r/paludarium

I’m looking for a good way to incorporate soil into my build to have more plants n what not. Any tips tricks ideas or help I would love to hear.
What would you do to build this how would you build this n why?
What plants would you add what would you do for substrate to hardscape! Please let me know!

Hello all! This is my first tank/paludarium build. Started the process of cycling about a week and a half ago. I added snails (a few Ramshorn and bladder snails) over this past weekend, as well. I also did the frozen shrimp thing to help the cycling process along. Took it out when the ammonia was around 2ppm. Added some crushed coral a few days ago for a falling ph.

So the problem: I’ve been testing the past few days, and routinely have been coming up with 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, AND 0 nitrate. I’ve never seen the nitrite or nitrate test at anything but zero (I got the test kits for nitrite and nitrate on Friday, ammonia I’ve had since a week ago), but as mentioned I HAVE seen the ammonia spike.

I decided to just go and buy some pure ammonia from ace to get a more reliable view of things. I added in 4 drops about 5 hours ago (~2.5gallons of water in a 20gal long), I go to test, and sure enough… 0 for all the tests.

KH came out at 0 too, gh went from 5 to 7 after the coral. Ph low 7s.

the question: is my tank cycled? Is it due to the plants? Am I getting false negatives or what? I find it really hard to believe this tank cycled in a week and a half 😭

Edit: some readability stuff

Just wanted to show my setup, good established springtail population, heavily planted ( rarely need to cycle the water pretty much just a top off every once in a while. Only issue I had being too much exposed water for my dart frog which I solved with a bunch of water lettuce even thought he can get out of the water just keeps peace of mind when I am gone. On a side note having a good amount of water keeps the humidity around 80% without atomizers or manual misting.

I made this early 26 and has been slowly growing. Finally happy enough to show it off.

All of the grey of what you see is expanding foam shaped into rock like structures.

At the bottom where the water flows its made to look like boulders at the bottom of a waterfall.

I do have more pics of the build if anyone is interested i could post a build log?

I just made my first Paludarium and I’m very happy with how it turned out! Im still going to put a bit more water in because I’m going to be adding Chili Rasboras and Cherry Shrimp when the water perimeters are right.

Im between either Vampire Crabs or a Red Eye Crocodile Skink right now (learning more towards skink). Let me know what you guys think.

Open to any suggestions!

Hi everyone! I’m brand new to this community and I’m absolutely obsessed. I’m so thankful this community exist as I begin my build. I purchased the thrive, hexagon terrarium, and I wanna turn it into a Paludarium where I can have shrimp and possibly frogs as well as a clean up crew. The front opening door is about 3 1/2 inches up from the bottom which is not enough space I think for me to have the type of water feature I may need or that I want. I looked into building a dam across the front panel door using acrylic to give myself more height clearance, but I haven’t been able to find someone who can miter the edges so that it can fit flush with my Tank. Because it’s a hexagon shape it’s not easy for me to find an acrylic container that can essentially be my pool of water, so I’m stuck and really looking for some suggestions. In my mind I would have a trapezoid shaped pool in the front of the hexagon and then hardscape and land in the back of the hexagon. Don’t know if that’s even possible…

I just set up my first real paludarium for my spring salamander who just entered his sub-adult life stage and his few snail and ghost shrimp friends. There are multiple terraces and cave , live plants and moss, a trickle water feature that drips off the moss in the tree and behind into the water for a gentle trickle sound, plus submersible pumps for current and the water feature, and a sponge filter. Did I do okay?

now to build the pool and to add more plants

Hi!
I own some species of salamanders and wanted to upgrade one of the enclosures. Somewhat impulsively I started to build something that I think I like for this species (E. Bislineata, also known as the two lined salamander?)

The idea is to have a small internal pump in the back amd have water flow from the top right down. There is a small area on the left that will have place for dirt/plants. The water height will start between the 1st and 2nd plate that start to slope.

I got “this far” but have no Idea how to proceed. I want to make plenty of space for it to hide (especially in the flowing parts).

I hope there are some experienced people here that can help me on how to proceed.

Thanks in advance

Oh, most of the blue is already connected to itself but not to the aquarium itself.

Home to a single dumbo betta and 4 pygmy corys and also a jumping spider 😅

My first paludarium build and a big build at that.

In a 90 x 45 x 90 exo terra pro paludarium

A new home for 4 dainty tree frogs

Featuring several rare and irridescant terrarium plants.

The main log in the middle has a hose running to a pvc tube for the pump and acess to the pump, with the outlet hidden inside the log.

I'm very keen to see it establish and hopefully the plants and moss do well, I have a mistking system in the works but not set yet.

Please let me know what you think.

Any suggestions or questions are welcome

Thanks :)

Still planning on a few changes but letting it cycle and grow out a bit before I do anything. So far the only livestock is just springtails. I am open to suggestions if anyone has any

This snail(?) hitchhiked from the store. Can we put it in our new (and first) paludarium? (Day 2 and work in progress)

My paludarium today vs 2 months ago and the day I set it up. I’ll be giving it a trim soon because it’s growing so well.