Using wood to Scape a large setup. The “shelf” effect to build a riparium zone

[mrrobxc]

Sorry for the delayed updates. Was busy with family and other obligations.

Here’s a pic showing the large pieces that will form the basic frame of the overall scape.

 

[mrrobxc]

Each end is held up by a thick straight stumpy piece. Smaller intricate pieces are stacked on top with the curvy ends going out into the water.

 

[PYRU]

Really nice. This is how I like to do bigger tanks as well. I usually use pond foam to create a background with wood embedded but it's a best to get off if you need to take it down.

It's really common in vivariums

Nice work thanks for sharing

 

[mrrobxc]

Really nice. This is how I like to do bigger tanks as well. I usually use pond foam to create a background with wood embedded but it's a best to get off if you need to take it down.

It's really common in vivariums

Nice work thanks for sharing

Thank you. I want to set up a vivarium and almost bought a 96x30x36 tank I was going to use to build a vivarium/paludarium. I researched the pond foam and thought I’d use pond foam up to the half 20” point and then glue some epiweb on the top 16” where I would grow moss and ferns into. Was thinking of getting some day geckos for the top with some bromeliads planted on a wooden shelf and add a mister to finish things off. I was really close to doing that before I found this 535.

Fish would’ve been a trio of African butterflyfish, a school of some red Congo tetras, a group of pelvicachromis taeiniatus, a small group of tetradon shoudeteni, and some steatocranus.

You just inspired my next build with the reminder!

 

[mrrobxc]

Same concept is used in my 280. Manzanita is used instead of Malaysian. Same effect but better for smaller tanks since manzanita is much thinner and more suitable for smaller aquariums. Here are a few frontward shots.

You’ll see the same shelf design where the thickest pieces of wood form the main tripod structure on each end.

The pieces along the back are arranged to interlock and create tons of nooks and crannies. Anubias was planted in this setup and I plan to add some more.

 

[mrrobxc]

What I like most about this design is the amount of floor space you can create in your layout. From the front, the tank looks like it’s jam-packed with wood. But when you look from the side or close up, you’ll notice how much space you are able to create.

I really like the dimensions of this 280. 80x34x24” gives plenty of floor space to do a cool shelving system. Given that this tank wasn’t much longer than my previous 180-225’s, I was able to use a similar layout to what I had before. This plan allows a solid 75”x26” open floor plan of swimming space with the only parts jutting out being limited to each end in the corners and up at the top where the water meets the surface.

 

[mrrobxc]

For taller tanks, you can create both a land and water scape using this shelf but putting the top lower in the tank. In my previous 225, I had the setup at one point with the water level being only 24” high and devoting the rest to an open riparium.

All you have to do in this setup is to buy riparium plants that can thrive with their roots in open water and their foliage emersed. Plenty of options can be found and all are avilable at your regular home depot or Lowe’s. All you need to do is plant directly on top of this shelf. You can tangle floating stem plants like hornwort or Pennywort to the tangles at the top to create shaded areas and give color to your scape while you can also attach mosses or ferns to the wood like anubias, java fern, or bolbitis.

Here’s an old tank that I think many of you have seen already but it illustrates the versatility of this scape.

 

[mrrobxc]

Picked up a bag of larger gravel to mix in with my sand to give it some texture and make it look more natural. I like mixing sand with various grain sizes of gravel to mimic what would be found in nature. Over time, I’ll add to this substrate with various dried pods and even sourcing some palm fronds to put in the water. I’ll be looking for things that decay slowly as opposed to rapidly decaying organic material like various leaves which will make your water a mess when you have fish like geos.

 

[mrrobxc]

Few pics of the substrate.

 

[nzafi]

Thank you. I like the look of tannins as well. A good tip I got from some discus guys is to put raw organic Roibos tea into bags and place them in the filter. It does a whole lot to help with the Brown look and is safe for the fish. Apparently it has a calming effect even though it doesn’t change the water parameters. I highly recommend giving it a shot.

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Do you have an example of the bag you use? Trying to find a fine mesh bag with zipper and struggling.