New project 75g paludarium

[Steve C]

Fog is rolling in on the paludarium tonight. Can even hear the spring peppers singing away (sound on) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vt-gF7qabMA

[Chasmodes]

That's so cool!!!

[Steve C]

Thanks Ken. It's doing really well, much better than expected. Most research I did before building this said that you'll lose plants for a short period of time as they acclimate to being planted in the new environment. So far though only thing that has changed is my one ficus bonsai on the left dropped its leaves and died back a tad. Which is normal for replanting/moving a bonsai tree, that happens to me every spring when I take all my trees out of the overwintering spots and put them outside. But it already has some new buds popping. And a few spots of the moss on the back rock have browned, but other than that so far so good which is a bit surprising to me.

[Steve C]

Palurdarium is fully cycled now so added some life to it today in the form of four giant danios, 2 doz bloody mary shrimp, few guppies and few snails.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRpZM_twnXo

[Steve C]

Added four male fancy guppies today. Hard to believe because guppies are such a common fish, but these are actually the first time I have ever owned guppies.

[Deeda]

Loved the video, it's looking great!!

Guppies, OH NO, just kidding.

[Steve C]

I know, I dunno what is happening to me. First shrimp, then danios and snails, now guppies. I hope my cichlid card does not get revoked

[Chasmodes]

Very cool! I loved the video. Have you thought about collecting your own fish (natives)?

[Steve C]

Hey Kevin. I have thought about maybe doing that at some point. Wanted something a bit more colorful for this tank though so that's why I decided on guppies. Sometime down the road I might do a native species tank though I always thought that would be cool.

Figured I'd do a little 5 week update on my first ever paludarium. Things are going surprisingly well in it so far. I did not experience any sort of die off of any plants during the acclimation period which was a little surprising. Only thing that happened was the ficus bonsai tree on the left dropped all its leaves when I repotted which is normal for it, but now it's pushing out a whole new set of growth the past 2 weeks. Shrimp are doing well and some are pregnant. Snails have been thriving and went from 3 snails to who knows how many now, 50+? Added 7 male guppies and 4 giant danios and they are doing well. All plants are doing great and even have some very nice lush green moss growing naturally on the rocks and wood now which is nice. For my first paludarium build I could not be happier with it so far.

[Deeda]

It's looking even better if that's possible.

[Chasmodes]

Steve, your paludarium looks amazing!!!!

[Steve C]

Thanks guys. It's really doing extremely well since setting it up. Growing like crazy. Really need to get in there and do some trimming soon I think. Here's a short vid of it from the other day https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44tku-AZMuY&t=2s

[Deeda]

The plants are looking great! Are you having to remove the duckweed? regularly to keep it under control?

[Steve C]

YEP! lol. I started with a bag of duckweed from a buddy in my local club, now I could fill a bath tub with duckweed I moved some over into my 75g senegal bichir tank, but I also net out and trow away about a cup full every few weeks just to keep it under control.

[Chasmodes]

Awesome work Steve. That video is fantastic. I almost envision King Kong coming around the corner!