Badger's Sumatran Rice Paddy

[WhistlingBadger]

Nicely done. Hats off to you for taking on such an endeavor. Thought about your tank when I saw this:
View attachment 126462

Thanks! Yeah, I saw that one somewhere. Almost but not quite a paludarium. Very cool.

Lots of materials on the way for this tank. Next step, after cleaning up all squished-out glue and testing the tank for seaworthiness, is to decide if I'm going to do a moss wall or a simulated stone retaining wall as a backdrop--the latter is a lot more work but I'm leaning that way--then build the thing.

 

[eatyourpeas]

Thanks! Yeah, I saw that one somewhere. Almost but not quite a paludarium. Very cool.

Lots of materials on the way for this tank. Next step, after cleaning up all squished-out glue and testing the tank for seaworthiness, is to decide if I'm going to do a moss wall or a simulated stone retaining wall as a backdrop--the latter is a lot more work but I'm leaning that way--then build the thing.

Can't wait to see it!

 

[WhistlingBadger]

Well, I filled up the tank. Wish me (and it) luck. If the cardboard is still dry by Wednesday afternoon, I'll start building the backdrop...

 

[WhistlingBadger]

Holding so far! I got the magic light fixture in last night. Haven't had time to play with it yet, but it sure looks cool. Neoprene leveling pad and substrate should be in today or tomorrow.

In other news, I'm almost done with my first home-made longbow, which I've been carving away at since last spring. I mention this because it's sharing workbench space with the aquarium, and occasionally wooden bows explode when being tested; last night I realized that if this thing broke, it was going to take out my aquarium. So, maybe I'll just wait a few days before I finish that project up.

 

[thuctoanvietnamese]

Im planning a similar one but don't know what to use to replicate rice

 

[WhistlingBadger]

Im planning a similar one but don't know what to use to replicate rice

I'm using rice. I have holes cut in my lid to enable the rice plants to grow through the top. You could probably use any of the semi-aquatic sedges or even some of the grassy-looking water plants like blyxa, vallisneria, or some of the taller crypts. Or, since you live in Vietnam, perhaps you could simply travel outside the city and see what weeds are growing in the local marshes.

 

[WhistlingBadger]

Overall design and color scheme for my backdrop

 

[eatyourpeas]

I now see your dark soil/red backdrop scheme. Nice!

 

[WhistlingBadger]

I now see your dark soil/red backdrop scheme. Nice!

Yeah, I just found this picture and said, yep, that's pretty much what I'm going for. But with fish.

 

[thuctoanvietnamese]

I'm using rice. I have holes cut in my lid to enable the rice plants to grow through the top. You could probably use any of the semi-aquatic sedges or even some of the grassy-looking water plants like blyxa, vallisneria, or some of the taller crypts. Or, since you live in Vietnam, perhaps you could simply travel outside the city and see what weeds are growing in the local marshes.

I used rice to experiment but they kind of just die when they are 10-13 cm tall

 

[WhistlingBadger]

I used rice to experiment but they kind of just die when they are 10-13 cm tall

How deep was your water? I'm hoping mine will grow, but if it doesn't there are some local sedges that I think will work.

 

[thuctoanvietnamese]

How deep was your water? I'm hoping mine will grow, but if it doesn't there are some local sedges that I think will work.

about 5cm.strangely,the one which are submerged survived

 

[WhistlingBadger]

about 5cm.strangely,the one which are submerged survived

Well, that's good to hear, because all of mine are going to be in 6" (15 cm) of water!

Speaking of which, the tank build was a success, despite my best efforts to screw it up. I filled it for 48 hours, and there was no sign of any leakage. It is now drained and drying out. I tried out the light fixture, and it fits perfectly!

Tonight I'll trim off the ugly glue blobs. I picked up a sheet of blue insulation foam from the lumber store last night, and either this evening or tomorrow I'll start building the backdrop. Stay tuned for pictures of mangled blue foam~~

 

[WhistlingBadger]

Well, I got out in the workshop and mangled some blue insulation foam today, and I am now the proud owner of a big pile of blue, fake rocks. Off to the hardware store for a can of drylok, some concrete pigment, and some organic potting soil. Stay tuned for pics...

 

[WhistlingBadger]

Got the rocks dry-brushed to bring out the texture and make them more realistic. Gluing them in tonight if all goes as planned. Then pictures.