My Fishroom Update

Keith Wolcott · Post by **Keith Wolcott** » Sun Oct 21, 2007 7:13 pm

It looks good chefkeith.

What did you use for the caps on the overflows?

Diana · Post by **Diana** » Sun Oct 21, 2007 8:18 pm

English Ivy, Hedera helix.
These plants will grow emersed, but will die underwater.
Pothos would be another good choice, I have this one groing in several tanks. Just sticking out of the back of the tank. The roots can grow all the way down to the substrate, but the stems and leaves grow in the air.

I have a siphon like that for my sump, and also found that the PH had to be up at the surface for the venturi to restart it. Worked, but not when the PH was any lower. It is a bit of a worry, as the PH does not start well if air gets into it. I was using the largest Aquaclear PH. (802?) The siphon would also start by itself about 2/3 of the time.

chefkeith · Post by **chefkeith** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 7:06 am

Thanks Dianna. I'm thinking of having this ivy grow on driftwood along the back of the tank above the water.
I'm going to draw up a sketch of a layout, then start setting it up.

For the overflow, I put a check valve on the airline to prevent any air from getting back into the overflow from that route. So if the pump gets turned off, I don't think anymore air will get back in.

Keith- I cut the covers from the bottom of a plastic spice container.

I also tried using the spice container as a clear pipe for the overflow, but that didn't work. The cement I used didn't hold, so I gave up on the idea.

Keith Wolcott · Post by **Keith Wolcott** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 8:08 am

Excellent idea for the caps. This forum is amazing for the exchange of information that we all get. I will need an overflow for my system eventually, so I appreciate your documentation, especially with the gph information.

You are going to have a very nice planted sump. I really like this idea since it allows lots of plants and all the benefits of plants without the loaches destroying them.

chefkeith · Post by **chefkeith** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 9:15 am

I'm mostly happy that this finally gives all the cherry shrimp and snails a good home and lets them do what they do best, which is to keep the glass and plants clean and free of algae.

Here's a top view of the layout that I'm going to try to achieve.-

I guess it will be up to the few plants that I bought to grow and fill the tank out.

I'll get a coffee then start setting this up.

chefkeith · Post by **chefkeith** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 9:38 am

I agree that this forum is amazing. I started this thread to fish for some better ideas. I wouldn't get far without help. Thanks everyone.

chefkeith · Post by **chefkeith** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 12:08 pm

I got my driftwood ready to be sorted out.-

I think this piece will go nicely in the left corner upright how it is pictured. The top part here is flat and would make a nice plant stand for the peace lily, which I will keep potted.

This piece here would be make a great shelf above the water (against the back in the center) for the heartleaf philodendron, which I'll also keep potted.

Next, I'll give the wood a quick rinse to get all the spider webs off, then I'll see how they they look inside the tank. I've had this driftwood sitting in my garage for a few years. I used it briefly before. I boiled it back when I got it. So it should be OK to use.

chefkeith · Post by **chefkeith** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 5:09 pm

It's pretty much all done now. Things went almost as planned. I still need to put the black background back up, let the water clear up, and clean the glass better. Then I'll take better pic's.

Here's the left side of the tank. In the corner is a lagoon and waterfall. I have a piece of the ivy going up and around the waterfall.
From the center going right, are the Heartleaf Philodedron's. I repotted the one into 3 pots. In the pots, I put a layer of filter floss on the bottom, then filled the the pots with Perlite. The pots are submerged just a little in the water, probably just enough to keep the filter floss wet. If the baby tears grow out nicely, I'm hoping it will make a real nice carpet on the emersed driftwood and hide the pots.

Here is the right side of the tank. The potted plant is the Peace Lilly. To the right at the waterline are the Anubias. To the left is some more Ivy and under that on the driftwood is more Baby Tears.

clownloachfan · Post by **clownloachfan** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 5:11 pm

Nice. It is really starting to come together. What fish are you putting in there? Nice idea with the spice caps. I use that brand for cooking to.

lf11casey · Post by **lf11casey** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 5:18 pm

Sweet! It's coming along very nicely.

chefkeith · Post by **chefkeith** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 5:33 pm

Thankyou. Thankyou.

There will be no fish in this tank, but I will let fry grow out in it. There is one boesemani fry in there right now.

chefkeith · Post by **chefkeith** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 5:37 pm

I'll take that back, after thinking about it for a few minutes, I think I'll probably put some bristlenose pleco's and maybe some Kuhli's in here.

Graeme Robson · Post by **Graeme Robson** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 5:40 pm

Superb!!

clownloachfan · Post by **clownloachfan** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 5:41 pm

yeah, bristlenose and khulis would be great additions. They would eat algae and extra food on the bottom to keep the tank cleaner. Plus, they wont eat the fry!

chefkeith · Post by **chefkeith** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 12:57 pm

I moved 6 kuhli's and an breeding pair of bristlenose pleco's to this paludarium tank. The plecos have spawned a few times in the past, but I've lost all their fry due to either them getting munched on or getting caught in filter intakes. This new tank should be a very safe breeding ground for them.
Hopefully the Kuhli's will breed also. I've had them about 4 years and they were of good size when I got them. Without interruption from the clown loaches, I think they might have a chance to breed.
Pic of one of the Kuhli's-

Here's a pic of the waterfall again, I added a piece of slate to quiet it down-

Here are some tank shots.

I can't figure out how to take pic's of this tank without getting all kinds of reflections. This is the best I could do.

The next thing for me to do is to add an overflow to this paludarium sump so that I can turn back on the drip water change system. I haven't done a good water change for atleast a week now. The TDS is about 20 ppm higher than normal, so I want to get this overflow done with ASAP.

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