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Low Tech Sumatra Biotope

Beautiful aquarium, looks very natural.

It’s crying out for a species of wild Betta, think they’d look perfect in there.
I am still making enquiries and have a few plans for my different tanks so we shall see what happens in the future...
 
Thanks I am on the App and in a Few "Bands" already, plus the LFS that I am purchasing the larger tank from can also do a few small orders from Ruinemans (importer of wild Bettas and others) so I have my options once the tanks are sorted out. Plus slightly uncomfortable about ordering livestock in cooler conditions.
 
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Thanks I am on the App and in a Few "Bands" already, plus the LFS that I am purchasing the larger tank from can also do a few small orders from Ruinemans (importer of wild Bettas and others) so I have my options once the tanks are sorted out. Plus slightly uncomfortable about ordering livestock in cooler conditions.
If they can get from Riunemas you are very very lucky indeed. One of the best wholesalers in Europe.
Yeah i can understand not wanting to order in these temps
 
I say do it, especially since I love the layout you have in the 90x30x30. Something about that layout with a dense plant mass on one side and an open area on the other is something that I want to replicate when I get my first large tank (Looking at a Roma 240/Shaker 252).

I've found that I typically pick a fish and try and build the tank around that, currently I am loving the idea of a Shoal of Kryptopterus Minor (Glass Catfish) in a densely planted tank with Rasbora and Loaches
Thank you, that is far too kind.

I am working on a biotope inspired tank at the moment for my Gastrodermus hastatus but am struggling to select appropriate plants and I don't really have the space for it at the moment i'm afraid. But I would really like a blackwater SE Asian themed tank for a wild Betta, that would be amazing.
 
So got some lovely cuttings to add to the tank, but feel like I need to tweak the layout of this tank over this coming weekend

PXL_20241219_202621738.jpg

I am definitely keeping the wood within the tank (and have more that I have collected that can be added) however I seem to rapidly be running out of substrate space in the tank (not really surprising as its slightly smaller working area then 60cm x 30cm) so I think that I will be removing the Dragonstone from the tank this weekend.

I also have a couple of Gravid Rasbora, one of which is very full. She looks like a Balloon with fins. So I am hoping that the floating Hygrophila Difformis that is currently floating (from @Cazza) takes her interest

Also the growth rate of the Bucephalandra's are surprising me, I thought that they were slow growing. All 3 seem to be sending out 2-3 new leaves each week or 5 days
 
Your Lagenandra Meeboldii is doing very well. I also only have low tech tanks and I might buy a Lagenandra Meeboldii. Or a Schismatoglottis prietoi. Or both. I'm still a little undecided. But the Lagenandra meeboldii looks fantastic in your tank.
 
Your Lagenandra Meeboldii is doing very well. I also only have low tech tanks and I might buy a Lagenandra Meeboldii. Or a Schismatoglottis prietoi. Or both. I'm still a little undecided. But the Lagenandra meeboldii looks fantastic in your tank.
Schismatoglottis prietoi is one I would like to try also, some lovely photos about with it in its natural habitat. I do love the Meeboldii thinking it might make the cut in the big tank when it gets here...
 
Your Lagenandra Meeboldii is doing very well. I also only have low tech tanks and I might buy a Lagenandra Meeboldii. Or a Schismatoglottis prietoi. Or both. I'm still a little undecided. But the Lagenandra meeboldii looks fantastic in your tank.
Schismatoglottis prietoi grows fantastically in my lowtech tank, it's only in sand not soil, but it is a very dense healthy plant. It's much smaller than Lagenandra Meeboldii, worth trying both!
 
The growth rate of the Hygrophila Difformis has surprised me somewhat, has practically doubled in size since planting in the substrate (28/12/2024) the Vallisneria however has more or less completely melted.
PXL_20250107_195548883.jpg

The fact that I also trimmed the floating plants roots 5 days ago as well things are ticking along nice, now we await the Fluval Roma's arrival.....
 
Hi all,
Vallisneria however has more or less completely melted.
I can't grow it either. It is fine in our tap water (about 18 dGH, 18 dKH), but just <"dwindles away in the tanks"> (rain-water). Some people are fine with it in soft water, so it maybe the combination of low nutrients (or just low calcium (Ca) levels) and soft water it doesn't like.

cheers Darrel
 
Hi all,

I can't grow it either. It is fine in our tap water (about 18 dGH, 18 dKH), but just <"dwindles away in the tanks"> (rain-water). Some people are fine with it in soft water, so it maybe the combination of low nutrients (or just low calcium (Ca) levels) and soft water it doesn't like.

cheers Darrel
That was more or less the conclusion that I came too, as I have been using rain water for this tank and having a search around online seems that some others have had similar experiences
 
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