# 45 Gallon Rimless Riparium



## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

Just a few days ago my wife made a comment about how nice it would be to have another riparium, this one in the living room next to the TV. I laughed it off, but she insisted it wasn't a bad idea at all. So, I explained that it would be a very easy one to set up with a semi automatic water change system, if she was serious. She insisted she was serious.

Two days ago I found a nice 60 gallon tank on Craigslist so I asked her if that would fit her desire. Nope! She wanted one with a one piece front and ends, with curved front corners, not square cornered box. 

This morning I found, on Craigslist a 45 gallon tank, 35 x 16 x 19 inch rimless tank, formerly used as a salt water tank, with a stand, for $150. I asked her if that would do it. She said, maybe at $125, but not $150. So, a couple of emails later I agreed to buy it for $100, and it now sits in the back of my PT Cruiser, after a 100 mile round trip.

This is a dream tank for me, one that I have looked everywhere for. Now the work begins!


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## CL (Mar 13, 2008)

First off, awesome deal.
Second off, I wish people insisted that I buy more tanks.
Thirdly, awesome deal
Fourthly, hurry up


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## N1CK (Oct 3, 2009)

CL said:


> Fourthly, hurry up


Someones a little impatient lol


Sounds like an awesome tank though:bounce: I will wait *paitently* for you to begin


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## londonloco (Aug 25, 2005)

Hoppy, WHOHOOO
Why are we waiting.
Comeon man! Get it set up!!!!


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## Phil Edwards (Jul 18, 2003)

Hurray for dream tanks and wives that insist on having another tank! I'm looking forward to this journal. 

Regards,
Phil


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## RipariumGuy (Aug 6, 2009)

CL said:


> First off, awesome deal.
> Second off, I wish people insisted that I buy more tanks.
> Thirdly, awesome deal
> Fourthly, hurry up


I second all said above!:iamwithst


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

Last night I was informed that this is my Christmas present. So, I owe Santa Claus a thank you note.

Before I can set this up I first need to get it out of the car. See, great projects start with simple steps. (I can't even post a photo until I can get it out of the car.)


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## CL (Mar 13, 2008)

I'll run over and help you unload it


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

CL said:


> I'll run over and help you unload it


Times like this demonstrate one of the values of a local aquatic plant club. I just need to send up a smoke signal. But, if you have nothing else to do today, .......


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

Here is the tank, a "Jebo style" tank, rimless from the manufacturer, formerly used as a reef tank by two other owners. Today my daughter and grandson visited so I persuaded her to help carry it up the stairs. Heavy tank! You can see that I have started scraping off the mineral deposits at the former water line. Actually it isn't that hard to do, so far. And, some calcium removing bathroom cleaner should finish off the slight haze remaining. Famous last words?

Behind it you can see the bag of pool filter sand I bought yesterday - $15 for 50 pounds.

On the wall is the inlet and outlet for the water change/replenishing system for my 65 gallon riparium. This one will use that same system.


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## SearunSimpson (Jun 5, 2007)

Aaaaah, I wouldn't use bathroom cleaner for it! Just use vinegar mixed with water. I would be too scared to use any sort of cleaner on a tank.


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

SearunSimpson said:


> Aaaaah, I wouldn't use bathroom cleaner for it! Just use vinegar mixed with water. I would be too scared to use any sort of cleaner on a tank.


Anything we use to clean a tank, other than plain water, has to be rinsed off and the residue removed from the tank. A dry tank, whatever it was cleaned with can have a very, very tiny amount of any cleaning material left on it. I have used "CLR" and other similar materials before, for cleaning the hardwater haze off the glass. No problems have occurred as a result. Remember, even bleach has to be cleaned out before using the tank again.


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## CL (Mar 13, 2008)

That tank is sharp! What a clean looking tank. I love it :thumbsup:


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## RianS (May 12, 2009)

That was indeed a very nice pickup.
I can't wait to see this go up.

PS i find it funny that not only did you have to pay for your present from Santa you also had to drive and pick it up


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## RipariumGuy (Aug 6, 2009)

That tank combined with you skill will make an awsome riparium Hoppy!


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## shrimpo (Aug 2, 2009)

Ditto, great deal you got there.


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## fshfanatic (Apr 20, 2006)

We have very heavy water here ( read as rock hard ) and I have used CLR full strength to get it off. Just make sure ( as I am sure you are aware ) to rinse, rinse and rinse again. Then Rinse it all over again. Never had an issue.

Great deal!


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## hydrophyte (Mar 1, 2009)

That's a sweet-looking tank. I like the shape a lot.

Have you given any thought to fish selection yet? That setup could look great with some nice cichlids or a small oddball in there.


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

RianS said:


> That was indeed a very nice pickup.
> I can't wait to see this go up.
> 
> PS i find it funny that not only did you have to pay for your present from Santa you also had to drive and pick it up


Rudolph was busy that night, so I insisted that my wife act as the directions giver for that trip.:hihi:


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## intermediate_noob (Jan 23, 2007)

So what innovative lighting will you be using for this one? Inquiring minds want to know


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

hydrophyte said:


> That's a sweet-looking tank. I like the shape a lot.
> 
> Have you given any thought to fish selection yet? That setup could look great with some nice cichlids or a small oddball in there.


I have been thinking about fish, doing a lot of thinking, in fact. Right now I think I want larger fish than I usually use, but not $$$ fish. I don't want to doctor the water to adjust hardness, etc. so I will probably stick with fish that I know don't need hard water. Dwarf gourami are the leading candidates for now. Plus Otocinclus, of course.

One of my major goals is always not spending excessive money, and I have half of a 2 x 55 watt AH Supply kit laying around, so I'm buying a Workhorse 3 ballast so I can use that, in a fixture similar to http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/diy/90402-another-light-fixture.html and I expect to do a DIY thread about it when I get started. I have received a "directive" about not using the bent conduit type brackets this time, but a single bracket without the chain under it should suffice.


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## intermediate_noob (Jan 23, 2007)

That fixture is great and looks like something I wanted to also build for a project of mine. Thanks for linking to the thread!


