Dimensions 61 × 30 × 46 cm

Title Sri-Lanka Highland Stream Biotope.

Volume 76L

Background Corkbark board and Corkbark

Lighting 36w Compact Flourescent 10hrs/day

Filtration Reverse Undergravel Filter with an additional powerhead for circulation.

Plants Cryptocoryne walkeri;
Cryptocoryne parva

Animals Cherry Barbs (Barbus titteya);
Banded Mountain Loaches (Acanthocobitis urophthalmus);
Ottocinclus (Ottocinclus affinis);
Amano Shrimp (Caridina japonica);

Materials 90%/10% Flourite/Gravel mix;
2 pieces of root wood;
assorted river rocks

Additional Information This tank receives daily doses of PMDD; .5 ml KNO3 solution and .25 ml of trace element solution. I've got the filter setup to be continually amending the substrate with the wastes in the tank as well to provide the rich substrate which the crypts need.

This aquarium is a biotope of a highland tributary of the Mahaweli River near the city of Kandy, Sri Lanka. The effect I was trying to recreate was that of a shallow streamlet cutting through the rainforest. Fitting in with that theme I chose the Cherry Barbs and Mountain Loaches as they are both less obtrusive and more peaceful than the Black Ruby Barbs which are also native to that area.

The aquascape was designed to ultimately allow the large plants to grow up and shade the lower portions of the tank while giving room for the short plants to overgrow the substrate, especially the front/center portions. The two species are starting to blend boundaries very nicely at this point with runners poking up in sections previously established for/by the other species.