New 40g breeder tank Palu set-up

wogreno · #1 05-05-2011, 05:43 PM

So I'm attempting my first Paludarium build. Its going to have more water than land in the long, but if all goes as planned, it should look pretty good.
I've collected and cleaned all my rock and am currently soaking all my wood that will go in there. I'll start posting pics as soon as this is ready an I actually start construction.

A couple questions:
1) Is there a particular GS foam that I should be using for my false back and part of my land feature.
2) I'm trying to make this as maintenance free as possible. A Fluval cannister filter was recommended for filtration, water movement, and a possible water feature. Any thoughts on this or other suggestons.
3) CO2 systems - do I need this or are there other alternatives? If I do need some kind of CO2 system, what should I be looking at.

Those are my questions and thoughts for now. I'm sure I have more... in fact there's no doubt that I have more. But anywho, I'll be checkin in and keepin this updated. Thanks for anyones input.

jersey · #2 05-05-2011, 06:44 PM

I used Gaps and cracks, and also the waterfall stuff you will find in pond stores. either will work fine. The Gaps and cracks is Yellowish, and the waterfall is grey / black... not that it matters much as it will be covered up.

I actually have a 40 that I have running with convict chichlid breeders for turtle food. It uses a Fluval 405 and it does the job. I don't know about using it as a water feature supply though.. It spits out too much flow to really be good for that. I would just add a small fountain pump for that. just make sure you get one that has adjustable flow.

As for CO2 I really can't answer that. I use it in my Planted fish tank, but never really thought about it for my Palu mostly because I don't know how the Turtles would react to it, or if it would be harmful to them.

wogreno · #3 05-06-2011, 01:54 PM

Thanks for the info on the GS. As for the tank and filter, its a paludarium so it won't be completely full. I'm thinkin there will be somewhere around 20-25g's when all is said and done.
I was thinkin of using a Fluval 204 canister filter (a bit smaller than the 405) but the addition of a smaller pump for the feature isn't a bad idea.
As for the CO2, I've heard different things but the tank is going to cycle a while before anything living goes in there, followed by plants and then maybe something else - fish, invertebrates, maybe a lizard or some frogs, i don't know.
This is definitely becoming more involved than I had initially thought.
Cheers