10 gallon dirted tank scape help.

Hey guys! so, I'm going to be setting up a dirted 10 gallon for my betta. I've got the tank and such, just waiting on a light (I picked out a 24 watt LED).

I'm planning on pearlweed, hornwort, dwarf hairgrass and maybe some floaters. Also have anubias, java moss and crypts to work with if I decide to use them.

So, I'm trying to figure out how I want to scape it before I set it up (I don't want to move things around after it's set up). I need ideas for this.

I really like sort of wild and heavily planted nano tanks (Foo the Flowerhorn's 5 gallon walstad was really cool). I'm not even sure if I should have hard scape at all. But then again, I've seen some pretty neat hard scapes in heavily planted tanks.

Any ideas on where I should go with this tank?

 

I agree, I love Foo The Flowerhorn’s no ferts/filter/CO2 tank. I think you could do a small hardscape like he did, with driftwood or a few stones. Once everything establishes it will look amazing.

 

Yeah, I still can’t decide. I’ve got a tetra whisper i10 and a heater to fit in there, but other then that, The tank is pretty much empty. I’ve got tons of plants (anubias, crypts, hornwort, Myriophyllum, giant duckweed, azolla. I’m thinking about getting some pearl weed and hair grass.
My main issue is hard scape. I need to find a hard scape that I like. I’m thinking I want to go to the river and have a look. Since I’ll probably have a medium to light substrate, I think I’ll want a darker wood to offer some contrast, I just haven’t found anything I like that’s not outrageously priced at the store.

 

So, I’ve got a few pieces of dark wood. Think I can do something with this?






This last pic is for size comparison with the tank.

 

I think I’ve decided how I want to do this. What do you guys think?
First picture is of the wood, second picture is of plant placement (poorly done with markup on my phone).


the light green in the front is dwarf hairgrass, mid green to the left pearlweed, mixed greens in the back is hornwort and Myriophyllum, orange around the driftwood is crypts and green on the driftwood is java moss and anubias. I’m also thinking about sticking ludwigia in the far back left.

what do you guys think?

 

I think I’ve decided how I want to do this. What do you guys think?
First picture is of the wood, second picture is of plant placement (poorly done with markup on my phone). View attachment 720080View attachment 720079
the light green in the front is dwarf hairgrass, mid green to the left pearlweed, mixed greens in the back is hornwort and Myriophyllum, orange around the driftwood is crypts and green on the driftwood is java moss and anubias. I’m also thinking about sticking ludwigia in the far back left.

what do you guys think?

I think it looks good! The only thing I will say is unless you have had hornwort before, I don't recommend it. You can always try it out but in my experience it just sheds everywhere, especially if a piece of it dies. There are different types of hornwort (the one Foo the Flowerhorn on YT uses looks nice...but I'm not sure which type it is), but the traditional, seemingly easy plant was a mess for me. Of course you can try it out and if you do I'm hoping it looks good and does well! I will definitely be following along with this build, I can't wait to see how it turns out .

 

I think it looks good! The only thing I will say is unless you have had hornwort before, I don't recommend it. You can always try it out but in my experience it just sheds everywhere, especially if a piece of it dies. There are different types of hornwort (the one Foo the Flowerhorn on YT uses looks nice...but I'm not sure which type it is), but the traditional, seemingly easy plant was a mess for me. Of course you can try it out and if you do I'm hoping it looks good and does well! I will definitely be following along with this build, I can't wait to see how it turns out .

I have hornwort already and it grows pretty good in my tanks. It’s actually growing so crazy that it’s just filling up my tank right now. Not much shedding unless I’m rubbing needles off or something. This is my overgrown mass of it that is currently in the tank (along with some overgrown Myriophyllum).

This is actually a good reminder for me to go trim it, lol.

 

I have hornwort already and it grows pretty good in my tanks. It’s actually growing so crazy that it’s just filling up my tank right now. Not much shedding unless I’m rubbing needles off or something. This is my overgrown mass of it that is currently in the tank (along with some overgrown Myriophyllum).View attachment 720098

I actually really like this kind of hortwort, so I say go for it! There is the one other type that is just awful...haha

 

I actually really like this kind of hortwort, so I say go for it! There is the one other type that is just awful...haha

My hornwort was started from a some wild stuff I found. It still sheds a little, but nothing crazy, and mostly just when I’m trimming it I’ll get some needles on my hands or something.

 

My hornwort was started from a some wild stuff I found. It still sheds a little, but nothing crazy, and mostly just when I’m trimming it I’ll get some needles on my hands or something.

I just did a quick google search and I had the coontail type of hornwort. (Not sure if that is a general classification or the type?). It was the worst at shedding needles all over my tank. Yours looks really nice though, I'm jealous .

 

I just did a quick google search and I had the coontail type of hornwort. (Not sure if that is a general classification or the type?). It was the worst at shedding needles all over my tank. Yours looks really nice though, I'm jealous .

Yeah, growth rate is insane too. I trimmed this all down to like 5-8 inches last week, lol.

threw in a ruler for size reference.


Longest piece was 1’ 9”

 

Yeah, growth rate is insane too. I trimmed this all down to like 5-8 inches last week, lol.

threw in a ruler for size reference.View attachment 720101View attachment 720102
Longest piece was 1’ 9”

Wow, that's crazy. Definitely put some of that to use in the dirted tank! I cannot wait to see it finished...(I've probably said that a million times )

 

Wow, that's crazy. Definitely put some of that to use in the dirted tank! I cannot wait to see it finished...(I've probably said that a million times )

I can’t wait either. I think the pearlweed and hairgrass I ordered are supposed to be here in a few days. I’m excited.

I haven’t ordered reineckii or ludwigia because I haven’t decided on them yet. I was thinking I wanted to throw some red contrast in there, but I probably spent to much on plants already. I can always get them later if I decide I need them.

 

oh snap. I ordered dwarf hairgrass for my 10 gallon. wasn't paying attention to scientific names, and I got Acicularis, not Parvula. Is that going to be a problem? I don't know anything about Acicularis. I read it can grow 5 inches tall.

 

oh snap. I ordered dwarf hairgrass for my 10 gallon. wasn't paying attention to scientific names, and I got Acicularis, not Parvula. Is that going to be a problem? I don't know anything about Acicularis. I read it can grow 5 inches tall.

Yeah I did the same thing once. From what I am experiencing the Acicularis grows more strait up rather than outwards...if that makes any sense. It just takes more time to care for it because if you want to keep it looking more like Parvula you'll need to trim it more often. I recommend trimming it up and down and at angles, rather than strait across because it ends up looking so unnatural when it has just been chopped off at the top.

 

Alright. After I planted it, I let it mature for a couple weeks. Once I started seeing some really good plant growth I took the filter out. I’ve already trimmed the hairgrass like at least five times. The hornwort is growing like crazy and the anubias has been putting out a bunch of new leaves. I’m hoping this goes well. Fingers crossed, this is what it looks like now.

I just added that little stem of moneywort, so I’m hoping it takes off and fills in the left side.

also, don’t mind the big rock on the right, I just put that in there to weigh down the wood till in waterlogged. I haven’t gotten around to taking it out yet.

 

This is it without the rock. I’m thinking maybe putting some Ludwigia or some reddish stem plant behind the wood to fill in the right corner. What do you guys think?

 

The plants are putting off lots of oxygen though. That’s a good sign.

 

Here is an update. I just trimmed the hairgrass for like the 500th time, lol, the stuff is growing like crazy. I need to trim the hornwort too. Have a little bit of hair algae on the left side where there is higher light though.



Rosencross is still doing well though!