#I'd never used the Bio-Stratum before

[mandsleanan]

Just finished another aquascaping project- an actual Nature Aquarium: a diverging path in a forest.

So there are a few reasons why I generally don't do this kind of aquascaping, the main one being my aquariums are animal enclosures, not dioramas.

Bare bones hardscaping.

Laid the path down. The path splits because I originally planned for it to be viewable from both the front and side.

I just fed him. He's being dramatic. This isn't even going to be his tank.

Planted, filled, hardware set.

I hate this part. The only thing worse than gluing a shit-ton of moss onto driftwood is tying it on to individual branches by hand.

Driftwood, placed! Almost there! I added floaters and let the tank cycle for a couple weeks, then ran into something unexpected.

A combination of the driftwood tannins and a bacterial bloom from the Bio-Stratum turned the scape into a cloudy blackwater tank. I unintentionally made a goth aquarium.

It'll resolve itself eventually, but in the meantime, it's very suitable for the main resident: my dumbo betta Lavender.

#Fishblr #Bettablr #Nature Aquarium #Aquascaping #Pet enclosures #Betta splendens #Dumbo betta #Lychee Betta #Lavender Betta #I'd never used the Bio-Stratum before #Something to keep in mind for the future