Biotope Biologist Posted February 1, 2022 Share Posted February 1, 2022 (edited) I took a video because I had lots to say! I will also provide photos so you don’t have to watch the monstrosity I have created. All 1 take so take that as you will. Combined with the camera skills of someone filming bigfoot. Once again thanks for the care package it feels so good to not be seeing it sit in my pile of moving boxes. video: pictures: Plants: Winter heath(er) Lantern moss Lanky moss narrow leaf java fern Creek bogmoss (Mayaca fluviatilis-also an angiosperm not a moss) Animals: cyclops blackworms leeches Asellus isopods Homalopteroides tweediei Yaoshania pachychilus 🥰 Homoloptera Orthogoniata Schistura baltea bamboo shrimp Pseudogastromyzon Laticeps Rainbow shiner gobies Not all of the animals are making it in, this will be based on availability and compatibility, but we will cross that bridge when we get there. I also had some BBA put in my plant purchases to inoculate my tank as I don’t want any plants growing past the island. The rocks will hopefully get a nice carpet of algae. Forgot to say Mayaca fluviatilis in the video but it’s there. To clarify I don’t want parasitic leeches but I do want leeches that eat mulm and biofilm as they are a healthy part of a creek ecosystem Edited February 1, 2022 by Biotope Biologist 7 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eatyourpeas Posted February 1, 2022 Share Posted February 1, 2022 Love it!!! 😍 I have the same tank and it is my favorite size. Mine houses the CPDs and Lampeyes. All my tanks have Shirubas, some of them have been running for more than a year. I love the fact that the housing is clear so I can see when it is time to clean them. They are very quiet. On the ACO powerhead, you can attach an ACO Small pre-filter sponge and that will solve the problem with bits getting sucked in. Nicely done!!! 😎 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biotope Biologist Posted February 2, 2022 Author Share Posted February 2, 2022 On 2/1/2022 at 3:47 PM, eatyourpeas said: Love it!!! 😍 I have the same tank and it is my favorite size. Mine houses the CPDs and Lampeyes. All my tanks have Shirubas, some of them have been running for more than a year. I love the fact that the housing is clear so I can see when it is time to clean them. They are very quiet. On the ACO powerhead, you can attach an ACO Small pre-filter sponge and that will solve the problem with bits getting sucked in. Nicely done!!! 😎 I have to say initial impression on the shiruba is it’s great! I cannot hear it at all from the couch. The attachments it came with made for very easy customization. A certain employee at ACO told me about this tank and I immediately fell in love. I just went in there for some plant trimmers and long forceps 😔 impulses be damned. Also I’ll have to try that for the powerhead! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eatyourpeas Posted February 2, 2022 Share Posted February 2, 2022 On 2/1/2022 at 4:08 PM, Biotope Biologist said: impulses be damned. Love those! 🤣 On 2/1/2022 at 4:08 PM, Biotope Biologist said: I have to say initial impression on the shiruba is it’s great! I cannot hear it at all from the couch. The attachments it came with made for very easy customization. I threw away the carbon layer and added a 20ppi sponge instead, so that chamber has two sponges. Works great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnlyGenusCaps Posted February 2, 2022 Share Posted February 2, 2022 So a few thoughts: 1. This is absolutely amazing! Definitely worth the hype and teaser fro yesterday. 2. You 100% look like the doppelgänger of one of my friend's husbands. Even the cadence and vernacular. It's a little weird for me. 3. I'll be DMing about something. It's nice I swear. Not that that doppelgänger comment. 😜 I am really looking forward to updates on this. Following! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beardedbillygoat1975 Posted February 2, 2022 Share Posted February 2, 2022 ORD, well done, like that bookshelf style tank and excellent use of the space in creating the setup, scape and now I have to go down the rabbit hole about the filter - Shirubas! Thanks @eatyourpeas! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biotope Biologist Posted February 2, 2022 Author Share Posted February 2, 2022 On 2/1/2022 at 4:52 PM, OnlyGenusCaps said: 2. You 100% look like the doppelgänger of one of my friend's husbands. Even the cadence and vernacular. It's a little weird for me. You know it’s funny I get my parents intoxicated and they keep saying “oh you were a twin once but you absorbed your brother in the womb.” But I’ve always felt this might be a twisted truth, as I’ve always had this feeling that something in my life is missing. