ABOUT MY SET-UP

My aquarium set-up is called “Nature underwater.” My aquarium contains specially selected aquatic plants and fish to closely replicate the beautiful underwater environments found in nature. Planted aquarium is unique, impressive and it provides more natural look than plastic plants and may keep the aquarium healthier. There is a complementary relationship between fish and plants.  Live plants benefit the aquarium by providing supplementary biological filtration and oxygen to create a clean, healthy environment for fish. Fish provide carbon dioxide and nutrients for healthy plant growth.

Few things you need to start building your own planted aquarium: 

• Fish
• Aquatic plants
• Soil or substrate
• LED lighting
• Filtration system
• Carbon dioxide supplementation

BEFORE
August 19, 2019

This is my aquarium and I have planted Tonina belems, Lobelia cardinalis, Super red repens mini, and Red star ludwigia. 

There are many benefits of having plants in your aquarium because they help to create a stable water environment for your fish. Plants help out by absorbing the excess toxins in your aquarium, they also produce oxygen to help reduce the amount of algae growth and the plants can be a shelter for fish. Plants make your aquarium more suitable and basically, the aquarium starts to become its own ecosystem balancing out naturally.

To complete my set-up, I added Rummy-nose fish, Otocinclus catfish, and Red cherry shrimp in my aquarium. 

AFTER 

October 1, 2019

After 2 months here is the progress of my tank, as we can see the plants became more dense and my fishes and shrimp are still healthy because I provide the essential nutrients they need to survive. 

FEEDING

I feed my fish with bite-sized food. It is necessary to provide the right kind and amount of food to your fish to provide nutrients that they need. The food you should choose should be adapted to both the size and shape of the fish muzzle. In this case my fish are small, granules or powdered feeds is more suitable because they cannot take large chunks of food. I feed them everyday with a pinch of Watchupong granules.

MANAGEMENT

WATER CHANGE

One of the simplest ways to keep your water quality balanced is to do water changes. The goal of changing water is to keep your fish and tank healthy. What a water change does is to replace the dirty water with clean water. If not maintained, your water can get filthy. The ammonia and nitrate levels will be critically high bringing danger or even potential death to your fish. The water that should be changed should be in a right amount because large amount of water change can bring on a lot of stress to fish and plants. 

I have a school of fish and they can produce more waste so I prefer to do a routine water change twice a week and the amount of water that I changed is from 30% to maintain the water quality of my aquarium. Typically, after a water change your water might be a little foggy because of the substrate but it will eventually clear once it settles. I also removed the algae and some debris on my glass using blade and sponge. 

TOOLS I USED TO CLEAN MY TANK

• BLADE

A blade will help to remove algae on the glass.

• SPONGE

The sponge is used to wipe down the glass after you scrape off the algae.

• SIPHON

A siphon is used to suck out debris easily and to clean the aquarium.

• BUCKET

You can use a bucket to put the dirty water in and you can also use a separate bucket to place your fish in if you are doing a very large water change. 

 

• SCISSOR AND PLANT TWEEZERS

The scissor is used to cut plants growing out of your tank and the tweezers can be used to move plants or remove dead plants.


DIY CO2 SUPPLEMENT


A DIY yeast CO2 reactor is simple, cost-effective way to supplement CO2 in your low-tech planted aquarium. It is commonly used for small planted aquariums.

These systems are inexpensive to build and relatively easy to maintain. The yeast culture mixture needs to be changed periodically. In this case, I replace the mixture twice a week.

The DIY yeast CO2 reactor produces CO2 as a metabolic by product of yeast fermentation of sugar.

• Put 1/2 cup of sugar in the bottle using a funnel
• Add 1 small pack of yeast
• Fill the bottle with lukewarm water, leaving a 3-4” gap between the surface of the water and the top of the bottle.
• Shake well to mix.

NOTE: Do not use hot water, as this will kill the yeast.

LIGHTING

Light is necessary for the photosynthesis required for the health and growth of all plants in the aquarium. Proper lighting enables the plants to absorb the carbon dioxide gases the fish breathe out. Artificial lighting should be on for a minimum of 8 hours per day but can stay on 10 to 12 hours. 

I made a DIY lightning for my planted aquarium using a shoe box. I had 2 bulbs of 12 watts LED light. I turn on the lights for 8 hours a day. I use a timer to turn lights on at 9am and to turn the lights off at 5pm. It is necessary to be consistent in lighting your aquarium for best plant growth and for fish to develop a regular life cycle. 

NOVEMBER 4, 2019

Side view

 Top view

DECEMBER 12, 2019

FUN FACTS ABOUT MY AQUATIC ANIMALS

RUMMY-NOSE TETRA

ü  It has a bright red spot on its head, black and white stripes on the fluke and a semi-transparent body.

ü  Flake and pellet foods are preferred for their diet.

ü  They love planted tanks because it resembles their natural habitat.

ü  Water should be soft and acidic and in temperature range of 23-28°C.

ü  They spend most of their time grouped together.

ü  They hide in plants when they are stressed.

ü  They have a life span of 6-8 years.

 OTOCINCLUS

ü  Their body is a simple cylindrical shape which narrows towards the head and caudal fin. On the head is a strong mouth which is used to latch onto surfaces.

ü  They are algae eaters.

ü  Females are usually larger and broader than males.

ü  They are the perfect fish in both their calm demeanor and cleaning skills. 

ü  They spend the majority of their time sucking away on rocks, leaves, or anything with algae growing on it.

ü  Water should be slightly acidic and in temperature range of 22-28°C.

ü  They have a life span of 3-5 years.

RED CHERRY SHRIMP

ü  The appearance of RCS is mainly clear in colour with red patches.

ü  It is a freshwater Shrimp that is incredibly peaceful and renowned for its algae eating capabilities.

ü  They are very active and busy during the day and night.

ü  They thrive in densely planted aquariums that have lots of hiding crevices.

ü  They also eat the plant matter debris which can make up a reasonable part of their diet.

ü  Water temperature should be 25-27°C. 

ü  They have a life span of 1-2 years.