I suppose that I could just wait for the plants to grow. :lol:
I have nano tank envy though, I’ve been googling nano tank aquascapes and can’t help but want to make mine look that beautiful from the very start! i guess if I really wanted to get into the aquascapes though, I should pick a tank a little more suitable for them.
For now I’ll get 2 java ferns, 2 clumps of java moss, and a piece of driftwood (along with my regular stuff), the rest can be added later or grown.
My own 2 cents worth is that while I can and do Google - I find that on COTH
there is always a lot of practical advice and that the posters’ personal experiences are interesting and valuable - and it always surprises me how, no matter how weird the question, someone here can answer it!
[QUOTE=SAcres;6163720]
I don’t really have a lot of room so a 10 gallon wouldn’t work for me. the 6.6 gallon is long but it isn’t tall so I can fit it on a bookshelf. 
This is already going way over my $100 budget with no way I can see to bring down the cost.
Have I gone completely overboard on everything? I want a heavily planted tank for sure, and I want to try to cover all the driftwood with moss, plus moss going up the back of the tank (if I can figure out how to do that).
Maybe I’ll eliminate the moss covered driftwood and the hidey rock. That cuts things down to under $200 at least.[/QUOTE]
You kind of have gone overboard…
Here’s part of the problem with nano/small tanks - most of the stuff that you want for them isn’t scaled for them at all - so you’re often better off buying things in person, from your local fish/aquarium shop because you can figure out that that driftwood is going to completely overwhelm your tank.
When it comes to planted tanks, you’ve got it right - just wait for stuff to grow! It will, and then you’ll have to go through and weed it. Those gorgeous tanks that you’ve seen online didn’t start out looking like that! The other thing to consider is water parameters - just like fish, some plants will be happier in harder/softer, warmer/colder water or light quality. The last thing you want to do is to spend money on $$ plants (and btw, seriously - $15 for Java moss? That’s highway robbery! Most planted tank people would give it to you for free!) to find out that they don’t like your water - a friend of mine could not keep moss balls (despite the fact that she really wanted to) because they did not handle her tap water… Start small, you can always add!
And SERIOUSLY consider the bookshelf that you’re planning to put the tank on! Will it hold the tank and all of it’s contents safely? (Water alone in that tank is going to be about 50 pounds - not counting the weight of the tank, substrate and other stuff…) That was one of the first things that came to my mind when I saw them advertise it as a “bookshelf” aquarium.
EDIT:
Talk about perfect timing - this is the evolution (over about a year and a half) of a friend’s 120g planted tank.
http://s649.photobucket.com/albums/uu211/aquaristics/120g/?albumview=slideshow
The top three pictures on this link: http://www.guitarfish.org/2012/02/22/raleigh-aquarium-society-workshop were taken last weekend, I think - same tank as it looks now.
The plants I picked out are recommended by a lot of Betta fish people. I don’t know of any friends that have aquariums, or else I would definitely be asking for some extra plants. I have to pay what the online stores ask for. The driftwood has approximate measurements, and I’m looking for “small” sized, so I’m not too worried about that. I’m also going to be conditioning my tap water and will have a filter, plus testing, so I don’t think I would have to worry about anything funky in my aquarium that might kill plants.
Where are you located? There might be a good local fish shop or (better yet) fish club/aquarium society in your area - that way you could save on shipping at least!
I used to be a member of my local aquarium society when I lived in NC - it was a great resource, and a good group of people, and I was able to source all of my fish and plants locally - through the local shops, friends in the “fish club” or through their (or other clubs’) auctions.
[QUOTE=bdj;6164072]
EDIT:
Talk about perfect timing - this is the evolution (over about a year and a half) of a friend’s 120g planted tank.
http://s649.photobucket.com/albums/uu211/aquaristics/120g/?albumview=slideshow
The top three pictures on this link: http://www.guitarfish.org/2012/02/22/raleigh-aquarium-society-workshop were taken last weekend, I think - same tank as it looks now.[/QUOTE]
Ah, that tank is all kinds of awesome! I’m hoping I can keep mine a little more trimmed so the hard scape will still show - that’s if I can get anything to grow in our lousy water. My Betta tank is going pretty good already so I have high hopes. Anubias grows real fast and is already having “babies”, and my Chain Sword, Micro Sword and Banana plants are all looking great. My Hygrophila is the only one that isn’t happy about something. I think I trimmed it wrong because it was doing ok until then.
I’m in SE PA. I didn’t even realize there were clubs like that! How cool.
I’ve cut down my list some,
Tank $40
Test Kit $26
Thermometer $2.39
Prime $3.99
Substrate $24.99
Safestart $7.99
net $.99
Heater $17.99
Driftwood $4.99
Java Moss-2 tablespoon sized clumps $5.96
Betta Food $2.99
Java Fern (2) $5.96
I’m wondering if I need the SafeStart if I’m planning on letting the tank cycle for at least 2 weeks? It seems like it would be more useful if one was planning on adding fish right away…
Are you anywhere near Lancaster? If you are, get your booty over to That Pet Place! http://www.thatpetplace.com/pet/index.web
They’re HUGE and have a great selection. That’s the only shop I personally know of in that general area, but I bet there are plenty more (being near a large metropolitan area is great for fish stuff!) It was well worth the drive up from the Eastern Shore of MD - and I’d love to go back just to wander around!
It is about a 40 min drive, but my family and I sometimes like to take a Saturday trip out there (mainly to get fencing stuff and other horse supplies), I’m sure I can convince them to take a drive to That Pet Place too. If not I can go myself.
