#165: 540L Biotope Aquascape Malawi Intermediate Zone

Jarrod Knight Melbourne, Australia

Comments

The fish are fine for a Malawi tank but there are two big problems for me with this tank. Although I've seen some really incredible artificial rock backgrounds this one LOOKS too artificial. Second if you were going to use this background you should have chosen rock that at least matched it in color. You would never find a heap of red stone beside the face of a grey rock wall.
— Karen Randall
The clashing colors of the background and rock are jarring and not typical of an environment like Lake Malawi. Next time please remove the hardware from the tank if possible.
— Phil Edwards

Aquascape Details

Dimensions 150 × 60 × 60 cm
Title Malawi Intermediate Zone
Volume 540L
Background DIY polystyrene, cut into four sections and shaped with a knife and heat gun. This was then painted with several different colors of pond sealer blended to look like the rocks. This was then coated with sieved gravel and then sealed with a clear pond coat. This has since dis-colored so I am hoping for algae growth to blend the two surfaces.
Lighting 2 x 4 foot tri-color at front and middle of tank. 3 foot tri-color at the rear. All lights attached to the hood about one foot above cover glass.
Filtration 120x40x40 sump with two main media compartments, first mechanical and second biological. Heaters in sump.
Plants None
Animals Fossorochromis rostratus x2
Aulonocara "German Red" F1
Aulonocara "Dragon Blood"
Aulonocara baenschi
Aulonocara "Ruby Red"
Aulonocara maulana "Bi-Color 500"
Cyrtocara moorii
Sciaenochromis fryeri
Nimbochromis venustus
Nimbochromis polystigma
Labidochromis caeruleus x2
Protomelas taeniolatus
Materials Substrate consists of 20kg of coral sand conbined with 20kg of washed river sand. Rocks are landscaping rocks that have been bleeched, boiled and soaked prior to use.
Additional Information One large wave maker to improve water movment an try and replicate the currents found in the lake. The initial layout had a small section of rock on the other end as well. This was removed to allow more foraging room for the fish.

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