New Betta Aquarium Setup – Dennerle 30L

[_fido_aquascape]

Hey everyone! Thrilled to share my journey of setting up a new home for my Betta fish. This is just Day 1, but I’m more than excited about how things are coming together. I’d love to hear your thoughts and suggestions as I progress. Here's the setup so far:

Tank Details​

• Tank: Dennerle 30L (30×30×35 cm)
• Filter: Superfish HOB 100
• Heater: Aquael Comfort Fix 25W

Substrate & Hardscape​

• Substrate:
  • Tropica Plant Growth Substrate 1L (base layer)
  • Oase ScaperLine Soil Black 3L (top layer)
  • Added 8 Tropica Power Capsules for extra nutrients.
• Hardscape:
  • Bogwood chunk
  • Grey pillar rocks
  • Coconut shell hideout for my Betta
  • Glued together using cotton and Gorilla green gel glue for stability.

Currently, I’ve sprayed some grass seeds on the front (wet substrate) and covered the tank with cling film to help them grow.

Using a temporary light from eBay for now but planning to upgrade to the Chihiros B Series with Commander

Future Plans​

Once the grass grows, I’ll start planting. Would love any feedback, especially tips on planting ideas for a Betta-friendly tank. Thanks, and stay tuned for updates!

 

[megwattscreative]

Welcome to UKAPS!

Is this your first tank, or your first Betta tank? And could you share your water parameters? Just helps people give accurate and informed advice 🙂

I've never heard of grass seeds for carpeting - good luck with it! Carpeting plants and low light no co2 setups often don't go well together - carpeting plants are difficult to maintain without co2 and high light, which Bettas don't tend to enjoy. I'm no expert on carpeting plants, but someone with more experience can definitely advise you!

Bettas are blackwater fish, so worth adding lots of tannins by adding dried oak leaves etc - there's a good thread on collecting botanicals here. Floating plants will also do wonders for making the Betta feel safe & secure. Personally I think that drift wood is crying out for some moss and epiphytes like anubias & java fern, but that's my taste 😉 Bettas like lots of cover and leaves to rest on, so dense planting is ideal. Interested to see if your Betta will use the coconut hideout - I really enjoyed watching my dad's cichlids use theirs!

It's worth noting that Betta can and will jump. I would either reduce the waterline or add a glass)perspex top - although this will effect your lovely emergent bogwood. Worth it to preserve the fish in my opinion! Assuming there's still ample swimming room with the hardscape?

One other thing to bare in mind is sharp corners on the stones - not sure what kind of Betta you're going for but fancy finned varieties can cut/nick themselves on hardscape.

Good luck, hope this helps 🙂

 

[Little]

Sometimes (often?) the seeds sold as aquarium carpeting are just terrestrial grass and won’t last submerged long term.
None of the reputable aquatic plant stores stock them e.g Aquarium Gardens, Horizon Aquatics, Riverwood aquatics, Aqua Essentials, Pro Shrimp, Maidenhead Aquatics etc….
Not to alarm you but just to set your expectations that they may not work out.

Regarding planting advise, you cannot go wrong with Anubias. It is an easy plant, will love low light (as do Betta fish), comes in many varieties - big and small and most importantly the larger leaf ones are excellent resting spaces for your Betta to snooze on.

All the best 👍

 

[Maf 2500]

Yes, I have heard that the seeds sold as "aquarium grass seeds" are a scam. It would be wise to test them out in a plastic container before introducing them to a display aquarium.

 

[_fido_aquascape]

Hi Everyone,
I’m thrilled to join this forum and be part of such a knowledgeable and passionate community! While this isn’t my first tank, it’s the first time I’m engaging with an online community, and I believe there’s so much we can learn from each other.

Right now, I’m experimenting with seeds in my tank. It’s an exciting project, and I can’t wait to see what comes of it! Once the initial phase is done, I plan to add proper plants and get the water cycle started. Here’s what I have in mind for the setup:

• Plants:
  • Anubias for the rocks and wood.
  • Vallisneria and Amazon swords for the back to create a lush green wall.
  • Floating plants like water lettuce for a natural look and shading.
• CO2: Considering adding CO2 for better plant growth.

There’s still a long way to go, but I’m looking forward to the journey. I’ll keep you updated as things progress, and I hope my experience will be interesting and maybe even helpful to others here.

Thank you all for your comments and advice so far. I’m excited to learn from this wonderful community and share my progress along the way.