New tank!

[leah]

I found a REALLY good deal on a 4 ft/50 gal. tank that I couldn't pass up, so yay! New tank!
I'm looking for creative landscaping ideas for another axolotl tank. There's a short divider 1/4 way across the tank that goes up about 5 inches, as well as a turtle shelf. The guy before me had been using it to house green tree frogs. The shelf is easily removable, the divider not so much, but with a bit of work I think I can get it out. But, if possible, I'd like something that can incorporate both of these into the new setup. Any ideas? I know I only want the water level about halfway up, so I can have some ferns and other small leafy land plants above water.

This would be my dream tank:
http://www.csd.net/%7Ecgadd/aqua/46g.htm
http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua/46g_construct.htm

Any advice on how to achieve a similar look? (Methods other than the styrofoam he used in those links) Thanks!

 

[mik]

Hi Leah, I saw a shop with similar layouts in Preston, Lancs (no use to you) but the sexy landscaping stuff was all pre-made to suit tank and filter...quite expensive. Butlots of deifferent finishes.

The tank manufacturer was Jewell (If I remember right).

Good luck with yours

 

[jenny]

ive seen those twiggy braches somewhere theyre only about £8 each i think. but again it was in england so still not much use to you.

 

[jenny]

i think it was The Range. or Rainge. But they arent real bark. still looked rather good though.

 

[leah]

Ok, here's what I've got going so far: 4 foot/50 gallon tank, I've kept the divider and platform I mentioned above. The divider is on the left hand side of the tank, the shelf on the upper right. I've built some false rocks out of styrofoam, sand, fake moss and spray paint. Everything still needs to be sealed, but the pics should give you some idea of what the final product will look like. The platform is fairly plain right now, but once it's all been sealed there will be some baby's tears (a small, creeping plant) overhanging that edge into the water.

One of the "rocks' that will be on the shelf:

A view of the divider taken from inside the tank:

Rock up on the shelf. The baby's tears will cover most of the shelf, and I'm trying to find a way to incorporate a waterfall/fountain pump into it, so some water trickles down into the water below.

The plants on the dry side of the divider- 3x some kind of peperomia species, 2x venus fly traps (so happy to be out of their little pots!) and my favourite with the big leaves, a prayer plant (Leuconeura Kerchoveana.) I'd also like a sundew, another kind of carnivorous plant, if I can find one. Not shown is a climbing plant that will be attached to fake vines along the back of the tank.

Closeup of the rock wall hiding the divider. When it's finished, the substrate will be sand starting at this wall, and gradually changing to polished black river rocks as it moves closer to the right side of the tank, under the platform.

It's starting to come together, but still a lot more work to go! I haven't decided yet whether I'll get another axolotl, or some tree frogs. The little melanoid female they had at the store has been sold, so now I don't know what to do!