BettaBetta Posted March 16, 2010 Report Share Posted March 16, 2010 (edited) Hi all, I took delivery of the black Fluval Edge (23l) today, it looks like this: This is the "Zen Bamboo Wall" that is sold specifically for this model, only available out of USA & costs around $65 landed in Oz. I have black tumbled glass substrate so think this would look great: However, I also adore this set up. Can anyone tell me what type of rocks they are and where I could buy some? Don't mind the colour but would prefer same column style with dead straight tops & bottoms in dark grey with veining. Is there an aquarium rock specialist in Oz who may stock something like this, any idea on what the cost per rock would be? Also, can anyone ID that plant, avail in Oz? Cost? Many thanks, all input appreciated Edited March 16, 2010 by BettaBetta Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dracon Posted March 17, 2010 Report Share Posted March 17, 2010 the rocks in the last pic look like petrified wood have no idea where to get it or what it would cost Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BettaBetta Posted March 17, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2010 (edited) the rocks in the last pic look like petrified wood Hiya dracon, quite right, that's exactly what they are ....well spotted! My fave lfs, the one that I visit daily brandishing my credit card, ID'd them & sold me 5 x absolutely rippers for $5ea & they're boiling as I type. Of course, as usual, it didn't stop there :dance: Edited March 17, 2010 by BettaBetta Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuckie Posted March 17, 2010 Report Share Posted March 17, 2010 I thought I posted this morning about what a nice tank that is. Meh, am so disorganised. Those rocks will look great! Can't wait for photos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BettaBetta Posted March 17, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2010 (edited) Well here it is, my "poor man's version" ... black tumbled glass substrate, 6 x petrified wood rocks & some wee "bushes". Tank contains 1 x VT fighter, 2 x black/white spotted mollies & a med. snail. I haven't been able to fill it completely (right to the top so it becomes a complete water filled floating glass cube) because I need to level it. Edited March 17, 2010 by BettaBetta Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dracon Posted March 17, 2010 Report Share Posted March 17, 2010 that looks good :dance: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuckie Posted March 17, 2010 Report Share Posted March 17, 2010 it looks great!!!! just a word of caution - be careful that the betta's finds can't snag on the plants (assuming they're plastic). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishbites Posted March 17, 2010 Report Share Posted March 17, 2010 Looks great with just the tank lights on... What kind of "bushes" are they - plastic or some type of hair grass? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul Posted March 17, 2010 Report Share Posted March 17, 2010 Lookin good... I'm amazed that you can get petrified wood for $5... has to be fake right??? Word of caution... Betta tend to jump...so you best be sure that you have a lid if you are filling your tank to the brim...even if your boy pretends to be lazy. Last thing you want is to find a dried fish outside the tank you've worked do hard to set up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BettaBetta Posted March 17, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2010 (edited) Thanks for the compliments all. The plants are the dreaded plastic ones that come in 12"x12" square mat that I just cut up. Have watched the boy like a hawk & he steers well clear of them. The ONLY aquatic plant I haven't managed to kill (despite liquid fertiliser, natural & fluro light) is the triffet-like banana lily, so I'm afraid it's the lovely unkillable Aqua One silk jobbies & placcy for me ... mind you, these "bushes" will be the ONLY pieces of plastic I'll ever put in a tank, plastic plants are like fingernails on a chalkboard to me and as Lilli says, deadly for tails! A total plant nut get fooled by some Aqua One silk plants in the lfs the other day & he stayed stumped for 30 minutes, god did he blush when he found out they were fake. Lookin good... I'm amazed that you can get petrified wood for $5... has to be fake right??? Word of caution... Betta tend to jump...so you best be sure that you have a lid if you are filling your tank to the brim...even if your boy pretends to be lazy. Last thing you want is to find a dried fish outside the tank you've worked do hard to set up! Cheers Paul, but the Fluval edge is actually a 6 sided fully sealed glass "floating cube" insofar as the only opening is under the hood where the light cover is. Yup, it's definitely real petrified wood..... Edited March 17, 2010 by BettaBetta Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul Posted March 17, 2010 Report Share Posted March 17, 2010 ps from me... if you put the big rock in the middle it might give a more balance look to the tank, and, also hide the filter. Just a suggestion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BettaBetta Posted March 17, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2010 Paul that filter thingie is really giving me the irrits ... the tall rock is in the corner hiding the bog ugly heater. I was thinking I'd get a fine black sponge pre-filter to cover that tube so it would blend in with the black outside wall? