(Part 2) Best aquarium decor according to redditors

A few things I would change though, to improve the setup and make this 3.5g tank work out for the betta... (PLEASE READ and bear with me, I know it's long but you'll learn a lot I promise!)

1. That's WAYYY TOOO MUCH GRAVEL... jeez damn, that alone is taking at least 2+ inches of what could have been more water space + going to trap a TONNNN of debris with all that gravel... my recommendation would be to remove enough of it until the small finer gravel just barely reaches a bit above the level of black frame at the bottom of the tank, and then have the larger pebbles/rocks on top.
   
2. Fill the water till it's about 1 cm below the top black rim frame of the tank (that's how much I used to fill mine up to when I had the exact same TopFin 3.5g tanks).
   
3. I highly recommend these silk plants, both packs:https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003KGBJ06 AND https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003BG2TEAWith both packs, your tank will have nice and sufficient silk plant coverage. The taller plants towards the back, and the shorter ones to the front, those 4 will form a perfect mini jungle your betta will absolutely enjoy. You could try doing easy lowlight plants like Java Fern, but having had the same tank before, I think the rainbow LED light it comes with is far to dim to sustain most plants. Still you could try and see if java fern will be ok (they don't like their bulbous rhizomes buried though, so only bury the bit of the roots sticking out below the bulby-pill-shaped rhizomes).
   
4. Add 3-4 medium or large marimo moss balls (they look nice and they do eat up some of the toxins in the water) + Java moss [wrap some java moss around cables (heater cables)].
   
5. Add a 18-25w heater, preferably manually adjustable rather than preset, bettas absolutely DO need a heater, especially for winter months when its chilly. Their preferred comfy temperature needs to be kept at 78-80F. I do remember Petsmart has an 18w preset heater that's supposed to maintain 77 or 78F but I don't trust it, you can try it if you want but a manually adjustable heater is more accurate.
   
6. Ditch the included carbon cartridge (replacing that once per month is a money-grabbing gimmick by the pet store, because you should only ever need carbon filtration to remove medicine after a medicinal treatment of a sick betta, it's not really useful filtration otherwise). I recommend filling the big filter space with aquarium sponges cut down to size, towards the front of the filter where the outflow is + TopFin Quartz bioballs (you can buy a whole carton of them for a nice price) towards the back-half.
   
   1. https://www.amazon.com/3IN1-BIO-SPONGE-Biochemical-Sponge-QUACLEAR/dp/B00VPL0V0W <-- this pack includes fine, medium, and coarse sponges that you can layer inside the filter front (cut them down to size to fit if needed). Maintenance is the occasional gentle swish of the filter sponges in old tank water (NEVER RINSE IN STRAIGHT TAP WATER), about every two weeks or so (depending how gunked up they get).
      
   2. Add as much TopFin Quartz Bioballs (rinse them first in dechlorinated water) as fits in the space behind the filter sponges mentioned above.
      
      Other things you'll definitely need to have, and/or do:
      
      
7. API Freshwater Master Test Kit - You're definitely going to have to Fish-In cycle that 3.5g tank which means DAILY 25%-30% partial water changes to keep ammonia & nitrites low (you want those close to zero as possible to reduce poisoning of your betta during the process, so you need this test kit to be able to keep a careful watch on the ammonia and nitrite levels). ABSOLUTELY MUST HAVE, VERY IMPORTANT, liquid water parameters test kit. Three main things to check daily or every-other-day: Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate. Not cycled will read 0 Ammonia, 0 Nitrite, 0 Nitrate. Cycling in progress will read some ammonia and/or some nitrite, but little or no nitrate. Fully Cycled will read 0 Ammonia, 0 Nitrite, and 5-10 ppm of Nitrate, then when nitrate reaches 15-20 ppm in a cycled tank a water change is necessary to reduce said nitrates.
   
8. Seachem Prime - best water dechlorinator out there, and perfect for Fish-In cycling because it helps temporarily neutralize smaller amounts of ammonia (under 1ppm).
   
9. Seachem Stability - beneficial bacteria blend which you'll need for establishing a nitrogen cycle.
   
10. Gravel Vacuum (mini size is good for 3.5g) - mandatory must-have item for tank maintenance, how else are you gonna siphon out the poo and food waste from the bottom of the tank? https://www.amazon.com/Aqueon-Siphon-Vacuum-Aquarium-Cleaner/dp/B004RK40VY/ should be perfect size for your tank.
    
11. 5g bucket (yes I know that's more than what your tank water volume is, but imagine having only a 3g bucket and you're trying to carry it to be dumped, or to carry it for a refill and it's going to be sloshing around as you walk, so a larger bucket will help reduce spills from some sloshing.)
    
