Samantha's Tanks!

[SamAnthrax]

Currently I have a 5g and a 20g

My five gallon has a 10w compact fluorescent in it, small fluval submersible filter, sand substrate, a piece of african root wood with java moss on it. A piece of lava rock. and the following other plants

-Micro Sword
-Chain Sword (not sure the propper name)
-Moss Ball
-Dwarf Cardinal Plant
-Anubias Nana
-Some type of crypt

I also have breeding red cherry shrimp, 5 ember tetras, and 1 oto (every friend I get for him dies)

Here is how the tank look when I started it:
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk251/sam_anthrax/IMG_0051.jpg

Here is how it looks now days!
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk251/sam_anthrax/boysboys/IMG_0223.jpg

http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk251/sam_anthrax/boysboys/IMG_0222.jpg

Everything looks a little fuller now days thought but I still have that basic lay out. And the tiny shrimp running around add to it also :)

[Lady Hobbs]

Cute little tank there. Looks nice.

[SamAnthrax]

Recent pic of 5g
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk251/sam_anthrax/20g/Photo2.jpg


Now my 20g I am just starting

Substrate: Sand
Lighting: 38w 7100k compact flourescent
Heater: 100w
Filter: Tetra 20

I don't have any big plans for this tank yet. I want to keep something interesting in it that I don't see everyday (work at a pet store) but I have no idea yet. I might pick up a few long fin zebra danios just to keep it cycling while I pick out my plants I want.

I know I definitely want this to be a somewhat heavy planted tank, and I also know that this is going to take me awhile to do. I might double up my lighting in the future though annnd I might look into a CO2 system.

As of when I woke up this morning my sand has finally fully settled so here is a picture of it now.

Here is a picture of it from my bed, didn't feel like getting up.
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk251/sam_anthrax/20g/Photo11.jpg

I need to get a background for it also...

[SamAnthrax]

Thanks Lady Hobbs!

[bushwhacker]

great lookin little tank samantha, if thats the kind of work you do your 20 will be great... one thing tho you may want to get a bigger filter for that 20 like maybe a whisper 40-60

[Hailey]

Cool idea for the 5 gal, I think thats what I'm gonna do once my betta goes.

[SamAnthrax]

Well I'm planning on having it heavily planted so I don't need that strong of filtration. plus I don't plan on stocking it with too many fish.

[Demi ^_^]

The 5g looks terrific and the 20g is sure to be a success ;))

Good luck Sammy!

[Red]

good looking tanks...

[Northernguy]

Nice tanks,I am sure your 20 will look wonderful as well!:22:

[sandy_n]

Your 5 looks good!

[Sharon]

Tanks look great!thumbs2:

[Wild Turkey]

Looks good! Good luck with the 20thumbs2:

[SamAnthrax]

So on Friday I got plants for my 20g, I went to a couple places.

I spent $16 at this one store and I got:
-Anubias Nana
-Nuphar japonica (Spatterdock)
-and some other one I can't ID, I will put what it is when I find out

I spent $13 at another store and bought:
-Anubias Nana (already has a flower stem on it, hasn't bloomed)
-Microsorium Tropica
-Hygrophila Polysperma

The hygro is really pretty, I think so atleast. My friend Abe who partially owns the shop gave me some, not sure if he charged me for it or not. He told me he's not supposed to sell it since its considered a invasive species weed and I believe he said it was illegal. But since I'm a VIP customer (lol) he gave me some.

The Spatterdock is nothing atm looks like this:
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk251/sam_anthrax/20g/Photo5.jpg

but I read that its going to grow nice big leaves as long as it has a nutrient rich substrate so I added a seachem tab to my tank right near where I placed it.

Now just to go buy some driftwood (and maybe rocks)

:)

[SamAnthrax]

So the Spatterdock plant I got was slowly rotting in my tank >.<

I asked my friend about it and he said its mostly a pond plant so will grow well if it gets ALOT of light, I decided to put it in a pot next to the window for awhile.

I moved my Anubias nana, crypt, and my cardinal plant from my 5g to my 20g and I think I might move my Ember Tetras from my 5g to my 20g so that the 5g is a red cherry shrimp breeding only tank.

The 5g only has the piece of root wood, with java moss on it, and a chain sword in it now. It looks a lot simpler now and I like it.

Ok so now I'm going to go buy more embers!

[Red]

You know when you start breeding cherries you could always give them to me for my birthday :)

[SamAnthrax]

Oh yeah and what are you going to give me for my birthday since its the same day as yours???

[SamAnthrax]

The only plants left in my 5g are my driftwood covered in java moss, and my micro chain sword which is doing so great in there. And a chunk of Lava rock.

http://photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v1962/171/14/651675463/n651675463_5461616_8168.jpg

[troy]

Still a cool tank.:19:

[Poofaye C.]

Can't wait to see how that 20gal. will turn out.

Hey by the way, did that guy you were crush'in on ever come back into the store?:ezpi_wink1:
Thought we'd forget???lol!

