New 10 Gallon Dirted-Planted Tank Build

I'm setting up a new tank! This will be my third. I decided to try a dirted tank, and bought a Dustin's Dirt Pack for it. I have capped the dirt with pool filter sand. I also ordered a pack of plants from Dustin, and received a wonderful assortment of 7 plants, and also java moss which I ordered for this tank and my other two. I've had it running for 11 days, and am currently doing a fishless cycle- today I measured both Nitrates and Nitrites, and the ammonia is dropping faster, so we're on our way. I'm considering how to stock it: so far I am thinking maybe two pea puffers. Or, white-cloud mountain minnows. Or Endlers- males. Or, maybe sparkling gouramis, or micro-rasboras. I'd love suggestions for stocking. My PH is 8.3, and stable- moderately hard water. Does anyone have any stocking ideas for me? I'd love any suggestions!!

Here is pictures of when it was first set-up, and then after a week (I've had quite a bit of plant growth already!!)

First set up:



And Monday, one week in:




Today there is actually quite a bit more growth--I'll wait till next Monday to post though. (Light is on a timer and I'm too lazy to go over-ride it to turn it on! )

 

Nice Walstad tank.

 

WHAAAAAT!?!? HOW!? Oh my goodness please tell me how you did it!!

Good lighting and fast growing plants.

Yeah, guess that's really all you need! Sorry if I bothered you. I've been keeping aquariums for over 10 years, but have never kept dirted tanks, and have just recently gotten into it. But thanks for the info! It'll definitely help me out

 

Yeah, guess that's really all you need! Sorry if I bothered you. I've been keeping aquariums for over 10 years, but have never kept dirted tanks, and have just recently gotten into it. But thanks for the info! It'll definitely help me out

Walstad setup video:

 

I am a beginner with the dirted tank, but I did order the special dirt and followed the directions to cap it with equal or slightly more substrate. I used pool filter sand which I already had on hand from my 29 gallon tank. I requested easy plants for a newby and also plants that would do well in medium light—and also fast growing plants since I’d really like to keep ahead of any algae. So far so good— it’s very new but I’m really hoping it keeps growing so nicely.

Nice Walstad tank.

Thanks! I do have a couple filters going on there though.

 

You asked for stocking suggestions. Have you considered ember tetras?

 

WHAAAAAT!?!? HOW!? Oh my goodness please tell me how you did it!!

Good question: I just went to Dustin’s Fish Tanks and read on there how he recommends his products, then I decided to take the plunge and bought his dirt and his plants. I am very happy with them. It helped that I decided to do this on a small tank- to me, it comes with less pressure since my initial investment was less to get what I needed for this smaller tank. I did buy medium LED lighting— I got the Nicrew LED plus. And I have set up an internal whisper filter which I had- but I put my own media in there ( sponge, filter floss, and bio rings). I also put in a sponge filter with an air stone inserted inside. The filters are to establish a good cycle and keep everyone clean once it is stocked. I also added a heater since this tank is in our basement which stays on the cooler side.

Also- I put a glass lid on there since the Nicrew lighting is not very water resistant

You asked for stocking suggestions. Have you considered ember tetras?

I have- they are also a contender. For scale I think they’d have space to swim around, and I love their appearance. I’ve never had tetras before either, so it would be fun to try them. Would they do ok with cherry shrimp? Or, celestial pearl danios? I’m also considering those if I’d have room for a small community.

 

Get 2 pea puffers!! They are so cute

 

I have- they are also a contender. For scale I think they’d have space to swim around, and I love their appearance. I’ve never had tetras before either, so it would be fun to try them. Would they do ok with cherry shrimp? Or, celestial pearl danios? I’m also considering those if I’d have room for a small community.

I haven't had ember tetras (yet) or celestial pearl danios (yet) so I'm afraid I can't answer that (yet). Hopefully someone with more experience will be able to.

 

Get 2 pea puffers!! They are so cute

I’m seriously considering it- that’s what everyone says- that they are cute and interesting to watch. My LFS always seems to have some too... And goodness knows I have a ton of Malaysian trumpet snails on my 29 so I could give them a lot of those- and I guess I’d get used to the frozen worms etc that they eat....

 

I’m seriously considering it- that’s what everyone says- that they are cute and interesting to watch. My LFS always seems to have some too... And goodness knows I have a ton of Malaysian trumpet snails on my 29 so I could give them a lot of those- and I guess I’d get used to the frozen worms etc that they eat....

