Suggestions for nano blackwater biotope

[Fenriswolf]

Hi hi,

So I've got this 3' tank divided into four sections that I'm planning to either take out the middle section and have 2x 15L for one Betta and 1x 30L to put a pair of Apistos (maybe dwarf flags? Not adding them until tank is well mature) in or take out two to have 2x 30L, one for a Betta and one for the Apistos. (Volume takes air and substrate into consideration.)

I'm pretty much planning on aping a Southeast Asian blackwater pool for both halves, since Apistos have the same water requirements, but I might change my mind and get South American plants for the cichlid side.

So I've got some Daltons Aquatic Mix and Peat and some fine dark grey gravel, a bunch of small pieces of driftwood (I still need to boil and soak), I'm buying a T5 lighthood designed for shops for 4x 54 watt T5HO bulbs. And I have a Fluval 105.

I want to use hairgrass as a carpet and Indian fern as a floating plant. So my questions are:

• I'm inclined to use the peat as a substrate, clay-peat-gravel from bottom to top. Is this dumb - should I put it in the filter and change it regularly instead?
  
• I'm looking at Indian Almond Leaves on TM, they only recommend a small amount but I think a carpet would look cool. Is that going to lower the pH too much? Should I just put in the small amount recommended, or flag it and look for oak leaves?
  
• Tiger Lotus gets way too big for such a small amount of space, doesn't it?
  
• Any recommendations for small Crypts we can get here?
  
• I'm not too fussed on CO2, but am I pretty much going to have to go there with so much light?

I'm all excited about this but kinda nervous that I am missing the point somewhere here. So, um, suggestions?

Danke schon :bounce:

[SamH]

Black water biotopes generally use a lot less light than that. 4x 54w T5HOs on a tank that size means you're going to need to blast the CO2. This is fine if you can get enough CO2 in there but it won't make a very good blackwater biotope. Also, these kinds of biotopes use very little, if any plants so certainly no hairgrass carpet. Sorry to rain on your parade, just a few things to consider

HTH

[Zev]

I have found the Indian Almond leaves deteriorate quite quickly, I had some in a Moliwe biotope, but they contributed greatly to the amount of mulm floating around.

As Sam said these setups are usually low light, so C02 would be a waste.

Crypts are weird and can vary in size depending on the setup, affinis may be suitable, as well as luciens or lutea.

[kiwiplymouth]

If you dont want the mulm etc that is associated with using leaves, you could try jbl aquatrop J

[Stella]

My mudfish tank is just peat substrate with leaf litter over top. No filtration as it would stir the peat up and get clogged too rapidly. 30% waterchanges weekly. Lovely brown water.

The leaf littler certainly cuts down the peat from getting stirred up and lasts for a few months. Rougher leaves like rewarewa and ponga last for longer. Though as the leaves decompose they can encourage suspended bacteria. Putting in tiny inverts from the bottom of ponds gets a little ecosystem going that eat this.

Plants love the peat, but it can be very messy thinning them.

Don't use a mobile substrate like this if you want very active fish, fast-water fish or high stocking densities needing high filtration.

Just another way of thinking about things.

[Fenriswolf]

Thanks Zev!

Black water biotopes generally use a lot less light than that. 4x 54w T5HOs on a tank that size means you're going to need to blast the CO2. This is fine if you can get enough CO2 in there but it won't make a very good blackwater biotope. Also, these kinds of biotopes use very little, if any plants so certainly no hairgrass carpet. Sorry to rain on your parade, just a few things to consider

HTH

Boo, I like carpets. But good point, I've never seen a blackwater setup with plants like that, duh. :roll:

I know that is waaaay overkill on lights but it's cheap! lol I just want to get enough light to have healthy plants; what would you recommend? I get confused by the recommendations for 2-3x the volume in watts when the bulbs available don't add up to nearly so much. :-?

OK, so less with the plants, but I know bettas really appreciate having plants to swim and hide in... bah, I shall research some more on my own. But any personal opinions appreciated.

Stella, that is awesome. I feel kind of afraid of no filter to be honest. But that does look wonderful. Thanks!

[supasi]

I recently made a blackwater biotope tank. Black water biotopes tend to be lacking naturally in plants as there is usually little amounts of light.

Here is a link to my set p.

http://supasi.wordpress.com/asian-black ... tope-tank/

[spoon]

well if the tank is divided is it going to be the same body of water in each compartment? if it were different bodies id do blackwater in one and plants in another then just spray paint the tubes black at the blackwater end to reduce the amount of light getting to it

[Joe]

1x 30L to put a pair of Apistos (maybe dwarf flags? Not adding them until tank is well mature)

30 liters is way too small for Dwarf flags. They need around 70 liters minimum. Also they aren't an Apisto. They belong to the genus Laetacara, and their latin name is Laetacara curviceps.

Any recommendations for small Crypts we can get here?

Cryptocroryne petchii. This is a REALLY AWESOME plant! I have a little bit of it, and it's so cool!

[Fenriswolf]

Ah crap, I meant cockatoos. I don't why I get them mixed up in my head! :-? Apistogramma cacatuoides!

It's still kinda tiny but I wouldn't add them till the tank is well mature, and do very regular water changes... I actually just finished this, so good timing!

Is this totally overstocked? Still planning on sticking my Fluval 105 on it and turning down the flow if I needed. I'm not 100% hung up on a perfect biotope, just want soft blackwater that looks vaguely like it should - and that will be nice for fishes!

Plan: