Dimensions 122 × 46 × 53 cm
Volume 284L
Background Valisneria,Ludwigia and Java fern were used as background plants
Lighting Britelite PC 2x55 watts,6700 K
Filtration Aquaclear 500 with sponge and peatfilled filterbag.Emperor400 with .5l siporax, sponges
2 biowheels .
Plants Microsorium pteropus,Versiculata dubyana,Hemianthus micranthemoides,Nymphea lotus red and green, Ludwigia repens,Hydrocotyle leucocephala,Cryptocoryne wendti,Anubia barteri,Glossostigma elastinoides,Echinodorus "ozelot"just added 2"plantlets.
Riccia flutans,Valisneria americana,Rotala,Banana plants
Animals Various Apistogramma Species:nijsseni,uaupesi,borellii,sp.rio marmore,viejita CM II.
Dicrossus maculatus,Microgeophagus altispinosa,SAE's,Paracheidon axelrodi,Hemmigrammus rhodostomus,Hypessobrycon pulchripinnis,Nannobrycon unifasciatus,
Corydoras habrosus,pygmaeus.Sturisoma panamese,Otocinclus,several different shrimp species.Malaysian Trumpet Snails(too many :)).
Materials One large piece of driftwood planted with large Anubia barteri and Java moss left corner,one medium piece of driftwood holding all the
Java fern middle ;one piece of forked driftwood planted with Java moss and large Anubia barteri right corner,One large petrified wood rock covered with java moss in the middle foreground,smaller petrified wood rock ,one round granite rock for M.altispinosa spawning spot.
Additional Information This is our main tank in our dining room.
The initial goal of this tank was to set up a aquatic garden that also serves as an eye pleasing breeding community tank for SA Dwarf cichlids.Driftwood and hidden terra cotta saucers combined with a dense background plant cover provide breeding areas for our Apistogramma species.The Valisneria americana in the background grew two 2'in length ,the floating leaves provide an added security for shy species like Nannobrycon unifasciatus .
Apistogramma nijsseni,and other Apisto species were bred numerous times successfully in the middle java fern cover and in the Ludwigia cover, right corner.Lemon tetras were bred in this setup also. The Java moss and Riccia flutans provided enough cover and food for the tiny tetra fry.
The foreground was planted with low growing plants like Anubias , small Crypts, Banana plants,Glossostigma,Lotus plants and Babytears to leave open swimming spaces for several tetra species in the tank.One Echinodorus "Ozelot"was planted in the left foreground.The E.ozelot will be grown out to a size of 7~10'in this favorable location (lots of light) before it will be moved to another tank.
The tank setup requires weekly trimming of foreground and background plants.
The tank is now 14 month old.
Seachem Flourite was used as Substrate(3"). Semi automated(custom made regulator,needle valve and solenoid valve on a timer) CO2 Injection was added 9 month ago after experimenting with DIY yeast brew .Seachem flourish tabs are used as substrate fertilizer every other month. The water specs:
Ph6.2~6.4
Gh4, Kh 1~2
temp 82Deg.F
Waterchanges biweekly. Trimming of plants and filter cleaning weekly.
