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Mudskipper paludarium- an alternative solution

Posted: Wed Apr 20, 2011 5:41 pm
by hx
Hi all.

I didn't want to go the traditional "sloping sandbeach"-route in creating a habitat for my mudskippers.
To start with, I had three Periophthalmodon septemradiatus males. This is not the most aggressive nor largest species of 'skippers, but it still wants to form and defend a small territory.
What I wanted was to create a habitat with multiple spots where the fish can hide from each other's sight.

I started with an old 140 gallon sump tank:
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I disassembled the sump to replace the old, scratched front glass with a new one and painted the trims:
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For hardscape I wanted to make a DIY root system with multiple little shallow pools and an inbuilt plumming to circulate water in the pools.

A sketch:
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Platforms and volume of the scape:
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Roots bent of pvc and added volume with foam:
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A bit of shaping with a knife:
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A stage after a few layers:
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Hardscape pretty much finished:
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Glued in and the first test was very succesfull. All the pools were filled up with just one pump feeding the plumbing system in the scape:
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The mudskippers are using the whole scape and seem happy with it:
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FTS, early stages:
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BOOOOO!
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The tank is still maturing. Water is kept at 1.002-1.003. I'm trying to find plants that would co-operate with me, but haven't had too much luck yet.

There, thanks for looking!

Re: Mudskipper paludarium- an alternative solution

Posted: Wed Apr 20, 2011 5:55 pm
by EmilyMarie85
Wow.

That looks so awesome!

Re: Mudskipper paludarium- an alternative solution

Posted: Wed Apr 20, 2011 6:57 pm
by Crissyloach
Wow! Looks great! I love the 3rd last pic -- LOL!

Re: Mudskipper paludarium- an alternative solution

Posted: Wed Apr 20, 2011 9:49 pm
by plaalye
I love it! Very very cool!!

How was it fitting the new piece of glass between the existing sides & frame. It would seem difficult?
A stage after a few layers:
Layers of what??

Re: Mudskipper paludarium- an alternative solution

Posted: Thu Apr 21, 2011 1:17 am
by hx
Thanks, guys!
plaalye wrote: How was it fitting the new piece of glass between the existing sides & frame. It would seem difficult?
A stage after a few layers:
Layers of what??
It was a bit difficult, since the end glasses are in between the long sides and had to be taken out first. But still doable. I cut the silicones with a thin cut-blade knife.

Layers of grout. Grout is cement, fine sand and coloring powder. A few colors was used.
I mix some concrete additive acrylic polymer to it before brushing it on. It seals the cement partially and gives strength to the structure.

Re: Mudskipper paludarium- an alternative solution

Posted: Thu Apr 21, 2011 3:16 am
by Matt
That's brilliant. :-)

How do the plants do with salt in the water?

Re: Mudskipper paludarium- an alternative solution

Posted: Thu Apr 21, 2011 9:27 am
by hx
Thanks.

There are several species of plants that should do ok in the low salinities.
I'm not havin' too much growth yet, even though I tried to acclimate the plants during a few months.

But we'll see. My hopes are high. Java moss and Riccia are doing fine, a couple species of Crypts are surviving, java fern so-so. Vallisneria is growing and reproducing... Lotus seems to survive as well, but grows ve-ry slow-ly.

Re: Mudskipper paludarium- an alternative solution

Posted: Thu Apr 21, 2011 7:58 pm
by starsplitter7
Absolutely fantastic. Thanks for sharing.

Re: Mudskipper paludarium- an alternative solution

Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2011 10:51 pm
by Diana
I had Mondo Grass (Ophipopgon japonicus) survive in an emersed 'skipper habitat, salt level at 1.004.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ophiopogon_japonicus
Everything else died.
Try acclimating the plants over several months, starting them in hard water, and adding just a tiny amount of salt each week until the plants are in the water similar to your 'skipper tank. It takes them a long time to acclimate.

Beautiful job on the root and layers!

Re: Mudskipper paludarium- an alternative solution

Posted: Sat Apr 23, 2011 7:46 am
by NancyD
Wonderful!

Re: Mudskipper paludarium- an alternative solution

Posted: Sat Apr 30, 2011 3:13 pm
by hx
Thanks, starsplitter7 and NancyD.
Diana wrote:I had Mondo Grass (Ophipopgon japonicus) survive in an emersed 'skipper habitat, salt level at 1.004.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ophiopogon_japonicus
Everything else died.
Try acclimating the plants over several months, starting them in hard water, and adding just a tiny amount of salt each week until the plants are in the water similar to your 'skipper tank. It takes them a long time to acclimate.

Beautiful job on the root and layers!
Thanks for your 2c.

I acclimated the original plants in the tank for 2 months from 1.000 to 1.003. Might be something else going on along the salinity, but pretty much all I got was algae and either no growth or just dying plants...

Mondo grass is new to me, gotta look into it!

Thanks again.

Re: Mudskipper paludarium- an alternative solution

Posted: Tue May 03, 2011 4:07 am
by cider
wow ! just saw this...love your hardscape and love your mudskippers !! Awesome job , must be a joy to watch them :D
G

Re: Mudskipper paludarium- an alternative solution

Posted: Tue May 03, 2011 5:48 am
by hx
Thanks!

I'm no photographer. I certainly am no filmmaker.
But here's some overall footage of the tank, shot with a Nokia N8 phone.


http://www.youtube.com/user/hexisan?fea ... 9LNrbVcpe4

Re: Mudskipper paludarium- an alternative solution

Posted: Tue May 03, 2011 2:29 pm
by SgtMajWiggles
Hx - this is such a cool build! Is that a turtle on the far right in the full tank pic?

Re: Mudskipper paludarium- an alternative solution

Posted: Tue May 03, 2011 2:39 pm
by hx
Thank you, Sarge.

No, no turtles in there. The round thing in the back right corner? A coconut shell.