Paludarium....comments?

[Brine]

I've been wanting to do something like this for a while. I want a waterfall and pond outside but I rent and there is no place for one anyway so I am making one inside. I bought a 56G tank specifically for this application. It is 30 long and 25 high so I've got lots of height for the falls. So here are some pictures showing the progress so far.

The first pic is the tank and some supplies
The second pic is some styrofoam layered together.
The third pic is the "plan" drawn on the styro and some of the carving started

[attachment deleted by admin]

[Brine]

some more pics

4 is carving in process
5 is more carving
6 is some "great stuff" expanding foam that will look like vines (I hope)

[attachment deleted by admin]

[Brine]

7 is a static cling nightmare
8 is a lazy single persons worst mess ever
9 is a pic of half of the thing covered in silicone and some rocks, not finished by any means but it shows some idea of the final look....I had to cut it in half to make it easier to put in the tank later

[attachment deleted by admin]

[Brine]

10 is the thing split in two, you can see the layers of styro
11 is a close up of one of the three (yes three) waterfalls. You can also see two caves I added in case I get some land based life form to occupy the top half of the tank.
12 is as it sits today....more work yet to do.

If I manage to get it done in time I'll enter it in the video home show so you can see it in action.

[attachment deleted by admin]

[washefuzzy]

Looks like fun figuring it out. Hope you have a good vacuum. 

Looking very good.

[Brine]

Here is a sketch of a view of the front and a view from the top of what I am trying to do.
The styro will be half way up the tank with water below and plants and air and waterfalls above.


[attachment deleted by admin]

[dan2x38]

Wow you have way to much time on your hands!    Dude way cool great project can't wait for the finished project. Patience is a vertue...    Spray the syro pieces with a mist of water from a spray bottle before trying to gather it up. Also can use a anti-static spray for laundry to help clean-up. Good luck...

[zima]

Brian, this is looking amasing! Can't wait to see what it comes up to at the end. What plants are you thinking of using? Some nice swords to grow immersed? Some moss?

[Brine]

Brian, this is looking amasing! Can't wait to see what it comes up to at the end. What plants are you thinking of using? Some nice swords to grow immersed? Some moss?

For sure some mosses...I have this idea that I would like to make the central waterfall moss covered and some "taller" plants here and there. That is all I know at this point. Can you suggest some stuff?

Can anyone else suggest some stuff? I might get a frog or something for the terrarium section so I guess any plants should be durable and non-toxic. Other than that some mosses are going in for sure then I'll need some short plants and a few larger ones. Maybe a lot of moss...what kinds?

[fischkopp]

Looking good. Will you have a compartment for soil? In this case you can grow crypts - which can be rewarding if they flower for you. Most aquatic plants can be used emerged, ferns and anubias might be a good option.

Will there be fish?

[dan2x38]

You use sidewalk moss... the green moss that grows on rocks in the woods or even your sidewalk... Anubais is a great idea Fischkopp that would look cool some nana... blyxa japonica & hair grass would be nice... HC cuba or even dwarf sag. Another nice choice would be Lobelia cardinalis (cardinal plant)

[Brine]

Will there be fish?

That is the plan...

[dan2x38]

what kind of fish are you thinking? how much water and how deep?

[FishPassion]

Really interesting project and looks like its going to turn into a real conversation piece, post more pics as you move along looks great!! 

[Brine]

what kind of fish are you thinking? how much water and how deep?

I don't know...lets see if I can get it done and working first

[dan2x38]

Really interesting project and looks like its going to turn into a real conversation piece, post more pics as you move along looks great!! 

Is that a current picture? LMAO

[FishPassion]

Dan! Are you laughing at my picture?   Its quite a current pic u know all tho I may shave for the summer.  

[Laura]

Your plant choice will also depend on your lighting (I know you know that  )
Creeping jenny grows nicely in and out of the water, I've had java fern grow out of the tank when it got lodged behind the powerhead.

Do you think it would look good to either rub some spagnum moss or coconut fibers into the silicone?  It would provide for a rough backdrop for mosses to adhere to, spagnum moss may grow itself, and coconut fibers would look very natural.

What about some newts?  I recall that a member was selling some a while ago.

I love the plan, it's looking great.

[Nerine]

I love creeping jenny!! it takes over my backyard in the summer due to poor drainage haha
I'm going to be adding it to my gecko tanks to give them something to 'play' in...right now my tanks are mostly land, but have one that is half/half and lots of moss/small swords etc. Real plants are so much fun I had orchids in one of my tanks till they got too big haha

Looking forward to seeing your tank completed!!

[RossW]

How is this project coming?