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Hide and Seek Riverbed (Low tech)

Saltynay

Seedling
Joined
27 Sep 2014
Messages
13
This is my first proper attempt at a planted tank. I have been into freshwater for 11 years but only dabbled in plants never truly researching the components to put together a large aquascape / art piece. So lets dig in:

Idea
I have for years loved my kuhli loaches and the way they remain almost unseen in a tank then suddenly reappear clumped behind the filter or a plant. So I want this aquascape to extenuate this. Yes I am crazy as I am going to spend money, time and effort to help my fish hide. However, I think it will add to the dynamic with the characters appearing from random places within the tank. I am going to achieve this through using PVC pipes to allow tunnels and caves through the substrate. To prevent the tunnels from becoming stagnant I will use 40mm diameter PVC and every month use a pump to clean out the tunnel from any detritus. I have also taken inspiration from a stream or creek running down a gentle gradient with the fish sleeping in caves within the soft banks to provide a rest bite from the flow of the stream.

Flora
  1. Foreground - Staurogyne Repens
  2. Midground - E. Tennellus, E.Bleheri, E. Aquartica, E. Red flamed, E. Vesuvias,
  3. Background - Nymphaea stellata, Nymphoides aquatica
  4. Moss accents - Christmas Moss (Vesicularia montagnei)
Fauna
  • Kuhli Loaches x 6
  • Dwarf Corydoras x 5 (or another small bottom dweller)
  • Ceylon/Werners Killifish x 3
  • Lyretail Killifish x 3
  • Inverts - Cherry shrimp, MTS, Assassin Snails, Ramshorn snails and horned Nerite snail
Equipment:
  • Tank: 105Ltrs painted black on 2 sides
  • Lighting: T8 20Wx2 installed in a white hood
  • Prefilter: DIY Hagen Matten Eck Filter
  • Filter: Eheim 2227 wet/dry
  • Substrate: Tropica Complete
  • Sand cap: Caribsea Tahitan moon black
  • Heater: Eheim Jager 150W at 26C
  • Misc: Eheim installation kits 1&2, PVC pipes and angles 40mm, PVC pipe 100mm, silicone, Digital thermometer, Planting tools
 
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So progress so far:
Pipe caves (Click to enlarge).

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(Click to enlarge)
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I tried to use as little silicone as possible so that I can disassemble in the future if I need to and so that no air gets trapped in the pipes. I used solvent weld joints (but didn't solvent weld) as these form a 1" cuff for the join so its tight and won't leak substrate and not truly sealed just a compression fit. I used a pair of my better half's old tights cut into bags and filled with gravel to form my base for my substrate. This is for two reasons - 1. Too reduce the chance of an anaerobic pocket associated with deep substrate 2. Because substrate is expensive and old tights filled with gravel is free. The big piece of pipe forming the main cave I sealed with a couple of pieces of old slate either end so it doesn't get filled in. There are also 2mm holes drilled in to the top of it so that the air can escape on filling.

Substrate added basic shape formed

(Click to enlarge)
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(Click to enlarge)
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I tried to layer my substrate nicely with the tropica complete first only on the banks either side and then capping with the sand and filling the centre well with purely sand. I didn't like the look as it was too strict and regimented giving an unnatural tone. So I sprinkled some tropica complete over the top. To be honest the left side came out better than the right as its a lot subtler however once its mixed there is little I could do to separate them and start over. I really like the aesthetic of the tank and the Hagen Matten Eck Filter (HMEF) blends perfectly into the corner to hide my inflow pipe, heater and thermometer sensor. The right side is left unpainted however due to the viewing angle and refraction through the water/glass its highly reflective and appears the same as the opposite side.

Main Cave

(Click to enlarge)
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(Click to enlarge)
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I used some silicone over the top of my port holes so that it would form a mantle to prevent the pipe filling with sand. The first picture is the general view and the second shows a sneaky look inside the cave with a torch, hopefully to find fish and shrimp sleeping in the future.

