Dwarf Puffer Tank Journey

Not sure if this is the right place but I wanted to document my journey of building up my 10 gallon for my future dwarf puffer.
Right now I have the 10gal with Seachem Flourite Black Planted Aquarium Natural Substrate Supplement, some Seachem Flourish Tabs, and what Amazon had listed as "Glosso Seeds". Spritzed it all with water until moist,covered the tank with plastic wrap and put my lights on it.
The tank is a 10 gallon aqua culture glass tank I got from walmart. The light I got on Amazon and it's called "NICREW ClassicLED Aquarium Light". No idea if it's any good but well find out lol. Had amazing reviews so I'm hopeful.

I'll post random updates on it over the next who knows how long it'll take to fully get this tank ready. Imma do a LOTR shire theme

 

I love watching the progress of the build threads, especially the the smaller tanks as they can be quite challenging, your theme sounds great

 

I love watching the progress of the build threads, especially the the smaller tanks as they can be quite challenging, your theme sounds great

Day 2 of waiting for the seeds and a lot of reading has told me they're most likely not what I was thinking I was buying but there it is xD

Bought some tru.pet snails today. Letting them breed and help clean my 20gal tank until my 10 gallon is ready and then they're going to live with my dwarf puffer.
I figure they breed so fast and can hide from the puffer, esp since I'm attempting a carpet plant.
Little guys chilling on a piece of java moss covered drift wood.
I saw them out of their shells a bit earlier so they're just hiding now

 

Got a few sprouts, but places were starting to mold so I filled it with water.
Have a heater keeping it at 80, and 2 filters working on the cloudiness as well as some weird... strings? No idea what's causing it beyond the seeds.

 

Nice! I wish I could get puffers

That stringy stuff just looks like a bio film of some kind, some snails should take care of it

 

That stringy stuff just looks like a bio film of some kind, some snails should take care of it

I'm afraid they'd eat the seeds rn,plus its definitely not cycled so don't want to kill them xD I do plan on adding trumpet snails to the tank once its cycled

 

Many more sprouts today!

 

Many more sprouts today!View attachment 545679

Nice! It’s looking good

 

Seeds were rotting and research said the plants wouldn't last long so I started over.
Got some s.repens arriving tomorrow and I added some frogbit to the tank. The frogbit were almost dead when I got them (never buying plants from Amazon again..) but they're making a come back.

Also started cycling my tank, I'm about 4 days in with Dr Tim's ammonia and some stability, though not sure the stability is going to do anything for the tank lol. Figured it wouldn't hurt.

 

Ooh, I'm envious... I want to keep a dwarf puffer, but I move around too much due to school and keeping them properly fed and cared for is harder than an average fish. Looking forward to seeing how this turns out!

 

Ooh, I'm envious... I want to keep a dwarf puffer, but I move around too much due to school and keeping them properly fed and cared for is harder than an average fish. Looking forward to seeing how this turns out!

I waited until we're moved to even start the tank so hopefully we stay put lol. This team's going to be empty for at least 6 weeks, if not longer, just to make sure its fully cycled. Arms lord the amount of water changes its going to get, though it might be okay with my normal 50% a week.

 

Nice!! I love these tank journeys!! I can’t wait until you get the puffers!!

 

Got in some beautiful staurogyne repens from @vishaquatics today and they really spice up my sad little tank.
Cant wait till next month to get the little house and the rest of my plants.

 

Nice!! Keep me posted Zai!!

 

I have the same light on my tanks, I've even kept soft coral like mushrooms and zooanthids under it and I start seeds beneath them every year. Great cheap lights.

 

I have the same light on my tanks, I've even kept soft coral like mushrooms and zooanthids under it and I start seeds beneath them every year. Great cheap lights.

I'm happy to hear they're good! I was worried xD

 

Everything looks great so far. You'll be amazed at how such a small fish will explore every inch of a 10 gallon tank!

 

Just added a bunch of amazing plants thanks to Vishaquatics (Koiman).
The tank looks great. Now to get the little house and let it finish cycling

 

What little house? Also, what brand of sand did you use? Because theses plants grew from seeds, to full grown, in Less than 1 week! The tank look so great!

