# My Cryptocoryne dominated 100 lt  riverscape .



## Sarpijk

Hi all, I don't believe I have ever showed you a tank of mine. This is scape that I feel confident about. More of a planted , less of a scaped tank. The whole idea was to have a tank that doesn't require much intervention on my part. 

I like Cryptocorynes and I enjoy Sewelia Lineonata  so a fast flowing tank was in order. 

This is an Aquael Leddy 75 lit by a Twinstar 600 EA. I used dirt and laterite balls  and also sprinkled some Osmocote. It was setup in July and only now it seems that plants have matured and started actively growing. As expected Cryptocoryne Balansae took it's time to develop a root system and now grows like crazy. C. Usteriana also is a slow grower. 
For fish I have

5 x Sewelia Lineonata
2 x  Yaoshania-pachychilus
5 x Danio Rerio
10 x Tanichthys Albonubes
2 x Bamboo shrimp Atyopsis Moluccensis

a lot of Neocaridina Davidii var.Orange.

Filtration wise I use a Fluval 206 and two 500 l/h Aquael powerheads.

Hope you like it!


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## alto

Sarpijk said:


> C. Usteriana also is a slow grower.


and it seems less keen on soft water, I’m an avid melter of C usteriana, followed by e.x.t.r.e.m.e.l.y S.L.O.W growth 
(I always end up impatient of its progress        )


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## alto

Nice collection of ramshorn snails


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## Sarpijk

alto said:


> and it seems less keen on soft water, I’m an avid melter of C usteriana, followed by e.x.t.r.e.m.e.l.y S.L.O.W growth
> (I always end up impatient of its progress        )


Yes this is very convenient as I do not want to use R.O water. I got the Usteriana in spring from a fellow hobbyist but before it could settle I had to move it to this tank. At first I was worried it might not do well because it was planted right next to the Balansae. Thankfully it has started putting out new growth.  As for the snails I know they might be unsightly to some but for me they are an indispensable part of a small scale ecosystem and help keep BBA at bay.


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## Surya

Gorgeous and natural looking tank. I love C.balansae and dream of mine growing as well as yours. Really like the look.


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## Sarpijk

Thanks Surya! I think the dirted substrate really makes a difference.


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## Sarpijk

The Panda loaches look great and I really enjoy them because they are very lively and outgoing. Too bad I only got two of them. They were 30% on Black Friday and although I ordered six the shop send me 3 because they were sold out and also lost many fish before even selling. Out of the three one was DOA. Hopefully I can get some more as soon as they are back in stock.


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## Sarpijk

Quick phone update. The other day I added some Cryptocoryne Affinis on the left side. Needs some time to settle in but I already like it. Big thanks to @jolt100 for supplying it!


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## Sarpijk

Quick update. Cryptocoryne Usteriana is actively growing and sends runners all over. I wish I had a 200 litre tank to grow it to its potential. I had to thin out the Balansae because it really restricted the flow.  Finally a small Crypt Nurii has taken off after  about a whole year. The panda loaches have grown a lot. My two bamboo shrimp look great, they molted within three days and I feel that this setup is great for them. Previously, whenever I kept this species in high tech tanks they wouldn't last long and were never healthy.


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## Sarpijk

Got some pics with a newer mobile and decided to use imgur to upload instead of the low res options in Tapatalk. What do you guys use?


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## GHNelson

I like it, very nice!


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## Tim Harrison

Very nice and great to see a lace plant in there too


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## Sarpijk

Thank you guys!

@Tim Harrison  I believe the lace plant is the only non Asian species! Still not sure if it is supposed to be that short!

Also I once again want to thank @jolt100 for providing the beautiful Cryptocoryne Affinis I have on the left side.


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## Angelfishguy99

What a great looking tank. How do you find keeping WhiteClouds with shrimp? Do they prey on them at all?


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## Sarpijk

Angelfishguy99 said:


> What a great looking tank. How do you find keeping WhiteClouds with shrimp? Do they prey on them at all?


