# 15 gallon column paludarium.



## CrucialCrew_Justin (Jun 17, 2013)

Just a few pictures of where I'm at so far in this build. 




























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## CrucialCrew_Justin (Jun 17, 2013)

Quick update of the direction I want head with this tank. 









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## Damon Ryan (Nov 13, 2015)

Looks good! What size tank is this and what did you use to carve the gs?


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## alogan (Jan 7, 2013)

I think it's a 15 gallon tank lol


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## kromar (Jun 6, 2015)

i like the look of that twigs looking forward to the next update


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## DragonSpirit1185 (Dec 6, 2010)

What do you plan on putting in there?


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## CrucialCrew_Justin (Jun 17, 2013)

Just some small fish for inhabitants. 

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## CrucialCrew_Justin (Jun 17, 2013)

Just finished doing some modifications to the original light hood for the tank. The light sockets are for 2 jungle dawn LEDs. The small fixture in the back is a National Geographic remote controlled LED I plan on using at night as an accent light.

Finishing up the background hopefully tonight and will post some updates later. 

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## CrucialCrew_Justin (Jun 17, 2013)

Background complete. The top branch is just wedged in there so I can remove it when I start planting. I only work on it maybe a few hours a week so I still have a long ways to go before its finished. I'm hoping to at least get the water portion up and running sometime next week. 

I do have a question on the amount of lighting I'll need if I want to have aquatic plants as well. I was thinking 2 13w Jungle Dawn LEDs. Will that be enough to reach the bottom?

Thanks.

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## jarteta97 (Jun 13, 2014)

Oh wow it looks amazing, job well done. The manzanita branches were aptly used in this build, I can see them as roots sticking out of a river bank into the water, and the rock wall looks amazing. I can't wait to see it planted up


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## GandalfTheGrey (Nov 18, 2015)

I've got the same tank model and now have an idea of what I'm gonna do with it, thanks for the inspiration. What substrate are you putting in there?


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## GandalfTheGrey (Nov 18, 2015)

CrucialCrew_Justin said:


> Background complete. The top branch is just wedged in there so I can remove it when I start planting. I only work on it maybe a few hours a week so I still have a long ways to go before its finished. I'm hoping to at least get the water portion up and running sometime next week.
> 
> I do have a question on the amount of lighting I'll need if I want to have aquatic plants as well. I was thinking 2 13w Jungle Dawn LEDs. Will that be enough to reach the bottom?
> 
> ...


I'm not sure if the light will reach the bottom, but what plants are you adding to the tank? Some plants like anubias and some types of crypts don't really need high light requirements, and some plants like java fern will even get clear spots on their leaves that will eventually turn brown if they're exposed to too much light.


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## CrucialCrew_Justin (Jun 17, 2013)

GandalfTheGrey said:


> I'm not sure if the light will reach the bottom, but what plants are you adding to the tank? Some plants like anubias and some types of crypts don't really need high light requirements, and some plants like java fern will even get clear spots on their leaves that will eventually turn brown if they're exposed to too much light.


Thanks I guess I'll just keep to low to medium light aquatic plants. 

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## CrucialCrew_Justin (Jun 17, 2013)

Everything up and running. 

































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## Alegre323 (Sep 2, 2011)

CrucialCrew_Justin said:


> Everything up and running.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


looks really good. you inspired me to make a tank of my own again (small like yours)


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## RabidSimian (Sep 25, 2015)

Looks great. 

May I ask what kind of wood you are using? I'm wanting to branch out in my natural vivarium décor.


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## CrucialCrew_Justin (Jun 17, 2013)

RabidSimian said:


> Looks great.
> 
> May I ask what kind of wood you are using? I'm wanting to branch out in my natural vivarium décor.


Thank you. I used Manzanita in the paludarium. 

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## GandalfTheGrey (Nov 18, 2015)

Looks awesome! What types of fish are you planning on putting in there?


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## CrucialCrew_Justin (Jun 17, 2013)

GandalfTheGrey said:


> Looks awesome! What types of fish are you planning on putting in there?


Most likely a few ghost shrimp, some snails and neon tetras. 

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## GandalfTheGrey (Nov 18, 2015)

Good luck with the fish, but most snails can breed extremely fast and overrun your tank, so using assassin snails helps keep the snail population down if your snail population gets to big.


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## Johnny R. Mcavery (Jan 13, 2016)

What is the function of the PVC pipe in this build? I am thinking about doing something like this for my tank just like this. I went for an aquascape look and The light i had in it went out today, which is fine as the plants in there are about to be moved to my axolotl tank (55 gal)


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## CrucialCrew_Justin (Jun 17, 2013)

Johnny R. Mcavery said:


> What is the function of the PVC pipe in this build? I am thinking about doing something like this for my tank just like this. I went for an aquascape look and The light i had in it went out today, which is fine as the plants in there are about to be moved to my axolotl tank (55 gal)


It's where I have the intake and return for the canister filter. Intake on the right and return on the left split between the waterfall (far left) and middle pipe. 

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## Johnny R. Mcavery (Jan 13, 2016)

Okay. That makes so much sense. I pretty much stick with pumps within the tank. One of these days I'll do a canister filter


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## KJM (Feb 28, 2015)

Really like that setup! Thanks for the ideas.


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## RRRavelo (Nov 21, 2007)

What are the dimensions on that tank. I have a 15 high that's 19 inches high, 20 wide and 10 deep. That one looks less wide and deeper.

That would be a cool setup for an Archer fish if you could stock it with flies. You know the fish I mean? It shoots water from it's mouth and picks off bugs on overhanging branches.
Maybe too small for one and the flies would get all over. Just thinking aloud. 

So were you putting any frogs in it at all?


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## GandalfTheGrey (Nov 18, 2015)

CrucialCrew_Justin said:


> It's where I have the intake and return for the canister filter. Intake on the right and return on the left split between the waterfall (far left) and middle pipe.
> 
> Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk


What filter did you use? I thought most canister filters are for 30 gallon tanks or larger


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## CrucialCrew_Justin (Jun 17, 2013)

GandalfTheGrey said:


> What filter did you use? I thought most canister filters are for 30 gallon tanks or larger


Yeah it's rated for up to 25 gallons. It has a valve on it that I have set at about half way to restrict some of the flow. 

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## CrucialCrew_Justin (Jun 17, 2013)

Just added some aquatic life. A few neon tetras, one otocinclus (algae eater) and some ghost shrimp. 
Had a bit of on algae outbreak I'm trying to remedy by pointing the light more towards the background and away from the water. We'll see how it goes in the next week or so. 


















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## GandalfTheGrey (Nov 18, 2015)

Looks good! The otto cats and ghost shrimp will also eat algae by the way


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## Mehtevas (Mar 22, 2014)

Tank looks very nice, but i would suggest to also read up on the aquatic inhabitants you want to keep. The otocinclus is, just like the neon tetro, a group/school animal. Please dont keep the poor fish by itself.


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## CrucialCrew_Justin (Jun 17, 2013)

Mehtevas said:


> Tank looks very nice, but i would suggest to also read up on the aquatic inhabitants you want to keep. The otocinclus is, just like the neon tetro, a group/school animal. Please dont keep the poor fish by itself.


It was the last one they had. I plan on getting 2 more. 

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