Help With Llanos(Ish) Biotope

[shrimply]

Hi guys, I have a new project, or more specifically an old one that's taken a logn time to develop.
 
I've had a brand new Fluval Vicenza 180 which I got cheap that has been sitting in it's box for over a year, and I've finally found time to work out what I want to do with it.  So looking for some feedback and advice.
 
I'm going for a set-up loosly based on the Llanos region of Venezuela, it's not going to be perfect for several reasons.  Firstly I believe it is near impossible to achieve a real biotope in an aquarium, there just isn't the resources or knowledge available and well I have my own ideas about what I want.  It's going to be clear water, with some plants.  I have some nice branches that I have stripped and sanded down and am going to collect some nice river rocks.  The substrate will be cat litter, mixed with slow release fertiliser. The cat litter is a nice reddy colour and probably finer than standard fine gravel which i think will suit the environment and fish well.
 
Plant wise I'm still deciding although it will be mainly Echinodorus spp and possibly some floating plants of some description, so any thoughts here welcome, nothing too demanding though or else it will probably die on me haha.
 
Fish I'm thinking a pair of Blue Rams, Microgeophagus ramarezi, a shoal of Three-lined pencil fish,  Nannostomus trifasciatus, a shoal of Red phantom tetras, Megalamphodus swegles.   I also have a couple of bristlenose plecs which will probably end up in there despite them not really belonging there.  Not sure what else, if anything will be stocked.
 
Anyone got any advice or suggetions?
 

 

[meandmykribs]

It's more of a question on your substrate rather than anything else I'm sorry
 
Does it matter what type of cat litter you use?? I have been looking for something finer than the gravel for my 400ltr and have heard og it being used before but brushed it aside as I thought I was having my leg pulled haha
Is there anything that comes in the litter that cannot go in the tank?
 
Sorry I wasn't a help to you Karen.

 

[TooManyChoices]

Watch from about 38:15, should give you some nice inspiration of rams in the wild. 
 
Dang it watch the whole darn thing! It's a beautiful documentary!
 
[VIDEO]http/www.youtube.com/watch?v=TzzJU810AIk[/VIDEO]

 

[TwoTankAmin]

Start with this: video shot of the biotopes and fish you are asking about.
 
[media]http/www.youtube.com/watch?v=naOxQqeGpaU[/media]
 
The waters are not so clear.
 
Here is another one from the Rio Atabapo which borders Venezuela and Colombia
 
[media]http/www.youtube.com/watch?v=duvFEPwabng&list=UUZHuEhmXzuA1iT-zGgKdPKg&index=7[/media]

 

[shrimply]

Thanks guys, I'll look through the vidoes in a bit and see what thoughts I get from it, any thoughts on the plants or stocking?
 

The waters are not so clear.

 
Well as I said I'm breaking a few rules, and from what I've read there are clear water areas in the llanos,maybe biotope was not the right word to use.  But, meh, I'm sure there will be less accurate "biotopes" out there.  Since, if we are honest, if we were to truly replicate what fish experiance in the wild it generally wouldn't look all that great, there would be a lot of algea and debris and gunk in most cases.  I'm more trying to match fish and plants that are likelyish to encounter each other in the wild and that look good together and will thrive under simiar conditions.
 
 

It's more of a question on your substrate rather than anything else I'm sorry
 
Does it matter what type of cat litter you use?? I have been looking for something finer than the gravel for my 400ltr and have heard og it being used before but brushed it aside as I thought I was having my leg pulled haha
Is there anything that comes in the litter that cannot go in the tank?
 
Sorry I wasn't a help to you Karen.

 
Hi Karen, it's no bother at all, feel free to ask away.  You weren't having your leg pulled, but there are only particular types that are suitable.  It needs to be clay and I think baked as well so it doesn't just turn to mush.  Clay is really good because ( goes away to google technical jargon) well basically my understanding is they absorb and hold excess nutrients in the water and slowly release them over time making it an ideal substrate for plants, particualry when combined with a slow release pelleted fertiliser.   The stuff I'm using is this http/www.tesco.com/groceries/Product/Details/?id=265235247 which i've seen used by quite a few others, it does take a lot of rinsing though and sadly has some sort of perfume added so it's important to wash it properly but as I say lots of others have used it without problem.  Here is an image of the first bucketful I managed to get rinsed
 

 

[meandmykribs]

Thanks so much for the taking the time to answer me I will have a look I think
I have the black fine gravel to go in it at the min but I wish to put cory Adolfoi in the big one and some Apistos so am debating if I should mix it with sand or something as soft for them (I am open to suggestions if you have any

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