(Part 2) Reddit mentions: The best aquarium decor

Lemme tell you about my fishkeeping experience.

Elementary School

I won a goldfish and a painted fish bowl at a local museum fundraiser. It stayed in my grandmother's car while we went to a birthday party afterwards - she encouraged me to just leave it in the shadows. It was summer in south Mississippi, so it was in 90+ degrees in a closed car for 3 hours. She tried to revive it by blowing bubbles at it with a straw. It didn't work.

Its bowl survived, and I kept a few betta in it over the years. One of them jumped out the night we got him, which in retrospect, was probably the kindest death he could have had. Another jumped out and was found alive, but very dried out, on the carpet. Grandma tried to revive him too. It still didn't work.

Middle School

After several betta suicides, Mom suggested I get a tank with a lid. I got two. Meet the Dual Betta Hex. Oh boy. Where do I start?

• Yes, I used the gravel that came in them.
  
• No, I only sometimes used the godawful spiky plant. It uprooted itself too often for me to use it all the time. So oftentimes, my betta went bare-tanked.
  
• Yes, I had four bettas. One died after like a week, FOR SOME REASON. I removed the divider and patted myself on the back for Mr. Moomoo, the survivor, having such a big and comfy home.
  
• Yes, I cleaned it with dish soap... and again, patted myself on the back for taking such good care of my fish. They lasted SIX MONTHS. SIX WHOLE MONTHS! Betta are only supposed to live, like, two!
  
• Yes, I thought they were thrilled to see me. Really it's because I shook their tank until they "woke up". ^Oh ^^my ^^^God.
  
• Yes, I had dreams of being a rich woman one day and being able to afford a table-full of these torture chambers... after all, they stack and lock via ridges on the lids and bottoms, and what's better than four sick betta? That's right, a few dozen! (bleh)
  
  I also kept some fire-bellied salamanders in those contraptions. Poor things lasted maybe a month.
  
  High School
  
  I eventually saw the error of my ways in late middle/early high school and upgraded... to a 1 gallon tank, pretty much exactly like this. A vast improvement over two betta in half a gallon of water (why...) but still unheated, and the undergravel "filter" was a joke. I stopped using dish soap, more out of laziness than out of knowing you shouldn't, but sometimes was "nice" to my betta and gave the tank a good soapy scrub. I had a dwarf frog for exactly one night and returned it to PetSmart the next day for a full refund. At least this time, I had a proper silk plant instead of some fin-ripping monstrosity.
  
  College
  
  Enrolled in a marine biology program (because I love fish... yes, even though I didn't know jack about keeping them healthy) I went all-out and had an 8 and 5 gallon tank, properly equipped, filtered, heated, and maintained, for pretty much just betta. One of my betta lasted two years, got visibly sick one day and nothing I did helped him. He slowly petered out on the bottom of his tank over a month. The other lasted nearly 5 years, 2 of which were in my inexperienced and not-really-caring mom's care (I had an unexpected cross-country move) where the tank got cleaned once a year when I'd come home to visit.
  
  Graduate School
  
  Right now, I have a Fluval Spec V here beside me that's getting a dry-start dwarf baby tear carpet planted tomorrow. And its planned livestock? A betta. In a nano freshwater tank, they're all that really thrill me. Keep your scarlet badis, keep your red cherry shrimp, keep your rasboras, betta are my jam.
  
  Maybe I'm overcompensating?
  
  TL;DR: Betta holocaust. I got better.

Umm I think maybe the cup you got him in was mislabeled (or they ran out of the appropriate cups and had to use one for a crowntail), because that is in absolutely no way a crowntail, but if you keep him in with such kinds of plastic plants it may shred up his fins and tail until he looks almost crowntail.

I think your boi is actually a double-tail/twintail betta as he has two split tails and a much “taller” body.

This is what a true crowntail’s tails and fins look like: https://petco.scene7.com/is/image/PETCO/1397680-right1?$ProductDetail-large$

https://www.fishkeepingworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Overview-of-Bettas.png

https://majesticaquariums.com.au/pub/media/catalog/product/cache/c687aa7517cf01e65c009f6943c2b1e9/m/a/male_s._betta_crowntail_black.jpg

https://www.aquariumfactory.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Mustard-Gas-Crowntail.jpg

As you can see, you boi is nothing like that.

