# Clear plastic riparium planters



## Jack G (13 Mar 2018)

Hi all,

I'm looking at adding a few emersed plants to my first planted tank but am struggling to source some clear plastic riparium planters ( a lot of the links I've found on here are either old or non UK based)

Does anyone know where I could locate some. Preferably as small as possible, looking for around 7x7x7 or similar.

All the best
Jack


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## Gill (13 Mar 2018)

Have a Look in B&M Bargains and Home Bargains/Poundland. 
They do these styles and larger.They have slits at the bottom for water drainage. I like that youcan remove the suction cups and replace with better quality ones. And they are only a Quid. 






This one is larger from Home Bargains. There is a Larger square version of this one, but could not find the iamge of it.


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## Gill (13 Mar 2018)

.


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## Macman6 (13 Mar 2018)

the Breeder box is a good idea, wish i'd thought of that.

i made a couple out of Cordial bottles and ordered in suckers, they tend to slip as the water level drops though so i've strung them up with fishing wire.
therefore i'd stay away from suction cups if possible


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## Gill (13 Mar 2018)

there are also high end acrylic boxes that have lips on them


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## Jack G (13 Mar 2018)

Thanks Gill.

This was exactly what I was looking for. Will have to head down my local Poundland asap! 

The acrylic ones, where can they be sourced from? I like!


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## Angus (13 Mar 2018)

Those would be sick for growing moss portions or fissedens, i want a couple. @Gill


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## Gill (13 Mar 2018)

Jack G said:


> Thanks Gill.
> 
> This was exactly what I was looking for. Will have to head down my local Poundland asap!
> 
> The acrylic ones, where can they be sourced from? I like!



https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-3-4-5-...var=621665393044&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l9372



fozziebear said:


> Those would be sick for growing moss portions or fissedens, i want a couple. @Gill



there are also soap dish ones, that i have used in the past as moss ledges


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## Nanglebadger (16 Mar 2018)

Morning folks,

Apologies if this has been asked before but I've had a search and can't find any specific answers - I picked up a few of the Home Bargain types caddies that Gill posted above - can I ask, what are people using as the substrate in these for emergent plant growth? I imagine its obviously something that won't just pour out of the holes in the caddies but I've had no luck finding any definitive answers anywhere. 

If there's an obvious thread I've missed and should read please just point me in the right direction, happy to do some reading. 

Many thanks,

Phil.


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## zozo (16 Mar 2018)

Nanglebadger said:


> substrate in these for emergent plant growth?



You can use a lot, but something inert and porous would be best. Check out Alfagrog for example. But Seramis clay granulate or Hydro clay pebbles can do as well and might be more readily available at any garden centre than Alfagrog.


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## Gill (16 Mar 2018)

Also you can use cat litter, Non clumping and non fragranced. The Pink bag from tesco works well. 
Think this is the one I used to use >> https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/262681114


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## zozo (16 Mar 2018)

Gill said:


> there are also high end acrylic boxes that have lips on them
> View attachment 113972



These are realy lovely.  There also seems to be a little wet and dry trickle box to put on top available.




I yet didn't see the extra trickle box for sale, i guess you have to ask the vendor.. It's not in the standard package.. This is definitively on my watch list..
Thanks for sharing..


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## Nanglebadger (16 Mar 2018)

Thanks folks.

My initial thoughts would be that all of those suggestions would readily pour out of the openings of the shower caddies, but I would assume a lining of filter wool would prevent that from happening whilst still alllowing water movement. It had never occurred to me that an inert material such as alfagrog would be suitable, I wrongly presumed it would have to be a nutrient source (as well as the water of course), so this is very interesting, essentially we're just talking about something inert and pourous to hold roots within the container and allow the water to be the primary nutrient source, not any form of substrate. 

Definitely food for thought, thank you all very much! Greatly appreciated! 

Cheers,

Phil.


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## Gill (16 Mar 2018)

I lined them with jay cloth, microfibre cloth, filter wool peeled to thin layer,. or if using a larger porous material nothing.


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## Tim Harrison (16 Mar 2018)

Gill said:


> there are also high end acrylic boxes that have lips on them
> View attachment 113972


What a great idea, nice piece of kit.


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## zozo (3 Aug 2018)

Found this hang on the back clear acrylic hob fish breeding hatchery..  Also a nice alternative for plants instead. With pump it also can function as a planted hob filter. 


