Hi, I've read the forums for a while but I've decided to post. I have a 40 gallon freshwater and I've just gotten a new 10 gallon. Normally I wouldn't get such a small tank but I was at my aunts house and she has a 10 gallon tank and the set up is excellent.
It is full of nice plant and moss. The water is about 5 inches from top of tank and there is a floating piece of wood mounet to side of tank. there are about 10-15 fish in this tank and 2 small turtles. I know that seems crowded but they are the real small fish. There is rock and slate and all kinds of natural stuff at the bottom. She live in an area with lots of freshwater rivers and springs right near the santa fe river so there is no shortage of nice stuff to add to the tank ( not legal but not all that illegal to take stuff from a river).
I just have a few questions. Is it safe to take the water straight from the river and do fish caught in the wild do well in captivity? Just so you know the river I'm talking about it's the ichetucknee river. Basically it is all natural spring water and crystal clear.
Also, I want to add a little tint to my tank water. Kinda give it a naturl brownish murky color. Is there a type of wood or bark I could find in the wild that i could use to safely dye the water? I just want the tank to look like a natural as possible. I'd prefer a mud/sand bottom but i don't have the proper equipment. I want branches laying on the bottom with pieces of slat. I also want live moss and a few small smooth stones with moss and some natural and preferably native plants to florida.
If I get this stuff from a river do i need to treat it or clean it before putting it in the tank?
http://www.floridastateparks.org/ichetuckneesprings/