# 4' tall rock wall paludarium



## Dane (Aug 19, 2004)

This is a job for a local customer. I just have a teaser shot for now, but I'll post a build journal later in the week when it's finished.


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## frogparty (Dec 27, 2007)

gonna be rad when its done


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## SmackoftheGods (Jan 28, 2009)

holy crap... what are they going to put in that thing?


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## themann42 (Apr 12, 2005)

i hate teasers. show me now!


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## Julio (Oct 8, 2007)

Dane, nice carving job, that is gonna look awsome in the tank!!


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## Fishman (Jan 16, 2007)

Tease me more!

Dan


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## Dane (Aug 19, 2004)

SmackoftheGods said:


> holy crap... what are they going to put in that thing?


He mentioned cichlids, but I don't know if there will be any herps in it.


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## chinoanoah (Mar 9, 2009)

fake.

kidding, looks sharp dude!


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## melas (Oct 24, 2007)

Very cool! Can't wait to see the finished product! Any specs on the proposed material list/method?


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## Dane (Aug 19, 2004)

Current materials list/tools:
Sawzall
hacksaw
Jeweler's saw
files/rasps
1 gallon of Polygem #307 epoxy
dark grey & deep blue pigment powder
Krylon Fusion paint
4' x 4' piece of high-density polystyrene foam

Both pieces are 90% coated with epoxy, and I had a chance to get some paint and detailing on one panel. It's a little darker than I want, so I'll be adding some lighter colored paint to a few places, but I really like the overall outcome.










A closer shot of the texture:










that's it for now, I'll post some more when I finish it up this weekend.


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## RachelRiot (Jan 20, 2009)

Wow, it is coming along great. I cant wait to see what the finished product looks like.


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## porkchop (Aug 29, 2005)

Wow!
Thats really nice... 
I would love to put something like that in a display tank, with a large group of frogs. 
Awesome... cant wait to see finished product. Hurry up !


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## kyle1745 (Feb 15, 2004)

Very cool keep us posted.


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## SmackoftheGods (Jan 28, 2009)

sweetness.

As a side note, where might I find some of those... *shrug* buckets? that you've mounted into the rock? That's where you're going to mount your plants, right?


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## Dane (Aug 19, 2004)

I carry them, I just haven't added them to the website yet. I think black jungle might sell them as well. And yes, they are to be planting points. They work well with the Great Stuff/coco method too.



SmackoftheGods said:


> sweetness.
> 
> As a side note, where might I find some of those... *shrug* buckets? that you've mounted into the rock? That's where you're going to mount your plants, right?


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## Dane (Aug 19, 2004)

Just a couple of update pics. Both halves are in place, and I need to epoxy a few small sections and finish painting.


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## Anoleo2 (Feb 1, 2006)

I have a good feeling about this.


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## dj98ram (Dec 17, 2008)

Nice job Dane! Is that a custom tank?


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## Dane (Aug 19, 2004)

dj98ram said:


> Nice job Dane! Is that a custom tank?


I didn't build the tank itself. I think the company that made it may have gone out of business. I did add the bottom partitions so that the customer could plant some small ficus on either side of the water section.


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## Dane (Aug 19, 2004)

Finished the tank. The buyer wanted to plant it himself, and I had to remove some materal from the base on either side at his request so that he could fit some larger plants in the side pockets. Sorry about the pics, the flash really took away some of the depth.




























I'm hoping he will send me some shots of the tank when it's planted.


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## melas (Oct 24, 2007)

Very cool! Great job! Are you comfortable/able to divulge what the cost was to the customer on this bad boy?


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## Dane (Aug 19, 2004)

melas said:


> Very cool! Great job! Are you comfortable/able to divulge what the cost was to the customer on this bad boy?


Given the time and cost on materials, this job was way below what I would normally charge, so I'd rather not give an exact $ amout. In addition to the background, I built a top, drilled for two bulkheads, and put in the divider panels. If I were to do something this size again, I would charge $400-450.


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## melas (Oct 24, 2007)

Dane said:


> Given the time and cost on materials, this job was way below what I would normally charge, so I'd rather not give an exact $ amout. In addition to the background, I built a top, drilled for two bulkheads, and put in the divider panels. If I were to do something this size again, I would charge $400-450.


Okay thanks! Just trying to get an idea! So did the customer provide the tank? Also, what are the dividers in the bottom for? Is there a water feature planned?


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## Dane (Aug 19, 2004)

Yes, it was his tank that a friend had given away. There is going to be a waterfall that cascades down the center and flows over the protruding rock in the middle.


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## MonarchzMan (Oct 23, 2006)

Man, I can't get over how realistic that looks. Do you have a cost of materials, specifically these:

1 gallon of Polygem #307 epoxy
dark grey & deep blue pigment powder
Krylon Fusion paint
4' x 4' piece of high-density polystyrene foam

I'm very interested in trying this out (I might be doing a shower stall viv, and if I do, I'd rather do something like this for the majority of the background rather than concrete to keep the weight down). How far does the epoxy go? Did you use the full gallon on this or did you have extra? I assume that that basically weighs as much as the foam, right?

