Opinions on my tanks. more info in post

[tzahroxi]

just looking for some opinions on my tanks. tell me what you think. sorry that it is a long post, but thank you if you read it

 

This was my first tank in my current apartment. it is a 40 breeder that i purchased right around when the covid lockdown happened in the states. i use to work at a pet store during that time where animal shipment were stopped to prevent the spread of covid. most of the fish had been sold at the time and there were only a few left. in caring for them i grew attached and purchased them after i got the tank set up. it was my first attempt at a planted tank and aquascape. im still trying to get better in both departments. i was recently recommended to add some floaters for nitrates but my filters are a bit too strong and seem to be killing the salvinia so i have taken them out since this picture was taken. the breeder box is one of my fish's temporary holding cell as they have been a bull to my younger fish. i mostly keep livebearers in here (mostly platies, but some mollies and swords), there is the remainder of a albino cory school that i have, along with a rubbernose and clown pleco, and who knows how many shrimp and snails (they just vibe and eat all the algae). i recently added a school of ember tetras from another tank i broke down and they love to group together with the young platy fry.

this was my second tank, i think it is a 6.7 or a 7.5, i cant remember. i didnt actual purchase it cause it was a customer return. the lid was broken but everything else was completely fine. so instead of the tank getting tossed i took it home and ran to walmart to buy a cheap picture frame and used the glass as a lid, work pretty ok. i hate the internal filter those as it leads to algae problems. i tried the aqueon shrimp and plant substrate in this tank and it works wonderful. i use to use the eco complete but i found the rough gravel was harsh on plant roots. the current one works great and i love it cause of how gentle it is on roots. makes moving plants easier. right now it is home to spooks my latest betta who hates snails with a passion, three amano shrimp, and a bristlenose pleco that i was growing out in there. i got her when she was smaller than a half dollar. now i think its time to move her soon. she really loves algae waffers and tried her best to keep them away from spooks who wants a bite sometimes.

This was my third tank. i was wanting to get another betta at the time and would need a new tank to house them so i got this one. it came as a kit with the same substrate at the one above. it also came with a built in light and filter but i hated them. i keep the filter as a back up but i now run the tank with a sponge filter and a stingray light. i really love how the anubias in the tank have flourished so much, they used to be so smol. in addition to the plants i have my betta named butter in there along with an active shrimp colony that butter seems to keep in check and two nerites. also does anyone know what the dots on the side of the glass are? they look like small clumps of little white dots but i dont see anything else weird in the tank.

this is the 10 gallon that i mentioned earlier. i hated the scape so i broke it down and rescaped it. it is my first "dirted" tank, aka im using fluval stratum with a gravel and sand mix cap. i dont have a hose or a yard to flush the sand so i just had to put it in there. its has mostly settled. i used the hob filter to kinda help with this. ill eventually take the hob out and just leave the sponge filter in there. i placed the remainder of the salvinia i had in here. i plan to add some dwarf sagitaria and assorted crypts. i dont know what fish to add to this tank though. i dont want to do embers again. are there any other small school fish i could put in here? also if the hardscape good? i really tried to work with the hardscape this time. i wanted something unique but pleasing

this is my most recent tank. i got it a couple of weeks ago with the stand for a pretty good deal. it is the fluval flex 32.5. im really excited for this tank. i dont know what to really do with it though. i originally picked up some pearl danios on a whim and had them in my quarantine tank, but they had some issues with the other fish i had in quarantine with them so i had to separate them into here. i believe the tank cycled pretty fast due to me added in some used gravel from another tank with some bacteria to help get it started it. thankfully the levels were safe for the danios and they have been doing really well since. i picked up a few more and added them in to make the school a little larger and now there are 8 of them and a couple of ghost shrimp and a mystery snail to help with the biofilm on the wood. i dont quite yet know what to do for the hardscape other than the spiderwood i added. i think some ohko stone would work well. any thoughts on the scape, plants, and other fish to add in the future?

 

[StevesFishTanks]

I like those fluval flex tanks. Maybe some tall flowing vallisneria across the back.

[tzahroxi]

thanks! ill think about that later but i need to get the materials for the hardscape first