bam Demanding level

Unnamed forrest stream, west of the city of Coxim, Brazil

Sponsored by
The Aquarium Company

Brazil, Mato Grosso do Sul, Coxim

Mato Grosso do Sul state is a large area, covering the same size as Germany. The area is well known for its rich wildlife, and presents a variety of flora and fauna, with forests, natural sand banks, savannahs, open pasture, fields and bushes. Furthermore there is a rich and unique wetland area, the Pantanal, which is the world’s largest flooded grasslands.

Submitted by
David Nørholm
Approved by
Roberto Reis, Francesco Denitto & Donald C. Taphorn
GPS
-18.0323315, -54.9099388
Geographical region
South America
Drainage Basin
Taquari river basin
River catchment
Rio Paraguay
Water body type
Stream
Water body name
Unnamed
Water body part
Flood plain
Water body course
Lower course
Water body: tributary of
Rio
Tributary name
Paraguay

Videos above and below water

Water Chemistry

Water information

Water type
Fresh water
Water color
Black water
Water transparency
Medium
Concentration of sediments
Medium
Water temperature
26 °C
Water flow/curent
Slow

Chemical parameters

pH
6.8
Conductivity
GH
6 mg/l
KH
5 mg/l
Dissolved Oxygen

Aquarium information

Aquarium description

Set-up date
March, 2021
Aquarium decoration

A center piece of my decoration is the plants growing above the water level, trying to imitate the bank of a small forrest stream. The plateau, of which the plants are growing, are made of roots and small rocks, on which there is a layer of peat. This is decorated with small branches to imitate the look of a rooted water surface. Those two plateaus are making ideally hiding spots for the Apistogramma trio.

Two large roots are balancing the look of the aquarium. On the right side the fern is providing shade and cover for the Apistogramma male, which likes to hide in the shadows. The shaded look is providing both cover and protection, and trying to imitate the jungle, crowding down to the bank of the stream.
The substrate is a mix of sand, gravel and small pebbles. Underneath this there is a layer of substrate, which is helping to keep the pH in level.

Dead leaves, branches, roots, pebbles, alder cones, peat and a single nut-shell is imitating the messy substrate of a small forrest stream.
The color of the water is colored black to make it look like wellknown Southamerican blackwater.

Aquarium equipment

Aquarium: OW 98 litres Opti White

Filtration: Fluval 207 cannister filter – 780 L/h.

Lightning: two IKEA Nymåne lamps with some special Osram Parathom GU10, 550 lumens 4000 k, LED spots. The spots are trying to imitate the single sun rays penetrating through the water of the forrest stream.

Others: Eheim Skim 350 surface skimmer.
Two Sonoff S26 smart plugs

Fish care

Daily feeding.

Characidae:

  • Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi (11)

Cichlidae

  • Apistogramma trifasciata (3)
Plant care

Daily dosis of Tropica Specialised nutrition

Aquatic plants:

  • Hydrocharis laevigata (Hydrocharitaceae)
Water care

Weekly waterchange of 20-25%.

At the same time I am making the weekly waterchange I am adding 1 Alder cone the water. This is both for the coloration of the water and for lowering the pH.

Dimensions

Length
80 cm
Depth
35 cm
High
35 cm
Volume
98 L

Substrate in aquarium

Sand
Beige
Pebble/Gravel
Mixed
Stone
Grey
Stone form
Roundish
Silt/Mud
Black
Leaves
Many
Driftwood
Many
Submerged terrestrial vegetation
Yes

Bibliography

Sitography

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Comment by the expert

Roberto Reis: Beautiful aquarium, based on one video showing most of the tank and surroundings. Good description of equipments and other details.

Francesco Denitto: Very nice BAM. The hobbyist took care of many details showed in the aquarium. Just a small criticism: BIN is characterized by a strong water current which is not represented in the aquarium.

Donald C. Taphorn: For a biotope tank I expect more than two species, but these two are characteristic and quite beautiful.