Search results for query: *

Spaghetti Monster - UNS 45S Riparium With some continued observations and thought, I've decided to shuffle several setups around. My Tufa Waterfall Biotope is going into a bigger tank, leaving this UNS 45S on its 80-20 aluminum stand free for a new project. This aquarium is a perfect size...

Horses' Teeth - Desert Vernal Pool This project is subject to change, but I have some hardscape in the tank and a few ideas. For another recent build I used a sandstone slab that I just found to be very dramatic and appealing. So I decided to try something similar in a different enclosure. The...

Gantry Water Ripple Generator Here's a new project I've started a continuation of a few related ideas. The basic idea is a ripple generating paddle held over the tank water with a gantry assembly and powered by a stepper motor v-slot linear actuator. This is just a preliminary setup. The...

Tufa Waterfall Aquarium Biotope Last fall I had an opportunity to visit a local tufa waterfall. In this very unique natural feature, new tufa rock forms where calcium and bicarbonate-enriched water tumbles down a cliff face. Water agitation causes rapid CO2 off-gassing, dropping pH and...

Biomineralization | Tufa Waterfall Biotope Last fall I had an opportunity to visit a local tufa waterfall. In this very unique natural feature, new tufa rock forms where calcium and bicarbonate-enriched water tumbles down a cliff face. Water agitation causes rapid CO2 off-gassing, dropping pH...

Green Lake, New York - Building a Freshwater Microbialite Reef This is a biotope journal thread continuation of an another discussion I started right over here.. Approximating and Maintaining Water Chemistry of a Meromictic Lake It took me a while to figure out a tank configuration and...

Approximating and Maintaining Water Chemistry of a Meromictic Lake I'm starting a new project as a continuation of my Stromatolite Reef setup maintained with hypersaline (85ppt) water and 2-part calcium + alkalinity dosing for biologically-mediated precipitation of CaCO3 and...

Brackish Mangrove Riparium(s) The days are getting shorter, so I'm starting to think about how to re-accommodate some of my plants that have been growing happily outdoors in semi-shade patio conditions. They all seem so happy in the natural light, fresh air and warmth and I always feel bad...

Ripple Tank This is a continuation of another discussion where I explained a few steps in developing a water ripple mechanism for use with an aquarium, a project in turn following my water wave machine as kinetic water sculpture integrated with a planted aquascape. Like wave tanks, ripple...

Photogrammetry and 3D Printing for Special Habitat Features This project is for a terrarium setup, but I have a couple ideas in mind involving features for aquariums. Here I have used photogrammetry to build a 3D model of a tree branch that I then printed as a planting surface for mini...

Wall-Mount System for Organizing Microcontrollers and Other Hardware I've seen other approaches resembling this, but I think my solution refines the idea some more with an improved aesthetic and more options. I have several different terrarium and aquarium projects incorporating...

Plant Evolution - Shallow 20G Riparium This is another project I've procrastinated with forever, but last night I finally made some headway. I have a few other aquarium and terrarium setups incorporating natural history and science themes. This one is intended to explore the idea of plant...

Vertical Garden Projects I've been working on a few wall-mount vertical projects. While these are not aquariums, some of them incorporate aquatic Cyanobacteria as living biocrusts or phytoplankton in a water medium. This clay panel living wall display in a 11.5" X 4" X 21" case has been in...

Plastic Beach - Water Wave Machine I've been pondering this idea for a while and I've finally put together a design for experimentation. My goal is a machine to create traveling waves in an aquarium like wind-driven waves in a natural body of water. These differ from the kind of water movement...

Cave Environment - Infrared Photosynthesis - Bookshelf 6G I've been working on a few different projects testing out Cyanobacteria as display organisms. While Cyanobacteria are usually viewed as pests in aquariums, they have fascinating biology and ecology as well as compelling features for...

