Bog/riparium advice needed

[Lakehouse]

I've got a cube (24"x24"x12"tall) that I'd like to do an indoor bog plant garden. It will be lit by my LED light. I also have an eheim 2215 that I can use if needed. (Please keep in mind while reading these 3 options that it is a glass tank and the sides of the tank are visible/clear and it will be in my living room)

My questions are:

1) should I fill the whole cube up with soil (like 1 large pot) and add water to keep it wet up to the soil line (no filter needed)

OR

should I fill the cube with pots for the plants and then fill with water up to the level of the top of the pots so there is "movement" of water throughout (like a pond) and utilize the filter?

OR

Build an 18"x18" cube out of the white plastic "grid" material (I think it's used for ceiling lighting and vivarium base), cover it in screen material to prevent soil from leaking out, and place it in the middle of the 24"x24" cube and plant all plants in this. By doing this, it will give me a 3" wide perimeter around the soil/plants and allow me to utilize a filter also. (it will essentially be 1 large "pot" in the cube for plants but will also allow water movement and allow the water to penetrate into the soil)

2) what kind of soil should I use? My first thought was aquasoil, but to fill that cube will be big$$$ and I'm not sure how aquasoil will do at 10" deep. I'm hoping to use a cheaper alternative.

Here's a pic of my setup

[duff]

Wow, beautiful tank set up! I'm not an expert so take with a grain of salt. In reading up on terrariums, bogs and paludariums, it seems that you can get away with doing it the ways you mentioned. I like the egg crate idea, you could use the "pet" Window screening as is it pretty heave duty compared to regular window screening. I also think you would be able to get away with any aquarium gravel - say like turface or the likes of it. I like the idea of having some water flow but then I guess it would not be a bog then? Or use your same idea and put the "box" in the back corner and have additional substrate sloping away from it? I see your challenge - so many options to choose from! I also think if the substrate is heavily planted you should be fine with the depth, though I do think having a way to do water changes would be the way to go, even it is a pipe in the back you can drop a small pump into. It will be a fun adventure, especially with such a cool tank!

[Fishies_in_Philly]

i love that tank!!! i woukd have had that sucker egg crated and foamed before i even got the tank home....lol did you ever decide how you're gonna do this set up?

[Wy Renegade]

I also think that any of the three methods should be viable, but like the island effect the best. It would be rather cool to have the water moving in a circular pattern around the island in the middle of the tank. Have you made any progress with this yet?

[schoolzoo]

I agree with the island set up, and let the water circulate around the outside. I have found that water logged soil with little water movement (like a true bog) will soon start to smell like a real bog.

[EnigmaticGuppy92]

go with a false bottom with egg crate and a screen