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Re: Aquatic Plants Digest V3 #1479
Happy New Year to All!
I am fascinated in nature by weeping, seep type springs - mini, driplike
waterfalls and their associated flora and fauna. I dream of reproducing just
such a slice of nature using an aquarium and wonder if anyone in this august
body has attempted such a project or would care to offer any comments or
suggestions on how this might be done.
I vividly remember several excellent examples along these lines on display at
the Tennessee Aquarium. The real trick was the duplication of a rocky
background which curved up and around in a cavelike cup - the root encrusted
roof and sides of which dripped into the pool below. What material might be
used to duplicate this rockwork and how might the plumbing be buried within?
Has anyone ever used slabs of treefern root, such as is used in orchid
culture, siliconed on as a background? Pierced tubing could be buried within
and a steady weep thus produced according to a Dutch webpage I once read.
Treefern should make an excellent foothold for many types of plant life.
Maximizing plant life and keeping animal life to a minimum - not much should
be needed in the way of filtration. In fact, the problem will be finding a
pump which doesn't gush like a fire hydrant in order to produce the weeping
effect. Are there adjustable flow rate pumps available or could/should
restrictions be placed on the plumbing itself? What about the pumps used in
those little self contained fountains one sees for sale at stores everywhere
now - they'd be about the right flow rate, no?
What type of plants would be suitable in such an arrangement? I've seen
fernlike species growing in the mists of waterfalls and perpetual wetness of
seeps but don't know the exact names. Baby's tears?
While plants are my main interest what type of animals or fish might be
considered for such an environment?
Any and all thoughts on this subject as well as any comments on substrate,
lighting, etc., are eagerly solicited and greatly appreciated. Wishing you
and yours a healthy and prosperous New Year I remain,
Sincerely,
Bob Olesen