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Very first tank (planted, low tech)
- Thread starter megwattscreative
- Start date
Ficus pumila is my go-to plant when I want to cover something up quickly, you need to keep up with pruning once it gets going properly though, unless you want everything covered. A few cuttings attached at the water line should be able to cover most of the background within half a year I would guess. You can also go with other Ficus species if you happen to have easy access to cuttings, I have some F. benjamina trained up against one wall of my paludarium, it takes a bit more pruning to get them to grow along the wall rather than outwards, but it can add some some different leaf shapes and colours if the rest is F. pumila.
Ratvan
Member
I had no idea that leeches would eat snails, thats led me down a right rabbit hole this morning. 😀
Hi all, just a little update to say the tank is bopping along quite nicely 🙂
the glass is very mucky atm (laziness on my part) but all the plants are extremely happy. Speaking of which, I'm chucking some floating plants on the sales board if anyone's interested, or you can just message me.
My peace lily has also decided to flower which is lovely - right now the flower (bud? flower stalk? Petaled Protrusion?) has been unceremoniously shoved through the tank lid as I'm waging war against the damp in my leaking flat. deep joy! I've also used some electrical tape on the back half of the juwel lighting to help with the leaves burning, which seems to be working quite well. It's more than bright enough as it is.
Finless is quite happy, and all the other fish are looking incredibly fat & coloured up. As soon as I have a little "fun" money I will be looking to boost the pygmy cory's and tetra populations, before eventually getting to that centre-piece fish pair I've been considering. Still unsure what they will be - I'll see what's available/ relatively hardy!
the glass is very mucky atm (laziness on my part) but all the plants are extremely happy. Speaking of which, I'm chucking some floating plants on the sales board if anyone's interested, or you can just message me.
My peace lily has also decided to flower which is lovely - right now the flower (bud? flower stalk? Petaled Protrusion?) has been unceremoniously shoved through the tank lid as I'm waging war against the damp in my leaking flat. deep joy! I've also used some electrical tape on the back half of the juwel lighting to help with the leaves burning, which seems to be working quite well. It's more than bright enough as it is.
Finless is quite happy, and all the other fish are looking incredibly fat & coloured up. As soon as I have a little "fun" money I will be looking to boost the pygmy cory's and tetra populations, before eventually getting to that centre-piece fish pair I've been considering. Still unsure what they will be - I'll see what's available/ relatively hardy!
Cleaned my matten filter sponge for the first time since purchase (Jan/Feb 2024). Safe to say, there are downsides to the emergent growth/riverbank set up and a wall of permeable sponge... 
Wasn't too hard to remove once I'd got the sponge out, just a horrific time getting the sponge out 😂 obligatory mulm shot below:
Following some advice from @dw1305 I've also added a make shift moss "spawner mop" for the corys. I've identified their favourite spawning corner, mainly by the fact that they're breeding like mad atm and there's a big fat tetra absolutely spawn camping them in the corner. Every time I approached the tank it swims away a little bit, with that look like a dog that knows it's done something wrong and is waiting for you to find out.
So, the solution: big clump of moss on a bit of polyester thread, hooked over the top of the tank for easy removal once the eggs are attached. I'll pop it in my quarantine tank, which may become a quarantine/Cory breeding tank. I've noticed finless is looking a little thinner; I think he's being outcompeted in the main tank, but could do well as older bro in the breeding tank with the "littluns". Less competition is good for everyone! 🙂
Wasn't too hard to remove once I'd got the sponge out, just a horrific time getting the sponge out 😂 obligatory mulm shot below:
Following some advice from @dw1305 I've also added a make shift moss "spawner mop" for the corys. I've identified their favourite spawning corner, mainly by the fact that they're breeding like mad atm and there's a big fat tetra absolutely spawn camping them in the corner. Every time I approached the tank it swims away a little bit, with that look like a dog that knows it's done something wrong and is waiting for you to find out.
So, the solution: big clump of moss on a bit of polyester thread, hooked over the top of the tank for easy removal once the eggs are attached. I'll pop it in my quarantine tank, which may become a quarantine/Cory breeding tank. I've noticed finless is looking a little thinner; I think he's being outcompeted in the main tank, but could do well as older bro in the breeding tank with the "littluns". Less competition is good for everyone! 🙂
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Connswater
Member
The tank is looking really good.
You might, long term project, aside from addressing the damp in the flat, sorry that is a real problem, want ultimately, to ditch the lid and improvise a raised lighting system, but then, I suppose, the plants might tend to dry out when emerged.
My ludwigia much prefers aerial growth, but does once more than few inches above the water line, tend to dry out. Really some firm should manufacture 3 feet high glass tanks with just glass lids, then we could have a foot of water and two feet of emerged growth and good moisture levels and no dangling lights. Actually, anybody with skills with silicone and glass cutting, the latter I've never managed consistently, could assemble one. Might yet pay somebody to create something that meets my specifications, in the future, perhaps.
You might, long term project, aside from addressing the damp in the flat, sorry that is a real problem, want ultimately, to ditch the lid and improvise a raised lighting system, but then, I suppose, the plants might tend to dry out when emerged.
