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A paludarium is a miniature ecosystem built in a tank that comprises both water and land habitats. It resembles nature-style aquascaping in a way that it recreates an ecosystem where different living elements interact with each other to thrive.
A paludarium incorporates both terrestrial and aquatic elements, which means building a paludarium involves creating a land area. Making a land area usually requires thick soil material to separate land from the aquatic area. This is important to retain the health of land plants that have no ability to survive in an aquatic environment.
Creating a separate land area in an aquarium tank usually requires a lot of soil and space. However, this article introduces a method that allows you to create a land area without the need for any extra soil. By following the steps outlined, you can easily add a land area to your tank.
1. Adjust the Water Level
When building a paludarium that has both land and aquatic areas, it’s important to adjust the water level to accommodate the land plants. The amount of water you need to reduce depends on the size of the tank and the type of aquatic species you plan to keep. In this method, you’ll be placing the land plants on hardscape materials such as driftwood or stones. Therefore, it is recommended to lower the water level to the point where your hardscape materials are partly exposed to the air. This will ensure that the space remains open for the land plants to grow.
2. Choose Land Plants
The air in a paludarium is consistently humid, so land plants must be adapted to thrive in such conditions.
The best choice for land plants is ferns such as Blechnum gibbum Silver Lady and Pteris.
3. Place the Pots in Your Tank
When you purchase land plants from stores, they usually come in a pot filled with soil. To mount the plants on driftwood or other hardscape materials, you don’t need to take them out of the pot. Simply place the pot on the part of the hardscape that is exposed to the air. It’s just like placing a potted houseplant on a shelf or a table. Then, add extra rocks and driftwood to hide the plastic pots for a more natural look.
Overall
One of the easiest ways to grow land plants in an aquarium tank is by placing their pots in the tank. This method enables you to create a land area in your tank while still providing enough space for fish and shrimp. Remember to water each pot of the land plants to keep the roots moist.
After setting up your paludarium, you can sit back and watch your chosen plants grow!
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