Most freshwater aquarium fish that we found in our pet shops from the tropics of the Amazon in South America. The Amazon has a greater variety of fish and plants of all the rivers of the world together.
The extraordinary variety and beauty of the Amazonian fish and plants is what drew me to this type of aquarium. I have to rebuild in love with the creation of community tanks and Amazon, has declined the environment and natural ecosystems of the River.
The variety ofAmazon and its many rivers means that there are endless ways you can create a topic of Amazon, and the style and decoration of the aquarium setup depends on what type of fish you want to keep.
Today I'm going to create a theme for grouping Amazon Angelfish Aquarium or discus. These fish can be very large, so it is advisable to have an aquarium of at least 150-200 liters, or more by volume. They are also the most peaceful fish, so they are very good for the communityTank, as long as you follow some simple guidelines.
For my topic I would like to rebuild the flooded jungle of the Amazon. Every rainy season the Amazon River bursts its banks flooding the surrounding jungle. At that time the fish's head into the jungle to a suitable place to grow quiet. This is the type of aquarium you want to represent and guide you through the process.
The collection of Amazon Aquarium Decor
For a themed decor Amazon aquarium (gravel, stones,Driftwood, plants) should be as natural as possible.
For me it's a good excuse to get out into nature to explore some local rivers and streams. If you live the good fortune to be near a river or stream clean natural, as I am, then this is the ideal place to get what you need to set up Amazon.
The river next to me is nice gravel brown / red, it's almost like fine sand. I pick 2-3 buckets of gravel for my substrate value. You can give it a quick cleaning with aTube is completely in half a bucket, pour the mixing tube end through the gravel and dirty water, but that is not necessary and can be useful, dirt and other pieces of leaves and sticks there like this can do with plants grow.
Tip: Make sure that you can fine gravel, which is helping plant growth, as the roots can easily through the gravel, or plants and their roots have a difficult time.
While you are absolutely on the riverpick up some large stones and lots of interesting looking wood. You can start planning your aquarium landscape like finding pieces of wood and stone. Be sure to collect wood more than necessary, but how many times I want to bring home a nice piece of wood only to find that it is too big and not do well in the aquarium.
You can scrub the wood with a fast new dish detergent, if you want to clean. This may be a good idea since some of the wood may contain traces of algae areon them and often not seen. It is not mandatory, however, and should be fine as long as it came from the river is clean, fresh water.
If you are not as lucky as I can and can not find these things in nature, then there are supplies from local pet shops or garden stores. If you buy be sure to thoroughly clean before using.
Land for the cultivation of plants
Most people do not want to, but to grow healthy aquatic plants, as normalTerrestrial plants, you need a good soil.
So the nest, you will need to collect some good, clean floors. If you have any clean soil free of chemicals in your garden, you can use these, although this can be risky, because the soil is very hard and have a high pH, although not suitable for fish. It can be a good idea to test the soil in a small aquarium first make sure it is suitable for your fish and plants can be expected.
If you do not have suitable land on the other handYou can buy some from your local garden. I was regular people with Orchid compost, which will be heard very well. Just be sure it is free of chemicals and you should be right, but once a test is not always a good idea to be sure.
The aquarium heater and filter system
I am assuming that you have purchased your aquarium ready and heating and filtration systems already, but here are some tips for your institution.
Filter: Thesuggest a small power filter (or two) in the back seat (s) of the aquarium. Be sure to check how many liters of water, the filter is suitable for you before you buy. You want to create a circular motion of the water lapping against the aquarium, to evenly distribute the temperature and nutrients in the aquarium.
Heating: The ideal temperature is turned off on your fish and plants, but for almost all the fish of the Amazon is 27 degrees is ideal. The temperature can varysomething more than a cold night and a hot day, but a few degrees or so is fine.
TIP: Always back up a second system of heating in case of failure of one, and if they do not usually have time to replace it before your fish are all dead.
Lighting: This is a very important factor when growing plants. 200-250 liters is necessary for an aquarium fluorescent X 4 balls to reach the entire length of the aquarium. You can get special balls specially made for aquarium plants growingYour local pet store, and sometimes by the light / lamp store, where it is usually cheaper than the pet stores. DIY at times suitable bearing balls.
