southeast asian river biotope help

[aquarium 308]

Got a 20long and plan on doing a southeast Asia biotope. For substrate I was gonna do a .5" layer of organic soil topped with seachem fourite substrate that is a 50/50 mix of sand. What color sand and where to purchase? Im gonna throw a small to medium piece of malaysia driftwood in with a few small rocks scattered. Need plant suggestions and where to buy. From my research I found that i should use the following plants. Cryptocoryne Wendii, Cryptocoryne Nevilli, and Hygrophila Polysperma and Vallisneria. The only one I could find was the Wendii. So buying local doesn't look good. Where to find and buy. I also read that it gets shallow so i was gonna make a gradual slope from one side to the other of about 3-4" difference. Thanks.

 

[sinibotia]

Got a 20long and plan on doing a southeast Asia biotope. For substrate I was gonna do a .5" layer of organic soil topped with seachem fourite substrate that is a 50/50 mix of sand. What color sand and where to purchase? Im gonna throw a small to medium piece of malaysia driftwood in with a few small rocks scattered. Need plant suggestions and where to buy. From my research I found that i should use the following plants. Cryptocoryne Wendii, Cryptocoryne Nevilli, and Hygrophila Polysperma and Vallisneria. The only one I could find was the Wendii. So buying local doesn't look good. Where to find and buy. I also read that it gets shallow so i was gonna make a gradual slope from one side to the other of about 3-4" difference. Thanks.

What kind of fish are you setting the tank up for?

 

[aquarium 308]

What kind of fish are you setting the tank up for?

Looking at 3-4 black kuhlii loaches, mix of maybe turquoise danios and rasbora harlequin. Id like a center piece but not sure what. Id like a red tail shark but tank probably too small. As a child i had a mild one in a 20 tall for 9 years and he was friendly. Maybe a pair of gourami. Im open for suggestions. Also need lighting suggestions. Was looking at the finnex planted plus 30" but I think that may be too bright for this setup. Any suggestions

 

[sinibotia]

Ahh ok! I wanted to make sure we had the same sort of thing in mind (kuhli loaches immediately jumped to my mind; I'm a loach maniac). I'll come back with more thoughts soon but here's what I recommend for filtration/water movement:

River-Tank Manifold Design — Loaches Online

 

[aquarium 308]

Ahh ok! I wanted to make sure we had the same sort of thing in mind (kuhli loaches immediately jumped to my mind; I'm a loach maniac). I'll come back with more thoughts soon but here's what I recommend for filtration/water movement:

River-Tank Manifold Design — Loaches Online

Thanks looks interesting I will read

 

[fishenthusiast]

I recommend Panda Garra loaches. Just take into account that they like highly oxygenated water though.

 

[sinibotia]

If you're mixing the seachem flourite (black color, right) with sand, then I think you want to mix it with a lighter sand color to try to achieve an overall lighter color. The sediment in kuhli loach habitat varies in a range of browns but all lighter than the seachem stuff I think.

Not sure about plants. I don't do planted tanks much.

 

[aquarium 308]

I was looking at the brown/red seachem. It has mostly brown but some black and light reds. From what ive red mostly reds and browns but im definitely no expert

 

[sinibotia]

I was looking at the brown/red seachem. It has mostly brown but some black and light reds. From what ive red mostly reds and browns but im definitely no expert

That sounds good to me! Some of that, with a river-tank design, should be absolutely perfect.

 

[sinibotia]

You'll also very likely want a "blackwater" effect, but the driftwood should help to achieve that.

 

[aquarium 308]

Ya it will release tannins that will brown the water. Have had it happens in other tanks