Mud Substrate Aquarium - No Cap - Journal

[MattW24 140]

Looking great! This tank reminds me of the Foo the Flowerhorn 5 gallon videos on YouTube.

 

[FattyFish1]

8/8/26

View attachment 384788

Looking good. Any thoughts on livestock? How are the water parameters with the limestone staining?

 

[Barry Tetra2]

Looking good. Any thoughts on livestock? How are the water parameters with the limestone staining?

Probably some freshwater planktons. As for the second question, I don’t know about water parameters, I haven’t tested anything for like 5 years now.

 

[Barry Tetra2]

4/9/26: Plant has been growing well. Algae surface biofilm is now a problem and water changes cannot fix it.

 

[WhistlingBadger21 3]

Interesting. I'm surprised algae stands a chance with all those plants. It might pay to increase your biodiversity with some floating plants or some different species of rooted plants. Getting those zooplankton and macroinverts in there might help too. In my experience, biodiversity=stability.

Do you have any sort of water circulation (other than convection and diffusion? I bet even a tiny bubble stone or circulating pump would really help break up that surface film.

 

[Barry Tetra2]

Interesting. I'm surprised algae stands a chance with all those plants. It might pay to increase your biodiversity with some floating plants or some different species of rooted plants. Getting those zooplankton and macroinverts in there might help too. In my experience, biodiversity=stability.

I’ll try adding more ostracods.

Do you have any sort of water circulation (other than convection and diffusion? I bet even a tiny bubble stone or circulating pump would really help break up that surface film.

No, I don’t have any tech in there aside from the light. Adding tech would be against the rule that I made for this aquarium. In reality, the biofilm would be gone with just airstone. I’ll add it though if it’s really get out of hand.

 

[WhistlingBadger21 3]

The other thing to be aware of is that dirt puts out a LOT of ammonia, nitrates, and nitrites (and who knows what else) for several weeks, sometimes for several months, until the microbiome stabilizes. And dirt also has a ton of iron, which can cause algae blooms, especially if it isn't capped (plants love the iron too, though). I'm a devotee of the Walstad method, so I've done a lot of dirt-under-sand tanks. You're wise not adding fish until things stabilize.