Aquarium
Oase “Living Waters” biOrb LIFE (45 L)
The Fireplace Aquarium’s smaller low-tech sibling is the Shrimphaus.
Residents
We run a ‘peaceful community tank’ with a blend of plants and animals that (are supposed to and mostly do) live harmoniously together.
Animals
Fish
- Rummy-nosed tetras
- Five-banded barbs
- or are they six-banded barbs?
- Otocinclus catfish
Shrimp
Snails
Plants
Background
Midground
- Hottonia palustris
- Cryptocoryne nevelli
Foreground
- Cryptocoryne lutea ‘Hobbit’
- Cryptocoryne wendtii ‘Flamingo’
Carpet
Epiphyte
Aquarium as of 8-May-2022
Notes: on the right side, planted Cryptocoryne nevelli in the back and Cryptocoryne wendtii ‘Flamingo’ in the front
Previous Residents…
Usually these are ‘previous residents’ because something didn’t work out quite right…
Accessories
Things that keep things going, or make them nice.
Food for critters
- Various flakes, pellets and wafers
Temperature control
Lighting
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
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
- MaidenHead Aquatics
- the local shop, part of a garden centre
- ProShrimp
- good vendor, often has better pricing than most
- AquariumPlantFood
- I get all my ‘dry salts’ fertilizers from here
- ScapedNature
- Outfit in Norwich. Lots of great stuff – shipping can be pricey.
- Ebay
- second-hand kit. you can do well here
- Charterhouse Aquatics
- major online shop. the aquarium came from here
- RIverwood Aquatics
- seems a small outfit, but I like these guys – very responsive
- 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
Online Resources
UK Aquatic Plants Society – lots of great information here
Dennerle plant database – very helpful