Setting Up A River Tank - Littlefish

I imagine that the combination of daylight, tank lights, and a front glass covered in biofilm to encourage the fish to the front, doesn't make for the best pictures, and I certainly can't catch the iridescence on the shiners, but the gang are settling in.
I'm guessing I'll have to clean the front glass to get better pictures, but I think I'll leave it for a few days to take the opportunity to feed on it. 

 

What can I say, I like to make sure that their environment is suitable. 

It's been a good day and I'm finding out a lot more about what the new arrivals like. The rainbow shiners have been fine with flake, are quite active, and seem to be quite happy with the open swimming space in the tank.
After spending more than a month to grow algea on rocks, I have found that the hillstream loaches and stiphodons seem to prefer the very green stuff that settles on the rocks after just a couple of days in the algea tank, rather than the more stubborn algae on the older rocks. Unfortunately the very green alage doesn't last long, and they have stripped all the rocks I put in today. The loaches have a reputation for being quite sensitive, not travelling well on import, and being undernourished. This was why I spent so much time trying to grow algae. Luckily the people at Kesgrave Tropicals had got the fish feeding on algae wafers, and put a wafer in the tank to show me that the fish were feeding well. It looks as if the loaches now have quite a taste for wafers because I dropped one in the tank this evening and it was chaos. The wafer took ages to sink due to the water flow, then it landed in a corner but the river manifold intakes, and got wedged between some pebbles. The loaches then all tried to fit into the corner at the same time to get to the wafer. I tried to take a pic, but they are still quite nervous about me getting close to them with the laptop.

I'd never heard of annieae gobies before either, but they got some in at MA and one of the boys told me about them. After I'd found out a bit more I decided to get them for the river tank. They are quite small, so now I'm not sure about putting them in the river tank, but they are doing well in their current tank, so plenty of time to decide.
Good idea about the algae wafers. I'm also going to try the Repashy food coated onto stones, and possibly also use the Repashy as glue to attach algae wafers to pebbles to weigh them down.
It seems to me that however much research & planning I think I've done for a tank, there is always a lot more to learn when the tank is set up and I see how the fish are using it. 

I noticed a flower bud on my bucephalandra maia as well this afternoon. I will show my ignorance and say I had no idea they flowered 

You and me both Sue. 

The gang are settling in. There is a little patch of sunlight on one part of the tank, which helps with growing algae.
The loaches are fighting over the best stones.
I can't explain what the rainbow shiners look like. In real life the colours are amazing, but when I take pictures they just look like a snazzy black neon tetra. Possibly because of the iridescence, but the colours only really show well in movement. I've only taken pics with the laptop, which isn't great, but it's as good as it gets for now. 

Got a few more rocks for the river tank today. Just some minor rearranging to do (move an air stone and add some pebbles) and I think it's done. Phew, it's been quite hard work, but totally worth it to get a suitable environment for the sewellia lineolata, and to see the other fish playing in the flow. 

These updates on progress are great. This is exemplary of how fishkeeping should be ie lots of research in advance, preparing the tank(s) in line with the species' requirements, and then enjoying them thrive (in the fruits of your labour). It upsets me when I overhear folk in a LFS talking as though they're in a pick'n'mix sweet shop and seem to want to just purchase then and there whatever takes their fancy. Keep up the good work, Littlefish, and your tank inhabitants will continue to thrive accordingly. 

I moved the airlines today, and added some more pebbles.
Apart from putting the hood on the tank (waiting for help with that), then adding the other fish at the end of their quarantine period, it's pretty much done.

Thanks, and I'm enjoying watching the antics within the tank. 

@fcmf I have no idea, but if I knew I'd certainly stop.