A shady shallow flooded forest along an igarape near Manaus
43rd place in Biotope Aquarium Design Contest 2017
Netherlands. Gert Blank
Volume: 720 L
Dimensions: 200x60x60 cm
List of fishes: Pterophyllum leopoldi, Biotodoma cupido, Apistogramma sp. Erdfresser, Paracheirodon axelrodi, Nannostomus beckfordi, Copella sp., Hypoptopoma gulare.
List of plants: Cyprus sp. and Sagittaria subulata
Description of decorations: Pieces of Wood, placed like it gives an idea of a flooded forest that surrounds a Igarape.
Substrate consist of different sizes of sand mixed with small gravel and some small stones. Also using some types of Botanicals to enhance the idea of a flooded forest. Plant I have choosed are some grass species, like Cyperus and Sagittaria.
Description of equipment: 1x Eheim 2028 external filter, 1x Sunsun hw704a 2000L/h and connected to a JBL e901 external filter., 2x 300W Heater, 2x 30W LED FLoodlights 4000K.
Water parameters: Temperature: 27,4, pH: 6,8, GH: 5, KH: 4, TDS: 360 microSiemens.
Description of the area surrounding the biotope: Manaus is the centre of the Amazon where the Rio Solimoes and the Rio Negro come together and flow into the Amazon river, this where people can see the confluence of the white water from the Solimoes and the Blackwater of the Rio Negro. The area of Manaus consist not only the main water of the Rio Negro but also a lot of “Igarapes” around Manaus itself. This area a richness of fish species that can be found.
Description of the underwater landscape of the biotope: The igarapes are flowing from the forest around Manaus into the Rio Negro or the Rio Amazonas itself. Because of the density in the forest, branches and fallen leaves will be found in the water, which also gives the water a brownish color.
Description of the parameters of the habitat: Water is brownish colored because of the tannins that are given of by the branches and leaves in the water, but also of the botanicals that can be found in the forest. pH: 4,4, Hardness between 0.1 – 0.45, Conductivity: around 40 – 83 microSiemens.
List of fishes: Pterophyllum leopoldi, Nannostomus beckfordi, Biotodoma cupido, Cichlasoma amazonarum, Copella nigrofasciata
List of plants: Eichhornia crassipes, Paspulum repens
Sources of information: Article/Document: DEGRADAÇÃO AMBIENTAL E PRESENÇA DE ESPÉCIES DE PEIXES NÃO NATIVAS EM PEQUENOS IGARAPÉS DE TERRA FIRME DE MANAUS, AMAZONAS, by PAULA CAROLINA PAES GUARIDO