Turning a sumped tank w/overflow into a marine paludarium.

[squatchaquarist]

I'm considering turning a standard 125g into a marine paludarium, with a faux back wall for various plants (I'm still working out how to keep salt creep to a minimum) including mangroves, possibly. Corals in the lagoon beneath.

The tank is second-hand and comes with an ESHOPPS sump and an overflow. If I lowered the water level to about half, could I simply put a pump in the tank, plug it into PVC or some other tubing, and run that to the overflow area and down into the sump? And do a similar thing with the return: extending the PVC/tubing from the return pump in the sump down into the tank's saltwater section? I imagine I could hide both extended in-tank PVC connections with fake rock.

Will this cause any problems? Has anyone done anything similar?

 

[sfin52]

@Eagle_Steve thoughts

 

[Soren]

I'm considering turning a standard 125g into a marine paludarium, with a faux back wall for various plants (I'm still working out how to keep salt creep to a minimum) including mangroves, possibly. Corals in the lagoon beneath.

The tank is second-hand and comes with an ESHOPPS sump and an overflow. If I lowered the water level to about half, could I simply put a pump in the tank, plug it into PVC or some other tubing, and run that to the overflow area and down into the sump? And do a similar thing with the return: extending the PVC/tubing from the return pump in the sump down into the tank's saltwater section? I imagine I could hide both extended in-tank PVC connections with fake rock.

Will this cause any problems? Has anyone done anything similar?

I would think it will be hard to match flow rates between pump from display down to sump and return pump from sump up to display. If these flow rates are not perfectly matched, either the display water level will lower slowly as it drains into the sump or the display water level will rise up to the overflow.

A passive drain like an overflow is the best method I have found in my research with linking tanks, since the flow rate is only driven by one pump and will be consistent throughout the system. Maybe you could drill the tank and add an overflow at a lower-than-typical level.

 

[squatchaquarist]

I would think it will be hard to match flow rates between pump from display down to sump and return pump from sump up to display. If these flow rates are not perfectly matched, either the display water level will lower slowly as it drains into the sump or the display water level will rise up to the overflow.

A passive drain like an overflow is the best method I have found in my research with linking tanks, since the flow rate is only driven by one pump and will be consistent throughout the system. Maybe you could drill the tank and add an overflow at a lower-than-typical level.

Thank you, I was worried about the flow rate situation. I'm still very new to sumps in general. Drilling is a possibility...
I'm not completely set on this, but it would be so neat to give it a shot.

 

[mdb_talon]

Even assuming you can match the flow initially it wont stay that way. Then there is always the inevitable situation where one pump fails.

To really do it foolproof in my opinion you need to drill. Could probably get by with water sensors to regulate power to pumps, but again you relying on no equipment failures

 

[sfin52]

Thank you, I was worried about the flow rate situation. I'm still very new to sumps in general. Drilling is a possibility...
I'm not completely set on this, but it would be so neat to give it a shot.

Why not a shallow wider tank with structure coming out of the water to allow plants and mangroves. Like a lagoon

 

[Soren]

Thank you, I was worried about the flow rate situation. I'm still very new to sumps in general. Drilling is a possibility...
I'm not completely set on this, but it would be so neat to give it a shot.

Depending on what you plan to do, your setup could be similar to my plan for a mangrove lagoon. I am not sure yet whether I will pile rock on the back for the mangroves to root into, or if I will just let the roots grow down through the water to the bottom with shallower rockscape (though still probably a deeper-than-average sand bed). Either way, my plan has a typical 75-gallon tank with overflow at the top (drilled through the side) and allows the mangroves to grow above the tank top.

Is there a particular reason you do not want the full height of the 125 or a reason for the mangroves to be partially contained within the tank above the water line?

 

[squatchaquarist]

Well, I do have a shallow UNS 60S (about 10 gallons) that I am doing an island with.
As far as the 125, I've been brainstorming for a new creative project instead of the usual (not that anything is wrong with The Usual). I've always loved paludariums...and I'd like to keep using this sump, if possible. Dunno.

 

[mdb_talon]

Depending on what you plan to do, your setup could be similar to my plan for a mangrove lagoon. I am not sure yet whether I will pile rock on the back for the mangroves to root into, or if I will just let the roots grow down through the water to the bottom with shallower rockscape (though still probably a deeper-than-average sand bed). Either way, my plan has a typical 75-gallon tank with overflow at the top (drilled through the side) and allows the mangroves to grow above the tank top.

Is there a particular reason you do not want the full height of the 125 or a reason for the mangroves to be partially contained within the tank above the water line?

