Paludarium Saltwater – Fixed sections of land allow aquarists to have much more variety as to the types of species they can include in their setup-even frogs and newts to add to other typical aquariums.

Creating a Paludarium Saltwater

Coastal Life

I’ve always been fascinated by aquatic ecosystems in general, and I spend a significant portion of my free time exploring natural habitats such as streams, ponds, marshes, and wetlands. One of my favorite research topics is how habitats change from being entirely aquatic to terrestrial.

Here, there are many intriguing species. Most bodies of water have a variety of aquatic insects, amphibians (frogs, toads, newts, salamanders, and so on), and other creatures along their shorelines. In some places, fish, most notably different mudskippers, may even be found in marshes. The water has a variety of crabs and insects, including the well-known fiddler crab (Uca spp.).

Separation of land and water

The more technical paludarium involves the creation of areas of land. To do this, partially fill the aquarium to create a water mirror, and install a kind of shelf to create a land mirror. The trick is to separate the two layers of this wallpaper. Install leads along the waterline to keep the land in place. PVC (plastic) egg crates were used to construct this shelf. It basically consists of a white lattice material to scatter light from above fluorescent bulbs in commercial and industrial situations.

Shelf Construction

PVC is used to make the egg crate. This is the same material that is found in the majority of modern plumbing installations, including aquariums. It is non-toxic and does not leach hazardous chemicals into the water. Heavy-duty scissors, a hacksaw, or the cutting wheel of a rotary tool are ideal for cutting egg boxes. Wear safety glasses and gloves at all times, especially when using power tools. To make the land, cut the egg box.

You can form an island with a larger tank or cut it to cover more than one-third of the tank. It can cover the majority of the aquarium while providing access to the aquatic area via a central pool. Vegetation will eventually cover it, and less gravel will be required. I don’t use rocks, which fall out of the egg box through large holes. To avoid this, lay a layer of large gravel first and then cover it with aquarium gravel, or lay a fine plastic grid and then cover it with gravel. You can also cover it.

Read more: Care for an Unfiltered Paludarium

Plants for Paludarium Saltwater

In addition to the pothos above, many other plant types are suitable for this setup. Try the ‘Brazilian Sword’ peace lilies, often found in Betta vases. Arachnids such as Croton, Dracaena, and Lucky Bamboo (actually a type of Dracaena) are also effective. African violets, like many carnivorous plants, you can add beauty to flower arrangements. Mangroves, like cypresses and other semi-aquatic trees, can be maintained as long as they are undersized with a little bonsai. The possibilities are endless.

The best results are achieved with a tank half full and using distilled water. Moss will absorb water, so you may need to adjust the volume, but the surface should be damp. This blog is an ideal substrate for carnivorous plants such as sundew and pitcher plants. Non-carnivorous plants ranging from cow berries to cardinal flowers can also be grown here.