12. NorthFin Betta Bits - one of the best quality betta pellets out there (little or no fillers, high quality ingredients, no nasty toxic preservatives) https://www.amazon.com/Northfin-Betta-Bits-Pellet-Package/dp/B01C1ARV3K/
    
    Also PLEASE watch out with the overfeeding, your betta in this video clip looks super bloated (his little tiny belly looks about ready to burst, he's so stuffed). You need to fast him for 3-4 days until his belly looks almost flat again, then you can try giving him some daphnia as a mild laxative to help him clear out any further blockage (not to mention a heater to warm the water to a stable 78-80F will help his metabolism so he can process the food properly).
    
    Here's a reference of photos to help you determine how much food his little belly needs: https://i.imgur.com/4RR2LZ9.jpg (feed slowly 1 piece at a time, watch his belly, and aim not to let it get too far past the 2nd from the top picture).
    
    Please read these articles to learn more how to give your boi the best quality of life: https://www.reddit.com/r/bettafish/wiki/index
    
    Only once your tank is fully cycled (0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, and 5-15ppm nitrAte) for a 3.5g tank, you will need to do one 30% partial water change (PWC) mid-week (Wednesday for example), and one 30% PWC at end of week (Sunday for example). Or if you won't be there over the weekend then do 1 PWC Tues. and 1 on Friday.
    
    Good luck!

Nah, nothing can beat the classy plastic treasure diver

They make a larger version of those eggs!

Exo Terra Dinosaur Egg Fossil Ornament https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KSKO508/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_eDQVCbVCM40KF

He is sooo pretty! That said, the commenters above are right, and he'll really pop and bring lots of wiggles and joy to your family in a larger tank with a heater and a gentle filter.

I would reccommend an adjustable heater so you have more control over the temperature, and remember that you get what you pay for! Ive cheaped out on heaters more times than I care to admit and Ive regretted it every time :(

I would also recommend a gentle filter like a sponge filter since bettas arent great swimmers. Keep in mind that you'll need to get the sponge filter, an air pump, and airline tubing all separately, but the total cost should come to about that of an average hang-on-back filter.

In regards to fish-in cycling, he will be okay. Get a liquid test kit (avoid strips, as they're so inaccurate they're basically useless), then move him in into a bigger tank w/ heater and filter asap and do frequent water changes and testing. It will probably take about a month to establish a healthy bacteria colony, but your fishie will be fine as long as you stay on top of water changes.

Once your cycle is finished, you can reduce water changes to once weekly.

EDIT: Also note that plastic plants are sharp and can hurt a betta's delicate fins! Try to stick to silk or live plants. Bettas love live java fern and anubias plants because of the big, broad leaves for them to rest on. Plus, these plants are super easy to take care of.

If you're not at all interested in live plant care, try BiOrb silk plants. Theyre SUPER duper soft and the green ones have a pretty natural look to them. You can find them here on Amazon.

Good luck taking care of your new buddy! He is such a cute little fishie! Keep us updated on how hes doing! 💖

Electric yellow. Thing is, I had another electric yellow who wasn't causing problems.

But,

The Yellow Bastard, as I called him, got big. He was the same size as the others when I got him, but he grew and the others didn't. He got so big I could plainly see his teeth. The tank was plenty big enough (big enough for at least two more, if I wanted) and had plenty of hiding spots and turf for each to claim with some "no man's land" left over. He killed 3 other cichlids, a rainbow shark, 4 neon tetras, and my snails. Only one he didn't get was Nidhogg, my pleco, who was too big to be messed with.

I don't know why he did it. He had plenty of food and more than enough space and plenty of these of various sizes.

I’ll do you one better that that!

Homedeco Aquarium Glossostigma Hemianthus Callitrichoides Seeds Water Grass Easy Aquatic Live Plant Fish Tank Decoration Landscape Ornament https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072Q4CLKN/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_MvuPDb9YFF5D5

One of these: https://www.amazon.com/Hinterfeld-Aquarium-Crystal-Shrimp-Holder/dp/B015FN4LRE/ref=sr_ph_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1521650466&sr=sr-1&keywords=aquarium+cup

and the smaller one is this one:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01FFLATPY/ref=od_aui_detailpages00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Fissidens fontanus attached using flourish glue!

Get yourself a set of tools like these. When I plant things I just grab the plant by the base with the tweezers and plunge it down into the substrate. No mucking about digging holes or anything. If your plant is to buoyant, you can buy plant weights/anchors that will hold it down in the substrate. Alternatively, you can tie the plant to a rock to help hold it down.

I’m personally a large fan of live plants, so I don’t have a ton of recommendations, but these seem very safe, affordable, and fun for your friend

I’d also recommend a floating betta log

You may just have an active nerite. Some snails really like being on the glass too. Sand should be fine because they experience that in the wild & I've seen sandy tanks with nerites. Mine have been fine in normal tank gravel (like this) which is typically pretty smooth so won't hurt them. I've even had a nerite who liked to burrow and he did fine in that sort of gravel.

Do you have any objects sitting in your tank he can explore? Nerites seem to like to be on wood or go inside decor like castles, so you might get him something that encourages him to get off the side of the tank.

