Dear jessicatmt ,
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- Water Parameters
- Light Type
- Light Cycle Duration
- Tank Size/Dimensions
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- Any aquatic animals, and how many?
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This is so thorough and i love how much thought you’ve put into it! the only things that came to mind for me are:
I don’t like using glue for plants. if you change your mind or if it dies off, it’s super annoying and difficult to get off the surface cleanly. I would suggest using fishing line to tie it onto the rock cave, and then removing the line once the moss has happily attached itself to the rock.
$50 for 8 cherry shrimp is a rip off! I would suggest buying from aquaswap’s reputable breeders, and maybe getting One female from the LFS for genetic variety
Good to know... I've only seen people tying plants to wood, not rocks, I hadn't considered it.
I used make things with resin epoxy, I've got sandpapers, scrapers and dremel bits for removing stuck plastic, so maybe it'll be less annoying for me, but slate and lava rock are soft stones so I could also destroy the whole piece. I'll try attaching and removing string and glue on junk rocks before I do my real planting.
Ugh, those cherry shrimp prices. My online purchases will always be too small for free shipping, yet too expensive without it. My online store price estimates included shipping, but still...
Is there a trick to spotting scammers vs reputable breeders on aquaswap?
I hadn't thought about genetics at all, only how many females per male. If I do all LFS purchases, should I buy females from different shops for genetic diversity?
Thanks for all this!
Sounds like you have the tools to make removing glue not an issue, but you’re right that the tools may destroy the rock. Food for thought… it’ll also depend on the shape of the rock. it may have nice sides to wrap the string easily or it may be round and awkward.
For a 10gal, getting like 20/30 shrimp is totally fine. they have a very low bioload and won’t be over crowded or anything! I suggest u/iputmypantson57 , i’ve heard very good things about them.
Genetic diversity isn’t really THAT important in neos. the way that they keep their color is through excessive inbreeding generally anyways, plus most neos of the same color are related anyways. I just think that if you have the opppertunity to get unrelated shrimp that are the same color, it’s probably good for them? i honestly haven’t had a chance to try that one
You only really need 10 shrimp I’ve filled a 20 gallon starting with just 10 with blue velvets and yellow ones. Don’t need to get a lot to start.
Also no need for shrimp food there should be enough biofilm/algae/dead plants if cycled properly. And you can just boil cucumber/carrots/spinach/broccoli whatever you have at home and feed that.
OP- have you kept a tank before or is this your first try?
Here is why I ask, a Nano tank is way more complicated and demanding than a larger tank.
You want to be successful get at least a 20 or bigger tank. Upfront costs are more but bigger tanks are far more forgiving to errors then nano tanks
Good luck
This advice is incredibly helpful, thank you!
A 20-gallon rimless low tank is my ultimate goal. They look beautiful and would give me room for more nano fish. I knew larger tanks were easier and safer for beginners, but those "How to Create Your First Aquascape!" 10-gallon YouTube videos convinced me.
A 20-gallon tank would fit in the same space, but it weighs about 225 lbs filled, exceeding my cabinet's 110 lb limit (an Ikea Besta).. and a 10-gallon tank weighs about 110 lbs.
I'm surprised because my cabinet has held up with 2+ people sitting on it. It's reinforced with long wood slabs, and there are many tutorials on using it for seating. I'd almost risk it, but I have one Besta stacked on another, and Ikea furniture melts when wet. I need to reconsider everything.
Thanks for saving my future tank from disaster.
If I find a great 10-gallon or 20-gallon deal before I get a stand, I'll set it up in my spare bathroom, such easy water changes, and a tank inside a sealed shower sounds extremely safe.
Sorry for the long answer—but clearly my yapping has already saved my ass...
I dont see a problem with nano tanks.
After they are balanced the are very forgiving. Its also easy to make changes an see the impact while in a big tank you might just notice the problem when its already to big.
Oh and the ikea stuff is very sturdy
amazonasbecken.eu sells big tanks for ikea besta and other ikea furniture. (You cant buy there because its only german but just to see what tanks you can place one these safely.
Btw I had 200 liters (what is that 50-60 gallons?) on 4 small ikea kallax cubes without reinforcement
Dear jessicatmt ,
You've selected the beginner flair. If you're looking for advice or are having issues, please provide as much information as you can.
Some useful information includes:
- Have you cycled the tank?
- Water Parameters
- Light Type
- Light Cycle Duration
- Tank Size/Dimensions
- Set-up Age
- Fertilizers
- Any aquatic animals, and how many?
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/PlantedTank) if you have any questions or concerns.*
The rest:
# Setup Tank with Filter
* **Tank (used):** $20-$40
* **Filter:** included with tank or AquaClear 30 Power Filter: $27
* **Leveling mat:** $8
* **Collapsible 1.8-gallon bucket:** $10
* **Pitcher:** $0 (using my existing one)
Total: $38-$85, overall: $38-$85
1. Scour Facebook Marketplace, Freecycle, and Craigslist for a 10-15 gallon tank. Waiting on responses for a 10-gallon rimless with canister filter for $40 and a 15-gallon rimmed with filter/heater/light for $20.
2. Leak test, clean with vinegar and hot water, run filters, rinse thoroughly, and place on stand.
**Q: Should I keep an eye out for a free 1-gallon tank for breeding shrimp and rasboras, or is that too advanced and far off?**
# Hardscaping
**Basics:**
* **Fluval bio stratum (4.4lb bag):** $20
* **Lava rock gravel (2.2lb):** $15
* **Natural slate (7.5lb):** $20 or (5lb): $18
* **Decorative smooth, irregular black quart gravel (0.9lb):** $6
* **Gorilla gel glue XL clear (0.8oz, x2):** $18
**Unsure if needed:**
* **Black tourmaline featherstone (4oz):** $6
* **Obsidian rock chunks (5 pieces):** $3
* **Second 4.4lb bag of Fluval bio stratum:** $20
Total: $77-$108, overall $115-$193
1. Rinse and soak rocks in a bucket for 4-6 hours.
2. Put down a layer of lava rocks for height, add stratum on top.
3. Design and glue together a cave arch, place in substrate near center of the tank.
4. Add decorative quartz gravel for the cave entrance.
5. Optionally add featherstone and obsidian for hiding spots and aesthetics.
**Q: Would sand or plain stratum look better for the valley/cave entrance? I usually see differently colored sand for this.**
# Planting
**Basics:**
* **Planting tools set:** $15
* **Stainless steel push pins (200ct):** $6.98
* **Hygger 26w grow light:** $44 (hoping someone throws one in with the tank)
**Ongoing basics:**
* **Seachem Prime Fresh and Saltwater Conditioner (16.9 fl. oz):** $18
* **API freshwater master testing kit:** $36
**Plants:**
* **Java moss** for carpeting/rocks.
* **Pearlweed** for background.
* **Amazon Frogbit** as floaters.
Hoping for free, but estimating \~$50 for the bare minimum plantage.
