Low Tech Sumatra Biotope

[Ratvan]

So this little slice of swamp was set up 18/09/2024 and I am currently cycling by dosing Ammonia up to 4ppm each day and testing until the tank can process this.

Hardware
Tank: Fluval Evo Tank (L60cm x W30cm x H30cm)
Light: Stock LED Lighting on Nicrew Digital Controller
Heater: 100w Mini Aquarium Heater on Nicrew Temperature Probe
Filtration: 250LPH Submersible Pump
Stand: Ciano 60 Stand

Hardscape: 5KG Dragon Stone
Substrate: 10KG River Sand and various Botanicals

Over the past few weeks I have been playing with the layout of the Hardscape as well as some of the plants that I have later purchased and included within the tank

Initial Set Up


up until now



I am hoping that once my cycle is complete that this will become the home of a pair of Wild Betta, most likely from the Coccina Complex, very interested in the Api Api as well as the Persephone

Plant List is currently
Cryptocoryne Petchii
Hygrophila Polysperma
Lagenandra Meeboldii
Limnobium Laevigatum
Microsorum Pteropus Narrow

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,
Welcome to UKAPS, nice tank and fish choice,

I am currently cycling by dosing Ammonia up to 4ppm each day and testing until the tank can process this.

You can actually stop adding ammonia (NH3 / NH4). The traditional view of cycling, that it is performed by limited range of bacteria requiring high ammonia loading and carbonate hardness, isn't true.

In a planted tank you are never entirely reliant on the filter bacteria, and the microbes that actually occur in aquarium filters are a diverse range of bacteria and archaea that are favoured by low ammonia levels. Have a look at <"Is expensive bio media worth it?">.

First the bit <"we know">, that the nature of that <"microbial assemblage"> is <"fine-tuned over time"> to reflect the levels of ammonia (NH3) and dissolved oxygen in the water.

What is important is time for both a diverse microbial flora to develop (in both filter and substrate) and the plants to be in active growth. After that all we need is sufficient dissolved oxygen to deal with the bioload, again plants help with this.

At UKAPS we've actually spoken to <"some of the scientists working in the field of nitrification">. One interesting finding has been that, in aquarium filters, the major nitrifying organism are COMAMMOX Nitrospira, that oxidise ammonium straight to nitrate (NO3-), without any nitrite (NO2-) formation <"https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/aem.00104-24">.

<"https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/aem.00104-24">McKnight MM, Neufeld JD. 2024. Comammox Nitrospira among dominant ammonia oxidizers within aquarium biofilter microbial communities.

Have a look at (and linked threads if you have time):
<"Dr Timothy Hovanec's comments about Bacterial supplements>
<"Correspondence with Dr Ryan Newton - School of Freshwater Sciences, University of Wisconsin—Milwaukee">
<"Correspondence with the Neufeld lab. University of Waterloo">

Cheers Darrel