# Paludarium-project. Beginner needs advice



## Strychnine213

Hey Dendroboarders!

I have decided to buld my own Paludarium, so i have a lot of questions i thought you guys could help me with.

Any advice is valuable!
I need to know everything you guys know 
My plan is to take pictures and write about everything i do in the progress, in case some of you would like to follow the project.
i love following other peoples projects

I need to know what materials to use, and what materials NOT to use.

my plan is to build everything myself, background, waterfall, aquarium-part, everything.
i also plan to use a mister/fogger and some dim lighting

I want to be able to keep frogs and fish in my Paludarium


I really hope you guys want to help me out with this project! 

- Kasper Bond


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## Reeffrog

If you've never done a tank like this before. Go to petco and get a 20 gallon while they're cheap. This will give you practice at working with the materials, great stuff silicone ect. I learned a lot on my first build. I am doing a couple practice builds to perfect technique. My display vivs will be better for it. Plus they aren't a waste gives you a tank to put a bullied frog in ect. And plan everything out, draw diagrams and post them too. Someone might see a problem before it starts. I will be following your build.


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## Strychnine213

Thanks mate!

I already have a tiny aquarium i use for practice... so far ive only put in a plate of plexi-glass to devide the aquarium from the land-part... 
The next thing im going to do is build the "skeleton" in styrofoam or MakeMake (dont know witch is best?) and use acrylic paint to paint it 

I will post a picture of the plexiglass wall tomorrow, thanks for following 


Btw. its almost exactly like this i want to build:
http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/gallery/data/500/154c9dl.jpg


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## oneshot

Here's a pretty clear build journal http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/parts-construction/90568-paludarium-build.html

Here's an advanced search I did for "paludarium" and limited the search to the parts and construction forum:
http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/search.php?searchid=2786668

Plenty of reading for you....


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## lblack

What size is this tank going to be I think you should start small and just make a tank. Get thoughs creative ideas going. I would recommend waiting on the fish it may be a bit much. You can put the space in the tank just try to start slow. . 

I hope this helps


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## Strychnine213

Thanks for the interest everyone!

The first link was a huge help, but i cant search with those terms for some reason...

And i will definatly create the aquarium part after ive build the vivarium part!


I will post the size of the tank tomorrow!

- Kasper Bond


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## Pumilo

Strychnine213 said:


> Thanks mate!
> 
> I already have a tiny aquarium i use for practice... so far ive only put in a plate of plexi-glass to devide the aquarium from the land-part...
> The next thing im going to do is build the "skeleton" in styrofoam or MakeMake (dont know witch is best?) and use acrylic paint to paint it
> 
> I will post a picture of the plexiglass wall tomorrow, thanks for following
> 
> 
> Btw. its almost exactly like this i want to build:
> http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/gallery/data/500/154c9dl.jpg


Is this a plexiglas wall in a glass tank? What kind of adhesive did you use? The problem I see is that usually silicone would be used for sealing glass. Silicone does not stick well to acrylic/plexiglas. It will stick just long enough that you think it will work. It will not. It will leak and it will eventually (sooner, rather than later) fail completely, to the point where you can easily pull it out and see that NO silicone is left on the acrylic at all.

I don't build Paludariums, but the land and water portions of most vivs, are not actually separate. Many of them have a false bottom that will support the land area. There is water underneath the land area. The "separation" between land and water, is made with a "flow though" bank. Like eggcrate and screen fabric, with rocks glued on to hide it. Water can still flow through. This gives a bigger body of water, for stability.
More importantly, with misting, humidity, condensation, and splashing from the waterfall, you will soon learn that your water will go anywhere it wants to. If you build it with a solid dividing wall, your water can fill up your land side.


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## Judy S

There are so many GOOD beginner threads--read those first...people on DB are so willing to help, but they also expect beginners to do some research on their own...you may find better ideas than you already have in mind...and cautionary tales of the mistakes made...before you make the same mistakes. Be realistic and take advantage of all the knowledge and especially wisdom that in on this board...everyone wants all people who sign up on DB to succeed, but also want the posters to be responsible enough to investigate on their own first...Good luck and enjoy the journey...


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## Strychnine213

Well, i have been watching alot (like, a whole lot) of videos on youtube about how to make a Paludarium, and most of them use plexiglass and normal aquarium sealant....


The next step will be to create the background and the bottom with MakeMake, unless there is someone in here who has a better idea of what else to use!

But with my time and money budget, it might take some time 

and again, thanks for every advise!

- Kasper Bond


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## JPccusa

Here is my build thread. There you can also find the thread where I drew my inspiration from (Energy's): http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/parts-construction/78300-design-build-100-gallons-paludarium.html


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## Strychnine213

Hey guys, I've been doing nothing but planning and cutting since i last posted!

I think i have managed to attatched 2 pictures, which shows my what I have been doing..

My plan so far is to run a hose through the white stuff (cant remember the english word for it, sorry!) from the Aquarium-part to the mini-pond on top of the waterfall to create af flow...
To cover up the white stuff im going to use something called MakeMake


I think what im going to do with the glass backround is to *Paint it Black * 

Does any of you guys have any thoughts or suggestions?


- also i have a question, what do i need to keep the aquarium running by itself?


- Kasper Bond


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## shiloh

I agree it would be smarter to just use a false bottom. When the water divider fails you'll have a big tank of soupy mud.


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## papafrogger

Completely off topic but strycchnine used to be my old character name on world of warcraft. Haha. FOR THE HORDE.


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## hoehnelli

I am newer to the viv. world but spent plenty of time in reefs and herps. One thing we quickly learned when building sumps is plexi will fail and seperate when sealed to glass. Plexi should be chemicaly sealed to other plexi. It flexes and has a different expansion rate than glass and the silicone will fail. I have seen it tried more times than I can count. Have a piece of glass cut at the glass shop. Its cheap insurance compared to a ruined tank or floor depending on where its used.


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## Strychnine213

Hello again!

I will definatly take your advice on the plexi-fail for my next Paludarium, but this one is just a test to see if i can make it look like a piece of jungle... i have a larger aquarium which i plan to convert asap. 

I think that what i will do to prevent the plexiglass from failing, is to create a foam divider. it will hide the glass and also help it retain the water, i imagine?


Also, does anyone have any ideas of what frogs and fish i should put in?


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## Strychnine213

how it looks now


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