I've got a 40 gal planted setup going nicely; pop-bottle CO2 working well and saving up for breaking into the >2WpG light arena soon enough. I've been giving a lot of thought to a concept biotope-ish (i don't feel qualified enough to really use the word biotope) setup...
Let's back up and do an introduction: I've decided to get into the planted tank scene as a result of being a technical cave diver in Northern Florida. My hopes are to eventually model the tank into a half-cave and half-planted northern florida biotope. Should be a breeze getting flora, since it's usually snagged in my gear by the time I slog to shore after the dives. (even if my chemistry is so bad that everything dies in a week, it'll just give me more reason to hit the caves. sweet!).
I've got some really hefty limestone formation rock (note: removing rocks from caves, dry or underwater, is not only unethical and probably illegal, but is also a frigging PITA. I just grab my snorkel after the dive and go dig some up further downstream from the cave opening), which I expect to glue together to form the overhead half of the tank. That should make those blind tetras happy, eh?
(Another note: I DO NOT condone the display of protected cave fauna such as blind salamanders, crayfish, catfish, etc.. just to get that it out in the open. Part of me worries that creating interest in cave ecosystems is one more step towards harvesting.. the other part of me just wants a cool-*** aquarium)
OK! So all that brings me to my questions:
1. How does one know how much weight a tank (and stand) can handle? I've read that using materials, like plastic egg crating, under the sustrate to dissapate heavy loads evenly over the bottom of the tank is a Good Thing, but there's /got/ to be a limit, right? I'm not in front of my tank right now, but my mind's eye measures something around a quarter-inch on the sides (and we'll assume the bottom is the same) of glass in the typical 40-gallon rectangle shape. Since /some/ of the weight will be fixed to the sides of the tank, I have to worry about the stand, too; seems sturdy enough, for something iron and welded.
2. what's the best non-flexible adhesive for aquarium use? I'll be gluing rocks to the glass to form the ceiling/background/blahblah.
3. Know of any other commercially availible cave-ish creatures? I've got the cave tetras, a heap-o'-mysis shrimp (close enough to the white ones in the caves), and a couple of newts will be added once the rock ceiling gives them something to get thier terrestial fix. I can already imagine a little marshy carpet of terrestial moss on top for 'em!
4. Can I affix flattened moss balls to the 'cave' opening rocks underwater with filament and expect it to attach itsself? Know of any plants that don't mind growing upside-down in the shade?
Some expectations: the limestone will probably goof with the hardness, to be sure.. We'll see about that one. The cave portion will allow a lot of crud to settle in it, also. Maybe simulating the normal outbound flow of water from the cave with my canister filter outlet hose will keep stuff out of the more-constricted opening, but still calm enough in inner, more open (larger diameter) portion towards one end of the tank.
Some imagery, to get the idea across:
http://www.floridasprings.com/images pages/peacock.html A diver at the opening of a spring
http://www.floridasprings.com/images pages/ichriver.html some of the flora
http://www.northerntechdiver.com/gallery/cavedive2001/cavedive2001-6.php good example of what the caves looks like (none are the same, really). Note that the bottom is comprised of 1/2 to 3 feet of silt that ranges from clay to super-puffy talcum power consistancies.
Let's back up and do an introduction: I've decided to get into the planted tank scene as a result of being a technical cave diver in Northern Florida. My hopes are to eventually model the tank into a half-cave and half-planted northern florida biotope. Should be a breeze getting flora, since it's usually snagged in my gear by the time I slog to shore after the dives. (even if my chemistry is so bad that everything dies in a week, it'll just give me more reason to hit the caves. sweet!).
I've got some really hefty limestone formation rock (note: removing rocks from caves, dry or underwater, is not only unethical and probably illegal, but is also a frigging PITA. I just grab my snorkel after the dive and go dig some up further downstream from the cave opening), which I expect to glue together to form the overhead half of the tank. That should make those blind tetras happy, eh?
(Another note: I DO NOT condone the display of protected cave fauna such as blind salamanders, crayfish, catfish, etc.. just to get that it out in the open. Part of me worries that creating interest in cave ecosystems is one more step towards harvesting.. the other part of me just wants a cool-*** aquarium)
OK! So all that brings me to my questions:
1. How does one know how much weight a tank (and stand) can handle? I've read that using materials, like plastic egg crating, under the sustrate to dissapate heavy loads evenly over the bottom of the tank is a Good Thing, but there's /got/ to be a limit, right? I'm not in front of my tank right now, but my mind's eye measures something around a quarter-inch on the sides (and we'll assume the bottom is the same) of glass in the typical 40-gallon rectangle shape. Since /some/ of the weight will be fixed to the sides of the tank, I have to worry about the stand, too; seems sturdy enough, for something iron and welded.
2. what's the best non-flexible adhesive for aquarium use? I'll be gluing rocks to the glass to form the ceiling/background/blahblah.
3. Know of any other commercially availible cave-ish creatures? I've got the cave tetras, a heap-o'-mysis shrimp (close enough to the white ones in the caves), and a couple of newts will be added once the rock ceiling gives them something to get thier terrestial fix. I can already imagine a little marshy carpet of terrestial moss on top for 'em!
4. Can I affix flattened moss balls to the 'cave' opening rocks underwater with filament and expect it to attach itsself? Know of any plants that don't mind growing upside-down in the shade?
Some expectations: the limestone will probably goof with the hardness, to be sure.. We'll see about that one. The cave portion will allow a lot of crud to settle in it, also. Maybe simulating the normal outbound flow of water from the cave with my canister filter outlet hose will keep stuff out of the more-constricted opening, but still calm enough in inner, more open (larger diameter) portion towards one end of the tank.
Some imagery, to get the idea across:
http://www.floridasprings.com/images pages/peacock.html A diver at the opening of a spring
http://www.floridasprings.com/images pages/ichriver.html some of the flora
http://www.northerntechdiver.com/gallery/cavedive2001/cavedive2001-6.php good example of what the caves looks like (none are the same, really). Note that the bottom is comprised of 1/2 to 3 feet of silt that ranges from clay to super-puffy talcum power consistancies.
