First aquascape: 90L Aquamanta tank

[Commander Shepard]

The first aquarium I built since I was a kid. It's a 90L Auqamanta tank (mainly because I really liked the idea of the mini sump at the back). An eclectic community tank with Gouramis, Forktail Rainbows, Chilli Rasboras, Smudge Spot corys, a Hillstream Loach, Otos, two types of shrimp, three types of snails, all getting along. The Peace Lily and Calathea in the sump mean that even with this bio-load I'm having to add macro ferts instead of changing water.

There's no CO2, but everything else is fairly high tech: there's high light (around 80w in total), ATO pump and a dosing pump being set up. Not really following any fertiliser regime, other than pouring in the bare minimum that still keeps the plants alive.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

Not really following any fertiliser regime, other than pouring in the bare minimum that still keeps the plants alive.

Plant growth looks pretty good.

Smudge Spot corys

Corydoras similis, I like those.

cheers Darrel

 

[Tim Harrison]

Very nice 🙂

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

The Peace Lily and Calathea in the sump mean that even with this bio-load I'm having to add macro ferts instead of changing water.

I'll put it in this thread, rather than your other one <"Micro fertiliser without K">, but we think that water changes <"Walstad revises"> are quite important for <"long term tank health">, although <"we don't really know why">.

I change a <"small volume of water fairly regularly">, other prefer, more infrequent, larger volume water changes.

cheers Darrel

 

[Commander Shepard]

Thanks!
@Darrel: Most plants are doing great. Had a lot of the Hygrophila die, only the one I stuck on as an epiphyte survived. That one's growing now at least. Monte Carlo (I think the larger nerites might be damaging it just by their movement) and Hydrocotyle are struggling a bit, not really growing. Very happy overall though. The Hydrocotyle was from a dodgy etsy seller anyway, brought in Hydra.

I really like the corys. A bit confused about their adult size now, MA marked it as 4cm and the employee there said the same, but everywhere else it says 7cm. It's fine either way, but wont't get any more just to be sure.

I'm not opposed to water changes of course, but I do travel quite a bit, occasionally even up to a month, so automation is important for me. I could probably jury rig the chihiros doser to do water changes, but I hope I can get the tank to be fine without for a month at least, maybe more. There are plenty of tanks like that people have shared, though It's probably harder to get it right than I think.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

but I do travel quite a bit, occasionally even up to a month, so automation is important for me. I could probably jury rig the chihiros doser to do water changes, but I hope I can get the tank to be fine without for a month at least, maybe more.

I'm away <"quite a lot as well"> and because I use rain-water I don't normally get anyone to change the water while I'm away. I just get them to top up with DI water if required.

Have a look at <"Water changes whilst abroad">. When I'm back I just do more frequent water changes until I'm back in the <"conductivity datum range"> goldilocks zone.

I really like the corys. A bit confused about their adult size now, MA marked it as 4cm and the employee there said the same, but everywhere else it says 7cm. It's fine either way, but wont't get any more just to be sure.

They definitely aren't a big Corydoras sp. "Four cm" would probably be "standard length", so not measuring the caudal fin, but even with the tail fin included ("total length") I'm guessing that 7 cm is too big.

I usually use <"PlanetCatfish.com - Corydoras (lineage 9) similis (Callichthyidae) Cat-eLog"> and or <"ScotCat Factsheets: December 2008: Corydoras similis Heironimus, 1991"> as my "go to" catfish references.

cheers Darrel

 

[_Maq_]

When I'm back I just do more frequent water changes until I'm back in the <"conductivity datum range"> goldilocks zone.

Do I gather correctly that between WC your conductivity increases? What's the source? Fish feeding?

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

Go I gather correctly that between WC your conductivity increases? What's the source? Fish feeding?

I don't know exactly why, but if I've been away for a month it would normally have crept up by ~30 microS.

I'm guessing mainly via evaporation, particularly if the tank isn't topped up with DI water. The bioload might be another area, I don't ever have much in the way of fish, but I have plenty of Asellus and snails and there may be <"some plant decay"> (although usually mopped up pretty efficiently by the janitors). I usually thin the plants before I leave and I give them a feed, mainly because I want them to be active growth while I'm away.

I'm likely to be away more in the summer (vacation and fieldwork), so that might be relevant if the tank has been topped up with rain-water, this has a higher conductivity in the summer, (unless it has been particularly wet etc).

Even 30 microS rise is a very <"small amount of extra ions">.

cheers Darrel

 

[_Maq_]

Even 30 microS rise is a very <"small amount of extra ions">.

Not for me!