Thanks! Yes I would say that they definitely prey on shrimplets occasionally. I also keep 4 Zebra Danios in and I am sure they also prey one little shrimp. Last year when I kept just shrimps and then added the sewelias as the only fish in a 50 litre I remember that I had a huge population of shrimp. 

Having said that they do not actively hunt for shrimp.  I have been keeping White cloud minnows for as long as I remember and they are relatively kind to shrimp. If there are hiding places and a big patch of moss you will always see smaller shrimp.


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## Angelfishguy99

Sarpijk said:


> Thanks! Yes I would say that they definitely prey on shrimplets occasionally. I also keep 4 Zebra Danios in and I am sure they also prey one little shrimp. Last year when I kept just shrimps and then added the sewelias as the only fish in a 50 litre I remember that I had a huge population of shrimp.
> 
> Having said that they do not actively hunt for shrimp.  I have been keeping White cloud minnows for as long as I remember and they are relatively kind to shrimp. If there are hiding places and a big patch of moss you will always see smaller shrimp.



Thanks for the reply. I asked because i plan on stocking my tank with WCMM and shrimp and was just curious how the got on with each other. I will be adding the shrimp a good while before the fish so they should have time to settle in first.


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## Steve Buce

Great looking tank, very natural looking, love those panda loaches


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## Sarpijk

Steve Buce said:


> Great looking tank, very natural looking, love those panda loaches


Cheers Steve much appreciated! I love the pandas as well and I cherish since they are not that easy to come by.


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## frederick thompson

Lovely looking fish mate. Very striking markings. And they hit you in the eye.
Love the tank. Brill. 
Fred

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk


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## Tomp91

Think that's most natural looking tank I have seen so far, looks great, I love it.


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## hypnogogia

Beautiful tank, really does look like a hills stream, and the panda loaches are gorgeous.  Never seen those before.


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## Sarpijk

Gutted! One of the pandas jumped out! Needed to share. I see the one left and feel even worse it is alone now.

It had done it twice before but it was before my eyes and I put it back immediately. I had even built a small screen cover to deter them from jumping from that same right side where the spraybar is located. I was on the phone during and after a water change so I when I saw it was too late and it must have jumped before I put the screen back. What I noticed is after a water change they would hunt and play with eah othe climbing against the side glass.

Seriously fish is right to advise that they should be kept in a covered tank.


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## GHNelson

Shame, poor thing!
These things happen mate....maybe you can source a pal for the other one!


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## Sarpijk

Quick mildly interesting post.

Few days ago I added some Hygroriza Aristata. Used to have it in the past and liked it. I am wondering why this isn't more popular.

Anyways today I saw that a tiny spider has built a web on a new shoot!


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## willh5080

I like your fish tank! And this is a really good photoes. Wish you good camera to take good photoes of your hobbies!)


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## Putney

So natural with those rocks that feels like its been there for a very long time. Nice tank


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## ChrisD80

Hi @Sarpijk your  Sewelia Lineonata look absolutely gorgeous. Are they effective at removing algae? and do they have a tendency to jump out?
I have had some recent experiences with fish jumping and I am keen to minimise the risks with future stocking choices.
Thanks


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## Sarpijk

ChrisD80 said:


> Hi @Sarpijk your Sewelia Lineonata look absolutely gorgeous. Are they effective at removing algae? and do they have a tendency to jump out?
> I have had some recent experiences with fish jumping and I am keen to minimise the risks with future stocking choices.
> Thanks


Glad you like it. I wouldn't say that they remove algae. They do need algae to thrive because they graze for tiny microorganisms. To be honest I feel that they are falsely marketed as Asian Algae eaters and they often end up in unsuitable setups.

I have only kept them in tanks without a lid never had any jump. Of course the water level is about five centimetres below the top of the glass.


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## ChrisD80

Thank you [mention]Sarpijk [/mention] very useful information.
Would also like to say you have a great looking tank, so natural and tasteful.

Cheers Chris


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Conort2

ChrisD80 said:


> Sewelia Lineonata look absolutely gorgeous. Are they effective at removing algae?


