# Starting from scratch, 10G.



## Zack2013 (Mar 21, 2011)

Hey, I am looking to start up a small planted tank from my empty 10gallon aquarium. I have never started one and dont really know how to set it up. If you guys would give me some suggestions on plants? Soil, substrate and stuff it would be helpful. And im really looking on how to actually plant them, rooting and stuff. Thanks
*c/p*


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## celticsfan13 (Nov 7, 2010)

i would suggest getting some gravel for a 10 gallon, and go 2 ur local pet store and get some tap water conditioner and add it 2 ur tap water, i would suggest getting some hardy plants like java moss or even amazon swords, and as far as fish, wat r u intentions, just for display or breeding? and wat is ur budget all these things will depend all on ur budget i can make some good sudgestions


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## Zack2013 (Mar 21, 2011)

I am looking to set this tank up for display, my budget should be pretty decent and I am looking for some colorful fish to brighten up the tank, and some low to medium maintance plants that still look good


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## celticsfan13 (Nov 7, 2010)

alright well i would deff. sugest getting a smaller pleco like a brittlenose for algae, but if u want reg. plecos are amazingly good and u can prob bring them back 2 ur local pet store when they get too big and trade for a small one, now for the main fish i would suggest an angelfish or two they are beutiful and if ur picky they can be even better , plus some guppies if u r picky like me and pick right ull get very good and colorful ones, i would sugest going to ur local pet store and seeing if they have any " lyretail guppies" they are very unique and are very interseting,


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## Zack2013 (Mar 21, 2011)

for the plants. what substrate or gravel should i use? and i think ill go with an angelfish or two cuz they look really colorful


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## celticsfan13 (Nov 7, 2010)

i would just go 2 petsmart or somewhere and get some colorful gravel, i believe the rule is 1lb of gravel per gallon of water unless ur gonna get a loach or something then get some sand as well but not too much wat i did was put the sand around the bottom of a piece of decor but is only necissary if u get a loach or so and plants get java moss it grows very easily is cheap, and is hardy


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## Zack2013 (Mar 21, 2011)

well all the people i see with planted tanks have sand on top of peat moss so the roots get more nutrients and hold better.


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## celticsfan13 (Nov 7, 2010)

o i just perfer to use java moss becasue it holds on to everything including gravel and decor and is very hardy and takes almost time and care except cutting it every once and a while so it doesnt get out of control because it grows so easily


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

You don't want regular gravel. If you want an easy route and your budget is decent, then get a bag of Eco-complete. Regular gravel will do for some plants, but could limit you. There are other methods, but for ease you can't beat a bag of Eco. Also, it doesnt require any rinsing - just pour right in. 

Also, your tank will be too small for Angels. If you want a pleco, be sure to research the ones that stay small. Some can get very large and you will not have the tank to support it.

What type of light do you have?


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## Zack2013 (Mar 21, 2011)

I have 2 stock 15W incindesent bulbs that keeps the water temp around 75 degrees, i will look into the eco complete. how many bags do u think it will take ? and how many inches do i need as a base


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## celticsfan13 (Nov 7, 2010)

yea but like i said if he wants a traditional pleco he can usually exchange a big one for a small one at pet store and angel shouldnt be too big as long as he gets a traditional one and gravel is usually fine and im not familir\ar with eco though so im not sure


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

I would think 1 bag of Eco would cover a 20gallon tank with about 2 inches. Gravel will work for many plants. They will however do better in something that's specifically designed for plants - Eco complete.

Any pleco may be pushing it for a 10g tank. A standard pleco can get up to 24". Angels need a bigger tank - bottom line.


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## Zack2013 (Mar 21, 2011)

so a bag of eco complete.. would some jade moss grow good as a bed in it?


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Never heard of jade moss. If you mean java moss, like many of them do they get their nutrients from the water column and don't root into anything.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Eco Complete Planted Black Aquarium Substrate at PETCO

Usually where I get mine. Almost always on sale and if you spend over a certain dollar amount, shipping is free.


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## celticsfan13 (Nov 7, 2010)

i have 1 in 5GALLON AND HE DOES FINE WITH MY PAIR OF GUPPIES


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## Zack2013 (Mar 21, 2011)

ah ok. so what plants would u suggest for a beginner? ive heard sword plants are good


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## celticsfan13 (Nov 7, 2010)

yea swords, java moss, or a broad leafed anubias would begood


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

celticsfan13 said:


> i have 1 in 5GALLON AND HE DOES FINE WITH MY PAIR OF GUPPIES


One could probably live in a fish bowl. Doesn't mean it is the recommended size for an Angel. Truth is, your Angel will probably not live a full life due to that confined of a space. Research of the fish you buy, before you buy it, is just as imporatnt as anything else. Find any source that says a 5-gal or even 10-gal is right for an Angel.


