Newcomer Looking For Advice - Page 2

Ambaryerno · 10-05-16, 08:15 AM

I was definitely considering aquatic plants, and will definitely consider things like those hyacinths (ideally I'd like to use as much as possible that would be native to the environment). I was also thinking about aquatic microfauna as well (like those little freshwater snails). Would the crayfish idea in the OP be too risky IE (snake eating the crayfish, crayfish injuring the snake)?

There was definitely going to be some sort of separator between the land and water area.

Ambaryerno · 10-05-16, 05:01 PM

Was just looking at glasscages.com and they have a tank that's 48x24x24. It would be a little shallower than the 16" I was thinking, but I could do 18x24x12 for the water and end up a hair over 22 gallons.

chairman · 10-05-16, 06:53 PM

Here's a sample tank of what I've seen. It is way too big for your space but I find it quite inspirational. 1700 gallon stingray river | MonsterFishKeepers.com

The only predator in the tank should be the snake. Everything else should be prey. I wouldn't trust a crayfish. Snails would be fine.

Ambaryerno · 10-07-16, 10:37 AM

Ok, I think I've got a good idea on how to start (and thanks for the validation that much of what I've planned will work, if be a bit of a challenge). The trickiest part of the setup I think is going to be the filtration for the water feature, and creating the slope into the water from the land area. Ideally I'd do a rather shallow one, but I'm presuming I need to keep as much of the water area the maximum depth as I can.

Still trying to decide what would be the best tank to use for this, whether a wide tank like that 48x24x24 would be sufficient, or if I'd be better off going with something longer like a 135 (with a longer tank I could presumably make the water area shallower, and use a gentler slope into it from the "bank"). I don't have a LOT of floorspace, especially in my living room, though I could probably fit a 135 in my bedroom.

Ambaryerno · 10-07-16, 11:50 AM

The longer tank would also better let me use my original plan of having the water area divide the land area in two, so I can use one side of the tank for a warm end, and the other side for the cool end.

*SIGH* Decisions decisions.

Ambaryerno · 10-10-16, 10:25 AM

Ok, here's what I'm thinking:

Start with a 135 Wide tank (I'm considering getting glass sheets and assembling it myself to cut the cost of the finished tank in half). 23" from each end I'll put a divider about 9" tall. This would separate out a space with an area of 26x24 for the water feature, which will be filled to 8" deep, and after adding gravel and "shoreline" should make for about 20 gallons of water. There will be 1" between the top of the water and the top of the divider so the water doesn't severely overflow into the substrate when the snake crawls in.

I just need to figure out how to actually construct slope into the water.

Ambaryerno · 10-12-16, 01:15 PM

Still in the planning stages. I've actually started writing down materials and cost estimates, and YEESH, this is going to be a FINANCIALLY formidable build, as much as it will be one creatively (looking at over $1000 so far, and bound to climb).

Anyway, I've been looking into the matter of substrate. Most of the references I've found specify about 2-3" for each of the two main layers (Water Table and actual substrate. I'm thinking of using NEHERP v.2 for the latter since that is appropriate for temperate climates). Well, the problem is that brings me up to about 6" deep for the terrestrial areas, however I need the terrain to be at LEAST 9" to be at the appropriate level for the water feature.

I can't make the water much shallower. Anyone have any recommendations? The way I see it I have three options with the configuration I currently have planned:

1) Make the substrate layer deeper to make up the difference.
2) Make the water table layer deeper.
3) Raise the bottom of the tank below the water table somehow.

As an alternative, I wonder if it might be better to reconsider my configuration. As of right now, the water feature is planned to run across the width of the tank, but I wonder if it might be better instead to have it flow along the LENGTH instead (say, have the terrain in back, with the water up front), which could help me shave off a little more depth. It may look better aesthetically, as well.

Thoughts?

daisymaisy · 10-17-16, 10:11 PM

Are you still planning on keeping fish in the water part? There are a lot of reasons not to, but I wasn't sure if you were going to stick to that.

I will just say that maintaining water quality is a real challenge in a viv and I would worry about the snake being affected by poor water quality. But I'm sure there are people who manage it successfully.

If you want ideas on vivs/paludariums, the dart frog people have a lot of great ideas. (Check out the dendroboard forum). The habitats won't be the same, but you can get a lot of ideas on false bottoms and how to construct things. Be advised a piece of glass siliconed in place as a divider very often leaks eventually. You can make some really cool backgrounds out of cork and expanding spray foam though!

Speaking of frogs, African Reed Frogs are really easy to breed. You can get CB ones, and they breed! I've actually been thinking about a frog eating snake (shhhh...don't tell the frog people!) since my original four are at least 15 or so now. They do require a whole set up of their own and might not be very practical but just throwing that out there.

If you want to really do the water part right, you could drill the tank for a drain and a return line and use a canister filter. I would be a bit concerned with a snake and a canister filter though...most of the tubes are big enough for a snake to get stuck in. The intake would need to be REALLY snake proof.

It sounds like a really great build idea and I like how the tank keeps getting bigger!

Ambaryerno · 10-17-16, 10:18 PM

Yeah, I'm still planning to keep the fish in the tank with the snake. I was actually considering having a hole drilled in the bottom of the tank at one end for the filter intake, with a hose leading to a canister filter, then another hole drilled in the back of the tank for a return line. I would include a valve on the intake line which I could use for draining water during water changes with less hassle. And yeah, I'd make sure the intake pipe was secured. probably a mesh screen secured over the end.

I originally considered glass dividers, but was wondering if I might be better off using something like the liners you often see for outdoor ponds, though there's a question of whether it can be secured at the front and back ends of the glass.

Ambaryerno · 10-24-16, 09:08 AM

Got to talking about this project yesterday with my sister, who does a lot of work with aquariums, and she came up with another option of a smaller tank for the enclosure to keep the footprint manageable, (say a 75 gallon) with a sump tank to provide sufficient water volume for the guppies.

She's actually almost more excited about the possibilities than I am.

cbgarner2002 · 10-24-16, 09:04 PM

You've got me in a whirling daze of future planning for something like this.

the creative possibilities are endless, though the same cannot be said for the funds for this guy I'm afraid...

I can't wait to see you begin undertaking this project and do hope you document your journey via photos and updates.