Ripariums for Plant Filtration

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
wow, these fish tanks are really buetiful. i have a question for hydrophyte.

i have a huge anubias barteri growing out of lava rock. it has been totally submerged all its life. is there a way to sorta drain the water level some so that a part of the top of it would be exposed to air? i would like to perhaps create something like what you have here.

i ask before i do since it is so beautiful.
thanks!
 
Thanks fwiffo! I'd say that you should be able to adapt that plant to emersed growth. I owuld suggest just lowering the water while keeping a tight lid on the tank. So long as you have a heater in there the air inside will stay very humid. It would be a good idea to watch the plant to make sure that it doesn't suffer from dryness. To increase the humidity even more you can position an airstone right under the plant, which will splash water droplets onto the leaves.

I have another fun new update from the 50-gallon setup. I got a surprise a few mornings ago. Look for the little lavender spot in this picture.

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The Limnophila aromatica had a single bloom on it. The delicate little flower goes really well with this plant's fine foliage.

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It has been several days now and the flower is still open and fresh. Here is a cozier macro shot.

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Here is one last view. Those emersed stems have grown in well and are more full thatn they were just a week ago.

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I have just one more shot form the other night. This one shows that newest leaf on the Cyrtosperma johnstonii plant.

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This thing is getting tall. I raised up the light fixture to make room for the new leaf, and I also turned on the other two lamps, so now all four 39-watt T5s are going.
 
I tore down my 55-gallon riparium setup, then put it together again at a local retail establishment. Here's a long shot...

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...and a close-up.

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I'll come back with a couple more image files when I get them loaded. I hope to add fish maybe Thursday if I can make it back over there.
 
I got some fish back into here yesterday. They are still shy, but they will get to be more lively. Here's a quick shot of them cautiously going after a Hikari wafer.

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Oh and here's a shot from the night before last with the hardscape, stones and manzanita.

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