If you’ve ever wondered what a Paludarium is, how to set one up and which plants work best in this type of setting, then this blog post is for you.
This blog post will walk you through what it takes to set up your own paludarium for both indoor and outdoor use. We’ll cover everything from how to choose the best environment for your needs all the way down to which plants work best in this type of setting.
You’ll also learn about the different types of soils that are available so you can find one that’s right for your situation. Finally, we’ll go over some helpful tips on creating a beautiful habitat with all the necessary requirements met!
What is a Paludarium
A Paludarium is a terrarium where water and land are combined. They can be indoor or outdoor environments, but they require some knowledge of plants, soil composition, and building materials to create the perfect habitat.
If you don’t have the time or desire to create a perfect aquatic and terrestrial environment, that’s not a problem. You can get away with just having plants in an aquarium and adding small amounts of soil if you want, but it does take some trial and error to find out which plants work best under these conditions.
Depending on what type of environment you’re trying to create, it can be done with various tools. For example, if you want an indoor environment, it’s best to have fish and plants inside a glass aquarium.
If you want an outdoor environment, which is much more challenging, it’s best to use large pools or small lakes as your water source because they are less likely to freeze over in the cooler seasons.
It should be noted that it’s possible to create an indoor environment with small ponds. Still, it requires a lot of maintenance and upkeep because the climate inside a house will cause things like overhead lights, heaters, cooling systems, etc., to change the temperature around your pond drastically throughout the day.
It’s also important to remember that a larger pond or lake is more likely to freeze over in the winter, which poses many problems for your aquatic plants and animals.
To give you an idea of how much space it takes to create a paludarium, there are several different options. We’ll be going over everything from small aquariums all the way down to small ponds.
Why Create a Paludarium?
This type of habitat can be used for everything from showing off small decorative fish or creatures to simulating your natural outdoor setting.
Some people even use them as an educational tool, so their children can learn about different types of environments and the plants that reside there.
Some people use them as a decorative piece in their home. However, some of the fish they have living inside can be extremely rare and beautiful to look at, so it’s quite a sight when you walk into someone’s house and see bright-colored exotic fish swimming around a beautifully landscaped tropical environment.
Different Types of Paludariums
There are several different types of paludariums, each with its own pros and cons. We’ll be going over small aquarium settings, larger ponds or lakes, and everything in between to show you what’s best for you.
You should never forget that the larger your habitat is, the greater amount of work you’ll need to put into it. But, on the other hand, it’s also easier to keep an aquarium smaller because you’ll have less work to do, and there’s more room for error than a lake or pond.
First, let’s go over the different types, and then we’ll tell you what to consider when choosing a type.
Aquarium
If you have enough room in your home, apartment, or office, setting up an aquarium paludarium is the best option because it only takes small amounts of land to create! A 5-10 gallon fish tank is a great starting point for someone who’s never created one of these habitats before. Just remember that the larger your tank is, the more work you’ll need to put into it!
Pond
Setting up a pond is a lot like setting up an aquarium, but there are several differences. The main difference being that ponds have large amounts of water that aren’t circulated by pumps or filters, while aquariums rely on small systems of pumps and filters to keep everything clean. Aquariums usually require a little bit more maintenance than ponds, but it’s not too hard if you follow our guidelines in the next section.
This type is also good for beginners because there’s less work involved.
Lake
Setting up a lake is another great option. A lake in your backyard can be used for fishing, relaxation, exercise, or just an aesthetic piece of furniture because it adds a certain beauty to any landscape!
However, this type takes a lot more effort than an aquarium and pond because you have to deal with the changing seasons and the changing temperatures of both the water and air above it. It also takes a lot more land to maintain a lake than an aquarium or pond because you’ll need to have trees, bushes, grass, or other plants growing around its perimeter to make it look natural.
This is also more complex because ponds usually only require good drainage underneath their soil, while lakes need good drainage above their soil. This is because there’s a chance the water may leak through your pond’s soil, so you’ll have to make sure it doesn’t pool up on top of your lake and become stagnant.
How to set up a Paludarium
Setting up a paludarium is very similar to setting up any other aquarium, but there are several things you need to consider before starting.
The first thing you need to consider is how much work you want to put into your habitat. The larger your habitat, the more work you’ll have to put into it. Aquaria usually require less work than ponds or lakes, but they don’t offer as much space for decoration.
Never use dirt from the ground to fill your paludarium because it will contain unwanted organisms that can cause trouble in your tank. You should always use sterilized potting soil instead.
The first thing you need to do is find a place for your habitat. Of course, you should put it somewhere where it’s not exposed to direct sunlight, but you also want to make sure that the lighting won’t be too dim because plants need sunlight to grow properly.