I really didn’t think there were any good aquarium type places around me. The last place I went that was supposed to be “amazing” had a 4 ft shark in a tank that he could barely move in and random bird cages mixed in with their fish. They did have a TON of different fish species though.
Perfect!
I haven’t been there in a long time, but it was great - they have a big touch tank with stingrays and other salties in it, so you can do a little more than just look at the pretty fish! And you can’t miss the place, because they have a big shark head poking out over the entrance!
http://www.thatpetplace.com/pet/VisitUs.web
Now I’m jealous, and want to take a road trip up there…
I’ll try to get out there this weekend…we’re going to need a bunch of boards for the paddock fence anyway.
Sounds like a great place. I’m also going to check out a place near me, Captain Nemo’s. The place has a 5000 g tank (but it has a huge rock thing in it that takes up half of it) and a big shark that just swims in circles around the tank. I think they keep their fish pretty well though, hoping its the same for their plants.
Future Betta Owner Reviving Thread
I am being given a betta next week. My sister has grown tired of it so offered it to me. Even though I read Ultimate Bettas and a couple other forums plus a couple blogs, I vowed to never have another after a gift betta (requiring I immediately spend $$) lived forevehh. But it is me or a watery porcelain grave, so….
This fish comes in a one gallon bowl like this. Has a fake plant in the middle. I’m sure it’s being fed flakes. Honestly, I don’t find this fish attractive but I’ll start scanning Craigslist for a bigger bowl anyway. Such a softy.
Questions/considerations:
Installing a leaf hammock would occupy the entire top of the bowl and be directly under the light. Yay or nay?
The light will be on at night and off during the day. Is that sufficient a heat source?
Are healthy betta diets 100% blood worms? Or flakes + blood worms?
First off, the light in that setup will NOT produce any heat at all. It’s an LED light. No heat at all.
As for the leaf hammock? That has to be the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever seen. Don’t bother.
Do your new little guy a favor & do some research/reading re: environment & proper diet. They really aren’t all that expensive to keep alive & happy.
Betta Fish Forum is a great outlet to get you started. A lot of people recommend 5 gal tanks, and they can be purchased cheaply.
You also need a heater, if your going with 5 gal or larger a 50 watt heater that is adjustable is your best bet. To go along with this heater you should have a glass thermometer to monitor the temp…which should be between 76-80…and stay at a constant temp.
A water testing kit is not needed but is really helpful, and if you have a 5 gal, it will be necessary to cycle your tank (which you want to do).
Silk or live plants should be used, no plastic. Decor shouldn’t have any rough edges to catch the Betta’s tail. Feed a good pellet like Omega One Betta Buffet or New Life Spectrum.
FWIW, I’ve kept bettas in five gallon tanks for years without a heater and the temp stays well within the “good” range, even with an LED light. As long as the room temp is normal for people, it seems to hold between 75 and 80 just fine.
I currently have this setup with a bunch of live plants, but used to use the Eclipse tanks, with fluorescent lights and the filter built into the hood.
Petsmart sells a little combination heater/thermometer for Betta tanks. Our house is very cold at night in the winter, so the fish need a heater. It works very well, and wasn’t expensive. My betta lives in a planted Fluval Edge, a six gallon tank, with two cory cats and everyone in there seems very happy. It is easy to maintain and I think it is very pretty. Oh, and the lights are out at night. I have always thought it unkind to have perpetual light for animals with no eyelids. 
I found a 6g Eclipse on craigslist but the seller has not responded. I only asked a couple questions but I fear I scared them away.
Ditching the leaf hammock though it was one of those things I learned of in my research on various website and forums. Internet research always needs to be cross-checked. Thanks for the info and links!
I have mine in a Fluval Edge and he’s still swimming along. I feed frozen bloodworms and brine shrimp, but the Betta One pellets are ok too. Your fish will need a heater if your house is colder than 78. They can deal with colder water, but they won’t move much. I keep my tank at 81, and my fishy is very active.
One more caveat - don’t succumb to those idiotic little divided tanks that claim to allow you to keep two male Bettas at the same time in the same tank. Sure, that divider will keep them from killing each other, but it’s inhumanely stressful to the fish. They’ll spend 100% of their time trying to get at the other fish to the point of exhaustion & eventually death.
My current betta is about three years old now and has happily lived in a 3 gal. Critter Keeper. Since I had no outlets left to plug anything into, his tank is heated but not filtered. So on Sundays he gets a complete water change, on Wed. and Fri. I change a third. Water levels stay safe.
Cycling and maintaining a larger tank was a bit overwhelming for me but this setup works well. More work, but the tank is lightweight when empty and easy to clean.
A few tips I’ve learned—it’s much less stressful to catch the fish in a cup than with a net. A turkey baster works fine as a simple vacuum (if your tank isn’t too deep). My unfiltered tank is much easier to keep clean by not having any gravel at all. I bought scrapbook paper to use as a background (and change it when I’m bored with it). Also bought paper to use face-up under the tank so it looks like the bare tank floor has rocks or sand. Do routine heater checks; my last one went haywire and shot up to 95 degrees! Soak the food in a bit of water before feeding so it doesn’t expand after eating.
My little Mitchel is quite old for a betta and has lost sight in one eye and lays around much more than in the past. But, he knows when it’s time for breakfast and will dive for his sinking pellets. They’re fun fish to watch. When younger he used to swim up along the side, across, then zoom down to the bottom, over and over again. He had a blast! I feel awful for the fish I’ve kept in bowls before I knew better.
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