[Dave66]

Cute little tanks, Samantha! Always forget how easy and cheap it is to set-up small tanks like that.

Dave

[TazManiac]

Nice looking tanks.

[SamAnthrax]

Can't wait to see how that 20gal. will turn out.

Hey by the way, did that guy you were crush'in on ever come back into the store?:ezpi_wink1:
Thought we'd forget???lol!

Haha nah I haven't seen him. But his friend, who is now my friend, who co-owns another fish store I think? Might like me? Well we're (becoming good) friends right now and I know I may be bringing him to the GCCA fish swap. :fish:

But I think I'm just going to give up on the other guy. :22:

[SamAnthrax]

I took pics today of my fishes and my tank and plants :)

I hope you guys like them. Lets start with my tank shots

http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk251/sam_anthrax/20gg/IMG_0562.jpg

Here is one of my hygros which is considered a weed and is illegal

http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk251/sam_anthrax/20gg/IMG_0626.jpg

and my two dwarf cardinal plants!

http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk251/sam_anthrax/20gg/IMG_0624.jpg

[SamAnthrax]

Cockatoo Male

http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk251/sam_anthrax/20gg/IMG_0617.jpg

http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk251/sam_anthrax/20gg/IMG_0587.jpg

The pots I put in for the two female cockatoos who I haven't gotten good pictures of...

http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk251/sam_anthrax/20gg/IMG_0664.jpg

[SamAnthrax]

And my Agassizi Male


http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk251/sam_anthrax/20gg/IMG_0599.jpg

http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk251/sam_anthrax/20gg/IMG_0656.jpg

http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk251/sam_anthrax/20gg/IMG_0676.jpg

[Crispy]

I like the clay pots! thumbs2: They make perfect caves of almost any size! Your tank look sweet! Great job with the plants... I will attempt them someday.

[SamAnthrax]

I know I didn't want to put the pots in at all but they're slowly growing on me.

[Wild Turkey]

Great shots sam, awesome!thumbs2:

Hehe trying to join the clay pot club eh?
Pretty much the only decor you can use thats not wood or rock, and still looks natural. Dont ask me why it looks natural, but it does:hmm3grin2orange:

[SamAnthrax]

Yeah I'm surprised how much I like them. :)

[Red]

nice looking tanks!

[SamAnthrax]

Gracias senor

[Northernguy]

Thats a nice tank Sam!
I really like the fish pics too!thumbs2:

[KingFisher]

Nice tanks. Your Apistos look awesome. thumbs2: thumbs2: thumbs2:

[SamAnthrax]

So I got rid of my 5g and my cockatoo cichlids. Moved my red cherry shrimp and guppy into the 20g.

So now my 20g has:

1 male agassizi
11 ember tetras
1 gold tetra
1 blonde delta guppy
2 hasborus corrys
1 ghost shrimp
? red cherry shrimp.


I like that the cockatoos are gone. I like just a simple community tank and when I noticed one of my ember tetras looked like it had gotten bit I kind of knew it was the Cockatoo since the Agassizi was also getting harassed by him.

I have cyano in my tank which is making me quite angry, I have a aquaclear 20 filter and a fluval submerible filter in there so I would think that would be enough flow for the cyano to go away but it's not. Its starting to get onto my java moss too.

http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk251/sam_anthrax/IMG_0820.jpg

http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk251/sam_anthrax/IMG_0821.jpg

Here is a tank picture

http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk251/sam_anthrax/IMG_0803.jpg

annnnnd yeah. I guess I have to look into getting a power head soon. Or I am going to get an air pump. Don't know which yet.

[Sharkman]

tank still looks pretty good even with the algae. And wow, your tank is not level at all. Look at the water line.

[SamAnthrax]

lol ugh I know our new apartment's floors are all like that...

[Red]

Nice tank :)

[troy]

Good tank. I'd be worried about the tank on an uneven surface.

[fishlover49]

Nice-looking tank!!! thumbs2:

Can you put something under the stand to make it more level? I used a piece of folded up cardboard under mine.

[SamAnthrax]

Nice-looking tank!!! thumbs2:

Can you put something under the stand to make it more level? I used a piece of folded up cardboard under mine.

Yeah I could but I'm not going to.

[Wild Turkey]

Yeah I could but I'm not going to.

Good luck! Your seals are going to eventually break on the side of the tank that the waterline is higher:scry:

Just empty half the water, get some wedges or some foam watever, and have a friend help. Put them under the table legs not the tank, its easier and looks better imo.

[SamAnthrax]

Really? it's only like 1/2 an inch difference from one side to the other.

[Wild Turkey]

Really? it's only like 1/2 an inch difference from one side to the other.

Yup, leveling out tanks is essential, otherwise the pressure of all the gallons is basically on one glass panel and the seals around it, instead of it being distributed semi-evenly.

[SamAnthrax]

guess thats on the top of my list now :(

[Wild Turkey]

guess thats on the top of my list now :(

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. Better to deal with it now that when its leaking though