75 gallon vivarium - questions

[Adam]

So, after some rearranging, consolidation, selling and buying, sometime this late December I will only have 3 aquariums, down from 4, and a previous high of 6.  I'm moving my mbuna from my 75 into a new 125+ gallon aquarium I plan on getting sometime this december.  My 60 gallon tall will remain, but my 33 and my 14 tall will be given to family members/sold. 

The residents of the 33 gallon are a firebellied toad and a firebellied newt.  I've had them for 12 or 13 years now, and they have always lived peacefully together.  I'm going to make my 75 gallon into a planted vivarium. I planned to do this with the 33, but this is bigger and better. 

I have some questions.  I will be running 4 x 48" T8 bulbs (already have).  Two 18 000K for the blue I like, and 2 6700K for the white and plants.  What kind of light will I have once this hits the water surface, and goes down only 8 or 9 inches?  How is this for terrestrial plants?

Drainage for the plants is another issue.  Is it standard practice to just completely seal off via some kind of pane of something and silicone it into place?  I want soil, or some other terrestrial substrate on one side to grow terrestrial plants, and a body of water on the other side.

I figure a fluval 304 will be good for the filtration, especially since it is going to be about 30 gallons of water.

I've read about false bottoms, but they only seem to include a tiny wading pool.  I want the water to be 3/5 of the footprint, at least.  What are my alternatives here?

And, has anyone made something like this before?

Adam

[kennyman]

I looked into it when I considered moving my Brackish system to a 55. Styrofoam block siliconed in place along the edges seemed to make the most sense to me. It can even be shaped and sculpted with the aid of a heatgun, like the kind used for striping wall paper, and then covered with quickcrete to provide a natural looking substrate at the transion zone between actual planting media and the water.

[beowulf]

I am thinking of doing something like this but on a smaller scale.  I got ideas from here

http://www.aquahobby.com/tanks/e_tank0503.php

http://www.aquahobby.com/tanks/e_tank0403.php

Brakish one here
http://www.aquahobby.com/tanks/e_tank0202.php

[Adam]

Thanks for the links.  I found a good site, which is similar to what I want to do:

http://badmanstropicalfish.com/paludarium/paludarium.html

Would the layer of rocks, then a screen, and charcoal, then soil be enough drainage for the terrestrial plants?

And how much light would I have with a low water level?  Low, medium, high, or any increment between? 

Thanks,

Adam

PS.  I just bought some CRT tubes for moonlighting, and an oak canopy.  I should be able to start constructing the lighting shortly.  I'll post pictures as I go.

[beowulf]

I really thing I am going to go brakish with a mudskipper and some archer fish.

[Jesse]

I think that blocking off a land section completely would be best. Get some plexiglass or something and silicone it to the esired spot, that way you can monitor terrestrial plants easier, and with less risk of soil getting into the water. I made an attempt at a false bottom setup a few years ago, but it didnt work for me.  Then I bought a 25g cube and sectioned off the water spot with 3 pieces of glass. I used peat moss that I got at home depot as the substrate on the land side, then sand in the water. Its too bad i stopped at that, I ended up taking down the tank and never got any pictures or anything. It held water though.

[Jesse]

Archers and mudskippers would be nice but a challenge to upkeep I think. Mind you I have never put any thought or research into either of those species, I just think it would be hard from what I DO know.

[beowulf]

Archers and mudskippers would be nice but a challenge to upkeep I think. Mind you I have never put any thought or research into either of those species, I just think it would be hard from what I DO know.

I am always up for a challenge!!  It would also be a great way to see the archers natural hunting technique.

[kennyman]

Thanks for the links.  I found a good site, which is similar to what I want to do:

http://badmanstropicalfish.com/paludarium/paludarium.html

Next time your over there check out the fish profiles section for a critter that might be of interest for your project