SECOND QUARTER 2022 ■ VOLUME 6
TOP SCAPES OF THE
AGA
A Planted Nano for Shrimp ■ Poison Dart Frogs Fish Breeding Success ■ Amazonas Tributary ■ And More! aquariumhobbyistmagazine.com
Features
6
Second Quarter 2022 ■ Vol. 6
• If you would like to write for us, contribute photography, or have your
Amazonas Tributary This biotope-inspired, multidimensional display clearly shows the benefits of thorough and detailed planning. Arturo Salcedo Polo
10
Using Plants to Achieve Fish-Breeding Success Looking for an edge in your fish-breeding endeavors? Find out how adding plants can greatly improve your success. Tammy Law
14
From Sketch to Scape: A Planted Nano for Shrimp Designing planted shrimp systems is challenging enough, but when it’s a nano, every detail is critical. Constantin Monfilliette
20
Poison Dart Frogs 101 Poison dart frogs are iconic denizens of the Central and South America rainforests. Learn how to create a frogscape and keep one of these enchanting animals in top health. Tijl Liekens
26 2021 AGA
International Aquascaping Contest
ON THE COVER
40
The Aquatic Gardeners Association presents the winners of the 11 categories in the International Aquascaping Contest. Bailin Shaw
Is Digital Monitoring and Testing Right for You? Modern digital monitoring and testing equipment will save you time, ensure accurate readings, and even save you money! Jim Adelberg
44
Announcements •
aquarium featured, email us through the "Contact Us" tab on our website. Wish there were a reef magazine like AHM? There is! Reef Hobbyist Magazine is available for FREE in the best local fish stores around the country and online at www.reefhobbyistmagazine.com!
AHM Sponsored Events
• Contact us online if you'd like to have your event sponsored. We can
supply you with magazines for your attendees and help you generate exposure to increase attendance.
Digital Subscriptions
Scan this QR code to sign up for your free digital subscription. You will receive an alert every time a new issue is released and have access to download every issue as a PDF.
Want to Carry AHM in Your Store?
Attract more hobbyists to your store by offering Aquarium Hobbyist Magazine to your customers! We educate hobbyists on new products, husbandry techniques, and livestock. Plus, we never publish e-tailer ads! Contact one of our distributors below or email us through the “Contact Us” tab on our website to get stocked. Your customers will love it! • All Seas Marine – www.allseaslax.com • Aqua Lab Aquaria – www.aqualabaquaria.com • DFW Aquarium Supply – www.dfwaquarium.com • Pan Ocean Aquarium – www.panoceanaquarium.com • RAD Aquatic Design (Canada) – www.radaquatics.ca • ReefH2O – www.reefh2o.com • Segrest Farms – www.segrestfarms.com • Ultum Nature Systems – www.ultumnaturesystems.com
Visit Us on the Web www.aquariumhobbyistmagazine.com • Read all back issues in the AHM archives for FREE • Sign up for a FREE digital subscription • Download and save issues in PDF • Find out about upcoming events in your area • www.facebook.com/aquariumhobbyistmagazine • www.instagram.com/aquariumhobbyistmagazine
AHM Staff
Managing Editor Jim Adelberg Executive Editor and Director of Advertising Harry T. Tung Art Director Yoony Byun Consulting Editor Tai Yu Copy Editors Melinda Campbell, S. Houghton
Rio River Stream This competition-winning tank features the elegance of an uncomplicated scape with just a few species of fish but packs a lot of visual impact! Russell Wiggin
4 • Aquarium Hobbyist Magazine
Comments or suggestions? Contact us on our website! ©2022 Aquarium Hobbyist Magazine. All rights reserved.
Second Quarter 2022
Amazonas Tributary By Arturo Salcedo Polo
W
ith this display, I wanted to create an Amazon River tributary biotope. This habitat features dark and slow-moving waters with sediments at the bottom, as well as an area with emerged plants and branches. Although they are not all of
Amazonian origin, the plants help create a rainforest feel on the vertical wall.
Aquarium Tank: Acuario Málaga Custom Dimensions: 31” × 16” × 6” Volume: 34 gallons Cabinet: IKEA Kallax
Aquascape About the Author Arturo lives in Madrid, Spain, and has been in the hobby since 2014. He has kept African cichlid tanks, reef tanks, and various planted tanks but keeps returning to his favorite: Amazon tanks. To see more of his creations, join him on Facebook at "aquariumsterrariumsart" or Instagram at "aquariums_terrariums_art." 6 • Aquarium Hobbyist Magazine
Style: biotope inspired Substrate: JBL Sansibar Orange Wood: Redmoor wood, twigs Other: Medlar and Catappa leaves
Equipment Lighting: (2) Inspire GAO 5-watt LEDs, homemade WRGB 3-watt LED Second Quarter 2022
aquariumhobbyistmagazine.com
Amazonas Tributary • 7
Photoperiod: 1.5 hours sunrise, 8 hours full, 1.5 hours sunset Filter: Fluval 307 Filter Media: foam, expanded clay Heater: Eheim, 100 watts
Maintenance Water Changes: 40 percent monthly Fertilizers: none
Food ‒ Azoo Ultra Fresh ‒ Sera Granured & Granugreen Plants
Water Parameters pH: 7.0 Nitrate: 0 ppm Nitrite: 0 ppm Ammonia: 5 ppm Carbonate Hardness: 2° General Hardness: 3°
Plants ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒
Phyllanthus fluitans Hemianthus callitrichoides Hydrocotyle leucocephala Hydrocotyle verticillata Hemigraphis colorata Chamaedorea sp. Begonia bowerae ˈTigerˈ Hygrophila pinnatifida Hygrophila corymbosa Hygrophila corymbosa ˈStricta Blueˈ Rotala boschii Ludwigia palustris ˈSuper Redˈ Ludwigia palustris ˈGreenˈ Anubias heterophylla Cryptocoryne undulata Cryptocoryne wendtii ˈBrownˈ Lobelia cardinalis Echinodorus argentinensis Ozelot Sword (green) Ozelot Sword (red) Pogostemon erectus Alternanthera reineckii ˈRosanervigˈ Lagenandra meeboldii ˈRedˈ Bacopa crenata Acorus gramineus ˈPusillusˈ Pellionia pulchra
Fish ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ 8 • Aquarium Hobbyist Magazine
Paracheirodon innesi Dantum Angelfish Corydoras aeneus ˈVenezuelaˈ Mikrogeophagus ramirezi Otocinclus affinis AH Second Quarter 2022
Electric Blue Rams finding shelter under an Anubias plant
USING PLANTS TO ACHIEVE FISH BREEDING SUCCESS By Tammy Law
B
reeding fish is a very exciting part of the aquarium hobby. Seeing an adult fish that I raised from an egg gives me an incredibly rewarding feeling. However, breeding fish often
requires more resources than standard fishkeeping. Extra time and effort are usually needed to ensure the fish fry stay alive and healthy. Over time, I have learned to use plants to make breeding fish easier for me.