I’ve got a couple and I would say they’re more carnivorous than algae eaters preferring to eat the organisms found in the algae. They love stuff like freeze dried black worms and bloodworms. They do graze on the glass and rocks but don’t seem to be very good at removing actual algae.

cheers

Conor


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## ChrisD80

Thanks [mention]Conort2 [/mention] 
I think I saw an Aquarium Coop video some time ago about algae eating ‘crew’ which included them, so useful to hear your experience


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Sarpijk

ChrisD80 said:


> Thanks [mention]Conort2 [/mention]
> I think I saw an Aquarium Coop video some time ago about algae eating ‘crew’ which included them, so useful to hear your experience
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


This is what I was referring to as wrong advertising. I wouldn't trust a pet shop owner ( exceptions apply) to get information about livestock. In my mind they are not suited for the average community tank


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## Steve Buce

Sorry to hear about your panda jumping, hope you can source some more


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## Sarpijk

Thanks man, hopefully the shop I got them from should bring some when summer temperatures drop.


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## Graham1426

Fab natural looking tank, love it


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## Sarpijk

Finally managed to get some more panda loaches. I now have 3, they are from Ruinemans and I cannot state enough the top quality of fish I receive whenever the lfs gets fish from them. 

In terms of equipment I have hooked my Twinstar to a cheap ebay led controller and I really like the sunrise - sunset effect.Other than that I enjoy a very easy to maintain aquarium.

In terms of fertilizers I now dose 2 pumps Tropica speliased weekly plus some extra DIY iron, seems the crypts need it.


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## FuryMaa

Wow,That`s cool


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## Sarpijk

The rock on the right is a recent addition after the removal of a handful of Cryptocoryne Balansae. Notice how it gradually has started getting the same green algae as the older stone on the left.


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## Sarpijk

Hi all, quick update. I have changed the scape by removing some crypt species in order to make room for more stones pics to follow as soon the new stones re covered in algae and blend in properly.

I have managed to get two more Panda loaches. Very lively fish very easy to take care of in an established tank. I have also added 5 juvenile Gastromyzon Zebrinus ( were advertised to be Viriosus).

I only dose Tropica Specialised nutrition and my buce seem to like it. I might have a slight nutrient deficiency , what do you think?


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## dw1305

Hi all, 


Sarpijk said:


> I might have a slight nutrient deficiency , what do you think?


Possibly Iron (Fe)?It looks like you have <"interveinal chlorosis"> on the newer leaves, and they are quite pale. You could try adding some <"Epsom Salts"> (magnesium sulphate heptahyrate (MgSO4.7H2O)) as well. If it was magnesium deficiency you would get a quick growth response, if it was iron it would take a bit longer to <"see new green growth">.

cheers Darrel


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## Sarpijk

Hi Darrel, iron has crossed my mind too. I had been using a diy solution based on Fe DTPA 11% but stopped using it after many occasional fish deaths which my gut tells me this might have sth to do with.
This is the reason I opted for the Tropica one.


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## Sarpijk

Hi , right now I use two external filters, a Fluval 105 and a Fluval 206. I used to have the latter connected to a spraybar for more flow but I have stopped using it wasn't very convenient and it would clog too often .

I am thinking of buying two filter outflow fittings like the one in the picture. I just want rapid flow. Compared to the standard Fluval outflow hook I feel these are more appropriate. What do you think?


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## ForestDave

Great tank. it looks just like a real river!


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## not called Bob

stunning looking set up,  the panda in my tanks a big hit, such active fish

you could easily make your own ducks bill if you all ready have the pipe and a hairdryer/paint stripper to hand


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## Sarpijk

Hi, thanks! I just went on and ordered two duckbills from ebay they were 2 € each!

How many pandas do you have? They are indeed very lively and they seem to enjoy themselves in the unheated tank.


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## not called Bob

just a single, they were surprisingly pricey but I guess the region they come from had had issues exporting of late, I would like some more, as they are lively, not shy and don’t touch the leaves.


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## EmreD

It is really nice !


