axolotl habitat

[cichlidtank]

Building this habitat for my axies. Its a polystyrene and quickwall cement background with a waterfall plant filter.



I used some plywood for structure and lots of silicone with the polystyrene to make the basin on the back where Ill grow terrestial plants and the tank itself will be a planted tank with a dirt subs. under the sand.

filtration will be a grech canister filter 370gph, cranked way down of course, with spraybar into the basin which will have lavarocks and arrowheads and other plants.



just one coat so far, next two will contain the colors. enjoy

 

[Wiggles92]

Make sure that you seal it and/or run a buffer through it until the water's neutral as cement will mess with your pH big time otherwise.

Looks like this is going to be a very cool axolotl habitat, though!

 

[cichlidtank]

im gonna go ahead and let it soak for a couple of weeks, and use a little muratic acid to speak up the alkaline leaching. they got another 40 gallon being used as their home right now so no rush.

 

[cichlidtank]

getting closer to finish, color still wet so its dark.
still gotta brace it, dirt it and let it leach.

anyone know a good sealer for this, something matte?
also any suggestions for plants for the back part?

 

[Joe Blecha]

Ficus, schefflera, and pothos are some of my favorites in a set up like that. Most any tropical "house plants" would work well for this I think. Very cool, please post more pictures as it progresses. Java moss can grow out of the water if you have water running on it or some of it is submerged and able to wick to the rest of it...

 

[cichlidtank]

been checking out the plants suggested by Joe Blecha. Mini bonsai trees! the mini schefflera loves roots submerged and is hard to kill. also the bald cypress (mini one)
I think a bonsai tree and some moss growing over waterfall in a couple spots is the ticket! Im just concerned about the roots being powerfull enough to damage the cement basin, I think ill put a couple more coats in that area so its thicker.

Im not sure how many nutrients these will be able to suck up but they look so cool im gonna do it and find out i geuss.

 

[cichlidtank]

got the brace done and its stiffer then the original trim so I wouldnt hesitate to do this again even for the entire upper area on a conventional tank. (ya know without all the cement stuff)

im soaking the dirt sub. its a mix of vermiculite, peat moss, organic steer manure compost (completely composted) and organic soil. gonna order some laterite clay as well. after it "mineralises" Ill cap with black diamond sand.

waterfall is functional as well! getting closer to move in for axies!

 

[TakeNotes]

:thumbup::thumbup:

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[mahsfish]

Can I see some pics of the axies?


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[cichlidtank]

haha I guess I never did post any pics of the little fellers. Ill get some up