FishProfiles.com Message Forums

Hello, all!

I searched the forums, but nothing seemed quite to fit; I'm sorry if I just missed something.

My mom has an old ten-gallon tank, which she has since upgraded to a 25. She figures she still has the tank and the stand, and wants to convert it to a terrarium. I am guessing that there are quite a few folks on this site who have found themselves with old tanks, and was wondering if any of you have done something similar? She isn't interested in livestock of any kind - I've already suggested it to her - she just wants plants. The instructions she's telling me about are extremely expensive, and seem highly impractical, and she has been very disappointed in what seems to her to be impossible.

Is this really as difficult as she is afraid it will be? I bought her a small, pre-assembled terrarium to practice on, for Mothers' Day. By her birthday in a few months, I'm hoping we'll be able to "build" one from scratch. I don't know what variety plants she's hoping for; the only one she has specifically mentioned bamboo. I'm sorry for not having more detail; this is meant to be a gift. We live in a warm climate, though, and she tends to keep the house warm, if it helps or even matters.

Thank you all!

Hi,
In my experiance, a terrarium was used to house a reptile such as a small turtle, or small amphibian, That meant that you needed an area of solid ground so it could get out of the water and "sun" itself (generally under a specialized light designed just for that purpose) and an area of water for it to swim in, drink, and cool itself off in. It also needed a tight fitting cover so the critter could not get out of the tank and, especially, to maintain the high humidity necessary so the critter and plants would not dry out. For plants only, espeically in a 10G tank, you would need some very small plants, and some good potting soil, a plant light, and a lid to retain the moisture. You could do a variety or varieties of moss, or look for some very small tropical plants. The Bamboo you are mentioning, is probably what we see commonly in stores either fully or partially immersed in water. They are NOT "designed" to be fully submerged, you will want to have only the roots submerged in water - not the stalks.
I suggest you look around the Internet under Terrariums and read further.

Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

Well, now it seems she's added a level of complication. I apparently misunderstood the extent of what she wants to do.
(And also, her desire for the bamboo is to propogate it elsewhere.)

The tank in question is NOT the old 10 I assumed it was; it is my brother's old 25 gallon, which he simply can't keep anymore. Mom wants to use the filter to create a waterfall effect. It's a hang-on filter, and I think, probably the wrong machine for this job.

She wants to make a sort of rock scape, with the intake of the filter hidden behind the rocks, and the outflow being a waterfall, and have a mixture of small aquatic plants and small non-aquatic water-loving plants (yes, probably moss). How high of a water level are we talking about for such a thing? I'm thinking it will be pretty high.

I also suggested she "manufacture" rocks, using plumber's foam and a good acrylic paint. My niece, however (the original owner of the tank), just about has her grandmother convinced to put a frog in this little waterscape/landscape/terrarium pipe dream, though, and my mother is concerned about the toxicity of foam and paint.

We are plant people - my father has literally had old fence posts sprout under his care - so we are pretty confident about the actual plant keeping. Our main concern is the plant/soil/gravel/sand ratio, and now the waterfall mechanics (?!). Different sources have different advice. I've generally gotten good advice from you all before, and thought I'd take a long shot on this one, even though it's a bit off-topic!

Hi,
It sounds like it could be a really neat setup once done. The aquarium filter may be a problem. Most hang on the back filters are designed for the water level in the tank to be at very nearly the same level as the filter and the pumps are not designed to raise the water that high. You could try two to three inches of water with an intake tube that goes to the bottom of the tank, fill the filter with water (prime it) and see if the pump will pull the water that high. Another option might be a pump from one of the many water fountains for cats and dogs. That consists of a reservoir and a submerged pump that forces water up, through a filter and then out into a open catch basin where the pet drinks and then recycles the water. They run off of 9 VDC and use a "wall wart" that plugs into your standard 115 VAC outlet. Of course any pump meant for ponds would work too, but I think even the smallest one might be too strong for the 29G tank.
One can use natural rocks for the water feature. It would increase the weight in the tank, and you would need to secure them so they don't move and fall over cracking the glass.

In trying to replicate nature, many choose a tropical climate with plants, some flowering, and some amphibian. The problem is that most folks don't have the humidity in a home required to keep those plants. The resolution is a tight fitting lid that keeps the tank very humid, and any critters contained.

Sounds like a fun project.. When done, you might post some pictures.

Frank

-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

It can be done and not that expensive. The waterfall effect can be achieved with a reptile filter. Get a nice size bowl to put the bottom of the filter in and then you can fill the bottom of the tank with soil and rocks surrounding the bowl. Add your plants, moss and bog wood. If you get a wet pet or reptile make sure the bowl is something you can empty for waste removal. Also make sure there is a way for the pet to exit the water if it is semi-aquatic. You can also go to reptile or hermit crab sites for ideas.

TTFN --->Ta-Ta-For-Now
Kelly ;o}