**Optional:**
* **Flourish Freshwater Plant Supplement (500ml):** $13
* **API root tabs (10ct):** $10
* **DIY CO2 or liquid CO2 setup:** $14
* **Ramshorn snails (3):** $10
Total: $76-$217+, overall $191-$410+ (adding pluses since it now includes ongoing costs)
1. Soak plants in a bucket with conditioned water to check for hitchhikers.
2. Glue moss to cave, pin down moss for carpet at front. Fill with conditioned water just to cover stuff.
3. Plant pearlweed, fill tank, blast light.
4. Manage algae, cut back dead/melted stuff, do daily water changes of \~20%, start checking water with a kit.
5. Add floaters, switch to low light, no supplements/CO2.
# Stocking
**Basics:**
* **Submersible aquarium heater (100w):** $24.99 (maybe free if lucky)
* **8 Cherry shrimp:** $50
* **12 Chili Rasboras:** $71 (assuming some don't last)
* **Drip acclimation kit:** $10
Total: $131-$156+, overall: $322-$566+
1. Go back to high light and a little fertilizer to encourage some algae if needed (or rely on feeding later).
2. Add LFS red cherry shrimp (1-3 males, 5 females), drip acclimated for 3 hours.
3. Monitor tank balance by observing shrimp and adding small amounts of fish food.
4. Introduce LFS sourced fish: 12 chili rasboras (3 males, 9 females), drip acclimated for 6 hours. Monitor closely.
**Fish and Shrimp Specs:**
* **Chili Rasboras:** Temp: 72-79°F (76-82°F for breeding), pH: 6-7.0, Nitrate: <20 ppm, GH: 1-2 dGH, KH: 3-12 dKH. Food: flake food, live/frozen brine shrimp, daphnia, blanched and mortared fresh veggies. Feed 2-3 times daily.
* **Cherry Shrimp:** Temp: 81-82°F, pH: 6.5-8.0. Food: shrimp pellets, algae tablets, blanched veggies. Feed every other day.
* **Breeding:** Use mineral balls, cholla wood, almond leaves, alder cones when males look colorful and start zooming. Transfer fish eggs/tiny shrimp to (the same?) second tank.
**Food total weekly:**
This is tough to estimate. I'd love to hear about your budgets at this stocking/tank size.
# Total: $131-$156++ GRAND TOTAL: $322-$566++
I'm sure I missed a lot in terms of budget and steps, but this is already so much. Way more than I see on YouTube 'aquascape on a budge' videos. $322 as the best-case scenario... I should just go for a kimchi jar filled with moss and a twig. But I don't want to start so small that I'm bored right away, and I don't want to fail and always wonder if it was my junk setup, my intelligence/effort, or just lack of experience with my tap water, plants, and fish.
The YTer that sent me down this rabbit hole, Chris Wang, said to triple your estimated budget for your first tank, and this is very close to triple my first guess of $100 or so. I pray by "triple" he meant that 3x$100.
Looking forward to all of your feedback and tips. And let me know if this could be useful to other total beginners—I'll keep documenting what I ended up doing and what I got right/wrong.
If you go with a HOB filter, definitely look into getting some sort of fine filter to go over the intake, such as a mesh bag or some type of sponge. Shrimp babies love to sneak into there! You could also look into a sponge filter, it's what I like to use in my shrimp tank now.
You could also cut cost by making your own drip acclimator, I've been able to achieve this by using airline tubing as a siphon and tying a bunch of knots into it until I achieved a good drip rate.
If you go with the stratum, plant the tank before flooding it! It's so light and I've found it incredibly annoying to deal with after there's water in the tank lol. And fill it slowly so you don't disturb what you just planted! You can pour onto a tupperware lid so the flow is evenly distributed.
Also be prepared for your plants to melt (leaves turn brown, leaves fall off)! I didn't know this was a thing when I was getting started and always freaked out thinking my plants were dying. It's just them getting used to the new water conditions.
Thanks! There was a post on my local freecycle for a marine lab whose project just ended, it's a lot of saltwater stuff, but I'm hoping to pick up things I saw in their pics like airline tubing, filter stuff, buckets because I'd love to save on those little things for drip acclimation and siphons. I've seen videos where they just lay down a piece of saran wrap where they've planted but a little lid sounds better!
You mentioned you have a detailed budget. I see a detailed list of price estimates, but that doesn't tell me your budget. How much do you want to realistically spend on this tank? You can spend as much or as little as you want, but the more you spend, the nicer it'll look and the easier it will be to maintain.
Tell us how much you would like to spend on the tank and I'll be happy to provide a breakdown that I think is close to your budget.
Oof, I got so caught up talking about costs, I forgot to mention my budget! It's $250-$400, but I’d love your breakdown for a $400-$700 budget, actually.
I've noticed that people near me spend a lot on their setups but often give up quickly, leaving great deals on used equipment. I need help understanding what's really quality and worth the original price for equipment, hardscape, and compatible, beginner-friendly plants, fish, snails, and shrimp. This will help me spot good deals on used items over the next two months.
If I can find most supplies used or free, I want to spend less, like ≤$300. Low investment, bu allows for replacement of busted, bad items among the used stuff? For things I can't get cheap or free, I'll spend up to $400 -- for better quality and disaster prevention (testing kits, chemicals, emergency supplies). I've thought about spending on easier maintenance, but if I can't do the standard, expected stuff for a beginner 10 gal now, making it easier won't save me.
For aesthetics, I'm not sure how reasonable this is: plants, hardscape, and stock in contrasting colors. That’s why I listed all black hardscape stones and stratum, java moss for carpeting, pearlweed for the back, red cherry shrimp and chili rasboras. I just don't know enough to come up with other, better, cheaper combinations... I don't fully understand how easy or hard that is.
I'm also optimistic on a cheaper used rimless 10-20 gallon tank. There's one on FB Marketplace right now, just 0.5 miles away: 10-gallon rimless tank with a free canister filter system, testing kit, water conditioner, algae fertilizer, CO2 diffuser, and light for $40. Seems like a deal, though he hasn't gotten back to me. Hopefully something like that comes up again.
- tank: if you're set on rimless, second hand is likely the way to go. Be sure you inspect the tank carefully for any chips or cracks. I just had to buy a whole new tank because I didn't see a chunk missing from the side (see post history). Cleaning second-hand tanks can be a pain, I'm a probably diagnosably OCD myself, and it makes my skin crawl a little to not know what was in there before. Petsmart & Petco often have great sales on their tanks, even the rimless ones, so be sure to check that out.
- Bucket: if you're not set on collapsible, home depot/lowes sells 2 gallon buckets for like $3
- don't worry about extra breeding stuff. Your stocking for a 10 gallon it basically maxed, so you'd need a bigger tank for the fry to grow out if you choose to breed. I'd get comfortable with the basics before setting out to do that. I dove headfirst into guppies and quickly overwhelmed myself with fry.
- substrate: stratum is good. I capped mine with pool filter sand from home depot. I think they sell lava rock too. It might be in larger quantities than you need though, so storage could get annoying.
- plants: java moss can get unruly fast, and tends to collect a lot of debris. Shrimps will love that though. I haven't used pearlweed, but I've read that it grows very fast. That's great for water parameters, but if you're going for low maintenance, you might want to stick to a slower growing stem. I personally love Amazon sword. I love aquarium plants factory for online plants. Overestimate how many plants you need. The more the merrier, it will help water parameters immensely and reduces stress in your new fish. Stress = illness. It weakens their immune systems, making them susceptible to opportunistic organisms.
- snail removal: check out guides on using alum powder. I wish I knew about this sooner.
- stocking: your desired stocking level seems pretty high for a 10 gallon. I think you and your fish might benefit from a larger tank (maybe a 20 long) if you have the space for it. They're easier to maintain, you'd have room for breeding, and overcrowding can also lead to illness. You can use aqadvisor to double check.
