Kalimantan

_st place in Biotope Aquarium Design Contest 2022

Volume of aquarium: 40 liters

Dimensions of aquarium: 50.8 cm X 25.4 cm X 30.48 cm.

List of fishes: Sphaerichthys vaillanti

List of plants: Ceratophyllum demersum, Lemna minor

Description of Decorations and Substrate: In the decoration of the tank i use dry seeds, leafs of diferrent types of trees of the zone, even palms leafs and some driftwood; the substrate its a combination of debris and silical sand, and some round river rocks.

Description of Equipment: The filter its an aquaclear mini and the lamp its a comercial led lamp

Water Parameters: the temperature its in 26 c, with a ph of 6.5

Additional Info:

Aquarium video:

Description of the Area Surrounding the Biotope: The biotope its a Peat Swamp Forest, wich are unusual ecosystems, with trees up to 70 m high – vastly different from the peat lands of the north temperate and boreal zones (which are dominated by Sphagnum mosses, grasses, sedges and shrubs). The spongy, unstable, waterlogged, anaerobic beds of peat can be deep with low pH (pH 2.9 – 4) and low nutrients, and the forest floor is seasonally flooded.The water is stained dark brown by the tannins that leach from the fallen leaves and peat – hence the name blackwater swamps. During the dry season, the peat remains waterlogged and pools remain among the trees. Water level on the peat is usually 20 cm (7.9 in) below the surface.

Description of the Underwater Landscape of the Biotope: its a place with stangnant water almost all the time, the substrate its compose of decaying fruits, leaves and some wood

Description of the Habitat Parameters: The water its brown, product of the proliferation of tannins, ph can be as low as 4.0

List of Fishes and Invertebrates Occurring in the Nature Biotope: Sphaerichthys vaillanti, Macrobrachium kelianense, Pangio shelfordii, Eirmotus insignis, Clarias nigricans, among others.

List of Plants Found in the Nature Biotope: Ceratophyllum demersum, Lemna minor, Polygonum barbatum, Ludwigia adscendens, Nymphoides indica, Valisneria natans

Threats to the Ecology of the Biotope: In recent years the zone has been affected with the incrementation in the plantation of oil palms, that have led to devastation of huge parts of the forest; theres also a high risk of contamination of the water because of mining activities and deforestation.

Sources of Information:
https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1755-1315/535/1/012055/pdf
https://wwf.panda.org/discover/knowledge_hub/where_we_work/borneo_forests/about_borneo_forests/borneo_animals/borneo_fish/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peat_swamp_forest#:~:text=Peat%20swamp%20forests%20are%20tropical,and%20wood%20from%20fully%20decomposing.&text=Peat%20swamp%20forests%20are%20typically,mangrove%20forests%20near%20the%20coast.
Peat swamp forests of Borneo PART 1: Hydrology and biodiversity