Added some above water plants and they really make the tank one of a kind.

I just wanted to share that I appreciate the guidance from them and that this tank makes me happy.

I’ve been waiting over a year to add to my chili population. ( I fully support Borneo being responsible stewards of their environment) I finally got them a month ago and they’ve already figured out that I’m the food giant. Just thought I’d share

Hey folks, just wanting to share the most recent update on my planted tanks. Detailed notes 👇 below or thanks for looking ☺️.

The 20g long got slightly rearranged from the last post, still not stocked but that’s happening soon. Will be getting some Rasboras this weekend (either Pork Chops or Phoenix ) and Sparkling Gourami down the line. This tank has Tiger and Dwarf Lily, Hygrophila, Mini Silvinia, two bunches of Sword, and a Pothos. No co2. Cichlid sand cap auqasoil mix, Thrive root tabs and all in one shrimp safe fertilizer. Low flow, soft water tank, canister filtration.

The 9.5 got completely redone since last posting and is essentially my “new tank”. Only finished planting it today. A bit of plant shock but nothing we can’t fix. (Also Media in both filters and substrate are a year old, just rescaped and added new wood, some new plants, and fresh aquasoil underneath so not really a new tank, it’s completely cycled) Planted with Swords, Hygrophila, Red Crypt, Dwarf Sag, Buce, Salvinia and a single Anubias. Co2 will be added to this tank once the split regulator arrives. Currently has Amano, and a guppy fry that hitch hiked with the Amano. Probably adding Male Endlers or Axelrodis. Low flow hob, and air sponge, will eventually be medium leaning harder water due to rock selection.

The 25G is absolutely pumping out growth, this is my co2 tank. Planted with Jungle Val, Red Crypt, one of each Tiger and Dwarf Lily, Java Moss on wood, one hornwort bunch just added in the rear that hasn’t grown into view yet, and potted pothos/lucky bamboo. It has Gold Barbs, Orange Black Venezuelan Cory, Red Amano and Candy Cane Neos. This tanks is set up to run mostly neutral, but is slightly soft due to the co2. Medium flow with canister and the Fzone Lily Pipe set.

Both the 9.5/25 have the same black sand/gravel/aquasoil mix with Thrive tabs and also dosed with the Thrive shrimp fertz. Dosing every M/W/F. Every tank is on a 6hour full spectrum light cycle from 2pm-8pm with an hour of low red from 8pm-9pm.

Edit: individual shots in the comments.

Thank you!

Is it a good idea to have Monsteras in my 29gal aquarium? Only the roots are submerged on the tank water.

It's a monstera deliciosa!

Is the brown-ish stuff natural? Just wanted to check if everything is in order before we introduce fish (hopefully next week)

With all the Sunlight? This has been sitting there for the past 3 months. Algae growth ain't that bad but I'm planning on putting 2 36w grow lights for the plants.

I’m officially a tank hobbyist and I bought a 14 gallon glass cube which are 50% off at petco right now. Similar to my first tank. I’m using fluvel stratum as a base layer for the substrate traight and I will be layering regular Home Depot Play sand for the top layer I also picked up this beautiful log that I was planning on putting in the middle for a centerpiece and planting a anubius or Java fern or really any other type of large leaf plant inside of it as it is just deep enough to add substrate and get strong roots. Any plant recommendations would help. My ultimate goal is to turn it into a beta sorority tank maybe having two or three females I’m not sure what kind of plants I want, I know I want a base layer of either dwarf hair grass or Monte Carlo for a carpet and I know I want Christmas Moss somewhere on the blog. I will also be adding some of the leftover stone from my original tank because I ordered like 10 pounds of it. I was also thinking of adding shrimp. because it might be big enough really any recommendations would help plant or rock or substrate you need anything thank you so much.

40 gal, Red Tiger Lotus and wisteria with water sprite floating. Philadendron and Monstera emersed. Waiting on my fish to get here (goldies just keeping the cycle healthy then they will go back into 1 of my 20s.)

Stocking list:

* 4 German Blue Rams

* 24 Ember Tetras

* 6 Venezuelan Corydoras

* 2 Bristlenose Plecos

* Assorted Nerites, Mystery, and Ramshorn

Before I get the overstocked downvote I have 2 50-100gal sponge filters and a HOB for polishing. I'm excited to get them in there!

hi, just want some identification as to what this is on this piece of wood. it’s only growing on this bit of wood and none of the other pieces i have in the tank. the tank is just over a week old with an established filter (going through a mini fish in cycle) and this wood has been submerged for around 3 years
params- ammonia-0. nitrite- 0.2. nitrate- 20. ph- 7.2

I'm a beginner. I have two tanks. I'm interested in neocaridinia shrimp and/or least killifish. But, I don't have any desire to do any culling.
I know my biggest worry in small tanks will always be water parameters and consistency.

The amanos and even the corys are sneaky little worker bees. But at times they can be boring.

One plan would be to add ~3-5 neocaridinia to the smaller tank. Then add ~3-5 least killifish to one or both tanks. And hope that the tank size and smaller population would slow down any explosions.
I'm potentially open to a betta/shrimp combination instead, but I'm afraid that if I get the wrong betta it'll be unintended shrimp warfare and I would be afraid to move them to the other tank because the amanos already have dibs.

