46gal bowfront Amazon biotope!

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adeebm

Aquarium Advice FINatic
Joined
Jun 14, 2010
Messages
909
Location
Woodbury, MN
Maybe I've been making too many threads lol, but all I've had is a 10gal for two years so I'm kind of excited :D As per my previous thread, I got a 46gal bowfront off craigslist, and I've decided to try and make an Amazon biotope. Heres the tank specs:

46gal bowfront
80lbs eco complete substrate
2x39W T5HO lighting
Eheim Ecco canister filter(3 baskets, idk the model)
AquaClear 70 filter
Penguin 350 filter

That is probably way too much filtration for a planted tank, but I got all 3 filters for $50 :p For fish I'm thinking:

Cardinal Tetras x5
Hatchetfish x5
Bristlenose Pleco x1
some Cory x3

I was thinking of 1 or 4 anglefish, but maybe I'll skip those and add some other tetras instead. What do you guys think? I'm open to any amazon fish. The plants are being ordered from Sweet Aquatics, list hasn't been finalized yet.

I also have a question about pH. I know amazon conditions are soft water with a pH of 6.5-7.0, but my tap is pH 8.2 and 300ppm hardness and alkalinity. I don't want to use chemicals or buffers, but how important is pH? The tank is half RO water right now, and I'm thinking of going to 75% RO, and running peat filtration. Peat would be good because it would also give the blackwater tint. Is it worth it? will add pics of the tank soon.

--Adeeb
 
I make a billion threads too, lol. That is the best way to learn IMO- ask questions! :)

You don't have to use all those filters if you don't want to.

Fish can adapt to pH pretty well, as long as it stays stable.


Hatchetfish are jumpers, so make sure you have a tight lid, and cories do best in groups of at least 6-8.
 
i love the tetras in my 55gal planted. i currently have 7 cardinals, and 5 orange flame/von rios. i also have 5 harliquen rasboras, 9 white clouds, 5 glass cats, and 5-6 otos. be careful with the cardinals, they can be very difficult to acclimate to your tank.. i would say i've gone though 15 or 16 just to get my 7 that i'm at now. that being said, they have some of the most stunning colors to be found in fresh water aquariums. the rasboras are awesome as well, or if you can find them the Lamb chop rasboras T. espei are great; unique pattern, nice salmon/orange tints, and when you get them schooling, they contrast really well with live plants. if you're not to strict on the amazon thing, consider the white clouds, small bioload, they have some personality, and when fed right in planted tanks they have a really cool soft green color to them.

Good luck!
 
Going to order plants and driftwood this week, hopefully I'll get a paycheck by then :p I had originally filled the tank with 1/2 RO, and decided to go to 75% RO. My RO unit is slooow though, so I got lazy half way through and used a bottle of pH down I had lying around from ages past. Yes, I know its a terrible idea with fish, thats why there weren't any. Anyway, as of last night, pH 6.8 kH 5 and GH 5(so says my sucky strip test), so params are perfect for the amazon. It's always fun to dump a bottle of acid :D reminds me of titration in chemistry class.

--Adeeb
 
w00t! Plants and driftwood ordered. Should be here sometime this week. Heres the plants I got:

4 x Alternanthera Reineckii Var. Roseafolia
4 x Rotala Indica (Rotala Rotundifolia)
4 x Pennywort (Hydocotyle Leucocephyala)
1 x Cabomba Pulcherrima (Cabomba, Purple)
1 x Cabomba Furcata
1 x Cabomba Caroliniana (Cabomba, Green)
2 x Echinodorus Ozelot
2 x Echinodorus Bleheri (Amazon Sword)
2 x Echinodorus Barthii (Red Melon)
1 x Echinodorus Angustifolia "Vesuvius"
1 x Echinodorus Bleheri Compacta (Amazon Compacta Sword)
4 x Java Moss (Vesicularia Dubyana)
15 x Sagittaria Subulata (Dwarf)

The Sagittaria and java moss aren't amazon species, but meh... Changing pH is such a pain... How does it stay at 6.5 in the amazon? Because apparently aquarium pH buffers are phosphate based, and that causes algae blooms, so what buffers are naturally found in the amazon? For now my water is 75% R/O and I put some peat in the filter. Can't wait for plants and then fish XD Oh and I'm planning on using Flourish for ferts. I assume it works?

--Adeeb
 
Tannins and humic acid. Water softners are phosphate based, acidifiers are acid based. Phosphate compounds precipitate dissolved minerals in the water softening it greatly and at the same time slightly reducing pH.