Silk plants with the big broad cloth leaves are much safer than the fully plastic plants which tend to easily shred fragile betta fins.

Here are my tanks which are mostly of silk plants: My tanks - https://i.imgur.com/x7VLj4l.mp4 AND https://i.imgur.com/ty9t3RJ.mp4

Live plants are always better but do require some more maintenance. Easy live plants are java fern and java moss and Marimo moss balls.

Here's some Silk Plant options I would recommend (obviously you don't need to get ALL of them, but just pick which ones you like from this list here which I fully approve of as generally betta-friendly):

• https://www.amazon.com/biOrb-Plant-medium-green-purple/dp/B003KGBJ06/ Biorb 2pack silk plants; my bettas love this
  
• https://www.amazon.com/biOrb-Plant-medium-green-purple/dp/B003BG2TEA/ Biorb 2pack silk plants; my bettas love this
  
• https://www.amazon.com/Aquarium-Plants-Decoration-Artificial-Inches/dp/B07PH2L3QQ/
  
• https://www.amazon.com/Imagitarium-Bright-Green-Aquarium-Medium/dp/B06WD88R4S/
  
• https://www.amazon.com/Marina-Ecoscaper-including-Echinodorus-Japonicum/dp/B005JP9QRE Decent 3pack, with 1 taller bushy leafy plant, and two smaller foreground plants
  
• https://www.amazon.com/Marina-PP108-Naturals-Indigo-Waffle/dp/B01MTOC21F/
  
• https://www.amazon.com/SunGrow-Beautiful-Plastic-Aquarium-Vibrant/dp/B01MR9NF1V/ nice big bushy plant with wide leaves, reasonable price
  
• https://www.amazon.com/Imagitarium-Midground-Multi-Pack-Aquarium-Multi-Color/dp/B01MV1815H/ Another 3pack with 2 bushy space-filler silk plants $20 pack
  
  SILICONE PLANTS! Nice and soft and safe all around!
  
  
• https://www.amazon.com/Uniclife-Decorative-Artificial-Silicone-Ornament/dp/B07FYK2GBK/
  
• https://www.amazon.com/Aquatop-Aquatic-Supplies-Silicone-Aquarium/dp/B01FWRKS52
  
• https://www.amazon.com/Aquatop-Aquatic-Supplies-Silicone-Aquarium/dp/B01FWRKS5M/
  
• https://www.amazon.com/Aquatop-Aquatic-Supplies-Silicone-Aquarium/dp/B01FWRKSHA/
  
  There's more from the Aqua Top brand as well. As you can see, some of those silk plants are in my video clips above, if you want to look at an example of how they look inside a tank.

So, since he's having such a problem getting to the surface of the water, the VERY first thing I would do is go and get a breeder net like this: Uxcell Fish Tank Aquarium Net Breeder, White Green https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00H4XTQQ0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_oodXCb71NDJCS
(Hopefully ur local fish store or Walmart will have them, but they're smaller than this Amazon one.) Putting him in this net keeps him right near the surface so he doesn't have to struggle to get his much needed surface air and The bigger the net, the better...that way you'll have a little room to stick a plant or 2 like these in it: Blue Spotted Betta Plant, Amazon Sword Great For Betta Fish and Use Betta Leaf Pad & Betta Log https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00N3ISXBE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_7qdXCb9ZDM0KQ
Betta Plant Red Anubias Leaf By Blue Spotted, Great For Betta Fish https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00M0NC1UM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_JrdXCb86XDAZJ
Smarlin Aquarium Plants Decoration, Artificial Plants for Fish Tank, 2 Pack (6 inches Height) https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B07PH2L3QQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_dsdXCbEV8JH9H
Giving him a nice, small silk leafy plant to rest on or hide under will help keep his stress level down and help him heal faster.
Also, get some frozen Daphnia from your LFS (Petco, PetSmart, etc.) Daphnia sould work as a gentle laxative for him... apparently peas are NOT the answer for constipated Bettas. If you can't find that, then get some freeze dried Daphnia such as this: Hikari Bio-Pure Freeze Dried Daphnia for Pets, 0.42-Ounce https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B003WRG54I/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_XDdXCbFWCWWVH
If you HAVE to use the freeze dried, try to soak it for awhile in some tank water, it's SUPER light and never stops floating. I pinch the shit out of it between my fingers under water and try to kind of saturate it that way

