How to Build a Paludarium

[Myka]

You are very creative (and patient).

[lastlight]

looks amazing steve! is that heating coil a hobby product or something from the construction realm?

[sphelps]

Originally Posted by lastlight

looks amazing steve! is that heating coil a hobby product or something from the construction realm?

It's a hobby product, Hydor 50w Hydrokable Substrate Heater

[tang daddy]

This is a very cool build, learning a bunch here thanks for the photo steps and write up.... Tagging along!

[Scythanith]

Looks like it will be a blast Steve! Needed the sump room for beer keg storage? Wendy and I have been toying around with a mantella tank for sometime now. I have them before and have always wanted a properly built tank for them. Not quite a paludarium, but close

[sphelps]

Originally Posted by Scythanith

Looks like it will be a blast Steve! Needed the sump room for beer keg storage? Wendy and I have been toying around with a mantella tank for sometime now. I have them before and have always wanted a properly built tank for them. Not quite a paludarium, but close

Yeah something like that. A mantella looks pretty much the same, and I'm not even convinced paludarium is the right word for mine, more like a mini ornamental aquaponic system, but it seems to fit the best.

[sphelps]

Going back to complete step 3, plumbing.

Here you can see the return line which feeds the main return and two branch lines. The smaller branch line feeds the drip system, the larger branch line feeds the water fall.



For now I've just connected the canister filter, it's a Fluval FX6. Later on I will be adding a UV sterilizer, an inline heater and probe holders for control of various operations.



Here's a shot of the drip lines I ran. There's one main drip line that runs the top perimeter of the tank and essentially cascades down the rock keeping most pots wet. I also tee'd off that line and ran some dedicated lines to feed the larger pots. Valves will be added to these lines later to limit the flow a little more as it's pretty heavy right now, but for the time being the extra flow will help cure things up nicely. I also filled the pots with Hydrocorn for growing medium.










And that pretty much sums up step 3, plumbing is essentially done except the few extra options that will be added later down the road.