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This tank has been through several different aquascapes in the past, all nature-style, until recently when I decided to try a biotope. It is not a true biotope, however, because it houses a betta splendens, neocaridina shrimp, and uses ADA Amazonia aquasoil as a base substrate.
Tank: Fluval Spec V (5 gallons)
Plants:
-Cryptocoryne albida "costata"
-Nymphaea lotus (Red tiger lotus)
-Hygrophila difformis
Substrate:
-ADA Amazonia aquasoil (normal and powder type)
-Fine coconut-based substrate
-Coconut husk substrate
Decorations:
-Melastoma driftwood
-Nypa palm flowers
-Sterculia pod
-Catappa leaves
CO2: No/Low Tech
Occupants:
1x Betta Splendens "Lek"
1x Horned nerite snail "Zelda"
Neocaridina (wild-type, chocolate, chocolate+snowball hybrids) shrimp
Equipment:
Airstone, heater, sponge filter, water pump, 7500K LED (default tank light, on for 6 hours a day)
Water Changes:
20% once a week with dechlorinated water, Thrive as a fertilizer, and GH+ Mineralizer
Notes:
Occasionally I have to trim down the red tiger lotus. It starts off slow and then propogates in sudden spurts, with its roots growing heavily.
Issues:
-I have not had much luck growing the dwarf hairgrass in any of my low-tech tanks. It just thins out and then dies.
-It is hard to keep the water tinted to a blackwater look. Adding botanicals and/or water pre-tinted from the botanicals only maintains the blackwater look for a few days before the water turns crystal clear again.
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Tank: Fluval Spec V (5 gallons)
Plants:
-Cryptocoryne albida "costata"
-Nymphaea lotus (Red tiger lotus)
-Hygrophila difformis
Substrate:
-ADA Amazonia aquasoil (normal and powder type)
-Fine coconut-based substrate
-Coconut husk substrate
Decorations:
-Melastoma driftwood
-Nypa palm flowers
-Sterculia pod
-Catappa leaves
CO2: No/Low Tech
Occupants:
1x Betta Splendens "Lek"
1x Horned nerite snail "Zelda"
Neocaridina (wild-type, chocolate, chocolate+snowball hybrids) shrimp
Equipment:
Airstone, heater, sponge filter, water pump, 7500K LED (default tank light, on for 6 hours a day)
Water Changes:
20% once a week with dechlorinated water, Thrive as a fertilizer, and GH+ Mineralizer
Notes:
Occasionally I have to trim down the red tiger lotus. It starts off slow and then propogates in sudden spurts, with its roots growing heavily.
Issues:
-I have not had much luck growing the dwarf hairgrass in any of my low-tech tanks. It just thins out and then dies.
-It is hard to keep the water tinted to a blackwater look. Adding botanicals and/or water pre-tinted from the botanicals only maintains the blackwater look for a few days before the water turns crystal clear again.