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

I'm underway making a stand for this tank, with a thread in the DIY forum describing it. It will complement the entertainment center which will be right beside the tank, and which I made several years ago. Nothing terribly new, but a design I used once before for a stand.

And, today I got a surprise package from Hydrophyte; it contained a planter cup held in the tank with a pair of magnets, instead of suction cups. I'm just testing this for him, but if it works out as well as it looks like it will, I will likely use these for this riparium.

The magnets on this thing are super strong, so much so that you have to be very careful using them to avoid the one on the planter grabbing the one in your hand and smashing it into the glass. Once you learn to slide the outside magnet into place it works fine, but if you just try to hold on to it and place it directly in place, I doubt that you will be able to keep it from becoming a guided missile!

Here is what it looks like now, before I get it planted, probably with an African Violet plant.









Watch http://www.ripariumsupply.com/store.html for this becoming a featured product.


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## hydrophyte (Mar 1, 2009)

Hoppy I'm glad that that box found its way. Like you said the sandwich magnets do require some care to avoid pinched fingers and to keep the pieces from slamming into the aquarium glass, but with some practice they are easy to use. The suction cups that come with the regular planters work well, but the sandwich magnets simplify positioning in the tank and make a real sturdy mount.

That is Sandwich Magnet Version 1.0 and it is ready to go. It will be a regular catalog item I just need to make some time to load the updated page and image files.


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## hydrophyte (Mar 1, 2009)

I posted a blurb on those things in one of my Other Websites threads.

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/other-websites/91211-www-ripariumsupply-com.html#post950436





*


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

I almost have my DIY stand completed. It is stained (dyed) and the finish coats are on it. All that is left is to reinstall the doors, level it, add a bottom shelf in it, add an electric outlet box with ground current interrupter in it, add a middle shelf, etc. When I get the doors back on it I will post a photo. I can say now, that the color it turned out to be is a major disappointment, but it looks ok, just not as it was supposed to look.


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

I finally have a tank on a stand! Success can't be too far away now. But, I still need to plumb in the water change system, make a light fixture and install it, plumb in the canister filter - Fluval 104, small but adequate I think.


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## hydrophyte (Mar 1, 2009)

Hey that looks sweet.


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## isais (Nov 28, 2009)

Wow Hoppy I like that stand


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

isais said:


> Wow Hoppy I like that stand


I'm happy with the appearance, but those hinges continue to be very hard to adjust right. I expect I will be working on that at least another couple of tries. Today I also bought $5 worth of black vinyl window cling film, at TAP Plastics, and got that installed. Easy, cheap and looks good.

I think I may start on the light fixture before the plumbing, since I need access to the back of the stand to install the fixture, and once the plumbing is in, that will be difficult.


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

The light fixture is done and installed now. It has a single 55 watt AH Supply kit in it, with a Fulham Workhorse 3 ballast - a single tube ballast. I mounted it high enough to clear any plants that grow way up there, like the dwarf papyrus which I will be using. Lowering the fixture is possible, but difficult with water in the tank. Here is the light with it turned on, and a GE9325K bulb in it, which will be replaced with a 6700K bulb later.


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

After figuring out how much light I would get with the setup I had, I decided to lower the light 6 inches. That still leaves me with 16 inches above the water for emersed plants to grow, and it gives me the bare minimum of low light for aquatic plants, which is all I will need for the Java Ferns I plan to use. The proportions look much better too. And, the GE9325K light is growing on me again - the lavender color disappears once my brain accepts that it is normal.

Making the water change system now.....


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## hydrophyte (Mar 1, 2009)

That looks awesome Hoppy. 

Do you have a plant theme in mind? Those _Cyperus_ umbrella sedges definatly make a nice background, and go well with carpeting stem plants. That dainty _Hypoestes_ would also look good with umbrella sedge.

Do you have any particular fish in mind?


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## londonloco (Aug 25, 2005)

Hoppy said:


> I have used "CLR" and other similar materials before, for cleaning the hardwater haze off the glass. No problems have occurred as a result. Remember, even bleach has to be cleaned out before using the tank again.


I use CLR all the time to clean algae, on my reefs and freshwater tanks. As long as I soak overnight, I have never had a problem w/CLR.


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## londonloco (Aug 25, 2005)

Looks great Hoppy. The fact you made the canopy and stand makes it even more amazing....


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

hydrophyte said:


> That looks awesome Hoppy.
> 
> Do you have a plant theme in mind? Those _Cyperus_ umbrella sedges definatly make a nice background, and go well with carpeting stem plants. That dainty _Hypoestes_ would also look good with umbrella sedge.
> 
> Do you have any particular fish in mind?


My African Violet experiment is working out very well, so I plan to use at least two of them, with the Cyperus mixed in, plus some of the Hypoestes phyllostachya, which is growing like mad for me now, and whatever other plants I have left over, probably with the emersed Java Fern on a raft, although that one isn't doing well for me. Under water I will have several pieces of African root wood, with needle leaf Java Fern growing on them. For fish I'm still thinking about it. Probably small schooling fish. I thought about using a few much larger fish, but my wife prefers the smaller ones.


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

londonloco said:


> Looks great Hoppy. The fact you made the canopy and stand makes it even more amazing....


Thank you! I enjoy making stands and light fixtures as much as any other part of the hobby, so I always do it if possible. This tank will also be set up with automatic water changing, using a drip irrigation timer I already have set up, and a overflow to dump the excess water outside, like I have on my 65 gallon riparium, only automated with the timer.

The substrate will just be pool filter sand - at the low light level I will have, nothing else seems worth the cost or effort. I have to fertilize the tank water for the emersed plants anyway, so the Java Ferns can sip from that too.


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## londonloco (Aug 25, 2005)

Do you plan on dosing the tank?


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

londonloco said:


> Do you plan on dosing the tank?


