New 20 gallon setup.

[Tleilaxu]

Here is a 20 gallon I am working on, I dont know what I will be putting in it yet, I still need to get the plants, lights and a cover and one more large wood piece.

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh195/Polistes/100_4514.jpg

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh195/Polistes/100_4515.jpg

Top down view..

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh195/Polistes/100_4517.jpg

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh195/Polistes/100_4518.jpg

The "hole" is a half of a two liter Pepsi bottle that I will use for a "pond" for a small to mid sized water plant. Its also high enough that it can serve as a small pool for small frogs to breed in, if I decide to get frogs. As of yet I dont know what animals I will place, for now its going to be plant focused. Though I am planning to add isopods, and earthworms to have a soil ecosystem, I also got some wild soil as well so hopefully I can get some little critters to pop up before I decide on the main attraction. I will also try a Bonsai tree thing in there as well. I will keep you posted on progress, but it will be slow I most likely wont add "real display" animals until next year, so feel free to suggest things that can go in there!

 

[H. laoticus]

I'd be careful with the wild soil. You never know what little nasty critters will come along. Btw, is this a tropical setup?
and do keep us updated

 

[Tleilaxu]

I'd be careful with the wild soil. You never know what little nasty critters will come along. Btw, is this a tropical setup?
and do keep us updated

Most likely a semi tropical or tropical setup, never had issues with nasty critters in the soil, then again as I stated earlier I am not getting any major animals species for a year or so. Sure they can lie dormant and stuff, but there numbers should be reduced by some other the other critters in there like earth worms and isopods...

 

[Tleilaxu]

I just added the last piece of wood, now there is a decent framwork to add plants too.
http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh195/Polistes/100_4519.jpg

 

[Tleilaxu]

Well got the lights and the first plants, one amazon sword(Aquatic plant) and two dandelion seeds LOL. For the lights I am using the reptisun 10.0 compact fluorescents(two of them), I want to see how they are different than the regular tube lights. Anyways I will be adding Isopods soon, when I can find them. The rest of the plants will be added at the end of the month, then its a waiting game for a year.

I also have added worms to the soil, I have about 12 or so.

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh195/Polistes/100_4528.jpg

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh195/Polistes/100_4527.jpg

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh195/Polistes/100_4529.jpg

The worms in the tank...

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh195/Polistes/100_4534.jpg

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh195/Polistes/100_4533.jpg

The tank as it is...

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh195/Polistes/100_4540.jpg

Well there it is at this time, about 50 percent completed. The nice thing is the "pond" is four inches deep despite being half filled with gravel.

 

[fangsalot]

and when shall you be adding the killer turtle?

 

[Tleilaxu]

Tank updates: I have added the isopods, I have two separate species, the typical sow bug, and the pill bug, the pill bugs of course roll into a little ball and roll away when disturbed, the sow bugs do not. Their purpose in this tank is to eat the dead and dying leave of the plants and any animal waste, thus breaking it down for the worms to get it. Sow and pill bugs also prey on mites and other unwanted things and eat dead inverts, in short they are the clean up crews. I also have added some land snails that I actually caught awhile ago. They are really cool but I never see them, there are 8 total snails, I am hoping they breed too and help with the cleaning. Anyways here are the pics.

The land snail, 1 of 8.(Snails were CAUGHT HERE!)

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh195/Polistes/100_4544.jpg

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh195/Polistes/100_4545.jpg

The Isopods, the pill bugs are the reddish ones, the sow bugs are the grey speckled ones.

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh195/Polistes/100_4552.jpg

Just added into the tank moments ago.

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh195/Polistes/100_4555.jpg

Well enjoy, all thats left are the plants and waiting for them to grow once added.

 

[Tleilaxu]

Well almost done, all I need to do is added the bonsai when its ready. Other than that the tank is very near completion.

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh195/Polistes/100_4562.jpg

In the front are an English Ivy in the left corner, a small invasive garden plant in the center, which forms carpets of foliage, and the right corner a spider plant. In the back center is a garden weed that I picked, it looks similar to a shamrock and produces cute yellow flowers, and also spreads nicely, in the back right is another English Ivy, but pure green.