I used to love those highly scaped tanks. I passed that stage. I enjoy these type of natural looking tanks better. Less maintenance , more enjoyment. But more importantly, this is how nature looks outside. Thanks for sharing this work. A bit YES from me.
@BulentCoskun...I can relate to that..I used to like those commercial high tech aquascapes...then a perspective striked on my mind like wait a minute, nature is beautiful but it ain't super clean or precisely perfect that some big ol' master aquascapers portrait as..I want something naturally natural not something unnaturally natural..I respect that some people like super clean valley , forest style aquascape but everything ain't that symmetrical in nature
This is the perfect tank, in fact I have 3 tanks using this principle, one is a community tank, one is a shrimp tank, and an Endler aquarium, & like you, I waited quite a while before putting fish in, I wanted visible algae growing first. The first animated life I put in was snails, & I had detritus worms, & seed shrimp, & other bugs in the Aquarium I think from adding plants, so I had a live food source before I put fish in, However I clean the front glass, so I can spy on the activity. I find that water changes are necessary so to avoid mineral build up, so I pull a little top water out, & add fresh when evaporation occurs, & the fish & shrimp swim in the new water as I pour it in they love it.
Hey Mat, How are you? I sure love your videos. I wish you had more time to do more! I now have 5 Propagation Tanks and I'm experimenting with both Dry Start and Lazy Dry Start Protocals. Plants are FUN! I didn't know how much of a hobby that the propagation of plants now has! I'm getting more and more involved! I was wondering if you have used hydroponics to accomplish the multiplication of the tissue cultures. Or have you dabbled into tissue cultures creation? Please let me know. Thanks so much!! Vern
Hello Vern! Thank you! I’m traveling right now, and I will come back to creating videos next week. Yes, plants are super fun:) And I have many running projects about them. And yes I love hydroponics! I will create video about my process in few months after I have all data.
I think that it's unlikely. Nymphea will struggle in this tank, so I doubt that it will cover entire surface. But yes - Anubias will grow slowly here and I'm ok with that :)
@AquascapingCube I would love to check out your older videos for more tips, but just a quick one or two. What is your routine for the first weeks then? Water change every 2 days for a week, then water change every 3 days the next and so on and forth? I suppose there won't be much ferts dosing till later on ya?
I cannot see how this environment, which looks pretty, can actually sustain itself toward any real longevity. The plant life is minimal and you don't actually have an active substrate, albeit, the fish quantity is quite small but i'm afraid it wouldn't be an active eco system and very unlikely it will sustain fish's very long. I would empty it , then make my own substrata and cap it off with sand and put everything back in again. The active substrate will break down waste and provide a lasting foundation for all plants to survive. However, the cycling in my 40 gal natural biotope took nearly 7 wks and i almost gave up on it but glad i didnt. My substrate consists of top soil- organic compost - bloodbone- seaweed pellet - and i mash kale from time to time and fix it to the substrate. Its thriving with endlers , guppys, coffee bean tetras, bloodfin tetras, congo tetras, denison barbs, dwarf rainbows and celestial pearls. The substrate keeps everything in good shape. 1 water change a month, never had a disease and i never do water checks, my plants let me know how the life is doing in my tank. I even have endler fry whizzing about peacefully.
taking into account that Apistos live in "small shallow streams or lagoon-like waters", then no, you are not recreating their real habitat by any milimeter. You can only recreate habitats for species living in stagnant water bodies like killies or bettas. Do not fool yourself. Nice tank btw.
Very interesting view on this. Of course this is not a biotope (Anubias is from Africa from example). But, they live in near the banks of shallow streams/rivers with slow water flow. Why 'bank' and 'slow' is the key? Because this is where leaf litter and sticks fall into the water and settle on the bottom without being washed down by strong current. And it's very important for them because it makes water slightly acidic and helps them raise their fry. So I would say that it does resemble their real habitat at least bit :)
My Apistogramma black water ecosystem turned out even better than expected! Natural ecosystems: YES or NO?
Yea it’s pretty sweet
Yes I realy love it
Big Yes
Yes
YES👍(if I lived nearby I’d sprinkle some detritus worms n maybe a snail in, when you weren’t looking 😉
I used to love those highly scaped tanks. I passed that stage. I enjoy these type of natural looking tanks better. Less maintenance , more enjoyment. But more importantly, this is how nature looks outside. Thanks for sharing this work.
A bit YES from me.
Great to hear! I'm glad you see it thie way :)
@BulentCoskun...I can relate to that..I used to like those commercial high tech aquascapes...then a perspective striked on my mind like wait a minute, nature is beautiful but it ain't super clean or precisely perfect that some big ol' master aquascapers portrait as..I want something naturally natural not something unnaturally natural..I respect that some people like super clean valley , forest style aquascape but everything ain't that symmetrical in nature
it's absolutely beautiful, please keep us updated, even if you are doing a totally different video, just keep the updates coming. 😊
Thank you! Will do!
Yes! Gorgeous!
Thank you! I'm glad you liked it!