Yes, I will dose per the EI method, but dose maybe a couple of times a week. It is hard to figure out how to dose a riparium since the major users of the nutrients are the emersed plants, not the usual aquatic plants. One reason I want the automated water change system is to keep new water coming into the tank to avoid building up too much of any nutrients over time. (And, I am not very dependable when I'm faced with manual water changes:icon_mrgr)


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## hydrophyte (Mar 1, 2009)

Hoppy said:


> My African Violet experiment is working out very well, so I plan to use at least two of them, with the Cyperus mixed in, plus some of the Hypoestes phyllostachya, which is growing like mad for me now, and whatever other plants I have left over, probably with the emersed Java Fern on a raft, although that one isn't doing well for me. Under water I will have several pieces of African root wood, with needle leaf Java Fern growing on them. For fish I'm still thinking about it. Probably small schooling fish. I thought about using a few much larger fish, but my wife prefers the smaller ones.


Those sound like great plant choices. I think that the _Cyperus_ and _Hypoestes_ will look real nice together. I really like the combination of the umbrella sedge and the fine foliage of _Limnophila aromatica_ and _Bacopa_ that I have going in my 50 right now. The Java fern, however, might be rather coarse to go along with those other ones. 

A small South American cichlid could look real good in there. A really cool fish that I saw yesterday at the LFS yesterday was _Aequidens curviceps_. It was late afternoon and just as I was looking at those fish a beam of sunlight shined right into the tank--the colors of the fish were amazing. There was a lady admiring them too in the sunlight and she just bought the whole group of five right there.


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## Ashok (Dec 11, 2006)

I'm going to be eagerly following this thread!


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

Plumbing Day!!

First, I used Hydrophyte's method for lengthening the in/out tubes for my Fluval 104 filter, using sections of 1/2 inch CPVC tube and some 5/8 inch ID clear vinyl tubing. I'm using the stock outlet fitting, located about an inch under the top water surface, to get some rippling in the water, and a surplus inlet screen from who-knows-where that was in my parts box. That inlet screen was much too big, but a 1/2" PVC coupling fits the hole very snugly, and a 1/2" CPVC coupling fits the hole in that coupling just like it is made to do so. That lets me use the 1/2" CPVC pipe all the way through.









The water inlet for the water change system is just 1/2" CPVC, capped off, with lots of 1/16" holes drilled in it so it acts as a diffuser to stop any water blast.









The overflow is a double loop device that traps the siphon so anytime the water level is above the open end of that tube it siphons out. That open end is slotted down about 1/8" so the bottom of the slots will be the tank water level, but on adding water, the slots won't drain out much so the water level goes up 1/8 - 1/4" to help clean the water line on the sides of the tank. I have an almost identical system in my 65 gallon riparium and it works great.

After assembly, all of the parts that will be visible from the front of the tank are sprayed with Krylon Fusion black, so they will disappear in the black background.


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

The plumbing job is almost done. This was very difficult, because of having to work in a small area behind the tank, even though I had it moved out from the corner, plus having to work in a small storage closet outside on my deck, and it is a little complicated, with all of the fittings to get to match. But, it is done, except for a dripping leak at the drip irrigation timer (what other kind could it be?). That I hope to "fix" with plumber's epoxy.

Here is the plumbing outside in the storage closet:








You can see the timer, the tee with two 4 gph flow restrictors on it, one for each big riparium I have, and where the water and drain lines penetrate the wall to get to the aquarium on the other side.

Inside, behind the aquarium:








You can see the water/drain lines coming in through the wall. The water line is a 1/4 inch drip irrigation tube, and the drain is 1/2" CPVC with a 5/8" ID clear vinyl hose connection to give some flexibility.

At the end of the tank:








You can see the overflow siphon assembly, and the clear vinyl hose "elbow" which gives enough flexibility to allow me to get the tank back against the wall again.

All of this is definitely worth the effort. It will add 1 to 4 gallons of water to each riparium, every day, with the excess above the set water line draining out the overflow. This keeps an even water level, and does regular small water changes.


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

Some bad luck: my drip irrigation timer refused to stop leaking, and the leaking got worse, so I had to replace it. I used a electro-mechanical timer made by Toro, in good old...China.








This is leak free, works well and is easily programmed, so I recommend it at about $30 at Home Depot.

The overflow water will drain into a sophisticated deck planting water collection system:









I think I'm finally ready to start filling the tank - substrate, water, plants, etc. Happy New Year!


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## hydrophyte (Mar 1, 2009)

Happy New Year Hoppy!

Nice work on that water change/overflow system. Some day I will equip my bigger display tanks with something like that. I really ought to consider overflows for my basement fishroom growout tanks, because I spend a lot of time with water changes. I could just send them all right to the floor drain down there.


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

I am totally sold on automated water changing, whether semi-automatic as I had on my 65 gallon riparium, or fully automated as this system is. Water changes are almost always a big benefit to both the plants and the fish, so anything to encourage us to do them is well worth the effort. And, I find I can easily rationalize not doing a water change by hand - I'll do it tomorrow, next week, if it really needs it, if I remember it, etc. Even with my semi-automatic system, requiring just opening one valve I was too often messing up. Once I opened the valve, started on a project, only to remember the valve two hours later - that was a major water change. With this system I can just "live on the fat of the land"!


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

The tank is now "full" of water! And, the water is still in the tank! Now, isn't that a miracle?










Tomorrow I will get the overflow siphon working, and turn on the automatic water change system for this tank.

Right now I have my collection of African root wood all soaking in bleach water to make sure no BBA spores survive. (Lots of luck, huh?)


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## shrimpo (Aug 2, 2009)

Can't wait to see the plants in there... great job.


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## hydrophyte (Mar 1, 2009)

That looks super Hoppy.


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## isais (Nov 28, 2009)

Looking forward to seeing this filled. Cool auto features too, makes me wish I knew more about DIY and that I wasnt renting


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## RipariumGuy (Aug 6, 2009)

That looks amazing Hoppy! What subtrate are you useing?


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## 2wheelsx2 (Jan 27, 2006)

JakeJ said:


> That looks amazing Hoppy! What subtrate are you useing?


From post #37:



> The substrate will just be pool filter sand - at the low light level I will have, nothing else seems worth the cost or effort. I have to fertilize the tank water for the emersed plants anyway, so the Java Ferns can sip from that too.


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## RipariumGuy (Aug 6, 2009)

2wheelsx2 said:


> From post #37:


WOW, how did I miss that!?! :redface:


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## 2wheelsx2 (Jan 27, 2006)

Just helping Hoppy out. It's a long thread with a lot of info. An amazing build. I really like the stand and the light canopy, and plan on copying the light design.


