Streetwise Indoor Aquariums

[Streetwise]

 

[Streetwise]

I decided to remove the integrated Askoll hood filter from my 20 gallon tank. I considered getting another Eheim Classic, but I have so many spare filters. I decided to put in pair of interesting filters that I tried a while back: Tunze Comline Filter 3161. They are internal pump-powered filters that pull from the bottom, and also skim from the top. I've swapped the default foam for AquaClear foam that is a bit more coarse.

While I really liked the hood filter that came with the Askoll system, it limited my ability to light the back of the tank. This tank doesn't really need two lights, but I added a spare 15"-24" Fluval 3.0 so I could get really good coverage in front of and behind the central Mopani wood.

I had to wake up the tank to do this and take the photos, so most of the Bloodfin Tetras and Otocinclus are hiding. Cheers!

 

Edited August 30, 2020 by Streetwise
Details

[Streetwise]

 

[Daniel]

Lots of flow. Happy fish, happy shrimp, happy tank!

[Streetwise]

Thanks Daniel. I have the flow at about 30% to get the skimmers working well, but I have to top off more frequently to maintain the optimum water level.

I would like to hear opinions about whether it would look better to keep those filters in their current orientation, or go sideways with the mounting magnets on the left and right sides of the tank.

Cheers

Edit: I moved the filters so I could see each way. Three photos each.

Edited September 5, 2020 by Streetwise
Photos

[Streetwise]

This is my 16 gallon before a little cleaning session. I'm not afraid to share a messy tank.

 

[Streetwise]

I did a little more work on the bow, but the sides need more. For now, I like the back wall as an algae farm for the shrimp.

 

[Streetwise]

When I got Glowlight Tetras for this tank, I thought they would hang out at the top of the crypts, but they seem to like to stay low.

Any suggestions for a top layer fish? Should I try my next Betta here?

[Bill Smith]

A mini school of 5-6 zebra danios tends to hang around the top.

A peaceful dwarf gourami like a honey gourami is likely to hang in the top layer too.

If you want tip-top, I like hatchets and clown killies, but you won't see them if you're looking down on the tank.

[Streetwise]

Thanks @Bill Smith

I kept Leopard Danios before and some of them were jerks. Are Zebras less aggressive?

I have some glass top pieces if I went for Hatchets. Very tempting! I will have to look up Clown Killies.

Gouramis would be fun.

Cheers

 

[Bill Smith]

No, zebras are jerks too. But the more you have, the more they occupy each other. 🙂

Aquarium Co-Op has a video on clown killies that got me into them. 🙂

 

 

Edited September 11, 2020 by Bill Smith

[Streetwise]

I removed the Tunze filter/skimmers from my Askoll tank. They are really cool, but overpowered for this size. I think I will save them for a marine tank in the future. I put in a couple of Co-Op Nano Sponge Filters.

 

Edited September 12, 2020 by Streetwise

[Streetwise]

New female Betta:

[Streetwise]

More of the betta. She is right next to my bed, so I wake up with this cutie.

[Streetwise]

I love watching Bloodfin Tetras swim!

Edited September 25, 2020 by Streetwise

[Antichton]

Awesome tanks! Sorry to hear about your shark and betta.

Maybe it's just the camera, but it looks like your water has a lot of tannins in it. Do you put anything into the tank/water for that or is it just a natural result of running everything Walstad style?

+1 for clown killies as top level swimmers. They're not shy and really helped my CPDs come out from behind my crypts. I'd recommend getting at least 5. I started with 2 males since my local LFS ran out, and the larger one was bullying the smaller one (swimming into him from the side) until I added 4 more the week after.

[Streetwise]

Thanks!

That tank probably has the most tannins because of the large Mopani wood, and the Yoyo Loach digging into it all the time. Another tank with a large piece is also very tea-colored. Some of my smaller tanks, run with the same style substrate and spider wood are much more clear.

[DaveSamsell]

8 minutes ago, Streetwise said:

Thanks!

That tank probably has the most tannins because of the large Mopani wood, and the Yoyo Loach digging into it all the time. Another tank with a large piece is also very tea-colored. Some of my smaller tanks, run with the same style substrate and spider wood are much more clear.

I really like spiderwood.  It grew some mold/fungus, but cleared fairly quickly once it was in my aquariums for awhile.  

[Bill]

6 hours ago, Streetwise said:

Thanks!

That tank probably has the most tannins because of the large Mopani wood, and the Yoyo Loach digging into it all the time. Another tank with a large piece is also very tea-colored. Some of my smaller tanks, run with the same style substrate and spider wood are much more clear.

I have a large piece of driftwood in my 53 gallon that I setup 2 months ago. It's cool because its arch shaped and fish can swim under it. The tint bugged me at first but maybe it's an acquired taste because as long as the water is clear (tinted, but not cloudy!) this doesn't bother me. I've started to kinda like the look. 

[Streetwise]

It took me a while to get used to the color, but once I started seeing various blackwater tanks, and learning about the beneficial properties of tannins, I grew to like the look.

The Mopani wood in my bow front tank is actually a piece I bought as a teenager in the late '80s or early '90s, so it is the oldest aquarium item I have.

[Bill]

On 7/19/2020 at 1:24 AM, Streetwise said:

I keep many small aquariums in my apartment, mostly Walstad-style, with organic soil from a local composting spot. I enjoy running really stable ecosystems.

I used eco complete in my new tanks, kinda wish I had gone with soil underneath... how many hours of light do you use? She recommends at least 12 hours (with the siesta period), which is what many people claim is too much and will lead to algae. 

[Streetwise]

I have my schedules posted in the Fluval Plant 3.0 Scheduling and Programming thread. We have also talked about Lighting Siestas and Dual Siestas.

The program I use is indeed 12 hours on, but it is also the equivalent of a six-hour full power continuous period. In this case, by full power, I mean the max % used in my dual siestas.

Cheers

[Brian Scott]

Wow Jason!  Such beautiful aquarium!!

Do you use any additives to help keep the balance of the ecosystems, or do you stick with a more natural approach? 

Cheers from NJ!!

[Antichton]

13 hours ago, Streetwise said:

It took me a while to get used to the color, but once I started seeing various blackwater tanks, and learning about the beneficial properties of tannins, I grew to like the look.

The Mopani wood in my bow front tank is actually a piece I bought as a teenager in the late '80s or early '90s, so it is the oldest aquarium item I have.

I was actually asking because I wanted to experiment with a blackwater tank! Very surprising to know that the Mopani wood provides tannins for so long!

[Streetwise]

12 hours ago, Brian Scott said:

Wow Jason!  Such beautiful aquarium!!

Do you use any additives to help keep the balance of the ecosystems, or do you stick with a more natural approach? 

Cheers from NJ!!

Thanks Brian. I don't use any additives, I rarely change any water, and I never gravel vac. If you are interested in organic soil tanks, I highly recommend getting Diana Walstad's book, The Ecology of the Planted Aquarium. I have the Apple Books version, so I can annotate and keep bookmarks.

https://dianawalstad.com

Cheers

Edited September 29, 2020 by Streetwise