A Natural Filter
About the Author Tammy Law was born and raised in San Francisco, CA, and got into the hobby as a high schooler. She loves all aspects of the hobby but is passionate about fish breeding. To follow Tammy's journey, look up "Aquarist_TL" on Instagram. 10 • Aquarium Hobbyist Magazine
I try to have plants in all my fish tanks because of their filtering abilities. One of the fundamentals of the aquarium hobby is an understanding of the nitrogen cycle. Briefly, fish waste and other decaying matter create ammonia in the water. Ammonia is toxic to fish and shrimp, and even small amounts can be fatal. Luckily, beneficial bacteria found in the water convert ammonia to nitrites and then finally nitrates, and fish and shrimp can tolerate nitrates at low levels. One of the reasons we perform water changes on our aquariums is to reduce the nitrates that have built up in the water. Second Quarter 2022
Conditioning adult fish for breeding creates a lot of waste due to the extra feedings. Raising the babies creates even more waste because there are a lot more mouths to feed, sometimes even hundreds of babies in one spawn depending on the type of fish. They also must eat every day when they are young, and it’s typically best to feed them multiple times a day to keep them growing strong. So essentially, raising these fish fry would require the breeder to perform a lot more water changes than usual. This is where plants really save the day. Plants primarily need five things to grow: water, light, nutrients, space (to grow), and air (specifically oxygen and carbon dioxide). The aquatic plants in our tanks always have water, which contains oxygen and carbon dioxide. Assuming we give them a consistent source of light and enough space, then all we have to worry about is providing nutrients. One of the main nutrients that plants use to grow is nitrogen. Ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate are all forms of nitrogen. If you recall, these are the compounds that are released into the water from fish waste and other decaying organics. Plants will absorb these compounds as they grow, removing them from the water column. In other words, the fish provide nutrients for the plants to grow, and the plants in turn help clean the water for the fish. This is why plants are, in my opinion, the best filters out there. While the typical filters we buy and install on our tanks do the job of converting ammonia to nitrates, plants go the extra mile and remove these harmful elements from the water. They are nature’s filter, and as a breeder, keeping plants in my tanks provides a safety buffer for my systems. I can afford to delay my water changes and still have peace of mind knowing the plants will be doing some of the work for me. In the long run, the plants are saving me time and energy.
Protection One of the challenges of breeding fish is preventing the fry from getting eaten. Unfortunately, it’s a fish-eat-fish world out there. Even the parents of the fry sometimes prey on their own young. This is especially true for livebearers like Guppies and platies. When it comes to cichlids like rams and angelfish, they tend to care for their babies, and if they don’t, the eggs can be separated from the parents and hatched artificially by the breeder. Livebearers are born free-swimming, so they cannot be separated from the mother. One strategy that some breeders use for these fish is to separate the mother in her own breeder box or container when she’s about to give birth. While this has worked for me in the past, I’ve found that the mother fish gets stressed out from this process, and she will sometimes still eat her young. It’s also a lot of work to find every female that is close to giving birth, and sometimes there isn’t enough space for each fish to have her own container. This all culminated in a lot of stress for me and my fish. While I was going through this strenuous routine with my Guppies, I was also adding some floating plants and Water Sprite to help with the nitrates. Once the plants grew in, I noticed that there were more and more fry surviving in the tank. The plants provided them with enough cover to stay hidden from the eager mouths of the adults. It got to the point where I stopped using the breeder boxes because aquariumhobbyistmagazine.com
Using Plants to Achieve Fish Breeding Success • 11
Top-down view of my Electric Calico Platy breeding tank
they were no longer needed. The Guppy population exploded naturally with the help of the plants and made the whole breeding process much easier for me. In addition to providing protection for young fish, I also use plants to prevent unwanted behaviors in adults. Some of the fish I keep—South American cichlids, for example—are very territorial. If a dominant fish sees others in its space, it will chase them and sometimes even nip their fins. To reduce aggression in the tank, it’s helpful to add visual barriers. Plants help keep the fish from seeing each other, and the more the plants grow in, the more they block the view of potential aggressors.
Favorite Plants Fast-growing plants are best for breeding setups because the faster the plants grow, the more nutrients they take up. Plants that grow emersed typically grow faster than submerged ones. For that reason, floating plants are my favorite. Examples of popular floating plants include Amazon Frogbit, Dwarf Water Lettuce, and Red Root Floaters.
Electric Calico Platies swimming through a jungle of Water Sprite
moss does not require a lot of light, so while the floating plants block most of the light, the moss is still able to grow. Although moss grows slowly, it will spread out and cover most of the bottom of a tank before you know it. Having moss in the aquarium creates even more hiding places for young fish. Popular mosses in the hobby include Java Moss, Christmas Moss, Weeping Moss, and Peacock Moss. Another moss-like plant to consider is Süßwassertang. In addition to aquatic plants, I also use common house plants like Pothos and Lucky Bamboo. I like to grow Pothos in my larger aquariums that are heavily stocked with fish. It grows very fast and is safe for the fish if the leaves stay out of the water. Pothos does a superb job of keeping my nitrates low and looks great hanging out of the tank! As a breeder, plants save me a lot of time and energy. By growing plants alongside the fish, they help naturally filter the water while also providing protection for fish, both old and young. Live plants have the power to aid you significantly in your fishkeeping hobby, so if you haven’t tried them yet, I highly recommend it! AH
One plant that has done exceptionally well for me is Water Sprite. I never intended to keep this plant, but I received it by mistake in an order. I decided to just float it on the surface of one of my ram tanks, and it took off right away! Pretty soon, it was taking up too much space in that tank, so I had to break it apart. I placed the extra growth in other tanks, and now almost all of my aquariums have Water Sprite. The original plant that I wanted was Hornwort, which I did eventually get as well. Both plants can be floated on the surface of an aquarium, grow very fast, and provide a lot of cover for fry to hide at the surface of the water. I also like to have plants at the bottom of the tank. My choice of bottom plant usually ends up being some type of moss. Fortunately, 12 • Aquarium Hobbyist Magazine
Süßwassertang is an ideal bottom plant for fish breeding. | Image by Buce Plant
Second Quarter 2022
FROM SKETCH TO SCAPE: A Planted Nano for Shrimp By Constantin Monfilliette
A
fter a long break from the hobby, I decided to dive back in with something simple, yet attractive, that would fit well in our living room. The main idea was to create a beautifully scaped planted tank for shrimp. I envisioned something more interesting than just a simple shrimp-breeding tank, with more details and more colors, following a well thought-out design.