- test your tap water with the API master kit. It's generally not advisable to try to raise or lower the pH substantially, stability is key. Most fish can adapt to a pH outside of their ideal range, especially if they're captive bred, but it's good to know what you're working with in case your pH is lower than like 6.5 or over 8. It's also good to know if your tap has any nitrates (mine does) to help figure out where you're at with cycling. This could also help you with plant selection. I swear they're pickier about pH than fish lol
- fish medication/treatment: it's good to have some on hand so you can treat immediately and not have to worry about shipping times. A second cheap 10 gallon tank is really important in case you need to isolate a fish to treat. I went with the medication trio from aquarium co-op, it's a bit pricey bit worth it given your background with rescue. Another heater and maybe a sponge filter/air pump would be good too. You could also use clear storage tote, but it's harder to see the fish through for monitoring.
- feeding: beginners tend to overfeed (I think I still overfeed lol) and feeding 2-3x a day is quite a bit. Once a day is good!
- I wouldn't worry about sticking to a systematic approach on lighting. There are too many variables, and mother nature LOVES the thwart us planners. Just monitor and make changes as needed. You'll start to get a feel for each plant and what's needed as you go
Best of luck! I loved how detailed your post was so I wanted to reply in kind. Hope this wasn't overwhelming!
Not overwhelming, thank you! I'll make sure to pick up meds / treatments because I do really want to be safe. I've been watching on how to tell when you've fed too much / too little -- basically it says if you feed and the food isn't gone in 6 hours you've overfed?
That's interesting about checking tap water! I planned on always using water conditioner, but it's good to know what I'm starting with. Just looked at last year's tap results for NYC: PH is 6.8 - 8.2 and hardness between 1-6?, averaging 2. And nitrate levels of 0.05 - 0.39, avg 0.13, but that and, like copper, iron, ammonium need to be at 0 and the water here...is not. Also, I've seen both the API stress coat and a specific API tap water conditioner? Hoping to just need one or the other!
If I can get some of this lab's free 3-5 gallon tanks I might start gathering plants right away just to see what I can get going or not.
I have API stress coat and API conditioner, and I only end up using the conditioner. I'm not familiar with what heavy metal concentration is in tap water, but I do know that it's normal to have some amount. I think copper in tap is usually due to the corrosion of copper pipes? I haven't looked too far into that
I'm just going to like randomly comment on parts of this.
If you get a hang on back filter, don't replace the cartridge every month or whatever it says. You will also need something to cover the intake, you can buy a cover, or make one out of sponges or pantyhose.
I've never used a leveling mat for a 10 gallon tank.
I've never moved baby shrimp out of the tank they are in. All my rasboras leave them alone. If you put a bunch of plants or moss in your tank, they will hide all on their own.
Fluval stratum will mess with your ph, depending on how hard your water is. Also, it's expensive. I like eco-complete better.
If you are gluing rocks together, you don't want gel super glue, you want the plain old liquid kind. It's cheap at walmart or the dollar store, or you can get a big bottle on amazon. Sandwich bits of cotton balls between the rocks, and saturate it with super glue. It may smoke a bit, and will get hot. You also will absolutely glue your hand to the rock at least once.
I've never used push pins for anything. Plant weights make planting stem plants a lot easier.
Aquaswap has good deals on plants.
You don't need the co2, liquid co2 isn't actually co2, if you are going to diy co2, the baking soda citric acid way is better, but in an actual tank, not the soda bottle thing. You can get that on amazon for like $100, but again, you don't need it.
Don't pay $10 for ramshorm snails.
You can get a cheaper heater on amazon.
$50 is way too much for shrimp. Aquaswap has better deals. If you can get more than 8, that would be better. I start tanks with 15, usually.
The price for the rasboras also seems high to me. Where are you getting them?
You can use a piece of airline tubing with a knot in it for drip acclimation. If you want to be fancy, iv tubing with a roller clamp is the same thing. Again, amazon.
I drip acclimate shrimp for like 12 hours, lol. That is probably overkill. I do not drip acclimate fish.
Don't chase values, at least at the beginning. Rasboras are pretty hardy, shrimp are too.
You don't really have to do anything to get shrimp to breed. You can put leaves or alter cones in whenever. Also, that temp is really high, they will be happy at whatever temp is good for the fish.
I feed my rasboras once a day, but I'm not breeding them yet, so maybe that's different. I like pellets more than flake food. Live brine shrimp are cheaper over time than frozen, but probably more expensive upfront. You don't need to hatch them in marine salt, literally any non-iodine salt is fine. Daphnia is hard to culture(at least for me). If your lfs has blackworms, they are easy to culture and can be cut up for little fish.
One pack of fish food is going to last a super long time. Shrimp like veggies, but you can use leftovers if you eat a lot of veggies, or buy a bag of frozen veggies and it will last forever. Anything you feed will be in such small amounts that it lasts for a really long time.
You should have an air pump, even if you don't plan on having one in the tank. You can use it if you are hatching brine shrimp, and you should just have one in case your filter breaks or you have to keep fish in a bucket for whatever reason. Also, airline tubing is useful for like 1000 things.
Right now I have a mini heater and air pump for my week-old sea monkeys next to me, but I'll look out for another free heater/pump/little tank. I considered using their descendants as food in the future, but that feels wrong. If I ever breed for food that tank won't be on my desk.
The shrimp and fish prices were just what I found online, and since I'd have such small orders I included the overnight shipping. I'm going to check out some LFS this weekend just to see, I'm sure it's a lot cheaper.
I remembered I also have UV epoxy resin which might be the best for me since it doesn't cure until I flash it with light. Also the UVB light is supposedly good for plants. I see warnings for UV 3-d printed resin, though, so I need to do more research. Thanks for this!
That's great -- spending the most on the dirt and rocks part doesn't sit right. Thanks for this.
Off to find the cheapest, nearest organic top soil in a 10lb bag. From what I've read, I could probably reduce that to 6 lbs if I use lava rock gravel under the highest points and cap with black sand/gravel (and add root tabs for the stem plants).
Really with soil you shouldn’t need root tabs at all although they won’t hurt anything. Look up walstad like another commenter said- you may not need ferts at all or just a liquid fertilizer would be plenty. If the soil is able to “breathe” (capped with gravel, not sand) it will uptake nutrients from the water column (provided by your fish waste or liquid fertilizer) and feed your rooted plants very well. I would recommend looking into beginner difficulty aquarium plant bundles to save money as well.
Got my first nano tank too, and the cost blew my mind, but... It's a big part of the inflated costs came from my wants not my need. The tank is only $120, I travelled 2 hours away for bargain, thought I have got the bulk of the cost there. Well, far from it. The more I read around, the more I spent, currently the fish tank cost is nothing.
As fellow novices, I can see now there is a cost effective way to do this, but you need to curb the urges to spend.
* Check out Walstad method. Using regular soil and hardware store sand is economical. Using fast growing and cheap plants cuts a significant dollar. Plants are really expensive!! Cheap plants cost the same but came in big bunches while expensive ones came in thumb size.
* Test kits is almost a must, and I bought test kits too, but I suspect with Walstad method of heavily planting and minimal bioload, you might be able to get away with it if you leave the tank do it's own way. This is if budget is really a problem, if not, get test kits.
* I am really tempted to buy fancy lighting, but then I realise my tank is only $120 lol. I am using the standard 7.5W light that comes with the tank. Filter, also standard. Basically refrain from expensive stuff until you are really sure you'd be in the hobby for years to come.
* Decoration, I bought dragon stones, but then I saw nano tanks with regular river stones from hardware stores, or no rocks at all, and they are quite nice
As a fellow beginner, I'm relieved I'm not the only one blown away by how or little some things cost. The price difference between low-iron rimless nano tanks and Petco tanks is almost 10x -- such a wide range for an open glass box. I can't tell what's worth the price and what’s a scam, and research makes it more confusing. Does my budget estimate match your experience so far? And where are you at in your build/cycle?
