zakhren: My display tank (Read 489 times)

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zakhren
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My display tank
« Thread Started on 25 Mar, 2007, 21:42 »It's not quite done yet but decided to take some pics. It's just a simple thing but I thought it'd be a good beginner's experience. It's just a simple rectangular glass tank (I think it's 55x27x27cm) which i'm filling with peat.
Here's the pics:

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I didn't think it looked nice to have perlite against the glass so before filling the middle with a peat/perlite mix i lined the sides with pure peat so it has a nice clean black look.
This image is reduced by 13%, click it to view full size.

This is the drainage layer. I just thought it seemed right to put something like this so I can see how much water ends up at the bottom so I know when to stop watering. I'm thinking that the layer of moss will store water if I forget to water it or something and If I water so much that the water gets through that and fills the rocks then I know i'm overwatering.

I'm wondering, for perlite, wich is best, the coarse 1 or 2 mm pieces or the sand version? Because I've been using the coarse perlite.

P.S
Buying this tank and that piece of wood was a dream~ haha. I went to the aquarium shop and started looking around. I told my bro I wanted a nicely sized not too big aquarium with a piece of wood that kinda goes through the middle and splits at one end. I went upstairs and saw this tank right at the front only 1 left like it's size, and when I looked at the pile of wood, the very first one I picked up (I didn't really look at it yet) was that piece which was perfect. And it just fits into the tank leaving about half a cm on each end haha. How perfect is that? « Last Edit: 25 Mar, 2007, 23:15 by zakhren »Link to Post - Back to Top LoggedDavid
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Re: My display tank
« Reply #1 on 26 Mar, 2007, 9:07 »So what lighting will you be using? Or are you putting it outside for sinlight?

Just a suggestion if you want to cover the media, you can use the black pastic tape that is made for fish tanks. You can get them in fish shop. They have a matt look to it. What I do is I buy a whole roll of it and stick it around the tank at the bottom. At one corner of the tank I leave about 1cm of blank space so I can see the water level. That way you won't get bothered by the sight of the media if you don't like it.
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Re: My display tank
« Reply #2 on 26 Mar, 2007, 9:42 »Ah thanks David. For now I'll be putting it under sunlight. Perhaps in the future if I can afford lights and stuff I might. Link to Post - Back to Top Loggedzakhren
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Re: My display tank
« Reply #3 on 27 Mar, 2007, 12:15 »Ok well i'm done with the peat and the positioning of the wood. Now's just to put the plants in. Hopefully someday the whole thing will be covered in live moss~ For now this is it :
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The front of it.

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The side.

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This part is kinda my fave hehe. It's like a cave. I had to put a small piece of plastic at the back of it to hold the peat from the 'highland' from spilling into the cave. You can see the plastic refection at the back of the cave there. But this cave is also useful. If I get a plant that doesn't like direct sunlight and likes it really humid (which I'm guessing that cave will be), it would love to grow in the cave.

I watered the whole thing to get the peat all settled. It took forever for the water to reach the moss haha. You wouldn't believe how much water this thing can hold before reaching the rocks. I don't think i'll be able to over water it. And it really stays wet~ Plants should like that And I actually kinda like the look of the medium and the drainage layer.

So what do you guys think of it? Haha I'm looking for opinions. « Last Edit: 27 Mar, 2007, 13:34 by zakhren »Link to Post - Back to Top LoggedRobert
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Re: My display tank
« Reply #4 on 27 Mar, 2007, 14:45 »Good work Zakhren . I have some ideas and been dreaming some better ways to grow. I wanted to grow stunning and massive red amp in the tank and make everyone drool . But i never try Link to Post - Back to Top LoggedDavid
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Re: My display tank
« Reply #5 on 27 Mar, 2007, 22:08 »Hi Zak,

Nicely thought. It makes me feel that if I am a spider, scorpion or centipede, I'll love to hide in that little "cave' you created there.

I like Robert's idea of having a beautiful red ampullaria in there. That would be really nice. Or if red amps are a little expensive, ask Robert to get you the green speckle amp in the picture he posted. The one with 3-4 layers on basel pitchers stack on top of each other... haa, haa, haa... Just kidding! Not encouraging poaching here. hee, hee...

Another idea is to grow a whole bunch of D. burmaniis in the tank. Would be even nicer if those were the giant red burmaniis. BEAUTIFUL I tell you!

On top of that if you have the life sphagnum moss growing in there, that would be really WOW! « Last Edit: 27 Mar, 2007, 22:09 by David »Link to Post - Back to Top LoggedMy Wantlistzakhren
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Re: My display tank
« Reply #6 on 27 Mar, 2007, 23:39 »Where would I get giant red burmaniis? Haha. But I did plan to scatter lots of burmaniis at the base of the wood on the right on the 'lowlands' if I ever get seeds. I got a tiny bit of live sphagnum so it may take a long time to cover the whole surface with it... But someday it will be.

And remember, this tank is only for things that will go into dormancy or die at the end of the year. So anyone with plants that go dormant please tell me~

Oh and I remeasured the tank properly and it's 60x28x28cm.

P.S Oo~ Robert and I have same number of posts. It's like fate or something haha

P.S. 2 Oh and i'm building a simple roof for it so I can stick it out in the rain. Just thin pieces of wood cut, sand papered, nailed and varnished. Nothing fancy. I want to use hard, clear plastic as the roof but i'm not sure where I could buy just hard plastic? « Last Edit: 28 Mar, 2007, 1:39 by zakhren »Link to Post - Back to Top Loggedzakhren
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Re: My display tank
« Reply #7 on 31 Mar, 2007, 17:36 »Well I got the tank set up with some flytraps and the roof. Pics :

This image is reduced by 13%, click it to view full size.

