This tank makes me really proud!

I wanted to share my 4ft tank which is approximately 4 months old. I set it up with cycled filter media for my plakat betta Elvis. I logged/posted the progress on another forum but this is the end result -

When it was first set up:



Today:


So, I know the tank today kind of looks "less pristine" then when it initially was set up. As with all new set ups, I did run into a few teething problems and changed the layout/some things a bit to fix plus the tannins have come out of the driftwood and Indian almond leaves now, which I actually like!

I was aiming for a jungle type theme because I'm not very good at actual aquascaping so to me this tank makes me really proud I just really love how much the plants have grown, note that you couldn't even see the backgrounds plants in the first photo.

The best thing about this tank though is that Elvis is soooo happy. He was previously in a 75 litre tank, and being my first plakat I did notice he was a much better swimmer than any of my long finned bettas, so when my partner decieded to pack down the 4 ft which he had as a community tank, I thought I'd upgrade Elvis!

I do a weekly water change and once a month spruce the tank up if needed (trim the plants, clean filters etc) I think this time I'll remove some of the frog bit to allow some more light into the tank, since it started growing like crazy the lace fern has slowly begun to die. If you have any suggestions in how to improve the tank please let me know and I'll do it when sprucing up the tank this month

Thanks for taking the time to read!!

 

You should be proud. It looks fantastic!!

 

I wanted to share my 4ft tank which is approximately 4 months old. I set it up with cycled filter media for my plakat betta Elvis. I logged/posted the progress on another forum but this is the end result -

When it was first set up:
View attachment 685127

Today: View attachment 685128

So, I know the tank today kind of looks "less pristine" then when it initially was set up. As with all new set ups, I did run into a few teething problems and changed the layout/some things a bit to fix plus the tannins have come out of the driftwood and Indian almond leaves now, which I actually like!

I was aiming for a jungle type theme because I'm not very good at actual aquascaping so to me this tank makes me really proud I just really love how much the plants have grown, note that you couldn't even see the backgrounds plants in the first photo.

The best thing about this tank though is that Elvis is soooo happy. He was previously in a 75 litre tank, and being my first plakat I did notice he was a much better swimmer than any of my long finned bettas, so when my partner decieded to pack down the 4 ft which he had as a community tank, I thought I'd upgrade Elvis!

I do a weekly water change and once a month spruce the tank up if needed (trim the plants, clean filters etc) I think this time I'll remove some of the frog bit to allow some more light into the tank, since it started growing like crazy the lace fern has slowly begun to die. If you have any suggestions in how to improve the tank please let me know and I'll do it when sprucing up the tank this month

Thanks for taking the time to read!!

A 55 gallon (I assume) for 1 betta!?!?!
Do you plan to add anything else?

Don’t take that as hate I like that idea and the tank looks amazing (it really does!) I was just wondering!

 

A 55 gallon (I assume) for 1 betta!?!?!
Do you plan to add anything else?

Don’t take that as hate I like that idea and the tank looks amazing (it really does!) I was just wondering!

The tank is 260 litres and I think that is 68 gallons! He lives with a clean up crew of 2 nerite snails, 1 Mystery snails and about 9 Darwin Algae Eating Shrimp (The largest shrimp I was able to get in Australia, I wanted Amano shrimp but they were difficult to find) they grow to around 5cm long. I won't be adding any other fish though, I'm a betta fish kinda gal through and through so I personally love that he has the tank more or less to himself, Haha I honestly do know where you are coming from though so no offence taken at all

 

I looks gorgeous!!! Elvis is definitely a king in that tank! wowzers

 

A feather in your cap dear friend!!!

Keep up the grand job your doing....

 

Great job! Looks awesome!

 

your tank is really cool nice setup

 

Very nice. I’m sure the betta is very happy.

 

Wow! Very nice

 

Looks beautiful, congrats now sit back and enjoy

 

Your tank is beautiful. Thats one lucky betta

 

Elvis lives like a king! I think the tank looks great just the way you've been keeping it!

 

Very nice! You have better self control than I do for sure. All that space with SO many options of fish you could add! But if a solo Betta is your thing more power to ya.

