A Few Planted Ripariums
 

Hi all, I am a new member. I keep a few orchids, but I spend most of my garden hobby time with my planted aquariums.

I have several planted ripariums, which are aquariums filled part of the way with water, with air space above for the emergent growth of plants. These look a lot like a similar idea, paludariums, which are sort of like a terrarium/aquarium hybrid, but they don't have any real land area--the above-water part is rendered just with plant foliage.

Here are some pictures from a few of my tanks.

55 Gallon Riparium Featuring Cryptocoryne

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2055/...32a9b183_o.jpg

Cryptocoryne plants (also known as "crypts") are among the most popular of aquarium plants. This Riparium has some larger-statured species/varieties growing as emergents, as well as a few fully-immersed crypt plants. Fish include Botia locahes and Puntius barbs.

65 Gallon South America Biotope Riparium

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3357/...29516263_o.jpg

This one is a rather loose "biotope". It contains some representative South American plants, such as Echinodorus swords, as well as others used primarily for their form and appearance, such as the Acorus sweetflag.

I also have a couple of orchids in this one, a phrag and a Spiranthes odorata. I have a strong interest in researching more orchids that can grow inthis "wet feet" style of culture.

wet feet
 

Hi,

those are really cool! what are those large bright orange rocks? they look like sandstone or large fired clay terracotta.

do you have any nice pictures of just the underwater area in a horizontal view?

Very cool! Do you have a pump that circulates the water? What do you use for algae, fungus? Thanks!

thanks very much! those red rocks are old weathered bricks that i found in a sandbar on the river. here is a closeup of the underwater area in the crypt tank.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3393/...2241c757_o.jpg

those plants are all various crypts.

here is a view of another riparium display. this one is in a 20 gallon high tank.

http://hydrophytesblog.com/wp-conten...9-tank-i-s.jpg

I would have never guessed bricks:shock:

thanks for the additional pics.

here is one more, a Mexico river biotope in a 120G.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3508/...50b75a0e_o.jpg

Last night I was over servicing the 120G again. It is looking better because I have been able to visit with more frequency.

http://hydrophytesblog.com/wp-conten...9-tank-i-m.jpg

The pink rain lilies (Zephyranthes macrisipohn) have bloomed consistently. Notice also the bright green taro Xanthosoma 'Lime Zinger'--another real nice plant.

There are fish in here too and they also look happy. I have a few more views that I will reformat and post later on.

hi you,re ripariums are really nice. i have some aquariums with many waterplant could i just not ad water after it evaporates? to make them like you,res?
i have some java fern but the leaves tend to dry out when thet stick out of the water. also cryps and others i of which i can,t remember the names of at the time.

I did some more photo-editing and came up with this FTS.

http://hydrophytesblog.com/wp-conten...-tank-ii-b.jpg

This picture is a montage, made with a combination of two shots at two different shutter speeds. I copied and pasted the underwater area from a shot with a slower shutter. Somehow photographs of this tank always depict the foliage with more glare and the water with more shadow than in real life.

There really are fish in there--almost 30 of them. This quick shot shows all three species.

http://hydrophytesblog.com/wp-conten...9-fish-i-m.jpg

Nice tanks!

You should post them on Aquarium Plant Central. They have several forums on emersed culture, crypts, and biotopes.
Aquatic Plant Forum

How are you constructing your banks for the emersed growth?

Cheers.
Jim