Using ORGANIC peat with nothing else in it in your filter will tea-stain your water and set it at a good pH...


My pH is 7.0-7.2 and I'm having no problems with keeping amazon natives.
 
Yep, I put 100% pure organic canadian peat, so it should be good (found it lying around in my garage :D). My pH is 8.2 so I want it down to atleast ~7. Driftwood should help too, when it arrives. I've heard there isn't a need to cycle with a heavily planted tank, just wait for the plants to establish. Is that true? I was planning on letting the plants settle for a week and then adding some fish.

--Adeeb
 
There's what we call a 2-day start. But I wouldn't attempt that. You need healthy strong rooted plants, not freshly arrived stems. Cycling is the safest route. The goal in the 2-day start is to over plant with acclimatized plants from an existing tank and keep it minimally stocked, no more than a few fish and shrimp. Then you would slowly cull whatever plants you don't want.
 
i used ADA Aqua soil for my substrate, and it has lowered my ph to a stable 6.4... i planted during my cycle and it took me about 4 weeks to finish it... but the Aquasoil puts of a large ammonia spike so...
 
w00t!! Got my plants! Actually, they came Monday, but I was too tired and then too busy to post pics :p Anyway, heres some pics of my tank, all planted now.

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This is my first planted tank, so any tips would be appreciated! (for instance, I got a bunch of plants and have no idea of their specific care requirements) I've changed my mind on CO2, if theres a system for <$150, I'll go for it. Now all I need is fish. I looked everywhere for ammonia to cycle with, but all I could find was scented ammonia at menards. Where do you guys get it from? I dropped in two algae wafers, maybe they'll decompose and do the trick?

--Adeeb
 
I have a few tips:
You should remove the lava rocks, they aren't very natural looking in an amazon biotope. Either cover it in moss or replace it with more river rock/wood/plants. I also suggest you cover that stump with lots of moss to soften the cut look of that stump.

Yes, I understand Java Moss isn't an amazon native, but I think it would generate the look of algae growing on it. I can't really think of any amazonian epiphytic plants right now but I'll get back to you on that.

EDIT: Also, those bunch plants are planted really really close. You might end up with dead bottoms.

Great looking tank though.
 
Lava rock = gone.

EDIT: Also, those bunch plants are planted really really close. You might end up with dead bottoms.

o_O the rotala and alternanthera? Whats dead bottoms?

Thanks for the tips. I did order some java moss, but how do I tie it to the wood? Will household string work, or do I need something else?

--Adeeb
 
Well, I raised ammonia to 4ppm and it's down to 0 in 1.5ish days, so it was time for fish. It was probably plants using that ammonia, not bacteria though, but meh.

Just got 5 cardinal tetras and acclimated them :D No QT, since they're the only fish so far(shouldn't matter right?). They are actually pretty active and are swimming around. I expected them to hide, but they seem to be exploring!

Here's some pics:

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I want to put a black background on the tank, but the backgrounds at pet stores seem like a waste of money. Is there any cheap way to do this(not permanent)?

--Adeeb
 
So I got a lot of updates :p One of my blue rams died of unknown causes :( Thanks to HN1, I got another one, and he is spectacular!

Oh and I had been finding molts of some bug in my tank, and I pulled this guy out. Any idea what it is, and if I should be worried about more in there?

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I just wanted to post the bug before the rest of my fishies, so it wouldn't detract from the post :p Fish coming up!

--Adeeb
 
So a couple weeks ago, I got a beautiful angelfish. There were a bunch at the LFS, and all were black with silver stripes. This guy had black with gold stripes, so I chose him :D

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Also, I did a lot of research about discus. I came to the conclusion that at one time, when discus were wild caught, they did need perfect parameters like a pH of 5.5 and crystal clear water. But, that it has been years, and discus have been raised in aquaria for generations, and by this time they have become hardier and accustomed to aquarium life. So it is my beleif that a modern discus can thrive in a community tank with hard water. THat said, I went out and got and got this guy:
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So far, he is doing great, although he will only eat frozen bloodworms as of now. I got him for $10 after some coupons lol. I chose to get him from my LFS instead of a reputable breeder because my theory is that a commercial discus will have been bred and raised in less than ideal conditions and thus be suited to those conditions. So far, he looks happy and healthy.

Oddly enough, he and my angelfish seem to have become best friends. They always swim with each other, it looks amazing with them gracefully floating around.

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Will have pics of my new GBR soon :)

--Adeeb
 
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