I want to make a paludarium!

If you can do it, a 20g tall tank is a MUCH better size, especially for what you want to do, and it wil lbea easier to build and care for.

If you DO want to do it in a 10g, here's a pic of my newt palu to give you some ideas:
waterfall_001.jpg

You can read the thread about it and see more pictures here.

I use a Whisper 10i in this tank. It works really well (in fact, I never change the media or clean it, lol), and it is easy to make a waterfall with it.

I'm tired of this being so small though, so I'm setting up a 20g tall for her soon, since I have an empty one.

Be aware that some newts don't do well in deep water. You should find out exactly which species you are going to house before setting up the tank.

As for fish, newts need cold water, room temp TOPS. That limits the fish you can keep healthy. I have had good results with wild type guppies, they just don't breed or grow quickly in the cold water. Male WT guppies can be QUITE beautiful, and they stay small enough to house 5 or so in my palu (it's important to note that while there are no plants in the water, other than a native moss that seems to like being aquatic, the roots from the terrestrial plants extend below the water line, helping to keep the water "clean", make sure you have enough plants to handle the bioload if you overstock the water portion).

Now, if you DO use a 10g, I suggest doing your land portion as a freestanding "shelf". This will allow you to maximize the amount of land you can provide and also increase the amount of water. This is what I am planning for the 20g for my newt. You can do this with shallow water OR deep water, depending on the needs of the species you choose (might I suggest T. granulosa? Very fun to watch, and such personality! This is the newt that I have, you can see pics of her in the palu if you click the link under the picture). Just let me know if that is interesting to you at all, and I can give you some instructions and direct you to some places to get more info.

Whatever you decide, good luck! Keep us posted!
 
That shelf idea is sounding better and better. What materials would work best for me to make a shelf, and how could I construct one???
 
The most common way this is done is with a lighting product called "eggcrate louvers". This is a light diffusing panel that is used for fluorescent lighting. It can be somewhat difficult to find if you don't know where to look, because the employees at the hardware store rarely know what you are talking about. It is found where they sell the fluoro light fixtures, usually side by side (or right above or below) the fixtures themselves. You should only need one sheet unless you plant to get really creative. :)

The other materials you will need are:
Great Stuff or HandiFoam brand expanding foams (or you can get any brand that is for ponds and waterfalls, which is always black and more pleasing when bare, but also more expensive), if you get great stuff, do NOT get the windows and doors, you want "Gaps and Cracks" or "Big Gap Filler".

Fiberglass window screen (NOT metal screen)

small zip ties or fishing line

LECA (lightweight expanded clay aggregate) or gravel for a drainage layer

Terrestrial substrate of your choice (many people use peat, coco fiber, or a mix of substrates)

and maybe silcone (either for aquariums, or GE type I or II, don't get DAP)

The eggcrate is used to create a "false bottom". This will allow for free drainage of the substrate. You might also find that roots will penetrate into the water through the shelf. You cut the eggcrate to whatever shape you want using diagonal pliers or a dremmel, and then cover in screen (I sew it on with fishing line, but sometimes i attach it with small zip ties). For added stability, you can attach a vertical piece along the edges that will contact the glass. On the front edge, you can either attach some vertical piece of eggcrate to the shelf, use foam to create a substrate barrier, or use sheets of moss or another plant to hold the substrate back from falling into the water. If you plan to use the expanding foam to create the substrate barrier, you can do this while attaching the eggcrate to the glass.

Now, some people use silicone to help the GS stick to the glass. I personally don't think it really makes that much of a difference, but if you want to, you can use a credit card or plastic paint scraper to smooth a thin layer of silicone where you want to attach the shelf and let it dry for a few hours. (If you want, you can install the shelf now, using the silicone to glue the eggcrate to the glass for added stability)

