There are several ways to set up a half land/half water terrarium or river tank. I will show you what I consider the easiest way to have a beautiful and versatile set-up. I have tried making a river across the land side that empties into the water, but I have found it is too problematic. It is much easier and just as attractive to set up a tank as I have described below.
Items you will need:
1. A fish aquarium with a secure lid and florescent lighting.
2. A glass or plexiglass divider the length of your aquarium and 4 to 8 inches wide depending on how deep you want the water to be.
3. Aquarium silicone sealant
4. Several smooth stones in varying sizes
5. Gravel or pebbles
6. 2 submersible filters or 1 very powerful one. One should have an outtake that attaches to tubing.
7. Enough horticultural charcoal to fill the land side with a depth of 1 to 2 inches.
8. Fiberglass screen cut to fit land side.
9. Good quality dirt
10. Green moss
11. Plants - aquatic, bog, terrestrial, epiphytic
You can get most of this stuff online more cheaply than at your local pet store. Try
Petstore.com,
Pets.com, or
PETsMART.com
Instructions:
Wash and dry your aquarium throughly. Do not use soap. A bleach solution can be used to disinfect, but be sure to add dechlorinator after rinsing. Place the divider so that it cuts the aquarium in half either lengthwise or diagonally. Position the divider so that the filters can fit in each corner. Silicone into place and allow to cure for 48 hours or whatever it says on the package. If the top of the divider is sharp, put some silicone on it and smooth it out with your finger. You can cut down the length of fish airline tubing and place it on top. When fully cured, fill one side with water to make sure it doesn't leak, then empty it out.
Preparing the land side:
Fill with 1/2 to 2 inches of gravel depending on how high the divider is. Place precut fiberglass screen over gravel. Place 1 to 2 inches charcoal on top of the screen. Fill up to within 1/2 inch of the top of the divider with dirt. Plant your terrestrial plants and add more dirt if necessary. Place dampened moss on top of the dirt and around the plants. Add other decorations and non terrestrial plants after the water side is finished.
Preparing the water side:
Before doing this, put your tank in the place it is going to stay, it will be much too heavy after you finish.
Place the filters in each corner, put a length of tubing on the filter you will use for your waterfall. Add 1 inch of gravel to the bottom. Place large stones so that they are lined up in front of the divider. These stones should be as tall or taller than the divider so that they hide it.
To make a waterfall, pile some flat rocks around the outtake tube, then place one on top. If the filter is not completely hidden, add small rocks or gravel to cover up the bare spots. The other filter can be covered in the same manner. Add dechlorinated water and aquatic plants.
Epiphytic "Air" Plants:
These can be mounted to rocks or wood with fishing line or silicone. They can also be affixed to cork bark and glued to the back wall of the tank. They need to be misted with distilled water every couple of days.
Allow to run for several days before introducing animals. When you are ready, pick the most inexpensive animal first (such as a guppy) and wait for several days to make sure it will live. Before you introduce any animals, keep them separated in a quarantine tank for at least a week.
