Current setup

Fireplace Aquarium as of 1-May-2023

Notes: cleared out some Vallis to try some Bacopa

Previous Residents…

Usually these are ‘previous residents’ because something didn’t work out quite right…

Animals

• Yellow goldenback shrimp

Plants

• Alternanthera reineckii ‘Rot’
• Alternanthera reineckii ‘Rosanervig’
• Anubias nana ‘Snow White’
• Cryptocoryne wendtii ‘Flamingo’
• Echinodorus radicans 
• Hottonia palustris
• Hygrophila polysperma
• Littorella uniflora
• Lobelia cardinalis ‘Dwarf’ 
• Lobelia cardinalis ‘wavy’
• Ludwigia palustris mini ‘Super Red’
• Lysimachia nummularia ‘Aurea’
• Marsilea crenata
• Marsilea hirsuta

Accessories

Things that keep things going, or make them nice.

Food for critters

• Various flakes, pellets and wafers

Temperature control

• Heater – HiDom 100 W submerged

Lighting

• Aquarium lighting
  • Kessil A80 ‘tuna sun’
  • Kessil spectral controller

Water movement

• VorTech MP10w ‘quiet drive’
• NEXBERG aquarium mini piezo air pump

Decorations / hardscape

• biOrb Amazonas Root Aquarium Ornament (41cm)

Water quality

• ‘Estimative index‘ fertilizers
• Algaecide aka ‘liquid carbon‘
• Water conditioner

Carbon dioxide (gas) delivery

• Controlling aquarium CO₂
  • regulator, secondary restrictor, needle valve
• Bottled CO₂ tank

• CO₂ diffuser
• Drop checker

Plant substrate

• Aquasoil
• Biohome biogravel
• BiOrb ceramic media

Vendors

Where it all comes from.  No kickbacks, just honest impressions.

• Aqua Essentials
  • my go-to place for aquatic plant supplies
• ProShrimp
  • good vendor, often has better pricing than most
• Aquarium Gardens
  • great outfit in St. Ives.  super friendly and helpful people and wonderful in-store scapes for inspiration
• ScapedNature
  • Outfit in Norwich.  Lots of great stuff – shipping can be pricey.
• RIverwood Aquatics
  • seems a small outfit, but I like these guys – very responsive
• Ebay
  • second-hand kit.  you can do well here
• MaidenHead Aquatics
  • the local shop, part of a garden centre
• Charterhouse Aquatics
  • major online shop.  the aquarium came from here
•  Machine Mart
  • affordable supplier of disposable CO₂ cylinders.  600 g cylinder lasts about 4 months
• Welder’s Warehouse
  • going to try out a new CO₂ regulator from them, has a ‘buy 2.5 get 3’ offer on CO₂ cylinders
• AquariumPlantFood
  • I (used to) get all my ‘dry salts’ fertilizers from here
  • sadly now out of business

Online Resources

UK Aquatic Plants Society – lots of great information here

Dennerle plant database – very helpful