55G Crypt Riparium - Aquascaping

hydrophyte · 04-12-2009, 11:15 PM

Hi All,

I have been lurking for a while, but I am new here and this is my first post. I have a pretty good start on a new display and tonight I managed to get some pictures.

I am setting up a 55 gallon as a riparium with mainly Cryptocoryne in hanging riparium planters. I am not crazy about the dimensions of the standard 55--it's too short front-to-back--but I think that it will work well for this display. I want this tank to create a "botanical" impression with crypts lined up in such a way that their different shapes, colors and sizes are visually contrasted.

I still only have have it set up as a culture tank on a fishroom bench, but here is the aquarium with some of the material that I will use:

There's other stuff in there too, including some ferns and Anubias.

The emmersed crypts are going to form the composition background. I have a couple of ideas for midground plants. I intend to plant these onto Nano Trellis Rafts.

This is a little Pilea sp. that I have had half-neglected in with my orchids.

This Hemigraphis (I haven't been able to figure out species) does well growing hydroponically on a Nano Trellis Raft.

I have a number of big robust crypts already in Hanging Planters. This is a C. wendtii, maybe 'Bronze'. It has flowered for me several times.

The next plant is a Lagenandra idontknowwhichoneitis. I picked it up at a LFS a couple of months ago.

This one has already filled its planter with roots. What a cool plant. I was so happy to finally get my hands on a Lagenandra.

This is a C. ciliata in a Large Hanging Planter. I potted up this one a couple of months ago and it is well-established. Most of the leaves it came with melted as these new ones developed.

I have a few things planted onto Epi-Trellis Rafts.

This Java fern is about the best looking that I have on an Epi-Trellis. It might be too big for this display, and its not a crypt, but I will try it out. It is such a nice plant and I don't really have any other ideas for it right now.

I am going to plant crypts also in the underwater foreground. Here is a nice C. wendtii 'Green Gecko'. I wonder how big these get(?). I need to look for smaller stuff for the underwater portion too because the water will only be ~8" deep.

More later!

Seattle_Aquarist · 04-13-2009, 05:58 AM

Hi hydrophyte,

First of all, welcome to APC! There are lots of friendly, knowledgeable people here to help you if you need it. That is some very nice emerged growth you have going on there, obviously you have some experience at this! When you get a chance tell us something about yourself. BTW, you may want to ask one of the Moderators to move this post to the "Emersed Culture" forum where you would probably get more responses. I'm glad you joined us.

hydrophyte · 04-13-2009, 10:42 AM

Roy,

Thanks for the welcome. I meant to post on the "Introduction and Greets" forum, but I had these pictures handy and wanted to put something up. This thread might be good for "Emersed Culture", but the project is an aquascape too, so maybe it can also fit here.

I am in the Madison, Wisconsin area and I am primarily interested in emergent plants and ripariums. I also keep livebearers.

I have a blog that I started recently:

http://hydrophytesblog.com/

Thanks again,

Hydrophyte

MartialTheory · 04-13-2009, 10:58 AM

Wow very nice. I also plan on making a emersed set up one day in a spare 55 gal tank. Im gonn check ur blog for some hygroponics info.

hydrophyte · 04-13-2009, 11:09 AM

that would be great if you could go look at the blog. please leave a comment or question if anything catches your eye. it is so much work to keep up and i hope that people will find useful stuff there. i need to work on improving the functionality some more. probably the best way to find information there is to view by "Category".

the riparium planters that i am using are from here:

http://www.ripariumsupply.com/

everything else is standard issue aquarium stuff except that i scored a really nice and real cheap single-tube HO T5 hydroponics light that i plan to use. i described that on the blog too. since the plants are mostly going to have their leave up and out of the water, i can get by with relatively less light. i think that that T5 is actually gonna be pretty bright.