This is the start of a build thread for Paludarium being designed. The tank will be 4ftx4ftx48 inches with the water portion 30inchx4ftx16. The tank will have a sump with the overflow and returns in the back panel that are tunneled under the dry portion to the wet portion (there is a divider set at 30 inch mark that sep the two portion). The water portion will have chemistry of around kh 0 gh 0-1 tds 20-40 ph 5.5 to 6.5 and the planned stocking will be 6 to 8 a. bitaeniata, 15 to 20 Nannostomus rubrocaudatus or Nannostomus mortenthaleri, 5 or so pygmy cory and maybe a pair of nannacara aureocephalus. The water portion will have a lot of leaf litter, rocks and driftwood a bit dependent on if i can find the right pieces. Plants for the water portion will consist of primarily various anubia and crypts and echinodorus depending on what i can find that will grow in this sort of environment. Also some floaters - probably red root and frogbit.
The substrate will be either stoney river (black) or hth pool filter sand - the dry part will have stoney river base with some sort of black aquarium soil (not sure which brand). The stoney river is used to raise the height and then probably 2 to 4 inches of aquairum soil. The reason for aquarium soil is the belief it is 'fish' safe if it gets into the water.
The plants for the dry portion is not well thought out but the general thought is again species of crypts (but i have to admit i've been unhappy with their emersed look in my terrarium but maybe other species are more interesting), echinodorus (again i have to research into species that look interesting emersed - i'm thinking purple aflame will be one of them), H. pinnatifida (because i have it), staurogyne sp. porto velho (because I have it), couple of not too tall orchid (not sure of species).
In the water portion I might try moving one of my larger Franz Stoffels in the middle if it is taller than 16 inches to see if it will convert to emersed form in the middle of the water section. Like wise for one of my rubins (i have a couple that are over 20 inches tall) so I can have some plants growing emersed in the wet portion.
For the dry portion i need some sort of background for the pothos to climb - from my readings the options are cork or foam so I'm looking into those options.
These are the thoughts which will change between now and when i set the thing up in late April/Early may. Suggestions welcome.
The substrate will be either stoney river (black) or hth pool filter sand - the dry part will have stoney river base with some sort of black aquarium soil (not sure which brand). The stoney river is used to raise the height and then probably 2 to 4 inches of aquairum soil. The reason for aquarium soil is the belief it is 'fish' safe if it gets into the water.
The plants for the dry portion is not well thought out but the general thought is again species of crypts (but i have to admit i've been unhappy with their emersed look in my terrarium but maybe other species are more interesting), echinodorus (again i have to research into species that look interesting emersed - i'm thinking purple aflame will be one of them), H. pinnatifida (because i have it), staurogyne sp. porto velho (because I have it), couple of not too tall orchid (not sure of species).
In the water portion I might try moving one of my larger Franz Stoffels in the middle if it is taller than 16 inches to see if it will convert to emersed form in the middle of the water section. Like wise for one of my rubins (i have a couple that are over 20 inches tall) so I can have some plants growing emersed in the wet portion.
For the dry portion i need some sort of background for the pothos to climb - from my readings the options are cork or foam so I'm looking into those options.
These are the thoughts which will change between now and when i set the thing up in late April/Early may. Suggestions welcome.
