Well just send me a note if you would like any other specific information. These setups really are pretty easy to put together. Unlike regular planted tanks you can have a riparium with lots of robust plant growth without having to inject CO2. If you are able to suspend a light fixture above the tank you can probably add riparium plants to most any exiting setups without other major changes.
Ripariums for Plant Filtration
- Thread starter hydrophyte
- Start date
Here is a new update my 55G from the other night.
I will replace the fish soon. If you look in the lower left you can see some of the gold barbs. In the last few weeks I have noticed that those fish always lurk in the shadows under the emersed plants and I never see them anymore. I was only able to get them up to the front by throwing a couple of Hikari wafers in there. The underwater plants have grown into a thicket, so maybe shoaling active swimmers are less suitable. I wonder about putting a small catfish or small oddball in there.
Some of the plants had grown up so big that I was disappointed that I didn't plant into a larger tank, such as a 90, but after removing the large Java fern and Anubias barteri I have found that everything else scales really well with the dimensions of the 55.
This image was post-processed a little bit for exposure.
I will replace the fish soon. If you look in the lower left you can see some of the gold barbs. In the last few weeks I have noticed that those fish always lurk in the shadows under the emersed plants and I never see them anymore. I was only able to get them up to the front by throwing a couple of Hikari wafers in there. The underwater plants have grown into a thicket, so maybe shoaling active swimmers are less suitable. I wonder about putting a small catfish or small oddball in there.
Some of the plants had grown up so big that I was disappointed that I didn't plant into a larger tank, such as a 90, but after removing the large Java fern and Anubias barteri I have found that everything else scales really well with the dimensions of the 55.
This image was post-processed a little bit for exposure.
Thats amazing, try some splashing tetras, they breed on hanging leaves. Would this work with an amazon sword?
I have tried Amazon sword a couple of times but they wouldn't grow emersed very well for me: they refused to switch to emersed-form leaves. Another different sword that has grown well for me is E. cordifolius. Here is a shot of a little plantlet on the flowerstalk with a bloom on it.
I have a 125gal thats 72" long. I want to turn it into a riparium. I want to lightly plant it with tall plants, some ludwiga and water poppy. The tank will be almost full, I'm trying to make it look taller. What kind of tall plants do you reccomend? Also, would a typical walmart twin tube flourecent light be enough, or do I need to buy an aquarium light? I have a few silver dollars, would the plants be ok if their roots were eaten once they grew into the aquarium?
You could have excellent biological filtration with a setup like that, and grow some cool plants too. That E. cordifolius would be a good choice for that. I have extras of a number of good plants. I'll send you a PM.
That Walmart light could be alright for some kinds of plants, but for growing swords and most other plants you would do better with HO T5s with good reflectors. You could get a pair of hydroponics striplights for about one-hundred bucks. Those hydroponics lights are nice because they are easy to hang as pendants, which would be important for growing plants up and out of the top of your 75.
That Walmart light could be alright for some kinds of plants, but for growing swords and most other plants you would do better with HO T5s with good reflectors. You could get a pair of hydroponics striplights for about one-hundred bucks. Those hydroponics lights are nice because they are easy to hang as pendants, which would be important for growing plants up and out of the top of your 75.
You can see pics of the tank in my gallery. I'm going to take out most of the fake plants and add some more rocks for hiding places. I might try to grow a tropical lily in the front of the tank, or maybe off to one side. I'll probably take out all of the gravel and replace it with sand and flourite for the lily.
So it's the tank with the ray that you have in mind? That would be a good choice for a riparium setup. So long as the ray wouldn't upset it too much a lotus could be a good choice for an underwater plant, so would Amazon swords.
I have a specific recommendation for lighting, this refelctor...
http://www.paradigmgardens.com/hydroponicstore/store/product.php?productid=2218&cat=83&page=1
...with the 4-foot version of this lamp + ballast...
http://www.paradigmgardens.com/hydroponicstore/store/product.php?productid=1457&cat=84&page=1
One lamp would probably be sufficient for most plants, but if you wanted to use two lamps for more blooming and brighter foliage colors you could buy two and link together with this hanger...
http://www.paradigmgardens.com/hydroponicstore/store/product.php?productid=2208&cat=83&page=1
I got another shot showing the view down through the top of the crypts tank.
I wish that I could leave the canopy off all the time, but those plants all need high humidity.
I have a specific recommendation for lighting, this refelctor...
http://www.paradigmgardens.com/hydroponicstore/store/product.php?productid=2218&cat=83&page=1
...with the 4-foot version of this lamp + ballast...
http://www.paradigmgardens.com/hydroponicstore/store/product.php?productid=1457&cat=84&page=1
One lamp would probably be sufficient for most plants, but if you wanted to use two lamps for more blooming and brighter foliage colors you could buy two and link together with this hanger...
http://www.paradigmgardens.com/hydroponicstore/store/product.php?productid=2208&cat=83&page=1
I got another shot showing the view down through the top of the crypts tank.
I wish that I could leave the canopy off all the time, but those plants all need high humidity.
Wow, that tank looks great! I only had the ray for a week, she died of a bacterial infection.
I'll probably buy two of the lights so that the plants will grow faster. The reason I cant really keep any underwater plants is because of my two large male severums and my silver dollars. I thought of lilies becuse their leaves are on the surface, where the fish wouldn't pay any attention to them. Do you have any plants for sale that would do well in my riparium? I'd much rather do buisness with MFK'ers than with a large company.
I'll probably buy two of the lights so that the plants will grow faster. The reason I cant really keep any underwater plants is because of my two large male severums and my silver dollars. I thought of lilies becuse their leaves are on the surface, where the fish wouldn't pay any attention to them. Do you have any plants for sale that would do well in my riparium? I'd much rather do buisness with MFK'ers than with a large company.