30g Lake Inle Aquaponic Biotope

[WhistlingBadger]

As far as I’ve been able to find, margaritas doesn’t live in Inle. My info could be incorrect on that. But there’s plenty of time to figure it out. I definitely plan to start with Sawbwa resplendens and some small loaches, then add more as the plants grow ,if it seems beneficial.

 

[gwand]

Lake Inle Danio Inlecypris auropurpurea?

 

[WhistlingBadger]

Lake Inle Danio Inlecypris auropurpurea?

I’ve looked at those! They are really great looking fish, like miniature hill trout. I’d worry about their jumping habit since this is an uncovered tank. And I suspect they’re a lot harder to find. I really think I’d like to get breeding colonies of S resplendens and Inle or rosy loaches. Anything else is bonus.

 

[MattW]

Id be interested to know if your LFS's sell only males like mine did. It took me ages to find females. I ended up buying some online from a place at the other end of the country

 

[WhistlingBadger]

Id be interested to know if your LFS's sell only males like mine did. It took me ages to find females. I ended up buying some online from a place at the other end of the country

Hm, I didn’t think about that. TWS sells them in unsexed groups but I’ll probably get them from the lfs.

 

[WhistlingBadger]

Got the veggie raft in, a pepper plant in the center with roots hanging into the water, coco fiber pellets hydrated and plugging the holes, dwarf basil and tomato seeds planted in same. Should have some Corsican mint and water cress coming in tomorrow, and some bamboo stakes to hold the raft in place. You can see I also started building a wood/bamboo frame to hold the light up above the veggies.

 

[MattW]

Gonna look great when the plants grow in! Are you adding any terrestrial mosses? It would be one big fuzzy island

 

[Magnum Man]

how high are you going to mount the light (s)

 

[WhistlingBadger]

Gonna look great when the plants grow in! Are you adding any terrestrial mosses? It would be one big fuzzy island

Yes, I do plan to cover the island with mosses. I'm not sure which kind; it will depend on how high the island floats in the water. Living in a desert area with lots of riparian zones, I have the full gamut of mosses to choose from, from high-and-dry to semi-aquatic.

how high are you going to mount the light (s)

I'm planning to hang a cross bar about 10-12" above the island surface, then hang the light by adjustable wires so I can start with it right above the pepper plant, and raise it as the plants grow.

 

[Magnum Man]

my tank LED's burn my Pothos, and peace lilies, if they are too close... you may need to mount it higher, by the time your plants grow

 

[WhistlingBadger]

Could be. I plan to keep the plants trimmed to 8-10”, hopefully closer to six. Any taller than that and I’m afraid they’ll get top heavy and tip over my island. There’s a problem I bet the Intha people on lake Inle don’t have to worry about.

I was just reading that these floating gardens are also used to grow flowers, so if the veggies don’t work out I already have plan b. Low growing flowers might be a lot easier to find than low growing vegetables.

 

[WhistlingBadger]

Hardness: our water is super soft so I’ll have to harden it. I don’t like messing with water chemistry but there’s no way around it if I want to keep Inle fish. Plan to use cichlid salt. About 2 tsp at each water change ought to do it.

 

[WhistlingBadger]

Also thinking about having a go at neocardina shrimp. They don’t at all match the biotope but I’m having a heck of a time finding Inle crabs …

 

[fishorama]

I hate to be a buzz kill but my 10 rosy loaches, by any name, were very shy. I kept them with CPDs & they were also shy. I ended up giving my rosies to a club friend with many more in a huge tank. I also had some Inle loaches (I think, so called "Vietnamese hovering loaches". They were not as shy even though I had fewer...but not as pretty as rosies.

 

[WhistlingBadger]

I hate to be a buzz kill but my 10 rosy loaches, by any name, were very shy. I kept them with CPDs & they were also shy. I ended up giving my rosies to a club friend with many more in a huge tank. I also had some Inle loaches (I think, so called "Vietnamese hovering loaches". They were not as shy even though I had fewer...but not as pretty as rosies.

Yeah, everything's a trade off isn't it? I suspect for me it's going to come down to what my LFS can get. I'm hoping for Inle loaches; otherwise it will be rosies. Thanks for the info--good to know.