Terrarium build??

[MoraRocks]

i would like to build some sort of a terranium/fish tank. Snails, shrimp, tetras. aquatic plants, moss maybe. something that looks like a terranium but also houses some aquatic life as well. i have a ten gallon tank i would like to use. i dont know much so any advice, ideas would help. Lighting, pump, anything to live above water level?? I would like a little more than half of the tank water.. something like the picture below...

 

[Cichlid Kid]

I really like that pic of the Vivarium. Your looking for something with more water area?
I also have a spare 10g that I'd like to do something with. Alot of the aquatic plants transition well to "boglike" conditions. Some need more humidity than others, like java fern for example. What kind of livestock are you considering?

 

[MoraRocks]

i think they are absolutely fascinating, I wasn't sure exact term for it. they are called my so many names. I definitely want a diversity of plants and animals. I was thinking killfish or some guppies, maybe snails, shrimp. ive been looking into mudskimmers but not sure if they can be put with smaller animals or if they would tear it up quite a bit.. I know im going to catch a treefrog or two this spring, my swimming pool is always swarmed by them. just trying to figure out which animals work best together. I would like above and below water animals to even it out if possible... id like close to 50/50 water-land if I can. they take awhile to get growing but very worth it in the end!!

 

[Cichlid Kid]

Maybe a simple air driven sponge filter? I have a u1 mini submersible that I was gonna use for mine. Imo the more heavily planted, the less filtration you'd need. Lighting on a 10g like that would be a cinch, and cheap too. What kind of substrate are you doing? I have an eastern gartersnake that I've had for a long time and she's in my 10g. Rite now there's only some pothos and gravel along with a unique piece of driftwood. I'm considering doing topsoil capped with the gravel and adding some dhg, anubias nana and some rotala indica. Mostly mine will be high ground with a small pool of water. The lighting will stay the same, 2-20w 6500k cfl's.
I can't keep any other livestock because she tries to eat everything that moves! If gartersnakes were more aquatic I'd go with more water but she needs a bone dry basking area even though she spends most of her time in the water lol! With your setup though the sky's the limit!

Subscribed to your thread! Goodluck and if you have any questions I'm here. >=))))(°>

Also I wanted to add that with a few guppies or killifish along with a tree frog would look great. It all depends on what you plan for filtration concerning the inverts.

 

[MoraRocks]

ive gathered up a small 5 gallon submersible filter, and some sand im going to rinse out for the bottom. for a 10 gallon with plants what size light would work best?? I don't wanna fry the animals but need enough light for the plants.. im probably going for the guppies, snails, and a tree frog..

 

[Cichlid Kid]

I'd just get a hood that takes 2 screw in incandescents and put the cfl's in that I mentioned. Just make shure they're daylight bulbs of at least 6000 - 6700 kelvins.

 

[MoraRocks]

Thank you much!!

 

[Sillyfishies]

Put a betta