90L British Freshwater Biotope

[NathanB]

Hello everyone!
This is my first post on here, so here's a little about me before we get to the good stuff! My name is Nathan Benstead, I'm 18, and from Kent. I know I won't have much experience compared to a lot of people on here, but I have had a few setups in the past. For me, the hobby started with a small coldwater setup with some white cloud mountain minnows. From there, it expanded to four 10 gallon tanks along my desk! I've made many mistakes, but I've also learned from them. These coldwater tanks were eventually broken down after I rehomed the fish due to wanting to start a new project. I grew up with a strong interest in reef aquariums after my uncles had a couple of setups themselves, but I knew there was a lot to learn, and it was a big step up from fish-only freshwater tanks.

After lots and lots of research, which consisted of YouTube binging and joining reef forums and asking a lot of questions, I eventually started my own 24L nano reef on my desk, which lasted about a year and was surprisingly successful considering my level of experience and the tank size! It was full of soft corals, mainly leathers, zoanthids, and mushrooms. It was also home to a stunning cleaner shrimp and a feather duster worm. Starting that tank taught me a lot more about aquariums, water conditions, lighting, etc., and also the struggles of having such a small reef setup instead of the larger one that I couldn't yet afford. I decided to pause my hobby and work out what I wanted to do with it. I knew I wanted to have a freshwater setup again eventually, but I didn't want to spend much money on it!

I have been interested in nature and wildlife since I can remember. This eventually led me to do macro photography of bugs, reptiles, and amphibians, which I aim to turn into my profession. But it gets a little complicated when wanting to photograph aquatic life below the water surface without the money for underwater housing for my camera! So, I figured why not combine my love for photographing and observing wildlife with my passion for aquascaping! The idea for this British biotope was fueled by observing my local stream. When I started to watch the European Bullhead (Cottus gobio) under the surface, I learned more about this species and eventually set up a tank that is now home to two juveniles that I managed to catch! They are currently doing very well with a diet of amphipods and various aquatic nymphs collected from the stream. But I want to create something better for them, with more space and with a more similar environment to where I collected them.

Now we get to the exciting part!

The Setup

The Tank - All Pond Solutions 60cm tank (90L) (600x400x400mm)
Lighting - Twinstar 600E
Filtration - All Pond Solutions 1000L/H External Filter
Additional water flow - Jebao SW-2 (Maybe not needed)

The Scape Inspiration!
These are some photos of aquascapes that I've seen online, hopefully they can give you guys an idea about the kind of scape that I'll try to create!

I discovered a video on youtube of the top aquascape being created, the roots are replicating the roots of american sycamore trees growing into the river bank.
The trees growing into the banks of my local stream are mostly Alder (Alnus glutinosa), and I read on the Woodland Trust website that these trees are swamp-dwellers, and that the wood of this tree doesn’t rot when waterlogged, instead turning stronger and harder. So im guessing this would be the best wood to use? Im sure there are some dead fallen trees with dried up exposed root systems to collect around my area, I would never damage any living trees of course, so I'll need to find something that looks good that I'll be able to take! In his scape, the root system that he used even started to grow smaller new roots and grow foliage above the water! which would be amazing for my scape i think.

I plan to create the aquascape quite similar to the images above, hopefully the Alder roots will grow more roots and then grow foliage out of the surface, then i would also like to have some native marginal plants growing out of the water too. Not sure on the species yet but I'll do some more research and have a look at what's in the local garden centres and around the local stream when the time comes

Hardscape - Alder Tree Roots, Rocks from my garden, gravel and sand from the garden centre.
Livestock - European Bullhead (Cottus gobio) x2
- Three Spined Stickleback (Gasterosteus aculaeatus) x2-3?
- Freshwater Amphipods (Live food)
- Water Hog-Lice (Asellus aquaticus) (Live food also)
Potential livestock - Stone Loach (Barbatula barbatula) (Depending on if I can find one!)
- Ramshorn snails (Planorbidae)

Some images of the livestock

If there's any advice that anybody has for this setup, or cautions with the stocking plan then please let me know!
I still have lots of research to do so maybe some plans will change, but hopefully this can work out and it can be a really interesting project that all of you can enjoy too!

 

[Courtneybst]

Sounds amazing! Following with interest 😁

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,
Welcome to UKAPS.

