New Tank!

[Nell]

I've been in the process of setting up a new 10gal tank, and I decided to try my hand at some live plants this time.

I've been wanting some Panda Cories, so I set up this tank specificly for them. At the moment, the tank is home to 4 panda cories, a betta and 2 Apple Snails.

Its not quite finished yet. I want to add a solid dark background, and the plants are a bit sparse for the time being. Hopefully I'll get more in there soon.

Tank shot:
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b102/michelle1281/aquariums/10gal_planted101705.jpg

2 of the panda cories:
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b102/michelle1281/aquariums/pandacories101705.jpg

While I'm at it, here's a shot of my 29 gal community tank:
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b102/michelle1281/aquariums/29gal_090205_sm.jpg

and my 10 gal hex which is currently home to some new platy fry:
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b102/michelle1281/aquariums/10galhex_101705.jpg

:)

[RabbitMage]

Lovely! Your new tank is how I'd like to have mind set up eventually. When I have money again, anyway.

[mr gerbil]

Nice. Don't forget that the plants will grow big...possibly very big. One of the plants in my 15 gallon now takes up nearly all of the tank, yet it started off as a tiny shrub.

[ishieness]

Gee, Nell! I love your Betta! He's beautiful!

You have lovely tanks! I always have a hard time trying to keep the algae off the plants, *roll eyes* Hehe! But this Algae eliminator is wonderous!

[gizmo pig]

Beautiful tank!
Just remember that your pandas would be happier with 2-4 more friends if your not getting anything else. (the live plants balance the extra waste out)

What species do you have in there? I see some java fern, they're very healthy looking.
What's your lighting? Depending on the species of plants, you need to get 1-3 watts per gallon in there. Do you have a bulb and light fixture made specifically for plants?

[Nell]

Thank you for the comments :)

Unfourtunatly I have had a major setback with the new tank. It turns out that the sand I used had other rock besides sand mixed in, which was not inert, and it buffered my water to a very high pH... Needless to say, I have replaced the sand with flint gravel and am working on bringing down the pH.
Just about every source I've read has said that plain old play sand makes a good substrate as long as its washed and sterilized, and should not alter water chemisty. Well, I've learned the hard way that this isn't necessarily true. :( So if you're thinking about using sand, beware - make sure you test it first. Don't make the same mistake I did.

The poor cories have developed fin rot/fungus, and are currently being treated with medication. The betta has been moved to his own glass container within the tank so his water temp stays constant, and so I don't have to treat him with the medication.

Please keep your fingers crossed for me and my fishies and hope that they all pull thru this.

Gizmo Pig,
I do plan on adding more cories in the future (and when the ones I have now are back to good health.) Pandas are pretty expensive in my area right now, and I was hoping to get a few more plants first, so getting some friends might have to wait for a little while...
As for the plants, right now I have several java fern, anubias barteri, and some hornwort (which is temporary until the other plants grow out a bit.) The bulb is just a standard 15watt, so I've got 1.5 watt/gal. I don't plan on having anything but fairly easy low light plants for now, as this is my first attempt at live plants.

I found a decent retailer on ebay and am thinking about buying some driftwood, christmas or java moss, and a couple more anubias (barteri and frazeri) from them. Do these sound like decent plant choices? Any other suggestions for easy low-light plants?

[gizmo pig]

Gravel is a much better substrate than sand as sand compacts and kills the roots.

Your plant sellection is excellent, are you planting your anubias directly into the gravel or are you tying it to stuff?

[Nell]

both the anubias and java fern will be tied down to rock or driftwood, and so will the moss if I decide to get some. Thats one of the reasons I decided on these plants... the fact that they don't require a special substrate... well, and their low light requirements too :)

The cories are still doing okay, but I am having a hard time finding out what exactly they're afflicted with.

Here's a closeup of one of the cories.
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b102/michelle1281/aquariums/finrot.jpg
You can see the feathery white stuff around the edges of the fins. I'm finding mixed information as to whether this is fin rot or a fungal infection. Any ideas?