Haven't been here in a while! Astrobiology - Ancient Mars History - A Temporal Biotope I've had this setup going for some time, but for the sake of explanation I'll start the pics from the beginning. Strictly speaking, this is a terrarium display, but it borrows heavily from aquascaping...

11.4G Riparium I have a new project in the works! This is a Mr. Aqua 11.4-gallon tank that I have already used for a few riparium plantings. I'm setting it up again to test out a few new kinds of riparium plants. This will be a pretty simple setup with a single PAR 38 LED and a small...

56G Sarawak Blackwater Riparium I have a new setup in the works. I decided to do a new kind of riparium planting in my 56G column aquarium. I had a hillstream riparium planting in that tank previously... I plan to use most of the same planting, but change it over to a blackwater setup more...

I just got another new magazine article published! I wrote this for the July/August 2013 issue of Amazonas Magazine and it features the masterfully-planted 90-P riparium by Nick Xyong (). Can you get the English-language Amazonas in the UK? It's a great mag. Here's a quick look at the...

Riparium Bonsai This thread is a continuation of a couple of others that I have been working on about growing certain kinds of trees and woody trees as bonsai specimens in planted riparium setups. I thought it would be a good idea to record some of my observations with a journal thread, too...

Training Bonsai Tree for Planted Riparium I have been trying out a couple of new kinds of plants for use in ripariums that might be good candidates for developing more or less as bonsai specimens. I started another discussion over in the Aquascaping forum about the idea of borrowing from...

Montezuma Cypress I am testing out a pretty cool new plant as a riparium subject, Montezuma cypress (Taxodium mucronatum). This coniferous tree is a close relative of bald cypress (T. distichum), but it has a more southerly distribution, occurring from Southernmost Texas, through various areas...

Riparium Ikebana I have been working on the idea of incorporating aspects of ikebana, the Japanese art of (refined) floral arrangement, into planted riparium aquascapes. Ikebana uses more theory than regular decorative flower arranging and emphasizes minimalism, negative space, balance...

Riparium Plant Profile: Mexican Milkweed (Asclepias curassavica) This post is a review of the useful riparium plant, Mexican milkweed. With notes on its cultural requirements and use in planted riparium aquascapes. Mexican Milkweed (Asclepias curassavica) Geographic Origin: Mexico...

Rice in a Riparium I'm trying out a new kind of riparium plant! Last year I saw an interesting setup description here on UKAPS by somebody in Japan who grew paddy rice (Oryza sativa) in a fish tank on his balcony outside. Here is the link... Japanese Balcony Rice Paddy (Final) Harvest | Page 2...

This is a 200 litre tank that I have had set up for a long time. I have had various riparium plantings in it and just last night I finished cleaning it up again for a new themed project. There is already a group of the Lake Tanganyika catfish, Synodontis lucipinnis, and now I am going to get it...

Epiphyte Branch I have a pretty good start on a new project. It is very simple. I mounted a manzanita branch feature in a 30G fish tank (36" X 17" X 12") and I will plant it with miniature orchids, small epiphytic ferns and mosses. I will also add a gravel substrate to the bottom along with...

Mr. Aqua 11.4G Riparium - Take 2 I have had this tank sitting empty for almost a year, but I want to set it up again. A couple of years ago I had a nice planting in here that featured baby panda bamboo (Pogonatherum crinitum). This plant proved to be an excellent choice as nano riparium...

208L High Humidity Riparium This is a new thread for a riparium that has been set up for several years. I need to go dig up the link to the original journal thread, but it was not updated for a long time. I had this riparium setup in my house for some time, then it was moved to one of our...

Borneo Swamp Forest Riparium This is a tank that I have had set up for some time. The enclosure is a 56-gallon (212 litre) Column aquarium. It was half neglected just serving as a growout tank, but the other night I got it cleaned up. The general idea is to create a loose representation of...