Awesome job!


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## Dane (Aug 19, 2004)

MonarchzMan said:


> Man, I can't get over how realistic that looks. Do you have a cost of materials, specifically these:
> 
> 1 gallon of Polygem #307 epoxy
> dark grey & deep blue pigment powder
> ...


Thanks JP,
I used a gallon of epoxy, which is roughly $65 (2 gallon minimum to purchse), Zinc Oxide- based pigments that were on sale at HD for $2/14oz, Krylon which was $7 per can with lots left afterward, misc non-toxic craft paint, and roughly $25 worth of foam. The panels were surprisingly lightweight after epoxy. Id guess they weigh as much as the foam.


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## JoshH (Feb 13, 2008)

Awesome epoxy work!!! You did a great job of sculpting the foam to have that natural, fractured look.


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## pilo0024 (Aug 22, 2006)

wow that is sweet. how would the lighting work at that height? halides?


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## Alex007 (Apr 15, 2007)

Just to let you all know, Dane did a outstanding job on this tank>Mine of course. I did tell him to removed some pieces because I am planning to put a Brazilian rain tree on the left land part and another maybe Ficus tree on the right. So I am hoping this landscaping project will work. I am also adding some hard driftwood in under the waterfall. I will get some pictures going as soon as I get some more income as I dont plan to finish this project for at least another 2 months. Ya I want to take my time. I will be adding some Dwarf South American Chiclids maybe a pair. I also bought some Peat bricks to add it and slice some to the Rock background and maybe grow some moss. The side glass to divide the land and water portion will be covered so to mimic a aquarium background and some bog plants will be added, so you wont be able to see the glass dividers. I will also have lianas and old grape vines that I picked out from my yard to add it to my miniature trees and mount broms and airplants. Overall lots of ferns and miniature palnts. I started this project to mimic the South American clear water biotpe. So I have lots of work ahead and planning. Lighting< still trying to figure out what I am going to use. I might just invest on a aquarium lighting with halugen and flourescents. I will keep you guys posted in the future. Thanks again Dane for the great job. Alex


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## TonyT (Feb 16, 2004)

Very kewl tank. Any new pics?


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## Mywebbedtoes (Jul 2, 2007)

You are the man Dane. I will have to get my palidarium up here so we can battle! Ha ha.


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## SmackoftheGods (Jan 28, 2009)

Definately post pics (especially when it's done)!

Are you only putting fish in it?


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## Alex007 (Apr 15, 2007)

Ya I am only putting South american dwarf chiclids for now. Its more of a display show tank. I dont want to take the risk of the frogs drowning. I am also going to finish the rest of the background with driftwood and balck foam and add more pockets for plants. As soon as my budget gets better I will start updating more pictures.


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## moore40 (Jan 29, 2008)

any updates on this?


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## Alex007 (Apr 15, 2007)

Alright so its been over 3 years since I been working on this paludarium, and its finally done. I decided to do some changes in what was going to be a south american biotope. In the water section I do have a pair of aposti South American dwarf chiclids triple red. There is also some red root floaters in the water section. In the land part to the right is Tiger Bark Weeping Fig tree. On the left land part is a cutting of a cieba tree. Various aquatic plants like anubias crpts with java moss. I will try to get better pictures individualy of the plants. I was using my friends camera so I dont have one. I will try to post more pictures like I said of individual plants and some of my dwarf chiclids. Thanks again dane for the help, and hopefully will start my next new project once I get more funds. enjoy.


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## Julio (Oct 8, 2007)

looks great!


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## Okapi (Oct 12, 2007)

wow... Dane did a good job carving and you did a good job planting.


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## Venomos (Jun 26, 2009)

Wow! That is an amazing setup! You both did a wonderful job!!!


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## pilo0024 (Aug 22, 2006)

that is just sick. You did an amazing job planting it.


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## Alex007 (Apr 15, 2007)

Thanks everyone, I will try to get more closer shots of individual land portions and water section. I have a waterfall towards the back, you really cant see it, but it runs down a hill where the water fall falls down. I will get some more pics later. I was borrowing my friends camera so, he did all the photography. I will also get some shots of my dwarf chiclids. I still need to get some fans running because it gets a lot of condensation. I dont really know what type of fans and how many I should get. Anybody have any idea? I have air plants to the top, so they dont get to wet and dry fairly quick. I will probably get another individual t-5, because it seems a bit shadowy towards the bottom, even though most of my aquatic plants are low light. My cieba tree is doing ok, but saw some recent leaves falling, maybe from to much moisture and getting wet. My fig tree to the right is doing pretty good from all the wetness and starting to grow more leaves. This is basically just in experiment see how they do. I am runnnig a metal halide 150 watt. It also has two individual 8 watt t-5 that turn on before the medal halide. So basically its a dawn and dusk light that I am using it as. Stay tune for more pic. Thanks


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## Adroitmind (Jul 16, 2010)

This is my new standard. Absolutely stunning! I just got done building my first Paludarium and now I have something to aim for with the second. Thanks.


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