Chorhun river (Chorna), Crimea

Aquarium information

Aquarium description

Set-up date

May, 2021

Aquarium decoration

Everything of the décor I took from a small river in the Vinnytsia region: sand, small and larger stones, empty mollusc shells I took from shallow part of the river, then I collected driftwood and leaf litter in the same place after heavy rain. At home I put everything in the aquarium as soon as possible to keep most of original bacteria and micro organisms.

To create effect of a forest river lighting I added 3 spot LED lights above and a LED strip to light background and add effect of deep.

Aquarium equipment

• Resun B-1000 submersible pump.
• Tetra IN600 internal filter, both hidden behind driftwood.
• All filter sponge were replaced with DIY to provide the best care for very complicated local fish and form natural river water flow.
• Chemical and biological filtration is done by aquatic plants.

Fish care

All fishes are wild and need same conditions as in river, so I made the special water flow system: pump and filter suck water in one corner of aquarium, then send that water in the pipe above aquarium to the opposite corner, this makes water in the aquarium flow fast and only in one direction, from the right corner to the left (this is well seen in the video).

The worst problem for fishes became food: there was a problem with food supply and I lost 5 fishes because of poor quality food: 1 sunbleak, 1 ruffe and 3 bitterlings.

Fishes:

• Leucaspius delineates (Cyprinidae) – 1
• Rhodeus amarus (Cyprinidae) – 2
• Gobio gobio (Cyprinidae) – 2
• Gymnocephalus cernuus (Percidae) – 1
• Rutilus rutilus (Cyprinidae) 1

Molluscs:

• Unio pictorum (Unionidae) – 2

Plant care

All the plants were planted in May 2021 and till now they are fine.

Special care about them includes:
powerful LED light, regular adding special DIY chemical mixture into the water to help pondweed and hornwort, and also I add 6 l of water from the river every week during water changes.

Aquatic plants:

• Myriophyllum spicatum (Haloragaceae ) – 5
• Stuckenia pectinata (Potamogetonaceae) – 2
• Potamogeton natans (Potamogetonaceae) – 1
• Ceratophyllum demersum (Ceratophyllaceae) – 10
• Elodea canadensis (Hydrocharitaceae) – 10
• Nuphar lutea (Nymphaeaceae) – 1
• Najas marina (Hydrocharitaceae) – 1

Water care

This biotope aquarium is a self-sufficient system and needs only minor care: adding diy chemical mixture weekly, cleaning filters and water change, when needed, trimming plants when they overgrow, daily feeding of fish and adding fresh water instead of evaporated, also weekly (when possible) adding of water from the river.

Dimensions

Length

80 cm

Depth

50 cm

High

30 cm

Volume

120 L