Paludarium: how to build a half-land, half-water tank

A paludarium is one enclosure that holds both a real land area and a real body of water, so aquatic, waterline and land plants grow side by side. The land sits on a draining false bottom, humidity runs around 70–90 %, no CO₂ is needed, and a split of roughly 60 % water to 40 % land is a sensible first plan.

What is a paludarium?

A paludarium is a single tank that combines a genuine land section with a genuine water section, so plants and animals from the edge between the two can live together. The word joins the Latin palus, a marsh, with -arium, a place for something. Builds range from small desktop boxes to walk-through exhibits such as the rainforest hall at the Montreal Biodome.

Hobbyists arrive at it from both sides: some add water to a vivarium, others add land to an aquarium. When the land shrinks until only plants hang over the waterline, the setup is usually called a riparium instead, although where exactly one ends and the other begins is still argued over. In MOKIZEN's analysis of 591 published layouts, 51 are paludaria, about 9 %.

How much land and how much water should a paludarium have?

Start from what you want to keep, then set the split: one build guide suggests roughly 60 % water and 40 % land as a default, while Terrarium Tribe gives no number and says to plan around the animals and the tank shape. Treat 60/40 as a starting point, not a rule — lean towards water for fish, towards land for frogs or reptiles.

Put the island or landmass against the back or one side rather than in the middle. A central island eats water volume and makes the filter and your hands work harder. Tank shape follows the same logic: tall tanks suit rainforest scenes with a big background, long low tanks suit water-heavy designs.

• Aquatic zone: fully submerged plants and the fish.
• Waterline zone: roots wet, leaves in the air.
• Land zone: humid, drained soil for groundcovers.
• Epiphyte zone: wood, rock and the background wall.

Which plants work in a paludarium?

Choose plants that like wet feet and humid air. Many aquarium plants — Anubias, Bucephalandra, Java fern, Cryptocoryne and mosses such as Java or Christmas moss — grow both under and above the waterline, which makes them the backbone of the edge zone. Emersed leaves take CO₂ straight from the air, so none of this needs CO₂ injection.

• Larger land builds also take ferns, Pilea, Begonia, Philodendron and Syngonium.

What animals can live in a paludarium?

Keep stocking light and match each animal to the land/water balance it needs. In the water, a small calm group such as 6–8 chili rasboras or ember tetras works; avoid splashy fish that jump. Dwarf shrimp and snails fit almost any build.

• Amphibians: dart frogs, tree frogs, fire-bellied toads and newts, each with its own land/water needs.
• Semi-aquatic crabs; in large builds some lizards such as water dragons, or small turtles.
• Springtails and isopods in the land substrate as the cleanup crew.
• Mixing many animal species is best left to experienced keepers.

How do you build a paludarium layer by layer?

Build the land structure before anything else, because everything else sits on it. On the land side, the stack is a drainage layer (about 2 cm of LECA clay balls, or a raised egg-crate or foam false bottom), a mesh separator, then about 3–5 cm of an ABG-type mix of tree fern fibre, milled sphagnum, bark, charcoal and peat or coco, topped with moss or leaf litter. The water side takes aquarium soil or sand; one guide uses about 4–5 cm of aquasoil over a draining rock layer.

1. Pick the animals (if any) and the land/water ratio, then choose a tank shape to match.
2. Build the land frame from foam sealed with silicone, egg-crate panels or filter foam, with mesh on top so water drains underneath without the soil slumping.
3. Fit the background and main wood and stone, and route hidden tubing for any pump.
4. Lay the substrates: soil or sand in the water; drainage, mesh and ABG-type mix on land.
5. Install the filter and pump, fill up and test the waterfall for leaks and splashing.
6. Plant the water and waterline zone, then the land, then tie or glue epiphytes onto wood.
7. Fit the light and a lid or misting that still lets some air move.
8. Seed springtails and isopods, cycle the water, then add animals gradually.

What light and filter does a paludarium need?

A full-spectrum LED of about 6,500 K covers most builds. One build guide runs about 8 hours over the water and 10–12 hours for the land plants; tall tanks may need stronger or separate lights for the upper land.

The water half needs a normal aquarium filter with mechanical and biological stages, and it must be cycled before animals go in. A small pump, about 300–600 L/h in one build, can feed a trickle waterfall that adds circulation and keeps the land moist.

How do you maintain a paludarium?

Maintenance is mostly topping up and small water changes on a fixed rhythm.

Why does a paludarium get mould or root rot, and what are common mistakes?

Mould and rot almost always trace back to still air or soil sitting in water. High humidity is the point of a paludarium, but without some ventilation mould blooms and stagnant pockets form — these are the most common beginner problems.

• Solid, non-draining land: the soil sours and roots rot. Use a false bottom or drainage layer with a mesh separator.
• Island in the centre: less water, awkward filtering. Move land to the back or a side.
• No air movement: open up some ventilation, improve circulation and add springtails.
• Overstocking or mixing incompatible animals: water quality drops and animals stress or eat each other. Stock lightly.
• Letting moss dry out: emersed moss only grows while constantly moist, so mist in dry or air-conditioned rooms.

이 가이드의 식물과 생물

• 아누비아스 나나 쁘띠 (Anubias barteri var. nana 'Petite')
• 부세파란드라 (부세) (Bucephalandra spp.)
• 미크로소리움 (자바펀) (Microsorum pteropus (syn. Leptochilus pteropus))
• 크립토코리네 (크립트) (Cryptocoryne wendtii)
• 크리스마스 모스 (Vesicularia montagnei)
• 피토니아 (그물무늬말) (Fittonia albivenis)
• 카멜레온 이끼 (공작 셀라기넬라 / 무지개 양치) (Selaginella uncinata)
• Peperomia (String of Turtles / Ripple Peperomia) (Peperomia prostrata / P. caperata)
• 푸밀라 고무나무 (애기모람 / 덩굴고무나무) (Ficus pumila)
• Neoregelia Bromeliad (Neoregelia spp. (e.g. N. carolinae))

3D로 보기

• 젠 산골짜기 계곡 & 부처 신사
• 록키 마운틴 폭포
• 산악 계곡 & 호수

관련 가이드

• Riparium: a riverbank tank with plants above the water
• Closed terrarium: how to build one that lasts
• 정글 스타일 수초 어항: 추천 수초, 레이어링 및 세팅 가이드
• How to cycle a new aquarium (nitrogen cycle)

출처

1. Paludarium — Wikipedia
2. Paludarium guide — Terrarium Tribe
3. Paludarium plants: how to choose (and use) stunning species — Terrarium Tribe
4. Paludarium build guide: step-by-step half-land half-water setup — Gensou Premium Aquascaping (Singapore)
5. ABG substrate — Josh's Frogs
6. About emersed production of aquarium plants — Tropica Aquarium Plants
7. Bioactive terrarium — Wikipedia
8. Aquascape insights (591 published layouts) — MOKIZEN

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