# Reefer thinking of planted betta tank



## Wagonpitt (Mar 18, 2017)

I have 0 freshwater experience. Im wondering how difficult would it be to set up a 15g tank with some plants a betta and some neon tetra or something similar. I currently have a 90g reef with sump and 35g all inone reef. Ive been in saltwater for a year now and have been pretty succesful id say. 
I just want an idea of how much work and how reasonable it would be for a beginer to set up and maintain a tank like this. I dont want something that requires the same amount of work as another reef tank so that why im asking these questions. 
Ideally id like something like pictures ive attached. I like the green carpet look witha few plants, trees to fill in. 

Obviously i will do all the research of how to care for the fish and plants but id like to know how do-able is this as a beginer and how much work/maintenance will it require compared to a similar sized reef tank. 

Roughly how much would it cost to set up and maintain a tank like this, and what equipment would i need. 

Thanks


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## coldmantis (Apr 5, 2010)

If you really want your tank to look like the pics you will have to get co2 to get that thick of a growth. I run both planted tanks and reef. The reef is pretty much self automated the planted tank is way more manual and more work.


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## Fisheye (Jan 13, 2015)

Hi Wagonpitt,

Say, is there a term for people from the darkside venturing into fresh?!?!

+1 to coldmantis' post. Tight, lush carpeting plants require balanced levels of c02, ferts, lighting and time spent trimming. So you'll spend more for lighting and have ongoing costs of co2 and ferts.

To my eye, the second picture looks to be the least expensive in terms of decor. Moss in the tree, maybe that's a piece of mopani, and Hemianthus callitrichoides maybe. Substrate could be something like Fluval stratum (bags run from $25-$40 for a 15 gallon, depending on substrate depth) or ADA Amazonia ($40 on Amazon.com)

Do you already have a 15 gallon? Do you want to go kit or self build? A high tech setup could run you over $400 all in-IMO (tank, substrate, heater, lighting, filtration, aquascaping tools, ferts, co2 kit, plants, wood).

Low tech setups tend to include plants like anubias (around $12), java fern ($7+), cryptocoryne ($10) vallisneria ($10) and mosses ($9-$16). All of the Tropica brand tissue cultures are $12.99 everywhere and I think those are mostly stem and carpeting plants. Prices approx. Java fern and anubias do not go in the substrate.

Betta's really love long, narrow leaved leaved plants and those plants can help to make your tank look bigger.

This is a cool thread-I hope more people chime in.

Look forward to following your journey!

HTH

Jackie


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## infolific (Apr 10, 2016)

Heavily planted tanks require regular manual maintenance. You can reduce some of the work with a little creativity. For example, don't use stem plants and you can avoid a lot of the trimming. What "carpets" that isn't a stem? A whole lot of anubias nana petite, some crypts, and buce are options. They aren't cheap though.


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## Wagonpitt (Mar 18, 2017)

coldmantis said:


> If you really want your tank to look like the pics you will have to get co2 to get that thick of a growth. I run both planted tanks and reef. The reef is pretty much self automated the planted tank is way more manual and more work.


Thank! This is kind of info im looking for. Ive been doing some more research and other then the co2 part that i dont want to get into it seems like keeping the "look" is actually more work then it seems when it comes to trimming, but no co2 means slower growth and less trimming for whatever plants id be able to keep. So kind of a trade off there.


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## Wagonpitt (Mar 18, 2017)

Fisheye said:


> Hi Wagonpitt,
> 
> Say, is there a term for people from the darkside venturing into fresh?!?!
> 
> ...


Can call it
"looking on the bright side" lol 
I read a post on another thread and i agree with it. The reef tank is more fun and exciting to watch and kind of gets blood pumping but the planted tank is more relaxing and peacefull. Id like both if i can do it right and not halfa**. Seeing threads and pics on here got me interested and people always saying its easier makes me want to try. Not sure its really easier though

Already have 15g, heater, hob filter. Was hoping to just need light as far as equipment goes. Obviously fertilizers and soil and other stuff thats required.