Hello Shep! OP, hope you don't end up so busy saving the galaxy you forget to feed her :(

As for fishtank decor I couldn't find any rocketship ones, but I did find these that look cool, if you'd like to go for sort of an "antique Prothean" theme.

https://www.amazon.com/Ble-Ornmt-Ufo-Crash-Cave/dp/B00FKVFCKC

https://www.amazon.com/RIBBON-PRODUCTS-030157015909-Environments-Crashed/dp/B00C3ESXYG (this one looks great for an "ancient" look but it's small, the other one seems to be a lot bigger)

https://www.amazon.com/Uxcell-Plastic-Aquarium-Accent-Underwater/dp/B00H56CBVI (these look like the trees from the Presidium)

https://www.amazon.com/JW-Pet-ActivAir-Floating-Satellite/dp/B000FHGMZU/

https://www.amazon.com/Glowing-Artificial-Decorative-Aquarium-Ornament/dp/B00ST6SX24

https://www.amazon.com/Uniclife-Artificial-Decorative-Aquarium-Ornament/dp/B01EY327BI

https://www.amazon.com/Uniclife-Jellyfish-Ornament-Decoration-Aquarium/dp/B06XRNV4G2

https://www.amazon.com/Uniclife-Silicone-Decorations-Artificial-Ornament/dp/B01MSTXAC5

https://www.amazon.com/Uniclife-Ornament-Artificial-Decoration-Landscape/dp/B01N6BMKCL

Glowing plants would definitively help bring up the "alien" look I think. Uniclife has a bunch! Or a "Kahje" look if you put in some pink jellyfish alongside the "Prothean ruins" :P

Fun! If anyone is looking for one they have them on Amazon too.

Salvinia Minima (water spangles)

Edit: Spelling...

Here you go guys.

Looking mighty awesome.

Not sure how to say this don't want to be a downer but I read stories that betta and other fish got stuck in the openings or cracks of cholla wood and died...


Source:

http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/threads/cholla-wood-questions.268802/

http://www.amazon.com/SubstrateSource-Cholla-Wood-Aquarium-Driftwood/product-reviews/B00MYN48J0?filterByStar=one_star

http://www.fishlore.com/fishforum/betta-fish/145701-betta-fish-cholla-wood.html

Bleu has been happily living on my desk in my home office for about 2 weeks, the tank has been setup for about a month. He's currently the only inhabitant and I will likely be adding a few striped khuli loaches or some shrimp in the near future I haven't decied which direction to go yet. I also am trying to track down some floating plants but haven't had any luck at my LFS or Petsmart, I might check Petco in a larger city this weekend that's about an hour away or some LFS in that area.



Equipment:

10 Gallon tank from Petco $1/gallon sale

Aqueon 06105 Pro Heaters Submersible Aquarium Heater, 50-Watt

Marina Stainless Steel Thermometer

Perfecto Manufacturing APF33200 Glass Canopy Aquarium, 20-Inch

Marineland Single Bright LED Lighting System 18-24-Inch

Quantity 2 Marina S10 Power Filter

Penn Plax Hide-Away Stackable Stone Aquarium Ornament

Natural sand substrate

1 Java Fern

1 Wisteria (I think...)

I'm going to move the Java Fern today I read last night you aren't supposed to bury the Rhizome so I need to get it attached to a rock or piece of drift wood. I think a decent size piece of drift wood would help the barren look as well on the right until I can get some additional plants. The tank itself has been doing great the filters are very low current which is perfect for Bleu. I've been using the API freshwater master test kit to keep an eye on things and doing about a 25% water change every two weeks.

• edit: I'm using some filter floss and ceramic in one of the S10 filters with some filter sponge and the original filters in the other plus some filter floss in the output

Equipment:

• Aqueon 13 gallon widescreen tank with hood
  
• Random cheapo LED light bar
  
• Hygger double sponge filter with media compartments (small)
  
• 50W heater
  
• Cobalt Aquatics MJ-400 DIY'd onto the sponge filter
  
• USB air pump with air stone
  
  Plants:
  
  
• 3 pieces of Cholla wood
  
• Nice piece of driftwood found in my LFS
  
• 2x Anubias
  
• 1x Java fern
  
• Lots of christmas moss and java moss glued to the wood and rocks.
  
• Some other plant I forgot the name of (in the back). "Green" something-or-other.
  
  Inhabitants:
  
  
• 5 Glofish Tetras of various colors, 1 Black Skirt Tetra, 1 White Skirt Tetra
  
• Hillstream Loach. A fish store sold it to me as a "dwarf Pleco." Needless to say, I have since found a different store to call LFS.
  
• 4x Amano shrimps. Used to be 5, but one crawled out of the tank last month.
  
• 2x Cherry shrimps. Red one has hiding for a few days. Either molting, or giving me more fry. Tetras ate the last batch, so I re-scaped to give the little shimpies more of a chance.
  
• Mexican Dwarf Crayfish.
  
  I plan to move this set-up to a 20-long tank some time soon to give these guys more room.