I chose a nano tank mainly to reduce the costs and to reenter the hobby without taking too many risks. On one hand, nano tanks are known to be more difficult to maintain because they are less
About the Author Constantin Monfilliette is a French aquascaper who currently lives in Canada. He started shrimpkeeping 12 years ago and recently reentered the hobby after a long break. To see more of his work, follow "constantin_monfilliette" on Instagram. 14 • Aquarium Hobbyist Magazine
stable. On the other hand, the maintenance required is considerably reduced, and as long as you check your parameters often and understand the basics, I’d say that it’s not hard to keep a nano healthy.
DESIGN The concept was to create a tank infused with a sense of simplicity and peacefulness. I feel deeply connected to the “less is more” principle (a phrase adopted in 1947 by architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe), so I chose to keep the design minimalistic and simple. The result ended up being a mix of different styles: the principle of an Iwagumi, the hardscape of a Ryoboku, and the colors of a Brazilian scape, all interpreted through the aesthetic of a nature aquarium. Before starting this scape, I spent a long time refamiliarizing myself with the basics and revisited lots of resources to plan the tank. I watched countless videos made by truly passionate and instructive aquascapers and shops, including MJ Aquascaping, Green Aqua, Jordan Stirrat, Catherine Renarde, ullalaaqua, Gloria Ciriello, The 2Hr Aquarist, and Jurijs Jutjajevs. Second Quarter 2022
Red Cherry Shrimp
In the design process, I first chose the tank. I went with a long and narrow rimless tank by Hydra Aquatics. The tank is 24” × 7” × 9” and holds 6.3 gallons (25 liters). I chose this shape because I wanted something that could be viewed as a panorama and as a slice of an underwater scene as well. Then I began to sketch. I find it useful to draw out potential scapes because there are some designs that I know I want to avoid once I see them on paper, which saves me time once I start scaping. I zeroed in on a few ideas for the overall layout, as well as the hardscape elements I would use. After I made my sketches, I started to collect what I’d need for the hardscape, the substrate, and the tank. Because my tank is narrow, I didn’t have many options for driftwood, which made it hard to accurately reproduce my sketched ideas. I made several initial attempts to create a scape I was happy with, but I just couldn’t do it. I took some time off to take a step back, see the big picture, and refresh my vision for the tank. Eventually, I settled on this final scape, and I’m quite happy with the result. I sloped my substrate toward the back to increase the feeling of perspective, but it’s also sloped from right to left to increase the feeling of flow, an architectural element that inspired the tank’s name, “Slice of Life.”
PLANTS Because the tank is small, I decided to go with small- to medium-sized plants to increase the feeling of empty space. I also chose plants that were easy to grow to give myself the best chance of success. I mainly used two plants in this system. Micranthemum tweediei 'Monte Carlo' is a carpeting plant from Argentina with lush, bright green foliage, and Alternanthera reineckii 'Mini' is a red plant from South America used to add colors to the scape. These two plants helped me create the visual impact I desired. The other plants provide accents and details. For the background, I used Bacopa monnieri to give a touch of green verticality and to emphasize a relationship with the green foreground. This plant also grows well emerged and gives the tank an additional dimension. The leaves and flowers of this plant are edible and are known for their beneficial effect on the nervous system! Micranthemum tweediei 'Monte Carlo', Alternanthera reineckii 'Mini', and Bacopa monnieri are relatively fast-growing plants if you have CO2 injection and good lighting, so I also picked them because they will reduce excess nutrients more quickly and decrease the chance of algae early on. I didn’t use any fast-growing stem plants, as I didn’t want to trim a lot and because my tank is small. For the aquariumhobbyistmagazine.com
From Sketch to Scape: A Planted Nano for Shrimp • 15
shaded areas, I used Cryptocoryne species, which are easy, low-light plants. Cryptocoryne wendtii 'Brown' and Cryptocoryne lutea 'Hobbit' are very small and add nice details to the scape. I find it interesting to use multiple plants of the same genus, as it gives a feeling of harmony and consistency. I also used some Bucephalandra sp. 'Kedagang'. These plants are absolutely amazing, and their spotted leaves provide another visual focal point. All these plants came from tissue-culture cups, which are guaranteed to be free of pests, snails, and algae. Another great way to avoid algae early on is to cycle your tank without lights, plants, or CO2, known as the dark-start cycle. This is a good option if you want to put the odds on your side. The tissue culture and dark-start cycle will require more time and attention, but it’s worth it. And it’s quite fun and rewarding to see plants grow from scratch. Tissue cultures are also relatively inexpensive for the quantity of plants you get. With one cup of Alternanthera reineckii 'Mini', I managed to separate at least 10 individual portions. Same for the Monte Carlo; one cup will cover an area roughly the size of the palm of my hand.
SUBSTRATE Because the focus of this tank is a hardscape planted with a few healthy plants, I decided to use an active substrate rich in nutrients. I also wanted a substrate that would buffer some of the acidic influences in the system (CO2, fish waste, decaying organics, etc.), so I chose Aquario Neo Soil. Like all high-nutrient soils, it leached a lot of ammonia and nitrates at first, but going with a dark start, absent of plants and animals, it was not really a problem. 16 • Aquarium Hobbyist Magazine
Second Quarter 2022
HARDSCAPE For the main hardscape, I needed something visually soft, so I chose driftwood. I also used Dragon Stone as a supporting element to build a strong base for the driftwood and to add some additional details to the scape. This stone was a natural fit because it looks a bit like driftwood in color and texture. I placed sand to balance the left and right sides. The left side was designed to look like a creek, and the right side like a valley. The sloped substrate planted with Monte Carlo is the transition, and the focal point is between the two pieces of driftwood. I applied the rule of thirds here.
SHRIMP The stars of this display are Red Cherry Shrimp (Neocaridina davidi 'Red Cherry'). They are the easiest and most common type of shrimp in the hobby, and their size is ideal for this setup. I started with only eight shrimp to give me time to prepare for an eventual explosion in population once the parameters stabilized. I typically suggest five shrimp per gallon as an initial stocking level, but more are fine if your tank is mature, cycled, and healthy. Today, I have around 30 shrimp in this tank, and I have two other 5-gallon breeding tanks that host 40 shrimp each. To be successful with this species of shrimp, it is important to provide stable parameters, appropriate food, abundant hiding places, plants, and the right tank mates. You will also need to monitor your general hardness (GH), carbonate hardness (KH), and total dissolved solid (TDS) levels. aquariumhobbyistmagazine.com
From Sketch to Scape: A Planted Nano for Shrimp • 17
Where I live, the tap water is really soft, so I have to add minerals to reach my targets of 220 ppm TDS, roughly 9° GH, and 3° KH. I also add dechlorinator and water conditioner as a safety precaution. My tank water is around 22° C (72° F), which is my room temperature. If you want to use tap water, test it beforehand to know its parameters, or contact your city’s water department for the data. In some cities, the water is too hard, and you may need to mix it with reverse osmosis (RO) water. You can also use RO water only and remineralize it, which is quite common in shrimp breeding. The pH of my tank varies from 6.5 in the day to 7.0 at night (when there is no CO2 injection). Neocaridina shrimp are in their comfort zone in the 6.5–7.5 pH range. Ammonia and nitrites must stay at 0 ppm. If your tank is cycled, stable, and not overstocked, those targets shouldn’t be a problem to achieve. Nitrates in this tank are close to 0 ppm, so I dose a bit of nitrogen to reach my 5 ppm target, which is safe for shrimp and beneficial for the plants. This tank also hosts a nerite snail that, along with the shrimp, comprise a good cleaning team for the tank.