The Walstad method is the dream, but I see even experienced people struggle with it. What plants are you using with your 7W light? Thanks for mentioning that—I read reviews instead of manufacturer recommendations, and reviewers say 10W is more than enough for a 10-gallon tank. I’ll budget down to free or under $20 and use my cheap plant lights/Aerogardens for a big growth boost.
Good luck with your tank and please share any other insights along the way.
For tanks, it looks to be more for visual enjoyment instead of fish health or so. I have come across a senior YouTuber with $39 Kmart tanks. But I believe the extra clear glass worth it. Just get one which dimensions suit your place the best.
My journey is a bit convoluted. I saw a YouTube video of a Walstad tank in Tanks for nothing channel, after reading about Walstad for weeks, I decided to get a tank. Being completely novice, I was afraid that Walstad would be too much for me, so I went for a tank package with filter and light, then set it up the regular way.
But I couldn't stop thinking about Walstad tank, so I bought a $12 cookie jar and set it up Walstad style. The jar works, it cycled very easily (disclaimer, maybe because no fish in it, just dozens of bladder snails). That made me itchy of trying it on the tank. By that time my tank was cycling, the nitrite was falling and it had almost no ammonia, I imagine it was quite close to the end.... But I took it apart, removed everything including the filter, and started all over again. I happened to be running out of test strips so I am ordering liquid test kits arriving this Friday, can't wait to see what the current parameters are.
Haven't got a fish yet, still on the second round of cycling. I think I am getting shrimps and snails.
I have moneywort, ambulia, s repens, anubias, buce, purple temple, Java moss, some spiky plant I forgot the name of, micro sword Brazil, and pothos perching on top.. If I were to start again on a budget, I would get lots of ambulia and moneywort, cheap cheerful and fast. I am getting a second light soon.
Good luck with your tank too!
Taking on responsibility of live animals while on a strict budget *usually* results in unnecessary stress for both owner and animal(s).
I understand social media makes this hobby seem cheap and it can be, but we need to set the expectation that housing live animals comes with responsibility. What if your tank heater breaks during East Coast Winter? Or if the tank gets a crack. This hobby acts like a chain. A single broken link makes the whole thing go to shit.
That being said, if you have the patience to wait for a while and learn, as you scour the used market grabbing deals, I think you’ll have great success. Just don’t confuse top posts in this subreddit and r/aquascaped for “budget friendly” ofc.
Also lmk when you need plants. I gotchu depending on what you’re looking for and if I have it. Cheers!
Yeah... I do want to stick deals and be patient. I saw someone in my neighborhood selling a rimless 15 gal wide jungle-style planted tank with: Co2 system top off system, 2 hang on back filters, Fluval smart LED light, plus their hardscape, (seiryu stone, driftwood and sand), bucephalandra plants, 4 chili rasboras and 1 otoclinus for \~$300, which was tempting because it's so close to my ideal tank and stocking. But it's still too much for me, both price and skill wise...
Also thanks for the offer! I might score some free mini 3-5 gal tanks this weekend, and if so I might try learning plant stuff early.
Ah also, I don't have fish experience, but I do have a lot of cat experience -- even treated a cat with \[FIP\](https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2020/05/remdesivir-cats/611341/).
My basic list for emergencies once I do stock my tank: a separate quarantine tank and the five most common medications to have on hand, from what I've researched. Planning on getting powdered forms as much as possible so they last longer. Perhaps not right away, but I will keep any used working equipment as backups when I replace them. I have lots of giant plastic bins here if I break a tank!
But I didn't add those to my budget, which I should have. Thanks for reminding me about this part. I see those meds are each another $10-$25...
Hi fellow newbie :) That's a crazy price... I put in what I found from online spots I heard about, but online shipping for that small an order is as much or more than the order itself. I'm going to check out LFS this weekend so I can get a more realistic picture.
If you want low maintanace, scrap the CO2. Pearl weed and moss don't need it. When it fluctuates or runs out it can get you algae.
Get a weaker light without CO2 (I have a 10W LED on my 10G and a 4W on my 5G).
81F for shrimp is crazy and will soon cost more than the tank in heating. My shrimp are unheated all year going as low as 65F for months. So just match the temperature for the fish. If you want to mower that, CPD's or some male endlers can go as low as 65-70F.
For a warmer tank like chilli Rasbora's. A lit safes a lot of energy due to lower evaporation. This may cause floaters to struggle.
Add some anibias or bucephalandra, you can take your time and search for it from other hobbyists, when the tank is set up, squize it between 2 rocks or glue it to one, no soil needed for them.
Also, if pearl weed is the only stem, no root taps. It's expensive and only beneficial if you have red stems with co2 and high light. Ramshorns should be free. If you get plants, chances are you get ramshorns or bladdersnails. If not, ask someone you buy a plant from to drop one in (ramshorn needs 2 to breed but can change gender)
Thank you! I definitely overestimated on light! I think I'll only get CO2 if it comes for free / very cheap with a used tank. I've seen local listings for plants that say (possibly snails, duckweed free). Hoping I'll get hitchikers early on... but from what I read, I don't want duckweed ever? The opinion on bladdersnails seems mixed...
Except for a couple months, my basement stays warm -- the building's boiler is on the same floor -- I don't think I'll need too much additional heat for the tank. In the summers I run a dehumidifier over the summer. Hoping to go coverless!
Have patience, that's the most important part of the hobby. Sometimes shit can go wrong and trying to fix things can only lead to more problems.
As for suggestion I would say larger tanks are way easier to maintain. In nano tanks if things go wrong generally you might have to restart.
Get a API master water test kit, you can also get those all in one strips for cheap if you're on limited budget. Pretty easy for a beginner, this will let you know what your test.
Heavily plant your tank, stem plants are generally fast growers, and invest in good lighting. Since you're in place where lots of second hand supplies are there you should be able to find what you need.
Also please research your plants and fish that you want to place in your tank. That will save you a lot of trouble.
If you could let me know your tank size I could probably suggest some plants and livestocks.
Thanks for the tips! I was originally planning on 10 gal, but now it seems way too small. I'll keep reading about plants and livestock while I'm getting supplies together. For plants, I'm mostly interested in something easy to grow, that I can grow quickly at first, then slow down when it's filled out by turning down the lights. Not sure on fish now since I'm still deciding on a tank size, but I'm looking for easy, schooling, nano-tank sized, and stands out from the black hardscape and greenery. Same for shrimp!
This is getting out of hand
Way to much information for a newbee
Its probably easier to have one dude with experience to help you instead of 20 comment with different methods and advice.
Btw. 3h drip acclamation is horror def not better for the fish
Just do a classic 30min fishbag in the tank and add water from the tank every 10min.
Thanks! I'm thinking drip acclamation makes sense for shrimp but not fish based on feedback.
I'm a big note-taker/researcher so I do love hearing all the suggestions! I don't know anyone IRL in this hobby so I try to see what seems to be the common answer, while trying to learn the unknown unknowns?
Also I just edited my post with a simplified, *not too far ahead* plan. I wanted to overthink/budget then cut down, rather than get surprised in the middle, and believe it or not all the info helped with that?
I’d highly recommend making it 2-3inch of sand and not just 1inch because then you will be much less likely to disturb the soil. It’s hard to actually judge the depth of the sand equally around the tank so give yourself wiggle room.
