Wy Renegade's 30gal Paludarium

[Wy Renegade]

With the invertes, I also got a new lycopodium or club moss plant and some sphagnum moss. I placed a couple patches of the moss, but didn't get any pictures at this point, we'll have to see how it does.

The club moss plant I placed across the front of the terrestrial area;


I really like the look of this one in here, so got a couple of close-ups;

[schoolzoo]

Great ecosystem for your students

[Wy Renegade]

Thanks, that is my hope! I had about 15 students sitting around staring at this tank yesterday to see what they could see. This one is more of a moving stream biotype, while the bog paludarium is more of a well . . . bog-like environment LOL!

[CatB]

this is awesome! it's nice to see someone attempting to re-create an ecosystem... too many people don't recognize the benefits of "pest" inverts :P

[Wy Renegade]

Originally Posted by CatB

this is awesome! it's nice to see someone attempting to re-create an ecosystem... too many people don't recognize the benefits of "pest" inverts :P

Thanks, hopefully we'll be able to maintain populations of the different critters in there. I've always felt that the microscope side in the freshwater should be just as important as it is in saltwater, yet a relatively small number of freshwater enthusiasts seem to pay much attention to it. By Bog paludarium is actually a study in the invertebrate side rather than the vertebrate side. We've grow up crayfish, hatched stoneflys and mayflys in there and have a thriving population of freshwater mussels. In fact I'm hoping to visit one of the local ponds here soon and gather some duckweed, hornwort, mussels, pond snails, scuds and springtails to the populations in this tank, but I want to give the microscopic side a bit more of a chance to balance out first.

One of the others I've seen on this forum who uses the microscopic is slowfoot, you might want to check out that thread as well; http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/ri...-riparium.html,

Since several people have said this is too small for the tigers, I may convert a 40B Turtle tank I have for them and put something else in this tank instead. Maybe some terrestrial frogs of some sort?

[Sushieraser]

There are alot of great newts and salamanders you could use this tank for, the bigger issue is finding them for sale.

[CatB]

a bullfrog would be neat, but would probably eat whatever fish you added...

[Wy Renegade]

Originally Posted by Sushieraser

There are alot of great newts and salamanders you could use this tank for, the bigger issue is finding them for sale.

Originally Posted by CatB

a bullfrog would be neat, but would probably eat whatever fish you added...

Thanks guys - I'm kind of leaning towards a toad right now. I'd prefer something that isn't going to be in the water much and won't threaten the plants/fish of the aquatic zone.

[schoolzoo]

I think I missed something - I thought that you were building this for your salamanders? I'm sure a toad/frog or some other critter will love this set up just as much.

[Wy Renegade]

Originally Posted by schoolzoo

I think I missed something - I thought that you were building this for your salamanders? I'm sure a toad/frog or some other critter will love this set up just as much.

That was the original plan, but several people have mentioned that they think it is too small for two full grown salamanders, so I may set up a 40B turtle tank I have for them down the road and put something else in this one - just thinking long term here LOL.

[Wy Renegade]

Our weather has been unseasonably warm this year, so the ice is already gone off all the ponds and streams, so I was able to get out and pull a little duckweed out of one of our local ponds.



It was pretty interdispersed with some algae, freshwater mussels, assorted inverts, and some hornwort, so I only skimmed a bit off the top for this tank. I went ahead and threw in a couple mussels, and also one sprig of the hornwort.



The duckweed has been a bit interesting due to the current from the filter. Its actually staying out of most of the deeper areas, but collecting in some of the shallower areas.





The Dwarf hairgrass seems to have recovered well from the transition and is coming on strong, but the Microswords not so much.

[Wy Renegade]

Had a chance to visit the not so local LFS this past weekend, about a two hour drive, so I picked up a few new plants for this tank while I was there.

I replaced the Bacopa caroliniana with a new cluster;


And a new Peacock fern, which isn't looking real great yet, hopefully it makes a nice comeback;




Also picked up a couple new plants which were mounted on pieces of slate, they were labeled as Anubias, but I have no clue. Anybody else recognize them? They are only temperary in this tank.

[CatB]

your anubias look like anubias. but also very sick (which you probably figured) :<
first one anyways looks a little anubias coffeefolia-ish from the ribs/veins/whatever on the leaves but it really is kinda in a terrible state and i'm not sure... i'm no plant expert anyways.

[Wy Renegade]

Thanks, maybe I'll post in the plant I.D. to see if I can get a definite. You're right, it definitely wasn't in great shape, but the roots appear to be real healthy, so I'm hoping it comes back.

[CatB]

Originally Posted by Wy Renegade

Thanks, maybe I'll post in the plant I.D. to see if I can get a definite. You're right, it definitely wasn't in great shape, but the roots appear to be real healthy, so I'm hoping it comes back.

the roots DO look good. yeah, i think they definitely have potential.