[plecostomouse]

hello

i have ben earning some money recently so i thought i'd spend it.
i have really been inspired by some riperiums on this thread,
i like the fact that they are different and interesting,
so i thought i would have a crack at one myself.
the dimensions will be very different,
70cm longx35cm deepx20cm high.
i odered the glass yesterday and its here now,
so ill glue it this weekend.
i want to have one corner with enchinodorus growing and a "fallen tree" going into the water, in which i will have corydora and ancistrus.
i dont think i will have plants in the water, apart from maybe some moss,
as i want to make it like a river, so i will have water flowing from right to left i think.

any thoughts?

do corydora and ancistrus live together in the wild?
does moss need a high humidity to grow emmersed?
how strong of a light would i need for growing enchinodorus cordifolius emmersed?
does enchinodorus quadricostautus grow well emmersed, does it convert well?

thanks

 

[shrimpNewbie]

they dont typically live together but they do inhabit the same bodies of water

 

[plecostomouse]

thanks

 

[RipariumGuy]

Hello there Plecostomouse! Glad to see another person interested in ripariums on here!


I can help you with a couple of your questions.

To grow Echinodurus cordifolius emersed (and grow moss underwater), I'd reccomend purchasing a T5HO (HO = high output) light fixture and then hanging it a couple inches above the tank. This will give both the emersed and aquatic plants plenty of light. Just be sure the fixture has a good reflector.

Moss does need to have a high level of humidity to be grown emersed.

I have never had any personal exerience with Echinodorus quadricostautus, but I do believe it will be able to grow well emersed.


Good luck with your setup! And if you have more questiosn, feel free to ask!

- Jake

 

[plecostomouse]

hey riperium guy

thanks for the answers
i wont have the aqurium very high so ill be using plants that grow in the normal humidity, so i think i will hang the light over the plants, as they grow
i will be growing enchinodorus argentinensis and probably cordidolius, heard they live fine in room humidity.

thanks

 

[2in10]

I have an Ancistrus with a couple of Corys with no issues. The Ancistrus is near full size and the Corys are about 1".

 

[plecostomouse]

@2in10

thanks i to have had ancistrus living with cories, its more wether or not they naturally occur living together.

thanks

 

[2in10]

Go you, in that case I would say no since Corys are usually found in small relatively streams without a lot of wood if I remember right.

 

[plecostomouse]

ok, thanks, i might house them together anyway, lol

 

[plecostomouse]

ok so the tank is built.
here are some pics of it taking shape

im getting excited already haha
could i buy a haning light from some hhardware shop or something that would do the job? the tank will get a decent amount of sun light to.

 

[2in10]

Not the usual way to put a tank together. The sides rest on the base normally.

 

[shrimpNewbie]

can't wait to see this get going, hardware store lights are fine, you can make do with 2x t5no, just raise it a bit and you're golden

 

[RipariumGuy]

The tank looks great! Nice job on it!

What type of shop light are we talking about? How many bulb? And what "type" (ie, T8, T12?)

 

[plecostomouse]

The tank looks great! Nice job on it!

What type of shop light are we talking about? How many bulb? And what "type" (ie, T8, T12?)

um im not sure ill have to go have a look hoprfully t5 but ill have to go with what availible and not to expensive

 

[150EH]

After you trim and clean up your silcone, go back and fill everything really good as many times as you have to, then the longer you can wait the better off you are to cure the silicone, 10 days min, 30 max.

That's a very cool project and I can't wait to see the out come, post all the pics you can.

Lighting link http://gwapa.org/wordpress/articles/overdriven-normal-outputodno-lights/

The way you have the bottom installed means you should cure it for some time without moving the tank.

 

[150EH]

I always heard you New Zeland kids were tough and hands on!!! What do they call you guys Kiwi's???

The Fastest Indian was a Kiwi wasn't he????

 

[150EH]

If you need DIY help and you need to do it cheap, this is the guy to ask, he has inspired me to build a plywood tank and you can find him and his creations here http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/tank-journals-photo-album/91292-wps-250-gal-plywood-starphire-tank.html, good luck.

 

[hydrophyte]

Wow this is very professional job. That looks like a very nice shape for an open-top riparium.

 

[plecostomouse]

thanks for the great links and positive feedback guys im happy with it too

 

[plecostomouse]

I always heard you New Zeland kids were tough and hands on!!! What do they call you guys Kiwi's???

The Fastest Indian was a Kiwi wasn't he????

hell yeah kiwis are rough as guts man
take today i went swimming.......its winter lol