I am gonna move to my first apartment and I want to build a big blackwater paludarium

[Blackwater guru]

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So either in December this year or during the spring term next year depending on whether I get the permission for it or not I will be graduating high school and I will have to eventually move my current 145 l blackwater biotope aquarium with around 40 fish when that time comes.

There is also a possibility of me having to stay at home with my father until I have a job and an apartment so the move might not happen right away which is great because that means more time to plan it accordingly *editing this now because I recently spoke to my father on the phone about this project and he said I might have to wait longer,initially when getting my idea for the setup I was thinking that obtaining a job and an apartment after graduating would be relatively quick but I might be wrong*

I was thinking of building an even bigger environment for them but not just any old aquatic environment for them but a BIG paludarium of at least 300 l or more that strives to emulate a complete jungle environment with both bottom plants ,and also land plants like bromeliads.

I want all of my other paludarium inhabitants to be native to the forests or rivers around the Rio negro river just like all my current fish.

I would love to have poison dart frogs and other types of reptiles in there especially semi aquatic ones like small turtles that won't pose a threat to the other inhabitants.

The way I see it and the reason why I am doing this is because I feel my fish deserve the best they can possibly get even if it's tiny fish like tetras or corydoras catfish and it's also because of me moving away that my fish deserve the same thing as me which is a bigger home so of course they should have just that.

 

[itiwhetu]

The most difficult thing to achieve is the the light balance between aquatic and terrestrial really think about that. The idea is great and I have done it. But think hard about how you will light it.

 

[Blackwater guru]

The most difficult thing to achieve is the the light balance between aquatic and terrestrial really think about that. The idea is great and I have done it. But think hard about how you will light it.

I saw this one video

about a paludarium that had the light slowly increasing in intensity and varying nuances of color , he also used a raspberry pi and other types of lighting and equipment to achieve this.

I would love to be able to simulate weather effects in an environment like this although I have no idea how to do it.

I would have to find a way to make sure the lighting in the aquatic part is subdued but still enough for my floaters,the environment I am trying to recreate has little to no bottom plants because of the low lighting caused by jungle canopy and floaters and so floating plants will be more important especially for filtrating the tank initially during cycling.

 

[AilyNC]

I would wait a good 6 months to a year before doing any big project like this. You're moving out of home & going to have to adjust to new responsibilities. It can be a big learning curve paying rent & bills & managing finances for all the essentials. Will your new landlord allow an aquarium? Will your lease be long term or will you be moving again each year?

Just take time to think about it. You're building a huge environment in a temporary home fresh out of high school.

The project sounds amazing but a few months wait will give you time to see how you manage living out of home & whether your rental is suited to introducing this big system.

 

[itiwhetu]

I would wait a good 6 months to a year before doing any big project like this. You're moving out of home & going to have to adjust to new responsibilities. It can be a big learning curve paying rent & bills & managing finances for all the essentials. Will your new landlord allow an aquarium? Will your lease be long term or will you be moving again each year?

Just take time to think about it. You're building a huge environment in a temporary home fresh out of high school.

The project sounds amazing but a few months wait will give you time to see how you manage living out of home & whether your rental is suited to introducing this big system.

Great advice, you have a life time to create this.

 

[Blackwater guru]

I would wait a good 6 months to a year before doing any big project like this. You're moving out of home & going to have to adjust to new responsibilities. It can be a big learning curve paying rent & bills & managing finances for all the essentials. Will your new landlord allow an aquarium? Will your lease be long term or will you be moving again each year?

Just take time to think about it. You're building a huge environment in a temporary home fresh out of high school.

The project sounds amazing but a few months wait will give you time to see how you manage living out of home & whether your rental is suited to introducing this big system.

In terms of finances it's not a problem because not only do I have a large sum of money that I inherited from my late grandfather consisting of stock exchanges in banks worth around 1300 us dollars or 12000 Swedish crowns,currently my father also became interested in helping take care of my aquarium and fish in general ,he is also financially well off and more than willing to help me with moving my aquarium once the time comes.

I am aiming for a long term lease and of course I am aiming for an apartment where pets like fish are allowed.

In Sweden were I live there is a law called LSS "lagen om särskilt stöd" or in english "law for special needs" which gives support for people with special needs like me so that I can get help in learning to take care of the above mentioned responsibilities ,this is because I have had aspergers since 10 years of age .