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## bushaaayyy

Never come across panda loaches before they look great! Do you find they are quite active in all areas of the tank, or do they prefer to spend time under cover?

can I ask how much they cost?


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## Sarpijk

bushaaayyy said:


> Never come across panda loaches before they look great! Do you find they are quite active in all areas of the tank, or do they prefer to spend time under cover?
> 
> can I ask how much they cost?


They are very active on all surfaces, mainly the stones and the glass. They do not actively swim on all water levels in case you meant to ask that. They more like " jump" from stone to stone.

They are not widely spread and it is quite rare in the hobby. I believe it may have to do with the fact they are not meant for a " community tank". They seem to enjoy high flow and low temps.

Average price is 8€ each. Dutch wholesalers Ruinemans.com carries them , your local fish store could get some from them probably.


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## bushaaayyy

Thanks for the info, sounds like they would not be suitable for the tank I’m planning due to the low temp


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## Inked_aqua

amazing natural look you have achieved here


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## Paul Kettless

a very natural scape through my eyes, the more I see of tanks like this the more I realise that I am not really into the more prestine look.  Dont get me wrong they are beautiful and I can appreciate the art form, but I would get bored looking at them very quickly I think. Good job, and like you love Crypts


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## Sarpijk

Hi guys, it's been a while since my last photo update. Around Christmas I started using some ebay outflows instead of the generic Fluval ones. The idea was to have more turbulent flow. Unfortunately it didn't work as expected, I had limited flow for around a month that resulted in a BBA outbreak that affected my Bucephalandras.
Right now things look better after having fixed the flow.
The five small Gastromyzons I had bought have all grown although they are not all the same size.






Now sth interesting. I wish there was more information available about Panda loaches. I suspect they have matured and hopefully the excavation site I see lately might suggest breeding behaviour. I suspect this could be a separate thread but I am afraid not many people keep them.









Finally the way frogbit anchors itself always amazes me.


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## Mark Nicholls

My Cryptocoryne cascade


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## Sarpijk

Hi guys! I feel it is time for a change. What I want to do is remove around 70% of plant mass and keep just two species. Cryptocoryne Afinnis and Java fern. 

By doing so I feel I can have a cleaner look. I want to have more rock surface to enjoy the loaches gliding on them.

Now the question. The tank is dirted and has been running for two years. I would not want to completely remove and replace the substrate. With less plant mass I feel this could encourage algae.

Will there be a problem?


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## three-fingers

Shouldn't be a problem, especially after 2 years. I would keep as many floating plants as you can and don't remove all the floating ones your removing at once though, just to avoid any temporary water quality fluctuations from suddenly removing 70% plant mass.

Removing submerse growth is always going to improve the environment for algae, but as long as you dont mind cleaning the glass more often, your fish, shrimp and snails will love the extra food anyway . Enjoyed the tank pics btw, especially love seeing thriving hillstream loaches!


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## Sarpijk

Hi guys, here's an update. In the last few days the tank could be described as smelly. Not a foul smell but rather sth like a seaweed smell.

I should remind you this is a dirted tank that has been running for two full years. What could be the reason. The water temperature is currently 26° and what I did was to clean the filter and change 60% of the water volume.

Any ideas?


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## three-fingers

Hmmm, is it more seaweedy, or like an eggy sulphur smell?  I find seaweedy smells tend to come with more algae, and eggy smells with lots of decaying organics - both could be happening here!

Almost certainly IMO it's just that disturbing the submerse plant roots has also disturbed the waste products of some anerobic bacteria colonies that were doing their thing. Don't worry about the smell affecting the fish, you may see many alarmist posts on various forums claiming the sulphuric chemicals are harmful to the tank inhabitants - but they arent at all in the water column due to the oxygen present. For the sulphuric compounds to be toxic in the water column, oxygen would have to be below equilibrium level to the point the fish would already be visibly suffering badly, you should be totally safe from that with your setup due to the high water circulation .  Every time I've had a "dirted" tank, a large fish eventually digs up the substrate and the dirt ends up being mixed with the sand/gravel 😅. Other than making things look messy, and maybe a temporary smell, it's nothing to worry about.

