Betta Fish: First tank cycling!

Sharing my first planted tank setup! Thanks to everyone in the r/bettafish sub who helped me out with advice last week on what size tank to start with. I went with a 10 gal which will house my betta boy in a month or two once cycling is complete.

I scored most of the supplies secondhand for a really great deal from another hobbyist who was upgrading their setup (along with the plant cuttings! thank you kind friend!) so will be observing parameters along with efficacy of all the equipment/my setup to ensure everything is in line/effective before introducing a betta. Also hoping a little beneficial bacteria came over in the secondhand filter's sponge and will kickstart the cycle!

I would love the monte carlo to carpet in the area on the left in front of the leftmost rock but aware without CO2/if the light is insufficient it might not. This light seems a little dim/the spread seems a bit narrow for this tank, so I'll also be observing the effect of the existing lighting on the plant growth and algae over the next weeks to decide if a light upgrade is necessary. There is quite a bit of natural – though indirect – light in this room, so I want to see the effect of that in conjunction with the tank light. I have the light on a wifi timer for 4 hours from 8 am to 12 pm, off for 5 hours, and on again from 5-10 pm after listening to an interview with Diane Walstad. I'm hoping this will help the plants and reduce algae growth while also allowing us to enjoy our tank when we're home!

I will also be moving the heater to a horizontal position near the stratum at the back of the tank to improve efficiency as I keep my home quite cool; if this doesnt prove effective in keeping the tank warm enough for a betta I'll add a second 25-50W heater to give it a boost/backup.

Lid is also on the way and will be installed before the betta moves in! Will be adding pothos and monstera cuttings on the back side soon.

Thanks for looking – please wish me luck!