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2020

Paludarium Construction – Creating A Haven For Aquatic Life

A Paludarium is an enclosed area for keeping a wide selection of water creatures. It is elaborate and similar to an ecosystem but in a small tank. Paludarium usually has a high level of humidity and may feature a waterfall, a stream or a pond. There are many things that are involved in a paludarium construction. Read on to discover how a Paludarium is made.

Resembles a shoreline

As we mentioned above, Paludarium features an aquatic ecosystem. A Paludarium resembles aquatic life in the pond, stream, wetlands and rivers. These places are home to many aquatic organisms. This includes many insects that live on the shore as well as amphibians such as frogs, newts, toads and salamanders. There are shorelines that harbor fishes as well. Also, you will find invertebrates such as crabs living in these waters.

Besides the animals, the plants found along the shores of different water bodies are equally exciting. You will find various flower varieties along these shores as well as some carnivorous plants. You will find pitcher plants, sundews and Venus fly trap.  Making a Paludarium can be a rather complicated process. Below, we will look at the stages involved.

Separating land from water

A Paludarium has land and water levels. When separating the two levels, a shelf is created right above the waterline to hold the land. This shelf is usually made of PVC material. The good thing is that you can easily purchase this material at home improvement stores near you.

Build a shelf

Using PVC egg crate, you can devise a shelf for your Paludarium. The good thing with this material is that it is inert and thus will neither react nor release chemicals into the water. You can cut the material using heavy duty scissors or hacksaw before gluing it to the sides of the aquarium. In addition, you can place something beneath it for support so that it can handle the weight of the land.

Make it look natural

The egg crate can be covered with gravel. However, the gravel will finally be covered by plants. Start off with larger stones before placing the smaller ones on top. You can then put soil on top before covering it with a mesh.

Plants needed

There are many aquatic plants that are ideal for your Paludarium. These include:

• Spider plants. Spider plants such as dracaena and croton can be added to the Paludarium.
• Carnivorous plants. Plants such as the fly catcher can be grown in the Paludarium.
• Marginal pond plants. Marginal plants such as cardinal flower can be added to the Paludarium. Mangroves can also be planted.
• Consider herbs such as basil, mints and other good smelling plants.

Animals

You can consider keeping these animals in your Paludarium.

• Newts
• Salamanders
• Frogs
• Fishes

Conclusion

 Creating a Paludarium is easy. However, you have to do it right so that the set up can work flawlessly.

by vanish11 on 2020-11-17 12:30:01