[-serok-]

Hi there!

I wanted to show you one more of my tanks. Unfortunately this layout doesn't exist anymore, I ripped it down in April 2012. Neverthless, this was one of my absolutely favorite layouts. It was running for 1,5 years and evolved in many ways. The tank size was LxDXH 150x50x45cm.

The hole structure of the both islands was made with lava rock. The wood was partly driftwood partly wood, that I had collected in the forest. The ground was simple dark sand, i don't know the word in english, but in german it's called "Einkehrmaterial" or "Splitt". The planting was a mixture of tropic plants and native plants. It took a lot of time to find some native plants, that can manage the tropical conditions in the tank.

This is the plantlist at the final moment of the layout.

Under water:

-Microsorum pteropus "Narrow"
-Microsorum pteropus "Trident"
-Cryptocorine albida
-Cryptocorine parva
-Staurogyne repens
-Marsilea crenata
-Anubias barteri "Nana"
-Lagenandra meeboldii
-Vesicularia montagnei
-Riccardia chamedryfolia
-Salvinia molesta


Above water:

-Anubias barteri "Nana"
-Microsorum pteropus "Narrow"
-Hydrocotyle tripartita "Japan"
-Staurogyne repens
-Oxalis acetosella
-Parthenocissus striata
-Muehlenbeckia complexa
-Pilea glauca
-Dryopteris erythrosa
-Viola hirta
-Sedum grisebachii
-Tillandsia ionantha
-Callisia repens
-Vesicularia montagnei
-Thuidium tamariscinum
-Polytrichum formosum
-Eurhynchium striatum
-Mnium hornum

The pictures show the final layout. I hope you like it

 

[hydrophyte]

This setup is awesome. I remember it from aquascapingworld.com

What is that little plant with the heart-shaped leaves on the right-hand side? It is at the base of the left-most stump on the right side.

With the built-up hardscape extending above water this is more like a paludarium than a riparium.

 

[-serok-]

Hi there!

Thanks a lot!

The plant is Viola hirta.

Mmhh... for my taste it is more a riparium than a paludarium. Maybe it's a mixture of both. The water was moving from the back to the front and from the right to the left side. You see, I tried to build a "surreal" riverside of a small stream

 

[Hobbes1911]

Sieht toll aus! Hast du Bilder die du waehrend des Baus aufgenommen hast? Das faende ich sehr interessant! Nice work!

 

[Planted-tnk-guy]

With the built-up hardscape extending above water this is more like a paludarium than a riparium.[/QUOTE]

That is a great Looking setup Fantastic Job, and technically a Paludarium is a riparium. A riparium habitat is plants living on the edge of a river, stream or lake or other body of water so truly they go hand in hand.

 

[Gooberfish]

Dang it Andy now you've got me questioning every decision I've ever made. Bravo!

 

[johnson18]

Wow! Very impressive tank!

 

[Aplomado]

Fantastic!

 

[greenman857]

Viola hirta doesn't go dormant? That seems to be the problem with Violas in general is they have a dormancy period.

I'd love to see build specs on this.
And what do you do to keep humidity up or terrastrial part from drying out?
Oh and Fantastic build!!

Hi there!

Thanks a lot!

The plant is Viola hirta.

Mmhh... for my taste it is more a riparium than a paludarium. Maybe it's a mixture of both. The water was moving from the back to the front and from the right to the left side. You see, I tried to build a "surreal" riverside of a small stream

 

[AirstoND]

This was one glorious mother of a tank setup...Video? What's your current setup?

 

[-serok-]

Hi folks!

Thank you for the nice feedback! :smile:


@grennman857

Viola hirta doesn't go dormant? That seems to be the problem with Violas in general is they have a dormancy period.

The Viola was in there for just 3-4 month or so. But that time it seems to be healthy.

And what do you do to keep humidity up or terrastrial part from drying out?

The whole structure was build with lava rocks, it worked like a sponge. So the terrastrial part was always moist. I kept the tank covered for 80%, so the humidity was about 70-75%. From time to time I sprayed water for the terrastrial plants.

@Hobbes1911
Ach, sieh an. Da spricht ja jemand deutsch :smile:
Wenn du willst kannst du ja hier mal einen Blick reinwerfen, da ist die komplette Entstehungsgeschichte des Beckens dokumentiert, auch der Aufbau.
Flowgrow "Mother Nature"
This link shows the whole evolution of the tank. It is in german, but I think you can translate it with google or something. So you can understand most of the thread (hopefully)

@AirstoND
Sorry, but I don't have any videos of this tank. I should have done some... mmhh... This tank doesn't exist anymore, I've sold it 2 years ago and bought me a new 90x45x45cm opti white tank. This is the current layout.

 

[Bananableps]

You sold it?

How do you move such a thing?

What have you done with the space where it used to be?

 

[-serok-]

Hi there!

You sold it?

How do you move such a thing?

I sold the empty tank, not the layout itself.

What have you done with the space where it used to be?

Have a look at the last pic I posted. That's my new tank what's standing at the place where the riparium stand before.

 

[Chipa66]

Very inspirational. I've been wanting to try a riparium for a while now and this definitely gives me some incentive to make it happen.