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnlyGenusCaps Posted February 2, 2022 Share Posted February 2, 2022 On 2/2/2022 at 10:43 AM, Biotope Biologist said: You know it’s funny I get my parents intoxicated So, one of my great joys of reaching drinking age was to get to play bartender and get my parents, for whom a six-pack is a month's worth of alcohol, a bit tipsy. They caught on quickly though, and those days are over. Sadly. Also, your parents are clearly funnier than mine. Sigh. On 2/2/2022 at 10:43 AM, Biotope Biologist said: a twin You'd have to be a much younger twin. I have to admit, I sent your video link to my friend, and she was shocked. Her response was "is reality real?!" 💀💀💀 Okay, I'll stop derailing this thread on an awesome tank. I'm stoked to see it come together! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eatyourpeas Posted February 2, 2022 Share Posted February 2, 2022 (edited) I think I spotted the little white spider in the video, on top of the tree! 😍 Nope, just glare... sorry, false alarm. Edited February 2, 2022 by eatyourpeas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biotope Biologist Posted February 2, 2022 Author Share Posted February 2, 2022 On 2/2/2022 at 10:31 AM, eatyourpeas said: I think I spotted the little white spider in the video, on top of the tree! 😍 Nope, just glare... sorry, false alarm. I’ll have to get a picture of her! Little cutie and my first inhabitant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biotope Biologist Posted February 17, 2022 Author Share Posted February 17, 2022 (edited) So the isopods, detritus worms, and cyclops arrived today and I paid a visit to the coop for some ramshorn snails and algae wafers. I drip acclimated the shipment and to my surprise a few of the isopods decided to explore. Most found the darkest corner and burrowed under the rocks immediately (as I expected). They are nocturnal mostly so I really don’t expect to see them until lights out. The mayaca is doing great and has let out some serious root systems. A few heads are poking out of the water I’m still hoping this species will climb up the wood and create the emersed look I want. The maidenhair has 11 new fronds!!! It really seems to enjoy hanging out in the stream, some don’t transition very well. A piece of unidentified moss has broken off and submerged itself and has tripled in size! I really was not expecting that I will leave it and hope the snails don’t mow it down. Edited February 17, 2022 by Biotope Biologist 5 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnlyGenusCaps Posted February 18, 2022 Share Posted February 18, 2022 Those isopods are absolutely massive! After having a smaller species in a tank with driftwood, I'm not surprised that your shots of them are on it. Mine seemed to feed off of it, and rapidly turned it into compost at a rate I've never seen before. I'll be curious how they do for you. It's looking like a nice setup! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colu Posted February 18, 2022 Share Posted February 18, 2022 (edited) Looks great so far so many great species of loach to choose from love biotopes setups so much better for the fish and they look great Edited April 28, 2023 by Colu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biotope Biologist Posted February 18, 2022 Author Share Posted February 18, 2022 (edited) On 2/18/2022 at 4:34 AM, OnlyGenusCaps said: Those isopods are absolutely massive! After having a smaller species in a tank with driftwood, I'm not surprised that your shots of them are on it. Mine seemed to feed off of it, and rapidly turned it into compost at a rate I've never seen before. I'll be curious how they do for you. It's looking like a nice setup! I have 3 that are about 1-2cm long the other 30 in the shipment ranged from probably about 2-5mm. I honestly had no idea they got THIS big. When I collect them in the streams around my place they are nowhere near this big, granted that could be due to heavy predation. This driftwood piece is soft and has developed a nice biofilm on it already and in some areas a mat of algae, they seem to prefer this and the dead leaves over the algae wafers. Perhaps I can ween them like my land lubbers did onto bearded dragon food. I have also caught them purposefully surfing the powerhead, it seems to be the same individuals doing it. Also this one (I haven’t learned to sex yet, I’m calling it a she until proven otherwise) is the queen of this rock! She patrols it and chases other isopods off. I’m scared of her. For that reason she will be Joan Jett On 2/18/2022 at 7:24 AM, Colu said: Looks great so far so many great species of loach to choose love biotopes setups so much better for the fish and they look great Thank you! It’s a bit of an obsessive compulsion of mine. I am getting better at not confining myself so hard to strict guidelines I set in my head, but it does make it easier to mimic nature which I think is what we all set out to do! Edited February 18, 2022 by Biotope Biologist Better name 5 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biotope Biologist Posted February 22, 2022 Author Share Posted February 22, 2022 It was only a matter of time until the snails discovered untouched pastures! Their shells are looking a little chalky so I might need to go get some cuttlebone for them or wondershell. I already have my first snail egg case in a dark area that I can’t photograph very well so you’ll just have to take my word for it. Java ferns are cleaned of their algae and are thanking me with some growth. Don’t mind the glass I’m not being diligent on purpose I need mature algae mats to start sporing so my rocks get the green. 