Bonsai tree 90L planted Betta tank

Hi all,

I just setup my new 90L tank and i figured id share the progress here as i have lots of plans ahead.
I plan to make background to hold bonsai tree from styrofoam and add a waterfall, airplants and some ferns.

I transfered everything from my previous 50L tank and seeded filter. 50% water changes twice a week untill filter gets going and light on feeding.
I would suggest new people to hobby to do fishless cycle for few weeks!

Equipment
Lominie Asta 120 Clamp Clip Lamp
JBL CristalProfi e902 Greenline External filter (Placed sponge over intake to protect cherry shrimp and Danio fry)
JBL 300W Inline External Heater

Fish
20 galaxy rasbora (Danio margaritatus)
1 Betta splendens
Assassin Snails (Anentome helena)
6 Otocinclus catfish
Cherry Shrimp






Plants
Anubias
Giant Vallisneria
Cryptocoryne
Water Lettuce (Pistia stratiotes)
Java moss
Spider Plants (Chlorophytum comosum)

Setup

Made a custom desk from plywood and sealed it. Fish tank is divider between the two work spaces.



Plant nutrient mix and sand on top for substrate.
Bog wood coming from bonai tree to look like roots



Day 1



Day 2



To be continued......

 

Your tank is beautiful

 

Very nice job on both the carpentry and the tank.

 

If there is moderator about any chance of correcting spelling in title.... Bonais to 'Bonsai?

Many thanks!

 

Day 5

First time I have done a tank with 4 viewing points! I'm gonna to add small indian almond leaves to bare areas and some small carpeting plants.

Top



Right



Front



Left



Fish came out to say hello!






To be continued.....

 

niceee

 

O

Day 5

First time I have done a tank with 4 viewing points! I'm gonna to add small indian almond leaves to bare areas and some small carpeting plants.

Top
View attachment 757493

Right
View attachment 757495

Front
View attachment 757496

Left
View attachment 757497

Fish came out to say hello!
View attachment 757498
View attachment 757499


To be continued.....

Oh the challenge of multiple viewing angles, because there weren't enough variables in this most ephemeral of arts! I have been playing with my hex, at least I only have two to concern myself with!

 

O
Oh the challenge of multiple viewing angles, because there weren't enough variables in this most ephemeral of arts! I have been playing with my hex, at least I only have two to concern myself with!

I'll change it every few weeks for probably 6 months untill I'm happy. Not happy with left hand side

 

I'll change it every few weeks for probably 6 months untill I'm happy. Not happy with left hand side

The most difficult thing in art is knowing when to stop, and when your medium lives and breathes, reproduces and dies, there's only glimpses of perfection (especially when one buys ones' hardscape elements on the internet sight unseen, oh, the humanity! )

 

Day 22

I added Eheim prefilter and its perfect. doesn't clog up easily.




I added Indian almond (cattappa) leave's and micro sword plants (Lileaopsis brasiliensis).

My newest addition is a twig catfish (Farlowella). Awesome fish! Hangs out in front of tank attached to wood enjoying current. My betta like to show additions who's boss of the tank.










My final additions to tank will be a massive group of Kuhli loaches (Pangio kuhli).... it wont be for another month or three.
I will also be construction housing for bonsai tree and DIY background.

To be continued....

 

Quick update!

The tank cycled in 3.5 weeks and no nitrates after 7 days before doing 40% water changes. Plants are doing a good job.

I'm building diy housing for bonsai tree. It's made of styrofoam, coated in concrete and I still need to paint it and coat it in resin. I'm going to add watering system for bonsai and water fall.






To be continued.....

 

Worked out well.

I'm going to install drip watering system using seperate pump and loads of airline tubing.. should keep moss and ferns nice and moist when I attach them to background.




To be continued.

 

Aren't you worried about overwatering or possible mixing ferts from the bonsai and soil into the tank?

I got into the aquarium hobby myself because of a co-worker has like 14 bonsai trees and I thought an aquascape would be easier for me, and now I have 6 planted tanks and my own bonsai (Ginseng Ficus). Crossing the 2 hobbies has always been an interest for me but didn't think it would be doable. Obviously a bonsai inside the tank wouldn't work but the idea of a "hanging" pot like you made is super awesome!

 

Aren't you worried about overwatering or possible mixing ferts from the bonsai and soil into the tank?

I got into the aquarium hobby myself because of a co-worker has like 14 bonsai trees and I thought an aquascape would be easier for me, and now I have 6 planted tanks and my own bonsai (Ginseng Ficus). Crossing the 2 hobbies has always been an interest for me but didn't think it would be doable. Obviously a bonsai inside the tank wouldn't work but the idea of a "hanging" pot like you made is super awesome!

I repotted it using coconut coir. So fine for fish tank! I'm going to have two seperate watering lines.

One line for bonsai tree with Valve. So I will only turn this on when tree needs watering so I don't over water it.

Second line will be constantly running with water running down edges for moss and ferns etc...

I'm hoping fish tank water will be enough fertilizer for bonsai tree. I don't mind lightly dosing ferts for tree and some getting in tank... It's heavily planted.

Tis a grand experiment!!!

 

I repotted it using coconut coir. So fine for fish tank! I'm going to have two seperate watering lines.

