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75g Paludarium build log (56k)

45K views 66 replies 24 participants last post by  Scottyhorse 
#1 · (Edited)
Hello everyone!

so a little bit of background on how this all started. all my previous tanks have been small (<30g) as i have had to keep them in my bedroom, so a 75g is a huge step up!

This project just sort of came about by accident. It started when i was browsing a local fish forum and came across someone selling a 75g tank, stand, light fixture (marineland 2x48" t5ho), gravel and filter (fluval 304) for 100 dollars. the stand was rusty and the filter was dirty, and the fixture had no bulbs, but i snatched it up right away.

at the time i was building a 10g shrimp tank, but scrapped that idea and left it unfinished (but up and running) in favor of the new 75g.

so anyway, i played around with various ideas on what to do with the tank for a long time. i wanted to keep it simple and not need to run co2, so an iwagumi was not an option. my second thought was a native st Lawrence river biotope with round gobies and zebra mussels, but i also scrapped that idea due to the fact that there were just too many unknowns about how to care for a temperate/cold water tank. my third thought was a brackish mangrove type tank with archers, anableps and bumblebees. i was all set to start building that when reality came crashing down... i couldn't have a full 75g tank on a second story floor.

so i went back to the drawing board and stumbled across paludariums/vivariums and instantly fell in love. combining water and land in one tank to get the best of both worlds sounded awesome.

i did a bunch of planning and finally settled on this current build. i really wanted to have a large water area, but needed to keep the gallons down. so, this tank has room for 4.5 inches of water under the false bottom, which equals about 18 gallons of water (48"X18"X4.5"). i'm thinking the water portion will be a blackwater type setup and be unplanted, although i may decide to add plants later. i won't be using co2 either.

the stand needed a lot of work. i had to strip all the old paint and rust and then repainted in a nice flat black. no pics of the stand as it was when i bought it.



this is the false bottom. i will cover the front panels in foam and silicone and coco coir. we'll see how it holds up underwater. if it fails, i have black acrylic i can replace it with. i'm hoping this will look more natural than a black panel.



All tie wrapped:



at first i was going to make a dripwall, but decided against it and opted for terraced pools instead. they are curing now. i'll start foaming tomorrow.



roughly what they will look like in the tank:



i'll update this thread as i go. i'm probably going to start foaming tomorrow and should ahve some more pics up soon :).
 
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#40 ·
thanks driftwood! i found an old brush that worked lots better than my hands (had gloves on :icon_wink). much easier to get an even coat.

that stuff stings the nose... even with a mask on.

i'm just letting it cure, an then i'll knock off the excess coir and then fill in the gaps (there's a lot of gaps, i did a pretty patchy job)
 
#41 ·
Yes, I read the MSDS sheet, and couldn't find anything regarding skin contact, so thumbs up!
 
#46 ·
i haven't done anything in a while because of midterms+ lots of work, but i think i'll finish sealing it and covering it with coir by friday :icon_smil and i'll put up some pics and then move on to the actual background :red_mouth
 
#51 ·
Quick update! I'm almost done adding the coco coir and such to the pools and the front of the false bottom. I do have a lot of touching up to do to clean up some bare spots and then I can move on the the actual background! :D



It isn't the neatest job around, but i think once it gets filled with plants it'll look okay.
 
#53 · (Edited)
Thanks!

It's getting there! i'm pretty much ready to build the actual background now once i can find some black foam to use. in hindsight I should have just used it to start :icon_redf, but i'm learning.

Today I put some mesh over the eggcrate to stop dirt slipping through



and then build a little access door so i can get in underneath






and then i spread some silicone over the back wall of the tank to prep it for the foam background. not sure how well it'll show up in the pictures.





I'm starting to hunt for plants now. I have a ton of java moss and riccia that i've been growing in another tank ready to go, but i'm still not sure about land plants.

I love broms and i'm leaning towards the neos and crytanthuses (fireball, riens pride etc... as well as rabbitsfoot ferns but I'd really like to get some vines and other interesting plants to fill it all in. I like ficus pumila, but can't seem to find it anywhere.

suggestions for plants that would work would be appreciated! cheaper is better too because I'm not swimming in money ATM :)

edit: several stores offer discounts if you buy the ugly, misshapen etc... plants. if i were to purchase these, would the pups be distorted as well? i think it might be a good option for me.
 
#56 ·
thanks!

@Sharkfood: It's zoomed Eco Earth. i bought it at petco on a trip to the states, but i think they sell it anywhere reptile supplies are sold.

they sell it in compressed bricks and loose. i bought it loose because you have to soak the compressed kind in water for it to expand.
 
#63 ·
So after a very long hiatus I have decided to continue with this build. I was busy and after a while of not working on it every day I forgot it in the basement :)

I have decided to change the plan slightly. my fear was that the coco coir would detach if submerged so i think what i'll do is separate the water and land portions with a strip of black acrylic. the back section of the tank will be a false bottom and the front a small water area (much less than original 20g). I think this will help with cleaning and make everything simpler.

in my original plan i thought the black acrylic would look bad in the water, which is why i made the foam, but i think if i put and edge over the top of the strip and get creative with the substrate, rocks and wood, it will look good.


the background will still be GS and coco coir and i think i may add a small waterfall if i can figure it out.
 
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