TIP: Change your globes every six months for the best-put. The human eye can not tell you to watch, but after 6 months, the Globe begins to lose its effectiveness and slow plant growth.
Give your aquarium with 8-9 hours of light per day. It is possible an electric timer for this configuration. If youProblems with algae in the future, you can reduce the light of an hour.
These are the only three things you need to run your aquarium.
What is the oxygen for the fish to breathe?
You do not need "air pump" that blows bubbles in the aquarium. To begin with, these bubbles do not actually add oxygen into the water, there's emotion and movement of surface water, the reaction is the oxygen in water.
The plants grow in an aquarium in which oxygen is availableWater, and compliments for this I set my filter outlet near the water surface so that a slight rippling of the disturbance of water was created, but only low, too anxious at the surface and you will be other valuable substances such as CO2 (carbon dioxide) without the need for plants to grow.
Plants: There is a good idea to do some research on what types of aquatic plants are suitable for making fresh water of an aquarium Amazon. To select the best plants, plants sword would, and AnubiusVallesneria. There are many other plants are also suitable, but make sure they are suitable for fresh water and a pH of about 5.5 to 6.
Water: The water you use is the most important element, so you must get this right. First, you can test your tap water for all chemicals with a water test kit. You can download from the shops, get the house that specializes in water filters. If the water contains chemicals, then they must be treated or an alternative water source. A good alternative, andin fact the best water you can use the rain water is not treated. Some people are lucky and have access to underground springs and wells that supply water better than rain water, although this can sometimes be a little 'difficult and is best combined with rainwater, if possible. If you want to treat your water for reverse osmosis is best for removing all chemicals from the water.
You will also need a pH test kit. The ideal pH is 5.5 to 6 for an aquarium Amazon Thismeans that the water is as sweet as the conditions of the Amazon River. You can adjust your pH, if necessary. The best way to do this is to add rainwater tank begins in a bucket, if you have when it rains. Rainwater is soft as water can go it alone and can also be too soft. Another thing that helps is soft, a lot of water in the woods, which we have already planned for the aquarium.
OK, Time To The aquarium setup
Now you have your aquariumEquipment, your soil, gravel, stones, wood and plants. Now you are ready to begin setting up the aquarium.
Place about 2-3cm deep soil in the aquarium. This can be a bit 'deeper will develop on the back of the tank with larger systems.
Place about 2-4cm close to your deep gravel or river sand on the floor.
Now you can start your wood and larger stones in the layout that you want to organize. Try to create enough space to swim and many hidden roomsand territories, the fish for you.
Driftwood can be connected to the substrate and held in place by large stones, if necessary, to create the desired layout.
Once the stones and wood in place you can start planning where to put your plants. Try to keep in mind how much space the plants need to grow up and do some research on how large each plant will grow. Otherwise it will move with it or remove the plants, because they are too large, which canIt ruins the beauty of the aquarium and the fish may have a hard time and no space to swim freely.
Start with about an inch or two of water. This makes it easier to plant the roots of your plants. Most plants can be planted at this time. For some plants, such as stem plants that grow tall and thin, it can be easier to plant when the water filled up to half.
You have all the plants on site, you can add the rest of the water and set the heating andFilter. Place the heater near the filter to ensure that the tank is heated evenly.
We also remember the tip for the construction of the filter near the surface, creating a slight disturbance on the water surface to get oxygen.
TIP: Make sure your tank lid is not closed completely sealed, oxygen will not be able to get into the aquarium.
Now it's time to put the cover and turn on, lights and heating filters.
Aquarium Cycle
It 'best to leaveYour aquarium for at least one week can not fish in it, this water chemistry time to settle and adjust, and beginning to the bacteria necessary for a healthy ecosystem.
TIP: A good way to increase the effectiveness of this initial course, is someone who is already a success (healthy and disease free) to find the aquarium. Take a bit 'full of water, a small bag or bucket and place it in your new aquarium. It 'also very useful to get some'Gravel. These are all the good bacteria that need your fish and plants for a healthy ecosystem and the speed of the cycle is established.
