#715: 320L Paludarium Ember Valley

Armands Končus Riga, Latvia

Awards and Comments

First Place
One of the few Paludariums this year that truly gives equal weight to both the aquatic and terrestrial parts of the enclosure. The high key lighting of the background is also very artfully done though I could wish that there at least one photo where we could get at least a glimpse of what was actually going on back there. Really exquisite work! While I know you included a link to a YouTube video we cannot use that as part of our judging process!
— Karen Randall
This system has the best designed and cared for aquatic segment of any paludarium I've seen to-date. The use of red plants offsets the majority of green species well.
— Phil Edwards

Aquascape Details

Dimensions 161 × 65 × 64 cm
Title Ember Valley
Volume 320L
Background Ligh blue foam board with background light
Lighting 4x80W T5 fluorescent, 2x37w T5 LED, 1x58W t8 fluorescent
Filtration 120 liter SUMP with 2000l/h return pump, 2000l/h pump for left waterfall and 600l/h for right waterfall
Plants 1 - Anubias barteri var. nana
2 - Asparagus densiflorus 'Sprengeri'
3 - Asparagus falcatus
4 - Asparagus umbellatus
5 - Bolbitis heudelotii
6 - Bucephalandra sp. "Red"
7 - Bucephalandra "Wavy Green"
8 - Cabomba aquatica
9 - Coelogyne fimbriata
10 - Cordyline "Red Edge"
11 - Echinodorus "Aflame"
12 - Epidendrum porpax
13 - Ficus pumila
14 - Fissidens fontanus
15 - Hemianthus callitrichoides "Cuba"
16 - Hydrocotile leucocephala
17 - Hydrocotile tripartita
18 - Marsilea hirsuta
19 - Maxillaria schunkeana
20 - Muehlenbeckia maori
21 - Ophiopogon japonica pussilus
22 - Rotala wallichii
23 - Soleirolia soleirolii
24 - Staurogyne repens
25 - Taxiphyllum "Spiky"
26 - Taxiphyllum "Flame"
27 - Tillandsia ionantha green
28 - Tillandsia multiflora
29 - Tillandsia xerographica
30 - Alternanthera reineckii 'Mini'
31 - Elocharis acicularis "Mini"
Animals 40 Hyphessobrycon amandae, 20 Iriatherina werneri, ~200 Bloody Mary Shrimp, 10 Caridina multidentata, 5 Corydoras sterbai, 5 corydoras trilineatus, 10 Neritina pulligera
Materials Mangrove and mopani driftwood, Cork bark and cork branches, Local stones, ADA Aquasoil Amazonia, River sand, Houseplants soil and hydroponic pellets.
Additional Information External CO2 reactor is installed after SUMP's return pump. Fertilizing - JBL Ferropol, KNO3, H2PO4. Air plants are growing attached to cork bark and driftwood and get fertilized with sprinkled tank water once a week. Terrestrial plants can take nutrients from water through hydroponic pellets layer. Additionally their leaves get sprinkled 4 times daily from automatic misting system and they get additional moisture from ultrasonic fogger.
Please, whatch the video at <a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/ArmandsKoncus">my Youtube channel</a>.

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