addicted2reefin

EXCELLENT. i have tried a few paludariums and they all flopped. There was no fake materials in there tho. I put soil on top for gravel for the land section. and filled in the rest w/ water. fitration of the water was the primary killer. They would have been great terrariums, but poor paludariums.
as for having a market for ur art work. i would pay around 1000 for a bg that size.

HX67

Thanks everyone for the positive feedback.


You're making my pulse go up a notch. That sort of price range would make it a living.



Heh, thanks.
Haven't really made up my mind. I'm very happy with the Sewellias and certainly the Yunnanilus cruciatus habiting it now. Will add Gastromyzon and a couple of L 010(?) Loricariids when it's gotten enough aufwuchs to support the suckers.

But I'm not sure what else. I want to stay with small fish. Another parameter is that the tank is open and I don't want to pick the fish up from the floor.
Would love to get some Homalopteras. Anyone have an opinion on whether they're jumpers?
Also considering a small Nannostomus species. I think they don't get out of the tank easily.

I don't know. On the other hand it's quite nice to stay opportunistic and see what you come up with, right?
Anyone have a suggestion on small, current-loving, not flying type of fish for the setup?

I don't even want to start to tell how lost I am with choosing plants for it. I don't want too many sorts of them, as I don't think a stream usually is very densely nor variably vegetated.
I'm looking for a water plant that could form "clumps" that would not grow very tall. 5-10 cm max.
Suggestions or ideas you wanna share, anyone?

Thanks again, for your words and help.

rjfurbank

Great job! Will be watching this one evolve--keep us posted!

Silentspidey

?im jealous of what ever is gonna live in there... have u made ur mind up on whats goin in there

speedie408

I could've sworn I saw real wood for a second there. You've got some talent there. Can't wait to see it grow.

Seagul

has to be the sweetest tank ive seen in a while!! good job.

Greenthums

WOW, can't find the words to describe just what talent and creative genius this project displays. No doubt you have stoked imaginations and revved up creative juices in us all. And man, did you set the bar high. Thank you for sharing the process and progress to date.

bratyboy2

update? did u get your riccia ur fish?

HX67

Thanks for your interest, Brad.
Had lousy luck with the Riccia I was supposed to get and had to settle for a small clump for starters.
Enough to realise that it will not grow on the bank, not humid enough for it with the open front.
No additional fish yet.

I did find nice lighting fixtures I'm going with for now: two 3 x 28w T5 fixtures that are 4 feet each. Fits the tank like a glove. Adds up to 170w, I don't know if it's enough for the water plants.
Got 6 x 6500K tubes, looks good enough for me. Still trying to figure out how to rig some halogen spots for effect.

I'll take some shots of the plants I'm experimenting with, as soon as the vegetation settles in a bit.
A shipment of airplants (Tillanzia) is on the way as well.

I'll be back with a photo update.

fishyerik

This is the first time ever I've seen artificial tank decorations worth the space in the tank, and it's much better than just that. I absolutely recommend trying selling some at prices that make you blush, perhaps also complete systems with grown plants at even higher prices of course.

Now for the fish, every millimeter of edge makes a little difference in risk of them jumping out. Floating plants or other plants growing in the surface reduce the risk. Strong current near the edge highly increase risk of jumping in all fish that can jump, and will make most species of cyprinids leave the paludarium within 24h if the distance from surface to the edge of the glass isn't greater then at least a third of the fishes total length, thats nowhere near a guarantee you won't have jumpers thou.

I think two or three 70 watts metal halide spots with a really narrow beam mounted in the ceiling would be great.

Small parts, no whole tufts, of Riccia is easy to grow on capillary mat on the bank, you don't need high humidity to start bits small enough so all of it have direct contact with the wet capillary mat, from there it adjusts to the humidity you have and grows very dense.