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## celticsfan13 (Nov 7, 2010)

fyi i did research the angels and i actually am transfering it over to a 20gallon tank in 2days so i do know wat im doing and if he doesnt put 2 many other fish in the 10 gallon he should be fine and it will live a perfectly fine life


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Zack2013 said:


> ah ok. so what plants would u suggest for a beginner? ive heard sword plants are good


Anubias is good, java ferns, crypts. Swords are ok if you get like pygmy swords. Some other smaller swords maybe. The others will easily outgrow your tank. It will take a while for that to happen but will eventually. Wisteria is good, but it will grow very fast and will require constant trimming. Manageable though. I have it in a 29g and haven't trimmed it in months.


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

Apongetons and dwarf lilies are good beginner plants if you go with the ECO.Willow hygro isgood for the substrate too and grows fast,but not too fast.It looks like the leaves of a weeping willow tree,very pretty.

For fish you are limited because of the size of the tank.


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## beaslbob (May 29, 2009)

Perhaps you've already started but I recommend you do a "beaslbob build". *old dude

1) add 1" peat moss (home depot $10 "bale) wet clean sides and level.
2) add 2" play sand (home depot $3 50 pound bag). again wet, clean level.
3) add 1" pc select red (from pro choice 50 pound bag $8) (or gravel) wet clean level.

4) add 4 bunches of anacharis, 4 vals, 4 small potted plants, and a amazon sword). (before you fill the tank)

5) fill tank with water poured over saucer.

6) wait 1 week

7) add 1 male platty.

8) wait 1 week no food being added

9) add 1-2 female plattys and start feeding 1 flake per day.

Just to be clear, no filter, no water changes, no chemicals, no mechanical circulation not even an air stone.

Adjust lighting so the plants grow but the water stays clear and algae is kept at bay.

For lighting if you have 2 incandescent type hoods use a couple of 11 w spiral 6500k tubes from wall mart. that is actualy watts not incandescent replacemnt water (like 65W or so)

Just my .02


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## [email protected] (Mar 21, 2011)

i really think he should go with a clean bottom and just get a dragon goby


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## Zack2013 (Mar 21, 2011)

ok boys here is the outcome...



i did 2 inches of peat moss then an inch of sand then gravel...the plants are a bit brown in some spots because they didn't have good lighting in the store but i have it under some kind of hot lights and beside a window so hopefully they come around.i have 2 anacharis plants, a red wisteria, and when i got to looking the pet store lady accidentally put in a green wisteria and didn't charge me whoooo.....also i have 3 zebra danios (such fast colorful fish), 3 sunburst moon platys, and my rainbow shark. He was in a different tank and before the transfer i had him in a bucket of water and he jumped out of the bucket and landed on the floor. I didn't notice for like 15 minutes and so i just decided to give it a shot and put him in the water even though he is all dried up  well he came to and made a full recovery whoooooo 
*c/p*


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## [email protected] (Mar 21, 2011)

an update to this tank build (im his brother) the platy's are actually slowly putting out some babies, the shark randomly passed one day he was just dead in the anacharis (which both died they never came around) the wisteria is thriving and i actually took a small part to put into my betta tank  there is a cory cat in there now and an algae explosion haha but its going good so far


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## polaris96 (Apr 19, 2010)

I have 10 gal tank and I'm pretty happy with it.

I started from scratch with a bow front 10g glass tank. I added a $9.95 under gravel filter and about 15lbs of #3 gravel mixed with about 5lbs of eco-complete. 

I made a hood from plywood and two $6.95 "clip-light" fixtures with CFT screw base flourescent lights, one daylight 60W and one soft white 40W. It's a nice spectrum balance with both on, and flipping off the 60W bulb gives a nice "dawn/dusk" effect. Total cost for the hood was about $30 including bulbs. It took about a day to make it. Carl has a great article on using flourescent bulbs for planted tanks, btw.

I bought an air pump and stones, and also a power head. Both were sized for 30gal tanks because the cost difference was small and I like having headroom in my appliances. All told, this gear was probably about $40-$50 from petco.

I added a heater (again worth oversizing for the extra $5 in price, to my mind), and a suite of chemicals and measurement aparati. probably about another $70, including power strips and other gizmos.

I used some gravel from a friend's tank to prime the new tank, and cycled for a week before adding the first fish and plants.

I decided to build a canister filter from some PVC drainpipe and a bunch of mason sand. Then I grabbed a 5gal plastic carboy from work and made it into a refgium using something called a brewcap that can be purchased from brewery suppliers for $5.

Right now, I have Wisteria, Pennywort, Micro Sword, and Annubias

I also have 4 barbs, 2 dwarf gouramis, 3 corys a tetra, and a burgeoning cherry shrimp population. They appear happy, but when (if) the guoramis get too large, I'll donate them to a good shop.

There are some pictures of my tank on this board if you're interested. Hope this may be useful to you.


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## [email protected] (Mar 21, 2011)

thanks for the advice...all of the plants ended up dying in a horrific event haha it basically just started shedding leafs till it was just stem and started clogging the filter. We now have a clean bottom no substrate with a big rock cave on one side and the tree stump cave posted above with an itty bitty pleco, rainbow shark, 3 platys, 3 danios, and a cory cat they are all so happy now and the tank is so much easier to maintain.


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