Hello I was going to sow it with seeds but user u/ricamac said the following :

“Allow me to chime in with u/xXJuanSanXx regarding the use of seeds. I decided I wanted to play with some I found on Amazon, so I purchased some of the ground cover and some of the hairgrass.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074PMLW6N/ref=twister_B071WBWCBF?_encoding=UTF8&th=1

I made "bushes" by wetting and coating rough textured river rocks and pieces of driftwood with the ground cover seeds. I germinated them in in a covered container with misting until they looked like bushes, then placd them in aquariums.
"Bushes" made by coating river rock(s) with seed.
The plants eventually all detach and float away, but remain green even so. Not recommended unless you're always messing with your aquarium, in which case they make fine temporary bushes...

I decided that the "ground cover" seeds needed to be planted with substrate since they looked fine until they floated off the rocks & wood. I also wanted to try the hair grass seeds. So I used the seeds in a couple of dry start aquariums. The seeds only take maybe two weeks to germinate, so I waited until the other traditional plants had been given a month, then sprinkled the seeds where I wanted them. Added water 2 weeks later. The vertical "cactus" looking shapes are those dried Cholla wood aquarium decorations that I filled with houseplant potting soil and added seeds to.

Dry start seed growth right after water added.

Fluval Flex 15gal (13.2gal)

The smaller (3.5gal) has nothing but seeded plants, and the larger has some baby tears and Alternanthera reineckii "Mini" from culture.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071YG8KR2/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The hairgrass all melted after a couple of weeks, in both tanks. It looked great while it lasted...
I had over-seeded, and the ground cover just kept growing. Layer upon layer of plants, piling higher and higher, with entangled roots keeping it together as if a single plant. All my smaller shrimp decided to spend their lives in the underbrush, never to see the light of day, or the appreciateion of observers, again. So sad. But I know they're doing fine because, every once in a while, one of them allows himself to be seen, just to mock me.”

Therefore I probably just have to buy plants at a shop.

Allow me to chime in with u/xXJuanSanXx regarding the use of seeds. I decided I wanted to play with some I found on Amazon, so I purchased some of the ground cover and some of the hairgrass.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074PMLW6N/ref=twister_B071WBWCBF?_encoding=UTF8&th=1

I made "bushes" by wetting and coating rough textured river rocks and pieces of driftwood with the ground cover seeds. I germinated them in in a covered container with misting until they looked like bushes, then placd them in aquariums.
"Bushes" made by coating river rock(s) with seed.
The plants eventually all detach and float away, but remain green even so. Not recommended unless you're always messing with your aquarium, in which case they make fine temporary bushes...

I decided that the "ground cover" seeds needed to be planted with substrate since they looked fine until they floated off the rocks & wood. I also wanted to try the hair grass seeds. So I used the seeds in a couple of dry start aquariums. The seeds only take maybe two weeks to germinate, so I waited until the other traditional plants had been given a month, then sprinkled the seeds where I wanted them. Added water 2 weeks later. The vertical "cactus" looking shapes are those dried Cholla wood aquarium decorations that I filled with houseplant potting soil and added seeds to.

Dry start seed growth right after water added.

Fluval Flex 15gal (13.2gal)

The smaller (3.5gal) has nothing but seeded plants, and the larger has some baby tears and Alternanthera reineckii "Mini" from culture.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071YG8KR2/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The hairgrass all melted after a couple of weeks, in both tanks. It looked great while it lasted...
I had over-seeded, and the ground cover just kept growing. Layer upon layer of plants, piling higher and higher, with entangled roots keeping it together as if a single plant. All my smaller shrimp decided to spend their lives in the underbrush, never to see the light of day, or the appreciateion of observers, again. So sad. But I know they're doing fine because, every once in a while, one of them allows himself to be seen, just to mock me.

EDIT: To answer further questions about final turn out:
All of the hairgrass just melted away after about 2 weeks submerged, leaving rotting stumps with which I took no action. Nothing left of that any more. No harm, no foul on the hairgrass.

The "ground cover" needs constant trimming since it seems to be trying to reach the surface. I'm actually going to try that again, just making 2 changes to what I tried this time. Still going to do it dry start method. I don't think the seeds will stay put for planting underwater.

1. In spite of "cover with sand no longer needed" I'm going to cover the seeds before germinating them because most of them seemed to fail in getting that single tiny tap root down into the substrate. Most of my ground cover seems to float just on top of the substrate. It forms caves underneath it in some places. (the shrimp love that).
   
   
2. I'm going to be really careful not to spread too many seeds. The overgrowth was due to my profligate seed spreading (I'm betting), and it might work out better with fewer plants.
   
   Now I fully expect that I'll have to do frequest trimming anyway, but I'm not ready to take a dive yet.

I am not OP, but they look very similar to these.

It looks like it could be this product: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07B4DLLQ1/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_goVOBbE8BVVYH

Let your daughter pick out the fish. There's so many variations and colors, it's half the fun! Also I suggest getting Squidward's house on amazon for $3. Have fun!

