# Amazon paludarium



## Amirk (Feb 24, 2012)

Hi guys
Just wanted to share my new tank with you, i'v been working on it for the last 2 months.
dimensions are (metric) 110L X 50D X 90H (40 wet, 50 dry)
tank is open front, no glass.
lights are 6 X 39W T5
DIY misting system that isn't working yet, waiting for the pump to arrive.
1\4 HP chiller
2 external filters

No frogs for now, hopefully you guys will suggest if i can put any inside it at any time.

Fish:
5 myleus shumbergki
10 corys
5 altum (trying to sell them now)

plants:
well... you will tell me 

i have planted it last Friday so this is all very new.

Will be glad to read your opinions, thoughts and ideas, good or bad!
here is a photo sequence of the last 2 months, hope you like it.

*One moment before*










*And than...*










*The new glass is being siliconed*










*This is what i came up with*









*Not the right set up, but a clue on the filteration system*









*Lets get to work*



























*MAN! that was not easy!*



















*some rocks*









Aaaaaaaaand.....



































*ta-daaaam*










*some more*


























































Hope you guys like it.
Cheers and Thanks!


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## frogparty (Dec 27, 2007)

amazing! I love it


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## Niels D (Oct 18, 2011)

Really nice!


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## cschub13 (Apr 27, 2011)

Wow that's pretty damn sweet! Very jealous! As far as frogs...how about Theloderma corticale (Vietnamese Mossy Frog)?


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## *Self_DeFenCe* (Jun 12, 2010)

Well done, nice work!


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## frogface (Feb 20, 2010)

Very nice!


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## shibbyplustax (Feb 28, 2011)

Awesome looking tank, good job.


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## Tim F (Jan 27, 2006)

Yes... very nice!


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## Amirk (Feb 24, 2012)

Hi, Thanks a lot guys!!



cschub13 said:


> Wow that's pretty damn sweet! Very jealous! As far as frogs...how about Theloderma corticale (Vietnamese Mossy Frog)?


what a weird looking frog.. i'm actually not sure i can get them in here.
the dendro hobby is not very developed in here.
i can maybe get a few dart frog species and some red eyed tree frogs.

What do you guys think about the open (no glass) front concept?
will i be able to keep humidity high enough for the plants only with the misting system?

Thanks


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## goof901 (Jan 9, 2012)

Not sure about the humidity but if you want to keep frogs than your going to want to install a top and a front panel so they can't escape.


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## GRIMM (Jan 18, 2010)

Nice hardscape composition! You can tell you have a background in aquascaping for sure. How could you muster the heart to tear down that aquarium though? It looked incredibly healthy and perfectly groomed.

If you go with an open style front, you should add an ultrasonic humidifier. You could easily drill the back glass and have the output near that dark cave section on the right piece of wood. Then the mist would crawl across the surface of the water and pour out the front. Could look awesome.


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## gardennub (Dec 10, 2011)

really nice!


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## Amirk (Feb 24, 2012)

Hi guys Thanks again!



GRIMM said:


> Nice hardscape composition! You can tell you have a background in aquascaping for sure. How could you muster the heart to tear down that aquarium though? It looked incredibly healthy and perfectly groomed.
> 
> If you go with an open style front, you should add an ultrasonic humidifier. You could easily drill the back glass and have the output near that dark cave section on the right piece of wood. Then the mist would crawl across the surface of the water and pour out the front. Could look awesome.


Hello Grim.
Trust me, it was a very hard decision. but i got the layout i wanted from that tank, had to move on.
as for the ultrasonic humidifier, is that what i need to keep humidity high enough? or is it just for decoration meanings? 
drilling the glass is impossible now when its full of water, and the background is pretty thick at that point.

did anyone have any success with this type of open front vivarium? i didnt see many of them around.
any plants i'm going to have a hard time to grow?

Thanks


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## Amirk (Feb 24, 2012)

Hi guys!!!
just wanted to share some up to date photos with you.
its been six weeks since i started to plant and things are looking good so far.
i lost 1 fern due to wrong watering but i'm keeping an eye now.
still haven't figured out the right misting timing but i'm working on it. 
hope you like it






































































cheers


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## frogface (Feb 20, 2010)

That is really beautiful!


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## gardennub (Dec 10, 2011)

Wow it is really looking great! You should get some archer fish lol. I love those


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## ykh (Oct 27, 2011)

very nice.


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## Amirk (Feb 24, 2012)

frogface said:


> That is really beautiful!


Thanks a lot frogface 



gardennub said:


> Wow it is really looking great! You should get some archer fish lol. I love those



Hi man thanks! i thought about getting some archers in there, but i assume they wont even wait one day before suiciding to the floor.
every now and than i find a dry neon tetra fish on the floor. i can handle this as they cost only 50 cents. but a 70 dollar archer fish, man... that would make me feel real bad.




ykh said:


> very nice.


Thanks mate!!


*
Hi guys, what do you think?
should i close the front with sliding\opening doors?
would it help my plants to grow better or i can just do fine with my misting system?
i'm not sure about those tilandsias in high humidity

cheers!*


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## Amirk (Feb 24, 2012)

Amirk said:


> *
> Hi guys, what do you think?
> should i close the front with sliding\opening doors?
> would it help my plants to grow better or i can just do fine with my misting system?
> ...



so what do you guys say??


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## epiphytes etc. (Nov 22, 2010)

I say, if everything is growing well and looking like you want it to, then the glass front is unnecessary. You should just get a hand mister so you can spot spray any dry spots. 

BTW, that is one of the nicest paludariums I've ever seen. How bout a shot of the water section?


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## Amirk (Feb 24, 2012)

hi guys
just a quick update.
so, as you can see from the pictures, the tank is actually going backward 
but that's OK, i call it the "adjusting phase" when i get to know the system and the plants.
i lost a few plants due to low humidity issues.
the tank, even with the water underneath it, just cant keep a good level of humidity with the open front.
i'd even say it was pretty dry, especially with the air condition working in the room. 
so i made a decision and the last week i was working on installing front glass doors. i also closed the top with a plastic sheet stretched on wood frame.
turned out very nice. hopefully, this way the growth will start to kick in.
some pics































cheers


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## grantska (Apr 12, 2012)

Great looking tank!
To comment on your concerns with the Tillandsias.... I think they should be ok as long as you keep them toward the top of the tank where it is warmer/drier. I have one in my 18x24 Exo Terra thats doing great. No signs of rot, it flowered and is now in the process of sending out pups. The tank gets hand misted 2x a day and has a fogger that comes on about every 4 hrs. I should add that I have a 1.1/2" vent at the top of the tank to increase air circulation.


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