One line for bonsai tree with Valve. So I will only turn this on when tree needs watering so I don't over water it.

Second line will be constantly running with water running down edges for moss and ferns etc...

I'm hoping fish tank water will be enough fertilizer for bonsai tree. I don't mind lightly dosing ferts for tree and some getting in tank... It's heavily planted.

Tis a grand experiment!!!

Gotcha, yeah I know depending on the substrate for the tree can have it's own ferts that would throw the tank out of whack depending on the other plants and light. I used something similar to miracle grow which already has ferts in it but I'll have to add more every so often. Would be nice to be able to use the same ferts for both in your scenario!

 

I am a firm believer of keeping everything fish tank related.... I have a large box of bits and pieces for diy projects!

Who else does this?

Here is my pump attachment for drip system.. made from old pipe, used suction cup to block end and drilled 3 holes to add airline tubing haha. Didn't even need silicone. Works like a charm. I'll update with full build once its complete.

 

Finally finished it. I woke up 3 times in the night thinking i flooded the room.

I used a water irrigation system you can get on amazon. I decided to connect it to my external filter as the submersible pump I bought is actually stronger then my filter and now I have even more water flow in my tank. Perfect for vampire shrimp and twig catfish.

I picked the moss/ lichens and fern while walking the dog... Will be interesting to see how well it does in tank.






I'm going to make video of everything in couple weeks so you can see water dripping down moss and all the fish/plants. That will be final update.

 

Finally finished it. I woke up 3 times in the night thinking i flooded the room.

I used a water irrigation system you can get on amazon. I decided to connect it to my external filter as the submersible pump I bought is actually stronger then my filter and now I have even more water flow in my tank. Perfect for vampire shrimp and twig catfish.

I picked the moss/ lichens and fern while walking the dog... Will be interesting to see how well it does in tank.View attachment 775291

View attachment 775289View attachment 775290

I'm going to make video of everything in couple weeks so you can see water dripping down moss and all the fish/plants. That will be final update.

This is wonderful! I love the dedication and your Kuhli!!

 

I know this is an older thread....but WOW

 

Iv been meaning to update this... But I'm super busy to make a video.

Here is quick picture....



Stocking is....
1 Betta
21 Kuhli loaches
14 Galaxy Rasbora
4 Rainbow Stiphodon Goby
7 Oto Catfish
1 Twig Catfish
50+ Cherry shrimp
50+ Assassin snails
6 Amano Shrimp
2 bamboo shrimp

No nitrates before weekly 30% water change. The power of plants haha.

 

This is AMAZING!!!

 

This is just beautiful.

 

Iv been meaning to update this... But I'm super busy to make a video.

Here is quick picture....
View attachment 792331

Stocking is....
1 Betta
21 Kuhli loaches
14 Galaxy Rasbora
4 Rainbow Stiphodon Goby
7 Oto Catfish
1 Twig Catfish
50+ Cherry shrimp
50+ Assassin snails
6 Amano Shrimp
2 bamboo shrimp

No nitrates before weekly 30% water change. The power of plants haha.

Gorgeous tank!

90L is about 24 gallons, right? If that's the case, isn't your tank massively overstocked? I'm not criticizing... I'm relatively new to fishkeeping so I'm genuinely curious. I would like to add a few more fish, but all of the calculators tell me I'm right at max stock. My tank is also well planted and overfiltered.

 

All fish are still alive and kicking, except I have a new betta. 0 nitrates after two weeks no water change. But i still change weekly.
Its down balancing;

1. Mix of species and catering for their behaviours/ ensuring enough space for their adult size.
2. Feeding.
3. PLANTS/light/nutrients,
4. filtrating.
5. Water changes.

Iv spent a long time learning how to balance a tank. For someone starting out, all I can say is play it safe, test your water and keep on learning and getting advice.

 

All fish are still alive and kicking, except I have a new betta. 0 nitrates after two weeks no water change. But i still change weekly.
Its down balancing;

1. Mix of species and catering for their behaviours/ ensuring enough space for their adult size.
2. Feeding.
3. PLANTS/light/nutrients,
4. filtrating.
5. Water changes.

Iv spent a long time learning how to balance a tank. For someone starting out, all I can say is play it safe, test your water and keep on learning and getting advice.

Thanks! And thanks for not taking offense to my genuine question. I think I'm up to speed on feeding, my plants are growing at a rate that necessitates pruning/removing some every week, and my water is always crystal clear with perfect zero-zero-zero readings. I think I'm going to let it sit as is for a few months and continue to refine my routine and observe, then I may consider adding some more fish.

 

It's been 2 years since a setup the tank, so I figured I'd do an update.
Its just an open top tank now with no bonsai tree as fish tank moved location and I wanted more internal plants.

My original stocking is pretty much all alive. Instead of betta and pearl danios i have female apisto and chili's. Betta died of old age and Danios got a disease i think.

1 Female Apistogramma agazizii
20 Kuhli loaches
20 Chili Rasbora
6 Rainbow Stiphodon Goby
1 Twig Catfish
6 Amano Shrimp

It's a super peaceful/chill tank and well balanced. A have fluval 307 external filter and lots a root feeder plants inside and growing outside the tank.

 

It looks more natural now compared to the manicured look at the start. Both looked great tho. Can't wait for more updates