Next, you can either:

1. Completely fast him for 3 days, and see if he poops in his little temporary confinement, and if he does, let him out and see if he is back to normal. If he still can't swim right, put him back in the net and feed him a little bit of the Daphnia and wait. Keep ur eyes peeled for a (hopefully) healthy poo. Or:
   
   
2. You can give him an Epsom salt bath. I find conflicting ratios all over the place and maybe somebody else can chime in here and help us out but common mixture seems to be 1 Tablespoon per gallon of water. Here is a very good detailed step by step on how to properly do a salt bath:
   http://bettasplendid.weebly.com/salt-baths.html
   
   Let's start here and see what happens. But, hurry up and get him that breeder net!😉

In my smaller tanks I have had least killifish, bumblebee gobies and dwarf puffers. Gobies and pufferfish would be a bit harder to keep since they require frozen food, and the gobies are brackish water.

If this is your first tank I would probably do a hardy breed like a betta or the least killies. If you want small live bearers like endlers or guppies make sure to get just males or females because they will fill a ten gallon with babies pretty fast. It's pretty easy to spot which sex the fish are though.

As far as equipment, get a properly sized filter and make sure to cycle the tank. Depending on the type of fish you may need a heater. If you live somewhere warm like California, the small heating pads have worked best for me as far as longevity, and ease of use. If you want to grow plants make sure to get proper lighting. 10 gallons usually come with a hood, just pop a couple 6500k cfls in there. For cheap substrate, sand at home depot works well after a lot of rinsing out, for good substrate something like flourite works well for planted tanks.

No problem! It took a bit of time to link all of that, lol.

While you're going through my post, and researching more, please prepare to feel a bit overwhelmed. Don't let that dissuade you from this rewarding hobby! You will kill fish, plants, grow algae, and make many mistakes, despite how careful you are. I've lost quite a bit of fish myself, but each one has given me a new perspective about how to do better in the future.

I don't take losses lightly, but sadly they are a fact of life as a newbie aquarist. They are your pets, and in your care. Do not forsake them, no matter how lazy you may feel that day. Their lives are gifts. How you handle that is a clear judge of your character.

I really enjoy checking out The Planted Tank every day. I've gotten quite a few awesome deals when buying fish, plants, and equipment off of the members there. In fact, that's where I should have sent you instead of amazon (but I suppose amazon is less time-intensive).

If you are interested in learning more about plants, check out PlantGeek. You will discover that different plants require different amounts of light intensity, as well as levels of CO2 in the water. Your style tank is considered "Low-tech". If you are not currently using proper soil substrate for planted tanks, like Eco-Complete or "safe" potting soil, your plants will probably die. "High-tech" tanks include CO2 systems that slowly fizz CO2 gas into the water column, which is carefully measured, because too much CO2 will asphyxiate the fish. CO2, however, makes an aquatic plant grow fully, and is what many model tanks use. However, low-techs can grow quite well if done correctly.

Good luck, and feel free to PM me whenever you want some specific and timely help. I'm online a lot at work. ;)

err I think Rams prefer soft, more acidic water but most Rams you find today are bred in captivity so as long as the water is clean and parameters consistent you should be OK. https://aquaticarts.com/products/german-gold-ram-dwarf-cichlid

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Plants provide tremendous benefit to an aquarium and make things easier for you in the long run! Plants soak up excess nutrients and filter, provide shelter and keep your water clean.

