10 Gallon Aquascape Build!

Hello everyone, so I just began a new ten gallon build and I just thought I’s share. This is my second aquascape attempt so hopefully it will turn out better than the last. I’m currently keeping it covered at high humidity to do a sort of dry start method so the monte carlo can get rooted before I fill up. Can’t wait for it to all grow in! I’ll probably fill it in 3 to 4 weeks or earlier if it freezes since I’m building it out in the garage.


Hardscape… might add more later. At this point I’ve only spent $10 on the tank (I derimed and resealed it myself and plan on bracing it soon) and under $5 on a bag of sand from Home Depot and $5 on a bag of lava rock to build up the sand. There is dirt between the lava rock and sand but that just came from the yard.


Initial planting, the glass is fogged up from the misting. I got all plants for this project (a lot more to meet the $30 free shipping) from Pets Warehouse. Great plants for the price and a good quantity. No where else where I could find 15 square inches of monte carlo mat for $12. The light I had on hand (bought it for around $12) so I’ve spent a total of $50 so far on this build. I plan on spending another $15 to get a backlight set up but other than that I have heaters and filters as well as silicone and glass for the brace on hand.

 

If anyone has suggestions I would greatly appreciate them!

 

I am digging the rocks and the "valley" between! Looks like something i would throw like a plakat betta in.

 

I am digging the rocks and the "valley" between! Looks like something i would throw like a plakat betta in.

Actually, it is going to house a single red female betta because this 10 gallon is going to replace my old one (don’t have enough room for 2) and so she’s going to be moved over. Her old tank was a divided 10 and I just sold her room mate so she should have this new tank to herself!

 

Looking good. How do you maintain it once it's complete and passed the picture taking stage?

 

Love the valley look! Nice job, the horizontal stacking on the left looks very natural and a nice sense of depth with the rocks on the right. Gives the impression of a “big” scape even though it’s only 10 gallons. Cant wait to see how it turns out

 

Did an almost identical valley style build when I first got my tank with the caveat that it was a 120g so had alot more space and options. Best advice to my preferences would be to add some medium growth plants that will top out around the 12" height you're working with but keep them away from the center, only behind the 'hills'. You could consider some dwarf hairgrass or mondo grass along one side of the valley if you like but I made sure there was always an unoccupied area that went all the way to the back and stayed clear.

I love where you're headed with it though and looks good so far.

 

Looking good. How do you maintain it once it's complete and passed the picture taking stage?

Keeping a really low stock helps. This tank’s entire stock will be 1 betta and then doing water changes 1-2 times per week is also essential. Last time I did a scape I was a bit overstocked and missed a waterchange one week on vacation and I came back to it being utterly destroyed by algae and since it was a mostly moss scape it couldn’t be undone. Regular trimming is good too, make sure the plants are healthy and always replant good stems where needed in the scape. I tend to trim my walstad bowls once a week but it depends on the tank.

 

Thanks for the suggestions! Hopefully the water wisteria on the right should add some more height once it grows in and I can propagate it more. I may add some more medium growth plants to accompany it as you suggested. Maybe something with smaller round leaves to acompany the massive amount of monte carlo on the right. I have a near infinite supply of Dwarf hair grass growing in my other scape that I can always pull and add once I fill it up if I like the way it looks!