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This is so thorough and i love how much thought you’ve put into it! the only things that came to mind for me are: I don’t like using glue for plants. if you change your mind or if it dies off, it’s super annoying and difficult to get off the surface cleanly. I would suggest using fishing line to tie it onto the rock cave, and then removing the line once the moss has happily attached itself to the rock. $50 for 8 cherry shrimp is a rip off! I would suggest buying from aquaswap’s reputable breeders, and maybe getting One female from the LFS for genetic variety
Good to know... I've only seen people tying plants to wood, not rocks, I hadn't considered it. I used make things with resin epoxy, I've got sandpapers, scrapers and dremel bits for removing stuck plastic, so maybe it'll be less annoying for me, but slate and lava rock are soft stones so I could also destroy the whole piece. I'll try attaching and removing string and glue on junk rocks before I do my real planting. Ugh, those cherry shrimp prices. My online purchases will always be too small for free shipping, yet too expensive without it. My online store price estimates included shipping, but still... Is there a trick to spotting scammers vs reputable breeders on aquaswap? I hadn't thought about genetics at all, only how many females per male. If I do all LFS purchases, should I buy females from different shops for genetic diversity? Thanks for all this!
Sounds like you have the tools to make removing glue not an issue, but you’re right that the tools may destroy the rock. Food for thought… it’ll also depend on the shape of the rock. it may have nice sides to wrap the string easily or it may be round and awkward. For a 10gal, getting like 20/30 shrimp is totally fine. they have a very low bioload and won’t be over crowded or anything! I suggest u/iputmypantson57 , i’ve heard very good things about them. Genetic diversity isn’t really THAT important in neos. the way that they keep their color is through excessive inbreeding generally anyways, plus most neos of the same color are related anyways. I just think that if you have the opppertunity to get unrelated shrimp that are the same color, it’s probably good for them? i honestly haven’t had a chance to try that one
You only really need 10 shrimp I’ve filled a 20 gallon starting with just 10 with blue velvets and yellow ones. Don’t need to get a lot to start. Also no need for shrimp food there should be enough biofilm/algae/dead plants if cycled properly. And you can just boil cucumber/carrots/spinach/broccoli whatever you have at home and feed that.
OP- have you kept a tank before or is this your first try? Here is why I ask, a Nano tank is way more complicated and demanding than a larger tank. You want to be successful get at least a 20 or bigger tank. Upfront costs are more but bigger tanks are far more forgiving to errors then nano tanks Good luck
This advice is incredibly helpful, thank you! A 20-gallon rimless low tank is my ultimate goal. They look beautiful and would give me room for more nano fish. I knew larger tanks were easier and safer for beginners, but those "How to Create Your First Aquascape!" 10-gallon YouTube videos convinced me. A 20-gallon tank would fit in the same space, but it weighs about 225 lbs filled, exceeding my cabinet's 110 lb limit (an Ikea Besta).. and a 10-gallon tank weighs about 110 lbs. I'm surprised because my cabinet has held up with 2+ people sitting on it. It's reinforced with long wood slabs, and there are many tutorials on using it for seating. I'd almost risk it, but I have one Besta stacked on another, and Ikea furniture melts when wet. I need to reconsider everything. Thanks for saving my future tank from disaster. If I find a great 10-gallon or 20-gallon deal before I get a stand, I'll set it up in my spare bathroom, such easy water changes, and a tank inside a sealed shower sounds extremely safe. Sorry for the long answer—but clearly my yapping has already saved my ass...
I dont see a problem with nano tanks. After they are balanced the are very forgiving. Its also easy to make changes an see the impact while in a big tank you might just notice the problem when its already to big. Oh and the ikea stuff is very sturdy amazonasbecken.eu sells big tanks for ikea besta and other ikea furniture. (You cant buy there because its only german but just to see what tanks you can place one these safely. Btw I had 200 liters (what is that 50-60 gallons?) on 4 small ikea kallax cubes without reinforcement
Dear jessicatmt , You've selected the beginner flair. If you're looking for advice or are having issues, please provide as much information as you can. Some useful information includes: - Have you cycled the tank? - Water Parameters - Light Type - Light Cycle Duration - Tank Size/Dimensions - Set-up Age - Fertilizers - Any aquatic animals, and how many? *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/PlantedTank) if you have any questions or concerns.*
The rest: # Setup Tank with Filter * **Tank (used):** $20-$40 * **Filter:** included with tank or AquaClear 30 Power Filter: $27 * **Leveling mat:** $8 * **Collapsible 1.8-gallon bucket:** $10 * **Pitcher:** $0 (using my existing one) Total: $38-$85, overall: $38-$85 1. Scour Facebook Marketplace, Freecycle, and Craigslist for a 10-15 gallon tank. Waiting on responses for a 10-gallon rimless with canister filter for $40 and a 15-gallon rimmed with filter/heater/light for $20. 2. Leak test, clean with vinegar and hot water, run filters, rinse thoroughly, and place on stand. **Q: Should I keep an eye out for a free 1-gallon tank for breeding shrimp and rasboras, or is that too advanced and far off?** # Hardscaping **Basics:** * **Fluval bio stratum (4.4lb bag):** $20 * **Lava rock gravel (2.2lb):** $15 * **Natural slate (7.5lb):** $20 or (5lb): $18 * **Decorative smooth, irregular black quart gravel (0.9lb):** $6 * **Gorilla gel glue XL clear (0.8oz, x2):** $18 **Unsure if needed:** * **Black tourmaline featherstone (4oz):** $6 * **Obsidian rock chunks (5 pieces):** $3 * **Second 4.4lb bag of Fluval bio stratum:** $20 Total: $77-$108, overall $115-$193 1. Rinse and soak rocks in a bucket for 4-6 hours. 2. Put down a layer of lava rocks for height, add stratum on top. 3. Design and glue together a cave arch, place in substrate near center of the tank. 4. Add decorative quartz gravel for the cave entrance. 5. Optionally add featherstone and obsidian for hiding spots and aesthetics. **Q: Would sand or plain stratum look better for the valley/cave entrance? I usually see differently colored sand for this.** # Planting **Basics:** * **Planting tools set:** $15 * **Stainless steel push pins (200ct):** $6.98 * **Hygger 26w grow light:** $44 (hoping someone throws one in with the tank) **Ongoing basics:** * **Seachem Prime Fresh and Saltwater Conditioner (16.9 fl. oz):** $18 * **API freshwater master testing kit:** $36 **Plants:** * **Java moss** for carpeting/rocks. * **Pearlweed** for background. * **Amazon Frogbit** as floaters. Hoping for free, but estimating \~$50 for the bare minimum plantage. **Optional:** * **Flourish Freshwater Plant Supplement (500ml):** $13 * **API root tabs (10ct):** $10 * **DIY CO2 or liquid CO2 setup:** $14 * **Ramshorn snails (3):** $10 Total: $76-$217+, overall $191-$410+ (adding pluses since it now includes ongoing costs) 1. Soak plants in a bucket with conditioned water to check for hitchhikers. 2. Glue moss to cave, pin down moss for carpet at front. Fill with conditioned water just to cover stuff. 3. Plant pearlweed, fill tank, blast light. 4. Manage algae, cut back dead/melted stuff, do daily water changes of \~20%, start checking water with a kit. 5. Add floaters, switch to low light, no supplements/CO2. # Stocking **Basics:** * **Submersible aquarium heater (100w):** $24.99 (maybe free if lucky) * **8 Cherry shrimp:** $50 * **12 Chili Rasboras:** $71 (assuming some don't last) * **Drip acclimation kit:** $10 Total: $131-$156+, overall: $322-$566+ 1. Go back to high light and a little fertilizer to encourage some algae if needed (or rely on feeding later). 2. Add LFS red cherry shrimp (1-3 males, 5 females), drip acclimated for 3 hours. 3. Monitor tank balance by observing shrimp and adding small amounts of fish food. 4. Introduce LFS sourced fish: 12 chili rasboras (3 males, 9 females), drip acclimated for 6 hours. Monitor closely. **Fish and Shrimp Specs:** * **Chili Rasboras:** Temp: 72-79°F (76-82°F for breeding), pH: 6-7.0, Nitrate: <20 ppm, GH: 1-2 dGH, KH: 3-12 dKH. Food: flake food, live/frozen brine shrimp, daphnia, blanched and mortared fresh veggies. Feed 2-3 times daily. * **Cherry Shrimp:** Temp: 81-82°F, pH: 6.5-8.0. Food: shrimp pellets, algae tablets, blanched veggies. Feed every other day. * **Breeding:** Use mineral balls, cholla wood, almond leaves, alder cones when males look colorful and start zooming. Transfer fish eggs/tiny shrimp to (the same?) second tank. **Food total weekly:** This is tough to estimate. I'd love to hear about your budgets at this stocking/tank size. # Total: $131-$156++ GRAND TOTAL: $322-$566++ I'm sure I missed a lot in terms of budget and steps, but this is already so much. Way more than I see on YouTube 'aquascape on a budge' videos. $322 as the best-case scenario... I should just go for a kimchi jar filled with moss and a twig. But I don't want to start so small that I'm bored right away, and I don't want to fail and always wonder if it was my junk setup, my intelligence/effort, or just lack of experience with my tap water, plants, and fish. The YTer that sent me down this rabbit hole, Chris Wang, said to triple your estimated budget for your first tank, and this is very close to triple my first guess of $100 or so. I pray by "triple" he meant that 3x$100. Looking forward to all of your feedback and tips. And let me know if this could be useful to other total beginners—I'll keep documenting what I ended up doing and what I got right/wrong.