​

My recommendation for easy, high growing and easy to care plants are:

Frogbit: https://www.amazon.com/Frogbit-Limnobium-Laevigatum-Aquarium-Floating/dp/B018YG764Y/ref=sr_1_7?crid=1SLZR6RZOJZUP&keywords=dwarf+water+lettuce&qid=1558978786&s=gateway&sprefix=dwarf+water+%2Caps%2C121&sr=8-7

​

Hornwort: https://www.petsmart.ca/fish/decor-gravel-and-substrate/live-plants/hornwort-4031931.html

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Water Wysteria: https://www.petsmart.com/fish/decor-gravel-and-substrate/live-plants/water-wisteria-5084342.html

Well, it does is a hard challenge for a beginner, but doing a properly carpeted nano-Aquascape (~20l <=> ~5g <=> ~2.0 × 10^-2 m^3) with DIY CO2 and a small sponge filter is doable in <150$

A quick, small suggestion:

Tank, ~13l <=> 3.4g, 40$

Soil, 20$

Light, 40$

stones, 25$

Filter, 10$,


1 pot Monte carlo or some other easy carpet plant at your lfs: 8€

We‘re left with 7$ for ~4 RCS, I guess.

I assumed you construct you DIY CO2 from an old bottle with sugar and yeast, so 0$ effetivly.

For cycling and food some free samples of fish food does the job. When food rots it emits ammonia, that could be used for cycling.

So here we go, every thing ready for a nice iwagumi-aquascape. If you do well, it might looks like this (That Tank has HC as carpet, but Monte carlo looks similar)!

Well, if you‘re willing to put up a dozens of hours on studying to to properly keep a planted tank.

edit: Wrong link for tank, this was the one I mistakenly linked to. Still a nice, small tank, tho. Also some additions for clearance.

I ordered from "Aquarium plants discounts" (name of company or whatever) from Amazon. And Java Moss from "Aquatic arts". They're not the cheapest to be honest, a bit on the expensive side to me whos on a budget. But everything arrived alive and healthy, decent amount of stems or nice sizes for the root plants, after 1 month everything is still alive. I would personally order something like this https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078K5CMH8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_NV23Db9T2MPMW

Theres probably better sites for Canada that I don't know of but I'm just trying to offer one option, good luck (:

As stated in title, Fishy is the newest member of our household.

My first instinct was to read up on bettas and in doing so, found this subreddit.

I have several doubts, such as:

• what kind of betta is this?
  
  
• Is it healthy? (Ive seen more vibrant colors on pics posted here)
  
  
• Can/Should I pair it with other fish?
  
  
• Are pellets preferred over flakes?
  
  As per suggestions on this sub, I think buying a bigger tank is my number 1 priority; im currently looking into a Tetra Tank (3 Gallons), this one is favored by my wife, as she finds its aesthetically pleasing (and I agree). However, most people suggest a 5 Gallon tank, so Im also looking into a GloFish Tank, we both dislike the blue led on this model and the black plastic lid it comes with.
  
  In any case, we're also looking to buy the following:
  
  
• heater
  
  
• Thermometer
  
  
• Silk plant
  
  
• Log/Hiding spot
  
  
• Filter * which we think we would only buy if we get the Tetra Tank, as per amazon commenters suggestions.
  
  We already have a net (for scooping), drops to dechlorinate water, aquarium salt (for cleaning) and what you see already in the tank.
  
  Please help us give this fish an awesome life!
  
  PS.: We are not in the US, if it even matters.

I have a dragon similar to yours as well as this one and I love it. The fish do too.

Your tank looks really nice. I love the tree! I'd like to see an update when you have it all done

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

Thanks for the thoughts! Couple of questions regarding them though.

Does a small time variance of around an hour of light time make a large difference? Like for example, I work an eight hour shift but go get dinner before coming home from work, so it might be on 8.5 or 9 hours a couple of days a week. Or is the timer mainly for convenience sake?

I had mixed up the three seachem products instructions. I realize now that I was dosing two extra doses of flourish a week instead of the excel. Should I forgo a couple of doses of flourish since it is the fertilizer and just use a tad bit more excel for a couple of days until the algae is gone? My lfs sells these fancy measuring kits with a syringe type thing, eyedropper, and some measured glasses for two bucks, so I got one of those when I first thought about doing the tank. So the measurements were right, just not the correct product. >_< My fault lol.

http://www.amazon.com/Fluval-12690-Plant-Stratum-4-4-Pound/dp/B004H1STY2 This is the type of substrate I am using. Is it not considered a fertilized substrate? I almost picked up root tabs today just in case, but I figured I would ask first.

As for the light, would an outside desk lamp work since I currently have a hood and no slot for another light in the hood?

