A NIGHT BY THE AQUARIUM: Pursuit of Amazon Biotope

It is time to take out my half-moon tank and give it a good dressing. Simply I am setting up a new tank again but this time, much smaller scale without worrying about backbreaking.

Making use of available accessories, from previous broken tank, to save cost..

Since I have invested quite "heftily"on my new tank, I wanted my Biotope to look "real". Thus I fork out another sum for this cork bark for my background tank. They are quite easy to break apart with hands or strong scissors.This real stuff is half the price of an artificial resin "tree bark" and will certainly look pretty if my imagination of the final display concept comes true.

It took me a day to spray and hot shower this "tree bark" before mounting them on an acrylic sheet as I do not want to mount them directly onto my tank wall with sticky silicon. Here is how it looks like.

I placed some dragon rocks and started to mount the twisted woods to create "beneath-the-Amazon" river effect.

Mounting the 3 twisted woods is not as easy as it seems using selicon. Manuveuring my hand inside the small ciricular space is equally challenging for fear of knocking down the unyielding twisted woods.. I wasted two full tubes of selicon during the process and the woods doesn't stick well on the wall. I have to apply a generous portion of silicon, use rocks to keep them in position and wait half-day for the the glue to set and integrate with the woods..

Now is 12.30am Singapore time and I am already exhausted and in need of a good shower before heading to bed. Will update my tank progress another day.......

Update: 23 Sept 2013
The glue is finally cured and the woods are set and sturdy, ready to add flora soon.

Plants I have in mind from existing cultivation are:
African fern
Weeping Moss
Petite Nana
Needle fern

Plants intend to purchase are:
Thai Java moss
Star Moss
Golden Nana

Courtesy of friend (John)
Gift: Echinodorus Tenellus

Update: 24 Sep 2013
Plants added, look like a mini vivarium.

The overhead filter has concealed half the lighting. I took it out and replaced them with Eden 501 so that lights can fully penetrate into the tank.

Eden 501 is a very handy and useful fitler, You don't know when you will need it during "emergency" like this.
Apparently, there are big gaps behind the tank cover for me to add blower fan in the near fuure. I want the water to cool down further..

The setup is now 90% completed (except for the fan). In the meantime, I will sit back and enjoy the Amazon River Biotope before adding fishes in the weeks ahead.