Ok, I am restarting my amazon biotope setup how-to thread, cos I've changed the parameters of the project and it now probably involves three tanks, set up in a row like this. The smaller ones need cleaning tho, so I'll start with the big lad on the left (probably not today tho)

Ok then, let's get to work. Although this is gonna be an aquarium triptych, we'll do the biggest tank first and move the others for now. So; let there be light. I'll be using the Lumini Asta F120 for this, a.k.a THE LANTERN OF THE GODS. Also, a TOWER OF POWER for the electrics.

The F120 is a powerful light, but this is a powerful job. I've put down some tape to mark out where the other tanks will go, and the Lantern Of The Gods will light the lot - these are gonn be very woody, dense, blackwater setups with floating plants, so I'm glad it is so mighty.

Next up - filtration and heat. Using a nifty aquael heater, and these two bruisers from Oase in the corners. I've primed them with a bit of bacterial gunk from existing filters, so they can hit the ground running in their lifelong campaign of persecuting ammonia molecules.

There it all is in situ. It's arguably overkill for a 70l tank as each of these would comfortably deal with a 50, but I'm going to have both on low flow so there's high filtration without high flow. Imagine a bloke with massive lungs, breathing well slowly. Next up: wood and that

I've rounded up a bunch of wood - it's a mix of bogwood, ironwood and mopani wood, most of it from existing tanks, and some with epiphytes grown on already. Now for the agonising process of working out how to make it all look beautiful...

Woke up not feeling the hardscape I'd put in place, so decided to rethink things. I've used perspex & silicone sealant to make a well for the left filter & start a raised rear terrace that will continue across all 3 tanks. It's an ugly job, but it'll be hidden in the final build

Also: lol. I am a reasonable designer but my DIY skills will always be those of an ork https://twitter.com/FrogCroakley/status/1310450542863319040?s=19