Thought i'd start a journal. Aiming towards an amazonian blackwater biotope.
Sand substrate. Loads of wood and leaves and the only plants to be floating. This is very much open to change. Have ordered indian almond leaves of eBay and Limnobium Spongia and salvinia of plants alive. My tap water ph is 6.4 and usually drops in my other tank. I had to add coral chips to the filter in my rio to keep it close to my tapwater. So I have a few concerns that with the addition of wood and leaves to get the blackwater appearnaces it may drop the ph too low for the filter. I may end up putting coral chips in this filter as well.
Stocking is still in the research stage
Apistogrammos may depend on what my LFS have. I have seen panduro and bitaeniata so far but I am still looking. Some dither fish, maybe some tetras.
Tank, Lido 120 litre.
I took out the internal filter and have replaced with a tetratec 700. My other tank has the 1200 so am comfortable with its workings.The tank is not a bad size.
The substrate is Argus play sand 15KG, washed through a pillow case. Which took no time and was quite easy. I have a few bits of drift and mopani wood but not altogether happy with them. I want taller thinner peices to get some height with the aquascape. Nothing in the LFS so will have to do a bit of internet shopping.
I moved some media over and have started a fishless cycle. My daughter started the cycle by peeing in the tank.Very thoughtfull of her.
Any thoughts most welcome.
Sand substrate. Loads of wood and leaves and the only plants to be floating. This is very much open to change. Have ordered indian almond leaves of eBay and Limnobium Spongia and salvinia of plants alive. My tap water ph is 6.4 and usually drops in my other tank. I had to add coral chips to the filter in my rio to keep it close to my tapwater. So I have a few concerns that with the addition of wood and leaves to get the blackwater appearnaces it may drop the ph too low for the filter. I may end up putting coral chips in this filter as well.
Stocking is still in the research stage
Apistogrammos may depend on what my LFS have. I have seen panduro and bitaeniata so far but I am still looking. Some dither fish, maybe some tetras.
Tank, Lido 120 litre.
I took out the internal filter and have replaced with a tetratec 700. My other tank has the 1200 so am comfortable with its workings.The tank is not a bad size.
The substrate is Argus play sand 15KG, washed through a pillow case. Which took no time and was quite easy. I have a few bits of drift and mopani wood but not altogether happy with them. I want taller thinner peices to get some height with the aquascape. Nothing in the LFS so will have to do a bit of internet shopping.
I moved some media over and have started a fishless cycle. My daughter started the cycle by peeing in the tank.Very thoughtfull of her.
Any thoughts most welcome.
although my cycle hasn't quite finished yet. I really do like the dimensions of them. I too want to get some height in the aquascape, as it is a tallish tank. I'm going to do this with plants though, and I've built up the substrate in the back left corner.
/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/377332-rio-orinoco-biotope/