Water parameters are super important! You can pick up a testing kit on Amazon for a good ten dollars cheaper than I've seen in stores, and I can't even begin to tell you how much of a lifesaver it is! ( Also it's just good to have for peace of mind. )

I was really new to keeping a fish tank when I first got my guy, and quickly learned aquarium decor is ridiculously expensive. Terra cotta pots are a pain to find on Amazon in my experience, but if you have the opportunity to pick a few up in a gardening store ( basically for pennies! ) they make excellent hides. ( Of which you want at least two per axolotl! ) I have four in my tank; two normal, one sliced in half to make a kind of cave a bit lower to the ground. ( Just make sure you sand down all the edges! ) The last one is wide, but only a couple inches tall, so I filled it up with sand to give him a little raised platform. PVC pipe can also be used as an inexpensive hide, and I've seen people do some really cool stuff with it. Also, plants! I grabbed these off of Amazon and my axolotl loves them, but in terms of live plants, you can't go wrong with marimo balls. ( Though there are other live plants that work well with them! Java fern and java moss are just two examples. )

Also, Axolotls are messy little guys. I'd highly recommend getting a turkey baster to clean up their waste and any uneaten food they leave behind. Personally, I feed my axie nightcrawlers with a big pair of tweezers and it helps keep the tank neat and tidy. ( Plus, it's a lot of fun! )

I add "Wonder Shells" to my tanks, which helped with some of my snails shells.

Just having it dissolve in the water lets me not have to worry if they're getting enough calcium in their diet.

That being said, I feed them calcium supplemented pellets as well.

This is the brand I use

This is the exact size that is in my tank, but the same company makes tons of other sizes and styles. http://www.amazon.com/Universal-Rocks-Flexible-Aquarium-Background/dp/B005GZ1XH8/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1420682351&sr=8-11&keywords=3d+tank+background

T Rex skull: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OQPYOJS/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_apa_i_f8KLDbR8M2K5R

Dinosaur eggs: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KSKO508/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_apa_i_C9KLDb89DAMVN

Cave:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N1EOR0K/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_apa_i_h-KLDbSSN9RG3

Platform: https://www.petsmart.com/reptile/habitats-and-decor/habitat-decor/all-living-things-slate-basking-platform-37985.html?cgid=500116

Cork hide: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000EVC8SC/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_apa_i_acLLDb5GZK5B4

oooh! I would definatly do some taller plants in the back.

With that lighting I bet you could get some nice red plants. Im trying to remember the name of the exact species, but I have a red plant that stays smaller (around 2-5 inches tall). If I find the species again I will tell you for sure! The only problem with the plant is its kind of hard to find, and when you do find it, it can be kind of pricy.

I would also sudgjest some of the following plants:
Carpeting:HC, Monte-Carlo, Dwarf baby tears, Dwarf hair grass, S reppens. With this set up I think you could accieve any of these plants to carpet on the front right. Its just your choice for what you are going for.

Mid ground plants: Some kind of red plant (maybe), Crypts, or maybe annubius, but I dont think annubias would look good with this scape in my opinion (maybe annubias nana petite) or Buce (can be pricy, but would add some nice dark colors (maybe even some reds))

Background: Red temple plant (may get too big), Full size hair grass (you would have to trim it often, but this could flow across the top which could look good) Maybe a amazon sword (Big leaves may throw off scale)
Thats it. I hope I give some ideas. Im not the best. But this may be a start.

Heres a great website: http://tropica.com/en/plants/ You dont have to buy from here, but they often provite plenty of great ideas for scapes. Including light requirements, CO2 requirments, propigation method, and size of each plant.

EDIT: I found the red plant that stays small: http://tropica.com/en/plants/plantdetails/Alternantherareineckii'Mini'(023CTC)/4439
as well as a place to buy it https://www.amazon.com/SubstrateSource-Alternanthera-reineckii-Aquarium-Plant/dp/B071YG8KR2/ref=sr_1_sc_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1521117896&sr=8-2-spell&keywords=Alternantherareineckii

I got those off Amazon and they are petty decent for their price. Here’s the link. Co-link 3 in 1 Long Stainless Steel Aquarium Tank Aquatic Plant Tongs Scissors Tools for Fish Tank Plants https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Y9ZGYMK?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf

Can you guys help me find a green leaves version of this? It looks amazing but, I can't find a green one anywhere.

Here's the links for the two trees: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072N7X4ZT/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apap_h2cg4x8841lIn
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00H56CBVI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apap_tvS8jRwNMj66v

And the tank is a 30 gallon rimless jvj

Oh boy! I just was looking at aquarium gravel, and I can only imagine what this looks like under bright pink grow lights! XD

I guess that beggars a bonus question! I know that colored aquarium rocks don't leech their color into water, so is it ok to presume they'd be safe in soil?

Universal Rocks Rocky Background - http://amzn.com/B005GZ1XH8

thanks!