MAINTENANCE
Monthly ‒ remove all equipment for cleaning ‒ clean filter media in siphoned tank water ‒ clean CO2 diffuser and run it in white vinegar for 10 minutes, then in tap water ‒ troubleshoot any equipment issues
FEEDING I feed my shrimp approximately every other day with various foods: Hikari Shrimp Cuisine is the main one (two to three times a week), but I also feed Glasgarten pellet sticks (2 to 3 times a month) and blanched vegetables, like carrots or zucchini (once a month).
CONCLUSION This tank is now 6 months old, and given the planning and time involved, it’s nice to see it growing in as I’d hoped. It’s been a real pleasure to return to this hobby and to rekindle my love of small ecosystems in my home. AH
The key to keeping a planted tank healthy is consistency. We can ensure better control of our tanks if we allow plenty of time to take care of them. In my case, I split my maintenance schedule into three categories: Daily ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒
observe plants and check for algae observe animals for normal activity check equipment and CO2 dose fertilizers (twice a week)
Weekly ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒
perform a water change (50 percent) vacuum carpet and soil of detritus clean glass trim plants
18 • Aquarium Hobbyist Magazine
Red Cherry Shrimp
Second Quarter 2022
Dendrobates tinctorius ˈTumucumaqueˈ female
POISON DART FROGS 101 By Tijl Liekens
F
ew animals evoke the wonder and mystery of the Central and South American rainforests like poison dart frogs. Their bold patterns and bright neon colors make these frogs highly desirable as pets, but are they easy to keep?
All dart frogs are contained within the family Dendrobatidae, which includes 16 genera and around 200 species. Many of these species are nontoxic in the wild, and many are cryptically colored. But the iconic dart frogs in the hobby are vividly colored (if their nutritional demands are met), and even the species that are toxic in the wild are not toxic in captivity. In captivity, these frogs don’t produce poison due to the missing chemicals they would otherwise get from wild arthropod prey, such as ants, centipedes, and mites.
About the Author
KEEPING DENDROBATIDAE
Tijl is a hobbyist terrascaper from Heist-op-den-berg, Belgium, and has been keeping and breeding different species of Dendrobatidae since 2010. You can find his indoor neotropical ecosystems and frog portfolio by searching “urban__jungles” on Instagram.
First things first, each species of these neotropical frogs has its own individual needs when it comes to foods, habitat, and more. While there are similarities, each species or morph evolved to thrive and behave in a certain way in a specific environment. For example,
20 • Aquarium Hobbyist Magazine
Second Quarter 2022
Evolution of a Frogscape Build
Oophaga sylvatica 'Paru' female, WIKIRI line
some frogs need to be kept in higher humidity, others benefit from lower temperatures, and some will thrive when kept in groups. This variability means that, long before acquiring frogs and even before choosing an enclosure, you need to research the species you want to keep.
After thoroughly cleaning the glass tank, I start by attaching the inside back (and possibly side) panels with aquarium silicone. Preferably, these panels are composed of tree fern or compressed cork, which plants can easily grow on. Once the silicone is cured, I start adding the substrate.
THE ENCLOSURE
For the hardscape, any material that can be used in a freshwater aquarium is an option. Large pieces of driftwood, spider wood, and roots, in addition to Seiryu, Dragon, and other types of stones, have been included in my tanks. Aquascaping tools, aquarium glue, and silicone always come in quite handy when arranging the hardscape and plants. This is where you can let your creativity run free!
A general rule for the size of a basic enclosure to house a pair of adult poison dart frogs is 24″ × 18″ × 18″ or larger. Certain species can be temporarily housed in a smaller tank, but a smaller tank gives even an experienced keeper no room for errors in maintenance. For reference, I house my frog pairs in 48″ × 24″ × 24″, 36″ × 24″ × 26″, or 24-inch-cube vivariums. Most poison dart frogs are very territorial and will claim and defend every inch of available space. It would be nearly impossible to give these animals too much space in captivity. My advice for those starting out is to invest in a glass tank that is specifically designed for housing Dendrobatidae. These terrariums are built with an elevated floor area and have a drainage gutter and two or three screened vents for passive air turnover. Proper air circulation plays an important role in the well-being of the frogs and plants.
SCAPING In early 2020, I discovered the wonderful world of aquascaping and was absolutely blown away by the passion and seemingly endless content shared by the ever-growing aquascaping community. This has been an immense inspiration and influenced the way I look at and approach my hobby these days.
SUBSTRATE Simplicity is key. For the base layer, I like to use a sheet of aquatic reticulated polyether. This sheet collects excess water from the misting system, which needs to be drained from time to time. On top of that sheet, I add a layer of small aquarium gravel, and some areas get covered with tree bark for the cleanup crew to thrive in. This way, I will never have to tear down the tank to replace any possible rotting or decayed substrate like you would when using terrarium soil. As a finishing touch, I always add a final layer of leaf litter. The frog room
For me, successful scaping is a matter of finding the perfect balance between aesthetics and functionality. I always keep in mind the rule of thirds and make sure I retain as much usable space as possible for the future inhabitants. Working out ideas on paper first is not really my style, and I tend to be more creative during the process of working on the layout itself. YouTube videos and Instagram are a big part of my inspiration. In-situ photography of poison dart frog habitats often inspires me even more. aquariumhobbyistmagazine.com
Poison Dart Frogs 101 • 21
SOFTSCAPE The plants I use vary depending on what I want to see in the tank or what is available to me at the time. If the plants originate or thrive in a tropical climate and are not toxic to humans or animals, they will be a good option. The chosen plants can be mounted on the branches, background, and sides or pushed directly into the gravel, depending on the layout of the hardscape. Cuttings that are not rooted can be wrapped with some sphagnum moss around the base of the stem to promote root development. Since the frog waste acts as a natural fertilizer, nothing else is needed for the plants to flourish.