For me it would mainly be a matter of support and tons of planning before I can start the move of my tank and the eventual build.

 

[itiwhetu]

In terms of finances it's not a problem because not only do I have a large sum of money that I inherited from my late grandfather consisting of stock exchanges in banks worth around 1300 us dollars or 12000 Swedish crowns,currently my father also became interested in helping take care of my aquarium and fish in general ,he is also financially well off and more than willing to help me with moving my aquarium once the time comes.

I am aiming for a long term lease and of course I am aiming for an apartment where pets like fish are allowed.

In Sweden were I live there is a law called LSS "lagen om särskilt stöd" or in english "law for special needs" which gives support for people with special needs like me so that I can get help in learning take care of the above mentioned responsibilities ,this is because I have had aspergers since 10 years of age .

For me it would mainly be a matter of support and tons of planning before I can start the move of my tank.

We are here to support you and guide you through what you need to do, there is a wealth of knowledge here to answer your questions

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

Sounds like a wonderful project! We have a section here for journal threads, where people post photos and update their progress as they set up a new tank or to follow their progress as time goes on with an established tank, hope you'll share yours too! Would be great to see.

I'd love to make a paludarium some day.

 

[AilyNC]

Do start a journal. As mentioned above there's a wealth of knowledge here. My comments are only meant as guidance - it's a huge responsibility but if you feel well supported & ready for commitment I wish you well in the project. I would still go slowly but that's only my years of experience of jumping quickly into projects speaking.

Do keep a journal and keep us updated. I'd love to see pics of your current tank. I love seeing tanks of other members - it can be very inspiring!

The financial comment was again only meant as friendly advice. I myself found it difficult when I move out of home trying to balance social & financial aspects of living away from my parents. You've exciting times away. Congratulations on coming to the end of high school & best wishes for the future. It's a new exciting chapter in life

 

[AilyNC]

Also Halla! I have visited Denmark and could see Sweden from the Kronborg Castle. It's a country I will visit in future

 

[Lajos_Detari]

I haven't built any paludarium before.
But it seems to me that paludarium is harder to maintain than normal tank with full water.
I think your choices of filters are more limited than normal tank.

Anyway, just my two cents...

 

[Blackwater guru]

We are here to support you and guide you through what you need to do, there is a wealth of knowledge here to answer your questions

Another reason as to why I am considering building a bigger and better enviroment is that I have been running an undergravel filter ever since it was set up during early january this year so moving it means taking everything apart which means no filtration unless I have some sort of backup.

I was thinking of using the old tank either as a breeder tank for my many fish and if not that it would be a reef biotope environment which would make it my first marine project.

 

[goldfish_is_orange]

Sounds like a great project. keep us posted!

 

[vanalisa]

You said the key words..."lots of planning. "

What will you be studying, by the way?

 

[Blackwater guru]

You said the key words..."lots of planning. "

What will you be studying, by the way?

I have always had a huge interest in technology such as software and hardware , I am also fairly skilled at computers were I can do everything from very basic windows skills like knowing what each setting is used for to more advanced stuff like setting up entire server systems and manually removing malware without the help of an antivirus.

So yes I will pursue an education in some kind of IT related job like dissecting malware or even programming things.

For me planning a paludarium will depend on many things ,there are the obvious ones such as the fact I will have to pick and choose my aquarium inhabitants carefully to make sure they get along.

But there are also less obvious things like choosing the right type of plant , I would not accidentally want to choose a land only plant and put it in the water because it would rot away,if I want to have dart frogs controlling the humidity is necessary and misting may also be needed , any arboreal frogs will also need somewhere to climb on.

As for fish species I would probably stick to cardinal tetras , firehead tetras ,corydoras duplicareus catfish,and marbled hatchetfish.

I am still researching about other suitable animals besides fish ,such as turtles or other reptiles that live in the Rio negro ,the size of them as adults and whether they will leave my fish alone.

In the future though once that day comes I hope that I will be able to travel to the Amazon rainforest and to witness it in all it's beauty before the greediness of man destroys it all , most of all though I would love to observe the native blackwater environments were my fish come from with my own eyes so that I can dive down in the river and take reference photos for future aquascapes that aim to forever preserve this beautiful part of nature that will likely dissapear in the future unless something is done to stop the deforestation and destruction of this unique environment .