I just bought these and they are great for my 9" tall tank:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002ASDJ8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


I bought these too, but they are way too tall:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003KGBJ06/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Silk plants don't have to be super spendy.

Before you get duckweed, know that some call it aquarium herpes for good reason. It's pretty hard to completely remove if you decide you don't want it, and it will stick to anything coming into and out of the tank.

I'd start with a different floating plant like salvinia minima, red root floater, frogbit, or mosaic plant first to see if you like floating plants. You can order any of those off Amazon, though you will pay a little more than at a LFS. I got these spangles a month ago and they'll take over the surface of the tank if I don't clean half of them out every week or so.

anubias on driftwood i was actually thinking of adding this but I don’t know if it would fit!

Hmm. Any specific terrariums you want an estimate on or the entire thing?
Edit: Nevermind. I'll just give you a rundown of what I bought. Don't be scared off by the price, just start small. I recommend the Super Mix Moss from Appalachian Emporium to start you off, some cheap pot soil at home depot, mesh for the filter, pebbles/driftwood from outside and glassware at a thriftshop or wherever. Though I think getting springtails might be a must to keep the habitat clean from mold and such. Overall, it should cost you no more than $30-40 depending on what you get. I just happened to go overboard these past two months :)

Price|Amazon Link|
:--|:--|
$16.86|Appalachian Emporium's Super Mix Live Fresh Moss for Terrariums, Vivariums, Bath Mats, Garden, Flower Pots|
$2.99|Marineland Black Diamond Media Premium Activated Carbon|
$23.09|Terrarium & Fairy Garden Plants - 8 Plants in 2.5 (Is Approximately 4 to 6 Inches Height of the Plant)|
$17.98|Temperate Springtail (Collembola) Culture (32 oz)|
$8.95|Luffy Coco Mini Moss - Builds a Beautiful and Natural Aquascape: Easy Care, Hardy and Long Lasting Plant: Filters and Provides Aquariums with Oxygen|
$12.54|Green Creeping Fig 2 Plants - Ficus -2" Pot - Houseplant/Terrarium/Fairy Garden|
$13.68|Anubias Nana Petite On Driftwood - Freshwater Live Aquarium Plants by Aquarium Plants Factory|
~$4 (use coupons!)|Glass bulbs (2) @ Michaels|
~$5|Glass Jar @ TJ-Maxx|
~$3|Glass Cork @ Michaels|
~$5|Other glass bottle w/ cap|
~$7| Big Mason Jar|
Free|Driftwood, rocks, etc|
$1.99|Pack of Tweezers|
~$10 w coupons|4 Pebbles & Fine "grain" rocks @ Michaels|
~$9.99|Exo-Terra Plantation Soil @ Petco|
~$5| Nature-Care Organic and Natural Pot Soil @ Home Depot|
$7.25| Screen-door Mesh for filter|
$3.99 w coupons|Twine @ Michaels|
Overall Price| ~ $158.31|

https://www.ebay.com/itm/182257395124

Also, the calcium makes it a nice white/green bright color when it dissolves. Compared to most algae wafers that looks like grey mold.

Check out the Wonder Shells too!

They lock in pretty good on their own, but I have holes drilled with plastic dowels and some aquarium safe silicone holding them all together.

These are the rocks I have: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00F8DVAO4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I have 80 pounds.

I've used this set for 6 months with no problems.

I recently picked this tank up. 5 gallon for $25 bucks. Comes with a filter as well. I also got a bag of these stones/gravel/whatever you wanna call them, and a heater. All coming in well under 50 with shipping. So far Sir Fishy fishington of Fishville is digging his new home after being confined to a betta cube for a few weeks. Here's some pictures of the tank/Sir Fishy

Here is the mobile version of your link

You really don't need to feed him in a separate enclosure. It's been proven that the whole "preventing aggression" thing is a myth. Moving them just causes unecessary stress.

You can prehistoric plants just about anywhere. I found some at Michaels for my BP's enclosure just by digging a bit. You could get creative with your hides (https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00KSKO508/ref=psdcmw_2975452011_t3_B0040HDMDQ -- it does come in larger sizes but you have to search around), but I wouldn't consider that a "main" hide because of how open it is. Amazon has a bunch of aquarium decor dinosaur fossils as well. Just get creative.

But if you decide to go DIY: avoid anything that seems fragile, has a strong smell, small openings he could get stuck in, or rough surfaces that could scratch him. You can use natural materials like branches and rocks but bake them in the oven first. It also wouldn't hurt to add a layer of sealant to be safe.

This is a really neat idea. I would love to see the final pics if you post them here.

I got mine here!

And here's another http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0026H1O00

Dunno about tape but there's this. I've heard of people using regular super glue for plants and decor also but I have no clue if it's safe or not.

edit: If you use mesh, you could wire/tie it to the bottle

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004PBA6LS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s04?ie=UTF8&psc=1

> https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004PBA6LS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s04?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Thank you!

Ok I got [these seeds off Amazon] (https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B072Q4CLKN/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1).