The next thing you need to figure out is how large or small of a paludarium to create. The smallest size we would recommend building is a 5-10 gallon aquarium. It’s the easiest to set up, and you can find them at most pet stores. If you’d like something a little bigger, there are larger aquariums sold online and in large fish supply stores. The largest we would recommend getting is about 25 gallons because anything more than that will require a lot of maintenance. You should also decide if you want a land portion to your tank or not and what kind of plants you will put in it.
Most aquariums are circulated by pumps located at one end of the tank, which is connected to either an air pump or an electrical outlet where water is pumped back into the tank from another end through a filter and then is pumped back into the middle of the tank. This process repeatedly occurs to give your fish oxygen and keep your tank clean and warm. For this system to work properly, you need an area with enough water volume to allow proper circulation, or else there will be stagnation due to decreased water flow. The most common way to achieve this is by building a waterfall. You can also create an overflow system where water is constantly flowing out of your tank and back into itself, which provides proper aeration for your fish.
Waterfalls are great because they provide natural filtration through their uneven surface that allows for the growth of bacteria that break down harmful chemicals. They also offer more surface area for oxygen to be dissolved into the water.
In an overflow system, you will need an electrical outlet in your terrarium near where the water flows out and another one at the lowest point in your paludarium so that it pumps back up to its original position. Thus the water is constantly on the move.
Waterfalls also need to be appropriately sized for your tank because if they’re too low, you’ll have an overflow, and if they’re too high, there won’t be enough pressure to push the water back up into the tank. The general rule of thumb is 1 gallon per inch of waterfall height, but if you have a powerful pump or use an air pump to circulate the water, this rule may not apply. There’s no general rule for how high your overflow should be to achieve proper circulation because every tank and pump is different. If you’re building a huge lake rock waterfall for your tank, remember that the top of it needs to be lower than the water level so that it doesn’t cause an overflow.
The next thing we need to figure out is where the water will drain from our land portion of our habitat. Again, for this to work, you need a place where the water will drain into.
The first thing you can do to get a river look for your land portion is find or create a rockscape. Usually, when we think of a river or stream, we picture soft flowing water moving over smooth rocks surrounded by greenery. Once you have the rough outline for your land part figured out, you should add decoration to make it look more like a natural biotope.
Now, as for what you want to put in your land portion, it’s really up to you! You could have a large rock or island that sticks out of water that you can plant on top of, and this is a great way to create a sort of cave or hideout for your reptiles and amphibians. 95% of all paludarium builders use broader plants such as ferns, grasses, and moss. It seems to be the most cost-efficient method because you can get large quantities of these plants at reasonable prices, and they help fill in the area so that your tank has more surface area for fish to swim around on.
You could potentially create another ecosystem entirely in your land portion, but most people tend to use it as a background piece. If you decide that you want some sort of cave or reef rock formation, then you should hydroponically grow some large plants or algae and install them in your land area, but we’ll be covering that later on.
Many people want to use a pump to circulate the water in their tank when they notice how slow-moving the water is, and this is entirely up to you!
You can create a natural pump by using any place where water naturally circulates, like a waterfall or large rock.
Now, something else you may want to consider is a water filter because, as you can probably imagine, with the two different water sources in your tank, it could get very dirty and potentially harmful to your fish.
If you want to get ambitious with your paludarium, then you could take this a step further and build an electronic water filter; this is basically just like an air pump, except the bubbles go up instead of down and force the water through extra layers of media to remove additional particles. This is a good idea because you can build your land so that it forces water through a few layers of filter media.
A final idea for your land portion is to add an electronic light source; if you’re trying to keep live plants in this part of the tank, then lights are a must because little sun rays will penetrate through all that water, and it would be challenging to maintain live growth.
Plants for a Paludarium
Having more information about plants is crucial to constructing an appropriate environment.
For starters, you’ll want a variety of plants to create a balanced environment. You’ll also need to consider the height and size of your plantings as well as any other needs that they might have, like shade or sun exposure.
The easiest way to meet the needs of your plants is by providing them with the right soil and finding a location where they will get everything they need from light, moisture, and nutrients.
Many plants are perfect for a paludarium environment. If you already have some aquatic plants, stick with those since they will already be used to living in water and don’t need any special care.
If you’re looking to start from scratch with new plants, here are a few suggestions to get you started:
Lilies
Lilies are an ideal plant for your paludarium. They don’t require any special care and can tolerate acidic soil as well as shade and sun. They also have a variety of colors and leaf shapes that you can choose from so that you’ll be able to find the right look for your tank.
Palm Tree Water Lily
This water lily plant has broad, velvety green leaves that look like the fronds of a palm. It’s easy to grow and can be found in many garden supply stores.
