Stocking and Aquascaping a 10-gallon Tank

[SilverArowanaBoi]

Hey y'all! So, I have a 10-gallon tank that I got a little while back, and I'm wondering if I should make it into a planted aquascape.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here are some stocking ideas I have, and I'm wondering if they would be good:

1. Betta with snails (or other tankmates).

2. 3 Diamond tetras with 3-5 pygmy corys.

3. 2-3 African Dwarf Frogs with dwarf frogs

4. Pure shrimp tank with various types of shrimp

5. Pure Pea Puffer tank
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As for decor, here are some ideas I was thinking of:

Asian Setup: 1 Small Bonsai driftwood tree with moss, sand, soil, and probably small grass.

Asian Setup 2: A couple of small dragon stone rocks with moss, sand, soil, and small grass.

American Setup: 1 Piece of medium-sized driftwood, medium-sized rocks, sand, soil, and smaller grass and floating plants.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Finally, what is the best filtration, soil, stand, background, and other planted tank necessities? I don't know much about successful planted tank keeping, but I want to try it.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Also, I won't do this immediately. I think the earliest I will do this is next summer; the latest is around this time next year. So I'm not in a rush. This year, I'm focusing on getting my big tank fixed, and then once that is done, I will move on hopefully to nano tanks. I'm almost done with plans for my big tank, so that's why I'm suddenly talking about my small tank.

Thank you in advance for any advice!

 

[tlindsey]

Hey y'all! So, I have a 10-gallon tank that I got a little while back, and I'm wondering if I should make it into a planted aquascape.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here are some stocking ideas I have, and I'm wondering if they would be good:

1. Betta with snails (or other tankmates).

2. 3 Diamond tetras with 3-5 pygmy corys.

3. 2-3 African Dwarf Frogs with dwarf frogs

4. Pure shrimp tank with various types of shrimp

5. Pure Pea Puffer tank
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As for decor, here are some ideas I was thinking of:

Asian Setup: 1 Small Bonsai driftwood tree with moss, sand, soil, and probably small grass.

Asian Setup 2: A couple of small dragon stone rocks with moss, sand, soil, and small grass.

American Setup: 1 Piece of medium-sized driftwood, medium-sized rocks, sand, soil, and smaller grass and floating plants.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Finally, what is the best filtration, soil, stand, background, and other planted tank necessities? I don't know much about successful planted tank keeping, but I want to try it.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Also, I won't do this immediately. I think the earliest I will do this is next summer; the latest is around this time next year. So I'm not in a rush. This year, I'm focusing on getting my big tank fixed, and then once that is done, I will move on hopefully to nano tanks. I'm almost done with plans for my big tank, so that's why I'm suddenly talking about my small tank.

Thank you in advance for any advice!

I suggest #1Betta and snail. and #1 Aquascape.

 

[SilverArowanaBoi]

I suggest #1Betta and snail. and #1 Aquascape.

I agree with that one too, It was the idea I liked best lol.

 

[Deadeye]

I second tlindsey

Lowest maintenance and the simplest display.
The snails would make good food for fish as they breed.
You can attempt to keep neocardina with the betta if you have enough cover.

I’d wait on dwarf puffer or dwarf frogs until you have a bit more experience - they can be rather tricky without enough experience.

 

[SilverArowanaBoi]

What is the best substrate for the 10g, and what is the price of it? I'm figuring out the costs for everything so I can save up.

I want to do a planted tank, so I want something that will be beneficial for plants.

 

[Caveden]

What is the best substrate for the 10g, and what is the price of it? I'm figuring out the costs for everything so I can save up.

I want to do a planted tank, so I want something that will be beneficial for plants.

If you want to do a planted tank, the bottom layer of substrate should be aqua soil, followed by gravel/ sand, so the plants can absorb nutrients from the soil and roots can stabilise there.
Some aqua soils that I find quite good are Platinum , dennerle, tropica.

 

[SilverArowanaBoi]

If you want to do a planted tank, the bottom layer of substrate should be aqua soil, followed by gravel/ sand, so the plants can absorb nutrients from the soil and roots can stabilise there.
Some aqua soils that I find quite good are Platinum , dennerle, tropica.

Thank you!

 

[SilverArowanaBoi]

Sorry for all the questions, but what is the best aquarium stand for a 10-gallon tank? I would prefer a minimalist stand as it is going in my bedroom; I don't want a huge piece of furniture clogging up my small bedroom. I also want it to be high so my tank can be seen either close to eye level or at eye level.

On a side note, I figured out a tankmate for my potential betta...an Asian Stone Catfish. I highly doubt there would be any trouble between the two as they operate at different times of the day. The only catch is finding the catfish, lol.

 

[Deadeye]

I have the imagitarium wood stand for a 10 - working pretty well.
The metal frame ones are pretty cheap and work well too (less decorative) - no shelf space inside though. I have one for my 40B.
Asian stone should be good, though like you said, the trick is finding one. There’s a few online retailers but that’s a lot of shipping for a cheap fish.
Most stands won’t be at eye level, but you don’t really want it to be as it gets really top heavy and unbalanced that way.
I just have sand in my 10 and Val is growing well. The plant specific substrate is good too.
In a different tank I have swords taking off with the fluval stratum + sand.

 

[Matth05]

I’d go betta as well. More specifically though I’d go with a short fin plakat variety, that is if you’re going with a domestic. I was surprised by how outgoing these tiny fish are. Even my wild mahachaiensis is quite fearless, to the point where he’ll swim around my hands and siphon during water changes.