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul Posted March 17, 2010 Report Share Posted March 17, 2010 Can you put the heater next to the filter and hid them both with a tall plant or the big rock? If not, consider a second tall rock or a tall plant... go for similar shape/structure to the small "bushes' in a slightly different hue/colour to give definition.\/interest while maintaining a theme/pattern....wow...way tooo manY Jagerbombs at the local tonight!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neffy Posted March 17, 2010 Report Share Posted March 17, 2010 very pretty tank and rocks ! i think real plants would look nicer hehe but they are harder and pricey sometimes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuckie Posted March 17, 2010 Report Share Posted March 17, 2010 LOL at Jagerbombs! Sorry, totally OT. I think this tank is stunning. I also hate bog ugly heaters . :yes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BettaBetta Posted March 17, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2010 (edited) Can you put the heater next to the filter and hid them both with a tall plant or the big rock? If not, consider a second tall rock or a tall plant... go for similar shape/structure to the small "bushes' in a slightly different hue/colour to give definition.\/interest while maintaining a theme/pattern....wow...way tooo manY Jagerbombs at the local tonight!!!! Paul, yer a bleedin' genius, Jagerbombs & all ... I'll be back down at that lfs today rummaging thru the rock boxes to find another tall pillar - my face went all distorted & contorted at the thought of a random, tall, ring-in plant upsetting the minimalist look. I do, however, love the idea of a couple of other small "bushes" in a different hue/colour/leaf structure to give depth & definition. Sigh, wishes I wasn't a plant murderer. I'd give little java moss covered rocks a go in a flash if they weren't so damn expensive, but I'd even manage to kill them I'm sure. Those halogen lights wouldn't be much chop for anything "real" I'm afraid. Edited March 18, 2010 by BettaBetta Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishbites Posted March 18, 2010 Report Share Posted March 18, 2010 Why not try an anubias on a rock? They go well in low light and something like A. nanna stays quite small. Maybe one or two placed strategically on one or two of your rocks or a nice bit of wood would look good and let you replace the plastic with a real plant? Or maybe some crypts would work in the foreground and a taller anubias in the background? You could make your own java moss rocks easily with a bit of fishing line to wrap the moss onto the rocks - once the moss grows out you can take off the fishing line or just leave it covered.... Java moss is good in low light as well... Or try a carpet of Süßwassertang (freshwater seaweed - virtually impossible to kill) - get a flat bit of slate / glass and tie it on with fishing line - it will grow out fairly quickly and goes well in low light too... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BettaBetta Posted March 18, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 18, 2010 Hiya fishbites, some great ideas there, thanks ever so much! Before reading your post, I wore a path back to the lfs today (that's 8 days in a row) and found the one & only 20cm tall piece of petrified wood which covers the inlet perfectly. Only trouble was, I also had to buy a ruddy great petrified wood "boulder" to stop it from falling foward. "Would you like fish with those rocks Ma'am?" I'll post fresh pics when water clears a tad. Anyways, I'm feeling brave enough to attempt to cover some teeny weeny pebbles with java moss so I can toss all or most of those plastic things. I will definitely get some nanna & freshwater seaweed going in another tank as I'd hate to cover too much of that boootiful black glass substrate I've already been responsible for the death of 2 x crypts so will wait a while b4 I murder more. Hoping to buy some java moss at the Brisbane meet/auction in 2 weeks time & can get some tying on lessons first hand from someone - knowing me I'd ring-bark it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishbites Posted March 18, 2010 Report Share Posted March 18, 2010 LOL... I think a tank of lovely rocks sounds great! Saves on buying food for fish!!! With the süBwassertang - it will grow nicely in a little clump even without being attached to anything as long as there's not too strong a flow of water in the tank. maybe with the java moss - get a small practice stone - smear it lightly with some silicone (aquarium safe stuff) and press on some java moss then trim to shape and see how that goes.... or do the same to a round bit of wood that has been soaked - could almost end up like topiary (sp?). Make sure the anubias are mounted on a rock or wood - they don't like getting their roots/stems buried in gravel at all.