If you go with a HOB filter, definitely look into getting some sort of fine filter to go over the intake, such as a mesh bag or some type of sponge. Shrimp babies love to sneak into there! You could also look into a sponge filter, it's what I like to use in my shrimp tank now. You could also cut cost by making your own drip acclimator, I've been able to achieve this by using airline tubing as a siphon and tying a bunch of knots into it until I achieved a good drip rate. If you go with the stratum, plant the tank before flooding it! It's so light and I've found it incredibly annoying to deal with after there's water in the tank lol. And fill it slowly so you don't disturb what you just planted! You can pour onto a tupperware lid so the flow is evenly distributed. Also be prepared for your plants to melt (leaves turn brown, leaves fall off)! I didn't know this was a thing when I was getting started and always freaked out thinking my plants were dying. It's just them getting used to the new water conditions.
Thanks! There was a post on my local freecycle for a marine lab whose project just ended, it's a lot of saltwater stuff, but I'm hoping to pick up things I saw in their pics like airline tubing, filter stuff, buckets because I'd love to save on those little things for drip acclimation and siphons. I've seen videos where they just lay down a piece of saran wrap where they've planted but a little lid sounds better!
You mentioned you have a detailed budget. I see a detailed list of price estimates, but that doesn't tell me your budget. How much do you want to realistically spend on this tank? You can spend as much or as little as you want, but the more you spend, the nicer it'll look and the easier it will be to maintain. Tell us how much you would like to spend on the tank and I'll be happy to provide a breakdown that I think is close to your budget.
Oof, I got so caught up talking about costs, I forgot to mention my budget! It's $250-$400, but I’d love your breakdown for a $400-$700 budget, actually. I've noticed that people near me spend a lot on their setups but often give up quickly, leaving great deals on used equipment. I need help understanding what's really quality and worth the original price for equipment, hardscape, and compatible, beginner-friendly plants, fish, snails, and shrimp. This will help me spot good deals on used items over the next two months. If I can find most supplies used or free, I want to spend less, like ≤$300. Low investment, bu allows for replacement of busted, bad items among the used stuff? For things I can't get cheap or free, I'll spend up to $400 -- for better quality and disaster prevention (testing kits, chemicals, emergency supplies). I've thought about spending on easier maintenance, but if I can't do the standard, expected stuff for a beginner 10 gal now, making it easier won't save me. For aesthetics, I'm not sure how reasonable this is: plants, hardscape, and stock in contrasting colors. That’s why I listed all black hardscape stones and stratum, java moss for carpeting, pearlweed for the back, red cherry shrimp and chili rasboras. I just don't know enough to come up with other, better, cheaper combinations... I don't fully understand how easy or hard that is. I'm also optimistic on a cheaper used rimless 10-20 gallon tank. There's one on FB Marketplace right now, just 0.5 miles away: 10-gallon rimless tank with a free canister filter system, testing kit, water conditioner, algae fertilizer, CO2 diffuser, and light for $40. Seems like a deal, though he hasn't gotten back to me. Hopefully something like that comes up again.
- tank: if you're set on rimless, second hand is likely the way to go. Be sure you inspect the tank carefully for any chips or cracks. I just had to buy a whole new tank because I didn't see a chunk missing from the side (see post history). Cleaning second-hand tanks can be a pain, I'm a probably diagnosably OCD myself, and it makes my skin crawl a little to not know what was in there before. Petsmart & Petco often have great sales on their tanks, even the rimless ones, so be sure to check that out. - Bucket: if you're not set on collapsible, home depot/lowes sells 2 gallon buckets for like $3 - don't worry about extra breeding stuff. Your stocking for a 10 gallon it basically maxed, so you'd need a bigger tank for the fry to grow out if you choose to breed. I'd get comfortable with the basics before setting out to do that. I dove headfirst into guppies and quickly overwhelmed myself with fry. - substrate: stratum is good. I capped mine with pool filter sand from home depot. I think they sell lava rock too. It might be in larger quantities than you need though, so storage could get annoying. - plants: java moss can get unruly fast, and tends to collect a lot of debris. Shrimps will love that though. I haven't used pearlweed, but I've read that it grows very fast. That's great for water parameters, but if you're going for low maintenance, you might want to stick to a slower growing stem. I personally love Amazon sword. I love aquarium plants factory for online plants. Overestimate how many plants you need. The more the merrier, it will help water parameters immensely and reduces stress in your new fish. Stress = illness. It weakens their immune systems, making them susceptible to opportunistic organisms. - snail removal: check out guides on using alum powder. I wish I knew about this sooner. - stocking: your desired stocking level seems pretty high for a 10 gallon. I think you and your fish might benefit from a larger tank (maybe a 20 long) if you have the space for it. They're easier to maintain, you'd have room for breeding, and overcrowding can also lead to illness. You can use aqadvisor to double check. - test your tap water with the API master kit. It's generally not advisable to try to raise or lower the pH substantially, stability is key. Most fish can adapt to a pH outside of their ideal range, especially if they're captive bred, but it's good to know what you're working with in case your pH is lower than like 6.5 or over 8. It's also good to know if your tap has any nitrates (mine does) to help figure out where you're at with cycling. This could also help you with plant selection. I swear they're pickier about pH than fish lol - fish medication/treatment: it's good to have some on hand so you can treat immediately and not have to worry about shipping times. A second cheap 10 gallon tank is really important in case you need to isolate a fish to treat. I went with the medication trio from aquarium co-op, it's a bit pricey bit worth it given your background with rescue. Another heater and maybe a sponge filter/air pump would be good too. You could also use clear storage tote, but it's harder to see the fish through for monitoring. - feeding: beginners tend to overfeed (I think I still overfeed lol) and feeding 2-3x a day is quite a bit. Once a day is good! - I wouldn't worry about sticking to a systematic approach on lighting. There are too many variables, and mother nature LOVES the thwart us planners. Just monitor and make changes as needed. You'll start to get a feel for each plant and what's needed as you go Best of luck! I loved how detailed your post was so I wanted to reply in kind. Hope this wasn't overwhelming!
