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NEW: 30gallon tall riparium

38K views 67 replies 19 participants last post by  Agent69 
#1 ·
So my dad & I have decided to start a riparium this Summer! Surprisingly it didn't take much convincing lol.

So we bought a 30 gallon tall tank: 24.25inch X 12.5inch X 24.75 inch

Wood Building House Plant Gas


We have to clear the area where we plan on setting it up so currently, we are still in the planning process.

Lighting: We already have T5NO (I think they're NO) bulbs. Four 20watt bulbs, 2 2700K and 2 6500K that we've been using to start seeds. My dad built a box painted white around it for better reflection.

Wood Publication Automotive exterior Book Tints and shades


Can anybody give me any input on the usage of these lights that we already have? If not these, what about LEDs?

Filtration: I was thinking some internal filter from [Ebay Link Removed] It wouldn't let me post the link.

Heater: Some heater from ebay


Hardscape: Malaysian driftwood and river rocks. Don't have them yet but that's the plan.

Substrate: Pool Filter Sand. Haven't gotten that either haha.

Flora: We want to keep it simple. Sweet Flag is a big candidate because we have extra of that. Anything we can find at a local nursery or hardware store would be ideal. We're not trying to lead the hobby. Suggestions would be most welcome. We want to have submerged plants too (annubias, dwarf sag, crypts, maybe java fern). We haven't even ordered the planters yet.

Fauna: We're a long ways from that.
 
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#32 ·
I apologize for the lack of updates. I finally got around to it today.

All of the plants are doing great. Particularly the Hypoestes. It is the fastest growing thing in there I trim it about once every 1-2 weeks. The crypts are starting to get taller and punch out more leaves. The annubias and java fern wendilov on the rafts are starting to act more alive. The dwarf sag & val nana underwater are shooting out runners like crazy (hooray flourish root tab!).

On July 15th, I set out to one of my favorite LFS and brought home 3 cherry barbs, (2 male, 1 female) and 2 otos. I acclimated them for 45 minutes and released them. After a week, all 5 fish were still doing great so I went to another LFS and got 3 more cherry barbs, all female.

So as of right now there are 6 cherry barbs, 2 male, 4 female and I'm looking to add 3 more (2 female, 1 male) and I probably will add another species like Gold metalic barbs.

Anyways, all I have are poor quality iphone pictures. My family does not possess a high quality camera. Maybe Santa Mom will fix that...

Flower Plant Leaf Botany Petal


Plant Terrestrial plant Grass Reptile Terrestrial animal


Plant Wood Organism Fish supply Pet supply


Vertebrate Organism Plant Fish supply Pet supply


Plant Water Fish supply Organism Pet supply


Plant Water Wood Fish supply Aquatic plant
 
#36 ·
Thanks for the comments everyone! Added 6 more fish yesterday:

3 more cherry barbs (2F,1M)
3 Gold Metalic Barbs.


There are now: 9 Cherry Barbs (3M,6F), 2 Otos, 3 Gold Metalic Barbs

Here's 1 pic for now. I'll take more tonight when the sun goes down and the room won't reflect so much in the glass.

Liquid Drinkware Stemware Automotive lighting Hood


^^ Current fish checking out the newcomers.
 
#40 ·
Yeah that's exactly how my riparium looked a while ago that bga can get out of control fast I put a large airstone and pump in mine to increase flow.axolotles can't have too much flow.

A powerhead or larger filter would be your best bet. To get rid of the algae.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Thanks for your input.

I don't think circulation could be the #1 cause in my case. It certainly could be a factor. I asked my dad about the lights and he said that 3/4 bulbs are over a year old. Thus, the spectrum may not be what it used to and I've read that old bulbs can contribute to bga. I'll replace the lighting 1st and then see if that helps.

If not, then I'll stick a powerhead or airstone in there.
 
#39 ·
Yeah that's exactly how my riparium looked a while ago that bga can get out of control fast I put a large airstone and pump in mine to increase flow.axolotles can't have too much flow.

A powerhead or larger filter would be your best bet. To get rid of the algae.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#44 ·
Update: 8/7/12.

The Spathiphylum 'golden glow' has outcompeted the hypoestes (pink broad-leaved plant) for light, causing it to grow tall, stalky and unattractive. It is gone now.

I've been combating bga for about a month. I added an airstone which has helped considerably. Seeing the bubbles ripple the top & added surface agitation makes it look more natural. Still need to replace the old bulbs.

All the fish look great and are as happy as can be. I'll take some pictures tomorrow and post them.
 
#46 ·
It's pretty difficult to get good pictures in the day time. It sits close to the ground of our "sun room" of my house.This is a daytime picture of the anubias barteri, crypt tropica, brazilian sword, sweet flag, spathiphylum golden glow, and java fern wendelov. The anubias flowered for a couple of days!



Plant Houseplant Flowerpot Terrestrial plant Creative arts


The crypt tropica and the brazilian are sharing a hanging planter. May the best plant win. Also the hypoestes on the far right is no longer in there. I'll take more pics tonight.
 
#50 ·
The spath probably didn't out compete the hypoestes, that's just what hypoestes does. It's a pretty plant that turns ugly pretty quickly. I usually end up buying it because my wife is like "ooh pretty" so I get it for her so she doesn't complain about all the other houseplants I am buying for myself, then quietly toss it out once it's looking like crap and she's not paying attention. I got suckered into picking one up this summer, and when it started looking bad I threw a bunch of cuttings into my newly constructed DIY riparium hangers, and I gotta say that I like it much much better there than I ever did growing in a pot. Still a pain in the butt though.