Lygodachiums
These are aquatic plants with strap-shaped leaves and bright flowers that grow up to one foot long. They can tolerate the temperature of most paludariums and can be found in many garden supply stores.
Elodea (Water Wisteria)
This plant will work really well at absorbing nutrients from your water source, so you don’t have to do as much maintenance.
It grows towards the top of your aquarium and looks like a long green tube that floats on the surface.
Hygrophila
These are floating plants that grow in clusters around 3 inches tall, making them perfect for covering up topsoil or hiding things you don’t want on display. You can also cut off parts of the plant to transplant it elsewhere if you want to grow a new cluster in another part of your aquarium.
Aeration is crucial when growing hygrophila because they are oxygen dependant. Otherwise, they will die off and lead to significant problems with algae blooms.
Bacopa
Bacopa is incredibly easy to grow and doesn’t require any special lighting, which makes it ideal for smaller aquariums.
They have tiny white flowers that hang down off of the main plant and resemble plants in a decorative bowl. They aren’t as fast-growing or attractive as some other plants, but they look great when put together with other aquatic plants.
Bucephalandra
These plants are slow growers, but they will provide you with oxygen all day long. They are best grown in pairs so they can help each other survive and thrive.
What to Avoid
Avoid using plants that need constant care or are difficult to grow in a tank environment. For example, plants that require soil with nutrients will have trouble surviving in an unfertilized paludarium, while those with large root systems may quickly damage the layers of your tank.
Soil for Paludariums
When it comes to choosing which soil to use in your paludarium, there are many options available that can give you something different depending on what you’re looking for.
A good paludarium will have a few layers of soil to provide your plants with the right amount of what they need.
Paludariums typically contain three different layers of soil that all serve a purpose in providing nutrients, moisture, and stability for your land and water creatures.
The top layer is where the peat moss or cactus soil goes. This layer is placed there to be easily replaced when it becomes too heavy with water or particles from the plants above it.
The middle, heavier layer is where all of your nutrients are added to give your water creatures some food.
The bottom, heaviest layer contains hard particles like gravel to help hold everything together.
In general, you’ll want to use soil that doesn’t have any nutrients in it and is lightweight enough to work well with aquatic plants.
Aquatic Soil
This is sold as dirt for aquariums and contains nutrients that can harm delicate organisms like fish. However, it’s very lightweight, which makes it easy to move around your terrarium.
Cactus Soil
Cactus soil is often sold for use in cactus gardens and can be found at most garden supply stores. This type of dirt is very lightweight and contains a lot of peat moss which will help retain water in the environment when used as a top layer in your paludarium.
Peat Moss
Your local garden supply store should carry this type of soil as well. It makes an excellent top layer in your paludarium since it’s lightweight and very absorbent. It can also be used to help maintain the pH balance in your tank by being mixed into the bottom layers of soil.
Tank Inhabitants for your Paludarium
The best inhabitants for a paludarium are aquatic plants and animals that can live in tiny spaces.
Fish, frogs, tadpoles, and snails all work very well in these habitats. You should also consider using miniature creatures like insects and even some types of spiders. Just make sure that they aren’t any bigger than the size of your fingers; otherwise, they may eat your other inhabitants! You can also use mosses, reeds, and different aquatic plants to add a more natural vibe.
Reeds are popular when it comes to paludariums because they grow at different heights. They can be used to block off hiding spaces and filter out some of the water to improve the quality of air within the tank. Mosses and other aquatic plants are also popular because they easily attach to different surfaces within the terrarium, including rocks, pebbles, sticks, and even aquarium backgrounds. There are many options for creating a vibrant visual appearance that will instantly improve the appearance of your paludarium without having to spend hours setting up decorations.
Helpful Tips to Creating the Perfect Paludarium
Creating a beautiful and balanced habitat begins with knowing exactly what you’re doing. Before adding any plants or soil, consider your requirements, like how much space you have and where to place it to receive the right amount of sun exposure without overheating. Next, decide what you want your habitat to look and feel like. Will it be bright or dark? How much water do you want in the environment? What types of plants work well with this type of setting? When answering these questions, remember that you’re creating a realistic landscape that requires plants and appropriate lighting. Finally, there are many things you can do to make your paludarium beautiful without spending a lot of money. Plants like coleus and dwarf sagittaria can be used for accents in your environment, while you can even use silk plants that appear real!
Conclusion
Paludariums are a great way to combine the benefits of both land and water environments, making them perfect for any level of expertise or experience. This article has provided you with all the knowledge necessary to create your own Paludarium, whether it be an indoor or outdoor environment. Just follow the steps and tips given in this guide, and you’ll be on your way to creating a gorgeous habitat for yourself!