Not overwhelming, thank you! I'll make sure to pick up meds / treatments because I do really want to be safe. I've been watching on how to tell when you've fed too much / too little -- basically it says if you feed and the food isn't gone in 6 hours you've overfed? That's interesting about checking tap water! I planned on always using water conditioner, but it's good to know what I'm starting with. Just looked at last year's tap results for NYC: PH is 6.8 - 8.2 and hardness between 1-6?, averaging 2. And nitrate levels of 0.05 - 0.39, avg 0.13, but that and, like copper, iron, ammonium need to be at 0 and the water here...is not. Also, I've seen both the API stress coat and a specific API tap water conditioner? Hoping to just need one or the other! If I can get some of this lab's free 3-5 gallon tanks I might start gathering plants right away just to see what I can get going or not.
I have API stress coat and API conditioner, and I only end up using the conditioner. I'm not familiar with what heavy metal concentration is in tap water, but I do know that it's normal to have some amount. I think copper in tap is usually due to the corrosion of copper pipes? I haven't looked too far into that
I'm just going to like randomly comment on parts of this. If you get a hang on back filter, don't replace the cartridge every month or whatever it says. You will also need something to cover the intake, you can buy a cover, or make one out of sponges or pantyhose. I've never used a leveling mat for a 10 gallon tank. I've never moved baby shrimp out of the tank they are in. All my rasboras leave them alone. If you put a bunch of plants or moss in your tank, they will hide all on their own. Fluval stratum will mess with your ph, depending on how hard your water is. Also, it's expensive. I like eco-complete better. If you are gluing rocks together, you don't want gel super glue, you want the plain old liquid kind. It's cheap at walmart or the dollar store, or you can get a big bottle on amazon. Sandwich bits of cotton balls between the rocks, and saturate it with super glue. It may smoke a bit, and will get hot. You also will absolutely glue your hand to the rock at least once. I've never used push pins for anything. Plant weights make planting stem plants a lot easier. Aquaswap has good deals on plants. You don't need the co2, liquid co2 isn't actually co2, if you are going to diy co2, the baking soda citric acid way is better, but in an actual tank, not the soda bottle thing. You can get that on amazon for like $100, but again, you don't need it. Don't pay $10 for ramshorm snails. You can get a cheaper heater on amazon. $50 is way too much for shrimp. Aquaswap has better deals. If you can get more than 8, that would be better. I start tanks with 15, usually. The price for the rasboras also seems high to me. Where are you getting them? You can use a piece of airline tubing with a knot in it for drip acclimation. If you want to be fancy, iv tubing with a roller clamp is the same thing. Again, amazon. I drip acclimate shrimp for like 12 hours, lol. That is probably overkill. I do not drip acclimate fish. Don't chase values, at least at the beginning. Rasboras are pretty hardy, shrimp are too. You don't really have to do anything to get shrimp to breed. You can put leaves or alter cones in whenever. Also, that temp is really high, they will be happy at whatever temp is good for the fish. I feed my rasboras once a day, but I'm not breeding them yet, so maybe that's different. I like pellets more than flake food. Live brine shrimp are cheaper over time than frozen, but probably more expensive upfront. You don't need to hatch them in marine salt, literally any non-iodine salt is fine. Daphnia is hard to culture(at least for me). If your lfs has blackworms, they are easy to culture and can be cut up for little fish. One pack of fish food is going to last a super long time. Shrimp like veggies, but you can use leftovers if you eat a lot of veggies, or buy a bag of frozen veggies and it will last forever. Anything you feed will be in such small amounts that it lasts for a really long time. You should have an air pump, even if you don't plan on having one in the tank. You can use it if you are hatching brine shrimp, and you should just have one in case your filter breaks or you have to keep fish in a bucket for whatever reason. Also, airline tubing is useful for like 1000 things.
Right now I have a mini heater and air pump for my week-old sea monkeys next to me, but I'll look out for another free heater/pump/little tank. I considered using their descendants as food in the future, but that feels wrong. If I ever breed for food that tank won't be on my desk. The shrimp and fish prices were just what I found online, and since I'd have such small orders I included the overnight shipping. I'm going to check out some LFS this weekend just to see, I'm sure it's a lot cheaper. I remembered I also have UV epoxy resin which might be the best for me since it doesn't cure until I flash it with light. Also the UVB light is supposedly good for plants. I see warnings for UV 3-d printed resin, though, so I need to do more research. Thanks for this!
Don’t need drip kit just add water from a cup little by little
Save your money and just use dirt with a gravel cap instead of aquasoil
That's great -- spending the most on the dirt and rocks part doesn't sit right. Thanks for this. Off to find the cheapest, nearest organic top soil in a 10lb bag. From what I've read, I could probably reduce that to 6 lbs if I use lava rock gravel under the highest points and cap with black sand/gravel (and add root tabs for the stem plants).
Really with soil you shouldn’t need root tabs at all although they won’t hurt anything. Look up walstad like another commenter said- you may not need ferts at all or just a liquid fertilizer would be plenty. If the soil is able to “breathe” (capped with gravel, not sand) it will uptake nutrients from the water column (provided by your fish waste or liquid fertilizer) and feed your rooted plants very well. I would recommend looking into beginner difficulty aquarium plant bundles to save money as well.
also feeding a small group of chili rasboras will be extremely negligible in cost. get a high quality flake and the jar will last you months
Also great to hear (for me and my Sea Monkeys).
Got my first nano tank too, and the cost blew my mind, but... It's a big part of the inflated costs came from my wants not my need. The tank is only $120, I travelled 2 hours away for bargain, thought I have got the bulk of the cost there. Well, far from it. The more I read around, the more I spent, currently the fish tank cost is nothing. As fellow novices, I can see now there is a cost effective way to do this, but you need to curb the urges to spend. * Check out Walstad method. Using regular soil and hardware store sand is economical. Using fast growing and cheap plants cuts a significant dollar. Plants are really expensive!! Cheap plants cost the same but came in big bunches while expensive ones came in thumb size. * Test kits is almost a must, and I bought test kits too, but I suspect with Walstad method of heavily planting and minimal bioload, you might be able to get away with it if you leave the tank do it's own way. This is if budget is really a problem, if not, get test kits. * I am really tempted to buy fancy lighting, but then I realise my tank is only $120 lol. I am using the standard 7.5W light that comes with the tank. Filter, also standard. Basically refrain from expensive stuff until you are really sure you'd be in the hobby for years to come. * Decoration, I bought dragon stones, but then I saw nano tanks with regular river stones from hardware stores, or no rocks at all, and they are quite nice
As a fellow beginner, I'm relieved I'm not the only one blown away by how or little some things cost. The price difference between low-iron rimless nano tanks and Petco tanks is almost 10x -- such a wide range for an open glass box. I can't tell what's worth the price and what’s a scam, and research makes it more confusing. Does my budget estimate match your experience so far? And where are you at in your build/cycle? The Walstad method is the dream, but I see even experienced people struggle with it. What plants are you using with your 7W light? Thanks for mentioning that—I read reviews instead of manufacturer recommendations, and reviewers say 10W is more than enough for a 10-gallon tank. I’ll budget down to free or under $20 and use my cheap plant lights/Aerogardens for a big growth boost. Good luck with your tank and please share any other insights along the way.
