Rivulet shallow shoal of Huaijiu River, Beijing, China
9th place in Biotope Aquarium Design Contest 2018
China. Xiaolong Lu
Volume: 400 L
Dimensions: 200x50x50 cm
List of fishes: Zacco platypus, Opsariichthys bidens, Sarcocheilichthys nigripinnis
List of plants: Hydrilla verticillata
Description of decorations: I used the mixture of river sand and mud as substrate, and stones and woods collected from original habitat as decoration.
Description of equipment: The top filter is 1.8 meters long, 4 layers and totally 20 boxes. The first layer is filter cotton and the others are putting ceramic ring for nitrifying bacteria. The water pump is EHEIM1102, 78W. Two led lamps, one is white colour temperature 1.8 meters long, the other one is adjustable light with red, green and blue 2 meters long.
Water parameters: Temperature is 18℃, pH is 7.3, gH 15.
INFORMATION ABOUT BIOTOPE
Description of the area surrounding the biotope: The Huaijiu River is as one of the important tributaries part in the upper reaches of Huairou Reservoir, lies in the west of Huairou and is away from downtown Beijing about 60KM. The Huaijiu River has a total length of 35 km. I chose Xisidu section of the Huaijiu River, a rivulet shoal in the Huaijiu River.
Description of the underwater landscape of the biotope: As the mountain river, flow of the Huaijiu River is slow. The bottom of the water is covered by gravels, mud and sand with some branches scattered in the water. When the water level is falling in summer, Algae grows in some shallow water area and the edge of the water grows a number of amphibious plants and submerged plants. The submerged plants provide shelters for small fishes and shrimps.
Description of the parameters of the habitat: The temperature in winter and summer is quite different. Temperature in January is up to 4℃ and in July the average temperature is about 20℃. The salinity is 0%~0.04%, pH is between 7.16 and 8.99, GH 15.
List of fishes and invertebrates occurring in the nature biotope: Abbottina rivularis, Phoxinus oxycephalus, Pseudorasbora parva, Nemacheilus nudus, Cobitis granoci, Pungitius sinensis, Atyoidae spp, Zacco platypus, Opsariicjthys bidens, Sarcocheilichthys nigripinnis.
List of plants found in the nature biotope: Phragmites australis, Trapa bispinosa, Lemna minor, Hydrilla verticillata.
Threats to the ecology: Tourism is a major bussiness for countryside around Beijing, but it also threaten wildlife fishes and their habitat in Beijing. As the aquatic wildlife nature reserve, the Huaijiu River has great fish diversity. Recent improper tourism has led to water pollution in the Huaijiu River. Attentions are needed to the threat brought by such bussiness style. We set up this biotope to advocate changes of bussiness stype of toursim around Beijing, from recent improper one to ecotourism.
Sources of information:
Huaijiu River nature reserve: http://epaper.bjnews.com.cn/html/2014-08/27/content_531238.htm?div=-1
Beijing ornamental fishes:
https://mr.baidu.com/f2ng96o?f=cp
Huaijiu River aquatic organisms:
https://mr.baidu.com/enxrbvn?f=cp
Huaijiu River video of me:
https://www.facebook.com/100029016541659/posts/101973880779830/
Huaijiu River photo of me:
https://www.facebook.com/100029016541659/posts/101966434113908/
Comments of the members of the jury of Biotope Aquarium Design Contest 2018
This aquarium is giving peace while you are watching. I like the balance of aquarium. Species combination is good and species are looking healthy. I think the stone choice is truly right for a river bank biotope. I like the usage of stones in different sizes. Background with this light looks pretty natural. Clearly this is the one of best jobs on this year. Congrats.
Very aesthetically pleasing, perfect arrangement of stones, both in form and in colour. I also like colour of the background – bluish-green, similar to natural colour of water with some small algae and other floating particles. Large space and not too many fishes – I’d love to see this in all biotope tanks! One critical remark is that according to Wikipedia and Fishbase, these fish live in rapid flow waters. So, the flow in this tank could be higher (however, fish look happy).
A rocky bottom biotope of a fast river, flowing on a sunny site, is represented very clearly. Fish behave naturally. The only thing that I would change is moving the branch to the background or removing it from the aquarium.
This is what I like! Nice size, nice fishes, nice bottom composition, interesting background color. Local stuff in the tank. What else can I say: this is good biotoping!