Last question, What do you think would be a good photoperiod for reducing the algae? I have read to leave the light off completely, but I dont think I would want to do that to the plants.

Here's a good basic care guide for bettas.

For this betta specifically, if he has swimming issues, try to keep him in a shallower tank (still 5+ gallons, but a longer tank as opposed to a taller one) and try to keep plants and stuff near the top so he can rest on them. A few of these betta beds would help him too, with not having to swim around so much.

I would still fill the tank all the way up, more water means better stability and water quality. Just decorate it strategically.

I had trouble finding the supplies I needed from my local pet stores (especially for cheap), and ended up getting some things off Amazon.

An adjustable heater, for up to 10 gallons: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KKLHJ2Y/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_0sO7CbVTA1R52

Aquarium rocks/substrate for a planted, healthier aquarium:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002DH0QM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_cyO7Cb9MFNSFN

Cheapest supply of aquarium plants I've found--oh no, my favorite store, Aquatic Discounts, is on a hiatus! Well, here's something similar:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078K5CMH8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_EAO7Cb52MC3ZF

Rinse before planting, and watch carefully and remove dying leaves/sections in the first few weeks, but they really are a great value for the volume you'll get.

I got five of these individual tanks. There's a small clear divider in the middle that's removable. I took the divider out and each girl got their own tank during the first week for quarantine. They're just shy of about a gallon of water capacity.

I had them all lined up so the girls could see each other during quarantine week. After the first day they all stopped flaring at each other.

I acclimated them to the main tank's water and temperature by slowly replacing the water in their individual tanks with water from the main tank.

I then bought a floating fish breeder box and started to put the girls into the main tank. Least agressive first to most agressive while rotating them in and out of the breeder box before releasing into the main tank. There was about 15 or 20 minutes between each rotation, just long enough for me to observe the girls in their new environment behind the plastic keeping them safe from each other.

My guess is that since they'd been seeing each other for a week in a similar fashion they pretty much ignored each other once they were all free in the main tank together. Spent most of their time exploring and picking their own spots. About five minutes of chasing while they all played musical plants and then harmony from then on.

10 Self-Dissolving Driftwood Strings (20") - Ideal Solution for Tying Java Fern, Moss, Anubias - Blends Naturally with Cholla, Driftwood - Must-Have Cord for Intricate, Delicate Aquascaping https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006700M6E/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_XoAWDbDR3KH3M

Love these!

I am quite happy with the following (I use on a 10 gallon and a 3 gallon at the same time using a T-fitting and two diffusers and two indicators):

Diffuser @$16.99 ea https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LXFUGE5/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This diffuser is good for hanging on the side of your tank. There are many others to choose from.

7 day timer @$14.65 (Three prong plug for regulator solenoid): https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006LYHEHG/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
You DO NOT want to let it run overnight because they say it will suffocate your fish.

CO2 indicator @#17.89 (need one for each tank) https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00Z9KWTHS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

CO2 proof tubing @#9.99 (regular tubing may leak CO2!) https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008UCOFJW/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Regulator with bubble counter and solenoid @$69.99 (Yes, this one works great at that price) https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N42JPDV/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Adaptor fitting to get regulator attached to a paintball tank @$9.90 (I had to modify this part, so pay attention): https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00I2UMZ2Q/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Paintball tank @$21.49 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007XKFQCM/ref=od_aui_detailpages00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Dicks Sporting Goods will refill for $5 using your tank.

The issue with the adaptor is that the one I got had a bleed-off relief hole too far down in the threads such that the hole was exposed even when the tank was fully screwed in because the thread depth on the tank was shallow (fewer turns total) compared to the adaptor, Had to plug and re-drill the hole.

You should at least look at these components as part of your evaluation.

I could imagine what you must think, moss balls at some of the pet stores around me are as high as $10 each! I got mine from a pretty reputable seller on Amazon for $15 for 10 I got them the next day, did not expect the two bonus ones so that was pretty awesome of them. They also included instructions on how to properly rinse them to make sure they're safe for addition to the aquarium. I since I'm starting the whole thing off fishless, and will be testing the water almost daily I'd be able to detect any danger from them well before I add any betta into the tank.

