Nitrate Help for Central American Cichlids

[Mark Stone]

A novel idea if you keep Parachromis (Dovii, Freddy, Mots or Jags) or other Central American diggers that l-o-v-e to destroy plants/heaters/etc. (Red Devils, Dempseys, etc.) is to buy or make a divider for your aquarium, and simply divide off only three or four inches at one end of the tank. (You can do more if you want . . .). Then in that little spot is where you put live aquarium plants and your heater. Equip it with two or three good airstones [i]or[/i] arrange a filter so it takes water from the plant side of the aquarium and puts it into the fish side of the divider. Much easier with a canister I think -- but with some creativity probably can be done with an HOB. Stock that end with a goodly amount of plants! Heater will not be abused by curious Nicaraguan lake Cichlids and the plants will suck up the nitrate! --Mark

[altaaffe]

The simple ideas are often the best, I like it Mark