When i search lowtech non co2 tanks theres a few like this one. The carpet isnt as thick and carpety its more like grass but i like it. Idealy a "lawn" like this with a wall of long narrow leaf plants as backsplash maby a small moss tree like the other pic, betta and some type of cave for it and some type of tetra or other betta friendly fish. 
Not so worried about prices other then price of the light.

I appreciate the responses and it gives me a much better idea of reasonable expectation to have. If i find its more then im willing to do right now atleast ill know for the future and when my reeftanks are more settled and less hands on ill be able to get into planted and learn the co2 and everything else id need to get the actual end product i want.


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## Wagonpitt (Mar 18, 2017)

Something like this with more of the plants on the right spread on the back wall


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## Wagonpitt (Mar 18, 2017)

infolific said:


> Heavily planted tanks require regular manual maintenance. You can reduce some of the work with a little creativity. For example, don't use stem plants and you can avoid a lot of the trimming. What "carpets" that isn't a stem? A whole lot of anubias nana petite, some crypts, and buce are options. They aren't cheap though.


This is what im going to look into now. Some easier plants that will give me loom i want but less requirements


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## Fisheye (Jan 13, 2015)

You could do a carpet with moss. Java moss would be the cheapest way to go.


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## bettaforu (Sep 6, 2009)

As I told another newbie Betta owner...don't go overboard on a tank for a Betta! They need very little to survive and the tank may look great but that's just for your benefit. Bettas need to surface quite often during the day to breather air, so a large tank with lots of water volume will make the Betta have to work harder to reach the surface....tiring him out eventually!

They do best in small 2.5-5 gallon tanks with only about 6-8 inchs of water, which is enough for them to navigate up and down all day to breathe.

Other fish will damage Bettas fins, so choose something very small like Danios or Rasboras, but NOT Tetras who will chase the Betta and bite off its fins.

Plants should be Java Fern and not mosses as Bettas like to stick themselves into places to sleep and Mosses can and have trapped the Betta's fins and as they struggle to escape they entrench themselves more and eventually suffocate as they cannot get to the surface to breathe.

Java Ferns are the choice for most Betta tanks with Bamboo stalks as well as that gives the Betta a place to sleep on, which they do most of the day, so don't expect to see your Betta swimming around all the time, they will be at the bottom sleeping unless they need air. 

Only time a Betta really shows any excitement is when it sees another male/female Betta then it will flare, but other than that, they sleep on the bottom or on a Java Fern leaf.

They are lazy fish....beautiful but lazy!

Indian Almond leaves also keep the water nice and soft for them and you only need one or two every other month or so too many and your tank will be brown water! 

By the way Bettas don't like CO2! They don't like anything that creates bubbles in their tanks. Ive tried this with mine and eventually had to dismantle it because the Betta became stressed from the constant movement of the water from the diffuser. Bettas like still water! They live in streams and ditches in Thailand where the water is running but not bubbling. A Happy Betta will blow a bubblenest on the surface of the water, so anything that disturbs the water will not make him happy!

40 years of breeding/showing Bettas has taught me what to do and what not to do. If you need any advice, let me know.


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## Fisheye (Jan 13, 2015)

Hey Wagonpitt,

Just came across this series that award winning aquascaper George Farmer put out. The design is reminiscent of the last pic you posted. All of the plants he uses are easily found in Toronto retail or through forum members.

15 gallon, low tech non co2.





 one month in




 two months after planting

Just thought this would be of interest to you.

Jackie


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## Wagonpitt (Mar 18, 2017)

Hey guys thanks for all the input. 
Jackie i apreciate those videos. 
I did some reading on "walstad" method which seems to me the most simple and easy maintenance way to setup and run a tank. What do you guys think about that, yes or no? 
I like how it allows for less frequent waterchanges, id like to avoid weekly cleaning. once maby twice a month im happier with. 

