20 Gallon Paludarium

[Anonymous]

Thanks. I've been learning a lot as I go with this one, and I'm still not where I'd like to be with it. I tend to think of it as a learning experience tank... I'll be moving in another 10 months so I won't make any major changes to it, but based on the things I'm learning from it there are a lot of design changes I'll make after the move.

Would you believe that this is the tank that seems likely to convince me to set up a sump for the first time? For no other reason then having a drain on the tank to remove excess water that accumulates, if you can believe it.

 

[Anonymous]

chuck, I've started a live sphag culture for you. Everyone needs some. It's sexy.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks man, that's really cool of you. Will come in handy

Sorry for the slow reply, things are a bit hectic here... the wedding's less than a month away now and it's been keeping me busy.

A few small updates on the tank while I'm at it. I went ahead this past weekend and added that strip of land along the right side that I talked about a few posts back. I've got some utricularia graminifolia and utricularia calycifida coming that will occupy that territory... I won't be moving the sundew and the butterwort there after all. Both are doing so well where they are that I'm reluctant to take my chances moving them. Plus I'd been looking for u. calycifida (google the flowers, they're a few inches in size and very orchid like) for awhile, so when some turned up on ebay I was happy to change my plans to include it.

In other news the HC, which I'd given up on, is now starting to show some significant growth and is sending out runners. If it continues to grow like this I won't need to replace it after all. If it peters out, though, I'll just start some of the utricularia graminifolia over where it is at the moment.

I also removed about 90% of the salvinia natans and duckweed that were covering the water's surface, probably about 3-4 pounds worth of plant mass when all was said and done. I kept some, but intend to keep harvesting it out as it multiplies. Pruning it back to where it is now made the tank look a lot less cluttered and more open.

 

[Anonymous]

Couple of small updates...

Both the utricularia graminifolia and calycifida arrived last thursday. Very small, but healthy, portions of both. Neither is worth posting pictures of at this point, but hopefully within a few weeks they'll be looking a bit more photogenic.

The calathea musaica has exploded. From the initial three small leaves it had when it arrived it's now up to around two dozen HUGE (around 5-6" long, 2-3" wide) leaves. It's gorgeous, just well and truly much larger than I'd planned for.

My drosera adelae sundew has put out it's first runner. It's a plant that spreads underground, with new plants coming up up to a foot or so away. This first baby plant is only a couple inches away, but it's nice to see it doing well.

My butterwort has put up a second flower, but like the first it's wilting quickly. My only guess is the tank is too wet and doesn't dry out quickly enough between mistings. That's just a guess, though - if anyone knows better, please correct me.