Oophaga sylvatica ˈParuˈ female
Plants from the genera Neoregelia and Vriesea (bromeliads) are always included in my builds. These plants give a neotropical feel, color, and vibe to the setup. They are often the most eye-catching plants in the display. Some frogs, like the members of the Oophaga genus (obligate egg feeders), even rely on the presence of bromeliads to reproduce.
TEMPERATURE My frogs are kept between 64.5 and 73.4° F during the winter and between 68.0 and 79.0° F in the summer. This covers the night-day temperature range. It’s highly recommended to avoid any temperatures much lower or higher. There is room for a few degrees of fluctuation, but it’s best avoided, especially for longer periods of time. To heat the tanks, I depend on the heat produced by the tank lights. I’m not a fan of aquarium heaters, heat mats, or cables, and I would never recommend these since they can be unreliable. If one of these fails just for a moment at the wrong time, you could end up with a bunch of dead frogs. It’s important to think about how the room temperature affects the setup. For example, if your living room heats up to 86° F in the summer, you might want to look for a room with a more stable temperature. Oophaga pumilio ˈBastimentos Red Frog Beachˈ male
Also, moving an enclosure once it’s up and running is not ideal. Think of all the aquariums that have been broken this way. It’s the same for vivariums or terrariums.
LIGHTING Typically, any 4,000–6,500 K LED or T5 lamp will do. When looking into lights designed for the vivarium hobby and tropical plantkeeping, I always recommend the brand Skylight LED. The effects of this fixture on plant color, growth, and health are unbelievable! Keep in mind to always include shaded areas inside the vivarium. Frogs will need shaded places to hide or shelter. Also, as Takayuki Fukada explained in Green Aqua’s master class, the use of shadow is important to create a successful and perfect scape. Who are we to argue with that wisdom?
FEEDERS AND SUPPLEMENTS
Oophaga histrionica ˈBullseyeˈ male
22 • Aquarium Hobbyist Magazine
A diverse diet is essential for keeping dart frogs in excellent health and color. I mainly feed large and small species of Drosophila (fruit flies). Aphids, mites, springtails, lice, isopods, meadow plankton, and greenbugs are also on the weekly menu. Some of these are more Second Quarter 2022
Tadpole transport by an Oophaga pumilio ˈBastimentosˈ
than just a healthy snack. Springtails and isopods have the additional benefit of working as a cleanup crew inside the enclosure. Think of them as you would your snail and shrimp populations in an aquarium. I use Repashy's Calcium Plus every feeding as a supplement, and Vitamin A Plus is also fed twice a month to our breeding frogs to boost their health. These supplements help complete the diet.
HUMIDITY The ideal humidity for most Dendrobatidae is between 60 and 75 percent during the day and between 75 and 90 percent at night. The best way to achieve this is with hand misting or with the installation of an automated misting system. I recommend misting 3 to 5 times a day for only a few seconds during your chosen wet season. This allows your plants and substrate time to dry while maintaining the humidity in the enclosure. I like to use RO water mixed with 20 percent tap water. Pure RO isn’t ideal since you want a small amount of minerals in the water for the frogs. Often overlooked, yet of significant importance, is to also mimic dry seasons to benefit the health of the frogs. The dry season is a period when adult frogs take a break from breeding and reenergize. For me, this is most easily simulated during my winter when the temperatures are lower indoors and in the enclosures. During the 24 • Aquarium Hobbyist Magazine
Phyllobates terribilis ˈMintˈ juvenile
winter period of 3 months, I only mist once a day for a maximum of 10 to 15 seconds. However, I do make sure the frogs always have access to a small amount of fresh water in case they need it to help shed or just want to soak. This can be in the form of a small dish of water or water I add to an exposed drainage gutter depending on the layout of the enclosure. Tanks with permanent water features (drip walls or streams), better known as paludariums, are becoming a common sight in the overall aquatic and terrarium hobby. While they are perfectly suited for housing amphibians or reptiles that thrive in a constantly wet environment, they are not ideal for the majority of neotropical dart frogs. The exceptions are those species that live close to streams and are constantly exposed to a more humid microclimate. These include members of the Epipedobates and Ameerega genera, which are quite commonly kept as pets.
ACQUIRING FROGS AND THE COMMITMENT Frogs can be acquired from stores, breeders, or reptile shows. Just make sure the frogs originate from a reputable, ethical, and sustainable source. And before you make that purchase, remember that most Dendrobatidae can live 20 or more years in captivity, so make sure you are ready for this commitment. If you are, then I promise you will enjoy every second of your indoor neotropical ecosystem. AH Second Quarter 2022
021 2 AG A International Aquascaping Contest
T
he Aquatic Gardeners Association is excited to announce the highly anticipated results of our 2021 International Aquascaping Contest. The contest had another banner year, with over 700 aquascapes represented in seven aquatic garden categories and four specialty categories. Some beautiful aquatic garden aquascapes were entered in this year’s contest, including “Synergy,” the 2021 Best of Show designed by Matthew Israel O’ Manes from the Philippines, and “Silent Pool,” created by Steven Chong of the United States/Japan. These two aquascapes were just a couple of the standouts among the many tanks entered this year.