 

Sorry to respond so late but thank you all for your kind words! Elvis is most certainly The King of our fish fam One day when I am not renting I hope to have all my bettas in tanks of at least 100 - 130 litres [and keep the 4ft with a plakat] (so I guess I had better look for a very big house one day haha )

Thanks so much again
Edit: And as an aside, here is a photo of Elvis, in case anyone wanted to see him close up!


(Eating some spinach which I had put in as a treat intended for the mystery snail)

 

The King of Rock and Roll is now king of a very beautiful aquarium.

 

Wow, that's beautiful!!

 

I wanted to share my 4ft tank which is approximately 4 months old. I set it up with cycled filter media for my plakat betta Elvis. I logged/posted the progress on another forum but this is the end result -

When it was first set up:
View attachment 685127

Today: View attachment 685128

So, I know the tank today kind of looks "less pristine" then when it initially was set up. As with all new set ups, I did run into a few teething problems and changed the layout/some things a bit to fix plus the tannins have come out of the driftwood and Indian almond leaves now, which I actually like!

I was aiming for a jungle type theme because I'm not very good at actual aquascaping so to me this tank makes me really proud I just really love how much the plants have grown, note that you couldn't even see the backgrounds plants in the first photo.

The best thing about this tank though is that Elvis is soooo happy. He was previously in a 75 litre tank, and being my first plakat I did notice he was a much better swimmer than any of my long finned bettas, so when my partner decieded to pack down the 4 ft which he had as a community tank, I thought I'd upgrade Elvis!

I do a weekly water change and once a month spruce the tank up if needed (trim the plants, clean filters etc) I think this time I'll remove some of the frog bit to allow some more light into the tank, since it started growing like crazy the lace fern has slowly begun to die. If you have any suggestions in how to improve the tank please let me know and I'll do it when sprucing up the tank this month

Thanks for taking the time to read!!

You have reason to be proud! The tank looks awesome!

 

Looks good

 

Very cool Betta and great looking tank!

 

Great looking tank! What are your floating plants?

 

Looks great, you have one lucky betta!!!

 

Beautiful tank!!!

 

Great looking tank! What are your floating plants?

Thank you! There's frogbit and duckweed in there and also a banana lily which is not floating but the leaves mimic a floating plant on the waters surface

 

The tank looks absolutely amazing!

 

Hi guys, I just did a water change and thought I'd update you on how the tank looks after I removed some of the floating plants at the end of last month (let there be liiight) that I mentioned in my op!

Plus! I wanted to share with you all this neat little aquarium hack I saw on a YouTube video on how to keep floating plants in place/stop them from taking over the tank like I had experienced pre-sprucing

Tank today:



And for the floating plants to stay in place I used This stuff:

I got it from a hardware store along with the connectors:



And when connected it's air tight and floats!!



Sorry if this is old news, but I thought I'd share in case it is not! my mind was blown haha

 

Hey, I see it says you have some frogbit in your tank? Which state do you live in? Because isn't it illegal to have in Aus?

 

Hey, I see it says you have some frogbit in your tank? Which state do you live in? Because isn't it illegal to have in Aus?

Hey, I live in QLD - I didn't think so seeing as I bought it off an Australian website, the website said it can't ship certain things to certain places.. frogbit was one of them but they only listed WA and SA (from memory) and you're not able to purchase certain things at checkout once you've put your address in

 

That tank is very good. Betta paradise

 

Hey, I see it says you have some frogbit in your tank? Which state do you live in? Because isn't it illegal to have in Aus?

Last I heard (a year or two back) you could keep and sell it in QLD although illegal to introduce into any waterway. Definitely prohibited in NSW. DPI will respond to any reports of people having it or selling it.

 

Last I heard (a year or two back) you could keep and sell it in QLD although illegal to introduce into any waterway. Definitely prohibited in NSW. DPI will respond to any reports of people having it or selling it.

Wow, I really had no idea.. thank you for the heads up. Thankfully, I used the leftover as extra mulch on the veggie patch

 

SuperCooper
GlennO

Yeah, I am in NSW, hence why I was shocked that you have it. Thought it may have been banned in the whole of Australia.

Al I can get is duckweed but not a huge fan of it