Cryptic Diptych Riparium

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
H

hydrophyte

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Aug 10, 2009
863
0
0
Madison, Wisconsin
I have a start on a new setup. This will be a diptych--a single composition rendered in two adjoined frames--in a couple of 24" tanks (a 30 XTall and a 25 Tall). I intend to do both of these as high-humidity riparium enclosures mainly as a better way to display some of my nice emersed crypts. I have some interesting plants and nice specimens, but these days my crypts are mainly in dingy culture tanks.

Anyway, here is a shot from last night of the very beginning. I already have a few plants in there.

21-vi-10-diptych-tank-i-m.jpg


This tank will end up looking a lot like the 55-gallon that I had a while back for emersed crypts, ferns and Anubias, and it will have a lot of the same plants in it.

2-ix-09-crypts-tank-i-m.jpg
 
no comments? well, personally, I'm looking forward to seeing the results

I'm planning on trying something similar to your 55G tank in a 20G long
 
Sounds pretty interesting. Is the pair of tanks of two different heights a creative decision or are you just utilising what you have available?
 
yeah, sometimes it's just easier to use what you have . . . at least it lets you do some creative thinking . . .
 
I haven't done too much more with this project but I did get a couple more plants situated. The new Epi Trellis Raft design is perfect for rhizomatous emersed plants, especially smaller Anubias and Java fern. There are a lot of holes and notches that facilitate the fastening of the plant rhizomes. The plant roots also grow down through those holes as the plant develops.

27-vi-10-epi-trellis-raft-i-m.jpg


I mounted this A. barteri var. nana on a raft in a snap with a couple water-resistant rubber bands. It is important to make sure that the rubber band or other tie fastener does not squeezed the rhizome tight. Here I wrapped them so that they would have just a loose hold on the plant. Once the plant begins ot grow the roots will actively adhere to foam and hold strong.

27-vi-10-epi-trellis-raft-ii-m.jpg
 
The new Nano Trellis Raft design will also work well for rhizomatous plant that grow on stones and other hard surfaces. I planted up a couple short sections of 'Windeløv' Java fern the other night to use as midground emersed hedge feature in this setup.

27-vi-10-nano-trellis-raft-ii-m.jpg


Mounting the fern was easy. I just crossed a pair of water-resistant rubber bands over the top of the rhizomes and behind the raft.

27-vi-10-nano-trellis-raft-i-m.jpg


If you note the scale with my fingertips you can see that the Nano Trellis Raft is only about 1/2 the size of the Epi Trellis Raft. There are not a great deal of rhizomatous plants that are small enough to use with this design. Windeløv is one that should work, and I imagine that Anubias barteri var. nana 'Petite' would fit well too.
 
There's not much new in this tank. I'm still just growing the plants up to size, but I do have a quick update. The Schismatoglottis NOID is looking seriously great. This is an excellent little plant for smaller riparium setups and a good companion for crypts, and it's botanically unusual. The red-veined plant is a Fittonia planted on a nano trellis raft.

27-viii-10-schismatoglottis-i-m.jpg
 
Here is that spathe on my Anubias hastifolia. It's not so much to look at, but I have had this plant growing now for a couple of years and it is fun to see it bloom. The spathe might open up some more. I will return with more pictures if it does.

1-ix-10-anubias-hastifolia-i-m.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
MonsterFishKeepers.com
Top Bottom