 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Fish-Tank-...m=132649549789&_trksid=p2047675.c100752.m1982

or
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Fish-Tank-...m=541815507687&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851


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## tam (3 Aug 2018)

That's nice, haven't seen one with a pump. I've been looking at them - I like the idea of having it hung on the back so hopefully less shadowing of the tank below. Marina do breeder boxes in 2/3 different sizes and the same thing seems to be available in the UK branded as SuperFish: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SUPERFIS...-MARINE-AQUARIUM-SUPER-FISH-TANK/200796902614

With plants above and below the water would it be worth using something not inert so they aren't stealing all the nutrients out the water column? If my maths is right I'll have some spare tropica soil.


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## zozo (3 Aug 2018)

tam said:


> With plants above and below the water would it be worth using something not inert so they aren't stealing all the nutrients out the water column?



If you plan to pump it, than the nutrients will be flushed out anyway. And nothing is indefinitely sufficient fertilized, it finaly will deplete, how fast will dpend on the grow speed of the plant in it.


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## Aloe_Danielo (24 Oct 2018)

Haven't spent hours looking into this, I gave in and made my own out of eggcrate. I didn't want to risk buying the acrylic ones from China. The closest I found was the LittleOcean magnetic frag boxes which were basically clear acrylic boxes which stuck to the side of the tank with magnets.


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## AverageWhiteBloke (3 Nov 2018)

I'm tempted to get the small Marina Refugium, only 9cm wide just to put a little emergent display on the side of my tank. Problem being noise from the airpump. Do you think you could have it on a timer just to replenish fresh water now and again or do you run the risk of pumping stagnant water back in the tank? Do you think filling it with Tropica soil would be ok or something with a bigger grain size to prevent dead spots in the substrate?


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## goldscapes (3 Nov 2018)

AverageWhiteBloke said:


> I'm tempted to get the small Marina Refugium, only 9cm wide just to put a little emergent display on the side of my tank. Problem being noise from the airpump. Do you think you could have it on a timer just to replenish fresh water now and again or do you run the risk of pumping stagnant water back in the tank? Do you think filling it with Tropica soil would be ok or something with a bigger grain size to prevent dead spots in the substrate?
> 
> View attachment 119214



I just bought one of these and set it up on an empty tank filled only with water to test it out. I had some filter media and sponges lying around so added them and stuck the filter outflow pipe straight into it. It worked well except that there was not much surface agitation where the flow returns to the tank. Filter is rated at 700lph and with the filter media in there (or substrate etc.) I’d need to drill some additional drainage holes as the water level gets a bit too close to the surface for comfort. These additional holes might also help with surface agitation - I’ll try that out next time.

As a result I’d probably use the air pump approach or a lower flow pump/power head instead. There is a video online showing a DIY silencing method which might be of use but I haven’t listened to it to know if it is any good.

When I come to plant it I will do what @zozo suggests, filling the bottom with a few centimetres of course media to allow a decent under flow then drop snug fitting acrylic caddies filled with course substrate on top of this. This way if the planting doesn’t go to plan or roots take over I can remove/replace individual plants without needing to rip everything out.


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## AverageWhiteBloke (3 Nov 2018)

Thanks, I watched a few of the silencing videos. Think I'll also go down the air pump route, my tank is already filtered so this thing is purely for growing plants in. At the minute they are in pots hanging on the inside of the tank but I'm finding they restrict flow some what. Going to try and get my emergent growth outside the main aquarium.

Clay balls I may be able to source in local gardening shops, I just have some Used Tropica soil sitting around but I don't think there would be much flow round it, the water would just go over the top layer I guess.

Sent from my STH100-2 using Tapatalk


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## tam (3 Nov 2018)

I am running the superfish version (same product under different brand name) with a piece of airline tube syphoning from my HOB which keeps the water level high enough to continually trickle over the overflow. But, I also tried it with a piece of capillary matting from tank to box, which maintained the water level to match the tank (not enough to overspill) but more than enough for most plants if you are worried about water to flow through as additional filtering. Feeding off the output from a filter might be an option for filling e.g. taking an airline connector off a spraybar might have enough lift to fill if you are only raising the water 2" and don't need fast flow
.


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## goldscapes (3 Nov 2018)

That could work. How would you connect the airline to the spray bar?


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## tam (3 Nov 2018)

Drill an appropriate size hole (if one of the existing ones didn't already fit) and glue in an airline connector? The adjustable one that comes with it would probably work (might need to shorten the leg you insert depending on the diameter of the spray bar).


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