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

It has plants, and all of the plumbing and electrical stuff works. I put needleleaf Java ferns on the pieces of African root wood, and floated a raft with more Java fern growing emersed. So far, of course, it looks disorganized and a big droopy, but that should improve with time, plus I plan to add more plants.

Fish will go in in a week or two, probably 3-4 Otocinclus, 3 or so Bolivian Rams, if I can find them at my LFS, and 5 or so hatchet fish, perhaps. When the room is dark I will take a full tank shot, or wait a day or two until I get more plants in it.


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## oldpunk78 (Nov 1, 2008)

looks like a great start! just out of curiosity, why 2/3 full and not 1/3 full?


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

oldpunk78 said:


> looks the a great start! just out of curiosity, why 2/3 full and not 1/3 full?


I have the tank about 60% full because I really like having plants growing above the top of a rimless tank, so the top of the tank just blends in and seems to vanish. And, this gives me a lot more water for fish and aquatic planting. When you have a tank with a plastic rim I think it looks best if you keep the water low, and try to keep the plants within the "frame" of the rims. But, my experimental 10 gallon tank convinced me that the best looking riparium is a rimless one, with high water. My opinions are always subject to change, of course.


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## hydrophyte (Mar 1, 2009)

That looks great Hoppy. It will be awesome to see another shot with exposure cranked down a bit. I am so interested to get an idea of your plant selection. I see the _Cyprerus_ in there and maybe also a _Hemigraphis_(?).

Suddenly my also nearly-full 50-gallon is my favorite ever riparium setup too. I really like the view into the tank from above. Having the water up higher in the tank really gives the impression of a garden pond. For me the two parts (the emersed portion & the underwater portion) of my new display go together pretty well, but each also presents its own distinct look and feel.


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

The full tank, with a trio of Dracaena sanderiana, from PetSmart added, along with a couple of rafts with small plantings. Still needs work.










The right side plantings.










The left side plantings.

The water is still pretty cloudy, but slowly clearing. I'm not sure if that is bacteria from adding so many planters with established roots, or just dust from the PFS, which I did wash pretty well.

I'm slowly moving towards using either Serpae Tetras or Tiger Barbs as the primary fish, about a dozen of them. The cichlids just provide too many quirky problems that I don't care to deal with, and I could only put a pair of them in this size tank without having major battles going on. I have a post on the fish forum asking whether the Serpae or the Barbs would work out better, since both are somewhat the "bad boys" of aquariums.

It was a thrill today to see the automatic water change system do its thing with me not even in the room. I was out shopping when the water change took place, and got back to pails of about 2 gallons of water at each tank drain. Very nice system!


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## CL (Mar 13, 2008)

That looks very cool. I love the water change system. It's really interesting to see a seamless, rimless bowfront riparium.

Very cool


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## dantra (May 25, 2007)

Hoppy said:


> It was a thrill today to see the automatic water change system do its thing with me not even in the room. I was out shopping when the water change took place, and got back to pails of about 2 gallons of water at each tank drain. Very nice system!


I am so jealous! One day, I keep telling myself, one day my water changes will be automated or at the very least semi-automated. The plants look so healthy and beautiful. The last photo of your plants looks so healthy they look plastic. Not saying they are plastic... _I'm just saying_ 

Dan


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## hydrophyte (Mar 1, 2009)

Hoppy said:


> The full tank, with a trio of Dracaena sanderiana, from PetSmart added, along with a couple of rafts with small plantings. Still needs work.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


That's looking great Hoppy. Your plants must be happy with your dosing regime, because they are growing well and have nice color. That java fern could actually be pretty good with those other plants--I don't know why it is isn't growing(?). It might just take some time to start. Have you seen any new fiddleheads on it yet? 

Those palms sure look like nice. I could see this layout being especially good with a background mostly of that palm and the _Cyperus_ umbrella sedge. That's just an idea anyway.

Nice work on the water change system too I'm glad to hear that it works well.


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

My emersed Java Ferns have had drying out leaves, one at a time, since I first planted them. This time I cut off all of those leaves, and one was a fiddlehead leaf, to my disgust. I suspect that plant needs more humidity than I have in my ripariums. It will be even drier with the high water riparium. If this doesn't seem to work at all I will try putting them back under water.

I'm thinking about trying for some L. aromatica at our plant club meeting tomorrow night, if I go to it. I may not be able to, so I will then try Plan B. In any case, I need much more foreground, low growing, raft plants to complete this. Bacopa hasn't worked for me at all - it does well for awhile, then just quits on me. I'm thinking of taking cuttings from my Oplismenus grass and trying them here - that one starts from cuttings, as I recall.


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## hydrophyte (Mar 1, 2009)

_L. aromatica_ is an awesome plant to root in a hanging planter, then train to grow across a trellis raft. I love the way that mine looks. It does, however, grow very slow as an emersed plant. This trait could just as well be seen as a benefit though. I noticed that it really does seem to need some MTS in the planter cup. The _Bacopa_ that I have tried have done better too with MTS. You can see the _L. aromatica_ in this shot over on the far left.










IT looks really good with the _Cyperus_.

It is cold here and our central heating runs all the time, so our house is only at about 40% relative humidity, but the _Limnophila _ is still doing fine. I highly recommend this plant, but it does take a while to establish and start growing emersed.


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

I decided that I can add a few fish now, since the water has cleared up nicely, and there is such a mass of feeding roots in the water, no ammonia could possibly survive there. First I got 4 Sterbai Corydorus, http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/fish/sterbaicory.php and 4 very small Otocinclus. This just about wipes out my fish credits at the LFS. I did find a great bunch of Tiger Barbs there, so that will very likely be the featured fish - a school of 10-12 of them, after another few days. All of the really nice "centerpiece" fish are extremely expensive compared to my budget, but I really like Tiger Barbs, so that's no problem. And, I have wanted some of the Sterbai Cory's for some time - beautifully marked fish.


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

My four new buddies! They are discussing their new quarters, and probably plotting how to get over the 6 inch tall fence around it.









The blooming African Violet, where you can see the problem I face trying to clean off the leaves. I have no idea how to do it.