Sounds amazing! Following with interest

Same for me, but I have some concerns. Sticklebacks may be all right, and we have a few <"Stickleback tanks">. <"Asellus and Crangonyx are both fine in warm water">. Willow (Salix spp.) are <"easy as cuttings at this time of year"> and Alder (Alnus glutinosa) is <"very easy to grow from seed"> if you find some Alder "cones" still with seed in them? A lot of mosses are UK natives and you are more than welcome to some of mine (and Asellus etc.)

I learned more about this species and eventually set up a tank that is now home to two juveniles that I managed to catch! They are currently doing very well with a diet of amphipods and various aquatic nymphs collected from the stream. But I want to create something better for them, with more space and with a more similar environment to where I collected them.

Unfortunately these are a lot more problematic, and "somewhere better" would need to be a re-release into the stream they came from before the weather warms up.

The issue for Miller's Thumb (Cottus gobio) etc. is a <"temperature / dissolved oxygen one">. You can't really keep temperate freshwater fish from flowing oxygenated water without a chiller. The problem is that gases are less soluble at higher temperatures and as the temperature rises even 100% DO oxygen saturation isn't enough oxygen (in mg / L) to support them. Same applies to the loaches (and Gammarus), both a non-starter without a chiller.

I plan to create the aquascape quite similar to the images above, hopefully the Alder roots will grow more roots and then grow foliage out of the surface, then i would also like to have some native marginal plants growing out of the water too.

I think you can. Have a a look at <"5ft Bookshelf Aquarium - River Scape">.

cheers Darrel

 

[Tyko_N]

Great project, and one that's on my bucket list as well I spend much of my summers in a local creek with miller's thumbs, perch, trout, etc., and think that they can be just as pretty and interesting as tropical fish. I have to agree with Darrel though, a chiller would definitely be necessary. Whenever I've found some Cottus (not easy, and I'm very impressed that you managed to catch yours), they're always hiding among rubble under an almost torrential waterflow (you can add those extra powerheads, no problem), meaning 100% oxygen saturation. Over here their creek doesn't get above 22-23C in summer either, and although yours might be accustomed to slightly higher temperatures short term, I would be worried if the aquarium temp approached 25C.

Juvenile crayfish tend to prefer the same areas as the Cottus, at least here, and maybe some amano shrimp could make a decent substitute?

 

[NathanB]

The issue for Miller's Thumb (Cottus gobio) etc. is a <"temperature / dissolved oxygen one">

I have to agree with Darrel though, a chiller would definitely be necessary

Thanks for your insight, I'll definetly have to reconsider some things and release the bullhead before the weather warms up! its a shame because they're actually very active and i just got them feeding on frozen bloodworm 😂 . I might try a native planted tank with just stickleback rather than an aquascape with fast flow and lots of rocks. Im about to leave for a trip to New Forest in Hampshire where i can explore the river Avon and other streams, all great for inspiration! I'll have a look for some hardscape too, maybe i could find some cool pieces of wood that might be suitable.

 

[AlecF]

Purely anecdotal, but it may be tricky finding alder? It's a tree that I find doesn't shed so much, compared to, say, beech and oak, which have the habit of letting go branches. It's a wonderful tree.

 

[LondonDragon]

Great project @George Farmer created one a while back:

How to build a Great British aquascape

www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk

Have a look, might give you some pointers we also have the king of biotopes @taistrietman on the forum

 

[Tyko_N]

I might try a native planted tank with just stickleback rather than an aquascape with fast flow and lots of rocks.

Sounds like a more manageable setup, and a bit easier to incorporate plants in as well. I'm not sure how the river Avon look, but here are some shots from a more vegetated section of our local creek in case you need extra inspiration:

 

[hypnogogia]

@Tyko_N nice shot of a pike.

 

[Tyko_N]

@Tyko_N nice shot of a pike.

Thanks! They are great photo subjects, being so well camouflaged means that they consider themselves invisible, so you can usually get quite close. Don't want to clutter Nathans thread too much, but here is a few more of them (and a perch).