 

What little house? Also, what brand of sand did you use? Because theses plants grew from seeds, to full grown, in Less than 1 week! The tank look so great!

Seachem Flourite Black Planted Aquarium Natural Substrate Supplement, but that's fairly normal with the fake seeds I guess? i'm not sure. they ended up coming loose and being weeds that would have rotted in about 2 months anyways, but they did grow pretty fast, they got to full grown in maybe 10 days? thy were fully sprouted by time I took them out.
and its a little hobbit house

 

Nice house! Lol!

 

Top of the tank! The frogbit growing in nicely, considering they were nearly dead when I got it.

 

Looks fantastic! Can't wait to see what it looks like in a month or two!

 

Got the house today! Also added a bubble ring just behind the house for air flow and entertainment lol.
Tank is officially complete decoration wise, just going to let the plants grow in, let it finish cycling, and then well be ready for our new puffer friend.

 

Got the house today! Also added a bubble ring just behind the house for air flow and entertainment lol.
Tank is officially complete decoration wise, just going to let the plants grow in, let it finish cycling, and then well be ready for our new puffer friend.View attachment 554439

That is a lot of plants!
Gorgeous!

 

That is a lot of plants!
Gorgeous!

Just planted them too, so theyll grow out and be fuller as it progressed. I'm super happy with the tank and can't wait until I can put a fish in it

 

That looks beautiful!! I forgot, is that a 10 gal.?

 

That looks beautiful!! I forgot, is that a 10 gal.?

it is, yes.

 

How many pea puffers can you put in there? Also, what is your stocking list?

 

That looks beautiful!! I forgot, is that a 10 gal.?

also, thank you! i'm super happy with it xdit's one of my favorite tanks in the house. I need to post my other 3 sometime soon XD might just stick them in here to show them lol

How many pea puffers can you put in there? Also, what is your stocking list?

I COULD put two in there, but I don't have the line of sight broken up enough for me to feel comfortable doing so. so it'll only house the one puffer fish (its name will be pippen).

As for my total stocking list, I only have fish in my 20 gallon tank for the moment which consists of 3 albino corys, 3 bronze corys, 6 neon tetras, 1 zebra nerite snail, and a giant ramshorn snail.
I also have a small 3 gallon tank I'm using to breed snails lol

 

Nice!! Wait, you said “My total stocking list” what do you mean by that?

 

Nice!! Wait, you said “My total stocking list” what do you mean by that?

I just mean those are the only fish I have right now lol

All my other tanks.
20high houses 6 cory catfish, 6 neon tetras, a zebra nerite and a giant ramshorn.
The bare one is my snail breeding tank. Basic but works. I keep it clean, it has two filters and I do 50% water changes every other day.
Big one with the dinosaur head is 29gals and my mothers though I do all maintenance (so its mine, she just buys everything xD). Itll house an angel fish, a clown pleco, 6 to 8 harlequin rasbora, and 3 honey/sunset gouramis.
The smaller tank with sand and plants is 5 gallons and will house a single Male betta.

 

Ok! Do you have any close up pictures of your Cory cats! I would love to see them!

 

Ok! Do you have any close up pictures of your Cory cats! I would love to see them!

let me see if I can get them to sit still

 

Ok! Do you have any close up pictures of your Cory cats! I would love to see them!

Managed to get a few

 

Cute!! Are the first 2 pictures of albino Cory cats.

Edit: Also, will you please get a close up of a harquies rosind? Or however you spell it!! XD

 

Cute!! Are the first 2 pictures of albino Cory cats.

Edit: Also, will you please get a close up of a harquies rosind? Or however you spell it!! XD

they are! they school with the bronzes since albinos are jsut.. albino bronzes xD
I don't have them yet, the tank they'll be going in is still currently cycling, but when I do ill take photos and tag you! they'' probably be some of the last fish to go into the tank however. Our plan is to get the honeys, then he clown, then the angel, then the harelquins. And a mystery snail at some point

 

Where'd you get the hobbit hole? It's such a nice decoration!

 

Where'd you get the hobbit hole? It's such a nice decoration!

I bought it off amazon actually! Just look up hobbit house aquarium and it pops up.
fair warning, it's wider than it seems. It takes upthe whole space from front to back in my 10gal just about

 

How much was it?