The Making of an Apistohome: 3'x1.5'x1.5'

[StanChung]

Hi guys,

after numerous inspiring reads over here i've decided to create and apistogramma tank. this was before i got hold of some insightful literature on apisto biotopes from benny.

apisto biotope are mostly fine light brown river gravel with some floating plants fiy. lots of submerged trees and dead leaves...

so this isn't gonna be true biotope...

i really like narrow leaf JF's look and hopefully will get a nice flowing bush going...i'm gonna really get screwy with some blyxa aubertii, weeping moss, e uruguayensis, windelov and nanas...will add some crypts to plug some holes later...haha. [seems more like a fern tank than apisto biotope]

so anyway here goes...

for this design i'm putting to test the venturi co2 reactor design from tom. already built one with help from friend. will put in later...

...tried saving on ADA soil by layering some bigger gravel at the back.
the front layer is finer grey quartz. [not planning on any fg plants.]
using black sand for the back as it gives a sense of depth and brings out plant shape.
fg grey quartz is a mistake as i need to use fine river gravel instead to get apistos to scoop and spit...
will keep lookout for this. i have have half a bag left from other tank. change later.


positioned three 'amano' rocks upside down to create crevices for the apistos to hide and mainly for the dw to rest on.

next the driftwood was put in...can't see a thing. i tied narrow java fern on it using wire tidy and also black cotton.
had another dw tied with anubias using wire tidy.

next was to make moss wall. here i test it's sturdiness with four suction cups. in the end i doubled the mesh to sandwich the moss. only done half of wall and i'm very tired. don't know what time already.

next i put in all the starter plants and hook up the filter... by this time it's already morning...light coming thru window...

6 hours total...stepped back, tank looks really crappy...but don't care already...
pour in some NPK+KH2PO4, lot's of 'good bacteria' and went ZZZ...bone tired no fish or critters yet...

[kenny]

It's looking great already.!
I'm hoping to make something like that too, this is a good reference .
Is that the light u're using permanently for this tank ? Kind of too little light ?

continue to update .

Kenny

[StanChung]

you are spot on buddy, it hasn't got any co2 injection yet, so i've kept the light low to prevent algae sniffing around.
putting finishing touches on the venturi diffuser.

getting a 70W mh today [courtesy of CJLoong] to replace one of the pl's... will remove the middle glass bars and reglue them to the side. a bit dangerous but a necessary evil...
i'd like the plants to grow out of tank if possible... will keep light low for time being...some tester fish is in order...muahaha[evil laugh]

good news is the water has cleared but haven't got my co2 solenoid + gauge yet....grrr.

[Wackytpt]

you are spot on buddy, it hasn't got any co2 injection yet, so i've kept the light low to prevent algae sniffing around.
putting finishing touches on the venturi diffuser.

getting a 70W mh today [courtesy of CJMing] to replace one of the pl's... will remove the middle glass bars and reglue them to the side. a bit dangerous but a necessary evil...
i'd like the plants to grow out of tank if possible... will keep light low for time being...some tester fish is in order...muahaha[evil laugh]

good news is the water has cleared but haven't got my co2 solenoid + gauge yet....grrr.

Great to see another Apisto Home being created. I created one for my pair recently. Look for my thread of "Shelter of the Apisto". I await the final result of urs. Cheers...

Yours look promisiing. A word of advise. Do secure the moss wall properly. You don't want your apisto to get stuck in it

[yorky]

Hi Standoyo,
I like the wild look!
May I ask what deserving Apisto is going into the tank?

[Wackytpt]

Hi Standoyo,
I like the wild look!
May I ask what deserving Apisto is going into the tank?

haha... yorky is mine wild enuff for me?

Finally i got kakis in doing up a nice planted tank for these beautiful fishes

i also curious to know what apisto going in there

[yorky]

Nicholas, yours is very nice, but for me, too planted tank like..
Got foreground, midground and background.. hehe.
Anyway what matters is the inhabitant is comfortable!

[Wackytpt]

Nicholas, yours is very nice, but for me, too planted tank like..
Got foreground, midground and background.. hehe.
Anyway what matters is the inhabitant is comfortable!