Mangrove Forest - 245L Brackish Riparium I was a member here some time ago, but haven't participated in some time. I have a few new projects going on and pictures to share. My brackish riparium setup is looking pretty good. This planting is in a 245-litre tank (90cm X 45cm X 60cm) and...

280L Loose Biotope Riparium for Gymnogephagus labiatus This is a pre-journal at this point, but I think that I have scored a real nice tank to use for a new setup. My main intention for this display is to make a nice habitat for the new little group of Gymnogephagus labiatus that I scored back...

Proven Riparium Plant Combinations: 3 Winning Layout Ideas I have heard lots and lots of questions about which kinds of plants to grow in ripariums. Naturally, plant selection is an important first step in planning and developing a healthy and attractive riparium layout. The following list...

Riparium How-To: High-Humidity Setups I am starting this thread with a semi-orgainzed description of considerations and methods to have in mind when assembling a high-humidity riparium setup. This kind of tank is best for growing certain emersed aquatic plants that require very humid air. It is...

I am trying something new and different, a planted nano setup. I found these real nice little bowls manufactured by Live with Nature, the one-gallon Luminous Aquarium (http://www.livewithnature.net/pages/luminous). The Luminous bowls feature artistically layered bits of color around their bases...

I just finished getting a new tank mostly set up here in the living room. This one is a 30-gallon Metaframe-type tank that I found in the barn at my mother's place. It was in surprisingly good shape--the glass had very few scratches--but the old tar seems were obviously not going to hold water...

I have a start on a new setup. This will be a diptych--a single composition rendered in two adjoined frames--in a couple of 60cm tanks. I intend to do both of these as a high-humidity riparium mainly as a better way to display some of my nice emersed crypts. I have some interesting plants and...

I have a start on a new display. I don't have the tank in place yet, so I start this pre-journal thread to jot down some ideas. As I get it rolling I might just continue with this thread, or start a new journal thread. I had a lot of fun with the layout that I had going in my 200L tank. Here's...

I am trying out a new plant that seems to have promise for riparium culture, Adiantum sp. "maidenhair ferns". I picked up this good-sized potted plant the other day at a local garden center. There are quite a few maidenhair fern species and varieties in cultivation, but the label on this just...

I have tried quite a few different kinds of plants in ripariums. Among these are some very useful selections. I have also encountered some that were unsuitable for riparium culture, either because they did not adapt to culture in water under artificial lighting, or because their growth habits...

I am putting together another riparium setup. This one is going into a 200-liter tank (60cm wide X 45cm tall X 45cm deep), which is a shape that I like a lot. I have a few pictures already, but start here with the first that I got of the setup the other night. This display will will be...

I recently started to experiment with the use of mineralized topsoil (MTS) in riparium planter cups. I hope that the use of MTS can serve the following objectives. A major expected advantage of the mineralized topsoil is that it should maintain a long-term, slow-release nutrient source for the...

Does anybody know what has happened to the Tropica site? I have followed their URL, but ended up at this error page. http://192.38.244.204/go.asp?show=products I hope that they haven't gone out of business(?).

This thread might work like a journal in reverse--I have had this tank set up for some time. It has taken a while to develop, but I finally have the layout in pretty good shape for pictures. I was originally shooting for a South America biotope theme, but plants and fish from Southeast Asia...

Hi all, I have had this tank going for a while, but would like to start a new journal thread with updates as I accumulate them. I also have one or two shots in another general gallery thread that I started last week. This riparium display is planted into a 208-liter tank. I got a new picture...

I have a few pictures documenting my current new project, a riparium setup in a 212-liter "column" tank. This one is 76cm wide X 45cm deep X 60cm tall--a good shape for a riparium, with plenty of depth front-to-back. My general idea is for a very low maintenance display. It will contain hardy...

I am a new member from the United States. I post here a few pictures of my riparium tanks, one by one. Here is a recent shot of my 245 liter South America themed setup. That one needs some tidying and more careful photography. I should be able to turn up a better shot maybe this weekend.