Aloe_Danielo
Seedling
I’m incredibly indecisive. I spent a month building a 4ftx1ft tank with a custom 3D scape, background, cave system etc but didn’t like it so I ripped it all down and sold the tank.
I want bigger! I have six axolotl - Charles, Big Dave, Gary, Nigel, Steve and Tiny Tim. They’re fully aquatic salamanders that need floor space not height. The US sell lowboy tanks but you can’t get these in the UK. I stumbled across a 4ft square ex shop frag tank with sump and built in weir and convinced the OH to do the 7 hour round trip to pick it up for me!!
The whole idea behind this scape is to make the best environment I can for my lotls whilst also having a stunning living room centrepiece. I have a large cacti and succulent collection but have never delved into aquatic plants before so this is all a steep learning curve.
The drawbacks with axolotls:
No Co2
No ferts
No substrate courser than fine sand (can cause impaction)
The temp has to stay under 20 degrees
They’re stressed by intensive lights
Here’s my first attempt. Pretty awful and with not many hiding places.
The weir system in the centre if anyone is interested. It was really hard to find anything online about building a freshwater sump. I ended up having to solvent weld my own piping system :O
I added a few more emergent plants including bromeliads and a peace lily
Charles chilling on the thermometer. He also likes to watch tv.
I went a bit gun ho and stuck a monstera in there for some much needed height. Friends and relatives are horrified and the parents in law asked if I’d got planning permission. I’m in love!!
I’ve also added a parlour palm and have a few pothos cuttings selotaped to the glass to root.
I hated the moss pole so I stuck the bromeliads into it. I added calla lily, sweet flag and dwarf umbrella palm to the back left corner. The java ferns are pupping like crazy so I must be doing something right.
The benefit of the weir system is that you never get any surface film
There are also mollies and shrimp - the axolotls don’t take any notice.
I’m still far from happy - there’s lots I need to do to get it close to the image I’ve got in my head.
I want to try a dwarf water lily and I’d also like to extend more plants up the walls to make a proper rainforest corner. I want the terrestrial section to be much bigger. I also have dreams of adding driftwood branches to the wall to continue the tree trunk/branches effect. Haha. Haven’t told the OH about that yet.
I want bigger! I have six axolotl - Charles, Big Dave, Gary, Nigel, Steve and Tiny Tim. They’re fully aquatic salamanders that need floor space not height. The US sell lowboy tanks but you can’t get these in the UK. I stumbled across a 4ft square ex shop frag tank with sump and built in weir and convinced the OH to do the 7 hour round trip to pick it up for me!!
The whole idea behind this scape is to make the best environment I can for my lotls whilst also having a stunning living room centrepiece. I have a large cacti and succulent collection but have never delved into aquatic plants before so this is all a steep learning curve.
The drawbacks with axolotls:
No Co2
No ferts
No substrate courser than fine sand (can cause impaction)
The temp has to stay under 20 degrees
They’re stressed by intensive lights
Here’s my first attempt. Pretty awful and with not many hiding places.
The weir system in the centre if anyone is interested. It was really hard to find anything online about building a freshwater sump. I ended up having to solvent weld my own piping system :O
I added a few more emergent plants including bromeliads and a peace lily
Charles chilling on the thermometer. He also likes to watch tv.
I went a bit gun ho and stuck a monstera in there for some much needed height. Friends and relatives are horrified and the parents in law asked if I’d got planning permission. I’m in love!!
I’ve also added a parlour palm and have a few pothos cuttings selotaped to the glass to root.
I hated the moss pole so I stuck the bromeliads into it. I added calla lily, sweet flag and dwarf umbrella palm to the back left corner. The java ferns are pupping like crazy so I must be doing something right.
The benefit of the weir system is that you never get any surface film
There are also mollies and shrimp - the axolotls don’t take any notice.
I’m still far from happy - there’s lots I need to do to get it close to the image I’ve got in my head.
I want to try a dwarf water lily and I’d also like to extend more plants up the walls to make a proper rainforest corner. I want the terrestrial section to be much bigger. I also have dreams of adding driftwood branches to the wall to continue the tree trunk/branches effect. Haha. Haven’t told the OH about that yet.