The King & Queen of that tank loves it.. everytime i switch on the lights, they come out to parade around

[StanChung]

Hi yorky and nicholas,

discovered lizard shit on my keyboard as i type this! so the keys n and m are shitcapped

so far i haven't decided yet... i have in keeping 3 juve bitaeniata[sexing almost impossible], 2 pairs macmasteri, 1 pair hongsloi, 2 pair caca double red and another pair i forget what. they are in 3 different tanks.

thanks for the advice on the moss wall. not too happy with it too, esp the corners.

i used black poly bg and use individual staple pins to pin bunches of moss in other 3ft tank. not very secure, pinss rusted but was fine. if i have to i will change this feature...

[StanChung]

hi nicholas,

that's royalty you have there! well i don't think i can afford them yet haha.

[Thirteen]

the tank looks dark and cloudy..looking forward to a better pictures when the tank matures. Either make sure ur moss wall is tight against the tank or make sure it's loose enough for anything faunas to swim out of it. Looks promising.

[Justikanz]

Stan, that tank is HUGE for apistos... Only intending to have 1 pair?

Anyway, for your reference, check this Amazon-like tank, think also prepared for apistos... http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/f...6434#post76434

[StanChung]

haha time to update the pictures,
itchy fingers here flipped horizontally the piece of wood for a better view. please excuse all the excess plants. in the end there gonna be max 5 kinds.[there's like 15 in now]
The sand needs to be replaced as well...

needs a black bg. i so far have 2 gobies and a pair of macmasteri in there.[not in pics]
i def need a bigger bioload to keep the no3 decent.
i intend to breed so that's why only one pair in that whole tank for the time being. i will keep some tetras. maybe something small and exotic... suggestions welcome! [bored with cardinals and rummy's] something that's from the amazon preferbly. some dead leaves like the one norbert uses looks cool too but i def need more light with the tea colour in there.

thomas, norbert is somebody i look up to. his layouts are very beautiful, great source of inspiration, his layouts are top notch.
the leaves he has in that tank looks very interesting. i think our cattapa leaves will do nicely as well.
i intend to make similar one [a 250G one] and put in altums.
[still saving for the fittings, hopefully in time for the altum transfer from 3 ft tank... haha]

[Fei Miao]

Now that the water cleared up, I can see it's a wonderful home for your apistos , with the black background at the back, it's going to look great.

[StanChung]

wow, that's like really quick reply!
ya bro i can't wait for the moss wall to grow out as well...but i have to get lazy *** off to figure a better mounting option...

[Justikanz]

Wow, can see better now...

Stan, once you have the leaves in, the pH will start dropping, right? Then your selection of plants will have to be decided by what CAN survive in the low pH waters liao...

Btw, what gobies? You want them to feed on the baby apistos?

Small tetras ah... Axelrodi Blue? But you would like something that is less likely to be apisto food, right? What about the copper tips? They look nice... Beacons will also look good and their size will prevent them from being fed upon by the apistos...

[StanChung]

hi thomas,

are coppertips also silver tips aka gold tetra cousins? i have 40 gold tetras...

axelrodi blue is definitely very nice... was looking for some sundadanio axelrodi gruen as other option.

the gobies are a gift and i think they are fin nippers as well so the may get another home...

beacons are good as well as they are plain and will not overpower the prince and princess.

have to see availability...
the leaves this is still a thought. but most of the ferns and moss should be able to make it at ph6 or so. thinking of having a pair of L287 in there as well. got it already. not yet dare put in...haha

[Justikanz]

The common names are confusing... Can check their scientific names later... The gobies might do much better in a tank of their own... I gave up on gobies being community fish...

Put in the plecs and you can forget about brining them out... heh heh... But will they feast on your moss? I dun dare to try plecs I switch to planted fearing they might just feast on my plants...

[StanChung]

plecs actually eat about anything. mini plecs i call them. the type i'm putting in is 15 cm below. hypancistrus types are mostly carnivores but do graze on other things. if need to, i will drop some cored cucumbers and tomato...

actually they are quite easy to catch in this tank. if it's the 7.5 footer forget it. i'd have to swim in it.

[Justikanz]

Oh, separate issue... Post your 7.5ft tank!

Ok, back to issue... Wouldn't the plecs be potential targets if the apistos decide to spawn?