Yes! I love watching them when I go to my LFS! I should get a pair also based on all the snails I have as well LOL. Hope to see pics on here of whatever you end up getting!

 

Yes! I love watching them when I go to my LFS! I should get a pair also based on all the snails I have as well LOL. Hope to see pics on here of whatever you end up getting!

For sure- it’s fun to share with people who love this hobby!!

 

Be sure to have an extra tank available in case one of the peas turns vicious on the other. 10 gallon ought to be enough but some individuals are especially foul natured.

 

Here’s my tank today, 2 weeks in. Still cycling...

 

Be sure to have an extra tank available in case one of the peas turns vicious on the other. 10 gallon ought to be enough but some individuals are especially foul natured.

Thanks. I’m glad you mentioned this- I’ll have to figure that out. I have also been considering just getting one.

Today I added a layer of gravel because my sand cap was thinner than I was comfortable with, and I’m loving it. Water changes will be a lot less stressful!


Now for the cycle to finish— probably a week or two yet—I’ve got nitrates at 80ppm!

 

what lighting are you using? nice setup

 

I think you might have to lower your ph, but I think that a few dwarf Gouramis would look beautiful in there

 

what lighting are you using? nice setup

Damien808, I am using Nicrew ClassicLED Plus lighting. So far it seems to be working quite well for my setup--- it seems to be providing "medium" lighting which is working well with the soil. I did my first trimming after 4 weeks in.

I think you might have to lower your ph, but I think that a few dwarf Gouramis would look beautiful in there

Thanks! I thought about sparkling Gouramis, but I have just stocked my tank and went with White Cloud Mountain Minnows!



Well, this tank is now cycled and stocked. It was cycled on Christmas morning!!! So I have added 4 White Cloud Mountain Minnows, 4 red cherry shrimp, and one spotted Nerite snail. Everyone looks beautiful in there, and the shrimp and snail have been busy picking at all the biofilm/algae etc... I also watched each minnow have a bite to eat as I fed them some micro pellets this morning. I trimmed back the plant growth quite a bit when I did my 95% water change after the tank was cycled. So I am hoping everyone will settle in nicely, and maybe get some breeding action- especially among the shrimp.

 

Very nice! Thinking about doing a 10 gallon like this for my first shrimp tank.

 

Very nice! Thinking about doing a 10 gallon like this for my first shrimp tank.

KDS, That would be cool! I really liked setting this up because I found 10 gallons to be quite manageable/affordable in trying dirt and these kinds of plants/lighting for the first time.

 

KDS, That would be cool! I really liked setting this up because I found 10 gallons to be quite manageable/affordable in trying dirt and these kinds of plants/lighting for the first time.

I am in the process of doing my first planted tank, a 210 gallon but I’ve thought about doing a 10 beside it so I could practice things on a small scale before I did it big. I have an empty 10 gallon tank, lights, heater, filter etc so the only cost would be plants and shrimp.

 

KDS, So cool! Let me know if you have a thread on it-I'd love to follow.

 

KDS, So cool! Let me know if you have a thread on it-I'd love to follow.

I have a thread on the 210 but not a 10 yet. Here is the thread for the 210 210 Gallon Planted Rainbowfish Tank | Freshwater Aquarium Builds 434712

 

I’ve added two more White Cloud Mountain minnows- the gold variety; and I added four more cherry shrimp- two were definitely female and one was berried. I hope some shrimplets will survive in the moss- we’ll have to see. Here’s pictures today:

 

Here’s an update with photo. One of my shrimp just became berried today so I’m hoping some shrimplets will hatch in a few weeks and that some will survive. I’m hoping to add cholla wood soon to give them more space to hide.

 

Nice looking tank. I'm still not done cycling my 1st planted tank using Flourite but I think I will be doing a dirted-planted tank like this one next. Is that Dustin dirt really so much better than ordinary organic potting soil?

 

vicvega Thanks! I’m not sure how much better Dustin’s dirt is as opposed to organic potting soil, but I know he’s added things to it like red clay... he publishes a booklet on how to do what he does with his mix on ones own. He says it’s formulated ideally for the planted tank, but I’m sure there are other ways that work well too. I just know this has been up for six weeks and is growing out for me amazingly well so far— I have fixed it and forgotten it (except for water changes and feeding the fish!) which is what I wanted—but I’ve never tried any other way with soil. I’m hoping this tank will continue well into the future!