# Planted Tanks > Vivariums >  2.5ft (L) x 1.4ft (H) x 1.5ft (W) rocky paludarium journal

## lukielala

the last looks of my 2.5ft tank's former "glory"




okays. so here's the plan. I'm going to do a "rock biotope" style of layout. There'll 

be a so called "land" area where the rocks will be protruding out. There will also

be waterfalls.  My stock list would include 2-3 red clawed crabs and 1 white 

p.clarkii male and 2 orange p.clarkii female. I've already cleaned the tank down. 

Forgot to take pics of the empty tank heh. will be posting photos of my tank 

progress so far. Have added fake "rock" background on back and left hand 

side. placed egg crates at the bottom to even out the rocks' weight. Egg crates 

at the top to prevent any escapes. Weighted down with my light set. Light set

is a normal fluorescent light set that has 1 white daylight tube and 1 blue 

moonlight tube.  till tmr. Forgot to take pics while doing setup. now waiting 

for the silicon to dry up. pics will be up tmr

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## lukielala

The caninsters im using. Dont bother about the co2 tank. It was used for my 

previous setup. Im running one eheim 2215 filled with ehiem substrate, corase 

filter sponge, fine filter wool and 1 x carbon pad. One boyu ef-05 filled with 

coarse filter sponge, fine filter wool, ceramic rings, activated carbon. Both will 

be used for fiiltration and the outflow as my waterfall .



Egg crates are used for weight distributions created by the rocks that I'm 

going to place later. Egg crates are going to be placed at the top to prevent 

any crabs or crays to escape. But that'll be the final step of this whole 

setup.

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## lukielala

The lights that I'm using. 1 x 2.5 feet weipro light holder double tubes. 1 tube 

is daylight, the other is moonlight. Tubes are just normal fluorescent tubes .

The second picture you see is when both moonlight and daylight are switched 

on.

The background you is the 3D "rocky" background I got from Y618. Not made 

from common styrofoam where you can see those rough dots all around. 

They're made from synthetic styrofoam or something. I forgot the name of it.

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## lukielala

This is how the insides look like when cut.



The fan I'm running to maintain the temperature at 27-28 degrees. 2 x Ista 

cooling fan large size .



My D.I.Y rainbar with the input for the pipe at the middle. This will be the 

"long tube rain-style water fall".

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## lukielala

The sand that I'm going to be using for this setup. White fine sand.  Cheap 

and good.



The "equipments" that I am going to be using. A brush not too brittle not too 

soft. I'm using those types that painters use.

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## lukielala

Look at how shiny the sand is!   



Using the cup. I sprinkle the sand over the egg crate. Do not sprinkle the sand 

till it covers the egg crate. Crayfish and crabs are diggers and because of the 

rockwork, I want the rocks to rest on the egg crates and not the sand. This will 

completely eliminate any possibilities of caving rock works due to sand digging. 

So you sprinkle starting from the sides. Alittle at a time

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## lukielala

Try to stack the sand alittle up at the sides. When the sand is stacked. Using 

the brush, you sort of "paint it" all over the egg crate. Spreading it finely. Think 

of it like, making peanut butter and jelly sandwhich. Only this time you can eat 

it. 



So keep "painting" and pouring little cups of sand until you get it even out. Do it 

slowly and dont pour the whole bag it. Taking sand out with eggcrates at the 

bottom is harder then pouring it in. So play safe man.

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## lukielala

So when you're done. It will look something like this. I chose black egg crate 

because of the colour contrast. Black n white. When you brush your palms over 

the egg crate. You should feel the egg crate sticking out of the sand. Especially 

at the areas where you rocks will be resting at.

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## lukielala

THE CREATION AND APPLICATION OF THE "D.I.Y LONG TUBE RAIN STYLE WATERFALL"

The waterfall rainbar was created by using rainbars from the eheim caninster 

and Boyu caninster. A T-pipe was used to make the center placing rainbar 

pipe inlet. A few pipe adjustments and siliconing were done due to pipe size 

difference. The caninster running this "waterfall" would be the boyu caninster,

due to it's low flowrate; 150l/h. As you can see from the pics below the 

rainbar is attached with the poor man's style. Using duct tape. Hehehe.

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## lukielala

Here you can see how it looks like when placed in the tank.





Here you can see how the piping will run.

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## lukielala

okay updates people. My rocks are still being treated with water after treated 

with bleached water for one night. so you probably will only get to see them tmr 

or something. Anyways, I've made a video without running commentary. It 

shows the whole tank with all the pipings and stuff without the rockwork.