Looking forward for pics! Won't killifish eat the shrimps?

Jordi

You have a good point as Killis love to eat shrimps and shrimplets. To allow them to co-habitate I plan to:

  • Add the Killlis last once the shrimp have had a month to get established.
  • There will be a lot of hiding spaces especially behind the HMEF that the killis just can't get to for the shrimp to have their private time
  • Cherry shrimp breed rapidly and are cheap. If a Killi makes one its lunch it adds variety to their diet and makes them healthier, I have no issue with this and its also why I didn't choose a really interesting and rare shrimp.
 
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Id be inclined to set up a population of cherries before hand too :)
In 3 months with a starting group of 20 there is no reason you wont end up with 2-300 easily if there is nothing to predate on them.
 
Id be inclined to set up a population of cherries before hand too :)
In 3 months with a starting group of 20 there is no reason you wont end up with 2-300 easily if there is nothing to predate on them.

Precisely :D
 
Plants are ordered from Aquaeesentials. Had a couple of changes swapped the E. Vesuvius for Vallisneria Asiatica. As I bought from AE they don't stock the E. Aquartica so couldn't get that one for now. Swapped out E. Red Flamed for E. Hadi Red Pearl as I find it more attractive. I also got my first set of planting tweezers :D
 
Back with the next installment :D

Boring stuff
(Click to enlarge)
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Firstly as you may know Kuhli loaches are infamous for their ability to turn up in the most unexpected places including external filters. As my external is an Eheim Wet/Dry model half the time the canister is empty and this would be a disaster for any trapped fish. So out comes an off cut from the tights I used before with an O-ring to form my kuhli and shrimplet proof pre-filter, those keeping track will also realize I already have a HMEF pre-filter so the tights should never be in contact with any size able plant debris.

Plants Arrived

th_IMG_00071_zpsfafe4e16.jpg (click to enlarge)

th_IMG_00061_zpse9afb559.jpg (click to enlarge)

th_IMG_00051_zps55c9eb3e.jpg (click to enlarge)

Kudos to AE for ultra fast and cheap next day delivery. I should of bought more E.Tennellus and Staurogyne Repens, but I don't have a fortune to spend my bank account is already crying this far in. As a result I split my stock like crazy. One pot of Repens recommended to split into 8-10 stems, I split it in to 22. I hope 90% take and don't just brown and die as I will have to wait until next month to buy more.

The waiting game begins

th_IMG_00121_zps0709c8cb.jpg (Click to enlarge

th_IMG_00131_zpscfae8bff.jpg (Click to enlarge)

th_IMG_00141_zps8583fb74.jpg (Click to enlarge)

Well I started on the left and worked my way right, running out of plants about 3/4s of the way. I definitely need at least one more pot of E. Tennellus which I will try and grab from my LFS at the weekend. The right looks a little scruffy and will need quite a bit of clearing up but the left side I can already imagine once the plants are established. I planted my Nymph Aquatica on the front left as I want to see the roots spread against the glass and into the deep substrate. The Repens and Tennellus hiding the rooting and providing a degree of flow to the height differences. The current tank residents are some daphnia to give some movement whilst I wait for the tank to cycle.

P.S Also set my light timer 07:30 until 12:00 then 14:30 until 20:00 so 10 hours light total

Couldn't Resist

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(click to enlarge)

After starting at my layout for about half an hour I have made a few small adjustments to the positioning
 
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P.S Also set my light timer 07:30 until 12:00 then 14:30 until 20:00 so 10 hours light total
You have 40W over 27US Gallons -> 1.5W/G which is heading to high light territory and with 10hours on time will require carbon supplements (gas or liquid) or else you are heading to plant death and algae. Plants will prosper better also with one lighting period.

If you are keeping this tank low tech, you haven't mentioned CO2 or fertilisers, you will have to reduce you light levels as well as lighting period. Initially try (if you can) with just one tube on for 4 hours and see how it goes. If both tubes have to be on together try reducing light levels by covering some of the light, tape, foil, plastic etc.
 