Sent from my PantechP9070 using Tapatalk 2
 
#51 ·
Your tank is looking really neat. I'm trying to do a similar but simpler setup with some plants just growing out of my filters and some vines in the water, and it's coming along well, but my tank is smaller and has little supplementary lighting outside of a nearby window so my options are limited.

Also, for me I find hypoestes does really well outdoors but dies almost instantly inside. I had some that grew a few feet tall this summer and even bloomed in mixed planters with some other flowers in the shade of an apple tree, but toward the end of summer they got a bit leggy and the frost did them in last night. They're good annual flowers, but poor houseplants.
 
#53 ·
Update

More updated cell phone pics:

Plant Terrestrial plant Houseplant Grass Landscape


^my evil face

Plant Rectangle Terrestrial plant Pet supply Grass

^slowly winning the war on BGA

Plant Houseplant Terrestrial plant Leaf vegetable Grass


I changed the lighting to an odyssea 20" T5HO fixture. 2 18W bulbs, one 6500K 1 Plant bulb. It's got a more pinkish hue which really brings out the reds in the Dracaena and cherry barbs and intensifies the greens of the Spathiphylums more. I looked at Hoppy's chart for this fixture and calculated how far above the substrate the light is, and it's less than 40, so I'm still low tech.

The crypt tropica in the planter on the far left is losing the fight with the Brazillian Sword. I may have to make a move later this month. There's also some open raft real estate in front of the Dracaena...
 
#56 ·
Happy New Year everyone!


SO: The big Spathiphylum was removed. It had outgrown the pot, and so I put it in an indoor houseplant pot and it now sits next to the Riparium.

The combo Crypt Tropica & Brazillian sword had a verdict. The Brazillian sword was winning that competition so I split them up, but the sword where the old Spath was and now both can flourish in their own individual hanging planters.

All the other plants show good growth and improvement.

Plant Houseplant Flowerpot Leaf Terrestrial plant


Plant Plant community Terrestrial plant Aquatic plant Grass


Water Plant Leaf Botany Terrestrial plant



BAD NEWS: Yesterday I found ALL of the Cherry Barbs & otos dead. The water had dropped to 55 degrees. That was at 1:45pm I have to believe it got down colder than that in the morning or night before. My dad and I are devastated.We will now keep 2 heaters in the tank from now on during the cold months. Losing that many fish at once is never fun.
 
#57 ·
Sorry for the lack of updates. My final semester of college took all of my forum posting time as well as obtaining a girlfriend :cool:

So last post I did, I lost all the fish except the gold barbs. I've added back 5 cherry barbs (3 F, 2 M). I plopped in a ghost shrimp for the hell of it. That little guy is thriving.

Anyways, here are two pics:



I rearranged the top planters. The Crypt. Lagenandra thwaitesii hasn't grown much in the 1 year I've had it, but I'm not giving up on it. It's on the far left now. The Dracaena got too big so I chopped it and it's starting to sprout back.
Before I had the Brazilian Sword & Crypt. Tropica sharing a pot, they are now in their own hanging pots both thriving in their own homes. The sweet flag is the best-looking plant in my whole house inside and out. The Spathiphylum Golden Glow was replanted and divided, and that is it on the right.

My Java Fern Wendilov raft exploded with growth in the 9 months I had it. I trimmed it a bit in march but it's still flourishing. My anubias on the raft are starting to outgrow it, but it's flowering. Finally, I have another regular java fern raft for the hell of it.

I actually did a deep cleaning last week. I took out the wood & planters to scrub the glass and vacuum the bottom. During that time I thinned out some of the val nana that took off and clumped it all in the corner. What you're looking at is version 1.5 of my 30g tall riparium



Fish looking good. I'm going to put a long airstone in the back right corner because I need more surface agitation. Part of my lack of updates is that I can't take great pictures of it during the day. Perhaps later if I remember I will. Any feedback/suggestions are greatly appreciated!
 
#58 ·
Update time!

Summer has been good. A lot of good growth in everything. I've replenished the cherry barb population and added 2 more gold metallic barbs. I did add 2 more ottos, but they died. I need to do a better job of acclimating them.

Here are some pics:





Both the Dracaena and crypts are starting to emerge. I'm excited!

I'm still fighting BGA. I don't mind though it's probably my preferred algae to fight against lol.
 
#61 ·
sweet. i think i may start a riparium. i saw your moss idea with it on the back of the tank in your 20 and could you put he black mesh stuff on the pots hanging into the water so the woss goes over the pots? i think it would look cool and wanted to let you know of that option if u didnt like seeing the pots
 
#62 ·
That is a cool idea Hunter P (Hunter Pence?) I'm actually fed up with my moss wall at the moment as well as terrestrial moss and just all moss in general. But enough on that, here are newer pics of my 30:






The Dracaena has two new crowns getting bigger, as well as my Crypt. Tropica pot. My anubias barteri raft can't take the weight of the anubias. I'm heavily procrastinating on trimming them. I propogated/trimmed the sweet flag in the back right even though it doesn't look like it. Java Fern rafts look good they just kind of float there.



I added a hanging planter of Bacopa carolina a while back. Looking good so far. My filtration is still weak. I need to look into a canister filter but I'm unsure of any that could reach down that far down, and outfall back up. Suggestions?

Updated Fauna:
9 Cherry Barbs (3M,6F)
1 Otto
3 Metallic Gold Barbs

Considering shrimp... Either Amanos or RCS.
 
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