But first off, although I said I would do the cover as the final step. But heck 

man, I got sick of lazing around so I went ahead and did the cover. Heh. It looks

good, sophisticated, "sci-fi" plus it's easy and fast to make too. Less then 30 

mins.  Oh and I added one more powerhead with flowrate of 600L/h to create circulation. Crays and crabs are messy eaters and good "waste producers".

I want my filter intakes at both end to be able to suck them in at the end of the day. HEH.

Okay here goes, I'll show the cover first.







As you guys can see from the pictures, I've "trimmed" holes that are kinda just 

nice for my pipes to protrude out. In a way it allows my egg crate "tank cover" 

to stay down, stay firm and still allow protection for my invertebrates by 

preventing them to get a escape route.

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## lukielala

Following which, you can see here a full picture of how the whole tank cover 

looks like.

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## lukielala

I'm sure you guys have noticed that gap at the egg crates "tank cover". Why 

the gap? It's really simple. I just want my tank cover to be able to be lifted up. 

So by using cable ties, I'll strap them together at various spots creating a nice 

joint. Like this:

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## lukielala

After all of that is done, the tank cover will be weighed down by my lightset. As 

egg crate is also a light diffuser it will also help to ensure that my light spread 

will be even and nice around the tank. So from top view it'll look like this.

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## lukielala

Okay so in my first post, if you guys have noticed I said that all my filters' 

output will be acting as a "waterfall". So how am I going to get a good water 

circulation? My budget is tight as it is, so I went to dig out my powerhead which 

has an astounding 600l/h for the size as it is. Im going to use it to act as a 

wave maker. Here you can see it's temporary location.



It'll stay at that particular spot, but it'll be placed much higher. I'll be pointing it 

around 45 degrees out so the circulation is good. It'll be hidden behind my rocks btw.

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## lukielala

To end this update, I'll be posting up a video of the tank before rocks are added 

in. The tank cover is already in place. It's around a 4-5 mins video. You can see 

all my fish equipments, filters, lights in action, background close up, sand, the 

cover and all. Here it is: 



Oh btw, It's my first time doing a video of my setup. So pardon the quality and 

silent effect. HeheHEHe.

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## lukielala

Okay guys. Here's my first batch of rocks. They're pagonda rocks. I've taken 

two sets of placement. Personally I prefer the second as the first ends too low. 

My waterfall from that side comes out from my outlet at the tank's highest 

point. I'll be building from bottom up, so this few days i'll be hunting for my "base 

layer" rocks.





I won't mind if you guys have anything good or bad to contribute.  Oh, 

sorry ar, digi cam currently on use by my friend, so your eyes have 

to blur blur for a few more days. HEHEHEHE

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## lukielala

Okay people, I've the rocks for my base pretty much done. I've filled in some 

sand too. Guess I need another few more packs. The sand were sort of "poured" 

in after I was satisfied with my base layer of my rock work.





The "base" layer of my rocks without the sand in.







The base layer of my rocks with my remaining sand from my first packet in.

Cheers! Guess my third batch of rocks would have to wait for quite some time. 

My funds are running dry. hehehe.

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## lukielala

Okay "cray-nantics", I've my third batch of rocks in my tank already. Although I 

said that my third batch would take some time, but hey I found a really good 

deal by bro rainbow and now they're in my tank. Pics as below.









Cheers.!

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## lukielala

ladies and gentleman. First off, I would like to say, if you guys are considering to 

buy any boyu external caninsters especially the low flow rate ones. I 

recommend that you stay off them. It's not because their flowrate sucks, their 

cannister sucks. It leaks, the self-priming is poor, the material is poor, start up is 

not hassle free. Even a normal eheim classic line cannisters are easier to start 

them this cannister. I know I am using the boyu EF-05 external caninster but I 

am going to change it to a eden most probably. Anyways my tank is already up 

and running today. Photos should probably be up tomorrow or the day after. 

Got quite abit of bacteria bloom. I shall be nice and show you guys one teaser 

picture of my right side waterfall. 



Oh and I've decided to replace the red clawed crabs with Sulawesi shrimps.

So the final tank combo is 2-3 crays and 10-15 Sulawesi shrimps.

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## lukielala

photos as promised guys.

Oh btw pls dont mind the breeder tank in the middle. They're feeder mollies I'm 

using the cycle to the tank. They'll be out and in their own tank after 1 month.

Reason for them being in there is to prevent them from hidding in my rocks when 

I remove them after the tank's ready for my crays.

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## Panut

Wouldn't the 2-3 crays makan all the shrimps?

