Recommended 10 gal set up for kiddo

[Elizabeth]

My kiddo has a fluval spec 5 gallon and would like to upgrade her beta to 10 gal.  She has had terrible luck growing plants and has tried low light plants with root tabs, easy green and has black substrate from co-op store (not sure what’s it’s called).   Yet no luck.  Hoping when we upgrade the new setup will better support plant growth.  As a surprise I would like to get her started with buying her a new set up as a holiday gift.  Can someone recommend a 10 g tank, light and heater?  There are so many options and I am not a fish person.

[ange]

What kind of light are you using? It sounds like you're providing enough nutrients so I suspect that's where you're running into problems. Aquarium Co-Op has a lighting guide that's pretty easy to read.

Petco is having it's $1 per gallon sale in a lot of places and that's where I've purchased every 10 gallon that I've ever used.

There isn't any "one heater to rule them all" and over time I've preferred to heat the room rather than heating the tank, but Eheim and Fluval both make well reviewed heaters. I would lean toward Fluval because it has a good warranty and heaters are prone to failures.

[FrozenFins]

if your not planing to grow any plants here are a few links 

Heater

https://www.amazon.ca/Pawfly-HT-6050-Aquarium-Submersible-Thermometer/dp/B07QWT8JFR/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=10+gallon+heater&qid=1606095719&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUFEMFo4UzUyRFpJNjkmZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTAyODM3NjQxNkZHMEpCUzVMU1omZW5jcnlwdGVkQWRJZD1BMDY2ODk2NDJWV1BJQ0xWVjVXUCZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

This one is a light inside of a lid

https://www.amazon.ca/AQUEON-Led-Full-Hood-Black/dp/B00U9OCKG4/ref=sr_1_12?dchild=1&keywords=10+gallon+aquarium+light&qid=1606095749&sr=8-12

 

[Elizabeth]

She is using the light that came with the fluval spec 5.  The plan is to keep trying to grow plants.

[Hobbit]

Do you know what’s been happening to her plants when they die? Do they get brown and mushy or do they get covered in algae or something else?

I agree on the recommendations for a tank from Petco at the $1 per gallon sale, the lights from Aquarium Co-op, and the eheim or fluval heaters. 🙂 I use this 50 watt heater in my ten gallon: https://www.amazon.com/EHEIM-Jager-Aquarium-Thermostat-Heater/dp/B003U82YEY?th=1

[Elizabeth]

Here is what it looks like at the moment.

[ange]

That looks like algae, are the lights on a timer? It's possible that you either have too much light or too many nutrients (or both) for the Java fern.

[Elizabeth]

She runs the light about 7 hours.  Not sure how to determine if there are two much nutrients.  She has only a beta in her tank.

[ange]

A very basic way to test for nutrients is by doing a nitrate test (one of the most common nutrients in aquariums). There are liquid test kits which I prefer but there are also strips. With slow growing plants like Java fern they'll consume nutrients more slowly so if you have fertilizer, there's a chance that you're overdosing.

[Elizabeth]

She said she checks it and is within range.  She has reduced her easy green down to 1 pump.  CO-OP recommended 2 when we bought it.  

[ange]

Are you sure they told you to use 2 pumps? The 2 pump recommendation is based on the average amount of nitrates you'd expect an aquarium's livestock to contribute as well as the plants that are stocked. That's almost 4 times the amount I would suggest for a 5 gallon that's lightly planted.

Did your daughter say exactly what the nitrate reading was? Most planted aquariums are in the 20-40ppm range.

[Elizabeth]

Yes but that was before the she started using the tabs.  I’ll ask her to check nitrates this week and report back. 

[ange]

Alrighty 😀 Just a heads up, not all plants will benefit from root tabs (and the same applies to Easy Green). Certain aquatic plants feed more heavily from their roots (Cryptocoryne, Vallisneria, Amazon swords) and others feed more from the water column and like liquid fertilizer (Java fern, Anubias, Pogostemon). Depending on what plants you have, that could be a contributor to excessive nutrients (if that is in fact your issue) because the less-preferred fertilizer is consumed more slowly.

[Mel]

I would definitely pick up a tank from petco right now. You could get a glass versa top and then order a Finnex Stingray 20in light from Co-op. I have the 24in and it's nice. With that light she could even add some stem plants. I wouldn't want the hoods that use bulbs personally. I'd rather have the LEDs.

I see that others mentioned Eheim heaters and I've also had good experiences with them!

If she doesn't have a timer already, you could pick up the Kasa smart plug from Co-op too. I'm forgetful so having a timer is super helpful for me. 😅 

[Maggie]

Whatever brand of tank you get (I have aqueon), for the top a hinged glass top works well for whatever light you use. If you can't find the aqueon brand (I have never seen any other name brands, but am sure they must exist), try top fin from petsmart - i have one in my 10 gal and it appears to be the same quality as aqueon. I have a shrimp filter in mine, but probably any HOB filter will do as long as it has room for extra filter material, and Coop recommends a sponge filter w/airline and air stone as well. I have both aqueon and fluval heaters, and a spare for each tank (need for spare I suppose depends on where you live). I have aqueon LED lights which are good for low or medium light plants (check around for prices as they vary widely). The plant I have the best luck with is water sprite, but have lost quite a few others, and find it easier to understand my fish than plants! You might have luck with the "easy planter" with the plants Cory recommends in the video that will send out shoots all over.

[Hobbit]

I agree with @ange that it looks like an algae problem to me, and that means either too much light or too much nutrients. Her light schedule sounds great so I’m also guessing it’s a matter of too much nutrients for the amount of plants she has.

Like @Maggie I’ve had a lot of luck with water sprite. It grows quickly and can use up nutrients faster than the plant in that picture. You may also consider some floating plants like Salvinia. They use up nutrients really fast because they have access to CO2 in the air. They also provide shade which bettas tend to like.

The other thing I’d suggest (if she doesn’t have them already) is getting some snails! Especially in a 10 gallon, there will be plenty of room for snails. They’ll eat algae and give the betta a friend. If you get a nerite snail they won’t reproduce, but if you get other kinds of snails you might have a large population on your hands within no time.