Not to speak for him, but a paludarium seems to be what he is going for(i think would be very cool. That is a step past just a mangrove sticking out the top of tank though.

 

[Soren]

Well, I do have a shallow UNS 60S (about 10 gallons) that I am doing an island with.
As far as the 125, I've been brainstorming for a new creative project instead of the usual (not that anything is wrong with The Usual). I've always loved paludariums...and I'd like to keep using this sump, if possible. Dunno.

I did not know the term "paludarium" before seeing it on this thread, but I think it is similar to what I am planning for my mangrove lagoon. The only issue (as mentioned above) is what to do to allow for rooting the mangroves before they reach moderate size.

 

[squatchaquarist]

I could definitely just use the entire water volume and look into raising the light if the trees take off. But, no other reason for cutting the water volume in half other than it would be fun to build the rock/faux mud/plant wall, and I like a challenge

 

[Soren]

Not to speak for him, but a paludarium seems to be what he is going for(i think would be very cool. That is a step past just a mangrove sticking out the top of tank though.

Can you share what a paludarium is? With some quick research, I am not sure I understand the distinction. Is the purpose to have the water and contents as well as the plants contained within the bounds of the tank?

 

[squatchaquarist]

I did not know the term "paludarium" before seeing it on this thread, but I think it is similar to what I am planning for my mangrove lagoon. The only issue (as mentioned above) is what to do to allow for rooting the mangroves before they reach moderate size.

I'm definitely going to check out your 75g build.
In the past, I've planted mangroves in miracles mud with a sand cap and they did better. For a deeper tank, it would need to be quite a thick sand cap to keep that stuff from getting everywhere.

 

[sfin52]

Can you share what a paludarium is? With some quick research, I am not sure I understand the distinction. Is the purpose to have the water and contents as well as the plants contained within the bounds of the tank?

Its a water habitat and a land habitat in one tank. To complete it live plants are added with animals on land and fish in the water.

 

[mdb_talon]

Can you share what a paludarium is? With some quick research, I am not sure I understand the distinction. Is the purpose to have the water and contents as well as the plants contained within the bounds of the tank?

Yes. Not that you could not have things rising above the tank...but think of it more like a very humid ecosystem of different plants and a lagoon at the bottom. I hope he drills the tank and does it. See it with FW fairly often but i dont know i ever seen ot with SW.

 

[squatchaquarist]

Can you share what a paludarium is? With some quick research, I am not sure I understand the distinction. Is the purpose to have the water and contents as well as the plants contained within the bounds of the tank?

Certainly! It's like a vivarium but with aquatic elements! So most people just take an aquarium, fill it half with water, and build a wall in the back for plants and vines etc. Sometimes you can incorporate shores/beaches. It doesn't seem to be too popular for marine aquarists yet, likely due to the salt creep factor. But I imagine misting the plants frequently (perhaps with ATO water) would help with that.
Edit: And I wouldn't be keeping any terrestrial critters, just trying out different kinds of tropical plants.

 

[sfin52]

@Soren

this one is a freshwater.

 

[squatchaquarist]

@Soren This is what I am envisioning, and seems to be saltwater. Wish I could find out more about it.

 

[Soren]

Its a water habitat and a land habitat in one tank. To complete it live plants are added with animals on land and fish in the water.

Yes. Not that you could not have things rising above the tank...but think of it more like a very humid ecosystem of different plants and a lagoon at the bottom. I hope he drills the tank and does it. See it with FW fairly often but i dont know i ever seen ot with SW.

Certainly! It's like a vivarium but with aquatic elements! So most people just take an aquarium, fill it half with water, and build a wall in the back for plants and vines etc. Sometimes you can incorporate shores/beaches. It doesn't seem to be too popular for marine aquarists yet, likely due to the salt creep factor. But I imagine misting the plants frequently (perhaps with ATO water) would help with that.
Edit: And I wouldn't be keeping any terrestrial critters, just trying out different kinds of tropical plants.

That is what I guessed, but wanted clarification. I agree that it is a very interesting plan and would look very nice! My suggestion is still to drill the tank for a lower overflow and make it work as a true paludarium. The sidetrack to the concept for my "lagoon" was only a suggestion to be able to use the existing tank as it is, but the purpose and aesthetic is different than a paludarium as well as introducing the challenge of rooting the mangroves (which I will still have to figure out for my build).

@Soren This is what I am envisioning, and seems to be saltwater. Wish I could find out more about it.

This is marvelous inspiration for your concept! I considered something kind of like this years ago for a reptile tank, but it would have been freshwater and I never got around to setting it up.

 

[Ratherbeflyen]

Have you considered using an overhead sump or hang on the back fuge?