​

The tank's front is bowed so the structure is magnified quite a bit in the photo. It's only about 4" x 4" x 8" tall. The tanks is 12.2 in L x 8.3 in W x 12.3 in H (minus about an inch from the top). It still does take up a good amount of the available real-state so if I notice the fish not utilizing the interior I have no issue removing it.

​

I worried that the tank would not be able to produce enough sustenance for too many plants, since I've read that moss balls can be quite greedy and I do only plan on the one betta being in there. I like the moss balls a lot, they look like little green tribbles, so I decided to go with the fake interior plant. Plus, no need to trim roots or remove dead leaves.

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.

Thanks for the reply!
I'll look into Java moss, since it seems to be hardy and good for a beginner. I was thinking about buying Fluval Stratum as substrate but since it's pretty expensive I might wait until the summer to make it a planted tank.

here

Its held on with the rocks pressing up against the corners, and up top by the filter intakes/output. Definitely the best background for the money.

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!

Thank you! I am pretty happy with how it turned out as well!

I actually bought the dragon head decoration and other supplies at a local pet store, but I can tell you it is by Blue Ribbon Pet Products (specifically Exotic Environments product line). If you look up "Exotic Environments serpent head tomb ornament" or something similar, you should find it! Here it is on amazon: https://www.amazon.com/RIBBON-PRODUCTS-EE-5646-Environments-Serpent/dp/B0065KGJ68/.

Thanks so much for your reply! My tank is the popular portrait 5G tank. I have a heater, a sinking Betta log (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003ZW9AU6) and hammock leaf as well. Once I am familiar with the routine, I definitely want to get some live plants & two ghost shrimps.

I bought a bag of very small pebbles, but they got sucked up all the way to the tip of the siphon, so I decided to go with bigger ones, but still did not work quite well. I guess I will switch to sand sometime...

Yup, I will post picture next time! Thanks again for your advice :)

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.

Hey! I work at a local LFS/reptile store, so I bought the background there. It's the Zoo-Med 18x24 Cork Tile Background. Then I made the rest of the background with various pieces of cork bark siliconed onto the base. Top left, the bromeliad is a Neoregelia spp. 'Zoe', and Philodendron cordatum. The foreground plant on the left is Syngonium podophyllum 'Neon Robusta', and on the right in the cork round is Dieffenbachia spp. 'Sterling'. The back right vine plant is Epipremnum aureum 'N Joy' Pothos. I also have a Korean Rock Fern (Polystichum tsus-simense) growing under the large ledge. I got all of these plants from Josh's Frogs.

Very neat. Is the jellyfish like this?

https://www.amazon.com/Uniclife-Jellyfish-Ornament-Decoration-Aquarium/dp/B06XRNV4G2/ref=asc_df_B06XRNV4G2/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=167154348866&hvpos=1o3&hvnetw=g&hvrand=868733460610382322&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9028714&hvtargid=pla-309309243353&psc=1

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

Here are some pictures from setting up the hardscape, as well as a close up of the plants

And here's some info!


Tank - mr aqua 12g long The back of the tank has been painted with plastidip.

Filter - Eheim 2215

Heater - Hydor 200w inline heater

Light - Current USA Satellite LED+. Have it dimmed to ~60% RGB/White on a memory setting.

Light stand - This off amazon which I had to bend a bit since it's narrower than the Satellite.

Pipes - Chinese lily pipes off ebay. Going to be replacing them with these stainless steel ones


----------------

Sand - Carib sea sand

Gravel substrate - Seachem Flourite

Rocks - Seiryu Stone I bought a few packs and have a good amount extra, just to use interesting pieces. Took a chisel to one rock to get smaller parts to work with.

Wood - 4 Pieces of small / medium spiderwood from my LFS. My LFS had a good selection and they let me configure some pieces to see how they'd work together.

-----------------

Plants:

• Anubias Nana Petite
  
• Cryptocoryne Parva
  
• Cryptocoryne Wendtii Green
  
• Java Fern Sp. Narrow
  
• Anubias Nana Thick Leaf
  
• Cryptocoryne Wendtii Red
  
• Staurogyne Repens
  
  -----------------
  No fauna yet but I plan on moving my RCS over, and getting some micro crabs and possibly another type of shrimp!

