bam Demanding level

#11403 Chaliyar River, Western Ghats, Kerala, India

India, Kerala

My favourite freshwater fishes are barbs, so I created an aquarium featuring several larger species such as Dawkinsia filamentosa and Sahyadria denisonii. The aim is to recreate a fast-flowing forest stream with marginal vegetation.

Submitted by: Juhász-Tóth Gábor

GPS: 11.2357349, 76.1530533

Geographical region: Southern Asia
Drainage Basin: Arabian Sea
River catchment: Chaliyar River
Water body type: River
Water body name: Chaliyar River
Water body part
Water body course
Water body: tributary of
Tributary name

Videos above and below water

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Water Chemistry

Water information

Water type: Freshwater
Water color: Clear water
Water transparency: High
Concentration of sediments: Low
Water temperature: 24 °C
Water flow/curent: Strong

Chemical parameters

pH: 7.0
Conductivity: 200
GH: 60 mg/l
dGH
KH: 20 mg/l
dKH
Dissolved Oxygen

Aquarium information

Aquarium description

Set-up date

4 May, 2025

Aquarium decoration

I wanted to recreate a fast-flowing forest stream, so I used large rocks to represent the riverbank, with marginal vegetation, and smaller rocks over a gravel substrate across the bottom of the aquarium. Catappa leaves and smooth driftwood were added to create natural details.

The aquarium is filled with a mixture of reverse osmosis (RO) water and rainwater, remineralised to approximately 200-220 ppm using a homemade GH+ mineral salt. The KH is adjusted using tap water.

Aquarium equipment

Filtration: 400 L sump filter containing 70 L of TM30 sponge cubes, 30 L of Sera Siporax, and 30 L of EHEIM SUBSTRATpro biological media. Powered by a Jebao MDP-8000 return pump.

Heating: No heater is used.

Water flow: Newa Wave 2 circulation pump (1,900 L/h) and Hsbao EW-38 circulation pump (13,000 L/h).

Lighting: Two Weeaqua L1200 Pro LED fixtures and three Chihiros Tiny Z LED lights.

Fish care

Water is changed weekly to maintain optimal water parameters, particularly low nitrite and nitrate concentrations. No heater is used, as the aquarium is located in an air-conditioned room that maintains the water temperature within the optimal range, even during summer.

The fish are fed a varied diet consisting of plant-based pellets, live foods (Daphnia, Cyclops, Tubifex), and frozen foods (Mysis, krill, bloodworms, and Daphnia). Catappa leaves are also added to the aquarium, providing a natural supplementary food source for these omnivorous fishes.

The emersed plants provide excellent shelter and spawning sites while also contributing to stable water quality by helping to maintain favourable water parameters.

Fishes:

Dawkinsia filamentosa (Cyprinidae) – Filament Barb – 15
Sahyadria denisonii (Cyprinidae) – Denison Barb – 20
Haludaria fasciata (Cyprinidae) – Melon Barb – 20
Etroplus maculatus (Cichlidae) – Orange Chromide – 6

Plant care

RGB LED lighting is used to support plant growth. The fish provide the macronutrients required by the plants, while micronutrients are added to the water three times per week.

The plants are grown in planter boxes containing pond soil covered with gravel. The emersed plants are misted daily with reverse osmosis (RO) water supplemented with micro- and macronutrients.

Aquatic vegetation

Hygrophila pinnatifida (Acanthaceae) – Hygrophila
Bacopa monnieri (Plantaginaceae) – Brahmi
Bucephalandra sp. (Araceae) – Bucephalandra
Microsorum sp. (Polypodiaceae) – Java Fern

Water care

Approximately 200 L of water is replaced every week. A mixture of reverse osmosis (RO) water and rainwater is remineralised to approximately 200–220 ppm using a homemade GH+ mineral salt, while KH is adjusted using tap water.

The sump filter is inspected monthly and, when necessary, the filter media are cleaned using aquarium water to preserve the beneficial bacterial colonies.