A 56 Column Riparium

[hydrophyte]

I don't see anything like a journal forum here, but I would like to post a few pictures to describe progress on my latest setup, a riparium display in a 56-gallon Column tank.

This one is 30" wide X 18" deep X 24" tall--a good shape for this. My general idea is for a very low maintenance display. It will contain hardy plants with low to moderate lighting.

For now I just have the tank set up in a provisional way on a bench in my shop. I stuck some plants in there so that they could begin to acclimate to conditions in side along with some substrate (contained in plastic dishes, for easy removal) so that it could begin to cycle.

I'll post again later with a description of flora. I am working a fish stocking list too.

 

[VaughnH]

If I had that one I think I wouldn't be able to resist removing the plastic rim, as big a job as that is. Unless you just plan to keep all of the plants below the rim, where the rim then serves as a visual frame for the plants. I still can't get over how much more I enjoy my 15H tank, with the rim removed.

 

[hydrophyte]

Yeah its hard to beat the looks of a rimless tank. I especially like my Aqueon 65 with top rim removed. I am leaving the rim on this one however because I wish to have tighter control over humidity and temperature inside the display. Some of these plants will do better with moderate humidities.

I also have it in mind to maybe try mantids or maybe a real small herp like African reed frogs in this one, along with the fish.

 

[hydrophyte]

Reed frogs are pretty cool. Check out this link:

Amphibiancare.com >> Reed Frog (Afrixalus, Heterixalus, and Hyperolius species) Care

i wonder about US sources for these????

 

[VaughnH]

The frogs are fascinating, but persuading the wife to go along with that might be beyond my abilities!

I haven't thought of a good reason for not removing the top rim on a riparium tank. Since the tank will never be more than half full of water, bending of the glass, or breaking the joints should never be a problem. All of the glass above the water line is reinforcing that which is below the water line, which should make it plenty strong enough, even for tall tanks. But, what our hobby needs now is a good 5 cent cigar.......oops...I mean a good, easy method for removing the top rims on tanks like this, and cleaning up the silicone residue without the heavy labor now needed. This aspect of the hobby is still in the stone age.

Maybe all tanks should be sold with the top rim only very lightly fastened on. That still protects the glass from breakage from handling in the stores, and makes it very easy to remove it.

 

[hydrophyte]

I wonder if Aqueon is ever going to release that 65 rimless that they were working on(?). It was supposed to be out this summer, but I haven't seen it anywhere. I actually saw one of their prototypes at Central Aquatics there in Milwaukee and it looked pretty slick. It had the normal bottom plastic rim, but with thicker glass that was bevelled along the top edges and much neater silicone work than most of their tanks. I didn't hear about how much it was going to cost, but I think that they were going for mass market so it couldn't be too too much.

 

[VaughnH]

I wonder if Aqueon is ever going to release that 65 rimless that they were working on(?). It was supposed to be out this summer, but I haven't seen it anywhere. I actually saw one of their prototypes at Central Aquatics there in Milwaukee and it looked pretty slick. It had the normal bottom plastic rim, but with thicker glass that was bevelled along the top edges and much neater silicone work than most of their tanks. I didn't hear about how much it was going to cost, but I think that they were going for mass market so it couldn't be too too much.

I just visited Aqueon's website and sent them a request for information about that tank. Catalina makes tanks to order, and they are very near me, so I will ask them how much that tank size would cost, too. I'm betting it is substantially more than $200. For $200 they would likely sell me a nano tank.

 

[hydrophyte]

Here is a quick shot form another, already established tank--a 55-gallon that I have panted with crypts, Anubias, ferns and Spathiphyllum.

This tank has several of the same plants that I am using in the 56.

 

[Tom Barr]

You really should keep going with this and with the concept/business.
This has a lot more options.

MS, ADA AS, fish only folks, no CO2 stuff............this will appeal much more to the larger hobby.

Try other tropical foliage, most works pretty well, Water sprite is also very good as are about 95% of the aquatic plants.

I'm doing a L046 zebra pleco tank which has a Tek suspension light, 60p tank with starfire glass front, ADA like stand, No CO2..........and manzy wood, but I am using mostly floating and emergent plants, no CO2 or significant planting in the lower reaches, maybe some moss and Crypt affinis perhaps.

I use to make what I called plant filters, they hung out the outside and has a small diverter to flow water like a slow flow trickle filter. PVC 4" tube with a elbow to hang on the tank and to flow back in.

Very simple.

I will not use that on this tank, more the roots hanging into the water will accomplish this with a maze of Manzanita roots at the top of the aquarium.

Regards,
Tom Barr

 

[shoggoth43]

The Oceanic 55 rimless is out. I'm not sure on the footprint but I would guess 30x18 or maybe 36x18 at most. Not sure on the price or the overall quality. It looked decent enough in the store but was already setup so it was hard to focus on the tank and not the inhabitants.

-
S

I wonder if Aqueon is ever going to release that 65 rimless that they were working on(?). It was supposed to be out this summer, but I haven't seen it anywhere. I actually saw one of their prototypes at Central Aquatics there in Milwaukee and it looked pretty slick. It had the normal bottom plastic rim, but with thicker glass that was bevelled along the top edges and much neater silicone work than most of their tanks. I didn't hear about how much it was going to cost, but I think that they were going for mass market so it couldn't be too too much.

 

[hydrophyte]

Here's a quick picture of my 65-gallon from last night. This is almost the same shape as the 56 Column.

 

[Tom Barr]

Here's a quick picture of my 65-gallon from last night. This is almost the same shape as the 56 Column.

Might try Green gecko Crypts for the water.

Also, where's your penny wort?
Very easy plant and does very well in such systems.

Hiding the line between the emergent and submersed plants seems to be the biggest challenge.

Regards,
Tom Barr

 

[hydrophyte]

wendtii 'Green' and 'Green Gecko' are excellent underwater foreground plants for this. I have some 'Green Gecko' in my 55-gallon and it has a tidy, compact, attractive shape and bright green color which lightens the underwater area.

I don't know that I would want to obscure the line between the underwater and emersed portions, since the whole idea of the setup is to emulate the edge of a river, lake or stream. It is important, however, to repeat some shapes and colors in the two areas so that they look like part of the same idea. I do wish to to get some more foliage into the water for this tank. The view of the underwater area is in fact brighter and more green here in person. Somehow the camera accentuates the shadow more leaving that area looking dark. I have been able to improve this problem now that I am playing around with exposure and other variables in the RAW files, which I had been putting off.

I could use some Hydrocotlye here underwater. In my experience however it has been difficult to use as an emersed plant because the internodes are long and it just runs all over the place: it doesn't form a nice carpet like some other rambling stem plants. Perhaps I could try out some other species and also brighter light to see if I can get the kind of floating mats that those plants make out in nature.