My natural style tanks and biotopes thread

[Stanzzzz7]

can i get soem lower layer tips?
What do you have on the bottom, rocks, alge, leaves, twigs, and coconuts?

also what a cheap, no plant, way to connect the top and bottom of my aquarium

My substrate is pretty much what you mentioned. Sand, river rocks, lots of different types of leaf litter, twigs, broken coconuts and various seed pods.
I never remove anything from the substrate. I let everything break down and decay back into the substrate. I'm quite regularly topping it back up with leaves and twigs as the previous ones break down.
I will probably be frowned upon for this but I never vac/syphon my substrate in this tank. I do water changes of 50%per week and I clean my 2 canister filters every 2weeks. I do believe in these type of sets ups with smaller fish and plants, the need to syphon is somewhat unnecessary.
This neglect of the substrate all contributes to a more realistic setting and seems to have no detrimental effect to my water quality.
I would not be so confident in this approach with larger messier fish like Oscars for example.

The cheapest way I have found to fill a tanks background, without using plants. Is to collect my own branches. Its best not to think too small here. Get really thick branches. The ones in my tank are about a foot in diameter. I cut them down to the height of the internal measurement of my tank. I then wedged them in place.
The branches I used were beech.
They are completely free and a great way to fill up your tank.

Apistogramma I have are trifasciata.1 male and 3 females.

 

[cockroach]

That tank is cracking!
I like it with and without the val. Gives a different feel to the tank.
Have any of the tetras bred in those trailing plant roots?

 

[Kingster]

My substrate is pretty much what you mentioned. Sand, river rocks, lots of different types of leaf litter, twigs, broken coconuts and various seed pods.
I never remove anything from the substrate. I let everything break down and decay back into the substrate. I'm quite regularly topping it back up with leaves and twigs as the previous ones break down.
I will probably be frowned upon for this but I never vac/syphon my substrate in this tank. I do water changes of 50%per week and I clean my 2 canister filters every 2weeks. I do believe in these type of sets ups with smaller fish and plants, the need to syphon is somewhat unnecessary.
This neglect of the substrate all contributes to a more realistic setting and seems to have no detrimental effect to my water quality.
I would not be so confident in this approach with larger messier fish like Oscars for example.

The cheapest way I have found to fill a tanks background, without using plants. Is to collect my own branches. Its best not to think too small here. Get really thick branches. The ones in my tank are about a foot in diameter. I cut them down to the height of the internal measurement of my tank. I then wedged them in place.
The branches I used were beech.
They are completely free and a great way to fill up your tank.

Apistogramma I have are trifasciata.1 male and 3 females.

that is exactly my plan for my substrate

 

[Kingster]

My substrate is pretty much what you mentioned. Sand, river rocks, lots of different types of leaf litter, twigs, broken coconuts and various seed pods.
I never remove anything from the substrate. I let everything break down and decay back into the substrate. I'm quite regularly topping it back up with leaves and twigs as the previous ones break down.
I will probably be frowned upon for this but I never vac/syphon my substrate in this tank. I do water changes of 50%per week and I clean my 2 canister filters every 2weeks. I do believe in these type of sets ups with smaller fish and plants, the need to syphon is somewhat unnecessary.
This neglect of the substrate all contributes to a more realistic setting and seems to have no detrimental effect to my water quality.
I would not be so confident in this approach with larger messier fish like Oscars for example.

The cheapest way I have found to fill a tanks background, without using plants. Is to collect my own branches. Its best not to think too small here. Get really thick branches. The ones in my tank are about a foot in diameter. I cut them down to the height of the internal measurement of my tank. I then wedged them in place.
The branches I used were beech.
They are completely free and a great way to fill up your tank.

Apistogramma I have are trifasciata.1 male and 3 females.

what are those reed things in the right, the pail color ones, also my tank is only 18inch thick what diameter would look nice

 

[Stanzzzz7]

That tank is cracking!
I like it with and without the val. Gives a different feel to the tank.
Have any of the tetras bred in those trailing plant roots?

Thanks.
I often see the tetras doing the spawning dance with each other, especially the bentosi. I never intervene so assume all eggs are eaten.

 

[Stanzzzz7]

what are those reed things in the right, the pail color ones, also my tank is only 18inch thick what diameter would look nice

The Reed things are dead bamboo branches.

I would keep the diameter as big as possible for 2 reasons. Firstly to cover as much of the background as possible.
Also your uaru are going to get big. To keep things looking right, scale wise, you will need some big items of decor.
If your worried about them taking up to much front to back space, split them down the middle and put the flat cut to the back glass. This will make them slimmer but still give maximum coverage of the back glass.

 

[Kingster]

The Reed things are dead bamboo branches.

I would keep the diameter as big as possible for 2 reasons. Firstly to cover as much of the background as possible.
Also your uaru are going to get big. To keep things looking right, scale wise, you will need some big items of decor.
If your worried about them taking up to much front to back space, split them down the middle and put the flat cut to the back glass. This will make them slimmer but still give maximum coverage of the back glass.

WOW.. will try that

 

[triggered]

WoW thanks for sharing Stanz!!! They are all awesome set ups, very inspirational.

 

[twentyleagues]

Nice! I'd like to set up a tank with leaves and pods on the substrate.

 

[Stanzzzz7]

WoW thanks for sharing Stanz!!! They are all awesome set ups, very inspirational.

Thank you.