Partitions in a tank

red devil

red devil

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Jan 7, 2003
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I am planning a 6 foot tank - hopefully will be custom made so that it can be deeper than usual. I would like to partition the tank with a piece of glass and use the rear 4-5" as a plant tank. The purpose of the plants is to filter the water. I want to partition the tank so that I can pay special attention to them and provide a more stable environment for the plants, i.e. keep the fish from eating them or uprooting them. I want to use the plants as well as a reverse UG filter to completely filter the tank - still do water changes, of course. I plan to put some maintenace fish in with the plants - possible some more delicate things like frogs, a lizard or turtle. I am not sure about the front part of the tank yet. Lighting will be different for either side of the partition, back lighting suitable for plants and the front lighting more suitable to show off my precious little babies. I am hoping that the partition idea will make it easier to use CO2 without affecting the fish.

What is the relationship between the two tanks? The water from the rear partition will be drawn from the front partition and will pumped into the front partition, or sent into the ug filter in the front.

Questions:

1. Has anyone ever done this? I am concerned about the aesthetics of the tank. There will be maintenance fish on both sides of the partition to keep it clean.

2. Can I put more amphibian or reptile creatures in the back if it is thusly partitioned?

3. Are there aquatic plants that filter water well that will also grow tall - out of the aquarium, to help decorate the room?

Is there anything I am missing?

Thanks!
 
There are DIY plans out there for plant filtration systems, but I haven't seen any done quite like you are proposing. I'm a little unclear about whether you are planning to see the plants in the back portion, or if they are purely for filtration and will remain hidden.

Most aquarium plants are OK filters, but it is the roots that do most of the "cleaning" in the substrate. You may be better off putting floating plants like duckweed or water lettuce in the cleaning part, along with some plants with the root systems hanging in the water. The latter would give you aerial plants that would look nice above the tank.

I'll try to find the DIY info on plant filtration so you can get an idea of what other folks have used for plants.
 
Thanks! Yes, the plants will be viewable from the front of the tank...the idea is to make a forest scape - the back of the tank (behind the glass partition) will be full of tall plants and only a few fish...the front part of the tank (in front of the glass partition will have some plants (medium and short, tapering to the front glass of the aquarium) will be sparsely planted.

My reason for wanting to put the main part of the plants behind the glass is to try to protect them and allow me a greater selection of fish, fish that are not usually so plant friendly i.e. cichlids, etc that like to dig them up or plants that love to eat them. I am hoping to depend on the filtration of the plants so I have to make a stable area for them.
 
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