The Swamp

[coldcazzie]

I will, but the numbers won't be as high as they could be with a filter as it's just the plants filtering. The cyperus is a good filterer though.

i was using 50 as an example, not a template

Here, if I could get 50 in that would be fab! I'll have to see how it goes.

During my last absence I got cut off from electricity for a month and all my fish survived! I am sure it is due to the plants. Stocking was normal and plant mass not exaggerated. I think you can put more livestock in there than you think.

Well going by the mahoosive size of Tom's plants and the reports of how well the cyperus filters I may be able to get more in than I originally thought. But it'll be a slow build up. I did wonder briefly if perhaps I could get in some bottom dwellers - corydoras habrosus or khulis perhaps? I dismissed it out of hand as a stupid idea but maybe I should consider it again.

 

[coldcazzie]

Ok, so I just ordered 2 x calla lilies and 4 x hosta "white feather". There was a free postage offer on this weekend and I went via a cashback site for 10% cashback the delivery times are a bit vague, but I've ordered from them before and they send an email out when they've despatched the plants. Hopefully it won't be too long

 

[coldcazzie]

Calla Lily: pink mist variety ordered
Peace Lily
Cyperus alternifolius
Blyxa aubertii ??
Hygrophilla angustifolia
Anubias barteri
Anubias barteri var. nana
Cryptocorynes
Java fern needle
Bolbitis
Blyxa japonica/cyperus helferi
Hosta white feather ordered
Sweetflag
Anubias hastifolia
Anubias lanceolata
Anubias heterophylla
Anubias afzeli
Herringbone plant
Spider plant

Today I bought a peace lily, a Dryopteris erythrosora (a fern which I may or may not use in the tank. If I don't then I've a good spot in the garden which it will go in perfectly.) and a Anthurium andraeanum.

The A. andraeanum is quite interesting - it's an aroid, same as the peace/calla lilies, but it's an epiphyte which means it natively grows on trees in the rainforests. One of the suggested methods of keeping that I have unearthed while researching it is to strip the roots from the soil, wrap around a branch then cover in sphagnum moss and bind with fishing line, and then suspend from the ceiling of a humid greenhouse. Now I don't have a greenhouse to suspend it from, but I could definitely do binding it to an emergent piece of wood a couple of inches above the water line... we'll see how it goes

 

[Biulu]

this is the same method that is being used for attaching orchids; only in this case you need to make sure that there is enough humidity.

 

[coldcazzie]

Indeed. I have been thinking about that. I've actually been thinking about humidity for about a month on and off, and while talking to LLJ off the forum about it.

One of the things I considered was building my own tank out of wood, such that there was glass at the bottom for the bit under water, and then above it was kind of like a vivarium for a reptile - with solid sides and roof and then some sliding glass doors at the front. This would keep the humidity levels in the top part a lot higher than they could ever be in an open topped tank - even if the water level is dropped significantly below the tank rim. The disadvantage of doing that is that there would be a wooden section across the front of the tank which would obscure the view.

My next thought was possibly having part of the tank covered with glass covers. The disadvantage of that is that there wouldn't be much room between the covering glass and the water surface, unless I got a taller tank, which as I said before knocks the price up to a point where I probably can't afford it.

 

[Biulu]

I have seen people use aluminium in a type of tank like this. The advantage is that it gives you the strength you need and it will look much better esthetically.

Have you tried glueing your own tank with just glass? Here in Mexico people do it all the time and it makes tanks awfully cheap...

 

[coldcazzie]

You mean building it myself out of glass?

 

[Biulu]

Yes. You can ask Colin for tips...

 

[coldcazzie]

I honestly hadn't even considered that as an option... it is interesting though...

 

[Ps3Steveo]

Hope ya got some big muscles Caz there's a place just down the road from me that builds tanks and they're really cheap too.

 

[coldcazzie]

I did consider asking a local glazier or company for a quote on them building me a tank. Big fan of supporting local trades etc. Also wouldn't be too far to deliver either.

 

[coldcazzie]

So I been looking at wood

I really like the grapevine that is available on eBay. I can get 2 large pieces (couple of feet each) for £37 posted, but I'm not sure about it. I do definitely need hardscape for the anubias - I can't exclude it all together. I really want it to emerge from the water - I like that look, so longer wood is definitely on the table.

However I'm not sure if the grapevine will go with the mopani I've already got and will be buying from mattlee. Should I post links so you guys can give input? I'll be buying a few things today to post fish to other forum members so it would be good to buy the wood at the same time...

If I can get a piece of wood coming out of the water away from the side I'm hoping I can zip tie a planter to it...

 

[DrRob]

I personally quite like the look of more than one type of wood in an aquarium. I think it gives a good spread of colour and texture differences.

I for one would like to see the grapevine you're looking at, and I promise not to try to steal it.

 

[coldcazzie]

Ok, here's the mopani from Matt: http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/393024-bogwood-for-sale/ (piece number 1)

Here's the first bit of grapevine: http/www.ebay.co.uk/itm/120896004318?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

And here's the second piece: http/www.ebay.co.uk/itm/120896018554?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

They're listed at £15.99 each but he said he'd drop it to £15 each seeing as I'm asking about 2 pieces. He has smaller pieces but imo they're not as nice as they've been cut a lot to make them so small. I think I'll use my piece of redmoor in my biotope (the long piece) as well... plus a couple of pieces of mopani that I already have.

Thoughts?

 

[DrRob]

I love the first of the grapevines, and Mattlee's bog wood would make a good focal point. I can't see any reason why you can't have both together. It'll just look like a trunk from one tree with roots coming across from another.