A bonus: the blooming Purple Waffle plant. It's funny how you notice the dead flower only after taking the photo. That will soon be plucked off.


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## Fish4Fun (Jan 4, 2010)

Well done, Very nice job on the tank


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

Ten Tiger Barbs added today, and beautiful ones they are too! This used up the last of my fish credits at that store, so I can shop elsewhere now if I want to. These 10 fish haven't moved more than a couple of inches apart since I got them. They define the word "schooling"!


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## dewalltheway (Jan 19, 2005)

Looks great Hoppy! Some of my first fish I got was tiger barbs but after they attacked some angel fish I had got, I quickly got rid of them and I haven't had any since. They are a pretty fish if they are main ones in tank.


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

My first experience with Tiger barbs was many years ago, when I got 3-4 of them for my community tank. And, as you experienced, they tore up the other fish, then the weakest of the barbs, followed by the next weakest, until I had only one fish left. He soon died. That was about 40 years ago, and until now I never had another one.

But, this time I read a lot more about them, had more money to spend, and believed what I read, so I got 10 this time. Tiger barbs, like most barbs and tetras, are schooling fish that depend on their numbers to survive attacks by bigger predators. They can't exist without having at least a half dozen others to swim with them.

They are fin nippers, so you can't mix them with long finned fish. So far they haven't bothered my cories or my otos. Time will tell whether they will continue to be "good citizens". I sure hope they do, because they are such beautiful and active fish.


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

I think it will work, Hoppy. I had a school of 8 in a mixed community in my 46gal some years ago, and never had any issues with them at all. After I think about 8 years the school slowly dwindled till I finally ended up with one single senior citizen, and it happily schooled with a pair of clown loaches and still left everyone else entirely alone.

Have you thought about getting something that might use air to blow off the dirty leaves on your african violet? Or a soft paintbrush/makeup brush?


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

lauraleellbp said:


> I think it will work, Hoppy. I had a school of 8 in a mixed community in my 46gal some years ago, and never had any issues with them at all. After I think about 8 years the school slowly dwindled till I finally ended up with one single senior citizen, and it happily schooled with a pair of clown loaches and still left everyone else entirely alone.
> 
> Have you thought about getting something that might use air to blow off the dirty leaves on your african violet? Or a soft paintbrush/makeup brush?


Yesterday I just puckered up and blew! Nothing budged. So, I used a syringe of water and squirted them hard - nothing budged. The leaves are covered with stiff hairs that seem designed to trap debris permanently. 

The Tiger Barbs are looking good today, and are still model citizens as far as I can see.


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## dewalltheway (Jan 19, 2005)

You could always try the vacuum cleaner...


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## 2wheelsx2 (Jan 27, 2006)

I grow African violet in pots all over the house and have cats, and this is the exact same problem I have. They have cat hairs all over. Haven't tried the vacuum idea though. Might do that.


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## hydrophyte (Mar 1, 2009)

I can't understand how it can be that African violets don't withstand water on their leaves. Doesn't it rain in the places that they came from? I doubt that they grow in caves.


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## 2wheelsx2 (Jan 27, 2006)

It rains, but up in the high plains of Africa, the soil is well drained and the air is very dry, so it dries quickly. I've seen them grow on the side of the road in Tanzania.


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

My 2 African Violets got dunked in a bucket of water, washed repeatedly to get rid of the growing medium, rinsed a couple of times, one was dropped into the tank for a few minutes once, and they show no signs of problems with that. I have read that the only problem wet leaves cause is when the sun shines on them and the water drops focus the light, burning the leaves. Today I used a syringe to squirt water all over one, and I don't expect to see any problem. It isn't just aquatic plants that have a culture of myths surrounding them.


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

2wheelsx2 said:


> It rains, but up in the high plains of Africa, the soil is well drained and the air is very dry, so it dries quickly. I've seen them grow on the side of the road in Tanzania.


I understood it only rains on the plains of Spain?:icon_mrgr


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## MrJG (Feb 21, 2007)

Tank is looking great! Nice call on the Tiger barbs too, I almost pulled the trigger on a small school for the 20 long but decided that they would appreciate more room than that.


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

Tonight the CEO agreed that one German Ram would make a nice addition to the livestock. I'm not sure if he will be spooked by the Tiger Barbs and stay hidden, or if he will be brave enough to ignore them. In any case my LFS had some at what I recall was a good price, and I need to go back for some brine shrimp anyway. (Talk about the tail wagging the dog, huh?)


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## hydrophyte (Mar 1, 2009)

I wonder if the ram might be a little overwhelmed by the barbs, but I suppose you can just observe what they do and reshuffle the deck if they are not so compatible.

I really want to get some African violets going. I think that they had some at Home Depot. I gotta remember that next time I'm out.


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## idontknow (May 9, 2008)

That looks fantastic. Great deal on the tank!


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## problemman (Aug 19, 2005)

im really liking this tank


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

Well, my plan changed again. LauraLee convinced me that German Rams like warmer water than I try to keep my tank at, so I think I'm now settling on a Kribensis as a "centerpiece" fish. My LFS has a tank of them and I already spent some time admiring them. They are bottom dwellers, which is the one disadvantage of them. (This is worse than trying to pick the best tenant for an apartment - one smokes, one drinks, one plays loud music, etc.)


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

I went back to the cichlid area of my LFS and studied what they had. The Kribs looked ok, but I would probably always wish I had gotten something else. So, I kept looking and found a tank of "Brazilian Rams", which I'm quite sure are really Bolivian Rams, Microgeophagus altispinosus. They looked to all be very healthy, so I picked one of the most colorful and introduced him to the other tenants today. Meet "Alti":









He seems a little shy, but the other tenants are giving him room and time to fit in. And, best of all, he doesn't smoke, drink, carouse, or play loud music! His expression reminds me of my first day in grade school.


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

If there is any doubt about using African Violets in a riparium, here is how well my best one is doing. It has been blooming constantly for a week or more now, and looks very healthy. This also shows the Draecena I got from PetSmart, in one of those clear plastic tubes - 3 plants in the tube, all now in a planter. And, the Echinororus cordifolia I got from Hydrophyte, which refused to grow for so long, finally started growing, so it is in this tank too.


