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Hi,
After months of saying I wouldnt start again, I have. My 20 gallon is totally cleaned out and ready for another attempt at a paladarium. Does anyone have any suggestions on how I could build it this time around ?

Build up rock in the back or to one side, run a waterfall over it, plant some lovely emergent plants and some java moss over the rocks, maybe a bromeliad or two ....

-Molly
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I'd use plexiglass and silicone to cut the tank into fourths (lengthwise). Then use 1/4 on each side for land. The remaining 1/2 in the middle can be used for a shallow "stream".

i have done this before, and it looks kinda cool, but i just did a simple 1/2 land on one side, 1/2 water on the other.

water falls are probably a very good idea, what are you keeping in there? i had frogs, and they spent most the time on land, and occasionally goes in the water to hunt down the feeders

DO NOT use plexiglass if you want it to hold, unless you are planning on using very very thick plexi. There is too much movement.

Glass or prefabricated containers are a wiser move (and usually cheaper!)



For animals, the entire universe has been neatly divided into things to (a) mate with, (b) eat, (c) run away from, and (d) rocks. - Terry Pratchett

What kinda plexiglass do you get calla? Stuff's hard as a rock if you know what you're lookin' for...

Yeah, that's odd. Many people even build tanks out of plexi.

I'd build the land on the side, use rocks to hold any plant substrate for the land mass.

The trick I used was the "river rocks" you can find anywhere, $1.00 a bag at Walmart or craft store, and used aquarium silicone to create rock walls. Holds soil, moss, and plants pretty well (loose rocks are great for lucky bamboo too, which does amazing in paladariums).

Personally, I'd get frogs for the land, and probably minnows or neons for the water. I've got a white's dumpy frog in my 15g, and he really isn't too big for the tank.

Just take your time, it can take a lot of patience to get it set up perfectly. I re-scaped my tank about 3 times before I got it the way it is.

Last edited by harleysiber at 02-Jun-2005 17:33

i don't know what brand, its not Lexan.

McFat had a big prblem before with the sections leaking. unless you lather up the seals with silicone, the slight amount of givce in the plexi is going to pull the seam undone, especially if you are trying to get it to hold water.

For animals, the entire universe has been neatly divided into things to (a) mate with, (b) eat, (c) run away from, and (d) rocks. - Terry Pratchett