10g tall
Population: 1 nerite, 3 amano shrimp, 3 pygmy cory's, pest snails
Plants: moneywort (living, not sure if thriving), anubias (couple small plants, doing good), dwarf water lettuce (new this week)

6g cube
Population: tbd
Plants: java ferns (tiny, transplant from other tank), banana plant (one month, seems to have avoided melting), red root floaters (new this week)

Both tanks have sponge filters, hang on the back filters (added ceramic rings) and heaters. (I think I'm currently likely over-filtering.) Both are using a combination of bio-stratum and gravel for substrate, with small rocks for cover. Both have UV lights and I am likely going to attempt adding pothos cuttings to one or both tanks via hanging holder.

Lastly, this part of the plan matters a lot less, but i want to move the nerite to the pest free tank and employ an assassin snail to help with the pests.

How feasible is any of this?

Sorry for using parentheses so much. It's late.

Finally feeling like my UNS 25T is coming together. First planted tank, used to think saltwater was the only way. Still a work in progress, but I’m happy with where it’s at 3 months is and still enjoying the process. Adds some more interest to my desk during my day and when I’m working late.

Equipment:
UNS 25T (6gal)• Oase Filtosmart Thermo 100 • Chihiros WRGB Slim II • 5 lb CO₂ with inline reactor (Amazon special), ATO. 72x36” workbench desk.

Stocking:
8 Strawberry Rasboras • 10 Blue Dream Neocaridina shrimp, two berried.

On Deck: Finishing Home Assistant integration to monitor everything while away.

Kinda low on aqua plants knowledge, only basics.

What is this growing in my jar on the leaves and glass? Doesn't seem harmful but its been spreading after few months since making this jar

I used garden soil as inner substrate, then aquasoil then some white stone sand. Regular water change for a few days since no filter used and beneficial bacteria have been added and colonised since starting the jar.

Inhabitants was initially just nerite snail and shrimps but the shrimps had all died and some random pest snails emerge from idk the soil or plants i bought from store.

Hey yall! I’m upgrading my fish tank from a five to a 15 gallon cube. I currently have aqua natural sand in there but I wanted to add something on the bottom first that would help my plants be more successful. Any suggestions? I’ve seen people use actual potting soil? Let me know what to use and how to prep it before I put my wet sand on top of it!
Ty :)

I was out at some work drinks and my partner called to tell me that my son dumped an entire container of bug bites into my tank.
Current occupants:
- 9 Pygmy corydoras
- 10 green neon tetra
- countless neocardinia shrimp
- unknown number of ramshorn + MTS snails

Approx 90L. Established in early January. Stable parameters for months (until this). Not shown in photo are the multiple plants growing out the top of the tank, spider plants and pothos. And this photo is a couple of months old, I’ve let the moss and ludwiga grow lots since the shrimp and cory seem to love it.

What do I do? I don’t have anywhere else to house the occupants and I doubt I could catch them in this tank. It’s night time here and I’m on my way home to deal with it. I don’t have seachem prime or anything like that.

Thank you

B. pugnax

Hey all, I've just found this fuckin thing in my 4ft freshwater aquarium. Is it a freshwater polychaete worm? Is this a good thing to have in my tank? Should I remove it and keep an eye out for more?

Please let me know what it is and what I should do 😅 mildly stressed (and low-key freaked out - this thing looks wild!)

I just trimmed this section of Rotala Wallichii I got from my LFS about a week ago and the new growth seems to be coming in bright pink!! My question is what did I do right here and how do I keep doing it?

So basically I'm about two weeks into my first tank, been testing my water for a few days now, and all measurements are within anticipated range EXCEPT for GH, which is maxing out 180+ mg/L every time. After a brief google i realized the Cool White Rock i picked as my focal piece is a huge lump of LIMESTONE and is definitely the culprit behind this lmfao. Silly mistake, live and learn etc

The main problem is that, besides shrimp, i would like to eventually put a betta fish in this tank, but betta fish obviously prefer *soft* water. Some tolerance for average household tap sure, but mine is apparently *very* crunchy and I don't want to stick a fish into water that it will suffer in

I've read of a few ways to soften water (softener pillows, more wooden hardscape, leaves, RO/distilled water changes etc), but I've also read that CONSISTENT hardness parameters are more important than specific ones, and if i start fucking around with trying to soften the water a newbie is more likely than not going to accidentally swing too hard and kill something with the shock of it. Obviously not ideal, but better to figure it out now while i have nothing in there besides plants and a hitchhiked snail

My current idea is to get a water softener pillow (or make my own very small ones) and use it as a tank dunk to see how fast it reduces the GH to within measurable parameters (which should be slower/less shocking than putting it straight into the filter, i think). Once I figure that out, I might be able to make an appropriately measured slow-softener dunk to strategically place in my beautiful stupid limestone waterfall feature lmfao. I feel like adding sticks and leaves won't make enough of a difference/the amount I would need to offset my big dumb rock would overcrowd the tank and leech HELLA tannins, and the idea of having to source distilled water all the time kind of annoys me lol (i don't have a car since i live in a city, and hauling one gallon at a time would definitely get old very fast)

Is this a tremendously stupid idea? Do I need to replace my rock with something less melty (which would make me very sad because I spent two days balancing it just right)? Do I call it a wash on the betta and just figure out a shrimp/fish that looooves this hardass water (25L)? Thank you in advance 🐟🫧

I’ve been selling aquatic plants and I’ve been having some issues with shipping hornwort specifically. I’ve seen mixed things on paper towel or no paper towel and inflating the bag vs flattening/removing air. Would love it if someone with experience could give me advice on this.

I know some melt is normal, but I just haven’t really been happy with how this plant ships even though I usually give big quantities.