As it's a hillstream loach tank, just try to maximise oxygen levels - keeping the tank at the lowest temperature comfortable for the inhabitants (I wouldent bother wth a heater for any of your species), increasing surface movement (as much as the floating plants can tolerate) and doing water changes to remove dissolved orgainc carbons as often as convenient. If your not really worried and everything seems fine apart from the smell, or are fed up doing water changes just for a smell, you could add a bag of cheap carbon to the filter every week, or Purigen/Polyfilter are even better but less cost effective options.

Don't worry, the smell will go away soon!

Btw, do you have any Malaysian trumpet snails or any burrowing snails in this tank? If not, I would reccomend some too .


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## Sarpijk

three-fingers said:


> Hmmm, is it more seaweedy, or like an eggy sulphur smell? I find seaweedy smells tend to come with more algae, and eggy smells with lots of decaying organics - both could be happening here!
> 
> Almost certainly IMO it's just that disturbing the submerse plant roots has also disturbed the waste products of some anerobic bacteria colonies that were doing their thing. Don't worry about the smell affecting the fish, you may see many alarmist posts on various forums claiming the sulphuric chemicals are harmful to the tank inhabitants - but they arent at all in the water column due to the oxygen present. For the sulphuric compounds to be toxic in the water column, oxygen would have to be below equilibrium level to the point the fish would already be visibly suffering badly, you should be totally safe from that with your setup due to the high water circulation . Every time I've had a "dirted" tank, a large fish eventually digs up the substrate and the dirt ends up being mixed with the sand/gravel . Other than making things look messy, and maybe a temporary smell, it's nothing to worry about.
> 
> As it's a hillstream loach tank, just try to maximise oxygen levels - keeping the tank at the lowest temperature comfortable for the inhabitants (I wouldent bother wth a heater for any of your species), increasing surface movement (as much as the floating plants can tolerate) and doing water changes to remove dissolved orgainc carbons as often as convenient. If your not really worried and everything seems fine apart from the smell, or are fed up doing water changes just for a smell, you could add a bag of cheap carbon to the filter every week, or Purigen/Polyfilter are even better but less cost effective options.
> 
> Don't worry, the smell will go away soon!
> 
> Btw, do you have any Malaysian trumpet snails or any burrowing snails in this tank? If not, I would reccomend some too .


Thank you for taking the time to answer. As you can see from the pictures there is algae on the rocks mainly green algae. No cyano as far as I can tell. The Temperature here has risen lately and this coincides with the smell. 

Moreover the panda loaches may have disturbed the substrate. I don believe there could be anaerobic areas with all the crypts I keep.

What I realise is that lately I have started vacuuming the foreground, could this also be considered disturbance?

In any case I still get the smell, some visitors last night mentioned it as politely as they could since the tank is in my living room.

I too hope it will go away. I may have to stop vacuuming the substrate.


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## Karmicnull

Hi @Sarpijk did you sort out the smell?


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## Sarpijk

Hi! Yes I did Unfortunately it was a dead fish. I have lost all my panda loaches. Luckily the small gastromyzon have grown and look healthy.


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## Sarpijk

Hi guys! Quick update on the tank which has been running still with some ups and downs. I still have 3 Sewelias from the initial stock as well as 4 Gastromyzon Zebrinus. 

Last week I added three more Sewelias and three Stiphodon Rutilareus. My first time keeping Stiphodon gobies!

To spice things up today I added some Rio Xingu gravel. It looks a little odd right now but should blend in in a few weeks.

What I find interesting is that according to the instructions by Dennerle, the gravel is bioactive and should add bacteria in the aquarium as long as it washed with just cold water. Any thoughts on that?


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## Hufsa

Sarpijk said:


> What I find interesting is that according to the instructions by Dennerle, the gravel is bioactive and should add bacteria in the aquarium as long as it washed with just cold water. Any thoughts on that?


My take on the gravel 

Beautiful tank as always, Stiphodons are lovely fish 😍


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