 

[castle]

Please avoid the millers thumb. They're actually really rare. And as posted, need water that you most likely don't want to maintain. The likelihood of catching one is low too. But. as fishing is quite fun, you could try 👍 also, max out at 10cm, which seems a bit on the big size for a 60cm tank. I do think your tank is a bit too small for a native tank. I've posted about it on here before, but i tried a lot of native fish, they don't do well indoors, I think this a volume/oxygen/temp thing, thought me being young-ish years old also will have played a part.

 

[26024]

I'm not sure how the river Avon look

I’m driving by Avon near Tewksbury almost everyday and only can tell it is a very narrow river on this part of a country and it overflows nearby fields causing a small shallow lake around.

You can see this phenomenon quite often there.

Really nice to see.

 

[PARAGUAY]

Millers Thumb Bullheads are a protected species ,despite the keeping in a aquarium problems ,and shouldn't really be removed from habitats, when you consider all the brooks,streams rivers that have been culverted in the UK last few decades it's no wonder they have to be protected,
Looking forward to this though Nathan ,

 

[castle]

Millers Thumb Bullheads are a protected species ,despite the keeping in a aquarium problems ,and shouldn't really be removed from habitats, when you consider all the brooks,streams rivers that have been culverted in the UK last few decades it's no wonder they have to be protected,
Looking forward to this though Nathan ,

I'm not sure they are protected, they're a species of LC. You're allowed to take tiddler species without limit. I have checked, and it looks like they're not protected. I am happy to be shown otherwise 👍 There are protection for their habitats though, as they're commonly found in mostly SSSI.

I say they're really rare due to two things; common baits aren't really their thing, and they're often living in white water areas, making them hard to get to. If you catch one in a weir, it's a rarity. Not because they aren't there, but because the minnows, dace, gudgeon and roach haven't got to the bait first! (same applied to Ruffe).

 

[castle]

I could be wrong, but as I understand it, they're not protected, but they kind of are. Species Interest Features - Special Areas of Conservation
Though, you can see the appendix here: UK Government Web Archive which states there is no special protection, but they're noted which must mean something.

I also learnt a new word, "macrophytes" which, is "macrophytes are aquatic plants growing in or near water"

 

[castle]

Furthermore, millers thumb isn't listed here: Habitats and species of principal importance in England

 

[Tyko_N]

"macrophytes are aquatic plants growing in or near water"

Broadly true, although with biology being what it is some types of macroalgae (lika Chara species) might also be included; basically anything associated with water that looks more like a plant than plankton or biofilm. Very useful word though (although I might be a bit biased, I spent a couple of months last year mapping plant growth in regulated lakes) still, how the macrophyte community look somewhere can tell you a lot about nutrient inputs, shading, turbidity, etc..

 

[neilsc]

Have you considered a stillwater uk biotope? The conditions maybe easier to replicate and still water fish seem to need a less demanding environment?
I was thinking of going this way, as I have a 'donor' pond/lake.

 

[neilsc]

I have just seen George's link and this is the way he went!

 

[castle]

Have you considered a stillwater uk biotope? The conditions maybe easier to replicate and still water fish seem to need a less demanding environment?
I was thinking of going this way, as I have a 'donor' pond/lake.

Forgive me @neilsc I’m going to use your post as my calling ….

There isn’t a single native species of fish other than maybe two, that can live in a 60cm tank ‘comfortably’. The stickleback, and weatherloach.

If you look at all our native species, we’ve got nothing nano but there is some diversity. Though there is more fish diversity in an Amazon puddle than the sum of all our waterways. Okay, maybe an exaggeration.

You might say, keep a Rudd in your aquarium as it does fine in a lake, and you’d be right. It’s on the smaller size; but you wouldn’t put an Oscar in that 60cm tank, so why put a Rudd in there? The problem is we mostly catch these fish small. Big ones are rare, but if these fish are protected in aquariums and ponds, these small fish turn into monsters. 30cm+ dinner plates. I promise, my family pond has or had, the UK record for Crucian Carp, and the Tench were thicker than my thigh. There were gudgeon in there eating whole peanuts. Fish get big when there are no herons and pike.

I dunno, really I’m all for a good pond with some native fish in. I just don’t think it can be done at 60cm, at the most it will be species only m/f stickleback tank 🤷‍♂️

It’s illegal to put fish back into rivers from wherever you caught them too.

Castle, aka “fun sponge”