An Aerated Dutch
- Filter
- 1 Liter of K1 micro as biological filtration in an in-tank DYI PVC circulation device No mechanical filtration For flow: 3 flow / wave makers, total roughly 7500 L/h. And a big DYI muffled Czech air lift. No heater: Temps range from ~17–18°C in winter to ~26°C in summer
- CO2 System
- No injected CO2. Using two Eheim 400L/h air pumps to keep the CO2 out of the depletion zone.
- Lighting
- 2 professional grow tubes (LED 3000K, both 24 watts / 2600 lumen) and a Daytime Onex Color 40 watt, 6400 lumen. Est. 20–25 lm/L = Medium light (per Tropica’s scale).
- Substrate
- 80% inert black gravel (quartz) 2-4 mm 15-20% ADA Amazonia v2 earth worm casting as substrate supplement
- Hardscape Materials
- Bog wood Black lava rock supporting the Anubias
- Background
- Black extruded foam plates 1cm
Species
Fish: 19x Danio margaritatus – Rasbora galaxy 14x Tanichthys micagemmae - Vietnamese danio Shrimp: 100 - 200x Neocaridina davidi/heteropoda 'Golden Back Yellow' Snails: bladder, ramshorn, Malaysian trumpet
Plant species
left to right: 1- Bolbitis heudelotii 2- Lysimachia parvifolia 3- Cryptocotyne spiralis var. caudigera 4- Pogostemon deccanensis 5- Anubias barteri 6- Nymphoides flaccida 7- Rotala rotundifolia 'Blood Red SG' 8- Cryprocoryne wendtii ‘Mi Oya’ 9- Ludwigia repens 10- Cryptocoryne crispatula var. balansae 1- Bolbitis heudelotii floaters: Limnobium laevigatum, Phyllanthus fluitans emersed (top left): Callisia repens
Fertilization
Daily micros. 0.018 ppm Fe as proxy Weekly specific DYI macro mix for uptake compensation. 2.5 dKH. Conductivity = 250 uS/cm Water changes with RO, remineralized and macros added.
Koen van Vliet
Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
Quick Stats
- Style
- Dutch
- Size
- 160x80x50 cm
- Volume
- 640 L (169.1 gal.)
- Plant Species
- 16
- Fish Species
- 9
Judges' Comments
This aquarium is dominated by two main plant groups: Pogostemon deccanensis to the left of the center and Rotala rotundifolia 'Blood Red SG' to the right. The large Rotala rotundifolia 'Blood Red SG' is prominently present, dividing the aquarium into two sections. It would have been more beautiful if this group hadn't been pushed against the back wall, but had disappeared behind a group of plants. With Rotala rotundifolia 'Blood Red SG', you're very much looking at the stems, and it would have been better if this group had been built up more from low to high. Furthermore, this group obscures the view of Ludwigia repens behind it. This group could have been larger and allowed to reach the surface, while the Rotala in front of it should have been lower. Lysimachia parvifolia is very pale and could have been much redder. This is probably a matter of light. Nymphoides flaccida has been used as a foreground plant, but it certainly isn't. It grows quite tall and can be used as a mid-ground or background plant. A surface fish and a bottom-dwelling fish are missing. Shrimp can't compensate for this lack with so few fish species.
— Bart Laurens
There's a lot of good things happening with this tank. With just a few adjustments it could be a really good Dutch. Im not crazy about the two strong focal points, the log and the Rotala. A tank this size can certainly handle having two, but in their current position these are too symmetrical, both coming straight out of the midground doing basically the same thing - vertical tall rectangles. The symmetry is made worse by having the street very close to dead center. In the future you want to avoid using the same species in two different places, like the Bolbitis here. The only way that could work is if you had it going across the back too, where it all became one thing covering the back and sides. Speaking of the back wall, there is too much bare space that really should be covered more. If the Pogo was taller, say almost to the surface, it would go a long way to solving the issue Front right its too bad the Crypts didnt fill in more to the right to cover some of that bare space. Having negative open spaces in the foreground can be a great effect, in this particular spot it just looks like something is missing. Theres quite a lot of BBA on the foreground substrate surfacve. In the future itd be a good idea to vacuum all that up before taking competition pictures Still its a lovely tank, nice work.
— joe harvey
There is a jarring monolith of Rotala that I simply cannot get past. It is so jolting in its color and mohawk shape that I almost forget that the left end of the tank is underlit and messy. Or that the gravel looks unclean and empty in the front right of the tank.
— Vin Kutty
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