Davemonkey's 48" Emersed RCS Tank

[davemonkey]

I'm not sure if this counts as a paludarium...pretty sure it does not. None the less, it will be a mostly-emersed set-up with the bottom area (approximately 4 gallons worth) set up for Red Cherry Shrimp.

I first got the idea to do this when I saw how wonderfully easy mudboot's "Wetland in a Box" is to keep up with. Ever since our third child, my wife and I have had to cut back on hobby-time and this is part of that. (We do still have a planted tank in the house and I have the picotope at the office).

My original goal was to focus primarily on crypts. But, I change my mind every hour, so we'll see what turns up.
The design called for rock walls to hold up the soil, but I wanted to try something different. I filled womens' nylon leggings with soil/sand and used it as a barrier. I already see some issues with it, but I'll stick with it since it worked decent enough.

The foreground will be planted with plugs of Fissidens fontanus on the left and Porella pinnata L. on the right. Anubias nana 'petite' will be scattered about. The RCS part of the set-up and is mostly complete as of tonight.
Tomorrow night I will focus on the emersed parts. Wish me luck.
(Photos to come shortly)

-Dave

[davemonkey]

Here's the most accurate drawing I did (substrate-wise). Don't pay too much attention to plants I've listed on there. Like I said, it changes by the hour.

General slope...nothing new. If you look close at the front, you'll see the edge of one of the nylon stockings.



This is about 1.5" full of water. That is close to the normal depth this tank will have once the plants convert to emersed. However, it will be about 6-8" full for a couple weeks until the plants have a hance to switch over.

[Mzungu]

Very cool! I'm looking forward to seeing this progress!

[Tek]

Thats very interesting. Looks good already. Can't wait to see it in a few months

[cichlid1409]

same here. keep us updated as it progresses

[fishboyt]

Looks cool.

[wesleydnunder]

Looks like a good start. How will you keep the sand mounds intact over the long haul?

Mark

[kwc1974]

Dave looking good, Like the plan.

Give me a hollar, I got a lot more fissedens if you need it.

Also, have you every heard o doing the el natural in a pond? Need your advice and help on it.

[davemonkey]

Thanks for the compliments! Kev, we DO need to get together. Right now I'm booked until the weekend of the 31st....this is one reason I don't like summer (other than the HEAT). But I can definitely help you out on a pond El Natural.

The soil mounds are kept in place by a special invention called the "Soil Tube Master Select UltraMega Device"....hee hee. Seriously though. I got a pair of nylon women's hose and filled them with soil and made barriers with them. To make sure they don't start showing as the sand slides off (haha...my hose are showing...that's a good joke ) I poked some holes in the soils tubes and plugged in some plants that will grow over them (like Staurogyne repens and Anubias nana).

I have an updated pic with it planted up. My photo won't show up for some reason....hang on...

[davemonkey]

Here's a progress shot. The two 'nubs' on the left side (with a hint of pink leaves), and the matching two on the right, used to be a great big Echinodorus 'Oriental'. Don't worry, they'll come back.

Here's a finshed shot, with the water level just about where I'd like it to be (I think maybe just a bit higher would be better).

And here's where the water level sits now to give some of the plants and easier transition. The downfall to this is that my little Crypt. willisii x lucens will have to go through an additional transition period when the water lowers again. (They are completely submersed with the water this high. )

The only inhabitants (aside from the obligatory trumpet snails). There are about 20 - 30 RCS in there now, mostly little ones. Please excuse the cloudy water.

[davemonkey]

Plant List:
Foreground:
Fissidens fontanus
Porella pinnata L.
Edging and Midground:
Staurogyne repens? (it's the "Tropica Staurogyne")
Anubias nana 'petite'
Cryptocoryne wendtii 'green' or 'green gecko'...not sure which
Cryptocoryne willisi x lucens 'bronze'
Background and Sides and Focals:
Hygrophila corymbosa 'angustifolia'
Limnophila aromatica
Needle-leaf Java Fern
Echinodorus 'Oriental'
Cryptocoryne crispatula 'balansae'
Lindernia grandiflora
Anubias minima
Temporary Floater (nutrient hog for algae control)
Elatine americana
I know that seems like alot of variety, but I expect some of these to not make it. If I had to pick a favorite stem plant for this type of set-up, it'd be the Lindernia, hands down. And the little crypts have been an overall favorite of mine for a couple years now...no changing that now.
-Dave

[cichlid1409]

lovin it!

[TheOldMan]

Looks good so far, Dave. I had a start with tanks like this when I had to move all my tanks for putting in new laminate wood floors a couple weeks ago. Moved all of them with only a couple inches of water and most all fish and plants survived. Saran wrap helped keep the plants from drying out in all but one whjere I lost some leaves on a big Anubia, but it is coming back ok.

[Somefishguy]

looking forward to seeing it

[davemonkey]

Looks good so far, Dave. I had a start with tanks like this when I had to move all my tanks for putting in new laminate wood floors a couple weeks ago. Moved all of them with only a couple inches of water and most all fish and plants survived. Saran wrap helped keep the plants from drying out in all but one whjere I lost some leaves on a big Anubia, but it is coming back ok.

New wood floors, very nice!!!! Does this mean the dogs are not allowed in the house anymore?

Yeah, I 've saran on half the tank and my old glass top on the other. Things look good and I can see new roots forming. I just took out about 3/4" water. I'm pretty sure I'll lose all the Anubias minima leaves, but I know it'll grow back...eventually.