Hill stream set up

MikeBlackett · Post by **MikeBlackett** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 5:44 am

Hello All,

I am currently in the process of setting up a recent addition to my aquaria.
I would love to probe you all for information (just information hehe) as im really really keen on the Hill Stream Loaches, and plan to create the set up around their requirements and the hopefully the very similar ones of the existing White Clouds.

So the details are:

A Jewel Rio 180L 101x41x50cm (cycled), with an extra Seio 600lph powerhead installed for turbulence and aeration.
Decor is Mopani wood and an abundance of cobble and assorted sizes of smooth stones.
Substrate is a bottom layer of 'tropica plant substrate' with a 5-6cm top layer of mixed 3-5mm gravel, 1-3mm gravel and sand.
Plants are (at the moment) twisted Vallisneria, Hyprophila polysperma, Microsorum pteropus and Vesicularia dubyana. (in future will probably be just the ferns and moss)
Inhabitants are ~30 White clouds

Temp: 22-23
pH: 7
KH: 5
GH: 6.5
NO3: 10-15
NO2&NH3: 0
PO4: Dont know sorry

I do water changes of 20% weekly with treated tap water

Okay sorry for the lonnnng post people. The Questions:

Does anyone know of any where i can locate Gastromyzon sp in the NE of england (Newcastle)?? Most of my LFSs say 'we get them in now and again' but i cant seem to find anywhere that keeps them or has good knowledge of them??

And finally if anyone has any concerns about the set up mentioned PLEASE lety me know any info is appreciated and absorbed!

Thanks very much

Mike

mickthefish · Post by **mickthefish** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 5:57 am

it sound like you have a nice setup Mike, the two people to ask about hillstreams in your area are Mad Duff and Graeme robbo, i know these two lads go well out of their area to get some of their loaches but they might help you out with info on your lfs.

mick

MikeBlackett · Post by **MikeBlackett** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 6:15 am

Okay thanks Mick.

Ahah Mad duff! i watched his video on Youtube last night and was absolutely stunned with such an amazing set up. Truely inspired.

Im really excited as the white clouds i have had for years have been relishing the new set up and hopefully the Gastromyzon will be the perfect addition (and center peice of course)

One more Question:

At present i have the venturi air supply on during the night i have just the water flow during the day (creating considerable surface agitation). Will this be suitable or is it better to have the air supply on 24hrs?? Its just i dont want to drive of to much CO2 etc Although i understand the Fern and Moss have slow growth rates and low requirements?

Come to think of it i need to add some long term rooting plants to utilise that EXPENSIVE nutrient bed or else ive wasted it!

Thanks again

Doc · Post by **Doc** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 6:27 am

Hello there Mike.
Don't worry about the nutrient bed being unused. The Vallis will most certainly use up the nutrients over time and will develop a good root bed and many runners. The Hygrophilia will use some of it up but not to the same extent.
Don't be worrying about not finding any Gastromyzon or other species at the moment, the longer your tank matures the better an environment for them when you do track some down (especially if you get a bit of help).
If you want to you can have the air supply on 24hours, it is not so much the bubbles but the surface area and rate of diffusion at the surface. The bubbles can increase the diffusion rate as they increase the surface area of the water and aide the saturation of oxygen.

mickthefish · Post by **mickthefish** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 6:31 am

to my small river tank i added giant vall which has covered over half the tank with it's runners, on the bogwood iv'e used anubias, javafern and moss, the ventura is on day and night with no ill affects to the plants.

mick

MikeBlackett · Post by **MikeBlackett** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 6:44 am

Hi there Doc.

Yeah the Vallis has only been in for roughly 2 weeks and has already produced many runners and as for the hygrophila i have never seen anything grow so fast! (im new to T5)

Yes i plan to wait a considerable period of time before adding any of the loaches, i want water to be tip top for them. Just a bit worrying as i havent even seen one yet!!

Another thing, the white clouds are fiercly displaying and some of the males are getting into pretty brutal fights with fin nipping and body smashes. Also relentlessly chasing the poor females. Some of the males have damaged finnage as a result. Do you think as they have only just moved in to the tank a few weeks ago they are perhaps re-establishing superiority amongst each other? Or they just have the horn?

And finally!

After moving the WCMM out of the old smaller tank i have now noticed about 30-50 WCMM fry in that old one, OH MY GOD! I have just tried to free that one up and accomodate the shoal in the new big one and now im stuck with another 30! Then all this courtship in the big one is ultimately going to produce more bloody fry! I am toying with the idea of adding some Danio rerio to keep the WCMM population under control as i understand they would consume the fry? Its not ideal but i cant afford to keep rehousing generations of the clouds!! How else to stop breeding???

Sorry for such monumentous posts, i have become a recluse all i do is research and stare at the tanks all day!!

thanks

MikeBlackett · Post by **MikeBlackett** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 6:45 am

mickthefish wrote:to my small river tank i added giant vall which has covered over half the tank with it's runners, on the bogwood iv'e used anubias, javafern and moss, the ventura is on day and night with no ill affects to the plants.

mick

Okay thats good to know Mick. I think i read into high tech planted tank articles too much and get overly worried about that sort of thing.

Thanks mate

mickthefish · Post by **mickthefish** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 7:11 am

Mike here's a few pics ive just taken to show the growth, with the vall i started with 5 plants. that filter punches out 500 gph.

the anubias is at the back, when i got it i think it had around 6 leaves on it.

mick

MikeBlackett · Post by **MikeBlackett** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 7:55 am

Wow great looking tank mick. Thats some serious growth. How long has it been going??

You wanna be careful that filter doesnt blow the side of the tank off! hahaha- Now thats a river rapid, excellent set up mate!

MikeBlackett · Post by **MikeBlackett** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 7:59 am

Come to think of it my java ferns have produced 3 new leaves each ~2" long and its only been 2-3 weeks
[/img]

mickthefish · Post by **mickthefish** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 9:50 am

my memories rubbish these days, all i know is it was setup last year late on i think.
i got that filter at an auction for a pittance and so far it's paid for itself well.

mick

Doc · Post by **Doc** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 11:02 am

Although it has changed slightly since it's last incarnation (rocks removed/added etc) this is my River tank.

MikeBlackett · Post by **MikeBlackett** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 11:25 am

Its a beauty doc.

This is mine so far, although needs much more work and stones
[img][img]http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll58 ... disone.jpg[/img][/img]

LES.. · Post by **LES..** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 2:37 pm

That is a lovely looking tank. Careful of the valis though, after initial disaster with all my plants in the tank i was basically left with just the anubias, some java fern and a whole lot of algae. Then thought i'd give the valis another go this is the result of just one valis plant in the right place after 3 months.

It does give a lovely effect in the water flow though.

I still haven't cracked the algae problem yet and generally end up scooping masses of it out each week when i do the water change. I want to get rid of all the Hyprophila polysperma from the front of the tank but it is currently heaving with baby Pseudogastromyzon cheni which i don't want to disturb.

*sigh* it looked so tidy when first set up.

Have you considered a manifold if you are going to be keeping hillies in the tank?

MikeBlackett · Post by **MikeBlackett** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 2:58 pm

Thats a real nice tank, i like the vallis it look very nice as you say, in the flow.

I have to admit that im not sure what you mean by manifold, sorry for being ignorant

please explain

Loaches Online Forum

Hill stream set up

Hill stream set up

Who is online

Go to page

About us