In addition to the strong showing in the aquatic garden categories, the specialty categories were also very well represented. Aquascapers from the United States did extremely well in this year’s biotope category, taking all three places in the contest and also placing first in the Dutch aquascape category. In the other specialty categories, the skills of the aquascapers have elevated dramatically, resulting in intricate and beautiful paludariums and Wabi-kusas that combine elements of both aquatic and terrestrial elements. For the 2021 contest, our panel of judges included Dave Chow, Jhonny Vanegas Cardenas, Marvin Lo, Andre Longarco, Esther Mous, Jennifer Williams, Karen Randall, Marco Aukes, Vin Kutty, Nick Kinser, Hans-Georg Evers, Cory Nudelman, Jo Ann Fujii, and Bailin Shaw. For more photos and information on the aquascapes, judges’ comments, and all entries from this and previous years, visit showcase.aquatic-gardeners.org. Bailin Shaw, AGA Contest Chair About the Author Bailin received his first aquarium for Christmas when he was 5 years old. He has kept an aquarium off and on ever since, becoming more involved with planted aquariums during graduate school. He is a founding member of the Chicago Aquatic Plant Society. Bailin began serving as the AGA International Aquascaping Contest Chair in 2007 and has judged the contest in past years. 26 • Aquarium Hobbyist Magazine
Second Quarter 2022
Zura ula Aquascaper: Agoes Effendi Category: <28 L (~7.5 gallons) Location: Benkulu, Indonesia Award: 1st Place
Aquascape Details Dimensions: ~16” × 10” × 10” Volume: ~7 gallons Background: sunblast Lighting: (2) Kandila S 400, Kandila wrgb 400 Filtration: canister Materials: Rentek wood, lava rock, bk carnivorous sand Plants: Weeping Moss, Riccardia sp., Bucephalandra (moss), Rotala rotundifolia 'Green', Rotala rotundifolia 'H’ra' Animals: Red Cherry Shrimp, Guppy AFR aquariumhobbyistmagazine.com
2021 AGA International Aquascaping Contest • 27
28 • Aquarium Hobbyist Magazine
Second Quarter 2022
Through the Canyon Aquascaper: Luis Filipe Samora Cardoso Category: 28–55 L (~7–15 gallons) Location: Aldeia de Santo Andre, Portugal Award: 1st Place
Aquascape Details Dimensions: 18” × 11” × 12” Volume: ~9.5 gallons Background: Lightground Lighting: Twinstar III 450SA Filtration: OASE FiltoSmart 200 Materials: Thai Stone Plants: Rotala sp. 'Green', Rotala sp. 'H’ra', Micranthemum tweediei 'Monte Carlo', Hemianthus callitrichoides 'Cuba', Riccardia chamedryfolia, Cryptocoryne parva, Cryptocoryne wendtii 'Flamingo', Anubias barteri var. nana 'Petite', Anubias barteri var. nana Animals: (10) Brevibora dorsiocellata, Crystal Red Shrimp, Blue Dream Shrimp
Rays Among the Greens Aquascaper: Tereza Lazar Category: 55–80 L (~15–21 gallons) Location: Uzhhorod, Ukraine Award: 1st Place
Aquascape Details Dimensions: ~24” × 16” × 12” Volume: ~20 gallons Lighting: Life Aqua Prime 600 Filtration: Eheim Classic 2213 Materials: Seiryu Stone, Prodibio AquaGrowth Soil Plants: Fissidens sp. ˈFoxˈ, Riccardia chamedryfolia, Vesicularia sp. 'Mini Christmas Moss', Weeping Moss, Bubble Moss, Taxiphyllum sp. 'Flame', Hemianthus micranthemoides, Hemianthus callitrichoides 'Cuba', Rotala macrandra 'Butterfly', Rotala sp. 'Sunset' (Ammania sp. 'Sulawesi'), Rotala sp. 'Bangladesh', Rotala mexicana 'Goias', Gratiola viscidula, Bolbitis sp., Lindernia sp., Eleocharis sp. 'Mini', Anubias barteri var. nana 'Petite', Anubias barteri var. nana 'Pangolino', Hymenasplenium obscurum, Bucephalandra spp., Marsilea minuta, Bolbitis sp. 'Baby Leaf', Marsilea quadrifolia, Alternanthera reineckii 'Mini' Animals: Boraras brigittae, Red Cherry Shrimp, Theodoxus fluviatilis
aquariumhobbyistmagazine.com
2021 AGA International Aquascaping Contest • 29
Spike’s Valley Aquascaper: Thiago Gonçalves de Oliveira Category: 80–162 L (~21–43 gallons) Location: São Paulo, Brazil Award: 1st Place
Aquascape Details Dimensions: ~32” × 16” × 14” Volume: ~30 gallons Background: foggy background Lighting: Maxspect RSX R5F-150 Filtration: ADA Super Jet Filter ES-600, Eheim Ecco Pro 2236 Materials: Ryuoh Stone, SOMA Pebble Black, ADA La Plata Sand Plants: Marsilea quadrifolia, Micranthemum sp. 'Monte Carlo', Eleocharis minima, Hygrophila pinnatifida, Microsorum pteropus 'Windelov', Anubias barteri var. nana 'Pangolino', Bucephalandra sp., Limnophila sp. 'Vietnam', Rotala sp. 'Nanjenshan', Rotala mexicana, Rotala rotundifolia, Rotala sp. 'H’ra', Rotala wallichii, Rotala sp. 'Green', Rotala sp. 'Wayanad', Rotala sp. 'Francisco', Rotala sp. 'Vietnam', Fissidens fontanus Animals: Trigonostigma hengeli, Danio margaritatus, Parotocinclus haroldoi Additional Information: In this layout, I try to represent a valley formed in antiquity where the rocks come out of an open crack in the ground, after a seismic event.
Eternal Aquascaper: Chen Han-Hsuan Category: 162–220 L (~43–58 gallons) Location: Tainin, Taiwan Award: 1st Place
Aquascape Details Dimensions: ~36” × 20” × 16” Volume: ~48 gallons Lighting: (2) 39-watt HAGEN T5s, ISTA RGB LED Filtration: Tetra EX-120 Materials: local driftwood and stones Plants: Limnophila sp. 'South America', Myriophyllum spicatum from Philippines, Microsorum pteropus 'Trident', Mini Taiwan Moss, Bolbitis heudelotii, Lilaeopsis brasiliensis, Bucephalandra Animals: Trigonostigma heteromorpha
30 • Aquarium Hobbyist Magazine
Second Quarter 2022
aquariumhobbyistmagazine.com
2021 AGA International Aquascaping Contest • 31
32 • Aquarium Hobbyist Magazine
Second Quarter 2022
Synergy Aquascaper: Matthew Israel O' Manes Category: 220–320 L (~58–85 gallons) Location: Paranaque, Philippines Award: 1st Place
Aquascape Details Dimensions: ~48” × 18” × 18” Volume: ~64 gallons Background: white sticker Lighting: (2) Week Aqua L series (Phoenix), 120 watts, WRGB Filtration: (2) Sunsun HW-304b, ceramic ring, Seachem Purigen Materials: slate Plants: Monte Carlo, Hemianthus callitrichoides, Schismatoglottis prietoi, Glossostigma elatinoides, Bucephalandra sp. 'Mini Phantom', Bucephalandra sp., Bucephalandra sp. 'Angel Tears', Marsilea crenata, Christmas Moss, Coral Moss, Hydrocotyle tripartita 'Mini', Rotala sp. 'Colorata', Pearl Weed, Ludwigia arcuata, Christmas Moss Animals: Golden Rummy Nose Additional Information: APT Estimate Index, Seachem Advance, Seachem Stability, Seachem Excel, ADA Amazonia Ver. 2, ADA soil additives, white cosmetic sand