I know the frame isn't so nice. But I built it with my own hands and it does it's job.

This image is reduced by 13%, click it to view full size.

I know the plastic on it looks worse haha. But I couldn't find proper plastic so this is the best I can do for now. At least it keeps the rain out and it can withstand heavy storms.

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These are the only plants growing actually in the tank's medium. 2 typical flytraps and my akai ryu.

I'm actually quite proud of myself
I did this from nothing in only 5 days. « Last Edit: 1 Apr, 2007, 0:47 by zakhren »Link to Post - Back to Top Loggedartificialive
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Re: My display tank
« Reply #8 on 1 Apr, 2007, 9:59 »Wah, congrats Zak! The setup looks great. Only my suggestion here, why not u use a plastic zinc roof to replace the plastic cover?
Just curios here, what is the ration for the peat and perlite u used? Link to Post - Back to Top Logged[Naj Grow List] --- [Naj Wanted List]zakhren
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Re: My display tank
« Reply #9 on 1 Apr, 2007, 10:12 »I would like a proper roof. Do I get that at hardware stores? The peat perlite is 1:1. Just the basic mix. If a plant in there requires something elses I can dig it up and fill in something different. A 1:1 peat perlite mix wouldn't be wasted anyway I'd use it for another pot. Link to Post - Back to Top Logged3sgjeffery
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Re: My display tank
« Reply #10 on 1 Apr, 2007, 21:50 »NEAT! If you can have more VFTs in there, the sight will be drooling. WAH!
What about Sundew???

I was so hope to have a open space like yours.
Post more.

oh yah, must have plan for dormant VFT « Last Edit: 1 Apr, 2007, 21:51 by 3sgjeffery »Link to Post - Back to Top Loggedzakhren
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Re: My display tank
« Reply #11 on 1 Apr, 2007, 21:54 »Sundews i'll put when I have. Everything that goes in that tank will need dormancy so I just send the whole tank into dormancy in November. Link to Post - Back to Top Loggedzakhren
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Re: My display tank
« Reply #12 on 1 Apr, 2007, 22:04 »By the way my flytraps have been in the sun for a while now. How come no red traps yet? Know how long to get red traps? It gets 6-8 hours direct sun.

See the traps in the pic up there? Still no red... « Last Edit: 1 Apr, 2007, 22:19 by zakhren »Link to Post - Back to Top LoggedDavid
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Re: My display tank
« Reply #13 on 2 Apr, 2007, 9:03 »It's a mini greenhouse! So cute. Nice Zak. Good woodwork too.

One suggestion if you cannot find the actual plastic zinc roof, you can try transparencies for OHP (Overheasd Projectors) but this will not last loong too. However, it is thicker and looks nice.

If you want something permanant, you can go to the glass shop and aske them to cut 2 pieces of glass for you to fit on the roof. Don't get the thick ones. maybe 3mm or something like that. Those that are used for picture frames. It would be better if the glass is thicker and is tempered glass, but it might be too heavy for your wooden frame. Link to Post - Back to Top LoggedMy Wantlistzakhren
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Re: My display tank
« Reply #14 on 2 Apr, 2007, 9:16 »Yeah my frame isnt that strong. I couldn't afford stronger wood and since it was my first woodwork since form 3 I didn't wanna screw up with expensive wood haha. I'll shop around for the plastic zinc, if can't find that then i'll try the glass. Link to Post - Back to Top Logged3sgjeffery
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Re: My display tank
« Reply #15 on 2 Apr, 2007, 11:40 »about VFT, have no red. Some form may not have any red at all. Thats normal.
I have a form before, put under whole day sun, no red and continue green and die. I dont know. So it is not always the case, that they will turn red. Link to Post - Back to Top Loggedzakhren
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Re: My display tank
« Reply #16 on 10 May, 2007, 0:11 »I'm thinking of making a mexican pinguicula tank. I know I dont have many mex pings but I'm hoping that'll change. Besides I only want a really small one since pings are small. a 12"x8" tank. Should be cheap. Then following the pinguicula.org suggestion on medium:
2 perlite, 2 vermiculite, 1 small sand (I'm looking for silica sand, aquarium shop have?), 1 fine white sand (I think I'll just use fine perlite), 1 pouzzolane (That's volcanic lava rock found at aquarium shops), and 1 aqualit (Also should be found at aquarium shops).

Then if I ever get any mex pings I can just put them in there. Easier to take care of if they're all in one place.

BTW I found a hydrometer! I can't believe I missed it... There were 3 cheap (RM6) ones at my local aquarium shop hanging from the top shelf. Haha now I know my current tank has 85% humidity~ « Last Edit: 10 May, 2007, 0:15 by zakhren »Link to Post - Back to Top Loggedartificialive
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Re: My display tank
« Reply #17 on 10 May, 2007, 2:02 »Wah Zak, which aquarium shop did u bought from? Mind buying for me(if its ok for u, for sure )? Link to Post - Back to Top Logged[Naj Grow List] --- [Naj Wanted List]kianliang87
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Re: My display tank
« Reply #18 on 20 Mar, 2008, 21:38 »Can somebody tell me the difference between the black colour stuffs and the brown looking stuff? which is peat? which is perlite? many many thanks Link to Post - Back to Top LoggedStudent who loves nature.piscesilim
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Re: My display tank
« Reply #19 on 20 Mar, 2008, 21:48 »About peat.
http://www.sarracenia.com/faq/faq3200.html

About perlite.
http://www.sarracenia.com/faq/faq3300.html Link to Post - Back to Top LoggedLim