25 gallon tall paludarium build log with pics

[Peakone]

Hey guys!
I decided to take pictures in the process of work over the paludarium im preparing for 2 big eyed tree frogs (leptopelis vermiculatus).

First I made a frame from fiber.


Then i started with the ramps which will be the land area of the tank. I used this basket like thing, because there is no sign of egg crate in the bulgarian stores



Here are the ramps in the desired form:




Then i covered them with roof membrane and siliconed sand to the "beach" side.



My plan was to construct a waterfall and here is how i made it. The water pump should be placed under the left ramp (the bigger one), so i made door on top of it so i can have access to the pump for maintenance. I used this thing to hide the hose-pipe in it:



Then i cutted a tube in half, to use it as watercourse



After i decided the degree of the tube it came time for the construction foam.



When it cured i carved the shape a little bit, but i did not toke a picture, sorry...
When i was done i begin to silicone coco fiber over the construction, but there are places where the silicone did not catch the fiber (the red marks).



Im wondering how to hide them.. should i make the same operation with silicone + fiber for those spots or grout with similar color?

Also I used Ceresit aquarium silicone, but there is still hard smell of acetone, almost half a day later. Will the smell disappear soon?

[John]

This is a really interesting approach. Well done.

The smell from the aquarium silicone should be acetic acid, not acetone. It can take several days for the acetic acid smell to go away - this happens when the aquarium silicone is fully cured.

For the other question, I think I would use the silicone and fiber option because it's lighter (doesn't weigh as much).

[Peakone]

Thanks!
I'll go for the grout tho. Im afraid that the fiber will fall off easy if i use silicone, because the white spots are like holes - air bubbles formed while the foam was curing and im bothered if enough silicone will get inside. Also not much grout will be used, so i dont think the weight will be dramatically changed and i can attach fiber to it before it cures as well

[Peakone]

Ok im done with covering the construction with coco-fiber and after few days of curing its time for first waterfall test!



It seems i've missplaced one of the pots and now its unusable (atleast not in the way its used to ) since the water spills to the right side. But nvm it, I think to fill most of it with aquarium substrate and plant some anubias half underwater, half above it and the frogs will also have another bath in a bit higher level of the tank

wtb opinions and suggestions

[Peakone]

The paludarium is almost finished. Its running for few days now. Only the water area needs to be adjusted. I have some anubias var. nana and java moss prepared for the tank already and they will be added soon. Ill wait till the cryptocorine affinis in my aquarium grows more before i cut some for the paludarium.

Im also not really pleased with the wood and im in search of more interesting one

Here is the result:



Video to be added soon

[DiggenEm]

Nice palu! What of substrate is that in the waterfeature? Also any aquatic life?

[Peakone]

The substrate in the water area is washed and baked river sand. For the waterfall i did not use anything special, just silicone + coco fiber and a litle bit of grout on few spots.

I also plan to make lianas like these http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/par...tml#post522377