Hoia-Baciu Aquascaper: Marçal Galí Bohera Category: Paludarium Location: Roses, Spain Award: 1st Place
Aquascape Details Dimensions: ~24” × 14” × 14” Volume: ~21 gallons Lighting: Chihiros WRGB Filtration: Eheim 2211 Materials: Aquario Neo Soil, JBL ProScape Volcano Mineral, slate rock, Cistus wood Plants: Hemianthus callitrichoides, Bolbitis heteroclita 'Difformis', Euonymus japonicus 'Microphyllus', Polypodium formosanum, Adiantum raddianum, Athyrium niponicum, Andreaeobryopsida, Masdevallia minuta, Pyrrosia nummularifolia, Anubias barteri var. nana 'Bonsai', Hydrocotyle verticillata, Bucephalandra sp. 'Wavy Leaf', Platyhypnidium riparioides Animals: Heterandria formosa, Red Cherry Shrimp Additional Information: Inspired by Hoia-Baciu Forest
aquariumhobbyistmagazine.com
2021 AGA International Aquascaping Contest • 33
Flooded Forest Tributary of the Rio Negro Aquascaper: Alex Wenchel Category: Biotope Location: Alexandria, Virginia (USA) Award: 1st Place
Aquascape Details Dimensions: ~36” × 18” × 9” Volume: ~24 gallons Background: expanding foam coated in blended aqua soil and sand Lighting: low-intensity strip light Filtration: large Fluval canister filter Materials: several "fallen" logs (buoyant for 6 months prior to sinking), leaf litter made up of dried Willow Oak leaves and a blend of almond leaves and other commercially available botanicals. Slope built using expanding foam coated in blended aqua soil and sand. Animals: (10) Paracheirodon axelrodi (Cardinal Tetra) Additional Information: This biotope was built to recreate the flooded forest floor I witnessed while visiting the small tributaries of the Rio Negro River, itself a tributary of the Amazon. The flooded forest floor is covered in leaves, fallen branches, and stumps in the process of decay. While the water is a crystal clear amber, a layer of mulm coats everything, and the slightest disturbance will fill the water with flecks of brownish gray. 34 • Aquarium Hobbyist Magazine
Second Quarter 2022
Forest in the Wind Aquascaper: Pavol Kulanda Category: >320 L (~85 gallons) Location: Cookstown, United Kingdom Award: 1st Place
Aquascape Details Dimensions: ~48” × 24” × 18” Volume: ~86 gallons Background: frosted film Lighting: (2) Life Aqua Master Pro RGB 70-watt lamps Filtration: ADA Super Jet, Eheim Pro 3 T250 Materials: Redmoor roots, mangrove driftwood, ironwood, ancient roots, local basalt stone, cosmetic silica sand, Prodibio AquaGrowth soil, Prodibio Relief G-Series gravel Plants: Anubias barteri var. nana 'Mini', Anubias barteri var. nana 'Coin Leaf', Bucephalandra sp., Riccardia chamedryfolia, Fissidens fontanus, Vesicularia ferriei 'Weeping', Fontinalis antipyretica, Micranthemum tweediei 'Monte Carlo', Hydrocotyle tripartita 'Mini', Hydrocotyle verticillata, Hygrophila pinnatifida, Marsilea hirsuta, Cryptocoryne albida 'Lucens', Cryptocoryne beckettii, Microsorum pteropus 'Petite', Microsorum pteropus 'Windelov', Microsorum pteropus 'Trident', Bolbitis heudelotii, Ceratopteris thalictroides, Glossostigma elatinoides, Eleocharis parvula, Vallisneria nana, Myriophyllum sp. 'Guyana', Myriophyllum propinquum, Myriophyllum pinnatum, Myriophyllum mattogrossense, Rotala sp. 'H’ra', Rotala sp. 'Green' Animals: Trigonostigma hengeli, Prionobrama filigera, Aphyocharax rathbuni, Crossocheilus siamensis, Otocinclus affinis, Neocaridina davidi 'Red Sakura', Caridina cantonensis 'Orange Tiger', Caridina multidentata, Clithon corona, Zebra Nerite Snails Additional Information: pressurized CO2 30 mg/L by CO2Art, daily fertilization routine by MasterLine (All In One Soil, All In One Golden, and Carbo), 80 percent water change weekly
36 • Aquarium Hobbyist Magazine
Second Quarter 2022
Community Aquascaper: Gavin Carew Category: Dutch Location: Seattle, Washington (USA) Award: 1st Place
Aquascape Details Dimensions: ~36” × 12” × 12” Volume: ~22 gallons Background: Mini Christmas Moss Lighting: Chihiros WRGB LED Filtration: Oase BioMaster 250 Plants: Hydrocotyle leucocephala, Myriophyllum sp. 'Guyana Mini', Alternanthera reineckii 'Variegated', Rotala macrandra 'Green', Lobelia cardinalis, Ammannia pedicellata 'Golden', Hemianthus callitrichoides 'Cuba', Hygrophila difformis, Vallisneria spiralis 'Tiger' Animals: (14) Hyphessobrycon amandae, (10) Corydoras pygmaeus, (5) Tanichthys albonubes, Cherry Shrimp, Otocinclus sp., pond snails Additional Information: All plants, livestock, and equipment were procured through members of the Greater Seattle Aquarium Society and GSAS sponsors. This is both a community tank and a tank very much built by the community.
aquariumhobbyistmagazine.com
2021 AGA International Aquascaping Contest • 37
Little Beauty Aquascaper: Mathias Berg Offersen Category: Wabi-Kusa Location: Næstved, Denmark Award: 1st Place
Aquascape Details Dimensions: ~12” × 7” × 5” Volume: ~2 gallons Lighting: ONF Flat Nano Plus Filtration: none Materials: Tropica soil, DOOA river sand, black lava rock, driftwood Plants: Alternanthera reineckii 'Mini', Hydrocotyle tripartita, Taxiphyllum alternans 'Taiwan', Juncus repens, Hydrocotyle verticillata, Myriophyllum sp. 'Guyana' Animals: Neocaridina davidi 'Red Sakura', Clithon corona AH 38 • Aquarium Hobbyist Magazine
Second Quarter 2022
Is Digital Monitoring and Testing Right for You? By Jim Adelberg
About the Author Jim Adelberg is a hobbyist from southern Colorado with over 40 years' experience keeping aquariums in the home, in retail stores, and in public institutions.
40 • Aquarium Hobbyist Magazine
F
irst, a disclaimer: I grew up in this hobby at a time when there was no digital equipment. I learned to keep aquariums based mostly on observation and by trying to develop the ever elusive “feel.” So I’m not going to be judging anyone for their choices of how to pursue the hobby. In this piece, I will detail a few of the shortcomings of analog monitoring and testing, and I will suggest that you should consider digital options as soon as you know you’ll be sticking with the hobby. Read along and let’s see if you agree. Second Quarter 2022
Many factors can reduce the reliability and accuracy of test results that require human visual analysis.