You have 40W over 27US Gallons -> 1.5W/G which is heading to high light territory and with 10hours on time will require carbon supplements (gas or liquid) or else you are heading to plant death and algae. Plants will prosper better also with one lighting period.
If you are keeping this tank low tech, you haven't mentioned CO2 or fertilisers, you will have to reduce you light levels as well as lighting period. Initially try (if you can) with just one tube on for 4 hours and see how it goes. If both tubes have to be on together try reducing light levels by covering some of the light, tape, foil, plastic etc.

Correct I am using no CO2 or Ferts (apart from substrate) and my lights are 2xT8s. My lighting is from a built in lid so its 2 or none for turning the lights on although I could rewire another switch into the lid. I can reduce the light period for the time being though that is no issue. The reason for the gap is I want to see the tank when I wake up in the morning for work and when I return after work for a couple of hours. My research pointed me in the direction that having a 2-3 hour light break during the day gives an opportunity to extend the light cycle without disturbing the fish and is similar to a heavy cloud period during the day as there is still ambient light, I will go back to studying.
 
Hi all,
I think you will be fine in terms of light intensity on a ten hour day, I have a break during the day as well.
I'd just add a few floating plants and some stems. I've got spare ones you can have if you are in the UK?

Personally I don't worry too much about light period or intensity, I just let the plant mass increase in brighter light. I feed the plants via the <Duckweed Index>. It is a KISS solution to low tech tanks.

cheers Darrel
 
Well I am hoping the Lillies/nymphs once full grown will help to defuse the light at the surface. I will look into the Duckweed index later as I am still at work. What stems and floaters do you currently have DW?
 
Correct I am using no CO2 or Ferts (apart from substrate
You will eventually need some, though obviously not much. My mate with a low tech tank (and lower light than you) doses 1/4 EI dose when ever he remembers to feed the fish along with 1/4 dose liquid carbon when he remembers. Water changes, again sometimes, when he can be bothered.

Tank and plants are doing fine 18 months later, odd bit of algae sometimes appears on glass or anything that get too close to the light, but basically low maintenance and easy to look after. (looks dim compared to my high light CO2 tank, but hey ho).
 
Hi all,
What stems and floaters do you currently have DW?
Riccia, Limnobium laevigatum, Salvinia "auriculata group" & Pistia stratiotes as floaters (I've also got Lemna minor & Utricularia gibba, but you probably don't want them). Ceratopteris thalictroides (I have it floating, but you can plant it), Cabomba caroliniana, Ceratophyllum as stems. I've got plenty of all of them, and probably some other bits (I've got as lot of Hygrophila corymbosa, but it is nearly all emergent).

cheers Darrel
 
Thanks for the kind offer for the additional plants however the only one that fits my vision is H. corymbosa or the frogbit as I have sought out and grown them in the past. Are you still keeping a large stock of cherries and other critters? I have always aspired like yourself to have a self contained and balanced ecosystem through using an excellent selection of clean up crew.
 
Hi all,

however the only one that fits my vision is H. corymbosa or the frogbit
I always have Frogbit and your more than welcome to it. If you don't mind the Hygrophila having been grown emersed you can have it. It starts submerged but if there is room I just let it get on with it. You can see it escaping from the small tank.

lid_up_zpsf2edd702.jpg

Are you still keeping a large stock of cherries and other critters?
Yes and no, I am with the exception of the Cherry Shrimp.

I think the problem was that I was using clumps of floating java moss to collect the shrimps (net the moss and shrimps, transfer to the tank with the Apistogramma, a week later take the moss out, transfer it back to the shrimp tank, put a new shrimp filled moss wodge in etc.).

During the winter I noticed that I couldn't see many shrimps so I put using them as feeders on hold, but as the remaining shrimps grew out they all turned out to be male.

I think the problem is that the females are pretty sedentary, and I was selecting them by using the moss.

I will get some more shrimps and have another go, but the next time I'll net the shrimps which should select for the more active males over the females.

cheers Darrel
 
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