Paludarium... Vivarium... bonsai?

Hey, I have been lurking this section for a while, very highly intrigued by the whole idea. I am unsure as to which I want to build, I want to make an aquarium that has land and water, but I may not have a land animal. I would also like this to have bonsai trees. So I am looking for a little information.

First, which am I aiming for so that I know what to call it? I am thinking its a paludarium but I feel as though I am probably wrong, I want it to have fish so IDK.. :help:

Second, I am looking to build a water area with enough room for at least a betta, maybe a small school of smaller fish, I dont know if I will be using a 10g or 29g at this moment, I would then like to go to a self made filter powered by a powerhead that feeds into a "lake spring" effectively a bottom fed "lake" surrounded by a small wall of tree's (the bonsai part) and then have it flow in a small river back to the water part. The ground would probably be designed to be covered in moss. What are my options for keeping the moss/trees watered? do I need to water them seperately or can I just put in like a water wick down below so that the water is pulled up as needed by the soil?

Third, I dont know anything about actually starting and keeping bonsai, anyone able to point me in the direction of a site that will teach me on selecting acceptable indoor bonsai varieties that are not pine? My wife is allergic to pine...

I will try to make a drawing of some sort for my idea shortly, but in the mean time, give me some feedback? maybe point me in the direction of some usefull threads or sites? What would be a cheap land/water animal that could get along with a beta and would not be wanting to escape to much?

Thanks in advance!:thm:

Yes sir it is similar to yours, I have seen it already and it is amazing. I am not sure if I want to do quite as much work with greatstuff, but I may not have other options. I am trying to do this on the cheap. I have a tank for it, 5.5g 10g or 29g, I would say 75 but that is in the works to be the wifes goldfish tank lol. I have the powerheads I would need and I have enough spare glass/plexi to construct walls and such.

How hard are crabs to keep and are there any relatively cheap land/water ones that look cool and are not overly sensitive or vicious? I have honestly never looked into crabs and wouldnt know where to start.

As for keeping the roots tight on the bonsai.... well, thats why I need a beginners site on bonsai, I have no idea the reason for this lol.

I will definitely try to get some doodles and such up as soon as I can so that I can actually get tied into this build and get it started so as not to disapoint people lol.

Not too big a fan of shrimp, at least not ghost shrimp, the only thing I use them for is food for my other fish. Maybe a bamboo or vampire shrimp or something could be cool... But I think an amphibious animal would be awesome. Are newts able to climb glass like anoles and such are?

I went looking around a nursery last night, looked at some trees and such. Kind of thinking that a small forest of birch surrounding the spring with one or two weeping willows hanging over the water would be pretty awesome.

Now, when you use the great stuff you seem to be getting rid of a lot of it, exactly what are you using to seal it off and make it water tight again?