Did you know Amazon will donate a portion of every purchase if you shop by going to smile.amazon.com instead? Over $50,000,000 has been raised for charity - all you need to do is change the URL!

Here are your smile-ified links:

this betta bed

marimo moss balls

this submarine

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^^i'm ^^a ^^friendly bot

I am looking for some too, and was thinking of ordering this off of Amazon if you're interested as well: https://www.amazon.com/Frogbit-Limnobium-Laevigatum-Aquarium-Floating/dp/B018YG764Y/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1478920132&sr=8-1&keywords=Amazon+Frogbit

Thank you! I bought the smaller tree (12” wide) off of flipaquatics.com it was about $70
Moss balls 10 for $15
10 Marimo Moss Balls -  Aquarium Ball Set, 1 Inch Each. Unique Decor for Aquariums and Glass Jar Terrarium Kits. Natural Habitat / for Live Fish, Pet Shrimp, Sea Monkeys, and more by Aquatic Arts https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KDM8WI2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_K8xJDb1AV7E0N

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... :)

The best way to know if you have enough or to much co2 is by getting a CO2 (PH) indicator.
https://www.amazon.com/Indicator-Checker-Solution-AQUARIUM-MONITOR/dp/B00Z9KWTHS

The wood shape is actually from 2 pieces of wood leaning on each other. The tank has the far left and far right pieces.

As for the soil - Caribsea Eco-Complete 2 bags of this stuff filled my 20 gallon long perfectly.

My wife got this biodegradable thread and it’s worked like a charm


sungrow biodegradable thread

Do you have link?

Edit: those are amazingly beautiful

Link

Water spangles, or salvinia minima. I got them on Amazon, and they came in surprisingly good condition.

Have you looked at Seachem's Flourite Dark? I just picked some up. It looks pretty dark in the bag, but of course underwater with lights will be a different story. I considered mixing the Flourite Dark with some Flourite Black, but I think I'll take my chances.

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

Went out of town for a few days and came back to find this webbing on this natural bark background in my tank. They are very small, no larger than the head of a pin, this picture is taken through a magnifying glass.

My location is probably irrelevant as I purchased the various orchids and mosses in the tank from around the country. Thanks for any info!

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

thanks!

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.

Yup! I use this in my tank to cover at least one side. I think it helps insulate too. but anyways, it seems to be a hit, i catch them on it all the time and often they will hang out and pick and eat it. https://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-Natural-Background-24-Inch/dp/B0019IW0IM/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&qid=1540395082&sr=8-15&keywords=cork+bark

Links for items I got.

Silk plants list bundle 1

Silk Plant bundle 2

Asian Gazebo in Azuls tank

Lantern statue thing in Azuls and the 29 gallon tank!

Moon rock found in Orions and Azuls tank

Dragon found in the 29 gallon

Bottom log in the 29 gallon

Japanese hut and mountain

Foo Dog in the 29 gallon

Slate found in the 29 gallon

Salvinia Minima (water spangles)

Edit: Spelling...

A lot of people here know, but most people in the outside world don't, that I'm really into aquarium keeping :). I have a few fishtanks now, and am working on parts that I need for a big brackish tank next.

One of the things I need is substrate.

http://m.petsmart.com/h5/hub?id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.petsmart.com%2Ffish%2Faquariums%2Ftop-fin-5.5-gal-aquarium-starter-kit-zid36-17829%2Fcat-36-catid-300065%3Fnull

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0006JLPG8/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?qid=1421727524&sr=1-4&pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003JW8YY0/ref=mp_s_a_1_7?qid=1421727616&sr=8-7&pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70&dpPl=1&dpID=41GG306TQ7L&ref=plSrch

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003U84S3O/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?qid=1421727654&sr=8-5&pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70&dpPl=1&dpID=41XQDTcfiPL&ref=plSrch#immersive-view_1421727666581

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003ZW9AU6/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1421727698&sr=8-1&dpPl=1&dpID=51bvqaKNWgL&ref=plSrch&pi=AC_SX200_QL40

Zoo Med Laboratories AZMFA50 Sinking Ceramic Betta Log https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003ZW9AU6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_DE7QCbYQYCJG7

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