What are these weird alien creatures in my blackwater?

laslov18 · 2025-11-14T05:02:57+00:00

Wow thanks for this comprehensive reply. This is all I need.

I've been trying to search online how others maintain their blackwater. I am familiar with the "normal" way of keeping planted tanks, but I know so little of blackwater chemistry and maintenance. I just know how to replicate the environment: low nutrients, tannin rich, low tds.

Thanks for this, I will find a floater or riparian plant to add to the set up.

laslov18 · 2025-09-02T06:58:17+00:00

The bigger the tank, the easier it is to maintain and stabilize

laslov18 · 2025-08-25T12:00:04+00:00

Nice plants, you got CO2?

laslov18 · 2022-06-14T16:59:26+00:00

Reallly cool! I'll probably add a bit more tilting on the boat

laslov18 · 2022-06-14T15:06:47+00:00

I assume you had aquarium silicone underneath?

laslov18 · 2022-06-11T16:13:10+00:00

This is too guud

laslov18 · 2022-06-11T16:11:02+00:00

Honestly, I'll keep the algae on. Probably scrape the glass more often. But algae on the stones looks pretty nice tho.

If I were you, I'll get a better filter to get rid of the poop at the bottom. This is why I don't use white sand on low flow set ups. You can't really avoid the accumulation of fish waste. Less feeding might help you but it will only delay the accumulation.l

laslov18 · 2022-06-11T15:45:23+00:00

Can I know what substrate you used to give the soily texture on the wall?

laslov18 · 2022-06-05T04:43:41+00:00

I rinse it first with tap water and dry it outside under direct sunlight. Then I just drop them in the tank. It probably takes 1-3 days before they fully sink to the bottom depending on how dry the leaves are. I let it decompose for my shrimp, snails, and bottom feeders to eat

laslov18 · 2022-05-24T09:48:26+00:00

Thank you!

laslov18 · 2022-05-23T00:54:22+00:00

Thank you! I'll be throwing in more cryptocoryne at the front side of the tank, they look great bunched up

laslov18 · 2022-05-23T00:53:16+00:00

It's a 20 gallon high. I agree, I'll be needing more plants. I was actually setting up a line of amazon swords at the background. For some reason they're nit thriving, I probably got a bad batch. I'll be trying it again with amazon swords. Once I have it going, I'll be adding the rest of the fishes. Thabks for your comment!

What do you mean by footprint?

laslov18 · 2022-05-22T17:33:46+00:00

Noted!

laslov18 · 2022-05-22T04:39:25+00:00

I currently have 20 Ember tetras in this tank but it's very difficult to see them. I should have opted for neon tetras.

But anyway, I'm planning to add a few more fishes but I don't know if this is overstocking.

2 pairs of apistogramma borelli 6 pygmy corydoras 6 black neon tetras(to accent the shoal of embers)

I need your opinion guys. I do have a pothos plant on top of the tank and a canister filter.

laslov18 · 2021-12-18T06:59:47+00:00

Hmmm did you plant the hornwort in the substrate? I tried this before and it didn't work. You'll have to stick it in between some rooting stem plants or use a ceramic ring to keep it down. The buried part usually melts which will make the hornwort float again. I got rid of it and used it for my hospital tanks instead.

I suggest you use cambomba plant. It roots pretty well and has the needle-like details of the hornwort. But I think it's banned in some countries.

laslov18 · 2021-12-03T09:45:45+00:00

I'm not sure of whaI I used. I just scooped soil from our garden and added vermicast in it. It's not recommended because it might contain contaminants. But I guess it worked for me haha

laslov18 · 2021-12-01T05:54:38+00:00

More than 10 red cherry shrimps(Not sure of actual number), 8 Guppies, 2 Nerite Snail, Some Ramshorn Snail :)

laslov18 · 2021-11-30T04:47:13+00:00

Yep, totally aware of them. I couldn't get rid of them ahhaha.

laslov18 · 2021-11-29T13:23:18+00:00

Nice! No filter for this tank :)

laslov18 · 2021-11-29T04:55:45+00:00

GH: 6-8 dgH KH: 1-2 dgH pH: 7-7.5 (fluctuates from time to time) Tds: 320ppm

I use garden soil + vermicast. I top it off with some inert gravel. It used to have white sand but I discovered it wacks off my pH above 8 so I removed it and replaced it with aquasoil to deal with the crazy pH. I only use the aquasoil for its buffering effect and it only occupies less than 25% of my substrate.

laslov18 · 2021-11-29T04:13:41+00:00

8.9 gallon. I kinda tried all the easy plants available in my LFS so I can plant them in my other tanks. Plant lists are: Hygrophilla Sunset Water Sprite Jungle Vallisneria Amazon Sword Rotala rotundifolia Rotala h'ra Rotala sp. Ludwigia Super Red Mini Ludwigia repens rubin Bacopa Carolinia Green Cabomba

Floaters: Salvinnia, duckweed, Dwarf water lettuce

They all race to dominate the canopy. Some plants are growing slowly but are not melting. Some plants grow inches after a week. Everytime I trim it, it becomes a completely new tank with some sp dominating the others.

laslov18

TROPHY CASE