They do indeed work, as long as you start with no water in your tank. But, moist substrate. cover the seeds with I think between a quarter and a half inch. Then wait till they sprout. They won't sprout unless they have a temp that is similar to what it would be in a tank. I think like 75. And there has to be enough light on them as well. Then after they sprout, you can fill with water gently.

That's sort of the short version. I did a tupperware container to test. Filled with sand. water line just at surface or a little bit above,sprinkled the seeds. then tossed a bit more sand to cover and left on the ledge towards the back of the stove and below the stove light which i leave on. They sprouted, but you can not replant them. So, I then tried in a Jarraium the way I said above. It was very easy to disturb it and I unfortunately wasn't gentle enough and it more or less is gone I think.

Then I tried it in a new tank I was setting up. But filled tank with water before sprouting. Turned on the light but did not plug in the heater. They didn't sprout. But, I'd already added fish. This is when I realized the importance of temp. Now when I do water changes if I stir up that "stuff" in that corner of the tank where I planted them, it stinks of rotting gunk. Since it's a 5.5 gal, I use a turkey baster to suck up some of that crap with some of the sand and just toss it. It's not quite gone yet, but the smell isn't as bad so I'm making headway...

So, you see...it can be done... correctly! Oh yeah, the growth part when it works, looks nice but it's very low, maybe a half an inch. I still have some and may try it again WITHOUT adding the fish but turning on the heater...maybe.

So, it depends on your application/tank size et al.

Edit: I forgot! If the seeds get wet before you've planted there is a gummy substance that sticks to your fingers and won't allow you to plant them. It's like some scifi experiment gone wrong on how to make snot... :)

1. Blue BlueTooth It's blue and bluetooth! And happens to be the blue version of the speaker I use all the time. (frys sells it refurbished at an epic discount from time to time)
   
   
2. Summer kids Summer dress It says summer AND it's for summer! I don't know what strawberrying summer means though...
   
   
3. disgusting egg seperator It's food related. It's seriously weird.
   
   
4. German Shepherd Umbrella I want to get this for my mom. It looks like a pup we had and she never buys happy things for herself.
   
   
5. Sharon Shinn 12 Houses Series Fantasy world with magic and swords by one of my favorite authors.
   
   
6. A spot of bother Ebook I kept meaning to put on my kindle because $1
   
   
7. Leather Dog Collar with German Shepherd Faces Making that one easy for me! I've been eyeing that for my GSD
   
   
8. Skull Art I just love staring at it, but have never found an excuse to get it. So I figure that counts. I tend to focus more on useful things in general.
   
   
9. V for Vendetta Great movie, and a pretty amazing message about what can happen if a society becomes complacent.
   
   
10. Tactical survival kit Being able to cut wood, start fire, etc will be pretty important. Never underestimate the ability to cut and carve spears.
    
    
11. Slideboard Trainer I am trying to get back into rollerblading, but my heart is making that difficult. I've been eye one of these for a while because I could train in the house for bad health days/weather/ to find out how far I can go now and hopefully improve it without crashing out halfway through a park.
    
    
12. Add on Betta Plants Because fish are cool
    
    
13. Sharks! Because sharks. Is it sharks? Cuz I like sharks.
    
    
14. Standing Wheelchair They should be cheaper because they seriously improve the health of wheelchair bound people. A sibling company to one my husband and I used to work intended to get him one through their charitable side, so this one was an easy find for me.
    
    
15. More sharks!!! I hadn't seen this before, might be nice when I am vending. Why you gotta go make me look at stuff? LOL
    
    
16. vanilla essential oil I use this. It is amazing. Almost like baking vanilla, warm and lovely.
    
    
17. Fashion Plate Kit Not the exact one I had, but the same idea. It was a lot of fun, and I design and sew now so...
    
    
18. Writers Toolbox Something to help with the inevitable writers block, to relax, and play with ideas.
    
    
19. Super Wide angle lens I've been photo obsessing for almost a year now, and am now trying to sell some prints when I vend at fairs!
    
    
20. Octopus TP holder Hes got 8 arms, so why not? Makes me giggle.

Get a 50-lb bag of multipurpose sand at Home Depot for $3. If you want, you can get a 3D background made by Universal Rocks on Amazon for pretty cheap.

https://www.amazon.com/Universal-Rocks-Flexible-Aquarium-Background/dp/B005GZ1XH8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1495639468&sr=8-1&keywords=Universal+rocks+3D

I would stock it with a lot of peacocks and haps. I find cichlids to be more hardy than the smaller 1" fish like danios, barbs, tetras, and etc. Not to mention it's cheaper to decorate for African cichlids than to run a fully planted tank (lighting, fertilization, etc).

Also, I use Prime and Stability to cycle with fish in. Takes 2 weeks no deaths.

Its the Universal Rocks "Rocky Background".

I figured it out guys thank you.