It's a safe bet that your first aquarium came with a basic test kit or a recommendation for one. You may have been advised to adjust to certain pH targets, and you may have been told to monitor the nitrogen cycle to assess when the tank was cycled. You may also have discovered that liquid reagent/color card tests are subject to a variety of inaccuracies that make it difficult to be 100 percent sure of the results. Some of these are obvious, and some are more unlikely, but here’s a few potential problems off the top of my head. Test sample size: Reading a meniscus accurately takes practice (whether in a syringe or test tube), and with some tests, the original sample size is important. Contaminated dropper/vial: Did you wash and thoroughly air dry the test-kit parts since the last test? Expired reagents: Are your reagents fresh? Do you have a standard to check them against? Reagent amount: Are you absolutely sure that each and every drop you squeeze from a reagent bottle is exactly the same size? Of course not! Colorimetric reference cards: I have seen test kit color reference cards with misprinted color registers. Color assessment variables: The human eye will register colors differently depending on color density, ambient lighting, and, obviously, the degree and type of any color blindness. The simple fact is that no two people are likely to see any color the same. How much does all this matter? For your first aquarium, and especially if your results are being checked by a local store that wants to sell you fish once your tank is cycled, not too much. But as soon as you begin moving past those first few months, I think it’s worth buying digital monitoring and testing equipment. I’d say this should even be acquired before a second tank. Let’s consider a typical situation where you’re doing a water change and need to match the new water’s temperature and pH values to those of the tank. Do you have a dedicated thermometer for your water-change container? Is it standardized against the tank thermometer? If you’re moving the tank thermometer to the aquariumhobbyistmagazine.com
Is Digital Monitoring and Testing Right for You? • 41
everything you need in a combination meter up front rather than add a new meter every time you want accurate results for a new parameter. To finetune this decision, try to think of what direction you want to take in the hobby. What parameters do you consider critical that you’re planning to test regularly? For example, if you plan to keep shrimp, you should consider meters with general hardness (GH) and carbonate hardness (KH) capabilities, especially given the challenges of titrated color-change kits. If you plan to inject CO2 in a planted tank, you might balance the CO2 feed based on pH, but you may want to monitor dissolved oxygen as well for safety. And if you keep soft-water fish (discus come to mind), you may want to monitor the water’s conductivity or total dissolved solids (TDS). Lastly, if you keep a system with a high bioload or a heavy feeding regimen, a nitrate reading may be the easiest way to monitor such systems for needed water changes.
Frequent water testing is required for fish that are sensitive to parameter swings, like discus.
water-change container, how long are you supposed to wait for the thermometer to give an accurate reading? Let’s consider matching the pH. In addition to whatever uncertainties are inherent in the test (as listed above), in a best-case scenario, you need to conduct at least two tests: one for the tank and one for the water-change water. If they match, you’re good to go! But if they don’t, you’re consigned to do as many tests as it takes to slowly match the pH. Three, four, five tests…with thorough rinsing in between. Eventually, the time, effort, and reagents required all begin to add up. And this probably needs to be done every week. Of course, with a digital thermometer/pH pen, you could do all this far quicker, in less space, and with no reagents. In my opinion, this is the perfect time to upgrade to digital equipment. The inclusion of a good digital meter early on in your progression as a hobbyist will save you time and frustration and may even save the lives of your pets. As you consider the available options, keep in mind that it’s cheaper to buy
42 • Aquarium Hobbyist Magazine
I’m also going to make a pitch for digital temperature capabilities on whatever you buy. Sure, you may only have one tank and one water-change container now, but the inaccuracies of analog thermometers plus the time they take to register an accurate reading argue for the inclusion of digital temperature monitoring on whatever meter you choose. Do you actually need digital equipment? I would ask that in a different way. If you can’t be sure the results are accurate, why bother testing? And if there’s a bunch of uncertainty built into the testing process, are you willing to make life and death decisions for your fish based on those results? Lastly, if the test consumes a bunch of time, space, and supplies to conduct, will you test as often as you would if it were cheap, easy, and fast? AH
Second Quarter 2022
RIO RIVER STREAM By Russell Wiggin
N
ature. It really inspired me to create this tank. I have nature walks where I live, with lovely wild streams that instantly bring me a calm state of mind. I wanted that peaceful stream environment at home too.
This tank is at the beginning of its journey, but I think it already shows that low-tech setups can look good too. No need for CO2, aqua soils,
and other so-called booster chemicals. Just the right lighting, a good maintenance routine, and live plants. This scape won first place in a tank-of-the-year competition at Tropical Fish Forums (fishforums.net).
Aquarium Tank: Juwel Rio 180 Dimensions: 40” × 16” × 20” Glass: float glass Volume: 48 gallons Cabinet: Juwel
About the Author Russell Wiggin lives in Staffordshire, England, and has been a hobbyist since 2018. His pro tip is for hobbyists to check out Tropical Fish Forums (fishforums.net) for info and advice. 44 • Aquarium Hobbyist Magazine
Aquascape Style: low-tech planted Substrate: play sand Stone: river rock, pebbles Second Quarter 2022
Wood: bogwood Other: Indian almond leaves
Equipment Lighting: (2) Juwel iQuatics 45-watt T5s, 8-hour photoperiod Filter: Juwel Bioflow internal filter, large sponge filter Filter Media: fine, medium, and coarse sponges, ceramic rings Filter Plumbing: Juwel outlet pipe with air diffuser Heating: (2) Tetra HT200s with ITC-306T dual controller
Maintenance Water Changes: 50 percent once a week Fertilizers: Seachem Flourish liquid for floating plants, Seachem Flourish Tabs for substrate plants
Food Live Foods: Cyclops, Daphnia Commercial Foods: Mysis; Omega One Tropical Flakes, Shrimp Pellets, and Veggie Rounds; Fluval Bug Bites Tropical Formula I feed a variety of prepared foods once a day, 5 days per week, and live foods once a week. I skip feeding one day per week.
Water Parameters pH: 7.4 Ammonia: 0 ppm Nitrite: 0 ppm Nitrate: 10 ppm Carbonate Hardness: 7° General Hardness: 9.1°
Pearl Gouramis and Cardinal Tetras
aquariumhobbyistmagazine.com
Rio River Stream • 45
Plants ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒
Cryptocoryne beckettii Cryptocoryne wendtii Cryptocoryne × willisii Cryptocoryne parva Cryptocoryne lutea Cryptocoryne lucens Rotala indica Amazon Sword Hygrophila sp. moss balls Water Sprite (floating)
Fish ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒
Cardinal Tetra (Paracheirodon axelrodi) Rummy-nose Tetra (Hemigrammus rhodostomus) Pearl Gourami (Trichopodus leerii) Pepper Cory (Corydoras paleatus) Bristlenose Pleco (Ancistrus cirrhosus)
Invertebrates ‒ Malaysian Trumpet Snails AH 46 • Aquarium Hobbyist Magazine
Second Quarter 2022