cold water pond tank???

[Torrean]

I set up a 10 gal with 2 red spotted newts(i think) 2 pond snails, five ghost shrimp(for dinner) and apparently a mosquito fish (check the thread in tropical chit chat.

I made caves using tupperwear. First i measured the tupperwear to make sure it fit in the aquarium. Then I cut the rims off because it was about 1/2 inch two wide. Once the tupperwear was wide enough i placed it in the ten gallon. The only problem I ran into was that I could only find one width of tupper wear that was long enough to fit in the tank if you see what I mean. So what I did was I cut one bowl into 3/4ths I put the 3/4's piece over the end of a whole one. This made the bottom level 3/4's wider than the second level. Then I drilled holes in them so they would sink. I did this with a hot screw driver. It worked very well.

The second level is where I put the first cave. I basically just cut a door in the side of the tupper wear and sanded the rough edges. It worked quite well.

The top level was the most difficult. I used a bowl that was half the length of the others but it was the same width. So it didn't make a uniform step. more like a cliff. so I cut it in half. Then it was perfect. I wish I had taken some pictures while I was working on it but it slipped my mind. sorry.
Here is the final product.
edit: you can see the newt in the second and thrid pictures he's hiding in the cave

the spots on the side of the tank in the first pic are two snails climbing on each other. Oh i didn't notice but you can see one of the newts sticking his head out of the top cave in the last picture

 

[sunflower]

Seems to have worked out well! Better than having a huge pile of solid gravel in there anyway!

Well done.

 

[Torrean]

In case your wondering what those big brown balls are, they are plant bulbs. They are starting to sprout and I expect my tank will look MUCH different in a month or so. Any comments from you guys would be appreciated.

Here are some pics of the wildlife in the tank

do you think I should add some fake plants until the real ones start growing?

 

[Silly me]

it looks like you have some very long fingers in that last pic

 

[Idolz]

That is really cool. You're making good use of the area under your rocks
I can't think of the name of the set up you have... I've heard it somewhere before.

Edit: What are the names of the bulbs you have? I have one just like it and the LPS called it a Thai bulb

 

[Nethius]

Good idea! Cute newts!

 

[Torrean]

thanks for the comments guys. the bulbs are called aponogeton(the little ones) and lillies(the big round ones)

 

[Sandamarly]

What are you going to feed them I fed mine Mosiqutoe Larvee I think thats how you spell it!!

 

[Torrean]

well before I found out what he was i fed him fish flakes and he took to them like a fish to water. I have to add them for the ghost shrimp anyway so i guess i'll just feed him flake. I may try the mosquito thing. what's involved?


HAHAHA I thought you were talking about the fish for some reason. I assume you were talking about the newt. right now i'm feeding them ghost shrimp and shrimp pellets

 

[Puffer_freak]

mosquito larvae is live food that you should be able to get down your lfs.

Personally, I would have gone for the natural gravel! However, by changing it now, you may lose all the beneficial bacteria!

 

[sinistral]

Looks great Torrean!! Thanks so much for sharing your hard work with us. Your newt looks happy

 

[Torrean]

about the natural gravel. Do you mean gravel just on the bottom of the tank. I believe these guys need a land mass to be happy. That's why I built the gravel Pile in the first place. I put the caves in because the gravel pile was 7" thick and I was worried about the toxic bubbles forming in settling substrate thing. I had to do something and this is what came to mind. Thanks for you input.

 

[Torrean]

I think it's called a local biotope tank or something like that.

 

[Puffer_freak]

By natural gravel, I mean like keeping the current set up but with just the pebbly stones that are natural colours. That would make it more of a biotype...unless of course you have blue and black gravel in your local lake...

 

[Mr Miagi]

lol, now that would be one cycadellic lake.....

A biotope is where you try to recreate as close as possible the natural habitat of your fish. But i like the idea you have used!