I started this tank as a concept almost exactly two years ago and it's finally finished! Swipe to see the progression (all the way back to when the hardacape was originally planned for a 10 gallon). Current tank is 20 gallons.

I'm incredibly proud of this tank and myself for being able to keep it looking as nice as it does by not flaking on my weekly maintenance. This is the culmination of a lot of hard work and persistence. From plastic plants and a 5 gallon betta tank in 2020 (the last photo shows my very first tank) to this in 2026. I'm incredibly grateful to this hobby. Bonus photo of my cat, Penny, helping me contemplate the hardacape on the right side of the tank.

I'm using an Oase Thermo 100 canister filter. I run C02, have a Twinstar S series light and dose APT 3 daily. Lights run 8 hours. Current inhabitants are CPDs, Pgmy Corys, Pumpkin Shrimp and Ramshorn snails.

Plants are Elocharis belem (carpet), Hydrocotyle Tripartita, Ludwigia Repens, Rotala Rotundifolia, various kinda of anubius and buce, Java Fern Sunrise as well as Myriophyllum Mattogrossense, Mayaca Fluviatilis, Homalomena Broad Sekadau South, Lobelia Cardinalis Mini and Samolus Parviflorus Red (lysimachia parvifolia).

Ask me any questions!

This has stumped both me and my professor. Its colorless, crunchy, and hollow, seems to have some kind of 'root' structure. The little tentacles things are something I just noticed. This is in my 5 gallon shrimp tank that has been going since January. I can get the parameters if anyone is interested. I also have a sucky microscope I can use. If I ask nicely I might be able to get it under a better one. I would really appreciate any information or insights that you guys have. I have never seen anything like it, irl, or in my amateur Google sleuthing. I'll post a picture of the full organism in the comments.

Curious as to the communities experience with invasive grass taking over their aquariums! How concerned should I be, any advice welcome

I've found 2 or 3 pieces of this big duckweed in my tank. Is it a different species or just a weird mutation?

Looking for some more ideas on plants I can grow above my tanks. Just the roots dangled in. But also open to letting plants grow up and out of the water. I have different sized tanks so all ideas welcome. I’m going to grow one of my swords up and out bc the huge swords look awesome when u do that. This guys on YouTube does it and it looks amazing. Looking for suggestions other than pothos and peace lily. Thanks!

do you guys think that I have too many plants to the point where it makes my fish feel cramped?

Stocking 20gal Long:
-15 Harlequin Rasboras
-1 Female Halfmoon betta (peaceful temperament)
-Ramshorn, Bladder snails, Trumpet snails, 1 nerite snail
-Detritus worms (unknown amount)

>=20 Neocaridina shrimp

Going 'minimal' this time.

Scape: seiryu stone, JBL white sand, salvinia, rotala hra and an unknown moss I found outside

Inhabitants: 1 honey gourami, 3 sparkling gourami, 1 stiphodon goby, many cherry shrimp, 2 clithon, 1 nerite, limpets & mini ramshorn

Equipment: fluval canister filter,

I think the red realy adds to it compared to when their was only small amounts or red macro algee

Found this little guy eating diatoms on my plant in a 5 day old tank. Second picture is around 24 hours after with almost all diatoms cleaned. I have always wondered how to get rid of diatoms before the cycle is complete so I can put otos in. Maybe limpets are the answer? Too bad no one sells them. I think I'll keep this guy for now.

My anubias glabra mini turned white. Interestingly, my rotalas turned white and some have died and most have recovered since then. It seems that anubias has some sort of lagged response or it could just be that these may have been variegated version all along but not sure since it was given to me as freebie.

Hopefully this is a stable trait since it looks cool.

Added this last weekend a healthy ozelot sword, 4 days later looks like this. Ive seen melt before in this tank on my ruben sword but didnt fully engulf the plant like this. Water params are normal, no co2 just root tabs and liquid fert

This is my UNS 45T. Full of easy plants such as Guppy Grass, Cryptocoryne, and Micro Sword. Fauna includes a mix of Micro Rasboras (Boraras sp.) and Blue Neocaridinia. No CO2, occasional PPS Pro ferts, and ADA aquasoil is the substrate. From first image to second is 2 weeks of growth from the Guppy Grass-a true aquatic weed!