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## lukielala

ya i guess they will...guess im gong to go all crays.

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## EvolutionZ

why not let the mollies swim around your tank first? i feel weird looking at so much mollies in such a small box..

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## lukielala

wait later very hard to catch them all out

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## Reginald Ho

It seriously feels like a saltwater tank... perhaps due to the blue tinge and white sand?  :Razz:

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## lukielala

yea i know it looks like saltwater tank...when i first filled the tank it even 

smelled like the sea.HAHAHAHA. Even when my lights are off it looks like 

freaking beach biotope. But hey, that's what i want! hehehehehe.

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## lukielala

Guys think you all have any plants to recommend for my land area?

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## Jervis

> wait later very hard to catch them all out


Emm... seems to me that those Mollies are for "live" cycling... personally I will not use live fish to do cycling but again it's a matter of choice I guess.

Your sand looks very fine and deep to me... doesn't look like the right substrate for plants with roots. How about keeping Rhizome type of plants such as Anubias and Ferns? You can tie the plants to small rocks/wood branches and place them around your rockscape  :Smile:

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## lukielala

i was refering to the area above water line  :Smile:  hehe...below water line will not 

have plants. as my crays will definately clear them all up.

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## lukielala

alright guys, sorry for the long due update. I've set up a separate tank for my 

feeders. It is running on a bubble filter. Pictures as below.

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## lukielala

And since my feeders have all been transported to their new holding tank, I've 

taken new photos of the tank both full and some closeups. I also have currently 

10 born-not-long-ago frys in the tank currently. I'll now allow my pictures to do 

all the talking. Sorry if the pics aint up to your standard. Cheers!


Full tank shot


Left tank shot


Right tank shot


Right bottom tank shot, showing one of my caves

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## lukielala

Left bottom tank shot. There's a hidden cave covered by the sand.


Extreme right bottom tank shot.


One of my baby fry.


Extreme macro of my baby fry taken by my handphone.

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## lukielala

Here you can see the closeup of my cave in the middle of the tank.


Here you can see the "closeup" of my "waterfall".

Well that's all for my updates currently. The next update will definately include 

at least my main tank inhabitants. Most probably the sulawesi crab will come in 

first.

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## andrewtyr

A sulawesi paludarium, first of its kind! Pictures speak a thousand words, you spent alot of effort doing this up and taking the pictures, keep it up.

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## lukielala

> A sulawesi paludarium, first of its kind! Pictures speak a thousand words, you spent alot of effort doing this up and taking the pictures, keep it up.


Thank you!  :Grin:

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## lukielala

here people. A few more minor updates to my tank's layout. I've added some 

emmersed Nanas to help soften my scape and to help maintain my water quality.

Now I'll pass the talking to my pictures  :Smile: . HEHE. Cheers! Crabs to be coming 

soon  :Smile: .

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## Thirteen

Wouldnt the crab shred the leaves of the plants. I tried petite nana with crayfish. The leaves are shredded the next morning..

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## planted86

if you want to keep small shrimps.. i suggest you use a sponge to cover the inlet pipe... prevent shrimp from getting sucked into the filter...

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## Captain Telecredible

Hi 
Maybe by adding more plants will look better ? just a idea from me  :Smile: 
Cheers

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## lukielala

> Wouldnt the crab shred the leaves of the plants. I tried petite nana with crayfish. The leaves are shredded the next morning..


yours was submerged or emmersed nanas?

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## lukielala

> if you want to keep small shrimps.. i suggest you use a sponge to cover the inlet pipe... prevent shrimp from getting sucked into the filter...


i currently have a sponge filter over the inlet.  :Smile:

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## lukielala

> Hi 
> Maybe by adding more plants will look better ? just a idea from me 
> Cheers


i'll be adding more plants in i guess...mostly nanas. but they'll all be covering 

my waterfall area. and there'll be no submerged plants

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## lukielala

alright guys. sorry for a long period of "dormancy" I've just added in two sulawesi 

crabs and they're doing fine now. Always hiding in my maze of rocks and coming 

out only now and then. I've also kind of rearranged my rocks layout alittle. I'll 

now just let the pics do all the talking.

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## lukielala

Cheers people!

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## David Moses Heng

cool man!! Care where did you get the crahs from and the cost?

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## lukielala

er i got them from Y618. Price ard 1 red and 3 purple notes for each.

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## Fuzzy

very nice! 

Where did you get the "fake rock" backdrops from? how much do they cost?

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## mercury

I love your waterfall!

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## David Moses Heng

any updates?

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