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## hydrophyte (Mar 1, 2009)

Nice. You will be impressed by that E. cordifolius when it starts growing up big. That looks like a real good spot for the African violet. African violet could be a great plant for a nano riaprium. 

I think that a nano riparium could be more feasible with the magnet planter. You can squeeze the magnet planter into a smaller space and it doesn't have those white ears sticking out.


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

I agree about the magnetic planters. That African Violet is in one. Every once in awhile a suction cup will slip on my planters, especially the bigger ones, and the planter then slides down. The magnetic one has never slid at all.

I've been thinking about the idea of a rimmed tank completely full of water, as a riparium. For example, if someone has a 10-20 gallon tank with nice fish in it, but wants to try a riparium. Just use a hanging light, add the planters at the top, so the plants all grow out above the tank. That might look very good. And, African Violets would work well there because they don't get very high, so the light wouldn't have to be raised more than 6-8 inches for it to work.


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## shrimpo (Aug 2, 2009)

Great selection of plants, and the African Violets looks nice...i may get me one if i have more space in the 55 G...well done.


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## OverStocked (May 26, 2007)

Hoppy said:


> I agree about the magnetic planters. That African Violet is in one. Every once in awhile a suction cup will slip on my planters, especially the bigger ones, and the planter then slides down. The magnetic one has never slid at all.
> 
> I've been thinking about the idea of a rimmed tank completely full of water, as a riparium. For example, if someone has a 10-20 gallon tank with nice fish in it, but wants to try a riparium. Just use a hanging light, add the planters at the top, so the plants all grow out above the tank. That might look very good. And, African Violets would work well there because they don't get very high, so the light wouldn't have to be raised more than 6-8 inches for it to work.


I'm really starting to love my 75g Riparium filled to the top. I will try to post some good updated pics here in a few minutes. Having it full changes the perspective. I need the submerged plants to fill in, but am very happy otherwise.


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

over_stocked said:


> I'm really starting to love my 75g Riparium filled to the top. I will try to post some good updated pics here in a few minutes. Having it full changes the perspective. I need the submerged plants to fill in, but am very happy otherwise.


Your riparium is what got me started thinking about a filled up riparium. One of the disadvantages of the original 40% full riparium is the reduced volume for fish and aquascape. If the plastic rim doesn't intrude too much into the appearance of a filled up riparium, that may be the "next best thing".

I've also been wondering if the emersed plantings in a filled up riparium would deter fish from jumping out. Lots of people want a cover on their tank just to avoid those losses. But, the plants up there might affect the fishes view of the "world beyond" enough that they don't jump as much. (Perhaps this is just wishful thinking.)


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

A new surprise greeted me this morning. My Hypoestes phyllostachya has a bloom on it! It's a tiny one, but very beautiful. I just love the way a riparium can bring you so many nice surprises so often. Of course houseplants can do that too, but the riparium, by putting the plants at eye level, with very good lighting, does it best.


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

Wow, Hoppy, your plants are all blooming up a storm! Seems like every day you've got another bloom posted!

They're obviously very happy. :biggrin:


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

lauraleellbp said:


> Wow, Hoppy, your plants are all blooming up a storm! Seems like every day you've got another bloom posted!
> 
> They're obviously very happy. :biggrin:


Almost as happy as I am with my ripariums:icon_smil


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## hydrophyte (Mar 1, 2009)

One of my little _Hypoestes_ stems has developed a little bloom too, and it was just a stem rooted right in the water. 

That really is a handy little riparium plant--good find Hoppy.


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

This is front and back views of my blooming African Violet. Notice that these may never be tall enough to hold their own as background plants, unless it is in a much smaller tank. I can see a 10 gallon riparium with these along the back, but not one this big.


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

I now have Bacopa planted in two planters, with attached rafts. After about a week they are looking healthy - some of them - but others are droopy. I suspect the droopy ones are not going to make it, but the others should be able to fill in. Here are the two planters:
















I also planted the Episcia "Chocolate Cream" that I got from violetbarn.com, in a planter on the side glass at one end. It is not drooping, but I'm not sure yet if it is going to adapt to riparium living.








Note the odd little plantlets growing on long stems, drooping down towards the water. My gut feeling is that these should be pruned off and started as separate plants, but I'm not at all sure about that. Any suggestions are welcome.


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## MrJG (Feb 21, 2007)

That Episcia is awesome looking! 

I really need to go shopping around to find some different plants... I'm stuck now trying to bring some submerged stuff through and my planter cups look so empty.


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## hydrophyte (Mar 1, 2009)

Hey MrJG if you are contemplating internet orders at all I have been snooping around GlassHoueWorks.com and they have quite a few things that could be promising.

I could start a thread or just a list wherever if that might interest anybody.


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

I found another website that said you can cut the dangling plantlets off of that Episcia, so I snipped all but one off and have them in water to see if they will root. I'm having doubts about this plant, but two websites both indicated that it like to have moist roots at all times. So, I'll just keep my fingers crossed.

I would appreciate a list of the plants in glasshouseworks that you think would work, just in case I feel adventurous anytime soon.


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

After some cleaning and minor adjustment of plants, plus waiting to find a lighting condition where I could photograph this tank without excessive reflections, here is what it now looks like - overgrown! I'm still thinking about what plants will replace the really oversize ones. One will probably be a caladium, at least until it becomes oversized too.

I used Photoshop Elements on this to even out the exposure of the underwater and above water portions. I'm learning more and more about Photoshop, primarily that I have an enormous amount of learning to do before that program will help me much.


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## hydrophyte (Mar 1, 2009)

Wow those plants look really happy in there. 

And that palm has been growing all along. Do you have the planter cup down in the water for that palm, or is it raised up a bit? That plant could be a great background subject.

You could probably divide that _Cyperus_ into half-a-dozen new starts, if you can pull it out of the planter cup. I bet it's stuck in there tight with a ton of roots.


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

I divided that Cyperus into 4 pieces, and removed the overgrown Spathiphyllum, making the back row almost all Cyperus, plus my two rain lilies which seem to be ready to rock and roll again, after sleeping through the winter.