This is the perfect tank, in fact I have 3 tanks using this principle, one is a community tank, one is a shrimp tank, and an Endler aquarium, & like you, I waited quite a while before putting fish in, I wanted visible algae growing first. The first animated life I put in was snails, & I had detritus worms, & seed shrimp, & other bugs in the Aquarium I think from adding plants, so I had a live food source before I put fish in, However I clean the front glass, so I can spy on the activity. I find that water changes are necessary so to avoid mineral build up, so I pull a little top water out, & add fresh when evaporation occurs, & the fish & shrimp swim in the new water as I pour it in they love it.
Awesome! Sounds great! Yes, I like those tanks more and more because fish simply seem to like them. Especially fish like Apistos.
For me it's a big yes, I really like dwarf cichlids, it could be interesting to set up in the future a strict biotope of those fishes
Yes, I want to do it in the future:) 100% biotope will be so cool! Thanks for your comment!
Beautyful tank, absolutely inspiring.
Thank you very much!
Great looking scape, really natural
Thank you! Cheers!
Beautiful mate, I'm setting up something very similar for my orange flash at the moment, love it.
Thank you! Good luck with your project!
Definitely Yes
Looks amazing! Very cool atmosphere!
Thank you! I'm glad you liked it!
Definitely a small piece of mother nature 👍👍YES
Yes! That is the point! Glad to see it this way :)
I love it, I've always wanted to try apistos.
Thank you! Go for it, Apistos are incredible :)
Love it, I use this principle with all my aquariums.
Hey Mat, How are you? I sure love your videos. I wish you had more time to do more! I now have 5 Propagation Tanks and I'm experimenting with both Dry Start and Lazy Dry Start Protocals. Plants are FUN! I didn't know how much of a hobby that the propagation of plants now has! I'm getting more and more involved! I was wondering if you have used hydroponics to accomplish the multiplication of the tissue cultures. Or have you dabbled into tissue cultures creation? Please let me know. Thanks so much!! Vern
Hello Vern! Thank you! I’m traveling right now, and I will come back to creating videos next week. Yes, plants are super fun:) And I have many running projects about them. And yes I love hydroponics! I will create video about my process in few months after I have all data.
I'm very excited about your added Plant Adventure!!! Can't wait!!!
Very nice!
Thanks!
It's a cool tank
Thanks!
I like this
Great! Thanks!
Yes Please
Great! :D
Would the nympahe leaves affect the growth of the anubias since the light would be partially, potentially fully even, blocked?
I think that it's unlikely. Nymphea will struggle in this tank, so I doubt that it will cover entire surface. But yes - Anubias will grow slowly here and I'm ok with that :)
@AquascapingCube I would love to check out your older videos for more tips, but just a quick one or two. What is your routine for the first weeks then? Water change every 2 days for a week, then water change every 3 days the next and so on and forth? I suppose there won't be much ferts dosing till later on ya?
can you let me know what kind of sand you are using, your tanks look amazing. thank you.
Thank you! This is just river sand, no name, no brand. Gradation: 1,5mm
What kind of filter company and what kind of light do you use here?
I cannot see how this environment, which looks pretty, can actually sustain itself toward any real longevity. The plant life is minimal and you don't actually have an active substrate, albeit, the fish quantity is quite small but i'm afraid it wouldn't be an active eco system and very unlikely it will sustain fish's very long. I would empty it , then make my own substrata and cap it off with sand and put everything back in again. The active substrate will break down waste and provide a lasting foundation for all plants to survive. However, the cycling in my 40 gal natural biotope took nearly 7 wks and i almost gave up on it but glad i didnt.
My substrate consists of top soil- organic compost - bloodbone- seaweed pellet - and i mash kale from time to time and fix it to the substrate. Its thriving with endlers , guppys, coffee bean tetras, bloodfin tetras, congo tetras, denison barbs, dwarf rainbows and celestial pearls. The substrate keeps everything in good shape. 1 water change a month, never had a disease and i never do water checks, my plants let me know how the life is doing in my tank. I even have endler fry whizzing about peacefully.
What’s the dimensions of this tank may I know?
Sure. It's not that big: 60x35x35cm
You don't use any good bacteria?
Hi. No, I don't use them. I like my tanks to start slowly and in natural way. I'm not against bacto-starters but just never saw the need to buy it ;)
taking into account that Apistos live in "small shallow streams or lagoon-like waters", then no, you are not recreating their real habitat by any milimeter. You can only recreate habitats for species living in stagnant water bodies like killies or bettas. Do not fool yourself. Nice tank btw.
Very interesting view on this. Of course this is not a biotope (Anubias is from Africa from example). But, they live in near the banks of shallow streams/rivers with slow water flow. Why 'bank' and 'slow' is the key? Because this is where leaf litter and sticks fall into the water and settle on the bottom without being washed down by strong current. And it's very important for them because it makes water slightly acidic and helps them raise their fry. So I would say that it does resemble their real habitat at least bit :)
@@AquascapingCube Imitation is good, even better!