Stump+Overhanging Plants?

[Dread]

So I've always wanted to create a tank that sort've resembles the bank of a river, or where a tree overhangs into/over the water, but I haven't ever been able to think of a way. I was flipping through an older Aquarium magazine that showed a tank that had a large stump in it, and it was taller than the tank, so some was sticking out. On the part that was out of the water, some type of plants were hung so their roots were in the water, and they got what they needed. Has anyone done something similiar, or have any ideas on how this could be done? I've attached a little diagram showing kind of what I mean, since I'm not too sure if I can articulate accuractely how it looked.

Now, of course, this could be done simply - that is, if you found the one in a million peice of driftwood that could be a stump with branches. In the original tank, I believe the root/stump was some sort of Mangrove. There were also higher "levels" on the stump which held plants that were land-lubbers and didn't need to touch the water to live, and it created shadowy areas under them. So, since this mythical peice of driftwood probably won't be found for a long while, what would be some other ways to achieve this? It was basically (I assume, I couldn't read it, since it was in Japanese) designed to mimick a tree growing right out of the water. Are there any other ways this could be done without putting plants on the rim of the aquarium?

I've always been curious, and maybe now I can find out. I should've worked on my art work a little bit, since I really don't like outduing Michael Angelo, but some things have to be done.

 

[ThePBM]

artsy tree with egg crate platform to stick plant roots through?

 

[Dread]

But then you end up with a grid shadow in the aquarium, because lighting is supplied from above. It isn't so much about the roots hanging in the water, it's about making it look almost as if a tree, or any plant really, is growing straight out of the aquarium and into the air. Or, if you want to look at it differently, like a wooded area has been flooded.


And by the way, I'm looking for ANY ideas that are similiar to this. Plants overhanging into the aquarium. Almost like a Paludarium, except the land part isn't even in a tank, and it's easier. I don't plan to put it into full scale use, but I might want to try something like this, in s amller scale, on maybe a 5.5g tank just for tests.

 

[schaadrak]

You could build your own stump using several different pieces of driftwood.

Here's a driftwood structure I built for my 12gal that is made up of several pieces of grapewood:

I used dowels and Sumo glue (any urethane glue will work, though).

 

[santoury]

Being a plant guy, I MUST mention the dead plant in the rear of your photo TSK TSK TSK

As for the plant itself, you can use Pothos, or possibly one of the Philodendron species. They are often used in Palaudariums. (They are not the most attractive of plants, though)

PM me if you want to kick around more ideas - I could list hundreds of other options.

But to begin with
Pothos
Philodendron (clambering species, not the bushy species)
Spider Plant - any of the five color variations would be nice.
Mangroves
Creeping Fig

etcetcetcetc

Well, YOU tell me what effect you would like, colors, shapes, sizes, etc, and I can better help you.

 

[ali12345]

Hi,
I'm thinking of something similar for my new 10 ft tank. I am interested in species of plant that aren't going to be toxic if the fish eat them!
Would spider plants have their roots submerged as they sound like a good idea - cheap and grow well. Also thinking of a small plant filter with plants growing out the top. Any ideas for this?
Alison

 

[santoury]

Hello,
Spider plants would do very well with the roots in water. (That is how babies are started, actually, if you cut off a baby and put it in water at the base)
As for the plant filter, plants take nutrients out of the water for their own use, and thus filter the water, but it won't "clean" your water. But you could use spider plants, Syngoniums, possibly Spathiphyllums (peace lilies) and other similar plants. Mangroves, again, would do the same. (But are not small)

 

[schaadrak]

Anubias sp. and Java ferns will do excellent as emergent plants.

 

[fishdance]

Overhead Trickle Filters are common in Asia including Japan and apart from being very effective and easy to clean, its also easy to grow overhanging plants straight out of the filter which dangle down into the tank.

There should be some google images if you search for overhead aquarium filters.

 

[Dread]

You could build your own stump using several different pieces of driftwood.

Here's a driftwood structure I built for my 12gal that is made up of several pieces of grapewood:

I used dowels and Sumo glue (any urethane glue will work, though).

Ah, this is a great idea! I wonder if it would be plausible to fashion a "made" peice of dritwood across the center bracing on a tank, and let it hang into the water? Or maybe even make my own brace (cheaply, of course, it would be made from PVC, I imagine) and then setup the driftwood to straddle that with it's limps hanging into the water?

And santoury, why take it to PMs? ^_^ It's what the thread is about, so feel 100% free to kick around ideas for the plants. I need just as much help with those as I do the original idea.

I COULD grow the aquatic plants emmergent (for those that its possible with, anyways), however that woiuld be alot of hassle with keeping humidity in, and lighting, etc. Do you know of any terrestrial plants with long root systems? You mentioned the Spider plant, and after looking some up on Google (as I'm not too familiar with most non-aquatic plants) it looks that it would be near perfect! Any other long rooted plants? Their root-upwards appearance isn't one of my worries, so it has no need to be a beautiful flowering plant, or anything of the like. This is, after all, about the aquarium aesthetics, not about the plants creating the effect, so I would almost prefer "uglier" plants so it wouldn't take away from the under-water view.

Also, is it possible to just tie some mosses to the emmerging "stump," like you would Java Moss? And would any do fine if they were hanging into the water? In my head, I'm kind of imaging a tiny "moss forest" hanging into the water around the center peice of driftwood. Kind of like how Pistia stratiotes roots tangle down. But insted of Pistia stratiotes roots, moss.

Also, over at Aquatic Plant Central forums, someone mentioned using Tillandsias, attaching it to the wood. Does this idea sound good? I even like the look of some Tillandsias.

Again over at APC, someone is using this wood in their aquascape:

(NOTE: This picture is of Anti-Pjerrot's at Aquatic Plant Central, not my own)

I think if I could find something like that, I could cut a notch in it, and then set it up upside-down to kind of sit on a center brace or home-made crossing.