Starting a fifty liters (~ 50 l), “panorama” planted tank, just for the fun of it … - IV

by Andreas I. Iliopoulos

The tank remained so for about twenty days, so the known “itch” has started bothering me as many times has bothered yourselves as well: “what should be the fish I would keep in it?” Now, one and a half month later, I haven’t made up my mind yet about the “staring” ones. What took me was a small school of seven (7) Corydoras panda “large spot” Perù, which I literally swooped from one aquarium of the petshop Kibotos (Ark) in Hermoupolis – Syros, owned by Elias Skevofylakas; and I took them the sooner possible to their new apartment. Along with the corys, in the same tank were a few juvenile Ancistrus dolichopterus (L144a) and I bought one (1) of them as well. I cannot say if this specimen is a male or a female, because at this age the “bushy noses” are not developed at all, but I am patient. The presence of the C. panda forbids the introduction of small latin American cichlids; I would like to keep, due to the harassments that will be forced to deal with, from the territorial benthic dwarves, fact that it is quite annoying to me.

All the seven (7) Corydoras panda “browsing” on the front side of the fine quartz substratum.

C. panda. A close up photo of one of the, two centimeters (2 cm) in length, specimens I keep. In this photo is also clearly visible the finesse of this quartz sand.

Another close up photo of another C. panda specimen I keep.

My very young Ancistrus dolichopterus (L144a), measuring 2,5 cm, on the bottom of the fine 100% quartz substratum.

A. dolichopterus (L144a); view of the under side of the animal.

Yet unsexed juvenile A. dolichopterus (L144a)

Overview

photos: Andreas I. Iliopoulos/MCH

Those animals are well adapted in this new environment and although interesting species and charming, still I haven’t made up my mind about their staring tankmates in this underwater community, either due to shape or behavior. The candidates are quite many, so the choice a difficult one. I feed once daily with Total tropical flakes Wardley’s and alternately San Francisco bay Brand freeze-dried Artemia salina. Once, weekly, I do not feed at all. I keep temperature between twenty five and twenty six degrees Celsius (25° C – 26° C) and I perform a daily partial water change of two liters (2 l), proportionally two and a half per cent (2,5%) every single morning. I only add a quarter of a milliliter (0,25 ml) Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Stress coat and two to three (2 – 3) drops of the Aqualine-Aquamedic liquid fertilizer with the trade name Floreal, in the fresh tap water I introduce in the system. I use to clean the cylindrical sponge of the internal filter and the three (3) bio-chem Stars inside its central hollow with water I take from the tank, same time I perform the scheduled partial water change; and shortly every time it’s needed to do so (whenever I find it is too clogged). As long as I do NOT rinse those media with taper water I could keep on cleaning them even on a daily basis. The water I remove from the system when I perform the partial water changes is used to water a couple of my terrestrial ornamental plants, as it is a natural, rich and non-aggressive fertilizer. I think that I should include Ferreal, as well, in the future, product made by the same company as Floreal, but one is sure; I shall replace the fluorescent tube with one more “fresh” and better quality.

Tap water values

Table 1

Physicochemical parameters (10/18/2003 – 20:33)

Table 2

The above-mentioned values are – more or less – due to the tap water (plate 1). The water supply network of my area (Pagos, Syros) is fed by a massive desalination unit (the Kini Bay desalination Unit), resulting pH = 7,0 – 7,3, GH = 6° dGH και ΚΗ = 4° dKH. The two pieces of roots, which they release humus and tannic acids in the water of the tank, my inactive quartz substratum and the plants that are consuming some of the already small amounts of calcium, are converting the values as stated at plate 2.

What I was trying to achieve is to set up a low budget planted system, which shall be both functional and beautiful at the same time.