Then today I bought another 99 cent pot of Hypoestes phyllostachya, and visited my major nursery to find a couple more little plants:








The left one is definitely a Fittonia, called "silver nerved" by the nursery. The other one wasn't labeled, but it looks like a Pilea, one with red stems and small leaves.

These are now all on nano trellis rafts to form midground plantings. Looking down into the top:


















Once these grow in a bit, I think they will again look like I wanted it to look. It is becoming clear to me that I have to do some heavy pruning and/or replacing of plants about every 2-3 months to keep a riparium looking good. The Spathiphyllum I removed is so overgrown I can't even get it out of the planter cup now. Any ideas for how to do that? It is a beautiful plant so I want to pot it in a regular houseplant pot if I can.


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## Craigthor (Sep 9, 2007)

to remove run a sharp knife around the inside of the planter shold break it loose. 

Looks great by the way.

Craig


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## hydrophyte (Mar 1, 2009)

Those are great looking plants that you have Hoppy. I like this combination of multi-colored foliage. And that new little Pilea-looking thing is interesting. It looks a lot like aluminum plant, but without the white variegation.

There might not be any good way to get that peace lily out of the planter cup. A hammer would do it.

Is that the same Caladium that you had planted a while back?


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

hydrophyte said:


> Those are great looking plants that you have Hoppy. I like this combination of multi-colored foliage. And that new little Pilea-looking thing is interesting. It looks a lot like aluminum plant, but without the white variegation.
> 
> There might not be any good way to get that peace lily out of the planter cup. A hammer would do it.
> 
> Is that the same Caladium that you had planted a while back?


Yes, that is the only Caladium I have growing. It is doing so well I promoted it to the bigger tank. When I was at the big plant nursery today, they had a lot of growing Caladiums, but all of them were obviously too big for any but colossal sized ripariums. I had previously asked if they ever get miniature varieties and was told they don't.

The peace lily is going to remove itself soon, by shattering the planter. You can see green sprouts jammed down in the middle of the root mass, pushing out as hard as they can. I really would like to save both the planter cup and the plant, so some delicate surgery may be needed. Before I pulled this out I had no idea it had grown so jammed up in the planter. It even had roots growing out the top and then down into the water. Right now it is sitting on my desk in my nursery tank, still looking great, but every once in awhile I hear it give out a huge "grunt"!:biggrin:

I recall seeing a listing for a Pilea with red stems somewhere, but I can't find it again. And, I think that one had smaller leaves too, like this one does.


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## hydrophyte (Mar 1, 2009)

The really great thing about pileas for growing in ripariums is that they seem much less susceptible to nutrient deficiencies than most other plants, so they do well with their roots just right in the water. They are therefore real good for growing right on the nano trellis raft. I gotta look for that one that you have there.

I had some _Cyperus_ 'Baby Tut' get to be so overgrown in a planter once that the rear cup surface bowed way out and the suction cups would stick any more. The only way that I was able to remove the plant was by smashing the planter.


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## funkyfish (Mar 16, 2009)

Looks great! Love all the blooms  African violets are my favorite, I didn't know they can live in riparium.


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## !shadow! (Jan 25, 2010)

Hoppy said:


> After some cleaning and minor adjustment of plants, plus waiting to find a lighting condition where I could photograph this tank without excessive reflections, here is what it now looks like - overgrown! I'm still thinking about what plants will replace the really oversize ones. One will probably be a caladium, at least until it becomes oversized too.
> 
> I used Photoshop Elements on this to even out the exposure of the underwater and above water portions. I'm learning more and more about Photoshop, primarily that I have an enormous amount of learning to do before that program will help me much.


Hey hoppy excuse my noobiness for ripariums but what's that last plant called in the picture and where did you get it at? The reason l ask is because when l plan to do my future riparium l plan on adding that exact plant in my set-up. thanks man and l like the look of the tank so far, keep it up!


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

!shadow! said:


> Hey hoppy excuse my noobiness for ripariums but what's that last plant called in the picture and where did you get it at? The reason l ask is because when l plan to do my future riparium l plan on adding that exact plant in my set-up. thanks man and l like the look of the tank so far, keep it up!


I'm not sure which plant you are referring to.:icon_ques


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

funkyfish said:


> Looks great! Love all the blooms  African violets are my favorite, I didn't know they can live in riparium.


I'm about ready to concede that African violets won't grow in a riparium. See http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/p...saintpaulia-african-violet-3.html#post1036874

And, another promising plant doesn't seem to be willing to tolerate a riparium:









This is a dracaena, I think. I bought it at PetSmart, one of the plants in a sealed up tube, sold as an aquarium plant. It has barely grown, and is struggling to survive.

But, the "nameless" palm I bought at a big local nursery last Autumn is doing very well:


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## 2wheelsx2 (Jan 27, 2006)

African Violets typically like to have dry roots in between watering, so if you set it up so that it gets lifted out of the water for a few days a week, they'll do a lot better.


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## hydrophyte (Mar 1, 2009)

I think it's generally best to select plants for ripariums that naturally live in the marginal aquatic zone. Those are better-adapted to having their roots right in the water, and a planting like that is a better representation of something you might actually see out in nature.

I have seen a few folks try to apply epiphytic and succulent plants in ripariums, and those would _really_ not be expected to do very well.


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

The plants here are looking very nice now. Even the African Violet is growing and getting bigger leaves. I do need to remove that pitiful planter of Dracaena. As far as I can see it hasn't grown a milimeter since I planted it. That's great news! Now I will have room to try something else - back to the nursery!


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

Full tanktop shot. The underwater part isn't much to see right now - BG algae growing on the glass where sunlight hits it every evening.


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## legomaniac89 (Mar 16, 2008)

Looks good Hoppy! From what I understand, _Dracaenas_ like to dry out in between waterings. I have the same plant (_D. sanderiana_, I believe) and I keep it more dry than wet, and its grown pretty well for me so far.


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## Digital (Apr 4, 2008)

That 45 looks sweet Hoppy!


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## hydrophyte (Mar 1, 2009)

This one looks great too Hoppy. That is fun that that African violet is growing well.

