puff puff 10 gal.

karazy · #1 01-19-2009, 12:05 AM

so this weekend i started a small project.

im turning my lame 10 gallon guppy tank into a planted dwarf puffer tank!
so i stated that this weekend, and so far i have....sand :P

it is running with an Aquaclear 20(a sponge on the filter intake because the puffs aren't the best swimmers) and black sand. oh, and the stock light that came with it (it has 2 of those energy saving spiral bulbs in it).

i plan on easy to care for plants as this is my first planted tank, so we will see what happens. in 2 weeks i am getting my first plants and a new stealth heater

ElGuappo · #2 01-19-2009, 01:37 AM

go with java fern and cryptocorn. they are both very easy to grow. also cardinals are pretty neat plants as well.

karazy · #3 01-19-2009, 03:33 AM

yeah, i was planning on mainly java fern, java moss, and anubias nana. maybe some other types of anubias too

BlueAbyss · #4 01-19-2009, 08:51 AM

Try some Cryptocoryne. They are common, beautiful, and easy to grow in low light conditions, but sometimes they RTN for seemingly no reason... don't worry about it, if they seem to die off leave them undisturbed for a couple months and they will more than likely grow back.

Kronk · #5 01-20-2009, 12:22 AM

Anubus is a great choice for puffers the broad leaves give them lots of places to chill out, they like heavily planted tanks, warm and very clean water. Just be careful when you buy them ff they have a sunken stomach its a bad sign of internal parasites. Here is a good site for info on feeding them and stuff http://www.dwarfpuffers.com/

This is a pic of my tank when i had it up and running.

Good Luck

karazy · #6 01-20-2009, 12:48 AM

thankyou for the info, ive been researching them fora while so i have most of the info down, just not the plant info.

OMG awesome tank! love the false wall. it looks like a slice of the amazon. i might try to do something like it, exept for the false wall :P

did you make the false wall yourself?

Kronk · #7 01-20-2009, 01:40 AM

This site is Awesome for plant info http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/myplants/ i dont think i have seen a plant thats not listed in there.

The background is just sandstone siliconed to the back of the tank. I did that to all of my freshwater tanks, some I made out of concrete but by far the easiest and best looking is to just go to a landscaping place and pick out some nice thin slate then silicone it. For a small tank you might pay $5 or $10. Just be sure they cant get trapped in behind the rock.

karazy · #8 02-08-2009, 11:29 PM

well i was volunteering yesterday at elite aquatics and we had alot of new plants.
like ALOT!

so im buffing tanks, and Colby handed me a bag and told me to grab whatever plants i want, and he'll hook me up with some new very high output bulbs from hagen!

well it was like being in a candy store. there was so much to chose from!

i ended up getting two of these thin,silky leaved (but still quite leafy) light green plants that i dont know the name of,
2 of what looks to be some sort of red rotala sp.
and 3 what look to be anubias (i think its anubias nana)

i didnt have my camera, but i promise i'll take pics ASAP
right now it looks a little noobish and undergrown, but once everything grows out and i maybe add something more, it'll look nice

P.S. thnx Colby! YOU ROCK!

rocketlily · #9 02-08-2009, 11:55 PM

I look forward to seeing this tank develop. I have a 10 gal that will be empty in May and I plan on doing planted tank.

karazy · #10 02-23-2009, 01:31 AM

well, the puffers have landed

me being dumb though i forgot my camera. DOH!

and i only got to see them explore their new home for 5 mins, cuz i had to go to my moms house, and i wont see them for a whole week

but all the plants are doing good, the puffers are already attacking the snails, and im almost sure i got 1 male to females,
cuz i got 1 that's quite round, one that is also round(but not as round)
and one that had big wrinkles behind his eyes (and is quite feisty)

pics as soon as i can