again, not like I'd want to!). I know that as soon as I move into a bigger place, I'm getting a 20-40 gallon goldfish tank and a 20 gallon for the platies (plus some other schooling fish, maybe black skirt tetras or tiger barbs).

I'll see about the gender thing, though. I know of one pet store nearby that sells them separated. The males area always fighting, but the females are peaceful enough. I'll give it thought. I still don't plan on getting any fish until I get the filter, gravel, and some plants all set up (probaby by next week). I'll ask about how many surprise births they have in the store, and go from there. Thanks for the warning! :D

__________________
Creatures great and small, I love 'em all! But mainly the fish.

Here's the tank with gravel and a decoration in. I just got the filter, and I'll hook it up and start running water in it today. I'm still debating over whether to do a fishless cycle or to just go ahead and get a couple of platies to start cycling. Either way, I'll be using some gravel and part of the filter sponge to introduce the bacteria. I think I've decided on getting anubias plants and some java fern, but I'll be transplanting the amazon sword into the 10 gallon since it's not doing so well in the 5 gallon (I still have the temperature pretty high because of ich, and I don't think it likes that too much).

I think the stand looks pretty nice! I love the extra storage it provides!

[IMG][/IMG]

Here's the tank and stand next to the 5 gallon, which is sitting on our dresser. I've already got my own fish wall started! If only I had more room...

[IMG][/IMG]

Anyway, I'll post more pictures when I get the filter, backdrop and water all situated. I can't wait to get the fish! :D

__________________
Creatures great and small, I love 'em all! But mainly the fish.

Here it is, with everything but the fish! Well, and the background isn't all the way up because I can't find the tape at the moment. The plants, from left to right, are crested java fern, amazon sword (transplanted from the 5 gallon, since it wasn't doing very well in there), water wisteria, and argentine sword.

[IMG][/IMG]

We'll probably go and get a couple of fish on Tuesday; we're thinking a panda platy, bumblebee platy, and maybe a blue platy. Then we'll start cycling, using bacteria from the 5 gallon. I don't think I'll put the sunburst platy in there yet, since her fins haven't healed completely. Besides, it'll be a good opportunity to quarentine the new platies without having to set up the quarentine tank. Less stress for them, and less stress for Marron because she won't have to weather a cycling tank.

__________________
Creatures great and small, I love 'em all! But mainly the fish.

Well, here it is! We added three fish to it yesterday, and they seem to be doing very well so far.

[IMG][/IMG]

Here's a closeup of the column bubbler. It's turned off for picture clarity, but it's my favorite little scene in the tank.

[IMG][/IMG]

And here are the three platies: Little Red (the red), Chun-Li (the panda, so named because she's quite a fighter when she's irritated), and Flopsey (the blue micky mouse, so named because when I was acclimating her, she jumped right out of the container and into the tank).

[IMG][/IMG]

__________________
Creatures great and small, I love 'em all! But mainly the fish.

Looks good