Desktop Aquatics Posted March 13, 2023 Share Posted March 13, 2023 Welcome everyone to my latest project! This will be an on going thread of my new boreno bowl biotope aquarium! First off I’m choosing a rather controversial aquarium being a take on the betta bowls everyone cringes at and super sizing this build. This tank is a 13gal bowl with a 19inch diameter and is 16inchs tall. I’m going to be using an aquarium co-op medium sponge filter and an aquarium co-op heater. With this being a boreno biotope I will be keeping a pair of betta apiapi and possible a small shoal of chili rasboras. The plants for this tank will all be native from boreno peat swamps being buceaphlandra and cryptocornes. The substrate is a base layer of peat with a mix of cutch and cinnamon bark and a mash of different species of leaves. As shown below my mixture! This is my latest dry run of the tank laying out my hardscape and botanicals into the bowl. I will not have this tank filled until I move in may but will keep everyone posted through this thread when an update arises! Hope y’all enjoy this project as I dive into the world of biotopes and bettas! 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Cory Posted March 13, 2023 Administrators Share Posted March 13, 2023 Looks awesome. I think Bowls are underrepresented. A bowl done well always looks awesome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theplatymaster Posted March 13, 2023 Share Posted March 13, 2023 @Desktop Aquatics looks interesting! i feel that many biotapes can biotape livestock but not plants, good on you for doing those as well. fortunatly with this region you have crypts to work with. will you only be using "wild style" crypts for a real biotape, or are you going to be using varieties (like tropica, and pink flamingo and thing s like that)? will this be a journal for this bowl, or are you just telling us about it? (both are fine, just wondering about following). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desktop Aquatics Posted March 14, 2023 Author Share Posted March 14, 2023 On 3/13/2023 at 4:20 PM, Cory said: Looks awesome. I think Bowls are underrepresented. A bowl done well always looks awesome. I thought the same and often aren’t sizable enough to really keep anything fun but I’m trying to end the stigma 😂 On 3/13/2023 at 4:23 PM, Theplatymaster said: @Desktop Aquatics looks interesting! i feel that many biotapes can biotape livestock but not plants, good on you for doing those as well. fortunatly with this region you have crypts to work with. will you only be using "wild style" crypts for a real biotape, or are you going to be using varieties (like tropica, and pink flamingo and thing s like that)? will this be a journal for this bowl, or are you just telling us about it? (both are fine, just wondering about following). This will be a journal of the process totally! Also the crypts I’m going to be using wild versions for the buceaphlandra and crypts! I’m really trying to get it right. This project will be stalling out a little till the end of may but I’ll do an updated once it’s moved and filled up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desktop Aquatics Posted May 18, 2023 Author Share Posted May 18, 2023 (edited) Big update!!! I have officially moved in to our new apartment and that means….. THE BOWL IS GOING TO BE FILLED!!!! Tomorrow…. When the stand is moved from the old house 😅 BUT it has been planted! This is before: this is after: The plants are a bunch of buceaphalandra species and a few smaller crypts! Hopeful that everything grows in and nothing dies off completely…. Never kept buce so wish me the best and any tips to keeping them alive are needed! also stocking for this tank has kind of shifted! I have a friend in the hobby who is moving out of the country and I will be the keeper of his Betta hendra pair!!! they have bred for him and hopefully they will enjoy this new tank! I have a couple months to get this tank nice and ready before he’ll be sending over to me! I’ll post an update tomorrow of the tank filled!!!! Edited May 18, 2023 by Desktop Aquatics 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Galabar Posted May 18, 2023 Share Posted May 18, 2023 I like the tank, but those bettas are awesome... 🙂 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desktop Aquatics Posted May 21, 2023 Author Share Posted May 21, 2023 (edited) It happened! It has been filled! The Borneo biotope has been filled and has a filter and heater in there! The goal is to let this tank sit for a week and then I will start testing the water, the sponge filter is a pre-cycled filter so hopefully it’ll jump start the cycling process! here are some pictures over the last few days of it being filled! This is night of being filled this was the next day! and this is it today in all it’s dark murky glory! my goal is for it to clear up but I also want a very deep red water color for this tank as it’s representing the peat moss swamps in Borneo which are known for being a deep deep red color water! I’ll keep this thread updated weekly unless there’s something cool happening! Hopefully fish will be coming in the coming weeks! Edited May 21, 2023 by Desktop Aquatics 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nabokovfan87 Posted May 22, 2023 Share Posted May 22, 2023 On 5/17/2023 at 7:34 PM, Desktop Aquatics said: also stocking for this tank has kind of shifted! I have a friend in the hobby who is moving out of the country and I will be the keeper of his Betta hendra pair!!! Those eyes, that pattern across the body. I cannot imagine seeing these in person, but I'm excited to see these in future. Wonderful setup. Please breed some! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desktop Aquatics Posted June 17, 2023 Author Share Posted June 17, 2023 (edited) Update on the Borneo Bowl! Its been a couple weeks since I last updated this thread and I have all the inhabitants of this tank! I got my 15 chili rasboras which are thriving they have been in the tank and eating for about a week and a half doesnt seem I have lost any they are finally shoaling and foraging around in a more natural manner! The other inhabitants came in on tuesday and are acclimating beautifully. They were extremely skittish and hid the first couple days but are finally coming out and getting a little bit more natural color! The Betta Hendra pair Rosie and Sam (shown below) will only get better over time and hopefully I'll be seeing some breeding colors soon and some more comfortable activities in the tank! Edited June 17, 2023 by Desktop Aquatics 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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