Anybody know about fresh water aqua scaping?

[Beman]

And I thought this would be a new fun, carefree and easy hobbie

Your experience is making me very happy I did not do this. I was actually seriously thinking for like 3 weeks about doing something very similar in a 10 gallon tank for a betta. I ended up with a hamster

 

[AnamCara]

Your experience is making me very happy I did not do this. I was actually seriously thinking for like 3 weeks about doing something very similar in a 10 gallon tank for a betta. I ended up with a hamster

I totally should have gotten a hamster.

I setup a second tank last night with just fake plants and stuff and low and behold it's not cloudy or stinky this morning. I over do things and THIS IS WHAT I GET BECCA.

 

[Beman]

I totally should have gotten a hamster.

I setup a second tank last night with just fake plants and stuff and low and behold it's not cloudy or stinky this morning. I over do things and THIS IS WHAT I GET BECCA.

Girl I feel ya... I loved the idea of tank with all live plants and drift wood. Even was looking at this ground cover plant that takes over like grass. I was watching tons of youtubes on it. And then I realized I would basically be getting myself into another chameleon experience with a huge learning curve. So I got a hamster that literally does nothing except look adorable when it is actually awake. Which is literally only at night when I am asleep.

 

[AnamCara]

Current update : this is still a disaster. Lollll. I am unable to get the ammonia down. Guy at the fish store sold me some live bacteria to help...it did not help. I ended up getting a second tank to setup a very simple, fake plant aquarium bc my fish is coming tomorrow and the planted tank is no bueno for a fish. Le Sigh.

I'm tempted to just start from scratch, but I know patience is key. Some of the grassy plants started dying. I'm gonna just ride this tank out and see what happens after 4-5 weeks.

 

[JoXie411]

I was wondering lately if I wanted a fish tank, now I know I don’t wanna fish tank

 

[AnamCara]

I was wondering lately if I wanted a fish tank, now I know I don’t wanna fish tank

Don't let me discourage you. I am, after all, an idiot.

 

[jamest0o0]

So I didn't read everything, but @DocZ gave good advice. Really you should do fish less cycles in any situation involving aquariums... simply test the water until the levels are where they're supposed to be at. The water will get yucky during the cycle, this is normal. YOUR AMMONIA LEVELS AREN'T SUPPOSED TO BE DOWN. Your tank is correctly cycling if they're up. Fish tanks are a patient process! Once the nitrates are up and the ammonia is 0(this takes like a month). Then do a big water change and slowly start stocking the tank.

It's not that bad to anyone reading, it's just not as simple as filling a tank with water either and throwing stuff in. You need to understand the basic chemistry(harder than it sounds). Not trying to be rude by any means, just putting it out there!

 

[jamest0o0]

On the other hand, some plants and maintaining planted tanks make chams seem very easy lol. But fish tanks are as difficult as you make them, simple fish/livestock can be super easy. Just be patient with the cycling process.

 

[jamest0o0]

Thank you for the thorough and detailed response! I just took my water to a store and the amonia was at a .6 . They said this is why I had a film. They gave me some refrigerated live bacteria to add to the tank. I'm hoping it helps. I am learning I needed to cycle my tank longer and water change once a week until it was all cycled.

And I thought this would be a new fun, carefree and easy hobbie

Buying bacteria isn't necessary and neither are water changes unless you're keeping living stuff in the tank(you can though, but it might slow the cycle as it reduces the ammonia). I kept a nano reef(which are no joke to care for!) alive, I promise I'm not lying lol.

 

[AnamCara]

So I didn't read everything, but @DocZ gave good advice. Really you should do fish less cycles in any situation involving aquariums... simply test the water until the levels are where they're supposed to be at. The water will get yucky during the cycle, this is normal. YOUR AMMONIA LEVELS AREN'T SUPPOSED TO BE DOWN. Your tank is correctly cycling if they're up. Fish tanks are a patient process! Once the nitrates are up and the ammonia is 0(this takes like a month). Then do a big water change and slowly start stocking the tank.

It's not that bad to anyone reading, it's just not as simple as filling a tank with water either and throwing stuff in. You need to understand the basic chemistry(harder than it sounds). Not trying to be rude by any means, just putting it out there!

You're not rude at all! I greatly mistook how long it would take to Cycle. I jumped the gun and ordered the fish too soon so I had to have a backup. The ammonia was too high for a fish to go in, so I went with the backup tank for now. I'm gonna keep cycling! I'm just an impatient a****le. (Also now I have two tanks which I wasn't planning on but if I'm going in on this aquarium thing I'm GOING ALL IN DA**IT!)

 

[AnamCara]

On the other hand, some plants and maintaining planted tanks make chams seem very easy lol. But fish tanks are as difficult as you make them, simple fish/livestock can be super easy. Just be patient with the cycling process.

I totally agree about the planted tank being harder than a Cham. I know everyone says keeping chameleons is so involved and hard, but to me it's just an expensive startup. Once you get the enclosure automated it's actually pretty easy (until they get sick, but even that was manageable because I have a very good vet who happens to be a moderator on these forums)

 

[jamest0o0]

Oops I said "harder than it sounds"... easier than it sounds is what I meant!

You're fine, just let the cycle do it's thing. Don't panic.

 

[jamest0o0]

A nice tank is so worth it in the end