Update:
Unfortunately, the tank sprung a leak and has gone into storage until I have time to reseal it. But I have updated this page to reflect the last, most recent iterations of setup and stocking lists. I also have a 75 gallon in the works, so when it's done I'll (theoretically) put up a page about it.
Equipment:
I got the tank for free. It a standard 55 gallon, and boy is it scratched up. I think it had a python or something living in it before. I took the plastic rim off the top because it was broken and crumbling and little bits of crap always fell in the water. The tank is of an older style of construction; there's no center bracing, but the glass is thicker (3/8" in my case) compared to newer tanks. I only get about 3mm maximum deflection across the top.
The lighting is 2x55 watt CF lights from AH supply. I run the pink 9325K GE tubes and everything is hanging in a DIY pendant. I heat the tank to about 27° C with a 300w inline Hydor. The thermostat on the heater clicks like a madman and it drives me crazy.
I filter the tank with 2 Eheim 2213 canisters with prefilter sponges on the intake tubes. I switched from the stock Eheim media layers to 2/3 polyester floss (changed every 3 months or so) and 1/3 ceramic noodles. I get better flow and less particulate matter in the water column with this set up.
Every week I change 50% of the water (municipal water treated with Prime for chloramines) and run a Coralife 9w ultraviolet sterilizer for 24 hours. The excellent water clarity means more light reaches my plants, so I use less electricity.
For CO2 supplementation, I have a 5# pressurized tank with a double-gauge regulator, low pressure regulator, and needle valve feeding a DIY external reactor plumbed to one of the canister outflows and running 24 hours a day. Parameters in the tank are usually 3° each of carbonate and general hardness and a pH of about 6.5. That should give me about 28 ppm of CO2 in the water table.
The substrate is 3cm of equal parts kitty litter, potting soil, and vermiculite covered by 3cm of coarse sand. I spent about $8 on it. I'm happy with it, but turbidity can be a real problem. It is home to a colony of Lumbriculus and several large, unidentified hirudineans.
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Stocking:
This tank is loosely based on floral and faunal surveys of the Bolivian Pantanal wetlands. I doubt there are any places where all the species occur sympatrically, but I'm picking plants and animals that are available and easy to keep, and I was sort of lazy about the research. I mean, I did it all with google. I don't think it's a real biotope, personally, unless you dug it all out of the same stream.
Flora:
Hydrocotyle leucocephala (brazilian pennywort)
Lilaeopsis brasiliensis (micro sword)
Myriophyllum matogrossensse (matogrosso milfoil)
Nymphoides aquatica (banana plant)
Sagittaria subulata (dwarf sag, but it's 30cm tall)
Fauna:
Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi (black neon) 22 fish
Otocinclus sp. (maybe O. affinis?) 8 fish
Apistogramma trifasciata 1.3 fish
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