Choose your fish
For our aquarium Amazon theme, there will of course include only fish of the Amazon, so be sure to still do some research on the fish available to their needs and how big the fish grow.
Here I introduced the fish slowly in my installation Amazon 250L:
- 3 pairs of Angelfish.
2 coupleswas more appropriate. 3 pairs are a bit 'in this room when they start breeding territories and cropped closely, but with enough plants and woods, a comfortable home for my 3 pairs included. My angels were like little children, the facilities introduced by the size of a quater. In this way they can grow in the aquarium beautiful and down to her lifestyle and other fish, they live with.
O - 1 or 2 pairs of Discus.
Instead, Angelfish, Discus you can choose. DiscusBe larger angelfish in an aquarium 250L I recommend only 2 pairs at most. A couple would be cheaper, and they would also growing. A 200L tank for less than a couple, and if the tank is less than 100 liters and then forget both Angelfish Discus.
- A small school of tetras.
I put a small school of cardinal tetras and Kerry soon and before the angels were added. Initially I had a dozen and a half dozen cardinals Kerry Tetra.Why does my Tetras Angelfish have grown up with these, there are many plants to hide in, and my angel because feeding the tetras are very safe to be eaten by the angels. When introducing Angelfish great famine certainly like to eat small tetras. Tetra fish are also great to have, not only because they look around swim together in their small schools, but other fish do feel safe, act as a glance.
- 2 pairs of Rams Blue - NanoCichlids.
These fish are absolutely beautiful, and only grow to about the same size as a Tetra, so they are ideal for a community tank and colleagues Amazon. These fish love to hide in caves and dense plants, so be sure to hide in places like this create for them.
- Small school of Corydoras catfish.
To clean the excess food that reaches the bottom and do not eat other fish, these guys are perfect. Remain on the bottom and clean all the mess left. Originally, I added 2 andthen after another quarter of a fish school is so if a half-dozen Corydoras gather around the school and it seems that they play with each other and with other fish that the best thing is to see.
- Algae eating catfish.
With all your plant growth in general, do not have the algae problem, but it can create small amounts, and this is the sign of a healthy aquarium. I have a couple of Bristlen Pleco in my tank for the small, cleanAmount of algae began to appear on my glass for a few months. Bristlen only grow to about 10-15cm, so ideal for this size aquarium. Bristlen also munch on wood as part of their diet, so once again, are ideal for this configuration.
Tip: If you want to buy Bristlen Pleco is to ensure that you do not buy any other type of Pleco. You can look great when they are small, but almost all other types of Pleco is growing at your local pet store about 2FT. NOTis suitable.
Another good option for an algae eater is the small Otocinclus, Otto Wels, catfish, dwarf, as they are sometimes called. These kids grow only as big as a gloomy as suitable for a small aquarium at home.
And what about my tank filled to the desired level. All the fish have enough room to swim, hide and escape each other if necessary, and have enough space for their territories.
Even with the various groups of fish mostseems to do something and someone to play with. This key is also a good note, because without friends, the fish can be lonely, depressed and even die. Many times I have had quite a few fish, when suddenly one of them gets sick and dies, then the other is depressed, stop eating and just lay down our lives. If you find a replacement before the fish get depressed, then this can usually help you get over it.
Presentation of the fish
Beginning with the introduction of only a smallAmount of fish to begin with, to ensure that the conditions are completely safe and healthy. If these first fish goes well, after one or two weeks you can slowly add more fish.
TIP: Do not crowd your aquarium too, or add fish too quickly. It is a rapid in-balance in your aquarium eco-system and is the most common cause of fish disease and death.
This includes the installation. Now you can sit back and enjoy your beautiful natural aquarium Amazon for years to come withlittle maintenance.
TIP: The main thing is that a 30-50% water change every week or as often as possible. This will lead to new nutrients for plants and fish and also remove nitrates and the construction of other chemicals that will be produced.
TIP: Plants and fish both send and specialty chemicals in water. Basically, these chemicals have to say: ". I'm always so that we dare not" doing regular water changes will help to reduce these chemicals and will enhance the growth of both yourFish and plants.
