6.6 Gallon Low Tech Planted

[Timshel]

Hey guys! Picked up a 6.6 gallon Petco bookshelf aquarium the other day, and wanted to show you guys the progress so far. Open to any suggestions!

Specs:
Dimensions: 24 x 9 x 8
Substrate: Play sand
Filter: Stock HOB, may upgrade to one rated for ~20 gal.
Lighting: Stock Lighting, 15 watt fluorescent. (Suggestions for an upgrade bulb?)
Décor: Malaysian Driftwood
Flora: Java fern (recovering from a long travel) Amazon sword, green ludwigia, Narrow-leaf sword(?) and java moss

Inhabitants: Nothing yet, considering doing RCS and maybe a pair of scarlet badis if I can find them... Or open to suggestions! Here is a before and after shot. I'm hoping the java moss will cover the wood, I know it look strange wrapped around it right now.
20130603_212803.jpg20130605_102628.jpg

[Timshel]

Update: Moved plants around a bit so the middle didn't look so cluttered. Also added three ADF.

[aquabee]

I like it!! Any fish/shrimp in there yet?

[aquabee]

Oops never mind! Just read what you wrote. It'd be awesome to have some cool snails in there too! I personally love nerites.

[mistahoo]

I would've went with a nicer looking moss, but java is nearly impossible to kill and perfect for low light. Female Scarlet Badis are extremely rare. I'd suggest looking for another fish or going with a single male or possibly two if you plant it densely. Badis will definitely hunt down your shrimp too.

Maybe go with smaller rainbows? Rasboras are a nice nano tank addition as well as pygmy cories.

That light should be enough for the java fern and java moss. The swords might do well in it.

Sent from my spaceship using Tapatalk 2.

[aquabee]

I absolutely love Christmas moss.

[Timshel]

20130610_132106.jpg20130606_192220.jpg Well, the plants will probably change up in time, but I just wanted to get some cheap greenery in there to start. (Hence why the damaged java fern is still in there.) Hoping that moss will grow onto the wood, as it's currently just wrapped around it. Also, picked up four little guys when I was up in Huntsville. They were collected and I'm curious if anyone might know what they are? They're loving bloodworms and flake already. Largest one is a little under an inch. Shaped more like killifish than minnows. I'll probably stick with this set of inhabitants for a while. Probably will add to the small school of those little guys but the frogs are doing well!

[mistahoo]

From the picture it seems to be a black striped killifish. I can't really tell since the pic isn't close up enough.

Edit: I meant killifish, not minnow.

[Timshel]

20130610_201108 (1).jpg Don't know why the pics keep getting rotated, but here's a better picture. I don't think it's a striped killi, but I may be wrong. Also, they are very lean in terms of their build- very long and slender.

[mistahoo]

Not a striped killifish, but a blackstripe killifish. Fundulus notatus. They're the only thing I can think of that can be caught locally that looks anything similar to what you've posted.

[mistahoo]

Here's some pics of them that I took from Google. They have a very slender build.

[Timshel]

Thanks! I guess I messed up on the google search and ended up with he normal striped killifish. But that's it, thank you!

[Timshel]

Update: Removed java moss completely. Tried changing it around several times and just made a mess, so it's out. Also removed java fern as it didn't look like it would make it-Going to prune it all back and place in a holding tank to see if it can get some new growth. Also added root tabs to help out, and added some water wisteria, windelov java fern, and some green crypt. Grabbed a trio of otos as well for algae control. Pics soon!

[Timshel]

Plants so far. Don't really have tall ones in the back because you see the tank from both sides.

Right side.
Wisteria.


Green crypt.
Some new pics!
Also grabbed some anubias "nana petite" today. Looks great! Water changes tomorrow, tank looks dirty now. Tank now has: 3 otos, 3 ADF, 4 blackstripe killifish. I'll be headed up to the area where I got the killifish this weekend, will probably grab a few more!

[jeb102385]

Looking good... the wood is a nice touch