One of the reasons my gH was so high was because when I prep my water for water changes I use a wonder shell I keep one in the jug that I use to hold the water for water changes. I had one in there because the snails I've been keeping for years had been having really weak shell devlopment. Once I started doing the shell thing they're shells started getting better. This left me with a false sense of security so I stopped thinking about it. I'll start slowly bringing that gH down and getting rid of the shell

http://www.amazon.com/SubstrateSource-Cholla-Wood-Aquarium-Driftwood/dp/B00MYN48J0/ref=sr_1_6?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1414536644&sr=1-6&keywords=driftwood

do you recommend that?

Hey! Some other people asked about the air pump and fertilizer, but the root tabs are the the Seachem Flourish Tabs (these ones). There are five left. These are the scissors and tongs I have. Let me know if you're still interested!

Oops, it was actually $50 for 40 lbs of rock.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00F8DVAO4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Here's the powerhead i got:
https://www.amazon.com/SunSun-JVP-101A-2-unit-Maker-Suction/dp/B00DY9ZAFO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1480355284&sr=8-1&keywords=saltwater+powerhead

I'm not too familiar with a sump.

can you help pick out some parts for what i'd need because I'd be interested in doing less frequent water changes if at all possible.

also can an overflow be an alternative to a sump?
https://www.amazon.com/Eshopps-PF300-Overflow-Aquariums-75-Gallons/dp/B00CJ2575K/ref=pd_bxgy_199_img_3?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B00CJ2575K&pd_rd_r=S89NJCB19GMJX2XNXY57&pd_rd_w=jEUDa&pd_rd_wg=N19XF&psc=1&refRID=S89NJCB19GMJX2XNXY57

Also i found this sump that has good reviews... i just don't know what other parts i'd need with it to make it work
https://www.amazon.com/Aqueon-34500-ProFlex-Model-44-55-Gallon/dp/B0036S1FQG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1480355334&sr=8-1&keywords=saltwater+sump

There are plenty of them on amazon. This might work well, while still maintaining the Aesthetic of your tank.


https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BXWESUM/ref=cm_sw_r_other_awd_yKAGwbSZ0R24S

I actually ordered them off of Amazon like that. The plant is already attached to the wood when it arrives.

Here is the link of the product:

Anubias Nana Petite On Driftwood - Freshwater Live Aquarium Plants by Aquarium Plants Factory https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MPW3Y37/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_kkFqPA78kJZ6o

Instant Ocean Reef Crystal's salt is reasonably cheap and people seem to trust it. As for rock, I used this:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00F8DVAO4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_6yBTDb30B368Q

It's 40 lbs for $55, prime shipping. Just make sure you pressure wash it to get the sand out of the crevasses, but it's dry, pest free rock that will cycle with your tank. Since your on a budget, you can take your time and cycle it properly.

Also, I'd suggest watching 52 weeks of reefing. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBaMLrfToJyybUT18OE3fMomFb9XU0ffC

A lot of it won't apply to you, but it covers just about everything.

Nature's Ocean 12-Inch Coral Base Rocks for Aquarium, 40-Pound https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00F8DVAO4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_8nyOCbJVH0Q9T

This is the best deal on the internet. I’d buy 2 packs which will give you 80 pounds which i think is enough. They say 1 pd per gallon but I think 80 is plenty.

If not go on ur Facebook market place and try to find some. That always worked for me.

If not that, pretty much every town / local area has a Facebook page for local reefers, I’m sure someone has extra.

I got these: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079CZRVB8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_RncPCbNYGY10K

They're super soft :)

Do you have link?

Edit: those are amazingly beautiful

Link

They're both this HDX wire shelf thing from Home Depot! They're a bit on the expensive side ($50) but each shelf is rated for 350 lbs of evenly distributed weight and 20L tanks fit perfectly on them (which is what my geckos are in on the right rack). :D

So far, I definitely recommend them!

Edit: the two round pots (white and green) are tea light oil warmers that I got from the dollar store. The terracotta is a pot I found in the Walmart arts and crafts area. It doesn't have a hole at the bottom which is super convenient! The Squidward hide I ordered off Amazon for ~$7. :)

Co2 injected. Excel isn’t truly a form of liquid carbon. It is an algaecide that they sell as carbon since the regulations on algaecides would be difficult to side step. There are some liquid carbons out there that are based on Humic Acid (from Humus), but Excel is Glut.

Seachem Flourish is definitely a waste of time. I have used Thrive S and love it. I took that formula and mix it myself now with dry ferts since my tank is three times bigger now than my previous one. It just wasn’t economically feasible for me to continue using the all in one, but I really liked the results so now I make it myself.

Root tabs and sand definitely work well. Our Betta tank uses only root tabs and we have all live plants in it.

https://imgur.com/gallery/g1pjDXz

What I initially did with the Purple Waffel was keep it in a glass cup near the top of the tank. Once I saw that it was doing well I then took it out and planted it in my aquasoil.

https://www.amazon.com/Crystal-Aquatic-Fashionclubs-Aquarium-Aquascape/dp/B07B4DLLQ1/ref=asc_df_B07B4DLLQ1/