1 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick_G Posted February 25, 2022 Share Posted February 25, 2022 Nice looking tank! I like how the pump and filter equipment are neatly tucked away. Have you considered any mid water fish? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biotope Biologist Posted February 25, 2022 Author Share Posted February 25, 2022 On 2/25/2022 at 10:49 AM, Patrick_G said: Nice looking tank! I like how the pump and filter equipment are neatly tucked away. Have you considered any mid water fish? I think I’m dead set on rainbow shiners… seeing them at the coop and zen stores they look so fun and beautiful. my go to was going to be gold white clouds as they too are gorgeous and active but I’ve done setups with them in the past and I think I want something new. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HH Morant Posted February 25, 2022 Share Posted February 25, 2022 Dude! You have bugs in your tank! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndEEss Posted February 25, 2022 Share Posted February 25, 2022 Where did you order your isopods? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biotope Biologist Posted February 25, 2022 Author Share Posted February 25, 2022 On 2/25/2022 at 11:56 AM, AndEEss said: Where did you order your isopods? I bought them from Carolina laboratory supply. You don’t need to have a professional residence to order from them. I also ordered cyclops and dero worms (microscopic detritus worms) to fill out the shipment but I know I’ll never see them again. Tested my water for the first time. I had a vague memory of what our water looks like here. I’m in the same water district as the coop, so it tests very similar: 25ppm nitrate (yayyy cycling!) 0 ppm nitrite 75 ppm GH 40 ppm KH 7.0 pH 0 ppm chlorine 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnlyGenusCaps Posted February 25, 2022 Share Posted February 25, 2022 On 2/25/2022 at 3:16 PM, Biotope Biologist said: I bought them from Carolina laboratory supply. Weird. That's where I got mine too, but they are definitely a different species! Mine never get bigger than 0.25in and 0.125 is more way more common for my population from them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biotope Biologist Posted February 26, 2022 Author Share Posted February 26, 2022 On 2/25/2022 at 2:23 PM, OnlyGenusCaps said: Weird. That's where I got mine too, but they are definitely a different species! Mine never get bigger than 0.25in and 0.125 is more way more common for my population from them. That’s what I was thinking, there is no way these are the same because if I were to pull them out of the water and measure I’m fairly certain they’d range between 1.5-1.8 cm which from what I understand is well over max size for Ascellus aquaticus. I’m glad we agree! But I can’t find any keys to differentiate them and the pics on the googles (trusty as always) have wildly different carapace plates. I don’t know enough about this species perhaps there are morphological changes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ogpulchra Posted February 26, 2022 Share Posted February 26, 2022 What size is the tank? Love the setup! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biotope Biologist Posted February 26, 2022 Author Share Posted February 26, 2022 One of the large isopods is starting to molt it appears. Things are progressing quite fast! It’s antenna are moving freely and it keeps curling and uncurling as if it’s working on it’s core. The plates are starting to turn white. The snail went and checked to see if it was okay with a friendly antenna mingle. Interestingly isopods don’t seem to be as vulnerable as other crustacea during these sessions as it’s able to move around albeit awkwardly On 2/26/2022 at 9:44 AM, Ogpulchra said: What size is the tank? Love the setup! It is a 12 gallon book case by aquatop and thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odd Duck Posted February 26, 2022 Share Posted February 26, 2022 Finally catching up on this and watched through the whole video. Loving that winter heath! Plus maidenhair ferns have always been some of my favorites. I’m not sure what species that is, yet, looks like a baby. Maybe Five Finger Maidenhair, AKA Aleutian Maidenhair - Adiantum aleuticum? I’m a bit obsessed with funky mosses and your Lantern moss fits that bill for me. Do you know what species it is? Do you think it might transition to immerse? It’s beautiful! Can’t wait to see fish enjoying the current. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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