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BettaBetta Posted March 18, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 18, 2010 Fishbites you're a gem! I've read & read on the topic of attaching Java Moss & it did my head in, all that tying and all those dang knots .... ye gads, I need my reading glass & magnifying glass to see my bleedin' fish, how the heck I was going to manage tying was beyond me. However, whoever would've thought of smearing silicone & then attaching the moss, what a fan-friggen'-tastic idea!!!! I saw pics of the süBwassertang on the www & loved it, however, finding a source to buy it is going to be another matter entirely me thinks. I imagine it's fairly exxy too, which is a real bother as my credit card is sailing far closer to the wind post fish fetish than it should be. If I had an idea of cost of this stuff I'd put up a WTB ad, but I'd hate to embarrass myself if it's pricing was out of my league. I just spat coffee all over my monitor after seeing some crypts & nannas on teeny, weeny logs for upwards of $35 in an online shop - yikes says the plant murderess!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishbites Posted March 18, 2010 Report Share Posted March 18, 2010 LOL... only just thought of it myself after seeing a bit of moss had fallen off a clay pot in a tank.... going to try it myself but make sure you let the silicone cure in another tank without fish for a week or so before putting it with fish... Re süBwassertang - this person has some up for auction starting at $12 on ebay..... Thats how much I sold clumps for last time i had some available... paid a lot more for the initial piece though.... If you can't get onto the ebay one or some locally let me know and I might be able to scrounge up some from my shrimp tank for you.... Same guy on ebay has peacock moss at auction starting at $12 too... nicer than java moss and just as easy to grow really - branches a lot more than java moss too..... Not sure where you are but if you're in Brissy - someone at someone's Aquatics is likely to have some java moss for sale (I actually had a fish shop give me their java moss once because it was a pest in their tank! I said yes thanks very much!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BettaBetta Posted March 19, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 19, 2010 Well thanks to Paul & his Jagerbombs the filter inlet is now camo'd (see below). I'd rather have a rock crowded tank than bits of equipment hanging off every wall Fishbites, I'm one lucky camper, someone's shop is, oh, about 10 mins away from home ... but how to go there looking for plants & not more babies Ok here's the before & after filter inlet covering .... Before Inlet Camo After Inlet Camo Before Inlet Camo After Inlet Camo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishbites Posted March 19, 2010 Report Share Posted March 19, 2010 Looking good now with those strategically placed rocks.... Good location - 10 minutes from someone's shop! Bad location - 10 minutes from someone's shop!! LOL... is it will power or won't power that gets you to resist the temptation of more fish!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BettaBetta Posted March 19, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 19, 2010 LOL I've bought 2 x fish from someone, one of whom I absolutely adore (my avatar) .... he's a goldfish in a fighter's suit! Both my "someone boys" are absolute gentlemen who've been so sweet & kind to the other fish sharing their space. I don't have a spare inch of flat surface to put another fish anywhere - I'd use the toilet cistern if it was flat! However, I've requested someone to source one last boy for me that I simply cannot live without & this be him ... then I'm done, all done .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul Posted March 20, 2010 Report Share Posted March 20, 2010 Looks great..... Hooray for alcohol ?????? Maybe, but boo to alcohol tomorrow!!!! You've done a great job, but I think it would be cheaper for you to move suburbs, and avoid anything that has to do with water, fish, filters etc, and especially importing AMAZING looking Betta! Note:I'd be doing the same if I had the time/patience. Congrats! And hope the red/gold/black boy gets to you soon! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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