There are some _Draceana_ that are from really arid climates. I think that a better similar alternative might be ti plant (_Cordyline terminalis_. I mean to try some of that here at some point.

I picked up a nice little _Fittonia_ today and I am going to get it ready to go into the 55-gallon riparium. It should look nice with the other plants in there.


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

This is the Episcia (Chocolat Cream) living on the end of my riparium. It seems to be a perfect riparium plant, easy to keep growing, very slow growing, and it sends out long stemmed new plant shoots, like they are flowers. Those new plantlets grow very well on a nano trellis raft, with the stems poked down into the water. I'm sure I could plant them in a planter cup, once they get some roots, and have even more plants. So far no blooms, but the leaves are the best part of this plant anyway. I got this plant from violetbarn.com about a year ago.


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## hydrophyte (Mar 1, 2009)

has that one been going in the riaprium the whole time since you got it? I'd say that one is a winner as a riparium choice. It is nice that the leaves are nice and tight like that. Some of those plants on nano trellis rafts start to grow leggy after a while.

Is that caladium still going in this tank? And what about that little pilea-like thing with the teardrop-shaped leaves? Is that one still going? I really liked the looks of that little plant.


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

hydrophyte said:


> has that one been going in the riaprium the whole time since you got it? I'd say that one is a winner as a riparium choice. It is nice that the leaves are nice and tight like that. Some of those plants on nano trellis rafts start to grow leggy after a while.
> 
> Is that caladium still going in this tank? And what about that little pilea-like thing with the teardrop-shaped leaves? Is that one still going? I really liked the looks of that little plant.


The Episcia is right where it went when I first got it, never moved, never trimmed, other than removing the new plantlets. And I have 3 nano trellis rafts with them, all still looking good.

I had to remove the two caladiums I had growing. The proved to be poor choices for a riparium, since the bulbs just rotted in place, and few roots were sent out. Plus, the variety I had was really too big for the riparium. I can still see how a very small variety might do alright, but I don't want to pay what they cost, without better assurance that they can grow long term in a riparium.

The little plant that looks like a miniature pilea is doing very well too, I keep pruning of the tips and replanting them on other nano trellis rafts. They seem to grow no matter what I do to them. But, their growth is slow enough to get a long life in one planting. Another winner, but so far a nameless one.


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

I'm thinking about changing this tank into a low light non-CO2 tank soon, so here is an update on how the riparium plants are doing now:


















I haven't done much with pruning or other maintenance for awhile, so this is kind of wild now, but the plants are all doing very well.


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## Hyzer (Mar 9, 2010)

So many stunning plants in one rip. Awesome. Will you be moving them to a different tank if you start an aquarium with this one?


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

I will still have my 65 gallon riparium, so the best ones will be there. One thing I didn't point out: in the first photo, you can see the maidenhair fern that is growing from spores dropped by a bigger fern plant onto a raft covered with moss. It just keeps on sending out new shoots. I think the plant is too fragile to survive any attempt to move it right now, though.


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## Da Plant Man (Apr 7, 2010)

Any pictures of the water part?

It looks great!


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## RipariumGuy (Aug 6, 2009)

Very nice, as usual Hoppy! Quick question though. What is the name of that plant at the base of the _Cyperus_? It is the dark green one with red stems. Round leaves.


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

JakeJ said:


> Very nice, as usual Hoppy! Quick question though. What is the name of that plant at the base of the _Cyperus_? It is the dark green one with red stems. Round leaves.


I bought that plant at a local nursery, in an unlabeled pot, so I'm not sure what it is, but I think it is a Pilea. It grows like one, the miniature leaves look like it is one, and I know there are a few small leaf varieties.


Caton said:


> Any pictures of the water part?
> 
> It looks great!


I have been neglecting this tank, so the underwater part isn't worth a photo - unless I really want to be embarrassed, which I don't. The needleleaf Java Fern there is growing abundantly, the fish are doing fine, but I do have some algae problems, since this tank gets some summer sun on it even with vertical Venetian blinds on the window.


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## hydrophyte (Mar 1, 2009)

Hey that is looking fantastic Hoppy. I suppose I was wrong about that fern. DOes it have a lot of roots in the planter?

That small plant over on the left is I think some kind of _Peperomia_.

That _Fittonia_ sure looks good. I think that those could be really great plants for trellis rafts and I hoep to try a layout with a bunch of them. The only problem they present is that they grow so slowly in the riparium. I might need to purchase several pots or make a little terrarium growout setup to get enough stems. They have quite a variety over at glasshouseworks.com ...

http://www.glasshouseworks.com/trop-f.html


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

hydrophyte said:


> Hey that is looking fantastic Hoppy. I suppose I was wrong about that fern. DOes it have a lot of roots in the planter?


The fern in that tank is entirely growing from the raft of moss. I haven't tried taking it out of the tank to see what the root development looks like. But, there is no planter - one of my other plants dropped the spores or whatever they use onto that raft and it started from that.

Oops, I'll bet you are referring to the two ferns in planters at the back? Those I'm not sure of the name for, but they grow very, very slowly, always looking good. As the leaves get bigger I suspect I can find out the name for them, but haven't tried yet.


> That small plant over on the left is I think some kind of _Peperomia_.


It could be a Peperomia, but I don't think it is. The whole structure of the plant looks more like Pilea than Peperomia. But, with 100+ varieties of Peperomia I'm not going to say it isn't one.


> That _Fittonia_ sure looks good. I think that those could be really great plants for trellis rafts and I hope to try a layout with a bunch of them. The only problem they present is that they grow so slowly in the riparium. I might need to purchase several pots or make a little terrarium growout setup to get enough stems. They have quite a variety over at glasshouseworks.com ...
> 
> http://www.glasshouseworks.com/trop-f.html


My Fittonia plants have all done very well in a riparium, all of them growing on rafts. I started it by washing off almost all of the soil from the root ball, then inserting it into the raft, leaving the roots there. I never got around to planting one in a planter. The only "problem" I have had is that they grow fast enough that they soon start trying to tip over the raft, then the stem lays down near the water, and it becomes a problem to keep them above water. Of course some pruning would take care of that. During all of that, the leaves just continue to be gorgeous!


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