My ludwigia much prefers aerial growth, but does once more than few inches above the water line, tend to dry out. Really some firm should manufacture 3 feet high glass tanks with just glass lids, then we could have a foot of water and two feet of emerged growth and good moisture levels and no dangling lights. Actually, anybody with skills with silicone and glass cutting, the latter I've never managed consistently, could assemble one. Might yet pay somebody to create something that meets my specifications, in the future, perhaps.
Hi all,
A second hand marine tank might be the easiest option?
* Warning this thread may cause cause <"tank envy">.
cheers Darrel
Often the issue, but there are ways around it <"Joe's tank">*
That is a great idea, I've been wondering about buying a 2' (60 cm) cube, but only filling it up to ~40 cm. I think that any manufacturer is unlikely to build a high tank, because you need thicker glass for taller tanks (even when they don't hold a large amount of water) and it is going to be a bit of a niche market.
A second hand marine tank might be the easiest option?
You could talk with <"Ste Chesters"> at Premier Aquatics, he has constructed thousands of tanks.
* Warning this thread may cause cause <"tank envy">.
cheers Darrel
@Connswater serpa design on youtube did exactly this a couple years ago! It was a thing of beauty, like a zoo tank. I agree with you about the lighting and height. It's not really possible in this flat, but when I move it'll be first on the list of considerations. In my experience a fully open top means theres also a lot more evaporation and the moss tends to be quite unhappy with bright lights and low moisture. I have mine half open for now. The damp is actually improving a lot thanks to copious scrubbing of black mould & a dehumidifier - satisfied that it's not fish tank-caused but was in fact caused by snow melt and a leaking roof (thanks, landlords).
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Connswater
Member
Thanks Darrel, and thanks for the suggestion of a builder, I like the idea of a flat i.e. pancaked LED, on something a bit unusually tall, my LED floods are raised above my main tank, which is fine the other side of the dining room wall, but I find in living spaces even the modestly raised LED bars on open tanks very distracting once a comfy low seat is sat in. Hence until I had a tank installed the wall, I have largely stuck with cabinet tanks, but as I have said before, a rear access tank presents as many maintenance problems as it solves on the aesthetics front. But I am now on a little mind adventure I do admit.
Connswater
Member
Thanks missed this, excellent if a little grand. Pleased to see the use of 'bog standard floodlights' though. Humidity management is often an issue, mealybugs!
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Connswater
Member
Perhaps stood on its end and a sheet of glass installed, reinforcing and making the 'bottom' half water tight, a panel covering 50% of the 'height' i.e. on what was previously the open top, with maybe an acrylic removable panel which is partially vented, as final 'top section'? See, I'm off on one.
Connswater
Member
I suspect, no stronger than that, you might make the Juwel tank more successful, i.e. working with the space it provides and making a virtue of the moisture level with both flaps closed, by gradually changing the plant choice to less tall plants, Baby tears (pilea depressa) seems an obvious choice, it does well in self-watering troughs when other plants hate their roots wet. Perhaps, it might I concede, be bit vigorous and eventually too tall, Chinese money plant (pilea pereromiodes). Some crypts, my son grew crypts really well in a large sealed bottle garden a few years back. Perhaps maybe some Indian fern Ceratopteris thalictroides - though emerged it might be too vigorous, bacopa and ludwigia as emergent, and one house plant I have never succeeded with, but is easily and cheaply available, Maidenhair fern (adiantum fragans). I have never, in years of trying, kept a Maidenhair fern alive for a full year, initial success in a bathroom on a pate of clay balls, but then, sooner or latter disaster it dries at the roots in the summer.
You could 'push the boat out' and install a little ultra sound mist maker - though I'm not sure how long they actually last.
I think your tank is a great success so don't in any way think I'm being negative, I'm just making suggestions because I am enjoying your project. I bet the water quality for the fish is excellent.
These paludarium ideas and experiments, I think, are profoundly natural and a fascinating and refreshing alternative to the high tech, often formulaic tanks, I personally find high tech tanks with loads of red plants deeply unpleasing to my philistine eye and though my main tank is high tech, I think it is time I weaned myself off such a dependency on bits of kit and consumables, sustainable aquariums with healthy fish and plants.
Forgotten how much I enjoy serpadesign videos, just spent an afternoon catching up and have convinced myself i need to own some giant betta's 😬
Hi connswater, agreed! Honestly the only reason I haven't done these suggestions is because of money constraints.
I wanted to do this as cheaply as possible so just used things I already had - the syngonium and peace lily are from my bathroom.
I originally intended for this to be a completely open top tank, but had to veto that to keep the moss from drying and reduce the evaporation. Lid closed all the time and the glass is covered in condensation, and the water lettuce throws a tantrum too. I could fix this with a bit of tech that was mentioned in this thread a while back, but again, costs are a consideration. I did have a DIY drip wall installed but my partner (fairly) vetoed that idea - id love a mist maker but again, cost is a factor. I'm quite happy keeping things simple for the time being.
When I have a bit more "fun" money I'll definitely switch up the plants, although this also required finding a home for the current super sized residents - again, my flat isn't quite big enough and is pretty full of plants, so I'll have to wait until I move/I can magic up a space somewhere. Thanks for the ideas and suggestions! I love paludariums and I think the fish love the shade, roots and water quality too. I'd definitely like to experiment more with the concept, plant choices and scape design once I move - won't be until 2026 until a full rescape/redesign can happen, but plant choices will almost definitely come earlier ☺️
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