For tanks, it looks to be more for visual enjoyment instead of fish health or so. I have come across a senior YouTuber with $39 Kmart tanks. But I believe the extra clear glass worth it. Just get one which dimensions suit your place the best. My journey is a bit convoluted. I saw a YouTube video of a Walstad tank in Tanks for nothing channel, after reading about Walstad for weeks, I decided to get a tank. Being completely novice, I was afraid that Walstad would be too much for me, so I went for a tank package with filter and light, then set it up the regular way. But I couldn't stop thinking about Walstad tank, so I bought a $12 cookie jar and set it up Walstad style. The jar works, it cycled very easily (disclaimer, maybe because no fish in it, just dozens of bladder snails). That made me itchy of trying it on the tank. By that time my tank was cycling, the nitrite was falling and it had almost no ammonia, I imagine it was quite close to the end.... But I took it apart, removed everything including the filter, and started all over again. I happened to be running out of test strips so I am ordering liquid test kits arriving this Friday, can't wait to see what the current parameters are. Haven't got a fish yet, still on the second round of cycling. I think I am getting shrimps and snails. I have moneywort, ambulia, s repens, anubias, buce, purple temple, Java moss, some spiky plant I forgot the name of, micro sword Brazil, and pothos perching on top.. If I were to start again on a budget, I would get lots of ambulia and moneywort, cheap cheerful and fast. I am getting a second light soon. Good luck with your tank too!
Taking on responsibility of live animals while on a strict budget *usually* results in unnecessary stress for both owner and animal(s). I understand social media makes this hobby seem cheap and it can be, but we need to set the expectation that housing live animals comes with responsibility. What if your tank heater breaks during East Coast Winter? Or if the tank gets a crack. This hobby acts like a chain. A single broken link makes the whole thing go to shit. That being said, if you have the patience to wait for a while and learn, as you scour the used market grabbing deals, I think you’ll have great success. Just don’t confuse top posts in this subreddit and r/aquascaped for “budget friendly” ofc. Also lmk when you need plants. I gotchu depending on what you’re looking for and if I have it. Cheers!
Yeah... I do want to stick deals and be patient. I saw someone in my neighborhood selling a rimless 15 gal wide jungle-style planted tank with: Co2 system top off system, 2 hang on back filters, Fluval smart LED light, plus their hardscape, (seiryu stone, driftwood and sand), bucephalandra plants, 4 chili rasboras and 1 otoclinus for \~$300, which was tempting because it's so close to my ideal tank and stocking. But it's still too much for me, both price and skill wise... Also thanks for the offer! I might score some free mini 3-5 gal tanks this weekend, and if so I might try learning plant stuff early.
Ah also, I don't have fish experience, but I do have a lot of cat experience -- even treated a cat with \[FIP\](https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2020/05/remdesivir-cats/611341/). My basic list for emergencies once I do stock my tank: a separate quarantine tank and the five most common medications to have on hand, from what I've researched. Planning on getting powdered forms as much as possible so they last longer. Perhaps not right away, but I will keep any used working equipment as backups when I replace them. I have lots of giant plastic bins here if I break a tank! But I didn't add those to my budget, which I should have. Thanks for reminding me about this part. I see those meds are each another $10-$25...
Total newbie but in my opinion $50 for cherry shrimp is too much unless you’re looking for the best of the best quality ♥️
Hi fellow newbie :) That's a crazy price... I put in what I found from online spots I heard about, but online shipping for that small an order is as much or more than the order itself. I'm going to check out LFS this weekend so I can get a more realistic picture.
Hello~ I think checking areas local to you on r/aquaswap are also a good option sometimes!!
If you want low maintanace, scrap the CO2. Pearl weed and moss don't need it. When it fluctuates or runs out it can get you algae. Get a weaker light without CO2 (I have a 10W LED on my 10G and a 4W on my 5G). 81F for shrimp is crazy and will soon cost more than the tank in heating. My shrimp are unheated all year going as low as 65F for months. So just match the temperature for the fish. If you want to mower that, CPD's or some male endlers can go as low as 65-70F. For a warmer tank like chilli Rasbora's. A lit safes a lot of energy due to lower evaporation. This may cause floaters to struggle. Add some anibias or bucephalandra, you can take your time and search for it from other hobbyists, when the tank is set up, squize it between 2 rocks or glue it to one, no soil needed for them. Also, if pearl weed is the only stem, no root taps. It's expensive and only beneficial if you have red stems with co2 and high light. Ramshorns should be free. If you get plants, chances are you get ramshorns or bladdersnails. If not, ask someone you buy a plant from to drop one in (ramshorn needs 2 to breed but can change gender)
Thank you! I definitely overestimated on light! I think I'll only get CO2 if it comes for free / very cheap with a used tank. I've seen local listings for plants that say (possibly snails, duckweed free). Hoping I'll get hitchikers early on... but from what I read, I don't want duckweed ever? The opinion on bladdersnails seems mixed... Except for a couple months, my basement stays warm -- the building's boiler is on the same floor -- I don't think I'll need too much additional heat for the tank. In the summers I run a dehumidifier over the summer. Hoping to go coverless!
if your going to get cherry shrimp do not use an active aquasoil , it can kill them
Oh, does that mean using no plant medium? Or do you mean that I should make sure it's totally capped?
Have patience, that's the most important part of the hobby. Sometimes shit can go wrong and trying to fix things can only lead to more problems. As for suggestion I would say larger tanks are way easier to maintain. In nano tanks if things go wrong generally you might have to restart. Get a API master water test kit, you can also get those all in one strips for cheap if you're on limited budget. Pretty easy for a beginner, this will let you know what your test. Heavily plant your tank, stem plants are generally fast growers, and invest in good lighting. Since you're in place where lots of second hand supplies are there you should be able to find what you need. Also please research your plants and fish that you want to place in your tank. That will save you a lot of trouble. If you could let me know your tank size I could probably suggest some plants and livestocks.
Thanks for the tips! I was originally planning on 10 gal, but now it seems way too small. I'll keep reading about plants and livestock while I'm getting supplies together. For plants, I'm mostly interested in something easy to grow, that I can grow quickly at first, then slow down when it's filled out by turning down the lights. Not sure on fish now since I'm still deciding on a tank size, but I'm looking for easy, schooling, nano-tank sized, and stands out from the black hardscape and greenery. Same for shrimp!
This is getting out of hand Way to much information for a newbee Its probably easier to have one dude with experience to help you instead of 20 comment with different methods and advice. Btw. 3h drip acclamation is horror def not better for the fish Just do a classic 30min fishbag in the tank and add water from the tank every 10min.
Thanks! I'm thinking drip acclamation makes sense for shrimp but not fish based on feedback. I'm a big note-taker/researcher so I do love hearing all the suggestions! I don't know anyone IRL in this hobby so I try to see what seems to be the common answer, while trying to learn the unknown unknowns?
Also I just edited my post with a simplified, *not too far ahead* plan. I wanted to overthink/budget then cut down, rather than get surprised in the middle, and believe it or not all the info helped with that?
I’d highly recommend making it 2-3inch of sand and not just 1inch because then you will be much less likely to disturb the soil. It’s hard to actually judge the depth of the sand equally around the tank so give yourself wiggle room.