I recently got some anubias and bucephalandra for the first time. I’ve noticed the anubias leaves yellowing from the edges. The buce leaves are going pale and a bit transparent on the edges. Is this some sort of nutrient deficiency? For the bucephalandras, the sordidula blue are effected but my kedagangs are completely fine.

Hi everyone,

This is my first tank build (Fluval Flex 57L / 15 gal), currently about 6 weeks old.

I upgraded the lighting to a Fluval AquaSky 2.0 and the filter pump to an Eheim compactON 600, and things seem to be settling in well so far!

Current Stock:

* 11 Neon Tetras

* 11 Yellow Fire shrimpy shrimps

* 3 Orange Ramshorn snails

* A few Bladder snails

(Note: I know the tank footprint isn't ideal for the Neons long-term. I already have my eye on an 90P where I plan to move them into a much larger school, so this 57L will eventually transition into a dedicated Betta tank.)

Looking for advice on two things:

1. Low-tech carpet plant: I'd like a carpet between the driftwood and the stones in the foreground transition. I’m running no CO2 and don't want it growing tall. What hardy, low-profile carpet plants would you recommend for this setup?

2. Betta layout prep: What should I tweak or add to make a Betta happy here? Do they need floating plants, resting spots near the surface? And what should I do to baffle the flow?

Thanks so much for your recommendations! General feedback on my first tank ever is also very welcome. I'm really loving this hobby, have so much to learn, and am super excited for the next tank!

this is the tank I just planted is my monte calro planted deep enough I just did it yesterday is there anything I should be doing today? how long till I have the lushest carpet in the league? I also got some glue marks during some trial and error will those go away?

1st pic: current photo of my tank
2nd pic: other tank i have no issues with
3rd: middle point between current and my old tank
4th pic: when i set the tank up

sorry for the confusing layout.. wasn’t sure how to put it

anyways, i’ve been actually so upset with my tank. it’s a 10 gal currently in some type of bacteria bloom(water parameters have been tested and are normal) but over the past year i guess that i’ve had this tank set up, plants would die, i’d take them out.. put more in. i woke up this morning after putting an algae tablet in for my other snail/kuhlis and it bloomed weirdly with white stuff on the ground..(mostly guessing i had a buildup of duckweed that stilled the current of the sponge filter).. but honestly i have no clue what is going on. i’ve used root tabs, flourish, the only plant that has never fully died is the duckweed, even my water lettuce and red root floaters died. my betta will eat shrimp so i can’t add those. i have no issues with my other tank, the plants grow amazing and look vibrant and i use the exact same things for each tank. i don’t have a co2 system if that matters.

i guess im just wondering what the next steps can be.. just very disappointing for not making this work i want to have this tank thriving fr. however i dont want to keep on funneling money into things that wont work. any advice is appreciated!!

My tank survived the first month 😁🙏🏻

All plants have the same tones. Which plant would you complement to make it more exciting.

I have the following plants in my aquarium:

- Hydrocotyle tripartita

- Cryptocoryne parva

- Hygrophila angustifolia Rubra

- Cryptocoryne balansae

- Bucephalandra sp.

- Nymphoides hydrophylla 'Talwan

- VESICULARIA MONTAGNEI

I set up a new 75 gallon dirted tank with the intent to slowly move the plants and fish over from my established 29 gallon tank and then take it down. I ordered some plants and transferred a few from my established tank. Yesterday morning, I look in the new tank and there are at least a dozen fry swimming around. I really want to know what they will grow up to be so now I'm stuck waiting until they grow enough not to become a snack for my other fish. I wish I knew if the eggs came from my tank or hitched a ride in from the plants I ordered.

I bought water wisteria, dwarf hygrophila, Anacharis and ambulia. I used one inch garden soil, then natural gravel stone from the river bed. After planting them, they are floating up to the surface instead of staying planted. Only Anacharis seems to have started Pearling. This is day 3 of planting them.

Unfortunately my town does not have many selections of aquatic plants. The tank is small only 12×8 inches. It is situated in my balcony, so full day indirect sunlight with direct morning sunlight. I introduced two nerites yesterday. No other fishes.