Ripariums for Plant Filtration - Page 5

hydrophyte · 11-10-2009, 10:23 AM

Thanks so much.

Yes I am leaning toward cories or some other kind of catfish for my 40-gallon project. I might also/instead use a cichlid with some kind of little shoaling fish.

I have set up a lot of these riparium tanks. Just let me know if you might have any questions about plant selection or anything else.

hydrophyte · 11-11-2009, 8:47 PM

I don't think I posted this picture yet. This is the 65 again a short while before I tore it down for replanting.

I got that picture with flash and it looks a little funny. That plants had really gorwn up by that point back in September.

wonword · 11-11-2009, 10:32 PM

I love these, and might do something similar! You should do a write up on how to create them, and how to plant them! Thanks!

hydrophyte · 11-12-2009, 12:25 AM

Thanks very much. These riparium setups really are pretty easy to put together. SInce they don't require CO2 injection and have no trouble with algae on the above water plants they are also somewhat less demanding of maintenance. Your write-up idea is a good one--I wonder where I could put that here on MFK(?). There are a couple of pdfs online that explain how the planters work...

http://ripariumsupply.com/small-hang...-trifold-I.pdf

http://ripariumsupply.com/nano-trell...-trifold-I.pdf

wonword · 11-12-2009, 6:53 PM

Cool, thanks for the link! Im sure you could put it in a few different places, set up and filtration, DIY, etc! Thats a great idea with those planter things, do you buy or make yours? Are they pricey? How do you hide them in your tank, driftwood or aquatic plants?

hydrophyte · 11-12-2009, 9:35 PM

Yeah there quite a few different ways that you can configure those ripariums. Because the planters just either hang on the glass or float they are much easier to setup and maintain than paludarium setups, which involve built-up terrestrial areas.

The planters become obscured by foliage as the plants grow. Those trellis rafts have asymmetrical shapes and dark gray colorations, which makes them blend in.

hydrophyte · 11-13-2009, 1:46 AM

Here's another cool plant from that 55-gallon high humidity setup, an Anubias barteri var. nana growing on an Epi-Trellis Raft.

This little plant has great leaf and root development. They are rather conspicuous in this photo, but in the tank the foam raft segments are hidden in shadows and you can't really see them unless you look for them.

Note the developing flower up at the top of the plant.

hydrophyte · 11-16-2009, 9:28 PM

I just got a start on a new tank and started a journal over in the Catfish sub-forum:

Riparium setup with Synodontis petricola

This one is going to be fun. I can't wait till the fish get here.

*

hydrophyte · 11-23-2009, 10:31 PM

I was messing around tonight with plants and got a few shots of another unusual one, Cyrtospoerma johnstonii. This plant is originally from Southeast Asia. Look at the crazy leaf coloration that it has.

I have two little divisions of this plant that are growing well in riparium planters. Mature C. johnstonii specimens can grow to more than 4' tall. I hope that I will be able to control the size of these plants as they grow. This unusual species could serve as a striking centerpiece for a riparium display in a good-sized tank. I might put it into my new Synodonits setup. That tank is going to be open-top, so there will be some room for plants to grow up.

Tropicalfishking · 11-23-2009, 10:52 PM

cool, I am really, really inspired by all of those ripariums. I think that I will try one in the future!