Also it seems that algae can grow faster in fw then sw yes or no? In sw in my experience things have to be out of balance for a longer period of time so nutrients build up and then algae explodes. Some of what im reading and those videos make it seem like algae is a constant battle. 

Alot to learn about soil or different substrates, lighting, fertilizers. At first i figured how hard could it be, but not that easy. Or maby just because im new it overwhelming trying to learn everything at once. 

Also been reading that a 5g is good enough only for a betta himself. If i want other fish should give them more space. If i cant do tetras id go for rasboras they have some nice colour. And i like the java fern to line the back wall. 

What kind of lighting do you guys use ? 

Not rushing this at all and will keep searching.


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## Fisheye (Jan 13, 2015)

Hi Wagonpitt,

Regarding Walstad, you might get more feedback in a dedicated thread. I've no experience in that area so my thoughts are based on traditional low tech setups.

As for algae growing faster FW...there can be issues in the beginning as things settle, but moving forward, and in absence of added co2, it can be minimized by controlling these variables: bioload, overfeeding, photoperiod, light intensity and water changes.

Betta in 5g...the size of their housing is a contentious issue for some reason. It's easier to maintain stable parameters in a larger volume of water and in my experience, they are more active and display more natural behaviour in a bigger tank. The territory of a wild Betta is reported to be 3 sqft which is approximately the size of a 20long (30x12x12), however, not many can justify that much tank for 1 fish. What is the minimum size tank for Walstad to be successful I wonder?

When I kept Betta's they were housed in densely planted 10 gallons with floating plants, moss, vals, java fern, wisteria...it was awesome to watch them snoop around, patrol and rest in the leaves and roots. I did have one in a 5 to start but moved it to a 10 and did notice a difference in behaviour.

Personally, I would not house any other fish in a 5g whether a Betta is in there or not.

Bettas with other fish and shrimp is a crapshoot. My experience sucked.

"i like the java fern to line the back wall." 
do you mean java moss? If you are really saying java fern then...sooo cool. I've not seen that done-great idea!

Lighting: Eheim Power LED in 10 gallon, Marineland LED strip on 20 Long and Aqua One clip on 10 gallon (shows reds really well and is cheap! Fine for non demanding plants also)

Your patience and depth of research is most admirable.

HTH

J


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## Wagonpitt (Mar 18, 2017)

Hey everyone. Ive been off the forums for a while but this last week i finally got the planted betta tank i was talking about 3 years ago. 


I cheated a little by buying an already running tank and got a betta the next day. Decided not to get any tank mates. Theres a couple of hitch hiker cherry shrimp left he hasnt eaten YET but ive seen him get some already. Seems very aggressive so i think any fish would get attacked too. Only been a couple days but hes super active exploring around the whole tank. Im feeding bug bites and omega one pellets. I have frozen spirulina brine and lrs reef frenzy id like to try but need to make sure its ok for fw fish. 

I trimmed a little of the bushy plant in front right(java fern?) and the long red stem plant(red rubin ?) from front left of the tank so light can get down to the soil in the front. Ideally over time the star looking grass in front left will spread towards the right. The fish seems to enjoy the open space at the front. Also would be nice if the Rotala rotundifolia ? in back right spreads left and covers the back wall.

Need to find out names for the bushy plant and star grass and rest of plants so i dont have to call them that. 


From what i can tell everything seems happy so far and i think the person i bought it from took great care of his shrimp and plants. Only light and aprox 10% water changes weekly no dosing or co2. Hopefully i can continue with same routine and get good results too.


9g fluval flex 
78-80 degree thats all i know. Need to get couple test kits. 
1 betta 
Are the plants i have ok for betta fish ? 
Any plant ID would be appreciated
Any other thougbts or recommendations? 

Pics of how i got the tank, the betta and after trim.






























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## clubsoda (Oct 10, 2009)

Wow 3 years ... it took me 3 days to decide betta tank is awesome he looks like a warrior in the jungle


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## Wagonpitt (Mar 18, 2017)

Lol i decided 3 years ago. Just took a while to do something about it. 

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