Hexagon Jungle

[Learner]

I tore down my waterfall tank and decided I needed a new project. The waterfall build had some flaws that made filtration a problem so it was easy to make the change.

Here are some specs on the new build....

I want a jungle biotope paularium with high humidity

20 G Hexagon
2, 2x13 watt CFL catalina fixtures
8 inches of water
Eco complete substrate + Pool filter sand
2213 eheim canister
Mist King
3 panel DIY background

I need to have a low maintenence tank so I am debating whether or not to splice my CO2 from the riverscape that sits next to it in my classroom.

Aquatic plants: Anubias nana and lancelota, crypt lutea and wenditii, dwarf sag.

Emmersed: argentine sword, hygro compacta, crypt lutea

Terrestrial: assorted vines, rabbits foot fern, suzi wong fern

Epiphytic: tiger broms

Heres what I tore down and my progress thus far

[Learner]

Heres the Background using the Drylock method.

Let me know what ya think. I have a piece of manzi I really want to use as it fits the rooted stream bank theme but things are getting pretty tight in there. I am hoping the "pots" carvded into the BG will look right when everything is finished. I wanted my emmersed plants to be kept separate from the planted aquatic section.

[Learner]

Any ideas on my plant selection as far as placement. I can make some minor changes to the BG now if I need to accomodate any epiphytes. Not sure how big of an indent ill need for the broms. I have that little pot by the wood, a 6" pot in the corner, a nice sized little spot inside the curve of the wood and thats about it. Wondering if I should cut out a specific spot fot the broms??

[im2smart4u]

I can't help you, as I have no experience with paludariums, but I am following along. I look forward to seeing how this progresses. I have an 85-90 gallon hex out in the garage that I always thought would make a great paludarium, I just haven't had the money to start it.

[Green_Flash]

This looks fantastic and very cool .

[lochaber]

Your previous one looked pretty good, I liked how you did the waterfall.
I wouldn't worry too much about how it looks now, once stuff starts growing in (especially if you can get moss to grow on the walls/background), it will be hard to notice/pay much attention to flaws and what not.

I wouldn't worry much about pots for the bromeliads- you can just stick them wherever, if need be, but a little bundle of sphagnum around their roots. They generally don't do well with wet roots, and a lot are epiphytic.

I'd avoid the CO2, it just sounds like it would be a lot of trouble, and any sort of water feature is just going to take it out of solution. The emmersed plants won't need it, and it's a pretty small space for some of those plants, so it can get pretty crowded quick. And your water space is going to be even smaller.

Anyways, your previous one looked pretty good, so I imagine you'll do a pretty good job with this one.

[Learner]

Originally Posted by im2smart4u

I can't help you, as I have no experience with paludariums, but I am following along. I look forward to seeing how this progresses. I have an 85-90 gallon hex out in the garage that I always thought would make a great paludarium, I just haven't had the money to start it.

Thanks for following along! I would love to play around with a 90 g hex! Man you could really do some phenomenal hardscape in that! Keep us posted if you ever find the time and of course the moola.

[Learner]

Originally Posted by Green_Flash

This looks fantastic and very cool .

thanks a bunch flash........hope you follow along!

[Learner]

Originally Posted by lochaber

Your previous one looked pretty good, I liked how you did the waterfall.
I wouldn't worry too much about how it looks now, once stuff starts growing in (especially if you can get moss to grow on the walls/background), it will be hard to notice/pay much attention to flaws and what not.

I wouldn't worry much about pots for the bromeliads- you can just stick them wherever, if need be, but a little bundle of sphagnum around their roots. They generally don't do well with wet roots, and a lot are epiphytic.

I'd avoid the CO2, it just sounds like it would be a lot of trouble, and any sort of water feature is just going to take it out of solution. The emmersed plants won't need it, and it's a pretty small space for some of those plants, so it can get pretty crowded quick. And your water space is going to be even smaller.

Anyways, your previous one looked pretty good, so I imagine you'll do a pretty good job with this one.

moss on the BG would be awesome. I have never had much luck with growing moss. I bought some sheet moss from Josh's frogs, they say its their easiest to grow. I have high hopes for that. I was hoping to put the suzi wong ferns in the small pot and then some in the large pot........its supposed to crawl onto BG better than most ferns thru its fuzzy rhizomes. again, high hopes. I was hoping to press the broms into cracks leaving their bottoms an 1/8 inch or so from the BG so air can dry off their roots. Sphagnum is a good idea to cover the edges.

Glad to hear you are against the CO2, i have decided to leave it be.

Thanks for the advice and compliments on the old tank!

[Learner]

How humid will I need it to be in order to grow emmersed crypts, swords, or hygro compacta? I bought some emmersed swords and hygro that was lush and full .............absolutely beautiful specimens. I took them out of of their packages and set up a 10 gal with about an inch of water for the plants. I washed their roots and tucked them gently into small pots with some eco-complete and filter floss to hold them in place. I set them in the tank and got busy with something else and forgot to finish the set up with a syran wrap cover. I came back an hour later and my beautiful plants had shriveled into a shadow of their former selves. I quickly sprayed them with a mister and then covered the tank. By the end of the day, a few leaves had recovered. It got me to thinking about how hunid I am going to have to keep it in order to grow these guys the way I am thinking. Maybe I should choose another plant to go in that section??? any ideas?

[Fishies_in_Philly]

a glass lid should hold in enough humidity to keep crypts alive. i keep mine in the low 80's in my mantella tank and they are growing nicely.

the broms, like Lochaber said, can be places just about anywhere. a little long fiber sphagnum and a paper clip should do it if they don't hold where you want them.

great job on the background, yet again buddy. this is going to be an awesome one

[Learner]

Well, I finally managed some time to finish up the tank. Heres the progress.

Titebond III + coco fiber and some sheet moss on BG.

[Learner]

Plant list includes:

2 tiger broms
2 Korean Rock fern
2 Suzi Wong ferns
various jungle vines

emmersed sword
anubias nana
crypt lutea
crypt wenditii

And a bunch of more crypt waiting to go in

More to come............

[nicholz]

Looking good so far - I encourage more pics and video - also consider a fiddler crab or mini crab



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[AirstoND]

The guardian of Hex.

Does it do that funny defensive "wanna-a-piece-of-me" stance, where it stands on its leg tips and raises its big claw?