Next, you prop your shelf where you want it with something you can easily remove from underneath it when it's done. Mark where the eggcrate meets the glass, then temporarily remove the shelf from the tank. Shake your can of foam for as long as it says on the label (shaking it longer will make it expand more, which you can use to your advantage when doing larger projects, but I don't think that's what you'll want in this case), then attach the trigger and start spraying. You might want to do a little test on a scrap of cardboard or something to get a feel for how it comes out of the can. It can come out quite fast, and you don't want to overdo it. Once you are ready, spray a line of GS where you marked the glass, then replace the shelf, pressing it into the foam until it is flush with the glass. You might want to put something heavy-ish on top of the shelf (where the GS won't touch it) to help prevent warping. Next, spray the GS in the corner created by the eggcrate and the glass (make SURE you have the eggcrate covered already, otherwise you'll have to use more screen later to keep the substrate from falling through the eggcrate). This will hold up the shelf without having to use unsightly legs, allowing for 100% access underneath for the fish and newt/s. If you decided to use GS to create a substrate barrier, this is the time to spray it, letting it dry between layers, building until it is the height you want. You can also spray the foam onto the back glass to create a background. Let the GS cure at least overnight, as spraying it thick increases the time needed for it to cure all the way through.

These next steps are for the substrate barrier and/or background if made out of foam:

After the GS has cured, remove what was propping up the shelf and start carving your foam to the shape you like. You have to be sure that the foam was cured all the way through before carving, as it will shrink and might leach some petrolates into the water if the skin is broken too early (this isn't as bad as it sounds, and is mostly an inconvenience that is difficult to remove).

After it is carved the way you want, you can use one of several method to cover the foam to make it look natural (make sure you choose a method that will hold up to water); my favorite is the titebond III ultimate wood glue method.

Now, it's time to start putting in your substrate.

Put whatever substrate you choose into the bottom of the tank where the water will be. Be sure that you have a nice piece of wood or something that the newt can use to get onto the land shelf too. Then, start layering the terrestrial substrates. You should already have a layer of screen on your eggcrate, so the next layer will be your drainage layer (LECA or gravel), then a layer of screen, then your "dirt". You can do layers in the "dirt" of different substrates, but you don't have to use layers of screen in between them, or you can just mix everything together to begin with if you decide to go with a mix (I like to mix coco fiber and peat with a 3/1 ratio, then add 1 part gravel and .5 to 1 part sand, and sometimes I mix some coco "bark" into it to add extra drainage and keep everything from compacting. just don't use anything with perlite in it).

Next, plant your plants, and add everything in (cycle the tank first, of course).

Now, in all that I didn't mention placement of filter, so be sure, whatever filter you choose, you work it into the design. As I said, Whisper 10is are great and it's super easy to make a waterfall with one. I don't use the stock media for mine, I freaked out a few times when I couldn't find the newt only to discover her hiding in the filter, lol... So now I use sponges and rocks in the filter. Besides, that media doesn't work well land has to be replaced often, it's just too expensive for all that, you know?

Hope that helps, if you have any questions, let me know. Also, you might take a look at the forum linked in my signature for more ideas/info on making these sorts of enclosures. That's what we do there, and there's lots of us that really know our stuff and are happy to help out.
 
Thats some very good info, Froggsong. I'm looking into building one myself. I have all the mentioned materials, just needed some inspiration. Thank you..
 
NP, I'm always glad to help. Thinking of charging for my advice soon! Get it while it's free! ;) :D hehehe
 
Chrisinator said:
I'm sure you've seen my journal: http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?p=2393576#post2393576
If you are thinking about planting it with terrestrial plants, a divider would probably be the best thing to do. If you are going to use semi aquatic plants, you'd probably do better with shelfs.
Click to expand...

Your journal is actually what got me to look into these. Can't wait to see yours finished!

I'm definitely going to use the foam and shelf idea. Are there any suggestions out there for easy to take care of semi aquatic and fully aquatic plants that will be fire belly toad friendly?
 
Pothos is a good one, it will support the frogs weight and can be grown in almost any conditions. The downside - it gets big and requires quite a bit of pruning. The plus side, all cuttings made at the node will root easily. So, a small cutting will yield a very large vine eventually. :) Plus, you can grow it completely submerged if you want to. If you take a trip to a home depot or lowes, you can get pretty much any of the "tropical" plants for your land portion. Get the ones in the 2" pots, they are small, but they will grow into the size of the tank better. I personally an very fond of the Peperomia sp.. Peps come in a HUGE variety, and are easy to grow. They are also commonly sold in the 2" pots at HD. :D
 
you mentioned using the whisper 10, how exactly would I use it? (modifacatiosn, ect.) Are there any fully submersible filters out there that would be best???
 
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